All We Are // H.S.

Chapter 11

WREN

Harry sighed, but it wasn't his usual kill-me-now sigh. It was a sigh of relief, perhaps of satisfaction that his job helping Niall was finished. It might have even been happy.

I stood from the booth and Harry followed. Timorous, I stayed at the end of the table and pretended to be busied with the task of fixing my hair, letting Harry decide where we would go next. He started to walk towards the exit, but stopped and turned to bewilder me. Was he actually waiting?

I hesitantly caught up to him and we walked to the door. Through the window we could see that it was unrelentingly pouring. With the weather so cold, I was surprised that it wasn't a snow storm.

"Want to go back to my place?" Harry suggested.

"You're joking, right?" I asked in disbelief.

Harry concentrated.

"Not like that." He rolled his eyes. "My apartment is right around the corner. Just let me grab my car and I can drive you home."

I hesitated. The idea of going into his apartment alone scared the living hell out of me.

"It's fine, I can just walk." I said, grabbing for the door handle.

But before I could even yank it open, his warm hand was on mind and all my logic went to shit.

"There's no way I'm walking you home in this storm." His green irises were beginning to break me down. My self-control was deteriorating along with every ounce of patience I had for Harry's curls. They were so stupidly perfect and hanging around his eyes. His beautiful green eyes...

"You really don't have to-"

"Don't be difficult. I'll drive you." Harry interrupted my last attempt to fight. It was annoying how serious he was taking Niall's orders. One minute I was a bitch and the next I was his priority.

I closed my mouth and followed him out the door into the rain. The pouring, cold rain which I hated.

His hands were jammed in his pockets and he hurried down the walk, turning his head back every so often to make sure I was keeping up. Either that or checking to make sure I hadn't run away. In my defense, his mood swings were unpredictable and startling enough to drive any sane person away.

Harry pointed towards a more upscale building just down the street. We both kept our heads down and hurried towards the entrance where two doormen waited inside. He greeted the two of them with a simple nod. They both reciprocated the action and one added, "Good evening, Mr. Styles." Harry grimaced and mainly just looked embarrassed.

The lobby was a warm ray of luxurious light compared to the outside. Bright colored paintings and mirrors hung from the walls, exuding elegance and affluence. Complex patterned rugs were laid strategically across the marble floors and were covered in plush arm chairs and detailed coffee tables. Flowers in crystal vases along with lush potted plants covered every flat surface. A rather large chandelier hung in the center of the room above a mahogany table. Off to the side, a middle-aged man as well as two security guards stood behind the front desk. The manager gave us a forced smile and continued with his phone call.

The room was empty aside from a worker mopping up the water that we had so generously tracked in.

Harry walked to the front desk, interrupting the managers phone call, and had a conversation which I was unable to hear. I stood alone in the center of the room. A vent from above discharged an unkind draft that caused the bare skin on my chest to prickle with goosebumps. The cold dampness of my clothes stuck to the skin under my tight jeans and sleeves. The rain which was once in the humid atmosphere, now darkened my hair to a jet black color and fell to the floor. I touched my dirty shoe to the droplets and watched the water turn brown.