SONG(s) FOR CHAPTER:

♬ The Only Reason by 5 Seconds of Summer ♬

♬ Made In The USA by Demi Lovato ♬

CHAPTER 15

♕ HARRY STYLES ♕

DINNER WITH THE group went by in a blur. I hadn't remembered myself sharing so many open and effortless laughs with people in quite some time. It was refreshing, and each of us were dreading the end. It was Brady and Ivette's last night, but none of us were ready to accept their departure.

"You guys should just stay a few more days," said Jacob. "Seriously, I don't think I can handle withdraws again."

Ivette was already tearing up. "We'll come back, obviously. But we've got classes and such still going on, you know?"

Brady had set his hand on top of hers in a gesture for comfort, which must have triggered something in my own mind because my hand fell to Grace's knee. Such a simple touch yet my body flared up.

"No more absence," Grace said sternly, trying to keep her voice strong as we all stood by the door to bid goodbyes. "Call me every day, or every minute, I don't care. Just call me whenever."

Ivette squeezed her tight in response.

Though tears were close to it, none were shed. More so glistened, if you could call it that. Ivette closed the door behind us with watery eyes and Jacob and Grace left all the same. I tried to pull a Brady and merely keep my mind away from it. Ivette had made a point-their absence wouldn't be forever.

Grace locked her hand with mine the walk downstairs and I almost took in a breath at how much weight was lifted from my shoulders. I had her back. She said so herself.

So why did I feel so uncertain about it?

"If only Estella were here and Ivette and Brady were staying, this would all feel mostly normal again," remarked Jacob as he nodded down at our conjoined hands. A smirk was on his lips.

Grace grinned back and I myself couldn't help but smile a little, pushing away the nagging part of my subconscious the best I could.

Once we reached the parking lot, Grace looked as if she were about to say goodbye. I intervened with an innocent question. "Where's your car?" I was near positive she didn't have one.

She gave me a look. "I walked. My apartment isn't far."

"Maybe, but it's dark now."

"People shouldn't attack other people, then," she stated matter-of-factly.

I smiled some. "I agree, but that doesn't mean those specific people do, too. We'll just get a cab, yeah?"

Jacob, thankfully, was on my side with the whole situation.

Grace had rolled her eyes playfully, but agreed as well nonetheless.

The cab ride was slow yet enjoyable all the same. Jacob and Grace had a contest to see who could make the most "Bible puns". It went a little like Jacob saying, "Which Holy Book has been corrupted? The Brible." And Grace responding, "Which Old Testament patriarch stuffed a pig under his shirt? A bra ham." With me ending it all with either a dramatic laugh or disapproving shake of the head.

I got out to walk Grace up to her apartment when we arrived. Even though I knew I would see her again very soon, it still seemed too soon to part. After all, she had just accepted me back into her life again. A knot in my stomach told me it would be very easy to screw that up, and for some reason, I thought being separated even for the shortest amount of time would do the trick.

"I'm glad we had a pun-war to make up for the downfall of the evening," she said as she dug around in her purse for her key. "And I'm glad you quite easily persuaded me."

She smiled a little then and I took that as a chance to close the space between us. A quick, mere peck was all it took to make my heart race, and the larger grin on her lips and twinkle in her eyes afterwards made it falter.

Grace locked her fingers with mine, pulling me to her again for another kiss. We were both smiling then, quite like morons, but I didn't care the least bit of who saw us, if anyone did. I was too happy and relieved to care about anything, really.

A mistake, I found out, only moments later.

"You know," I whispered after hugging her close to my chest, my face in her hair. "This weekend is my last fight they'll arrange here before I have to hit the road again."

She pulled back some to frown at me, yet kept her arms tight around my torso. "I don't want more bad news in one night."

I nudged my nose with hers before kissing her forehead. "You'll come, right? I mean, I know it's not your thing, but I want to have a chance to say goodbye. Right after the match is our flight and-"

I cut myself off, watching the worry spread across her face. It looked to be a mixture of disappointment in my departure as well as Ivette and Brady's... but there was something else in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly, afraid I had already done something to mess our reunion up.

"Nothing," she said all too quickly. Realizing her mistake, she let out a loud sigh. "You'll get angry. I don't want you to get mad when tonight has been so nice."

It was my turn to frown, my lips curling in distaste for secrecy. "Grace, you can be honest with me. I'd rather be mad than not know at all." What on earth was so terrible for her to tell me? Didn't she trust me better than that?

She scrunched her nose, not able to meet my gaze. "Don't yell, okay?"

"Grace-"

"I mean it."

I huffed. "I won't yell, promise. But only if you stop the suspense before I can't hang anymore."

I didn't expect for her to tell me, but she did. "Fine... Basically, Evan is having a family thing going on, but he doesn't care for some of them so much. It's only for the weekend, and I know how much it sucks to be alone with people who make you feel unwanted, so I offered to go. For moral support."

I was no longer happy or relieved enough to not care. Granted, she offered to go before we were "officially" back together, it was tough news to absorb. I didn't want her staying with that Evan kid for the weekend. He liked her. He could do anything in a span of two days and where would I be?

On a flight to my next match. Who knows how many miles away. He doesn't seem like a bad guy-I'm not saying that. But I'm also not saying I trust him. Guys can do a lot of crap when they really want something or someone, in this case, and that leaves for little out of numerous scenarios.

"I take it back," she murmured. "You being silent is worse than you yelling."

Sucking in a sharp breath, I shake my head some. "Are you sure your generosity was such a great idea?"

She gave me an incredulous look. "What are you saying? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Grace. But I don't trust another male specimen with you. Especially not one that clearly has a strong liking towards you."

"Evan wouldn't do anything like that, Harry."

"You don't know that. It could all be an act and he's a rapist in disguise." Lame point, but at least it was made. And it was a possibility-a very unlikely possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.

"If you trusted me, then you would know nothing like that will happen," she said firmly, lacing her fingers with mine again. It was hard to be mad about the situation while her mere touch threatened to make me smile.

Grace laid her head on my shoulder, her arms around me once more. "Please don't be that overly jealous boyfriend that doesn't even let me have guy-friends."

I sighed, resting my chin on top of her head. I didn't want to be that type of asshole, but it was hard not to be. What if she realized that she liked Evan more than me? She might deny particular feelings for him, but she definitely cared... What if she cared too much?

Before I could answer, Jacob hollered and we both looked down to see his head hanging out of the window. "Hurry it up, children! I've got a date with a sexy vampire tonight and I'm not going to miss it because of your pathetically adorable hug fest!"

"Sorry!" called Grace. "He'll be down in a minute!" Then she turned to me with brown eyes that were difficult to say no to. "Nothing is going to happen, okay? We're friends. That's it."

Unintentionally, my arms tightened around her waist. Just friends. That's what she was saying. I could handle them being just friends. As long as there were no special benefits in said friendship...

I was shaking my head all over again. So close to giving in and then my overactive imagination demolished it.

Grace leaned forward, her lips by my ear. "Does it help if I remind you that I love you?"

Maybe it was the way she emphasized each word, or maybe it was her proximity, but I drew in a sharp breath. Had I expected her love for me to die out? Actually, I had. But clearly it was still alive, still a passion burning within her, and if I could keep fueling that passion, I wasn't about to put it out.

"Fine," I mumbled before pressing my lips to her cheek. "But only because I love you, too."

★ ☆ ★ ☆

"Hmm, a road trip with a very attractive intern." Jacob tapped his chin as if in deep thought. "I'm very shocked you approved."

"I never said I approved," I snapped back. I don't know why I felt the need to tell Jacob. I happened to tell him everything, and well, it just seemed natural to confide this with him as well. Besides, it was no secret, right?

"But you didn't argue with her, either," he pointed out. Then he waved his hands dismissively. "All I'm saying is, I'm surprised you accepted the fact that she chose him over you."

My face fell. I hadn't really thought of it that way. But it was true, wasn't it? My fight was coming up yet she chose to go on his pity vacation instead. I was shaking my head as soon as the thoughts kept rolling in.

Jacob was laughing. "Dude, I'm just kidding. Grace hates violence, you know that. You don't have to be a genius to know she'd chose a crappy road trip over a UFC match." His face turned gravely serious, then, as if he were trying to convince me of his faith in her. "Grace isn't a cheater, okay? If that's your worry, let it be a worry no longer."

I groaned, pushing my hands through my hair in frustration. "It's not her I'm worried about, Jacob. It's him."

Jacob shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee as his statement rolled off his lips so nonchalantly, you'd think it would be a movie for him. "So just kick his ass and beat him to a pulp if he does anything."

I gave him my sternest glare. "I wouldn't do that. I don't want to be like that. Besides, that would only make Grace mad at me, and I can't go through that again." I frowned as I scratched my nail on the table surface, just pondering the idea of going through that loss a second time.

Jacob smiled some. "I trust Grace. You trust Grace. Enough said. You're letting it bother you too much. Keep reminding yourself that they're just friends."

Just friends, I told myself. Over and over and over and over again. Profoundly so, that I truly believe that I was convinced.

So why was my subconscious still persistently nagging at me?

(crappy chapter. sorry for any mistakes. it's been a long weekend and I'm exhausted. read all about it in my latest chapter of my rant book *diaries of an angry fangirl*... love you lots x

P.S. the gif is attached for no reason other than I love watching Harry's lips *_*)