Cakes, Country Clubs, and the CEO [h.s]

Chapter 20

Sabrina couldn't have possibly walked in at a worse time.

I was in too much shock to really process what exactly was happening, but before I can comprehend anymore of the situation, a string of apologies and made up explanations fall from my lips.

"I-It's not what it looks like Sabrina," I try to explain, attempting to push myself off of Harry's lap. However the firm grip around my waist keeps me put. "We were just trying to make you cupcakes -"

"Brownies," Harry corrects, pushing himself up a little straighter, arm still wrapped around my frame.

"- uh yeah brownies," I nod, my face paleing a bit as I continued "And then it sorta all went wrong, as you can see by the mess. And then Harry was being an ass, so I body slammed him, and before you know it, look at that, I'm on the ground too."

That was a shit explanation.

Sabrina stares at me for a few moments of silence, eyes analyzing the features of my face for any obvious giveaways. She sucks in a breath of air, holding it as she continues to articulate her next answer, breathing it out once she does. With a raised eyebrow, she begins speaking. "So," she draws out, pointing her spoon at me, "you're basically saying that I just misinterpreted this entire thing, and you just tripped onto Harry's lap?" she continues to quiz, an unconvinced look plastered across her face. She obviously wasn't buying the BS story I was trying to feed her.

"Yes?", I attempt to answer, although it came out more like a question.

"You know," she huffs, dropping the metal spoon into the bowl so that it makes a 'clang' sound, "That would almost be somewhat convincing if I didn't already know that you two aren't easily capable of making a batch of boxed brownies."

"No, you're right we are, Harry just -" I attempt to explain quickly, however I'm shut down with a wave of Sabrina's hand.

"Trust me," she chuckles, although there was no humour behind it, "Harry knows how to use an electric mixer." The look on Harry's face as she said that was almost violent. If i wasn't on his lap, he most likely would have tackled her.

Her attention switches to Harry, letting out another small chuckle at the sight of his unhappy reaction. "Awe," she pouts, her bottom lip pushing over her top, "is Harold upset because I exposed him in front of his little crush?" a snicker falls from lips as she pushes herself up off the chair, "Don't act like I don't know your little tactics. You did the exact same thing with Rylee."

Damn.

My head whips from Sabrina's direction and towards Harry, my jaw dropping. His reaction was as expected; his face softens the moment he comes face to face with me, a string of defenses stumbling from his lips. "Gracie, I swear it's not like that," he immediately tries to explain, his eyes watching my face for some sort of hint of how I would react. I wasn't sure what the most obvious emotion across it was though; most likely disbelief, possibly hurt.

"Are you serious," I bite, anger overtaking the surprise, "You've got to be joking, Harry." I let out a bitter laugh, my head shaking back and forth as I try to push myself off his lap, struggling to get his arms unwinded from around me. "Let go of me Harry."

"Gracie, please give me a minute to explain. That's not what it's like at all," he defends, his arms refusing to budge. I begin to slap at his palms, however his hands secure mine into his own, leaving me defenseless of escaping.

"Gracie please, just let me-"

"No Harry!" I snap, "I like you, okay? I don't know why, but I do. But I'm not going to sit here and have you mess with my feelings just because you feel like it, or because your bored of your usual booty calls" I huff, my eyes looking up to meet his bright green ones, "I don't want to end up like the rest of the girl you've gone through. I'm a sensitive person who has feelings that I can't risk being played with. I don't think I have it in me to get through another disappointment."

He shakes his head as I speak, wanting to interrupt while hardly managing to keep quiet as I continue.

"And the fact that you used the same exact tactic you used with Rylee? Are you serious? You couldn't have been a bit more creative?" I scoff, taking a deep breath before I sucking in my bottom lip, looking down at the ground. I can already feel the tears pricking at the corners of my eyes, a result of the built of frustration. "I can't go through the same thing that I did with Zayn all over again. I don't have it in me to get through that sort of heartbreak again."

As the last few words escape my lips, a tear manages to slip down my cheek too. The memory of all the heartbreak I was put through when I found out what Zayn had done slipped into my mind, creating a painful sensation in my chest. Almost like the cracks in my heart I tried so hard to seal shut, tearing all over again.

I feel Harry's hand raise towards my face, trying to swipe his thumb on my cheek to catch the falling tear, but I push it away before he gets the chance.

"Damn," Sabrina breathes out, suddenly reminding us of her existence, "That was deep."

"Get out Sabrina," Harry barks, his eyes not even glancing in her direction as he does so. Instead they stayed glued to me, my own gaze still directed towards the floor. I didn't want the two of them to see me this upset.

"Are you serious?" she scoffs, practically throwing the bowl into the sink, "You have no reason to mad at me. I actually have all the reason to be mad at you," she accuses, her finger jabbing in our direction, "At the both of you."

"Was it really necessary to bring Rylee up," he shouts back, the volume of it causing me to jump back a little. Harry's quick to sense this however, bringing a hand up to squeeze my side in apology.

"Hell yeah it was necessary!" she yells, practically stomping at this point. If it were possible, steam would be coming from out of her ears. "I know you hate me Harry, but you can't keep taking away everything I love, okay? It's not fair and I have absolutely nothing to deserve this" she continues to fume. "I don't know what happened to you, but after you decided that I was some sort of burden on you, that you probably wish was never even born in the first place, you have made my life a living hell. So, I'm sorry if I ever did anything to you to cause those feelings of hatred, but I can't let you hurt and take away one of the few people I love. I don't want to lose my best friend all over again because of you."

Her confession left the room silent. Harry didn't dare say anything,for the air was tense and no one dared to make an attempt to ease it.

I lift my gaze from the floor finally, knowing that I could no longer ignore the situation by acting if I wasn't here. Yet when I finally did, instead of seeing the fuming Sabrina I previously expected, I came face to face with a heartbroken looking one.

"I can't Harry," she practically whimpers, the back of her hand being raised to her face to wipe away the tear that was currently traveling down it, "I can't lose Gracie too."