HARRY E. STYLES
November, 2014

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Mother nature worked in the strangest ways. For one, it definitely helped in clearing my head. Speaking of my head, the pain that built up in there was also starting to fade, all thanks to the rain. Though, it definitely got worse by the time we found shelter under the bus stop, the droplets heavily hitting against the metal, leaving loud noises behind. There were seats and thankfully, they were empty so we sat as far from each other as it was possible, letting our anger fade into the night.

It took a great turn. My night, I mean. Truth be told, my excitement died down gradually. By the time we made it to the club, there was no piece of me that wished to be there so the decision to leave was made. Unlike the knowledge Griffin Walker possessed, I spoke to Wes before I dipped, making sure he knew he would be left with them. It wasn't like I didn't care about him so the accusation angered me a lot.

Then the fact that there was something kept from me regarding my relationship just done my head in even more. Griffin knew what she was doing when she let my girlfriend's name slip, it was written all over her face. She loved to create chaotic situations more than she loved herself and although that may be difficult to believe, it was certainly the case.

"Look, I-,"

"Don't talk to me," I stopped her from finishing that sentence.

"You know, I don-,"

"What did I just tell you?" I snapped as I stood up and turned towards her. My hands were in the air, palms facing each other as I kept my fingers together and pointing at her.

"Not that you need a reminder, but I don't exactly care about what you have to say. One. Two, I shouldn't have said what I said because I don't want to cause even more problems between you and Nadine."

"Well, that's hard to believe," I scoffed.

"Get used to the idea because it wasn't my intention to initiate any unwanted drama."

"But you did and now I'm going to confront her one way or another, making sure your name will be dropped in said conversation."

"Woah," she said as she began to nervously chuckle, standing up and brushing her hair away from her face. "There is absolutely no need for you to do something as mindless as mentioning my name. I mean, who am I to you, huh? No one. No one who is important. Definitely not in this conversation."

"Oh, you are quite important in this conversation, alright," I told her as a matter of fact. Truth be told, I'd rather live a lie than know something was up. She took that away from me and now, the secret was there.

"What if I tell you the rest of the story?" she tried to bribe me. Her offer seemed too good to be true, trusting her word would've been equal to entering a dangerous territory. Did I want to take the risk of being fooled by her or did I want to keep on wondering until Nadine made everything clear to me?

Blame it on the drinks I've had. Blame it on the anger I felt. I sold my soul to the devil.

"Fill my head with your lies, go on," I encouraged the idea, purely because it intrigued me to know whether or not she would betray Nadine. She went on and on about being a good friend and how it wasn't my strong suit, which clearly indicated that she thought of herself as one of the kind, but could she truly be considered as such?

"So you think of me as a liar now?" she crossed her arms, hugging her body as she shifted her weight to one leg, the other bent at the knee. Stalling. She was prolonging this. Most likely to prove my point and answer her own question. Busy to come up with a lie, I decided to take a seat.

"I'm no fool, Griffin Walker," I spoke, using her name to make it more personal. "You would never betray Nadine. I know whatever it is you'll tell me, will be nothing more than a lazily crafted bluff, something to get me to ease up and consider leaving your name hidden."

"You know, it's quite amusing."

"What is?"

"Watching you stress over this so much. You thinking you'll achieve anything by mentioning my name to Nadine," she listed a couple of things, relaxed as ever, acting as though this wasn't making her blood pressure reach numbers it never has before. "She already thinks you're hiding something from her. Imagine if you tried to pit her against me..." she gasped; the evil smirk appeared in her eyes before it reached her lips. "Oh, no... do you really wish to be the big, bad wolf of your story?"

"I'm not stressing over anything," I defended myself, homing in on the one thing I could. Thinking Nadine would take my side over Griffin's was quite the reach, the bond between them has always been stronger than anything I have ever known. They fought within themselves and hurt the other in ways that no one else could have bounced back from, tearing into each other and ripping the flesh to pieces to draw blood. Yet the moment someone else tried to step between them, their wounds healed, their anger built into one and projected onto whomever tried to cut them apart.

"So, unlike her, are you not even slightly bothered by the secrets your girlfriend keeps?" she tried me, her eyebrow arched in a way that stunk of the challenge she laid out for me. This was now her versus me. A fight that seemed to frighten me more than the one awaiting me at home.

"It's almost as if you are the one trying to get in between me and her."

"Oh, you think I want anything to do with you?" she caught onto me, making me feel weirded out by the simple thought of the question she dropped. Her and I? Please. Never. "Come on. I have standards, buddy."

"Kind of hard to tell when you've shagged half of the lads at uni."

Griffin chuckled, lowly, kind of like she was waiting for that to come into our little chat. To be fair, it wasn't planned and it wasn't something I normally judged people for.

"You are one funny lad," she shook her index finger a couple of times before she sighed. Eventually, she took a seat and we both remained quiet. It felt like I took it too far with that comment, then again, it was hard to think that something like that would offend her.

"Look-,"

"No," she stopped me, laughing as she stretched her legs out front, leaning her head against the glass. "I was waiting for that one, actually."

"Right..."

"It's okay. I'm used to people shaming me for it," she sighed heavily, proving me wrong from before when I thought it was difficult to offend her. Suppose I just had to jab where it hurt, find the pressure point that sent her entire being through torture.

"You shouldn't have to be used to something like that," I told her honestly, somewhat feeling bad for her. There were rumours about her, more so people casually bringing her name up to have something to chat about. I never indulged in that kind of stuff, mostly out of respect for Nadine if I had to reason it.

"It gets easier the more I hear it, you know?" she pressed her lips into a thin line, nodding her head a couple of times as she tried to hide how she truly felt.

"I, uh, I apologise for saying that. It was uncalled for and I should've thought about it before saying anything," perhaps for the first time, I was being genuine about an apology aimed at Walker. It hasn't happened before and this was probably going to be the last it ever did.

Though my words were truthful and seeing how she responded, how she turned into herself a little more, made me pity her, it didn't seem to have much of an affect on her. If anything, it seemed she took it rather well.

"Nah," she hid her mouth as she began to giggle. That left me quite confused and definitely speechless, my mind puzzled as my focus stayed on her. "That was—well, that was great, Harry. Wow," she clapped her hands. "If you pulled that apology on Nadine, I'm sure you two will sort things out in no time."

"What?" I mumbled as it hit me that she was not bothered by what I had said. At all. She made a right twat out of me as she earned herself a heartfelt apology whilst also reminding me of why I couldn't stand her.

"Oh, come on," she pushed me at my shoulder, laughing at her victory. The loud cackle ended in a loud 'whuh' just to show me how tired it made her to celebrate my foolishness. "Just giving you a lil' practice for when you get home."

I didn't respond. Not just because there wasn't much for me to say but also because I didn't want to be in her presence anymore. The rain was still at it, heavy and forcing me to spend more time with this witch than necessary and it pissed me off more than the fact that I fell for her stupid act. Just more proof that she was the perfect match for Wesley.

"Are you mad at me?" I didn't answer. "Oh, shit," she started laughing again. "You are."

"God, just shut up, will you?" my tone was way harsher than it was meant to be and that was my fault. Saying that, there was no way in hell I'd be heartfelt towards the witch again. She played me like the easiest song to perform on a piano and it made me feel uncomfortable. It upset me from the inside out, stirred up my feelings and almost threw it back at me. The minute I chose to believe her words, I was struck by what felt like a lightning on a stormy night, unexpected and scary. Letting her in seemed like a free invitation for the monster under your bed to climb out, grab your ankles and pull you into the darkness it crawled out from.

"Why are you so irritated? It can't be just me."

"Well, what if it is?" I argued back. It seemed like the only way we could get things across was by bickering like this, raised voices and forceful words.

"Are you telling me I have this much power over you?" she questioned. "Because damn... maybe you're dating the wrong best friend."

"You and me? That will never happen," I cleared it up, not that it was something she needed to know. The roll of her eyes told me that much. "You should also stop trying to insert yourself between me and my girlfriend. If you know something, say it. If you don't and looking to cause trouble, keep your nose out of it. I'm sick and tired of you knowing my business and using it against me at any given moment."

"You're saying that as if it's my fault that Nadine tells me everything that happens between you two. She's making me the third wheel of this partnership and let me remind you of the time you wanted to talk to me about her because what did you say? I was cold and heartless and you needed my opinion on your relationship troubles?" she brought back the night we promised to forget. Of course, it was bound to come up. When it came to Griffin, nothing was off the table. Rather, she piled it on until the legs gave out.

"You said you wouldn't mention it."

"Well, I did. I had to since you are making me out to be the bad guy," she argued her side, now more serious than before. She had a mouth on her which I knew because I've been around her. A stranger would've thought she was an introvert, a quiet little mouse who can do no wrong.

"Just because you know things, doesn't mean you should use it against me."

"Why the hell not?" she scoffed. "It's not like we're friends and I care about how my words or actions make you feel. I will always be on Nadine's side, whether you like it or not. What she tells me, is up to her and how I decide to use that information is up to me."

"She's telling you those things in confidence. The least you could do is keep it to yourself."

"I'm only telling you about it rather than absolute strangers. You end up knowing about it when she tells you, anyway. I'm simply giving you a heads up each time."

"Not like I need it. I don't know why you always insert yourself everywhere, thinking you're needed."

"You really don't know why I'm the one picking up the pieces, do you?" she shook her head, looking at me like she couldn't believe I was so clueless.

"Enlighten me."

"You're an asshole, Harry."

"Wow."

"The biggest one I have ever known. If you weren't dating my best friend, you'd be the exact replica of me, going around, getting with everyone and riding on your high horse, thinking you're the shit," she let out a forced laugh as she brought up things I did not want to think about. "You think I want someone like Nadine exposed to that side of you?"

"And what side would that be, hm?"

"Oh, I don't know? The one who constantly blows up on her and leaves her crying? Because even though she toned down the dick you are, there is only so much of you she can control," she spoke like she knew me when in fact, all she knew was what other people were saying about me. My reputation from college followed me to university which wasn't planned but it was honestly out of my control. "Me showing up and spilling all that I know, is me trying to soften you up when you have to face her again and talk through it. Now, not to praise myself but each time I had done that, you two were back to licking each other's throat in less than an hour."

"No one asked you to be the superhero of our relationship. You don't need to strain your back trying to make up for the shit I cause."

"And what? Should I let my best friend suffer more than she already has?" she asked me and her eyes blamed me for even breathing. As hard as it was to admit, she was eating me up with the way she controlled her voice, the words she used to reach parts of me that flicked the switch in my brain and turned me into an irritated body of flesh and bones. "You're supposed to be someone she can rely on. Someone who makes her feel better, happy. You know? The feelings a good boyfriend is meant to bring out of their girl."

"Oh, because you know so much about relationships, do you?" I stepped closer, looking at her angrily as she stood her ground. Standing under the shitty lights of the bus stop, my eyes flickered from one of hers to the other at an increased pace, catching the way the rain ruined her eye makeup, the little glitters littered all across her skin making it seem as though it naturally glowed like that. "Want to know something that Nadine would never tell you, her dear best friend?"

"Talking about betraying the other, hey?" she scoffed at me. It may have made me a hypocrite but in that moment, the only mission in my head was to hurt her. Anywhere possible. "Go on, then. Surprise me."

"You are the reason we constantly fight."

Griffin laughed. Her lips blew a raspberry into the air and she quickly covered up her mouth, her amusement clear in the brown pool of her eyes. Rather than getting offended, she made a joke out of me, thinking what I said wasn't true. Although I may have exaggerated when I said 'constantly', she was still someone who I felt was always between us.

"You can laugh all you want. It is true," I sat down again. "Nadine prefers you over anyone else in the world. She'd rather be hated by the whole house than speak one ill word of you. She'd rather cancel something we've planned for weeks than not be there for you when you need her. It's always Griffin this, Griffin that. It's never what Nadine wants and I'm tired of hearing your name in my house more than I hear my own."

"And you think that's my fault?" she asked me with a forced chuckle, barely progressing the words spoken by me. "You think I'm to blame for the loyalty and love that Nadine has for me? You think I asked her to be that way? To put me before everyone else, even herself?"

"You are not exactly telling her to do otherwise."

"That's what you think," she scoffed. "Time and time again, I told her that I don't need a bodyguard. That I'm fucking fine. She never listens. She tells me it's better she's by my side than not, always asking me what if the one time she's not there, something happens to me?"

"So you're blaming Nadine now?" I interrupted her which gained me an unimpressed look.

"I'm not done talking, am I?" she asked. "You blabber away at me for causing you so much trouble in your relationship but have you ever stopped to think about why I'm even on your mind?" she sounded like she thought this was unbelievable, her laughter almost nervous, absolutely no hint of her finding this amusing. "To me, it sounds like you have a problem with Nadine being friends with me. And who knows why that is, right?" she tilted her head at me like she knew exactly why, the question being rhetorical.

"I couldn't care less who Nadine decides to befriend. That's her life and her choice."

"That's great, Harry," she responded. "I'm really glad that you managed to grasp what's important here."

"You are screaming at me like I cheated on you. I'm sorry if in the midst of it all I somehow forgot what I even argued," I spoke the first thing that popped in my mind, no care about how it would sound. Arguing with her seemed like the most basic story, the one where you know the ending after watching the trailer. It was black and white, written in every book ever published: winning an argument against Griffin Walker was close to impossible. She pounded the topic until there was nothing to beat, leaving her opponent with little to nothing to draw from.

"You know, you keep using weird terms like me cheating on you and it's not giving you anything to stand on," she scoffed.

"What are you even talking about?" a laugh that erupted from my chest was showing just how confused it got me to hear what she said. Jumping from one thing to another, there was no way for me to keep up and be able to defend myself.

"You know what? Nothing. It doesn't matter," she gave up, further confusing the fuck out of me. At that point, I didn't even know if it was worth reacting anymore because it was pretty much impossible to comprehend it. "Go and do what you do best."

"Oh, yeah?" I scoffed. "And, what is that?"

"Make it up to her somehow then fuck it up again just to find yourself in my company. Clearly, it's a reoccurring habit of yours that you just cannot seem to go without."

"Oh, is that what you think this is?" I couldn't help but laugh as the idea swirled in the air, both of our minds working at a fast pace to come up with something snappy and hurtful to win this argument. It was annoying and all we ever did when we came face to face.

"Regardless of what this is, I'm tired of you fucking up and it somehow falling onto me. I'm not Nadine, I'm not your girlfriend you should be sorting your shit out with. The only reason I came here now is to tell you that you are the worst friend in the world and that you ruined my night so I hope your toilet clogs and your boiler won't work so you have to shower in cold water."

"Wow, that's so cruel of you!" I said with some added dramatics, making Griffin roll her eyes and scoff before turning away and walking as far away from me as it was possible.

"Don't talk to me."

"Your wish is my command," I sighed, wanting the same from her. The rain was the only thing keeping us there and it felt never ending.

Just my bloody luck, eh?