"I fucking hate this weather." Riley groaned, looking through the balcony doors and out into the dark city, the rain coming down pretty hard.

"I love rain" was my response, laying down on the couch with Anna's cat on my chest. She didn't want the cat around the baby until she got her shots, so I volunteered to watch her for the weekend. Brandon wasn't too keen on the cat being around me, but I didn't care.

My phone buzzed in my hand and I opened it to see a text from Louis saying they were on their way up. "Unlock the door for the guys, please." I tell Riley, switching back to my shopping cart on the Windsor website.

"Let's get this party started!" Louis' voice echoed and bounced off of the walls of the apartment as he walked in alongside Zayn and Nick, approaching me as I scrolled through the dress options. "You are looking at the master of all card games."

"We'll see." I sang, tapping on a satin red dress with a v-neck. I showed the screen to the cat and asked "what do you think?"

He let out a quiet meow before licking his foot.

"You're right. I don't have the boobs for it." I said, switching the page to a different dress.

I heard a laugh and looked over my phone to see Harry walking towards me. "Is that poor thing torturing you?"

"No." I answered.

"I was talking to the cat." He said, bending down next to my chest and petting the animal gently. I glared and flipped him off, but he flipped me off right back.

Just as I was about to show Leo another dress, I felt an itch in my nose. I guess Harry knew I was about to sneeze because he grabbed the cat off of my chest right as it happened.

"Bless you." He chuckled. "I'll hold onto him for a while."

"Thanks." I mumbled, rubbing my eyes and setting my phone down.

"I finished setting them up. Let's play some cards." Riley announced.

I got up from the couch and walked over to the table, sitting in my seat next to the balcony door. I pick up my own cards, waiting for Zayn and Louis as they sat down in the other two empty chairs around the table. Harry sat on the opposite end across from me, the tiny orange cat purring in his lap.

Sometimes having to stay in because of the weather isn't all that bad. I would usually use this time to have a game night with my brother and Riley, but since Brandon was with his girlfriend, Riley suggested we invite the guys.

We only played a couple rounds of uno before we got bored of it, and then Louis suggested we play another game.

"Let's play monopoly." He says. Since I was drinking water, I nearly spit it out when the first thing that came to mind was Harry, and he looked at me knowingly as he fought a smirk.

Zayn glanced between the two of us with a look of suspicion, but he didn't say anything.

• • •

"Your family game nights are very interesting." I say with a chuckle as I follow Harry to his bedroom. He closes the door behind us with a sigh. I walked over to the body mirror next to his closet door and fixed my outfit, making sure I looked decent.

"Yeah, they tend to get very competitive. Especially during monopoly." He replied, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me against his chest.

"Ever since I learned what the term monopoly is also used for, I don't really think of the game when it is mentioned." I say, stifling a laugh as I rest my hands over his.

He looked at me in confusion through the mirror. "What else does it mean?"

"You don't know?" I asked in disbelief.

"No, tell me." He begged.

I raise my eyebrows. "Once you know, I promise you, you will wish you never asked me that."

He rolls his eyes playfully. "I think I'll live."

I bit down on my lip, debating whether or not I should tell him. He can always find out by looking it up, but I wanted to see his reaction so I just went with it.

"It also means...having sex." I told him.

His eyes widened in horror. "You're joking."

I shook my head with an apologetic look. "No."

He let out a groan and rested his forehead on my shoulder. "Now I know why my mates laughed at me when they asked how many times I've played monopoly. I literally told them I've been playing since I was a kid."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, picturing that scenario perfectly. I've met some of Harry's friends and I always figured Harry was the most innocent out of all of them.

"The worst part was that when they asked me that, I was sixteen and a virgin." He sighed, lifting his head back up and looking at me in the mirror. Suddenly, his innocent and cute look melted away when he rested his chin on my shoulder, pressing his lips to my neck.

"What?" I questioned in a low tone, wondering why his mood changed so quickly.

His lips brushed against my ear, making me shiver when he spoke. "What do you say we play our own game of monopoly?" He whispered huskily.

I hummed as his lips continued to trail down my neck and jaw. "I'd say I'm all in.." I trailed off in a seducing tone, smiling when he bit down on my ear. "But too bad your family is here."

His right hand slowly slid down my stomach and toyed with the band of my leggings before sliding his fingers under the fabric. My breathing became extremely heavy, and I felt his chest rising and falling against my back at a quick pace.

He brought his lips to my ear again and made sure to hold eye contact with me through the mirror when he spoke.

"I guess we'll have to be very quiet, then."

• • •

I clear my throat and sit up right in my seat avoiding the stares everyone has given us.

"Anyways, monopoly sounds great if it wasn't a game that would potentially make this the last time we ever speak to each other." I say, ignoring the very thick tension that had grown between Harry and I.

"We are willing to take that risk." Nick says with a straight face before standing up. "I'll go grab it."

"Okay then." I said quietly, sitting back in my chair, shivering as I felt a small breeze. Sighing, I stand up and begin walking to my room.

"Where are you going?" Riley asked me.

"To grab a hoodie." I tell her, continuing to my room and grabbing a hoodie from my closet. I lift my shirt over my head and toss it in the dirty bin before beginning to slide on my red hoodie.

"Fuck." I curse when the zipper on the front got caught on my cross necklace. I stood there for a couple minutes trying to untangle the mess without breaking my necklace, but it felt impossible.

I groaned before turning my head when I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in." I say, sputtering a bit when the shirt passed over my mouth.

The door opens and Harry's eyes widen at the sight of my bare torso. "S-Sorry. I'll go."

"Wait! Can you help me please?" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed that my torso was exposed to him.

He looked hesitant at first before sighing and slowly walking over to me.

"My chain got stuck." I told him sheepishly as he studied the area that was tangled. I watch his hands as they brushed over my collarbone and grabbed the cross that sat on the chain, being gentle when he untangled it from the zipper. He looked so focused yet nervous at the same time, and I don't blame him. Our faces were dangerously close to one another. After he managed to untangle it, he helped me pull the hoodie down over my stomach, allowing me to breathe again. We stood there for a minute before I managed to break the very thick tension that had managed to sprout.

"Thanks." I spoke quietly, walking over to my bathroom when I reminded myself to take my contacts out. Harry still stood in my room awkwardly, watching as I placed the lenses into their case and walked back to my nightstand to retrieve my glasses.

My heart almost jumps out of my body when I spot the ugliest creature to ever walk and hop this earth sitting next to my nightstand.

I jump onto my bed with a screech, making Harry look at me in worry. "What?"

I point to the insect on the floor that was slowly crawling towards my bed.

When the cricket jumped I let out a scream and quickly covered my mouth, suddenly feeling bad for my neighbors.

Harry comes closer to see what I was looking at and he chuckles. "The thing is a million times smaller than you, Maddie."

I scoff. "They are disgusting. Kill it please." I begged. He walked into the bathroom and came back with a little chunk of toilet paper in his hand.

I almost passed out when the cricket jumped onto my bed. My fucking bed.

My first reaction was to jump onto Harry's back to avoid the bug, my heart beating so fast I actually think I would faint at any given minute until that thing was dead.

I wrap my legs around his waist and dug my face into his neck while he was trying his best not to laugh at me. A minute later I heard the sound of the toilet flushing and Harry saying "It's dead." He chuckles and I lift my head, feeling relieved when I look across my white blanket to see the bug was gone.

"Thank you." I sighed into his ear, feeling him shiver underneath me.

"Of course." He mutters as I climb off of him to grab my glasses from the nightstand quickly before another one can come out and attack me. "So, crickets?" He teased.

"Shut up. They freak me out." I frown and smack his chest. What a mistake that was. I don't know what I expected to be under all those his long sleeved shirts he wears but I definitely didn't expect to feel what I felt underneath my finger tips.

His breath hitched when I reached just above his belly button but I couldn't seem to bring my hand away from him. The tension that was created earlier had returned and was a lot stronger than before.

My head slowly looks up to meet his eyes, but he was already looking down at me with his curious bright green eyes. Our faces were just centimeters away and I felt his breath fan my face, then suddenly, the room when completely dark.

I hear a shriek come from the hall closet and I quickly I retract my hands from his body, stepping back only to end up hitting my heel on the base of my bed. I hiss and rub the edge of my foot. "Ow."

"You okay?" Harry spoke.

"Yeah." Thank god it was dark, otherwise he would be able to see that my face was completely red.

"Grab my hands." He says. I put my hands out in front of me, feeling like a zombie as I searched around for Harry's.

When I felt them I almost jump back from the jolt of electricity that went up my arm. He squeezes my hands tightly and began walking in what I assume is the direction of the door.

"Guys?!" Louis shouted from the living room.

"Right here." Harry answered.

Forgetting I had my phone in the side pocket of my sweatpants, I pull it out and turn my flashlight on, making it easier to see.

"I think the power went out." Riley stated the obvious.

"Ya think?" Nick and I respond sarcastically. It was hard to see everyone's faces from the small flashlight on my phone.

"Hush. Help me light the candles." Riley says to me.

I go back to my room, leaving them without any light, and I grab any candles I had. It's times like these where I don't regret spending so much money on candles.

I managed to carry five of them to the kitchen so Riley could light them and spread them out in the apartment, illuminating the area so we could see a little better.

I turn my flashlight off and head back to the boys, who sat in the living room quietly.

"I just checked the news website on my phone and apparently the power is out in half of Toronto. They don't expect it to come back on till early in the morning." Nick read off of his phone.

I loved this kind of atmosphere; staying inside on a cold stormy day and drinking coffee while watching Netflix on my laptop. It's just a cozy feeling.

"Is it okay if we stay here tonight? We don't have any candles at our place so it will be completely dark." Zayn asked politely.

I nod before speaking when I realize he could barely see me. "Yeah." I gasp when I have an idea. "Why don't we lay out here and watch a movie?"

"The tv requires power, Maddie." Riley said in a mocking tone.

"I have my laptop and a hotspot, Riley." I say in the same tone.

"Great! I'll come with you to grab it." Nick suddenly said, grabbing my arm and dragging me to my room. He turned his flashlight on once we were inside before closing the door, leaving me confused. "Okay, talk to me."

"Um, about what?"

I could hear him rolling his eyes. "You and Harry!" He whispered in excitement. "Did you two kiss or something because the sexual tension at the table earlier was so fucking weird. And don't get me started on what happened in your room - yes I was watching but that's not important." He ranted, taking a deep breath after.

"Okay, first of all: no, we did not kiss." I say in an almost disgusted tone. "Nothing happened between us so clearly you are seeing things."

Nick scoffed. "Bitch please. Even a blind person could see the sexual frustration from a million miles away."

I sigh and shake my head although he can't see me. "Don't turn this into something it's not, Nick. I promise, nothing is going on between us."

He hummed. "Sure. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel anything for him." He flashes the light towards my face, nearly blinding me.

"Nick, I don't feel anything for Harry anymore. Now can you get this shit out of my face?" I said, pushing the phone away from my face and rubbing my eyes under my glasses.

Deep down, it felt wrong to say that, and it scared me. What if I do still having feelings for Harry? I wouldn't even be able to do anything about it. What we had ended years ago, and I doubt he would even think of me in the same way.

"I know you better than you know yourself, Mads. You're just lying to yourself." Nick called out to me as I grabbed my laptop and left the room without him.

I bring my laptop out and set it on the couch. "We'll move the table against the wall. Go grab some blankets and pillows." Louis demanded like an army officer.

Riley and I obeyed and I pulled my blanket and two of my pillows off of my bed. I also grabbed our heavy blanket from the hall closet for us to lay on. It was pretty big, almost big enough to cover the rug in the living room, so that's pretty big.

Harry saw me struggling and took the heavy blanket from me as well as the pillows, leaving me with just my blanket. We set them up on the floor, putting four pillows lined up against the bottom of the couch to lean on.

"What movie should we watch?" Zayn asked, opening my laptop. He turns it to me so I could unlock it and I did.

"You guys choose. Natalie said she's scared of the dark so I'm gonna head home." Nick announces, side-hugging me.

"Drive safely." I tell him, patting his shoulder as he walked away.

"Will do. Bye guys!"

A chorus of goodbyes came from the others and soon enough, Nick was gone.

"We should watch Knives Out." Riley suggested, looking through the options on Amazon.

"I've been meaning to watch that. It looked really good." I replied, looking at my screen and reading the plot as a reminder.

"Knives Out it is." Harry confirmed, sitting on the floor.

Louis, Zayn, and Riley laid on the floor while Harry and I laid on the couch, our heads on opposite ends with our legs tangled together. The laptop was resting on Riley's lap since she was in the middle, and it made it a little difficult for Harry and I to see so we switched around, our heads meeting in the middle of the couch while our legs were on opposite ends this time.

Halfway through the movie, I felt asleep to the feeling of Harry playing with my hair.

At three in the morning, my cramps woke me and when I went the bathroom, my assumption from earlier was proven correct. Mother Nature just loved starting my period off when I'm asleep. After I used the bathroom, I couldn't go back to sleep.

I got up from the couch carefully so I don't wake anybody and I walk into the kitchen to make some tea. I wasn't a big fan, but it was all I could think of putting in my body to help with the pain and fatigue.

Luckily the power came back on a few minutes after I had woken up so I was able to turn the kitchen light on and blow out the candles. I put water in a mug and warmed it in the microwave for a minute and waited for it to finish. I almost drop my cup after taking it out because when I turn around, a tired Harry walked towards me.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" I whispered apologetically.

He rubbed his eyes adorably and shook his head. "I had to use the bathroom. Why are you up?"

I sighed, dropping the tea bag into the mug continuously. "Cramps woke me up. Now I can't sleep." I know he didn't prefer tea but it didn't hurt to offer it. "Would you like some tea?"

He nodded. "If you don't mind? I don't think I'll go back to sleep either."

I grab another mug from the cabinet and fill it with water, sticking it in the microwave. "Black or green?"

"Black, please." I open the box of black tea packets and leave one out for his cup. I lean against the counter and fold my arms as I wait for the microwave to finish warming his water.

I couldn't hold back a tired smile when I see Harry yawn and rub his eyes again like a little baby. How could one person be so hot and cute at the same time?

I was startled when the microwave beeped and I opened it before it could make anymore noise. I pull out the mug and dip the tea bag into it. "Honey or lemon?"

"Neither. Thank you." He says quietly, taking the cup I handed to him. I didn't judge his tea flavor choices since I didn't necessarily put anything in mine either. I was too tired to grab the honey.

We both sat there quietly, drinking our tea. When we had both finished we gathered my two pillows and blanket and went into my room, shutting the door so we didn't wake the other two.

I invite him to sit on the bed with me and we lay there side by side, staring at the ceiling and talked quietly about random things such as stuff that happened these past two and a half years. The topic moved around and soon I just listened to him talk highly about his family, a smile on his lips.

That went on until around five in the morning before we sat in comfortable silence.

Absentmindedly, I scoot closer and drape my arm over his stomach, his arm under my head and cuddling me into his warm body.

We were pushing our friendly boundaries but I didn't care. I was comfortable and from what I could tell, so was he.

When I am laying in his arms like this, I think back to what Nick had said earlier and an unsettling feeling came over me.

I'm fucked.

• • •