Delirium || Harry Styles

Chapter 36: Waist Deep

MOOD: Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros, Mint by Suchmos, Alternative Dancer by Straightener.

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When Caroline came back from her parent's house, she brought a few video tapes of her childhood ballet rehearsal and news that made my heart swell with fond. But we'll get to that news later.

She knocked on my front door, had Dexter running beeline to be the first to welcome her arrival, and me almost tripping on that said dog because his path cut in front of my moving legs.

"Ah, fuck!" I cursed under my breath, as my long legs struggled to set foot on the unmoving ground, my body lurching forward as I get closer to the ground, assuming the posture of an Neanderthal as I lost my balance.

The cute little puppy Dexter used to be was no more. Now, he had long legs and ever-so-powerful tailbones that kept going thump thump thump on the carpet floor.

"Harry," I hear Caroline's voice, and my heart accelerated for a momentary few seconds.

"In a sec," I shouted from the kitchen. "Kind of in a commotion."

Commotion was me almost tumbling to the ground if it weren't for my hands that kept my body from also falling. At that point, I was assuming the posture of a sprint-runner on his starting point, with legs only half-bent, hands against the ground, and eyes looking forward. I got up and mini-sprinted to the front door and hastily combed back the mess of a hair that resulted after the fall.

When I opened the door for Caroline, she showed up with two rosy cheeks and a smile I wanted to frame for my bedroom. I smiled back to her, but maybe was less alluring.

The first thing she said was, "Hm, I guess we're both wearing black today."

Only then had I realise that Caroline was wearing a plain black dress that fitted her figure with her hair all wavy and nice-smelling. I opened the door wider and cleared a path for her, while Dexter jumped around excitedly, trying to win her attention.

"What's the occasion? You look, uh," my eyes trailed from the top of her head to her feet, and exhaled, "—gorgeous. Like, really gorgeous."

She laughed at that, her cheeks turning pink. "You're such a silly boy, Curly" she said, taking a step inside. Dexter immediately jumped on her and she greeted the dog excitedly, crouching down to pet him. "And you are a good boy."

Dexter's tail went thump thump thump on the floor as Caroline scratch the dog's jowls. The dog's tail was still going thump thump thump when he licked her face, and she laughed at that. "Dexter, stop." After that very enthusiastic greet, she rose to her feet.

I looked at her spreading her affection all around the flat and realised how much her presence altered the ambiance. It was warmer, brighter, full of her infectious laughter. I liked it. I really, really liked it.

She turned to me and I asked her, "Uh, how was your weekend?"

"It was okay. My mum's finally seeing someone, my brother's still living with her but he's got a job. My dad's the same old dad who takes me fishing even though I don't particularly enjoy it. So yeah, it was okay," she answered as my hands snaked to her waist and hers crawled to the nape of my neck.

"Your mum's seeing someone?"

"Yeah, she is," she answered monotonously.

I tilted my head. "Should you be happy about that?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Not if the lad's a dickhead."

"The lad's a dickhead?" I asked, lifting my eyebrows in disbelief.