Chapter Thirty-One- The Worst Best Friend In The World’s Grovelling

I skidded to a halt spectacularly next to his locker, “Harry!”

He regarded me coolly over the top of the door, and his voice was flat when he spoke: “What is it, Tom?”

“I wanted to apologise. For earlier.”

“Apologise for what?”

He was testing me now, and I took a moment to consider. “For blocking you out; for turning you into the go-between; for saying that I hadn’t turned you into the go-between; for snapping at you. Everything.”

He sighed, shutting his locker, “I feel like there’s something going on between you and Dougie.”

“And I’m not going to insult your intelligence by saying there isn’t,” I allowed. “But the fact of the matter is that it’s our problem and we need to resolve it on our own. It’s not something you can help with.”

Harry rolled his eyes as he pulled his hoodie on over his head, “That doesn’t make me feel much better, Tom.”

I smiled at him, leaning over to fix the parts of his hair that had been rumpled by his jumper, “I know. But you need to give us this.”

His eyes were hopeful, “Does this mean you’re going to be the bigger man?”

“Hell, no.”

“Tom!” He hit me on the arm in punishment for my quick response, “I’m not sure the apology counts if you still refuse to do what I want.”

“I didn’t apologise for not doing what you wanted,” I pointed out.

He laughed, and then thumped me again straight after, “No! I’m meant to be angry at you!”

“Come on… We both know I’m too fantastic to stay mad at…” I coaxed, and his lips twitched again. “Besides, I refuse to be the one to break this stalemate.”

“You’re pathetic. The pair of you.”

I puffed out my chest in insult, and pointed a finger at him, “Oh, no. Don’t you go judging me! I didn’t judge you when…”

Harry looked amused when I lapsed into silence, “Trying to think of an instance when you didn’t judge me?”

“Hang on. Give me a sec.”

He shook his head pityingly, “You were the one who told me that the silent treatment was a petty thing to do.”

“Well, I was wrong.”

Then he groaned, staring over my shoulder, “I don’t believe this…”

“What?” I looked over my shoulder; saw Dougie loitering at the end of the corridor. A guilty pang went through me.

“He won’t even come near you!” Harry complained.

I shrugged, “Who’s stopping him?”

“You are! With your bloody anti-Dougie vibes!”

“I think you’re being a bit dramatic…”

“Oh, am I?” he challenged. Then he put a hand on my shoulder, “Tom, I accept your apology, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to let the two of you carry on like this.”

I stared him down, “Nag both of us all you want. We’ll see who cracks first.”

He shook his head slowly; repeated his earlier sentiment: “Pathetic. The pair of you.”

“But endearing.”

“But annoying,” he corrected. “See you later. I guess I’ll have to walk to him for now. But I want this resolved within the week.”

“Crack him and it will be,” I told him with a bland smile.

“What’s this?” Danny asked as he arrived next to us.

Harry sighed, “I’m trying to resolve the trench warfare currently going on between our boyfriends.”

“Oh, right.” Danny inclined his head towards him, “You have any idea what’s going on?”

“Not a clue. You?”

“Nothing.”

They both looked towards me questionably, and I rolled my eyes, “No! Harry, go see him before he gives up on you. Danny, stop encouraging him.”

“Sorry.” Danny looped his arms around my neck as Harry walked away. “But it’s weird, y’know. One moment, you and Dougie are getting on and then-”

“We had a fight.”

His eyes were serious, “So you keep saying. But what about?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“You keep saying that, too!”

I silenced him with a quick kiss as another guilt pang hit, “And I’m going to keep saying it. Now let’s go…and drop it.”

“Drop what?”

“It.”

“What’s it?”

“Danny!”