Back in the hotel in London, Victoria and Ariana showed up at my door not even five minutes after I got back to my room. 

"Harper! I'm so sorry," Victoria said, grabbing me in a vicious hug. Ariana wrapped her tiny arms around both of us. 

"Tell us everything," Ariana persuaded me, and we all sat together on my bed. 

I started with the date. I told them about the brewery and the different levels; I mean it was a pretty cool place to have a date. But then I moved on to what I knew they were waiting for. "Harry and I were just about to leave, but I decided to use the restroom first. I was touching  up my make up and she was staring at me. In the mirror. So I looked up just to see why she was staring. When I realized it was her, I seriously almost fainted."

"Oh, my god," Victoria said. "I can't even imagine." 

"The first thing she said was 'I'm sorry.' Like she thought that would be enough to satisfy me 17 years later. 'I'm sorry' was all she could come up with."

"What happened then?" Ariana asked eagerly. 

"You know, I hardly remember what she said or I said, but then two teen girls came rushing into the bathroom. They were all excited because they had seen Harry outside the restrooms." I paused. "They were her daughters."

"No way!" Victoria sneered. "She left you and then she went and had other kids. That's really low." 

"Yeah, it was kind of a shock. I...I just don't remember much of what I said or did, but I finally just told her to leave. Then Harry came in."

"To the women's restroom?" Ariana asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I know," I laughed. "He practically carried me out and get this, he yelled at the cameramen to shut down their equipment because they kept trying to zoom in on me and catch what was going on. I've never heard him get mad like that before, but I loved the way he protected me, you know?" 

"Awww," Ariana cooed. "He's so sweet.

"The following day, Harry and I met with my mom in a cafe in Dublin, and we talked for a long while." I turned to Victoria and said, "Thank you so much for letting go of your date time with him. I needed him there. You're such an amazing friend. You both are." Then I told them the rest of my mom's story while they listened intently. I even told them about the things my dad knew but kept from me. "I guess I just have a lot to think about, you know?" 

"Of course," Ariana answered. "What a crazy time for all this to happen."

"I know. I'm just so glad Harry was there for me. I really needed him," I repeated. 

"Oooh, how much did you need him?" Ariana teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

I had no clue how much Ariana knew about Harry and me. Victoria knew she wasn't going to be chosen, and she was okay with that. I hadn't told her yet about the I love you's and well...the other stuff. I thought I'd keep that a secret for a while.

But I knew Ariana was in love with Harry, too. I rolled my eyes playfully. "I just needed him to be there for me. If I'd been with you two, I would have had support, too." 

That was close. Suddenly everything looked different. If Ariana didn't know yet, he was going to break her heart. We were going to break her heart. And I hated it.

Harry and I were in love, and it should have been perfect, but it wasn't. I was still juggling a variety of emotions from seeing my mom and learning things about my dad and Harry confessing his love and...making love. At least that part was perfect. But then we were heading for a heartbreaking ending for people we loved. It was just a lot to handle all at once.

Tonight was the Candle Ceremony. I had no idea how to act. I already knew it was me. Victoria had probably figured it out. I wished Ariana would let me in on what she was thinking. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. And I also had no idea where Lucy stood with everything. Was she still hoping she had a fighting chance with Harry? Ugh, this was the worst week yet!

As I prepared for the Candle Ceremony, I thought through the past five weeks. It was unbelievable to think of how much we had been through. From the day I first met him (and freaked out just a little that he was Harry Styles!!!) to our first date in Mexico, from accusing him of cheating to letting him sneak me away for a private swim before our splendid one-on-one date in Hawaii. 

A little zing of excitement went through me as I put on the dress I had found in Paris; it was Harry's favorite color, orange. Well, tangerine, according my definition. It was a thin, silky material, and showed off my figure without being too tight. I paired it with dark blue accessories and shoes, somewhere between the shades of midnight and navy blue. For some reason, I had always liked blue and orange together. I hoped Harry would like it, too. 

The cocktail party was small and informal since there were only four of us left. With three of us joined at the hip, I felt a little bad for Lucy, but she really seemed to have withdrawn since Hawaii. And the way she reacted to her date with Harry was just disturbing. We tried to include her in conversation, but she just responded with one-word answers.

Harry arrived and we all sensed the significance of this, the second to last Candle Ceremony. According to the rules, he could eliminate one or two women tonight. I wasn't even sure what he was going to do. I only knew that I was safe.

When he came to hug me, he whispered in my ear, "Why do you keep doing this to me?" 

"What?" I asked in a giggle.

"Looking so hot I can't keep my eyes - or my hands - off you," he replied. He forced himself to let go and gave me a little frown.

"Oh, quit pouting," I whispered, shaking my finger at him. He just stuck his tongue out at me and walked away.

It wasn't long before Ben called us together to get started with the Candle Ceremony. It seemed so odd to only have four of us standing there, compared the crowd we started with. The three eliminations last week really pared down the size of our group. 

"How was everyone's week?" Ben asked in his usual cheerful voice. 

None of us gave the most enthusiastic reply, probably just because of the drama over Lucy and her "terrible" date with Harry and then my whole ordeal with my mother. Victoria didn't even get her date because she sacrificed it for me. This was getting much more serious than I ever imagined. Even in the first week of the show, I recalled thinking that people would eventually get hurt. I just never imagined how much I would feel other people's hurt as well as my own. 

"Harry has informed me that he will choose three of you to stay for the final week. That means one of you will go home." Then he gave Harry the floor.

"Thank you, all of you, for going through this adventure with me. I can honestly say that I've had some of the best times of my life in the past few weeks. But the adventure is coming to an end, and I'm sorry that I have to let one of you go."

He lit his candle in the middle of the candle holder. Then he began.

"Victoria," he said, smiling warmly at her. She stepped forward and he asked, "Victoria, will you stay for this final week?" 

I held my breath because I knew she had been thinking about saying no. But I was relieved when her yes left her mouth. I didn't want her to leave yet.

"Ariana." 

I knew she would stay. Obviously. That meant Lucy was out. 

Ben stepped in to remind us that this was the last candle to be lit for tonight.

"Harper," Harry said, trying to contain his enormous grin. I approached him and he asked, "Harper, will you stay?" 

I replied with a quiet "yes," but then I mouthed out forever, which made him completely fail at containing his smile. I went to stand with Ariana and Victoria so that Lucy could say her good-byes to Harry. Instead, she shot him a hateful glare, turned on her pointed heels and walked out. 

I gave Harry a sympathetic look, but he just shrugged. I knew he hated to see anyone hurt. He mouthed out, It's okay, and I nodded back to him. 

We didn't spend much time together after the Candle Ceremony. I think everyone was growing weary of high heels and high emotions. At this stage in the game, all we wanted rest as we geared up for the final week.

I returned to my room feeling a little bit lonely. I'd had the pleasure of sharing a bed with Harry for the last few nights, and now I had no idea how long it would be until we could be together again. It wasn't as if we were just going to become a couple and parade it around for everyone to see after this week was over. The filming would be over, but we would still have to keep everything top secret until the show aired, and then of course, we couldn't give away his final choice until the final episode. Getting the show ready for its air date and then going through the several-week series meant that Harry and I had to wait several months before being together openly. But I knew Harry had a reputation for keeping his private life pretty quiet. I hoped that he would have some good ideas about us finding time together without being discovered. 

I climbed into the cool sheets and turned out the lamp next to my bed. I was exhausted, but I doubted sleep would come quickly. I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a knock on my door. I turned the lamp back on and rushed to look through the peephole. There was Harry smiling directly into it.

I unlocked it quickly and yanked him inside. "Now you're really going to get us in trouble," I laughed. "What are you doing here?" 

"I missed you," he said and then pressed his mouth to mine in a kiss that was anything but innocent. 

"I was just thinking the same thing," I panted when I had a chance to pull away for a moment. 

"Good!" He said sharply. He made quick work of removing my nightgown and then his clothes. 

And then I discovered that Harry did, indeed, have an aggressive side.

* * *

Elimination this week:

Lucy

Remaining Contestants:

Harper

Ariana

Victoria

____

WMEB was ranked at #135 today and then it climbed up to #90! And it's all due to you, my faithful readers! *kisses & hugs*

Anyone have any thoughts before we enter the last week of the competition?