"Technically speaking, we're not together" I corrected as I frowned at Helens' phone which was of course displaying the homepage of our stalker online source, I scrolled down:
"Rumour Has It…
Tyler Daniels was spotted going into Katie's apartment late last night
long after her modelling companion Bethany left her home…
The two are rumoured to be together – our sources say it's likely."
The small paragraph was also completed with a picture which was much too dark to even make out; the most you could see was the silhouette of my head at the open door.
"But you're seeing each other…" Bex prompted as we sat down in our usual seat in the cafeteria, I nodded, "there's a difference between the two" …you should know that more than anyone I thought to myself but didn't bother saying it out loud – there was already enough drama flying around as it was.
The cafeteria always smelt of fish and off-meat which being a vegetarian made me feel completely ill but Bex and Helen insisted it was easier to sit in here than the sixth form common room,
"Where're the others?" Bex said changing the subject,
"Laurens' doing some extra-work in fashion and retail…Louis and Liam go out to town for lunch…and I'm guessing the others are in the common room" Helen answered with a shrug. I didn't blame them; this dining hall was absolutely disgusting.
"Do you want to go to the common room guys; this place is actually making me feel sick…" I finally spoke out loud, the girls nodded and began finishing up the last of their food as we got up and walked across the hall. The cafeteria exit lead out onto a marble courtyard with a rounded fish pond in the centre and pathways that lead in six different directions, to the main building, the sports field, the pool, the events hall where the sixth form did like shows and assemblies, then there was a path that lead to the year 12 and 13 common room, which was of course the path we took.
"I'm surprised you want to go and sit in a stuffy common room with you know who" Helen laughed as we carried on walking straight ahead, I don't know if it was wrong of me but my first thoughts were that she was talking about Harry but then I thought…why would she be talking about Harry? "What's that suppose to mean?" I frowned confused,
"Jodie…" Helen stated looking at me as if she knew something that I didn't; I turned to Bex who also had the same knowing look.
"Something's going on" I said without hesitation, "…What's happening?"
Bex and Helen glanced at each other before Bex broke the ice, "you didn't hear about the…y'know…pregnancy?" she spoke slowly and I was pretty sure the life had just drained out of my face…pregnancy?
"It was on the online source for ages, well just before you got back I think, Jodie's confirmed it – she's pregnant" Helen added,
"and…" I said, waiting for more. They both knew what I was waiting for them to tell me. "She says Harry's the dad, apparently there's no one else it could be" Helen continued as Bex nodded in confirmation.
"What the fuck…Are you sure?" was all I could say as we made our way up to the common room, as we reached the door I was suddenly having second thoughts about sitting in the cafeteria.
-
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the headlining girl of the online source herself" Zayn chuckled as me, Bex and Helen joined the rest of our group on the sofas, I managed to force a smile because I felt as though I'd throw up if I attempted to speak,
"Katie and Tyler sitting in a tree" Niall sung, kicking my leg playfully from the sofa opposite, again I just smiled and rolled my eyes. I didn't dare to look in the direction of Jodie or even Harry, not yet anyway.
"She's not the only one in the headlines, what about Helen and this mysterious bar tender" Zayn sung holding the article on his iPhone in everyone's faces, everybody had go so hung up on this website all of a sudden,
"I totally forgot about that!" I heard Jodie exclaim from the sofa by the window, "who is he Helen?" I heard Helen laugh slightly just before she started to explain, "Murray, we just got talking that night at Quartz and we've met up a few more times since but other than that he's just a friend" she informed the rest of us.
"In other words, they're together but not official" Niall announced, speaking in his usual, Irish, chirpy tone.
"And since we've made the situation awkward for everyone else…How about you guys, Harry and Jodie" he continued to say in a scarily good imitation of Peter Dickinson, I managed to bring myself to glance towards Harry and Jodie and I had to say I was surprised, the way Harry looked was exactly how I felt. He's usual bright, happy eyes looked gazed over and lifeless and the rest of him looked pale, he had next to know complexion, as soon as Niall finished talking he shot him an angry glance, "Niall…" he snapped,
"it's okay baby, everyone here knows. They're our friends" Jodie smiled wrapping her arms around him as they sat on the sofa like a married couples – besides the fact his body language was totally stiff, he glanced at me not knowing I was looking in his direction, clearly he didn't know I knew.
"We're taking it one day at a time" Jodie continued smiling, putting one hand on her stomach. I cringed as I felt my skin crawling, the thought of Harry being a father made me feel sick, not because I was jealous or I wanted him to be the dad to my baby or anything like that, it was just the fact he was so young and clearly not happy.
"Aw, are you guys due to go to any scans?" Bex asked breaking the awkwardness,
"Soon I think" Jodie smiled once again, I couldn't tell if she was happy or putting on an act,
"Look can we just drop it?" Harry snapped violently since no one got the message the first time, "Harry we were just saying?" Niall said genuinely looking hurt and a little shocked, "no because I haven't told everyone about this little 'piece of gossip' that everyone's taken so lightly and I want to do it properly, in my own time" he spoke looking directly at me,
"too late" I managed to somehow push out of my voice box before getting up and walking out the common room. Everything had happened too quickly, it hadn't even sunk in. I didn't see how everyone didn't think much of it.
-
"So I rang you just to ask a favour…" Bex began on the phone as I sat taking my shoes off,
"Go on…" I replied in a monotone voice, I was still in shock about the whole situation that'd happened at school today and no – it still didn't seem real,
"well you know my parents don't like Niall and we really want to spend some time together – I was wondering if you'd let us crash at your place for a couple of days?" she asked in the voice she always used when she wanted something, I sighed, I didn't mind but it was just a bit awkward, I was close to Bexs' parents and I felt like I was going against them,
"Bex…I don't know…"
"Oh come on! Please Katie, you wont even know we're there – we'll tidy up after ourselves and we'll stay in the living room…it's only for a couple of days" she begged.
"Fine" I groaned, "just make sure if you get found out by your parents that you don't drag me into this mess"
"You're the best! Love you forever" she chirped before bluntly hanging up.
Charming
-
"I ordered Chinese; I can't be bothered to cook" I yawned coming in from my bedroom to the living room where Bex and Niall were cuddled up on my sofa watching some random BBC Documentary, I frowned at the television, "Frozen Planet?"
"Niall likes it" Bex scoffed rolling her eyes,
"it's cute!" Niall defended, "how can you not like penguins?"
"Aw you're so cute" Bex giggled hugging him. I jokingly gagged and wondered back into the kitchen to get plates and glasses out, it was kind of nice having other people here since I was so used to being on my own in the apartment, as I carried some of the knifes and forks into the living room the doorbell went.
"Already?" I thought out loud,
"I suppose it's not called fast food for nothing" I heard Bex call back; I laughed a little and walked towards the door and opened it.
"What're you doing here?" was the first thing I said as I saw Harry standing on my doorstep, he looked freezing in his Jack Wills top and dark jeans, "I feel like I need to justify myself" he replied, for once showing no emotion what so ever,
"I don't think you do, I think everybody's pretty aware of what's gone on" I bit back without even thinking about how it probably made him feel,
"look can I just come in…"
I stepped aside signalling for him to be quiet as I silently shut the front door not wanting to get the attention of Bex and Niall,
"was it the food?" Niall called from the living room,
"no, just someone trying to sell me shit" I falsely laughed pushing Harry into my bedroom and locking the door behind us, "you have five minutes and then I want you gone" I ordered.
He ran his hair and sat down on the end of my bed, "I wanted to tell you" he said,
"Then why didn't you?"
"because I knew you'd react like this…"
"how do you want me to react? It's not exactly the most amazing news" I shrugged, leaning against the door, conscious that Bex or Niall would attempt to come in and see what I was up to.
"I'm not going to lie; I don't care what your opinions are on me and Jodie having a baby, that's nothing to do with you. I just want to know where I stand with you" Harry whispered realising I didn't want anyone knowing he was here,
"you stand no where" I shrugged, "you've made it clear that you and Jodie are more than dedicated to each other, which I have no right to be mad about since I was the one that left" I added, I was ready for him to leave, I didn't want to be having this conversation.
"You know that isn't true, feelings don't just disappear Katie" he argued raising his voice slightly before I shushed him,
"but they will…when that baby arrives, which believe it or not it eventually will – sooner than you think, any other feelings you had for any other person other than your baby and it's mum will disappear, you can't love anyone more than your own son or daughter" I told him, I could feel my voice shaking as he stood and came closer to me before reaching out and hugging me, it took everything inside of me to not hug back,
"I'm scared" he whispered in my ear as the doorbell rung, "I'll get it!" I yelled before Bex or Niall could get up, I pulled away from him.
"You should go now"