CHAPTER 78

HARRY'S POV

I sat uncomfortably in my chair at a very classy restaurant with Stephanie across from me. Don't get me wrong, she was beautiful; but her foot running up along my calf, and her handing stroking mine, felt disgusting.

Yesterday I was absolutely smitten with the girl in front of me. But after seeing Angie, Stephanie was soon seen as a plate of grits in my eyes. I'm not sure what exactly happened that had made me so appalled to her, but it definitely had something to do with Angie.

"Harry are you feeling okay?" Stephanie asked in serious tone. Normally she was so giddy and excited that it made me shudder with fear, that she was on to my act. My act, that I actually loved her.

"Lovely." I picked up my glass of water and nearly drank all of it. I felt my hands start to sweat at the thought of breaking up with her. How would she react?

"I've known you long enough to tell that something is wrong." Her eyes met mine and I found it hard to look away. Not because I was lost in her eyes. No. This was more of a trance that I was in.

"It's alright love." I quickly picked up my menu and began scanning the options of entrees over and over again. I had been to this restaurant frequently enough to have known exactly what I wanted from the second I made the reservation, but looking at the menu that I had memorized was more appealing then looking at Stephanie.

"So what are you getting?" Stephanie kicked at my foot lightly, and I instantly pulled my feet under my chair. I faulted myself for being so tall, but then realized it wasn't my fault. Curse you genes.

"Steak and potatoes." I mumbled. God what was happening to me? Every time I looked at her I felt guilty. Maybe I should just end it before the meal? Or is that harsh?

Before she could respond with her meal choice- that I honestly couldn't care less about- my phone went off. I silently prayed the lords as I looked at the caller ID to see a picture of Louis smiling. I motioned to Stephanie that I would only be a minute, and then I walked out of the restaurant.

"Hello mate, how are you doing?" I asked as I sat down on a bench and stared up at the sky. It was 7 pm so it was getting dark out, but the sun was gorgeous. It was a light yellow that shone ever so perfectly over the small hills surrounding me.

"Have you broken up with her yet?" He asked.

"No, but as soon as I hang up with you, I will. I feel so guiltily lad..." I trailed off.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably as I looked down at my shoes. I was wearing my white converse with the red trim even though it was a fancy restaurant. I wore these shoes everywhere, no matter how classy I was supposed to look.

"I'll let you go then." He laughed as the line went dead.

I stood up and made my way back to the table Stephanie was sitting at.

"Who was that?" She asked as I plopped down in my seat and stared back at her. She was doing that thing with her eyes again. She was like one of those Mummy's that captures your soul when you look into their eyes.

"It was Louis, but never mind that. Listen Stephanie, we have to talk." I said as I placed my hands into the pockets of my blazer.

"What are we doing right now?" She laughed as she took a large sip of her smoothie. I questioned her drink order of a fruit blend at a nice restaurant, but I didn't really care. I just found it odd. I mean why not order a nice wine? Oh gosh, maybe I do care. Oh well.

"I meant we need to talk about us." I pulled my left hand out of my pocket and scratched the back of my neck.

"Oh, alright." She smiled as she fumbled around with her blue bracelet. I found her jewelry choice odd to considering she was wearing a yellow dress and red necklace. It shouldn't bother me that the clasp of her necklace had fallen into plain sight, but for some odd reason, it did.

"Your clasp, it's um showing." I said as I pointed towards her necklace.

"Oops, sorry about that." She giggled as she messed around with the charm of her necklace trying to get it opposite of the clasp.

As she was doing this I took a moment to look at her nails. They were all very short and painted a hot pink. They looked perfect, but I found myself continuing to stare at her fingers; looking for flaws. There I found it, a little tiny wart on her thumb. That's what threw my over edge.

"We need to breakup!" I shouted loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear. Soon enough every pair of eyes in the room fell on me. I looked at Stephanie, but not in her eyes, at her forehead. It was safer.

"What, why?" She asked in a small voice. I noticed that the smile on her face had disappeared and her eyes were moist. Bring on the guilt.

"You have a wart... On your thumb." I said quietly as I stared at the white tablecloth.

"There must be something else." She prodded.

"Your jewelry doesn't match." I continued.

She looked at her bracelet and then to her dress. She frowned but then looked back at me with sad eyes.

"What else Harry?"

"For crying out loud, you ordered a smoothie at a fancy restaurant! Who does that? It's just all these little flaws that just add up and they get to me Stephanie, they really do." I yelled.

Again, everyone stared at me. Great, why don't we just put it in the news, "Harry Styles Yells In Restaurants". Very interesting story.

"We've been together for 10 months Harry. I always order smoothies, I had this wart the day we met, and my jewelry never matches because I never change it. Now tell me the real reason that we can't be together." She looked down at her lap and let a tear fall from her eye. I felt my hand shoot out of my pocket as an instant reaction to wipe the tear away, but midway through the air, I pulled my hand back into my pocket. I shouldn't wipe away a tear that I caused. It would feel wrong, almost pointless.

"Your not her."

I stood up from my seat and literally began running down the street. Thankfully, due to the location of the restaurant the closest place to it was a little gas station that was all to familiar to me.

I sat down at picnic table and remembered that the last time I was here I was with Jessica. Angie had shown up and it was awkward. That felt so long ago.

The memories flowed back to me as I remembered everything that had happened to Angie and I after that day.

The plane crash, the stranger with the kiss, the press conference, out to breakfast with Hannah, and lastly the car accident. That's when it hit me. I was going to propose to Angie, but then the car accident happened and I didn't. I of course still had the ring back at home, but I kind of forgot about it.

You would think that when Angie brought up marriage, it would have sparked my memory that I had an engagement ring for her. But it didn't. Maybe what I said back at the Island was right. Maybe this wasn't the time that I was supposed to get married.

But then why am I remembering the ring now? Why had I wanted to marry her before the car accident, but not after it? What changed my mind?

My mind raced with the endless amounts of possibilities, until I settled on one. This was it. It had to be the difference.

Before, I had been the one wanting to get married, but then after the accident I was so caught up in everything with the memory loss and injuries that I had forgotten. Which was momentarily okay because there was really no need to settle down. But then Angie found out that she was pregnant and was itching for a marriage. Had she told me that she was pregnant the night Lottie licked my face, then we probably be married right now. It was almost as if I needed a reason to be married.

The reason before the accident was because I had been so happy and caught up in the moment with Angie and I getting back together, and loving every minute of life. But after the car accident, I was no longer happy go lucky with our relationship and that's why I forgot.

The reason I hadn't remembered the ring the night on the Island was because in my mind, there was no reason to.

But now sitting here alone on this picnic bench, there was a reason to marry Angie. No, it's not love because many people are in love but don't get married. Love isn't strong enough to hold a marriage. No, you need something of more importance, something that could grow into something bigger and better. And reader, I think we all know what that reason is.

Rosie.