I stared down at him, my heart thumping. His face had relaxed, and he was breathing deeply again. Was he even aware what he had just said? He was so drunk, he could have said anything. I watched him sleep for a couple of seconds and then gave myself a shake. I needed to get out of here.

I grabbed my bag and walked to the door without looking back. I opened it silently and stepped out into the corridor.

"You OK Jess?" a voice asked from next to me and I squeaked in surprise as I saw Dale standing guard a few feet away.

"Yeah, fine... I just need a taxi home," I replied.

"I'll call a car," he said, pulling out his phone.

"No, really," I said, walking quickly down the corridor to the lift. "I'll just get a taxi."

"Harry would kill me if he thought I let you get a taxi home alone," he said, jogging to catch up with me.

"Well, Harry's asleep. What he doesn't know won't hurt him," I said.

The lift was already on its way up. I waited impatiently, tapping my foot.

The lift doors opened and I was about to step forward when someone stepped out and bumped into me.

"Woah... steady!"

"Hi Louis," I sighed, and behind him his bodyguard smiled at me.

"Jessieeee!" Louis grinned as I stepped into the lift and pressed the button. "Wait - where are you going?"

The lift doors began to close and he dived in quickly, escaping Dale and Preston, and the lift started to descend.

"What are you doing?" I moaned, closing my eyes.

"I think it's me who should be asking you that," he said. "Where are you going? Where's Harry?"

"Home. Asleep," I answered.

"You did a runner and left him in bed?" he asked in disbelief.

"Um, excuse me? What makes you think anything like... that happened?"I asked defensively.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You've got that just-fųcked look," he said, and smirked as I blushed. "Suits you," he added, and winked.

"Louis," I said faintly.

"So, either Harry was a let down," he continued, as if comments about my post-coıtal appearance were perfectly acceptable and didn't make my legs tremble, "or you have somewhere important to be at..." he looked at his watch, "four minutes to three in the morning."

I didn't answer, but stared at the lift buttons again.

"Not talking, huh?" he grinned. "We can go up and down like this all night if you want. Although I'm guessing you've already had enough up and down tonight..."

He cackled as I opened my mouth and glared at him.

"You have a filthy mind," I snapped, my heart pounding.

"No... I just speak my mind," he grinned. "So come on. Why are you doing a runner? Did he tell you everything?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "I can't believe you're taking a break. Makes sense though."

Louis stared at me. "That's what you can't believe?"

"What do you mean?" I asked as the lift reached the bottom floor and pinged. The doors started to open but he banged his fist on the buttons so they closed and it began to ascend again. "Louis!" I protested.

"What exactly did Harry tell you?" he asked, ignoring my whining and looking me hard in the face.

"Wh - just that he was upset and scared over the break... why are you looking at me like that?"

Louis swore under his breath.

"He's determined to self-destruct," he muttered. "I don't get it."

"Don't get what?" It was way too late - early? - for this.

Louis shook his head as the lift arrived at a random floor and pinged patiently, and I reached around him and pressed the ground floor button again so the doors resolutely closed and the lift dutifully descended.

"It must be boring, being a lift," I observed, and Louis giggled and fell back against the handrail.

"Is there more to it?" I asked after a moment, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

He sighed. "Yeah. But Harry seems determined to keep it from you, so I don't know what else I can do."

"You could tell me the full story? I think Harry would have, if we hadn't... got distracted," I finished, embarrassed.

"Ask him," Louis urged, but I shook my head.

"I'm not going there again. This is me walking away. I'm done. It's over. This is my closure."

"You're making a big mistake," he said, softly. "He loves you."

I stamped my foot. "He doesn't! He said again tonight that he doesn't!"

I pushed away the doubt that attempted to surface, along with the memory of the last words he mumbled in his sleep.

Louis growled in annoyance and pulled at his own hair. "Why is he being like this?!"

"Maybe he's telling the truth?" I suggested.

"No. I don't think he is."

The lift arrived on the ground floor again and I darted out before Louis could send it anywhere else.

"Take care, Louis," I called.

"No hug, again?" he called back. "I thought I was your favourite!"

"I think I've made enough of a fool of myself around you tonight," I grinned over my shoulder, feeling brave now there was distance between us.

"Another time, another place," he winked.

"Flirt," I shot back, and he smirked again as I rolled my eyes and turned away, inwardly screaming. "Bye, Louis," I said casually as Dale and Preston came tearing round the corner, almost knocking me over, and ran towards Louis.

"What the hell are you playing at?!" Preston almost yelled. "Don't give us the slip like that again!"

I took the opportunity to scoot through the lobby and through the doors to the taxi rank. Camera flashes blinded me and I realised too late the paps were out in force, and I jumped into the back of the first cab and turned my face away.

The taxi swung around and pulled out onto the road in the direction of Belsize Park, and I breathed shakily as I sat back in my seat and analysed every word of every conversation all the way home.

~~~~~~

I was walking along the River Thames, in front of the Houses of Parliament. People were striding towards me and I kept having to dodge them, several times getting bumped and jostled as they pushed past me and stared at me with disgust.

They all seemed to be hurrying somewhere important. I had no purpose. I was wandering aimlessly, staring out at the water. It was no wonder I kept walking into people, really.

I knew I was being followed, but something prevented me from looking back. Whoever was following me posed no threat, and didn't cause me to feel afraid; if anything I felt comforted by that presence behind me. Until I heard him call my name.

"Jess."

I quickened my pace. I didn't want to speak to him.

"Jess, you can't keep running from the truth."

Why was he saying that? I didn't know the truth, that was the whole point wasn't it? Not the whole truth.

"Jess."

His voice was louder now, like he was walking next to me. I put my head down and powered on, staring at the ground beneath my feet.

I walked headfirst into someone and gasped. Strong arms steadied me, and I looked up into a familiar face.

"I knew you'd come back," Harry said, smirking. "You always do."

I turned around to walk away from him, and came face to face with Louis.

"Stop running, Jess," he said.

"I'm not running," I tried to say, but my voice wouldn't work.

I tried to get past them, but no matter which way I turned one of them was always in front of me, blocking my path. I began to panic.

"It's Harry Styles!" I tried to shout, to create a diversion, but the people who had been staring at me with disdain only a minute earlier suddenly seemed unable to see me, or Harry, or Louis. They hurried past, looking away, avoiding eye contact.

"What are you so afraid of, Jess?" Louis asked.

"I'm not afraid!" I said, defiantly, and this was audible.

"You're missing something."

"No I'm not!" I retorted. "I have everything I need."

"No," Harry's voice came from right by my ear. "You're missing something."

"I don't miss you," I spat, furiously.

"You're missing something," he repeated, and I looked nervously at Louis. "Stop running to him!" Harry snapped suddenly.

"I wouldn't have to if you would just be straight with me!" I snapped back.

"He hasn't got what you want."

"I want answers!" I screamed.

"You want Louis."

"I don't!" I protested. "I didn't mean to kiss him. It was stupid. I want the truth. Tell me the truth."

Harry shook his head and turned to walk away.

"Harry!" I begged. "Why are you doing this to me?"

A fly buzzed in my face and I brushed it away impatiently.

"Harry!" I shouted again, but he was walking away, back in the direction from which I had come, Louis following helplessly a couple of feet behind.

The buzzing was getting louder; it sounded more like a swarm of bees now.

"Harry!" I screamed. "Louis!"

Louis turned and looked back at me, shrugging his shoulders, and lifting his palms skyward.

"Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?!" I sobbed.

The buzzing drowned out the sound of my voice, drowned out the noise of the traffic and drowned out the thoughts in my own head...

I jerked awake, my heart pounding, sweating profusely.

My phone vibrated aggressively on my bedside table and I sat up to see the call vanish from the screen. I picked it up with trembling hands, and unlocked it.

Seventeen missed calls from a random mobile number.

Six missed calls from Callie.

One missed call from Louis Tomlinson.

One new message from Louis Tomlinson.

I opened the message.

From: Louis Tomlinson: Ring me.

I threw my phone on the bed and lay back against my pillows.

I felt sick from the strange, sad dream. I felt nervous and anxious, as though I really had just been arguing with Harry and Louis. I felt... disgustingly hungover.

I sighed and closed my eyes, as bit by bit fragments of last night began to come back to me.

I'm going to be a dad, Jess.

He knew you were bluffing. He trusts you. He fucking loves you.

Fucking hell! I didn't mean me!

When are you going to get over him?

You're telling me you've never had sex with someone you're not in love with?

We're taking a break. From One Direction.

There hasn't been anyone else.

Love you.

My phone vibrated again on the bed and I picked it up and looked at it. It was the unsaved number calling, and I realised with a jolt it looked strangely familiar.

Harry.

My heart was instantly hammering.

Why was he calling me? What could he possibly have to say after last night?

Was he calling to find out where I was? Surely Dale would have told him I left in a taxi?

Did he want to give me the last missing piece of the puzzle, so I would finally understand this big secret that was haunting not only my every waking hour, but now my dreams as well?

Even if he did tell me, would it make a difference? He'd said himself it wouldn't, so why was it suddenly so important? And why hadn't he told me in the club? Why had he insisted on going back to his hotel?

Was it all an elaborate ruse to get me into bed? And if it was, why? To prove a point? To prove he could click his fingers any time he wanted and I would drop my knickers for him without a second thought? This idea made me feel nauseous.

By the time all this had run through my head I had missed the call again, but I knew from experience, and my call logs, that Harry was nothing if not persistent. He would call again.

A horrific thought struck me.

What if he had found out about me kissing Louis? That would explain the missed call and message from Louis.

Suddenly everything fell into place. That had to be it. Louis had told him, and now he was calling to yell at me. And Louis had tried to warn me.

Last night's alcohol churned sickeningly in my stomach as this realisation hit me, and I pushed the covers back and ran to the bathroom to be sick.

My head pounded when I finally stopped throwing up, and I got straight in the shower and tried to wash away the shame and humiliation of last night - kissing Louis, flirting with Louis repeatedly, Harry saying he wasn't in love with me, giving in to Harry yet again, and finally the conversation in the lift with Louis about having sex with Harry in the hotel.

I couldn't face talking to either of them. Was there a way to block their numbers from my phone?

I could get a new phone! A new number! I could move house, get a new job, get the hell out of London and put this all behind me.

That was the best idea I had ever had.

I switched the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in a towel and staring at my reflection. I was disgusted with myself. Never in my life had I behaved like this - sleeping with someone I wasn't in a relationship with, kissing said person's best friend, all while I was supposed to be going on a date with a third guy in just over twenty four hours.

I was a mess. All because of Harry Styles.

I went into my bedroom and pulled on some jogging pants and a hoodie, made a cup of tea and retrieved my phone from my bedroom. I now had twenty nine missed calls from the unsaved number (Harry) and twelve from Callie.

As I stared at the screen it lit up again with the random number, but I let it ring out. There was no way I was speaking to Harry ever again. I went into my call logs and searched through the options, looking for a way to block his calls automatically. I scrolled down the menu and swiped the screen, just as my phone lit up with yet another call, and my stomach dropped as I realised too late that I had accidentally answered it.

I fleetingly wondered when life was going to give me a break, hesitated for a split second, and lifted my phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I said, timidly.

---***---

Thanks for getting this sequel to 7k reads and 1k votes in just 6 weeks! I appreciate every single read, vote and comment! I love reading your thoughts on what will happen next. I promise everything is happening for a reason, and all will be explained eventually.

I drop hints all the time in the chapters, so look out for them and let me know your theories! Some of you are onto some stuff already ;)

Next update will be Wednesday :)