"Riley is on her way over!" I hear a male voice shout from the living room.

"Don't shout, Zayn. Harry is still sleeping." Another voice says, a little quieter and I recognize it as Maddie. I roll over onto my side, reaching for my phone on the nightstand. It was almost eleven in the morning.

I honestly don't think I got much sleep. I was too excited with having my family here.

Deciding to get up and see what was going on, I kick my blanket off and get out of bed, walking to my bathroom. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I leave my hair as it is, not really having much else to do with it.

"Good morning, Harry." My mum greeted as I walked out into the kitchen. Gemma and Zayn sat at the counter with Louis while Maddie was in the kitchen helping my mum make breakfast while they crack a few jokes and laugh.

"Did we wake you? I'm so sorry." Maddie was quick to apologize when she noticed me, but I instantly calmed her down.

"You didn't. I've been up for a while." I assure her. She smiles and relaxes, continuing to mix pancake batter while my mum flipped them on the pan.

"Pancakes with sprinkles. What's the occasion?" I asked, eyeing the confetti-filled pancakes on a clean plate.

Before anyone can answer my question, the front door opened and everyone surprises me when they shout "Happy Birthday Riley!"

Riley closed the door behind her, a bright grin on her face.

Oh.

"Oh my god. You remembered." She says, wiping away imaginary tears.

"How could we forget? You reminded us everyday." Maddie commented, starting to wash the dishes. Riley stuck her tongue out at her and she mirrored that action.

"Breakfast is ready for whoever wants." My mum announces, putting the plate of pancakes on the counter in front of everyone.

"So what are the plans for today?" Gemma asked Riley.

"Unfortunately, I have work. But I called off tomorrow." Riley answered, grabbing two pancakes and putting them on his plate. I leaned against the counter, not really saying much as I watched everyone else talk.

"They wouldn't let you take today off?" Gemma asked her.

"I didn't want to. It's a weekday and I figured since tomorrow is Friday, it would be a better day to take off so I have a longer weekend." She explains to my sister.

"Ah. That makes sense." Gemma nodded before turning to Maddie. "What are your plans?"

"Nothing yet. I might go to the mall with Nick if you guys want to come with." Maddie invited, finishing up the dishes and drying her hands.

"Ooh, yes. I'm coming." Gemma answered, and my mum also agreed. Zayn and Louis told me yesterday that they had made plans of their own that involved planning a surprise party for Riley, so they weren't going to join the mall trip, which just left me with nothing to do.

"Can I come?" I finally popped in, watching as Maddie walked over to the spot next to me and leaned on the counter as well.

"Yes, you can come." She answered. I smiled and threw my arm around her shoulder.

She flinched and sucked in a breath, making me remove my arm and apologize. "It still hurts?" I questioned, furrowing my brows in worry.

"A little." She mumbled, reaching behind her shoulder and touch her back lightly.

I step behind her and place my hands on her shoulders. She tensed up under my touch, but didn't push my hands away as I started to rub her shoulders, slowly moving down to her back.

"Ow. Ow. That's not helping." She winced, and I retracted my hands, holding them up in defence.

"I have icy hot at my place if you need some." Riley tells her.

"Is your door unlocked?" Maddie asked, walking towards the door.

"Should be. It's in my bathroom under the sink." Riley directed. Maddie thanked her and walked out of the apartment.

I walk around the counter and take a plate that my mum hands to me, sitting in the last seat and eating breakfast with everyone else.

"You and Maddie seem to be getting along well." My mum points out, making me sigh and put my fork down. How did I know she would bring this up?

"Yeah, that's kind of how being friends works." I answered back calmly, picking my fork back up.

"Friends? You guys flirt all the bloody time." Zayn snorted from beside me.

"No we don't." I say defensively. I mean, Maddie and I talk a lot more comfortably now, but I wouldn't call it flirting.

"Yeah, okay." He mumbled, taking a bite of his pancakes. My mum and Gemma both turn their heads to me, smiling in a way that made me uncomfortable.

"Please do keep going, Zayn. They flirt?" Gemma urges giddily, putting her plate in the sink and washing it off.

Oh god. Here we go.

"So much. They have these inside jokes from when they were dating, and they are always smiling at each other. Don't even get me started on how they look at each other like they are ready to risk their friendship." Zayn rambled on. I shake my head and rest it in my hands, no longer wanting to sit out here with everyone if they were going to talk about this.

"Oh? Well as his mother, I don't think I needed to know that last part." Mum started, turning to look at me. "And however you and Maddie portray your friendship is up to you."

I peek through my fingers, still hiding my fairly red cheeks from everyone. "Thank you." I say, my mother actually defending me.

That was until she looked at Zayn and winked while shaking her head as she pointed to me.

"I have eyes." I grumbled, deciding against arguing and to just finish my breakfast blocking them out.

• • •

Going to the mall wasn't exactly how I pictured it.

Maddie, mum and Gemma had wandered off somewhere, leaving me alone with Nick - who my mum insisted we invite.

While inside of Foot Locker, we ran into none other than this famous "Adam" guy. She was right about him because he was incredibly nice, which made it difficult to want to hate him.

I had bought Riley a gift with the help of Maddie since I didn't know the sizes she wore, but I ended up getting Riley a pair of Vans since she had a collection in her apartment.

"I think your mom has a crush on me." Nick chuckled as we both walked out of the Foot Locker.

"I think she does too." I sighed, shaking my head before changing the topic. "I know I should know this, but you've known Maddie longer. What is a good gift I should get her?" I asked nervously, feeling like a shitty person. I was her boyfriend for over a year, but I still felt like I would get her the wrong thing.

"For what?" Nick questioned.

"Her birthday. I know it was months ago but I wasn't here." I run a hand through my hair and rub the back of my neck, eyeing the stores until I find something I know she'd love.

When I saw the sign for Pandora, I automatically knew what I should get her, but I was hesitant. I wasn't her boyfriend anymore, so it felt inappropriate getting her something from here.

Fuck it. Who said a man can't buy a friend jewellery?

"Actually, I know what to get her." I tell him. "Have you ever seen her wear a silver bracelet?"

He made a weird face before shrugging. "I have no idea." He said, his face lighting up right after. "Actually, about a week before you moved here, we were going through her closet for donations and I saw a small box with a bracelet that had a couple charms on it."

That was enough for me, because I knew it was the one I was talking about. I had gotten her a bracelet for our first Valentine's Day together, and then for her birthday and the next Valentine's Day I got her charms.

"That's the one." I said a little to enthusiastically, accidentally cutting him off as I walked into the Pandora.

"Hello! How are you doing today?" One of the workers greeted me happily.

"I'm good. How are you?" I responded, a smile on my face as I looked into the glass display box in front of me.

"Good, thank you. Anything specific you are looking for?" He asks me.

"Yeah. Where are the charms for the bracelets?"

"That would be right over here." He led me over to a display box a couple feet over to my right, and I didn't even have to do any deep searching because a certain charm stood out. It was perfect.

"Can I get that one?" I pointed to the one that caught my eye.

"Will that be all for you, sir?" He asked me.

I glance over at Nick who was waiting outside of the store before turning back to the man and nodded. "Yeah."

After settling the payment, the man handed me the bag and told me to have a nice day.

Now I just have to hide this bag from Maddie. "Hey, mate. Do you mind holding this? I don't want Maddie to see me holding it."

"For sure." He nodded, gladly taking the bag from my hand as we started walking again. "So I'm assuming you are the one who got her that charm bracelet?"

"Yeah, why?" I glance over at him to see him hiding a smirk. "Don't look at me like that."

He just chuckled and out his hands up. "Like what?"

"Like what I just bought her is too romantic for a friend's late birthday gift." I didn't need him to tell me it was a dumb move, because I already knew. I'm an idiot like that, but I'm an idiot for her. I can't help myself.

"I'm not saying anything, man. Buy her whatever you like. Even if the gift screams "I'm still in love with you, Maddie.""

Nick's words made me stop in my tracks, and it hit me that what he said was true. I'm still in love with Maddie. I love her. I never stopped loving her, and I felt a huge weight lift off of my shoulders as I finally admit it to myself, but it was replaced with worry. How am I supposed to live like this? How can I possibly be friends with Maddie after everything we've been through?

I don't even know how I've managed to keep a friendship with her these past two months. Her finding out I still love her would just ruin it all.

"Relax, bro. I was only messing with you. She will love the gift." Nick chuckled, seeing the fearful blank stare on my face, patting my back to help me keep my pace.

I still didn't say anything. I didn't know what I would even say. My head was roaming with thoughts that made me anxious and scared.

It was when I heard the girls approaching us that I snapped back to reality.

"There you are. Ready to go yet?" Maddie's voice rang beautifully in my ears.

"Yup. We are all done here." Nick answers for the both of us, seeing as the only thing I'm good for is standing there like a statue.

"Great! Let's go then." Gemma says cheerfully, linking her arm with Maddie's and leading the way towards the elevator that would take us to where we had parked.

Nick had thrown his arm around my shoulder, snickering at how I was still speechless.

"I should put you on a bagel because you are whipped!" He cackles, slapping his knee at his own terrible joke. Is that how I sound when I make jokes?

I just shake my head, pushing down a grin. I couldn't even deny he had a point.

"Oh, Maddie!" Nick called, walking quicker to catch up to her. "I ran into Adam at Foot Locker and he says hi."

"I know. He sent me a text saying he saw you." She smiled, putting pause on her conversation with Gemma and my mum.

"Who's Adam?" Gemma wriggled her brows at Maddie, and I refrained from rolling my eyes.

"He's a friend of mine from college." She answered simply.

"Who she went on a date with and then rejected." Nick added on with a smirk while pinching her cheek. She swatted his hand away and I noticed Gemma glance at me, noticing my frown.

"Why'd you reject him?" My sister asked her while I paid close attention to her answer.

I watched as she shrugged lowly, looking unsure. "I wasn't interested in him that way and he wanted something I just wasn't ready for."

"Was he looking for something serious or...?"

"Basically, yeah. He wants a relationship but I am not ready to invest in something that serious again." She continued quietly, but I heard every single word and it was disappointing.

So even if she were to still have feelings for me, I wouldn't have a chance because she doesn't even want a relationship.

I kept my composure and continued to walk with them, acting as if her words didn't just kick me in the chest.

• • •