Only You - Chapter 2

A Shoulder to Cry On

          After up partying all night, the last thing Harry wanted to do was to wake up to the sound of somebody banging on his door. His head was killing him and the banging did not help at all. How much did he drink last night? The last thing that he remembered was the blonde who asked him to dance last night. Pretty as she was, he declined. Girls were just not his top priority right now. After breaking up with Sarah, his girlfriend - well, his ex now - he was a bit wary of women in general.

          

The incessant banging would not stop. Whoever it was, he was going to kill him... or her for the agony he was going through right now.

          “Okay, okay. I’m coming!” He shouted although he doubted the person on the other side of the door could hear him. He opened the door to a very enraged Jenna.

        Jenna was one of his closest friends. He knew her since we were in primary school. She is a very attractive brunette and a really good friend. However, she had a reputation of changing boyfriends like she changed her clothes.

She went out with a lot of men and most men she dated were older men. Much, much older. Okay, he dated older women too, so he shouldn’t be the one to criticise but for some inexplicable reasons, it really irritates the crap out of him.   

They had talked about it, they even argued and fought about it because most men she dated were jerks and the latest, Parker, was not an exclusion. He hate to see her get hurt.

“That no-good, lying....” She lost him after that largely due to his throbbing head. She marched into his house even before he managed to get his “Hi, Jenna” out. Then, she paced the floor of his living room, ranting about... something.

If his head was not hurting, Harry would probably be able to follow her rant but the pacing she was doing and the noise she’s making only contributed to making his head hurt even more.

“Uh, Jenna?” he hesitated. “Much as he love you and love to hear what got your knickers in a twist... I have a MASSIVE, MASSIVE headache, right now.”

She stopped in her track and turned to look at him. When she realised he only have his underwear on and he was wearing a pained expression on his face, her beautiful eyes widen in surprise.

“Oh, Harry.” She was gushing with sympathy. “I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t realise. Gosh, sit down. Hangover?”

Harry nodded. Not a good idea as it brought on a wave of nausea.

“Yeah..” He sighed and tried to sit as gingerly as possible on the sofa.

“Poor Harry.” Her eyes were full of compassion. “Let him get something for that headache.... and some clothes for you to put on. You’re indecent.”

Jenna went into the kitchen and came out with a tall glass of water and a painkiller.

“Here. Take this.” She handed him the glass and the painkiller, and sat down beside him. “It’ll help with the headache. Finish that water. You need a lot of water.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He mumbled. After he took the painkiller and drank the water, she took the glass from his hand and set it on the side table. Then she went into his bedroom and came out with an old white tee and beige bermuda short. He took the clothes, put on the Bermuda and discarded the tee.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Jenna said. “Let him give you some TLC. Lie down and put your head on my lap.”

Harry did as instructed and she began to massage his temples.

“Feel better?” Jenna asked quietly.

“Yeah, that feels really good.” he replied weakly. Harry lay there quietly, with his head on her lap and her soft fingers massaging his temples gently. Some would describe this as heaven: lying on the lap of a beautiful angel while she administered her tender loving care, soothing away pain and troubles. He smiled at his poetic thoughts.

“I can see that you like that.” Harry could hear the smile in Jenna’s voice.

“Yeah, thanks.” He smiled fondly at her. “Now, tell me what’s wrong.”

“What’s wrong?” She said indignantly in a high voice. “Everything!”

“Uh, Jenna.” he wrinkled his forehead. “The headache?”

“Oh!” She was immediately remorseful. “Sorry, sweetheart.”

“Now, tell him but keep your voice low.” He advised.

“Parker cheated on me.”

Harry lay there unmoving. He would love very much to tell her ‘he told you so’ but it was not the right time. Furthermore, she could just shove him off her lap and left him on the floor in pain. So, no. Not a good idea. Definitely not a good idea.

“Go on.” he urged her to continue. It was a full 10 minutes before she finished telling her story. From what he gathered, her boyfriend had cheated on her with one of her girlfriends. She is angry and hurt at the betrayal. Mostly angry but not sad. he felt that was odd.

His own relationship with Sarah ended badly. She could not handle that he had to travel a lot and not be with her most of the time. He was in the biggest boy band and at the height of his career. One day or another, if he was not on tour, he would be travelling around the country promoting our albums, doing interviews, working in the studio and other stuffs with his band mates. Sarah needed someone who could be there with her, and she found him.

Harry was angry because he was not enough for her, hurt because she found someone better and sad because she was right. He could not give the girl that he loved the one thing she wanted. Himself.

It hurt whenever he thought of Sarah but he wanted her to be happy. If she was happy with the other guy, then so be it.

“Why are you not crying?” he asked bluntly. He was curious.

“Crying? Whatever for?” She said incensed. “Crying for losing a cheating boyfriend or a backstabbing girlfriend?”

“I don’t know. I would have thought you would be crying your eyes out for ‘the most amazing man you have ever met’.” He could not resist getting that out.

“Hey, rubbing it in is not allowed.” She said sulkily. “And here he thought you were his friend.”

“Sorry, love. I can’t help it. You know how I feel about the guy.” he smiled. “Don’t you find it strange that you are not saddened by this? When I broke up with Sarah, all I want to do is crawl into a hole and stay there. Could it be that you don’t actually love him?”

“That’s not the point, Harry. When you are with someone you should be honest. When you don’t want to be with them anymore, you should tell them so. Am he so wrong in expecting honesty from those around him?”

He knew that Jenna was not really in love with that jerk. “Okay, fine. So, what do you want to do now?”

“All I can think of now is getting even. Give me a day or two to answer that question.”

“Poor Jenna.” Harry sat up and turned to face her. “So, your most amazing man is not so amazing after all.”

Jenna did not rise to the bait, instead she touch his cheek and said softly. “No, Harry. I thought he was amazing but the most amazing person in my life is you. To me you are beyond amazing, sweetheart. You are a great boyfriend material, unfortunately, you are not my type.” She sighed.

Harry was not sure whether he should feel honoured or insulted, so he said, “Thanks, love. But even being a great boyfriend material is not enough for some people.”

She gazed into his eyes and opened her arms wide. “Come here.” She pulled him into her arms and held him tightly.

He buried his face in her shoulder. He breathed in her scent which he find quite comforting. She did smell nice.

“Look what a sorry pair we are.” She said slowly and he chuckled.

“Don’t worry, babe. We may be single but we have each other.” he said, pinching her lovely nose. She smiled at him fondly, kissed his cheek, and laid her head on his bare chest with her arm around his waist.

He kissed the top of her head and they cuddled in silence until his stomach growled audibly, demanding to be fed.