MASTERMIND - H.S

Chapter 37

*• November 2013 •*
- Los Angeles, USA -
~< What If All I Need Is You? >~

ADDIE AND HARRY HAD BROKEN UP. AGAIN.

No one was shocked.

When Addie called Louis with the news, she'd expected a bit more of a reaction. Instead, she'd gotten a deadpan, "Oh, again?"

And from Liam she'd heard a, "Seriously? You couldn't wait 'till after the release party?"

And that was why November 25th came around, the day everyone had been looking forward to, including millions of fans; the release of One Direction's third studio album. Midnight Memories.

So maybe Addie and Harry's breakup was poorly timed for two days before the release party for the album. She'd been invited since she wrote and produced two of the songs herself.

Nothing seemed crueler about the breakup than knowing that she'd be stuck in the same room as Harry for hours, knowing that his lips weren't hers to kiss, his body not hers to stare at, his words not hers to hear. He wasn't hers anymore.

At least, not for now.

"Addie, this is so stupid!" Tara exclaimed as she stabbed a piece of ranch-covered lettuce with her fork. There was unusual rage behind her motions, as if the lettuce had personally harmed her.

Addie's eyes widened, stuck on that one piece of lettuce as Tara swallowed it.

"Honestly, like, if you know that it isn't over for the two of you, then is it really a breakup? Because that's just a really intense fight," Tara said sternly, her words rushed as she needed to finish eating, hear all the gossip Addie brought and then do the quick drive back to the set of the show she was working on at the moment.

Addie sighed, running a hand through her hair. Her hair had a strange texture since she started bleaching it, not as soft as it used to be. "But it is a breakup. We're over, done. Harry could kiss any girl he wants now and I can do whatever I want and it's fine. Because I don't get a say in his life."

"And yet you tell me that you know you two aren't over over." Tara gives Addie a look. "Do you realize the stupidity of a 'breakup' if you're just going to eventually get back together?"

"But maybe this time it'll be longer-"

"Addie, the most the two of you have lasted broken up was less than 3 weeks!"

Addie groaned. "But maybe it's different this time."

Tara gave Addie a look of incredulity. "I think you're being ridiculous." She stabbed a piece of tomato this time. "You need to just talk to Harry and figure out whatever issue the two of you have. And realize that maybe there's a big problem in your relationship if the two of you keep breaking up constantly."

Addie knew it. She knew there was some storm approaching them, one that they refused to acknowledge. So they kept their lives going, pretending that the clouds weren't turning a dark grey and the air didn't smell of humidity. But soon, the clouds wouldn't hold back and they'd unleash rain and thunder on them.

Right now, all Harry and Addie did was argue over the sudden briskness of air, pretending the storm didn't exist.

Because maybe they were just teenagers. And maybe they were too in love to think straight. And maybe they weren't willing to lose it just yet.