That Summer (One Direction Fanfiction)

**SEQUEL** Part 5

*Brittany’s POV*

What the hell was I doing?

I wretched out of Harry’s tender hold and stepped back. His green eyes flooded with sadness at my departure and it took everything I had not to go running back into his arms.

I can’t believe I kissed him.

I kissed him.

He didn’t start it.

I did.

I kissed him.

“No no no,” I muttered frantically, unsure of what to do. I can’t believe I just did that.

It felt so good.

“No,” I felt frustrated tears pricking at my eyes. Why did Harry have to make it so hard to hate him? I wanted him back so badly that I could feel the physical pain in my chest at the thought of leaving him again. I couldn’t do it though; I couldn’t hurt Riley like that.

“I’m sorry Harry. That was wrong of me.” I had just cheated on Riley. I was no better than Harry.

He seemed to have read the pain in my eyes. “Brittany, it was just a kiss. It wasn’t like you slept with me or anything.” Regret took hold of his features, “Not like I did to you.”

“It was still wrong. I still cheated.” The tears were threating to spill over. I couldn’t cry in front of Harry anymore. I had done it too much already. “I have to go.”

I turned and ran across the parking lot. I didn’t know what I was going to tell Riley. He would be so pissed. But I couldn’t lie to him. Why had I done that?

“Brittany!” I could hear Harry running after me, but I didn’t stop. I needed to get away from him. Unfortunately for me, Harry was a lot faster than I was and he quickly caught up with me. His large hand wrapped itself around my wrist and he tugged me around to face him.

He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, just standing there and staring at me instead. His hand had drifted down from my wrist and his fingers were now tangled with mine. His soft hand fit the spaces of my smaller one so well, but I told myself to ignore the sparks of electricity running up my arm.

“I’ll tell Riley I did it.”

“What?” My eyes widened in shock. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want him mad at you. He’s already mad at me, all I have to do is say I made a move on you and everything will be fine. I’ll tell him you pushed me off right away. Then you don’t have to lie to him but you also don’t have to tell him you kissed me.”

“It’s still lying.”

“Yeah but I would be lying, not you.” Harry shook out his hair before his green eyes met mine. “I don’t want him to hurt you.”

“He won’t hurt me Harry,” I laughed a little. “I’ll just tell him it was all a mistake and it will be fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Brittany, he has anger issues.” Harry suddenly realized our hands were still entwined and he let mine go, shoving his back into the pockets of his well-fitting jeans.

I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. Riley and I had been dating for a year, obviously I knew that. “Not towards me he doesn’t.”

“Well he does towards me. And since I was the cause of this, he’s going to be really pissed. He might do something he’ll later regret.”

I laughed out loud, “You think he’s going to hit me?” I knew Riley had a short temper and had his issues, but I knew he would never, ever lay a hand on me. He loved me too much.

Harry was starting to look unsure of himself, “He might.”

“Trust me, Haz. He won’t hit me.”

A look of delight crossed Harry’s face and his eyes widened in shocked surprise. My brows knitted together as I looked at him in confusion. Why was he suddenly so happy?

“You called me Haz,” he blushed a delicious shade of rose as his dimples made a sudden appearance in his cheeks. It was the first time I had seen him really smile in a long time. I forgot how gorgeous he was when he was happy. Even when he had been joking around before his X-Factor audition he didn’t look as ecstatic as he did now. “You’re not mad at me anymore.”

He was right. I was done being mad at him. The past was the past and I needed to forgive him. Everyone made stupid mistakes.

“Yeah,” I gave him a small smile. “I forgive you.”

His arms threw themselves around me and I found myself enveloped in Harry’s familiar embrace. His musky scent washed over me as I buried my head in his neck and hugged him back.

This was why I had stayed away from him for so long.

I knew there was no way I could look into his green eyes or hear his intoxicating voice without forgiving him. It would only be a matter of time before Riley and I were history and I was Harry’s girl once again.