(A/N) HELLOO LOVELY READERS! I'm sorry... I said I'd update on Saturday, which was TWO DAYS AGO... but then I went to my aunt's house and never got to get anything done and then I came home and we had this family gathering thing and and and i'm sorry :( But I made this chapter long :))) Does that count for anything? 

I hope so :)

Okay, read awaaaay!

***

I ignored my phone, which was buzzing in my purse and continued harshly rummaging through the rack of clothing. The irritating sound failed to cease, and I watched my grip on the metal lining of the rack tighten, my knuckles whitening with every ounce of pressure. It wasn't like I didn't know who was texting me, because I did. It was just that I didn't want to answer.

Two weeks, 14 days, 336 hours (more or less) since Louis proposed to Eleanor and I guess it was safe to say the worst was over. I had successfully avoided Louis when possible, but made sure not to make it too obvious. The last thing I needed was him questioning why on earth I would steer clear of him. Although, just because contact with Louis was kept at minimum to none at all, I didn't allow his new relationship status to affect my friendship with the rest of the boys. I had made the mistake of allowing that to happen before, and saw the impact it had on our friendships. I hadn't seen Danielle for a week, either. She was on vacation with family and was going to stay there for another few days or so.

I jumped and was snapped out of my intruding thoughts when Rose's small, gentle hand rested on my shoulder. She and I had gone out shopping, something she insisted would clear my mind. Sadly, every corner I turned, every magazine I saw had the faces of Louis and Eleanor plastered across it. The news of their engagement was announced just a few days after and I'd say most fans, though shocked, were happy about it.

"Pick it up, Lot." Rose urged sternly, glancing down at my purse. "Lot" was Rose's long ago developed nickname for me. From Charlotte, it became Lottie. And from Lottie, somehow my name had been condensed into Lot. Rose only used this name in situations in which persuasion was needed, much like this one. And for a forty year old, Rose could be pretty darn persuasive.

"Rose!' I gasped, intentionally ignoring her order. "Look at this top, I swear, this shirt with those jeans you got last time are meant to be.." I avoided meeting Rose's narrowing eyes and held the floral shirt up in front of her. Not bothering to glance down, she swatted my hand away and crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrow raised in a questioning manner. Rose's sassy yet motherly demeanor had taken some getting used to, but it was also something I was grateful for. She cared about me like a mother would, something I'd never take for granted.

"Check your phone, or I'll do it for you." Her lips curled up into a challenging smirk. I glared at her for a few seconds before sighing, knowing I wouldn't have my way this time, not with Rose.

I pulled out my cell phone for the first time that day, only to see twelve text notifications from all of the boys and Dani. Rose's pressuring eyes watched my every movement as I scrolled through the messages. I let out a huff and looked back down at the screen, getting ready to read the first message. I was interrupted by the phone's harsh vibration. Niall's contact picture flashed across the screen, each ring grow louder in volume, urging me to answer the call. Well.. it was only Niall. I reluctantly slid the unlock button to the right, bringing the device to my ear.

"Charlotte!" His voice rang out loud and clear, causing me to flinch.

"Niall, hey! What's up?"

"Nothing, really. What about you? How.. uh.." He cleared his throat. "How are you doing?"

I smiled to myself. "I'm doing better, Nialler, thanks. You? What have you been up to?" It wasn't a lie, I had been doing better. Now if I had said I was doing well, that would have been a lie.

"It's been boring." Niall let out a sigh. "We haven't seen you for weeks, we all just miss you."

I looked to Rose, who was trying so hard to pretend like she wasn't listening intently to our conversation. She was rummaging through a rack of clothing, but every now and then her curious gaze would travel to where I was standing. When her eyes met mine and I cocked an eyebrow, she feebly smiled, her efforts spent on making it seem as if she wasn't eavesdropping rendering useless. I smiled slightly and shook my head at her. Remembering Niall was still on the line, I thought about what he had just told me. They all missed me. All of them.

"Even Louis?" The two words left my mouth without warning, almost precipitously, and I regretted them the second they did. Rose shot me a questioning glare, one that I responded to with a regretful one. Wishing I hadn't even mentioned Louis's name, I listened intently for Niall's response.

There was some shuffling on his end before he spoke. "You're still his friend, Charlotte.. of course he misses you." His voice was hushed, but his words were comprehensible.

I let out a sigh and switched the phone from my left hand to my right, my grip firm. "What are you guys doing today? Are you busy?"

"Well, Liam and I have to run down to the studio, but that's later. Other than that, we're off for the rest of the week."

"So you wouldn't mind if I dropped by?" Rose, who was standing next to me, fist pumped excitedly. A muted laugh escaped my lips when her elbow hit a stand of perfumes, making the glass bottles topple over. She caught the stand just in time, her --before, wide-- eyes narrowing in a cocky manner as she gave me a thumbs up.

This was what she wanted all along, for me to see the boys again. And I have to admit, I did miss them. They had become a huge part of my life, people I couldn't forget even if I tried. I missed Harry, Liam, Zayn, Niall.. and I missed Louis. I couldn't just avoid him forever, so the sooner I learned to deal with the truth, the better it would be for me.

"Hold on.." Niall took a pause. "Did I hear you correctly?"

I laughed. "Yes, you heard correctly. Now hurry up, this offer could end very soon.."

"Yes! I mean yeah definitely, you can come by! We're all probably gonna be at Liam's flat by that time.. I'll go tell him!"

"No!" I shouted abruptly, receiving bitter glares from the store clerks. I ignored them and cleared my throat, allowing my voice to die back down. "Don't tell them, let this be a surprise." Niall laughed and agreed before saying he had to go. I hung up after saying goodbye and turned to face Rose.

"Happy?" I asked, throwing my cell phone back into the purse.

She shot me a knowing smile before pursing her lips. "Yes, but not as happy as you."

***

The familiar hall holding the flats of the five members of One Direction came into view as I stepped out of the stairwell, flinching when the door behind me slammed mercilessly back into its place. The echo of the impact rang out through the huge hallway, ricocheting off the walls and back to my alert ears.

I inhaled an unusual amount of oxygen, allowing it to rest in my lungs for a few seconds before breathing out. Adjusting the three boxes of large pizza that were held securely but with difficulty by my short arms, my feet carried me down the hallway; a path that had been embedded into my memory from the numerous amount of times I had been there.

I reached the mahogany door, the memories from the first day I met the boys flooding through my mind. I remember when Liam opened the door to greet the nervous wreck that stood before his residence. My lips pulled up into a broad smile. I brought my hand up and softly knocked twice. Using the stacked boxes of pizza to shield my face, I held them up high. Tilting the shade of my red snap back down, I awaited one of the boys' arrival.

The sound of yells and barricade of loud footsteps was heard before the door was swung open. I couldn't tell who had opened it because of the cardboard that was blocking my vision, but listened intently to see if I could recognize the voice that would speak first.

"Pizza delivery!" I resisted the urge to giggle as the pathetic attempt at lowering my voice went unnoticed. A few seconds later when no response was heard, I mentally face-palmed myself. What type of pizza guy actually shouts "pizza delivery?" They were probably suspicious already, even though they hadn't seen my face.

"I didn't know we ordered pizza." The hushed voice was husky, deep, making it easy to identify it as Harry's. I bit my lip in efforts to stifle a laugh.

"It was probably Niall." This voice, followed by a chuckle, arose a flutter in the pit of my stomach. I held back a nervous sigh, swallowing it in efforts to calm my nerves. It would be hard seeing him again, but I knew I was stronger than this. If I couldn't get over one boy, how was I going to face the problems that were certain to arise in my future? I wasn't going to be one of those girls, the ones mirroring society's Disney version of a damsel in distress. I was independent, a girl that never did need saving from a prince. And I sure as hell wasn't about to allow Louis to change that now.

As if he had just noticed that I was still standing there, Harry spoke up. "I'll take these.." He trailed off, wrapping his long arms around the pizza. I cautiously handed the boxes to him, being careful not to speak nor look up. The only thing visible from underneath the shade of my snap back, now that my arms were rid of the pizza boxes, was Louis' and Harry's legs. I could see them from knee down and easily recognized the one on the left as Louis because of the navy blue TOMS that embraced his feet.

"How much do we owe you?" Louis' voice was uneasy. He probably didn't know how to speak to me when I refused to allow him to see my face, let alone make eye contact. And I didn't blame him.

Maybe I should always wear snap backs. The thought made me want to laugh, but I knew that wasn't a good idea until I revealed myself. I gulped, trying to convince myself that I was only nervous because I hadn't seen them in such a long period of time, but I knew better. It was because it'd be the first time I would see Louis after he's engaged. After evading his birthday party and texting Liam to inform the rest of the boys that my parents wanted me back home as an excuse, the thought of Louis actually being engaged hadn't ceased to linger in the back of my mind. It sinisterly planted itself in a position so atrocious that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't succeed to rid myself of it.

I dauntlessly stripped myself of the nerves that were threatening to swallow me whole and slowly lifted my head up. "It's on the house." I pulled off the snap back and freed my curly brown locks, which were carefully tucked into the hat.

My gaze automatically met Louis' first, something that I had long since lost control over. His sapphire eyes held a swirl of emotions, surprise being the most prominent. But there was something else. An emotion I couldn't quite place, something that left me confused and contemplating. Don't think too much about it. I snapped my eyes away from where they were locked with his, feeling a pang deep in my chest as the glass walls of the daze his eye contact put me in shattered to the ground soundlessly. I shook the invading thoughts out of my mind, spinning on my heels to face Harry in hopes to eliminate the prominent blush that had managed to find a comfortable spot my cheeks.

I cleared my throat. "So? You gonna invite me in, or..?"

Harry snapped out of his surprised state and his lips twitched up into a broad smile. He stepped back, giving me entry into the flat. I scanned the familiar room, noting that it was messier than usual, with candy wrappers and empty soda cans strewn across the floor. The T.V. displayed a paused game of FIFA, with two remote controls resting in front of it. A guitar was laying on the couch, with sheet music scattered on the coffee table. A game of monopoly was left abandoned on the ground a few feet away from me, the play cash thrown in in various places throughout the room. Knowing Liam, he probably didn't approve of this mess. Then again, who even said he knew about it? I shook my head in disapproval and took off my coat and shoes.

When I turned around to put my coat away, I saw Louis and Harry still standing in front of the wide open door. They blinked simultaneously and glanced at each other before Louis smirked and whispered something into Harry's ear. They met my gaze again, mischievous smirks dancing on their lips. I was left confused as Louis reached out and pinched Harry's arm. Harry yelped -- very girlishly, may I add -- and smacked Louis' arm in return. Louis, in response, leaned over Harry and pulled his lips back to reveal his teeth in a goofy smile.

I narrowed my eyes. What on earth are they doing?

Neither of them had said a word, obviously playing a game that I did not have the "honor" of being a part of. "Ahem.." I cleared my throat, hoping to get them to talk.

"Was that pizza you carried into the kitchen?" Louis completely ignored my attempt to grab their attention and followed Harry, who nodded, as they stalked off into the kitchen, not bothering to acknowledge my presence. I stood in the same spot, astounded at their behavior. I bit my bottom lip deep in thought. They were definitely acting this way on purpose, just trying to get on my nerves.

Two can play that game.

The sound of footsteps made the devious grin that had planted itself across my lips disappear. I turned around and followed the two guys into the kitchen, where they were digging through the fridge for something. Making sure to stomp my feet in order to announce my presence, I grabbed the boxes of pizza and headed towards the door. I heard their footsteps as they followed me like lost puppies.

"If you two want to be idiots, I can take my pizza and leave." Slipping on my shoes, I didn't bother to look back as I swung the door open. Aren't they going to say anything? I didn't really think this plan through, being one hundred percent sure that either of them would call off the game.

The sound of Louis' snickering came from behind me and I resisted the temptation to turn around. I had taken only one step through the doorway when I felt two arms wrap around my waist and lift me up so my feet were no longer touching the ground. My captor kicked the door shut with his foot and carried me back to the lounge room. Not knowing how to react, I turned my head around to an impossible angle and saw Harry's dimple-framed grin. 

"Harry, let go." I whined, pinching and hitting his arm. The pizza was taken from my hands by Louis, who was suffering fits of uncontrollable laughter. "Harry! This is illegal you know, it's... it's abduction! I can take you to court!" I bluffed, not actually knowing whether or not this was considered abduction under the law. Harry's laughter rang out from behind me as he walked into the living room with an eighteen year old girl thrashing pointlessly in his arms. Louis followed suit with a box of pizza. 

"Oi, Harry? You want pizza, mate?" Louis held a slice of pizza up in his hand as he grinned at Harry. The arms that were wrapped quite uncomfortably around my waist loosened and I fell to the ground with a thud. Rubbing my sore back, I lifted my head to see both Harry and Louis sitting on the kitchen counter, munching on their pizza. 

I blew a stray strand of hair out of my face and hopped up, straightening my t-shirt from where it had risen up. "That's right, drop the girl for the pizza.." I mumbled a few swear words underneath my breath and stood before the immature boys, right hip cocked out in an annoyed manner. 

Louis grunted and Harry shrugged, glancing up to meet my eyes. "Food comes first." He said between bites.

"Good luck getting a girlfriend with that attitude." I snorted, grabbing a can of Pepsi from the refrigerator.  Louis "ooh'ed" and applauded me. I had to admit, it was hard not to laugh at their antics. That's what I liked about being around the guys. They didn't let a single second pass that could be labeled boring. It was impossible to be sorrowful or unentertained around them, even if one of the two was the cause for my heart break.

"Where have ya been?" Louis asked before hopping off of the counter and washing his hands. And just like that, the silly, immature mood had been ruined and the single cause of my disappearance from Louis' life threw itself to the front of my mind, blocking any attempts of me actually trying to get over him. 

I took a long sip out of the aluminum can, allowing the fizzy solution to sting my throat as it bubbled its way down. Unfortunately, it didn't take the nerves that were making their way into the spotlight down with it.

"My parents have been really busy lately. We have some family friends down in Yorkshire that we finally got some time to visit." Okay, so it wasn't a complete lie. But it wasn't the whole truth, either. We did visit some of our, or my parents' I should say, family friends. But that was only for a few days. The thing was, Louis didn't need to know that. Neither did Harry. Or the other boys, even though I was damn sure Niall and Liam had a pretty good theory of my absence. 

"Ah.." Harry nodded his head, along with Louis. Thankfully, neither of them asked how the trip went, or my lying skills would have been put to the ultimate test.  

* * * 

"She threw a shoe at you?!" The three of us were splayed out on the three separate couches as Louis and Harry were telling me about outrageous experiences they had while performing. Time had passed quickly, it had already been an hour since I arrived at Liam's flat. An hour spent in easy conversation, 3 rounds of FIFA, (in which I crushed both Louis and Harry), and raiding Liam's fridge. I had also made Louis and Harry clean up their mess, something that had been bothering me the second I stepped into the flat. 

Harry threw his had back in laughter. "Yeah, and it--" 

He was interrupted by Louis, who jumped off the couch and landed in Harry's lap, placing a hand over his mouth. "No, I wanna tell her! This is the best part!" Louis whined, elongating the word "part." What amused me was his childish nature, the way his eyes gleamed when he got excited; the very fact that it took nothing but an interesting part in a story to get him excited was even more admirable, in my opinion. 

Harry gave up on his struggle to remove Louis' hand and leaned back in defeat. Louis jumped in victory and chuckled to himself before spilling the rest of the story. "The funniest part? The shoe hit him in the balls."

I was unable to mute the loud, estranged laugh that escaped my mouth. I kept laughing, to the point where my hand was clutching my stomach and the laughter only grew when I caught sight of Harry's face, which was red out of pure embarrassment. Eventually, he let go of his bottom lip which was held in between his teeth in an attempt not to let a laugh escape his mouth and joined Louis and I in our fits.

"Oh God Harry.. did the girl ever get her shoe back?" Unable to complete my sentence, I nearly fell of the couch as another wave of laughter racked through my body. This only made Louis join me as we made fun Harry. 

"You two are hilarious." Rolling his eyes, Harry got up onto his feet and smacked Louis lightly on the back of his head. "The festival starts in an hour, you might wanna get ready." He explained, looking down at Louis. 

"Oh yeah, that is today!" Louis hopped up, but before he could say anything, his cell phone rang in his back pocket. He sheepishly excused himself and walked out of the lounge room and into the corridor. 

"Festival?" The word left my mouth subconsciously, without me knowing. I was wondering which festival they were talking about, but didn't really mean to ask in such a manner. 

"Have you heard of the Leeds Festival?" Harry asked, taking his seat next to me on the couch. I shook my head from side to side. I didn't know much of the festivities that went around here in London, mostly because I was new to the place. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

"It's basically a music festival, it's actually pretty big in the UK. Louis and I went together in 2011 and it just kind of became this thing." The smile on his face didn't fade as he reached down to his arm and pulled back his sleeve, revealing a red bracelet with the words "LEEDS 2011" imprinted in white. I thought back to what Zayn had told me. As flirty as Harry may seem, he actually took many things to heart. He gave each little thing so much value, whether or not the other person did the same. And now, as I watched Harry reminiscing the memories of him and his best friend, I could tell that this festival was something that ws really important to him and he was excited for it.

"That's really cool, Harry." I stated, watching him as he lifted his head up to meet my eyes. His lips twitched and the smile that had conquered them earlier fell. 

"I'm actually surprised Louis has time to go with me this year." He mumbled, refusing to look my way. Harry ran a hand through his curls and leaned back into the couch, his fingers contantly fidgeting with the bracelet that embraced his wrist. 

"What do you mean?" I sat up, adjusting myself so I was face to face with him. I was genuinely curious to know the meaning behind his words. Niall had mentioned something like this before, but I never paid much attention. 

Harry let out an exasperrated sigh and looked to his right to make sure Louis hadn't returned. "At first, when Louis began dating Eleanor, we were all so happy for him. The first year passed and Louis still had time for us. He made time for us. Then, a little further into the relationship and we began losing him. Louis isn't someone to change for others. He doesn't ever hold anything back, but it's like Eleanor has this spell cast over him." Harry let out a soft chuckle and glanced at me before continuing. "He changed, he wasn't himself. He acts mature around her and gives her all of his time. I understand that they're in love or whatever, but who said that meant having to cut off your best friends? I'm not saying that it's all his fault either. Eleanor puts him in a difficult position, one where he always has to choose her. Thankfully, recently, he hasn't been this way. We've all noticed a change in him and hopefully it's permanent.." 

Harry's voice died down as footsteps were heard coming down the corridor. I needed time to process all out this. Is this what Niall meant when he said, "You don't know what it's like anymore?" Is this what he was trying to tell me? The yearning in his eye was mistaken for sorrow that night at Louis' party. The yearning for his best friend back was something I failed to understand, until now, until I saw the same yearning in Harry's eyes. Unable to speak, I mouthed the words "Talk later" to Harry and we watched Louis practically skid into the lounge room. 

He had changed his outfit entirely, which before consisted of a black t-shirt and dark jeans. Now, Louis was wearing a red colored polo with beige khakis. He had a bottle of cologne in his hand, which he spritzed on himself before setting down on the table. "I don't think Liam would mind if I borrowed his clothes." His attempt at a joke was a pitiful one, one not completed by his nervous tone and unsure eyes. Louis fidgeted with his hands as he took a seat in front of Harry. 

"Mate, I just got a call from El. She said she was coming to visit and would be here in just a few minu--" 

The sound of the doorbell was what cut Louis', most likely, apology off mid-sentence. He shot Harry a regretful look and made his way to the door before opening it. The person that stood in the door frame completed Louis' sentence for him. For a reason that remained unknown, I reached out and grabbed Harry's hand. I guess it was my way of comforting him when I didn't trust myself to speak. Harry needed a friend and if Louis -- his very best friend -- abandoned him, I wasn't going to to the same. His eyes darted to mine, eyebrows knitting together in a thoughtful manner. A look of knowing and an emotion I hadn't been able to decipher for days now swirled in his emerald green eyes. 

Our attention was brought to the entrance of the room, where Louis stood with his arm wrapped around Eleanor's waist. Dressed in her signature high-waist shorts and blouse, she stood at least an inch taller than Louis with her 4-inch heels. Their difference in height wasn't the first thing to catch my eye. Instead, it was the glistening diamond wring that embraced Eleanor's ring finger. It was a reminder of the love between the two, a love I was not lucky enough to have.

Deciding not to let my envy of her get to my head, I smiled brightly as she took a few steps to where Harry and I were sitting. Not understanding her ability to walk in the death traps she called heels, I mustered up enough politeness to greet her, but she beat me to it. 

"Hey, Charl-- Woah, wait. Are you two..?" She started talking, meaning for us to complete her thoughts. Her eyes widened with shock and she exchanged a glance with Louis. Are we what? Harry and I shared a confused look before our eyes widened in suit of Eleanor's. I instantly removed my hand from where it was resting on Harry's, holding it sheepishly in my lap. Harry's cheeks were set ablaze as he averted his gaze. Heat rushed its way up to my cheeks as I looked back up to Eleanor.

"We're not together." I explained, but my voice was accompanied by Louis'. "They're not dating." He said, making three pairs of eyes dart to him. I narrowed my eyes at his almost defensive tone. By the look on his face, we weren't the only ones surprised about his sudden outburst. Louis ignored my questioning glare and took his spot next to Eleanor, wrapping his hand around hers in an attempt to wash away her confused expression. 

The tense atmosphere was becoming too much for me so I decided to do something about it, surprising both Eleanor and myself by wrapping my arms around her in a friendly hug. "Nice to see you again." I smiled, proud of myself for acting mature in a situation like this, something I failed to do many times before. 

She looked taken aback, but smiled back nonetheless. She didn't bother to respond, but instead, turned on her heel and threw her arms around Louis' neck. I backed away feebly and plopped down on the couch, placing my elbow on my knee and my face in my hands pathetically. 

"Louis," She said, dragging his name out, her voice holding traces of annoyance as she whined to her fiance. "I made reservations for 3, we should get going soon." 

Reservations? Her words immediately reverted my attention to Harry, who had a sorrowful smile hanging off of his lips. Looking back to Louis, I saw him dart his eyes from Harry back to Eleanor, meeting mine for only a split second. He looked torn, not knowing who to choose: his best friend, who he'd ditched so many times before, or his fiance, who always managed to get her way.

Surely Louis wouldn't be inconsiderate enough to throw away his plans with Harry, right?

"Yeah of course, we'll leave in a bit." The words resentfully left Louis' lips, making me boil with anger. 

Angry? Yes. Disappointed? Check. Peeved? Absolutely. 

"I, um, I have to go." Harry said as he got up and grabbed his jacket and keys. Annoyance and disappointment was dripping from every feature of his as he tried not to say something he'd regret. He swung the door of the flat wide open and shot me a smile before taking a mere glance at the couple and leaving, slamming the door shut behind him. 

Eleanor was looking down at her phone, her thumbs moving rapidly as stayed oblivious to the scene that just occured in her very surroundings. I resisted the temptation to shake my head at her, to snatch her phone away and make her realize just what she had done. Maybe I was annoyed at Eleanor, but I was even more irritated with Louis, who was staring at the door longingly. Not being able to control myself, I ran to the door and twisted the knob before stepping outside. I didn't bother to look at Louis. I didn't want to look at Louis, the distaste of his behavior controlling my mind.

My feet moved rapidly, my eyes searching for Harry as my heart raced from the earlier drama. I caught sight of him ahead, standing next to the staircase. He was leaned back on the wall, his head resting on the concrete behind him. His arms were crossed in front of his chest as he stared off into mere nothingness. I came to a stop beside him and took a few seconds to catch my breath, placing one hand on my hip. 

"Listen Harry, I'm sorry about Louis an--"

"Sorry?" Harry stood up straight and laughed darkly, before swiping a few of his loose curls away from his forehead. "You shouldn't be sorry, Charlotte. It's not the first time this has happened." He spoke the last few words under his breath, refusing to meet my eyes. That's it. I took one last look at the shattered boy and spun on my heels. 

"Where are you going?" Harry shouted from behind me. I stopped in my tracks and turned my head around, tucking a few strands of stray hair behind my ear. 

I heard a heavy sigh escape Harry's mouth. "Charlotte, you don't have to talk to him." He added. I felt his large hand wrap around my tiny wrist. No more than three seconds later, I gently tugged it away. 

"Someone has to, Harry."

* * * 

I didn't bother to knock on the door and instead, twisted the doorknob and stormed right in. I was being controlled by my rage, having no authority over the words that were going to leave my mouth in the near future. I caught sight of Louis, who was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Thankfully, Eleanor wasn't in the lounge room. 

"What the hell was that?" I spat at him, feeling my stomach knot in rage. He lifted his head, obviously shocked at my nasty tone. 

"Listen, Char.." He got to his feet and took a step closer to me, one that I reciprocated by taking a step back. I held one hand up and closed my eyes before taking a deep breath. 

"No, Louis. You listen. Do you know how excited Harry was? How much he was looking forward to this? Because it didn't take long for me to figure it out. He's your best friend, dammit! You can't just cut him off like that, throw his feelings away like they don't matter!" With every word, my voice was rising. With every sentence, I tried to stop myself. I didn't want to talk this way to Louis, but the words kept pouring out, unable to stop themselves just like I was unable to end my feelings for Louis. "I understand that you're engaged now, Lou. But this isn't right. Your friends were here for you first, they should matter at least a bit!" My tone went from turbulent to one of pure disappointment. Why, everytime I was around Louis, did my emotions lose control? Everything became heightened, overly sensitive and I always had to stop myself from saying something I'd regret.

I couldn't help feel as if some of my own feelings were tied up into this sudden agression towards Louis. "Charlotte, you don't understand. I can't just refuse Eleanor." Louis started. His voice wavered as he begged me to let him supply me with a clearance. 

"And why not? You can refuse Harry, refuse your friends, but you can't refuse her?" Taking a deep breath, I urged myself to calm down. My breathing wavered as I met Louis' eyes held a significant amount of emotions. "Look, Louis. I'm not saying that you can't be around her. I have no right to say that. But set your priorities straight, because if you keep acting this way, you're going to end up losing your friends." I said through gritted teeth. Taking a final glance at Louis, I turned around and placed my hand on the door knob. Was that really the right thing to do? Was all of this -- any of this really in his control? I didn't dwell on it, deciding I'd find out sooner or later. Before stepping out of the flat, I tightened my grip on the door knob and stood idly in the door frame. "Oh and Louis? Congrats on the engagement." 

I didn't look back. I was scared. Afraid that if I had, Louis would have been able to make out every ounce of emotion that had contorted into some weird medely, finding home extrusively in my eyes. I was scared that he'd see the love that had inevitably resulted in anger. I didn't want him to know how I felt about him. And even through the sudden anger, my love for him failed to fade away like I had hoped it would. I slammed the door shut behind me, gulping and wiping a stray tear away from where it had fallen on my cheek. Harry was waiting in the same spot in front of the elevator. He lifted his head when he saw me and a worried expression took over his features. 

"Charlotte, what happened?" He demanded an answer. 

I shook my head and opened the door to the stairwell. "Don't worry about it." I said, not going into any details. My heart was still pounding, reminding me of the anger that had accomponied the love I had for Louis. 

"Wait, where are we going?" Harry's voice echoed through the stairwell as he descended the steps behind me. My lips turned upwards into a smile and I turned around to face him. 

"We're going to Leeds."

* * * 

(A/N) ooOOOOOooOOoOooOoO Louis...... 

Why so angry, Char? :o I hope you liked this chapter! Do not forget to VOTE and leave your comments! Oh and Charry shippers, prepare yourself for the next chapter ;) 

I don't really know much of the Leeds Festival or the significance of it, so some of the feelings in this chapter are probably really exagerrated. Remember, that's for STORY. PURPOSES. I'll try not to take as long to update