Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

27

When Harry finally lets me go, I reach inside the door and flip a light on. Before we can even get inside the door and shut it, someone runs up and throws their arms around his shoulders.

"Emily!" Harry exclaims and hugs her back tightly. "I thought you were in Texas?"

"I was- well, I am." She says pulling back from him and glances over his shoulder at me. "When Violet called and said she was planning something for your birthday, I had to come and see what the fuck is going on."

The room erupts in laughter and she pushes him aside to get to me. She wraps her arms around me as Harry walks further into the party, greeting everyone else, and I snake my arms around her waist, burying my face in her shoulder.

"Hi." She says softly and squeezes me once.

"Thank you for coming." I say sincerely and pull back from her.

"I would do anything for you two, you know that." Her hand trails down my arm and she holds my hand in hers briefly before letting me go.

I follow Harry further into the apartment, walking past a few people I don't know, that Lynette said Harry enjoys being around. I think they are employees from the hotel. I asked her if she would come, but she declined, saying she wouldn't want to "cramp our style", which made me laugh.

"Violet Parker." I hear a familiar voice call out to me and I whirl around with a smile on my face. "Get your cute little ass over here."

I hurry over to Mia and throw myself into her with so much force it almost knocks us both over. Niall plants his hand on her back in order to keep us upright. I kiss her all over her face and I hear Harry laugh behind me, watching us. I break away from Mia and Niall smiles at me when I turn to him.

"Hey, babe." He says and holds his arm out for me to step into. I wrap my arms around him tightly and rest my chin on his shoulder as he pulls me into him. "It's been awhile."

I have only seen Niall once in the last five years. I thought I could handle it, but being around him was just too painful. It was like every time I looked at him I would be reminded of Harry and the memories we all shared together. After the first time I visited, Mia and I decided from then on we would meet in a neutral location, outside of town, and stay in a hotel together, just us.

"I know, I'm sorry." I mumble and squeeze him tighter before I let go.

I step back and Harry's hand finds my waist, pulling me into his side. Mia cocks an eyebrow at me and Niall's eyes fall to Harry's arm that's around me possessively.

"You guys have lots of explaining to do." Mia says lowly and I exhale a laugh.

Harry squeezes my hip and turns us around, walking me over to the people I don't know. He introduces me, but leaves out that I'm partnered with the company. If they work in the general part of the hotel, they'd never come into the office, so they wouldn't know who I am anyway.

"Happy birthday, Harold." Phoebe says when we finally make our way over to her. She doesn't know anyone else here, so she's been hanging out by the refreshments, alone.

"Thank you." He chuckles and wraps one arm around her shoulders, and she stiffens when he pulls her into him for an awkward side hug. I laugh quietly when she looks up at me in surprise and pats his back with her hand.

"Sorry, I'm late!" The front door swings open again and Cameron comes barreling through. "Some dickhead reserved the whole restaurant just to impress his girl and they took forever."

"Who is that?" Phoebe asks, her eyes wide as she watches him walk across the floor toward us.

"That's Cam." I tell her. "Harry's old friend. He's a chef and owns the restaurant we've been trying to get into forever."