That Summer (One Direction Fanfiction)

Chapter 18: Back to Normal?

“You go get him; you’re closest to the door.”

“I don’t know him,” Marcus whined. We were on our way to pick Liam up. Riley had insisted we drive over and get him instead of having me walk to his door, get him, and walk back to our house. They had to make everything so complicated.

“Fine,” I crawled over Marcus’s lap and slid open the side door of the van. Marcus playfully slapped my butt as I jumped out and I heard Harry hit him as I ran towards Liam’s front door in my towering heels. I must look like an idiot wobbling around in these things.

My fist hadn’t even connected with the door when it was pulled open and I ended up punching Liam in the chest.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry.” I covered my mouth as I tried to suppress my giggles.

“It’s all right,” he laughed. “My fault for opening the door.”

He stepped out onto his front stoop and pulled the door shut behind him as I casually checked him out. He looked really good in a white button down shirt, gray pants, and black boots. Liam must have noticed me looking because when I glanced back up he had a smirky half smile on his face.

“What?” I blushed.

He bumped me with his hips as we walked back to the van, “You know what.” He raised a thick eyebrow and gave me a look, his brown eyes sparkling playfully. “I saw you.”

“I wasn’t checking you out,” I put on my most innocent face. “I swear.”

“Don’t lie,” Liam laughed and slipped an arm around my waist. “You totally were.”

Suddenly Harry was in front of us, the muscle in his jaw clenching as he tried to stay calm. “Get your hands off my girlfriend.”

Liam took a step back and let go of me, raising his hands up in front of his chest. “Sorry.”

Harry nodded shortly and took me by the waist, ushering me back to the van. I threw Liam an apology look over my shoulder and he just shrugged. I could see in his warm brown eyes that he didn’t like Harry very much.

Harry pulled me into the van and I noticed that Marcus had switched seats, moving into the back of the van with all the instruments. Harry shoved me in first so he could take the middle seat and separate me and Liam. I crossed my arms over my chest and focus my attention on the window, deciding that if Harry was going to be rude I didn’t want to talk to him. Liam slipped into the remaining seat and shut the door. Riley cranked the engine and we were off.

The first ten minutes of the journey was filled with an awkward silence and I could sense Liam’s discomfort. I tried to meet his eyes over Harry’s head but he didn’t see me. I turned back and saw that Riley was watching me in the rearview mirror. He gave me a tight smile before turning his attention back to the road. I pulled my phone out of my lap and sent a quick apology text to Liam. He acknowledged it with a nod of his head.

Twenty minutes in and still no one had said a word. I had never been so uncomfortable in my life. Why hadn’t Brad cracked a stupid joke yet? We needed a tension breaker.

Thirty minutes in and Harry had finally picked up on the fact that I was ignoring him. His hand moved to my bare thigh and he began to gently run his thumb over my skin. I picked up his hand and plopped it on his own lap, then turned my body away from him.

“Aww babe,” Harry whispered in my ear. “Don’t be like that.” His hand moved to my waist and he scooted me across my seat so that I was pressed up against him. I was grateful for my seat belt, because otherwise I would have been in his lap. He started nuzzling my neck, decorating it with kisses.

“Harry, stop.” I tried to pull away but he was hanging on to me for dear life.

“What did I do?” he was whimpering like a little child and I was starting to get embarrassed. I could feel everyone else’s eyes on us.

“Harry, we’ll talk about it later all right?” I tried to shove him away again to no avail. He wouldn’t let go.

Suddenly he let go and turned to face Liam, “Liam I’m sorry for being rude to you earlier. I know you and Brittany are just friends, but I don’t like seeing her around other guys. So I’m sorry for being a jerk.”

“It’s all right,” Liam sounded relieved. “I get it, I have a girlfriend too.”

They shook hands and the mood in the car suddenly lifted. Brad began to make his usual sexual jokes, Marcus smacked his head off the drum set and caused everyone to break into hysterics, and Harry cuddled with me while he and Liam had an actual conversation. The only one who wasn’t acting normal was Riley. He hadn’t been acting like himself for the past two weeks and it was starting to freak me out. He was actually nice now and really easy to get along with. I liked it better when we hated each other’s guts and it took all my strength not to punch him in the face. New Riley was a lot more complicated to understand.

“Hey Brittany.”

I turned at Harry’s voice and his lips met mine. We spent the rest of the car ride making out as Brad edged us on.

Everything was back to normal, I though as I watched the boys unload the van in the parking lot of the club. Everything except me and Riley. I caught him sneaking a glance at me as he carried the drum set out of the back of the van. I made a face and he returned it before flashing me a smile. Riley never used to smile.

“What’s up love?” Harry came over and engulfed me in a hug, pulling me close to the rapid beating of his heart. “You look confused.”

“What’s wrong with Riley? He’s been acting weird lately.”

I felt Harry’s shoulders move as he shrugged, “I have no idea, I noticed that too.”

“He’s freaking me out.”

Harry pulled away as he started to laugh. “Imagine that. He’s freaking you out because he’s nice now?”

“Hey,” I teased. “It’s the nice ones that always have something to hide.”

Harry gave me a smile before kissing me quickly. Slipping his arm over my shoulder he guided me towards the club. I could hear Riley shouting profanities at Marcus in the background and I smiled. That was more like it.

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