Lucia’s POV

"So, how do you think about this?" 

I lifted my eyes from the magazine I was reading, just to see a boy with curly hair, wearing classy black suit, smiling widely to me, showing his attractive dimples. A slightly pink was on his cheeks and sweat on his forehead.  

"Harry, you just change your clothes only. Why you're sweating?" I giggled and stood up. 

"This suit is so uncomfortable. I had to fight with it to stuck myself inside. So, what do you think?" He grunted, held out his hands so I could have a better view of him.  

"Nice!" I said, accidentally let out the uncertainty.  

"You don't like it, do you?" Harry asked nervously, spun around to see himself in the mirror. 

"It doesn't matter what I like Harry." I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “This is the suit Chloe like the most.”

"It matters to me." Harry said quietly while struggling with the bow on his neck.  

I didn't answer him, just smiled a little before coming closer to help him.  

"Here, let's me help you." 

"Thanks. I always have problem with that thing." 

"I know." I smiled to him. 

Silence spread slowly between us. I could feel Harry's gentle breath above my head while I tried to keep myself cool, tried to slow down the speed of my heart.  

I was here with Harry, help him pick his most perfect suit for the big day, his wedding. Yup, Harry was getting married in two more weeks, with Chloe Standler - a model who he met six months ago.  

"Done!" I said, broke the silence without any regret. I couldn't stand this moment any minute more. I was so afraid Harry was going to hear the sound of my broken heart inside.  

"Thank you!" Harry said again, obviously was losing deep in his own thoughts.  

"Stop saying Thank you, Harry!" I slapped him jokingly on his cheek. "I'm your best friend, not a stranger, even when you are going to be a married man now."  

Once again, Harry didn't say anything. He just kept staring at me with eyes full of questions, full of uncertain feelings and thoughts. It was like he was trying to say something to me that even he couldn't voice it out.  

"How is the suit?" A woman voice spoke behind, causing both of us to startle.  

"It is nice." Harry said, finally looked away and I had a feeling of something had been taken away from my heart.  

He was going to get married...He was going to get married... Two more weeks...

Few days ago...

I lift myself up from the bed when I read Harry’s message.

-------

From: Curly

Lu, come down immediately. I’m in front of your house. I need to talk to you. Hurry up, babe!

-------

I kept thinking about the reason why Harry wanted to meet me while changing my clothes. It was 11pm then, and usually only on Movie Day did I meet Harry this late. Oh...except for “the days” – that what I always called those days that I couldn’t forget.

*Flashback*

Harry and I had been best friend for a long long time. Since we were 5 years old, Harry had been there with me, annoying like a monster, always cheeky but thoughtful. I always had a secret feelings for Harry, since the days I met him. Falling in love completely and totally with his dimples, his sense of humor, his sensitivity, his personality, his dummy...Everything about Harry, I loved in the most secretly and quietly way. I’d never told anybody about that feeling. It was because I was too afraid that it would destroy our friendship, and because I knew Harry didn’t feel the same about me. Everything was going very fine, perfect and completely happy with everyone...Until one day...

It was a comfortable and cozy evening just like today. I was having a nice and lonely popcorn when I heard somebody nodded on my door.

“Harry! What’re you doing here so late?” I greeted him with only pyjamas and messy hair. Harry had a “weird” smile on his face, showing me his famous and familiar dimples. Lots of girls had fallen in love with them, just like me. Well, I guessed I wasn’t that special and unaffected with him.

“I have got something for you.” He said quietly, his green eyes sparkled with some kind of happiness I had never seen before.

“Er...Weird kid keeps smiling weird smile. I should be very careful.” I teased and stepped aside so he could get in.

Sitting in each side of the couch, both Harry and I didn’t say anything. I picked up my bowl and put some popcorn in my mouth.

“Lucia...” Harry called my name.

“Uh huh?” I mumbled with a mouth full of popcorn.

“Jane told me something today.” Harry said. “About you?”

I turned my head so I could face him. “What’s about me?” I asked, finally paid all my attention at our conversation.

“She said you like me. A lot.”

Harry’s words got into my head like a bullet and I immediately frozen. I didn’t realize Harry had moved closer to me.

“Do you?” He whispered, letting his minty breath caress my hot skin. My blood was rushing in my veins and I was losing the ability of speaking. How could Jane find out? How could Harry know? He wasn’t supposed to know my feelings, not even a slight.

I turned my head away, not wanting to face him anymore. He must now feel pity, feel sorry for me. That must be the reason why he came here...to say some stupid things like in the novel, like “We can still be friend”, or “I still love you”. I didn’t want that pity, I didn’t want to hear those words. I didn’t want anybody to feel sorry for me...

“Don’t look away when we talk, Lu.” Harry’s husky and command voice echoed all the room. He always said in that voice when he was mad, or disagreed with something. I was always scared of it.

Slowly and tremulously, I turned around, not having a minute to wipe away my tears. Stupid, why was I so easy to cry, so weak like this?

“Why’re you crying?” Harry asked. He moved closer and closer until our nose almost touched. Harry cup my face in his hand and held them firmly. His hands were big, cold and rough. But they were gentle and smooth, slowly wipe away my tears.

“Don’t...” I said, let the words fell into the silent air. “Don’t try to be sorry for me. I don’t want you to regret or feel pity for me. I do like you...but...”

“Say that again!” Harry interrupted me.

“What?”

“I said, “Say those words again!”” His low voice sent caused me goose bump.

“But...”

“You know what I meant. Say. It. Again.” He looked me into my eyes, his green eyes showed me nothing but that same happiness. Did he...Did he...actually...like me?

“Er...I...I do like...you.” I said.

“Again. More clearly.” His eyes still didn’t leave mine.

“I...I like you...”

“One more.”

“I like...”

But I had no chance to finish my sentence because I was being pulled into Harry’s chest and his lips had prevented everything, including my thoughts, my words and my mind.

“Stupid, who told you I come here to say those words?” He mumbled into my hair while his grips around my waist tighten.

“You mean...Are you telling me the truth? You’re not lying, are you?” My voice was shaking madly and so was my hands.

Smiling his sweet and charming smile, Harry took my hand and placed it on his chest, where his heart was beating.

“Shhh...Can you feel that?” Harry asked.

His heart...His heart was beating fast, with every heart-beat filled with happiness, or at least that was what I thought.

“That’s for you, Lu...” He said before pulled me into another long and tight hug “Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Yes!”

*Flash ends*

I finally got downstairs and saw a curly boy standing in front of the door, resting his back on his car, wearing beanie and simple clothes.

“Hey Harry!” I said and stood next  to him. “What bring you here so late?”

“I proposed her.” He said shortly, didn’t look into my eyes.

“What?” I asked again, not sure what I had just heard.

“I proposed Chloe. We’ll get married in 5 weeks.”

This time I heard it clear, with every single words.

“....” I didn’t know what to say and I was too afraid that if I let a word slip out, I would cry like a baby.

“Say something, Lu.” Harry command, with his husky and low voice, like always.

“Congrats you two!” I finally managed to say, faked a happy smile, still refused to make eye contact with Harry.

“Liar!”

Harry whispered before turned around and stood in front of me. Once again, his face was so close to me that our noses almost touched. He trapped me between his body and the car. His arm placed next to my head so that I had no way to get out. His breath washed over my face and immediately looked down.

“Look. At. Me.!” He said.

Whimpering loudly, I looked up and caught familiar green eyes. I couldn’t read them, couldn’t know what Harry was thinking.

“Tell me that you’re lying, Lu.”

“It doesn’t matter, Harry.” I kept my mind straight, pulled myself away from the desire of touching those lips.

“It doesn’t matter what I think. You’re an engaged man now. You’re getting married to Chloe in 5 more weeks, remember?” I said, almost yelled out.

*Flashback*

We were both standing there, breathing hard and full with anger. Our fight had been lasting for almost an hour and none of us had anymore intend of stopping it.

“I...” Harry was about to say when I immediately turned away. I sighed loudly before saying the words I felt hurtful the most.

“Harry, let just break up...”

Silence felt like a dramatic and heavy rock into the air. I could feel Harry’s body tensed up even when I stood far away from him.

“What are you saying, Lucia?” He stuttered. “I’m...I’m sorry Lucia...I’ll never get mad at you anymore. I swear...Don’t say that word to me! I’ll come home early, I’ll arrange my work so I can have dinner with you. I’ll change, I swear...”

My heart broke slowly with each of his words. Harry didn’t understand...or he was trying to. I still loved Harry, I still and I always.

“It’s not because of you, Harry. It’s not because of this fight either.” I sighed, came closer to Harry. “We don’t belong to each other. We’re best friend. We’re not supposed to be together. There’re things...things I can’t explain keep happen between us that I can’t stand it anymore. Maybe breaking up is the only way...I’m sorry!”

And before Harry could say anything else, I rushed to the door, picked up my purse and got out of the house.

The fresh air of the evening attacked me with gentle and shiver. I walked out of the building, didn’t know where to go. The wind kept blowing and I felt my heart too frozen to feel anything. I broke into tears without any thought about the pass-by people who were looking at me. I was too tired...I truly did...

“We broke up...” I kept reminding myself about that fact “And I was the one who said it...”

*Flash ends*

Reality hit me like a bullet, brought me back to where Harry and I were standing.

“Tell me what happened between us. I’ve never understood why...why we broke up.” Harry said, still not letting me go. He was now resting his forehead on mine.

“Don’t talk about the past. Talk about the present, you and Chloe are now engaged. And we’re over.” I said, trying to push Harry away but I couldn’t do it. He was too strong.

“But I still love...”

“NO, HARRY!” I yelled like an idiot and finally got away from Harry. “You’re getting married to Chloe in 5 more weeks. You had proposed her, and tomorrow, it’ll be the hot news on every magazine. That’s what’re happening, no change. Please, don’t bring back the memory. We don’t belong to each other.”

I ran back to my building and ran to my flat, not looking back a minute to see Harry standing there, hand held on his chest. A tear slipped out on his cheek. It was the first time Harry cried since he was seven.

“I just want a second chance on us...” Harry mumbled, looking at me running away. He stood there for a few more minutes, and then got in his car and drove away.

 [To be continued]