By Chance

Chapter 12 - A surprise visit

„I’m so sorry Tess- I know I can trust you. It’s just… I don’t even know, but I guess I just jumped to the worst conclusion - I should have just asked you about it. Well first of all I shouldn’t even have read it,” Harry said while pacing around in his room. He frustrated ran his fingers through his hair. Harry was practicing his apology for Tessa, which he had been doing the last couple of days - he just never felt it was good enough. He had been a complete ass, again, and this time he wasn’t sure she was going to forgive him. He couldn’t just not have her in his life, so that was why he kept rehearsing his apology - it had to be perfect. It didn’t help that the paparazzi still was writing stories about them dating; it only made things a lot more awkward in the house. Luckily both Louis and Zayn had finally forgiven him, when he had explained some, not all, of the details and promised them to stop drinking every night. But he still hadn’t had the guts to talk to Tessa; every time he tried he remembered the tears running down her face and the hurtful look in her eyes.

The sound of the doorbell tore him out of his train of thought - were they expecting guest? Harry went downstairs and saw that both all boys, Tessa, Perrie and Eleanor were watching TV in the living room. „Isn’t anybody going to get the door?” He snorted already on the way to the front door. Harry was shocked when he opened the door. All the air was squeezed out of his lungs as his older sister hugged him while yelling out his nickname. When Gemma let go of him again Harry noticed everybody had joined their reunion. He awkwardly coughed. „Gemma it’s good to see you! What are you doing here in London?” He asked nervously knowing he had everyone’s attention. „Wait you didn’t tell him?” Gemma asked and looked towards the rest of the crowd. Harry followed her gaze curiously. „Ehm, I kind of forgot we planned this back in Holmes Chapel Gemma - I’m so sorry, but I guess he got a great surprise then,” Tessa answered and pulled Gemma into a hug. „Yeah you’re right, this is even better,” Gemma said before greeting everyone else. Harry now felt, if possible, even guiltier about everything. Tessa had arranged for his sister to come and visit and Harry had just been accusing her of cheating - despite the fact they weren’t even in a relationship. Damn it had stung when Tessa had said it, but he knew it was the truth. He had been such a dick.

Everybody, except Zayn and Perrie who went out to dinner to celebrate their anniversary, sat around the kitchen table chatting. Tessa had deliberately chosen a chair in the opposite end of the table from Harry. She didn’t know how to act around him anymore. In one second she felt like screaming at him for believe such a thing, and the just a second later she would feel the urge to run her fingers through his brown curls and make him smile. While Niall was eating the last piece of pizza the conversation suddenly was all about Tessa and Harry. „I think I still have the picture on my phone. It’s so priceless, they really are adorable,” Gemma kept blabbing about their visit and soon her phone was on tour around the table so that everyone could see the picture of them at the ice cream-stall. Harry looked at the picture sadly and wondered how he could have screwed up so badly. It hurt him even more when he noticed, that Tessa didn’t even look at the picture but just passed the phone on to Louis, who sat beside her. Tessa couldn’t bear to see the picture of them being so happy, since she knew it wasn’t like that anymore - they didn’t even talk together and she felt like she was missing a part of herself. „How about we go out for brunch tomorrow? You, me and Tessa,” Gemma asked hopefully looking towards Harry. He was ready to accept the offer and was already considering how he could apologize at brunch, when Tessa interrupted his thoughts. „I’m so sorry Gemma but I have a lot of work to do early tomorrow. How about you and Harry just go out for brunch, then you, I and the girls can go shopping afterwards? It would be nice with some girl time,” Tessa said genuine. Gemma nodded happily.

„So have you guys started dating yet or what? You are everywhere in the media,” Gemma asked when they had all moved into the living room and was watching some random episode of CSI, except Eleanor had left. Gemma had this sincere smile on her face, completely oblivious to the tension. The living room suddenly fell silent since everybody besides Gemma knew for a fact, that Harry and Tessa wasn’t even on speaking terms. „What? Did I say something wrong?” Gemma asked uncertainly. Tessa was just avoiding eye contact with everyone as she focused on the Skagen ring on her finger. „What are you guys not telling me?” Gemma said stubbornly and looked around on everyone. „It’s not really our place to say,” Liam answered. „What’s going on Hazza?” Gemma now turned her entire attention towards her little brother. „I screwed up okay! I acted like an asshole towards her, and now we don’t even speak together anymore - I mean she doesn’t even look at me, and the worst part is that is it one hundred percent my fault,” Harry started babbling. „Well it can’t have been that bad. Perhaps you fucked up a bit - but I saw you guys together. You are so much alike, and you are both amazing people, you really fit together and I mean, you even move in sync with each other,” Gemma kept listing up reasons for them at least to get along, and it was as if only Harry and Gemma was in the room. The rest of the boys just sat there speechless, they hadn’t fully understood what had happened between Tessa and Harry - but by the way Harry was acting they knew he had messed up big time, and by the look of Tessa’s face they weren’t sure she would ever forgive him.

Despite the fact Tessa was eager to hear Harry’s explanation she knew she couldn’t keep handling Gemma talking about how everything had been perfect in Holmes Chapel, so she slowly got up from her chair. As the chair was moved backwards the sound got everyone’s attention. „Thank you for dinner and it’s great to see you again Gemma. I think I’ll just head upstairs,” she said her voice shaking. As she headed up the stairs she heard Gemma’s voice. „What the hell did you do to her Harry Edward Styles?” And damn did she sound pissed. Tessa had been meaning to go to her room and post something on her blog - but somehow she had ended up in the music room. She hadn’t been in here since her and Harry called a truce, but that hadn’t lasted as long as she thought it would. She took a seat at the piano and carefully pressed a key - then the playing consumed her.

Downstairs Gemma was still yelling at Harry. The rest of the boys faced the television so they didn’t seem to be eavesdropping, but the shouting surpassed the sound of the TV - which made it impossible to focus on anything else. „I don’t know what do to!” Harry yelled. „Just tell me what you did. I can’t help you if I don’t know, and besides I already told you back home to keep her in your life - I saw how happy she made you, and now… From what the boys are telling you are going back to your old habits Harry, and I’m worried!” She yelled back right in his face. Harry huffed and sent the boys an angry gaze - of course they had talk to Gemma. This was the last drop for him, he literally didn’t know what to do anymore. All he knew was that he trusted Tessa and that he needed her back in his life. It was funny how quickly their friendship had become something he relied on - and now he didn’t know how to fix what he had broken. „I thought she was sleeping with someone. I saw a text message after our movie night, and I jumped to conclusions and apparently they were wrong. But anyway I went straight to the bar and then when I got back, I yelled at her. I yelled at her for nothing and then I just gave up on her,” Harry explained suddenly quiet. He had everybody’s attention now. „You called her a slut, because you thought she was seeing somebody else? My god you are more stupid then you look - you guys weren’t even together,” Louis interrupted which only made the yelling increase. „You called her a slut? What an ass. Then there’s clearly a legit reason for her not talking to you idiot,” Gemma said and gently slapped the back of his head. „Well I wanted to apologize several times - but she still won’t tell me what the text is about, she keeps saying she promised Zayn to keep her mouth shot, and I can’t really ask him,” Harry replied. „You actually believe Tessa was sleeping with Zayn? How dumb are you, she’s Perrie’s best friend. Besides we all know how much Zayn loves Perrie,” this time it was Liam who talking. Harry just shrugged and turned on his heels. He needed to get away from them all, and he only knew one place where he wouldn’t feel so miserable.