AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Does anyone know how to add a cast? I've seen it on other fanfics, but I haven't been able to figure it out...ugh.

Anyway, I see the girls as:

SHERRY: Mae Whitman (cute, quirky, yet mostly ordinary)

PAIGE: Paige Reifler

TWITTER: @lovethedinklage

*****

SHERRY:

A weird noise snaps me from my sexy haze as I scramble to my feet by Harry's bedside, making a desperate attempt to straighten my t-shirt and appear innocent, when I am far from it.

"Well, well, well. Playing doctor now, are we?" She said, her toe tapping on the hardwoods.

It was Paige.

*****

HARRY

Fuck.

I haven't seen Paige since the party on the night of the accident when she stormed off in anger and threatened to have sex with someone else. As far as I am concerned, it's over. She didn't even come to see me at the hospital, and she shows up now?

"How did you get in here?" I ask, miffed.

"Your mom gave me a key so I could drop by and check up on you," Paige replies. Annoyed, she displays the key, waving it around.

"My mom doesn't even live here anymore. Give me the key, Paige." My request is stern.

Paige looks from me to Sherry, who is standing a little dumbfounded on the sideline.

"I was leaving anyway," Sherry says, gathering her things. I can only imagine how uncomfortable she is.

"Sherry, wait a second," I ask, before turning to Paige. "Paige. Give me the damn key."

"Your mom said—"

"Just gimme the fucking key! I'm done playing around here." I hold my hand out and wait.

Paige crosses the room in a way that seems to take forever and finally places the key in my outstretched palm, making sure her fingers graze mine as she does so. Looking at her now, I find it hard to believe I was ever interested in her at all. The only thing that still remains from when we met is her beauty, but her personality has become so ugly that when I look at her now, I am almost repulsed.

I pull my hand quickly from hers and turn to Sherry with the key. "Here, you take this."

Sherry's mouth drop opens and she fidgets as Paige tries to turn her to stone with her Medusa-like glare. "Harry, I can't..." she looks from me to Paige, and I realize I've been an idiot putting her in the middle of my nasty breakup. "I'm going to go now. We can talk later?"

Sherry leaving is the last thing I want. I realize it is selfish of me to ask her to stay, and I need to let her go. She gives me a hasty goodbye, nods at Paige in passing, and she's gone. I can give her the key next time when it's just us.

Paige starts in as soon as Sherry's out the door. "Look, Harry. I can see that you might think we're on a 'break' because we argued at the party, but we didn't officially break up. Then I come over and you're making out with her? Of all people, Harry."

I remember Paige referring to Sherry and Kate as "straight off the farm" at the frat party, and Niall pointing out that being from Texas didn't mean they were automatically rednecks. Sherry barely has an accent. She says "y'all" a lot, and I think that's cute. I am not going to argue with Paige about this because I don't really care what she thinks.

"Paige, it's over. We had a good run and lasted longer than most. But you know that we just don't have anything in common anymore. All we do is argue, and I'm tired of being unhappy all the time. Aren't you?" I'm not really sure how to break up with someone. I get the feeling that I should feel worse than I do while I'm saying all this, but I don't feel much of anything at all. I guess that's what happens when your feelings for someone erode slowly over time. You don't even notice it happening, and one day. . .nothing.

"Harry, you know our parents have always expected us to marry," she walks over and sits on the edge of the bed. I do not want her close to me. In fact, I don't want her in my room at all.

Marry Paige? The idea is so absurd I almost laugh.

"How can you even pretend to want to marry me? Marriage is a lifetime commitment. You didn't even visit me in the hospital! That shows how much you care, Paige. You don't. At all."

"And you think she does?" Her eyes narrow.

"I know she does," I reply with zero hesitation, looking her in the eyes, confident in my answer.

Paige throws her head back and laughs at my response.

"Oh, Harry," she shakes her head. "Have you looked at yourself lately? Stuck in this bed? You can't even walk. She cares for you because you pay her to."

"That is not true. She wasn't even working tonight, she was here on her own time because she wanted to be here!" I speak in Sherry's defense.

"Well, a few nights off the clock are a good investment when you're looking at a payoff further down the road."

"You're the one looking for a payoff, Paige. That's the only reason you're here. But you won't be getting anything from me, so why don't you just leave. We're done here."

Paige gets up, standing by my bedside and looks down at me with contempt. I can feel my nostrils flaring as a result of my short breaths of frustration.

"Even if she cares now, how long do you really expect her to stay? She's young. Why would she choose to spend her life with an invalid? Are you capable of pleasing a woman in this condition? Can you even get an erection, Harry?"

Even though I know she is saying these things to manipulate me, her words still slice through my psyche, leaving an icy path in their wake and stirring seeds of self-doubt.

"None of that is any of your goddamn business. You don't know what you're talking about."

"You hardly know her, Harry. You've known me for years. Our families know each other. With me, you know what to expect," she reaches out to touch my hair. I want to push her hand away, but I don't. "I've stayed with you all this time, baby. You have to know I'd never leave you."

"I don't love you anymore, Paige," I say. Is she not getting the hint?

"Of course you do. When you know someone as long as we have, you always love them. There are many kinds of love. Ours may not be perfect, but it's dependable."

I consider calling my step-dad from my cell phone and asking him to escort her out, but she starts talking again.

"Even if she does fall in love with you, years of looking after you and being in a sexless relationship will take its toll. She might stay out of guilt, but she'll be miserable. Is that what you want, Harry?"

Her words shouldn't affect me since I'm well aware of her motivation, but in my weakened state she manages to penetrate my armor, leaving me tired and emotionally numb.

"I just want to be alone. Please." Please get the fuck out before I have a nervous breakdown.

"Okay, baby," her lips brush my cheek in a goodbye. "We can talk about it more tomorrow."

"Alright," I say. Anything to get her out of the house.

Goodnights are quick after that.

I praise God briefly that she's gone, and then for the first time since my childhood, I cry myself to sleep.