He'd never tell you, but he can play guitar
Think he can see through everything but my heart
First thought when I wake up is "My God he's beautiful"
So I put on my makeup
And pray for a miracle
Walking out of the radio station later that day, I watched as a familiar, yet unexpected car parked opposite me. Striding over to it, I jumped in and looked up at the driver.
"Where's Tom?" I asked.
"Hey Harry, thanks for picking me up. You know, I could have gotten the bus back but-" He spat sarcastically
"Thanks Harry." I interrupted him. "Now where's Tom? I thought he was coming."
"He's busy. And I wanted to talk to you." He told me. "Look, J. You know it's all just an act, right?" He asked, and I glanced at him confused.
"What's all just an act? My brother really is that stupid, or hadn't you realised that already?" I joked, and he sighed.
"I'm serious. Tom and this whole macho, not letting anyone get too close, picking up girls all the time, acting like they mean nothing to him when they last more than a week thing, it's all just a front. You see, he was dumped just before Christmas last year, and it almost killed him. Literally. He lost so much weight, started drinking too much, going out every night, taking God knows what...remember when you came over in February and he was on holiday?" I nodded. "He was in rehab, Jen. We made him go before he did himself any more damage." I must have looked shocked, as Harry put his hand over mine. "Since then, well, he's put on this front. He's afraid if he lets anyone get too close, they'll leave and he'll be back to square one again." He explained.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise." I couldn't think of anything else to say.
"You weren't to know. Anyway, the thing is, he thinks he's falling for someone again. He doesn't want to admit it to her, but understandably, we're all worried about him." Why is he telling me this?
"Sofie?" I asked tentatively, and he shook his head.
"No, not her. Turns out she really was just an available body, as bad as that sounds. Jen, I'm going to ask you this one thing, and I need to know the truth, babe, because he needs to know the truth. Do you love him?" I froze.
"Me?" I whispered, and Harry nodded.
"Yes." He replied almost as quietly. "I caught him crying earlier, and I sat him down and it wasn't because of Sofie, it was because of what happened last night. I've seen the way you two look at each other, you're a perfect couple. So please, tell me, do you?"
I was all ready to lie again, but seeing Harry's pleading eyes staring into mine, I nodded and let out a breath I didn't know that I had been holding. He broke into a grin and started up the engine. Pulling out of the gates, he turned left, the completely opposite way from the guys' house.
"You're going on a date." He explained. I asked him where, but he wouldn't tell me. "Just open the glove compartment." He ordered, and I unclicked the latch for a passport and a sheet of paper to fall out. Unfolding the paper, the first thing I noticed was my name printed on it. The next thing was the destination "Malaga" and the time 19.15. My mouth dropped open and I opened the passport to see that it was mine.
"He's meeting you at the airport." Harry murmured as we turned a corner. "The plan was that if you said no, he would go out to his villa for the week to think and get some perspective. If you said yes, well, you're going with him."
"What about my placement? My uni classes?" I asked. I couldn't give it up, I'd fail the course.
"You'll be back by Monday afternoon." He assured me. Pulling into the airport, the car stopped, and dazedly, I put my hand on the handle. "There's a bag in the back for you. Have fun and we'll see you Monday." He smiled before pulling me into a hug. "Now move before I get a ticket for being here too long." He prodded me, and I grabbed the ticket, passport and jumped out. Once I had retrieved the bag from the back seat, he sped off, and I turned round to see Tom staring at me from a bench not far away, looking exactly as dazed as I felt. He jumped up and ran over to me before wrapping his arms around me and squeezing me tight.
"You came!" He whispered into my hair and I looked up at him. "I didn't think you would." He confessed, and I didn't say a thing, just gave him a peck on the lips.
"I came." I laughed. "I couldn't lie any longer. I do love you, I have done since, well, forever. And I couldn't tell you because you just seemed so out of reach."
"I couldn't tell you either because I didn't think you'd like someone like me, and when you said you didn't, I couldn't face it." He replied. "But no more lies." He kissed me again before dragging me into the airport. And I agreed. No more lies.