Seeing Double

Chapter Four

***Harry's POV***

A street lamp flickered on as I passed it. The cool of the night was setting in as the sun slowly dipped beneath the horizon. I shivered, unrolling my sweatshirt sleeves and tugging on my hood. My sneakers slapped on the gray pavement, and I inhaled the sweet city air.

My phone vibrated in my jean's pocket. Pulling it out, I slid my finger across the screen. My eyes wavered back and forth between the text from Niall and the path in front of me.

Geta pack of oreos 2. hurry back.

Sighing, I slipped the phone back in my pocket. Niall had sent me on an adventure to find him a midnight snack. Our cupboards were empty, and there was nothing in the refridgerator I could cook for him. So, I had ventured out into the night in search of a frozen pizza and a pack of oreos.

Niall's demeanor had shifted slightly in the past few days. I'd catch him staring off into space, chewing on his bottom lip and fiddling with his fingers. His phone would buzz, and he'd rush to grab it. At times, disappointment would flood his pale face. However, one night, I heard the familiar ringtone and Niall practically flew off the couch, running to answer it. A smile instantly engulfed his face, and he hurried off into his bedroom, closing the door silently behind him.

I knew who it was. There was only one person in the world that could make him smile immediately just by calling him: Lacey.

When we talked about her, it was only in a friendly way, but I could tell Niall wanted something more with her. Niall and Lacey, Lacey and Niall, I singsonged in my head as I quietly walked along. I smirked at the thought of the two of them together. He had never acted like that in front of a girl before. The way he felt the urge to protect her, the way he couldn't pull his gaze off of her. I had caught him staring when we first sat down at the mall. Minutes had passed before he blinked, finally joining in on our conversation.

He was quiet around her at first, another new thing for him. He usually flirted freely with girls, but was cautious around Lacey. He must've not wanted to mess anything up. I couldn't blame him. Lacey was stunning. Her dark hair highlighted her striking blue eyes. Her sun kissed skin only caused them to stand out even more. Her body curved perfectly, drawing attention to exactly the right places.

I shook my head, pushing away my thoughts. Of course Lacey was beautiful, but she had something special with Niall. I wouldn't be a good friend thinking about her like that. Although, I'd like to think of Lacey as my friend, too. We had chatted and got along quite well while Niall stared at her. I felt a connection with her. I wanted to get to know her better.

A neon sign flashing open was as inviting as ever in the freezing London night. Approaching the small convenient store tucked away between two bars, I grasped the metal doorhandle and stepped inside. My eyes slowly scanned the store, finally landing on the blue packages hidden in the corner. I strolled over, plucking the cookies off of the shelf. Then, rethinking, I grabbed two more.

The hum of the freezers lured me to the frozen pizzas against the wall. Again, I pulled three out, tucking them under my arm. With my hands full, I sauntered down the aisle. Mission accomplished, I thought to myself. I clutched Niall's precious snack tight against my body as I walked.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

Her hair was twisted into a braid, falling over her shoulder. A black fleece jacket covered her upper body, and neon orange running shorts showed off her defined, tanned legs.  She was facing away from me, but she was too familiar. My mind raced as I stepped backwards, hiding myself amongst the shelves of food. I looked her up and down, and suddenly it clicked.

Lacey.

As soon as I recognized her, I inched forward, crunching something underneath my foot as I did so. Her head snapped in my direction, her eyes narrowing at me through the darkness of the convenient store. I opened my mouth to speak, excited to see my new friend again, but she beat me to it.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Her familar American accent questioned, her voice filling the quiet store. Other than the cashier, we were the only two out so late in search of food.

"Huh?" I was caught off guard as she turned to face me, still as stunning as the other day. Her voice, however, was harsh.

"You're staring at me." Why was she acting like this? She twirled the end of her braid between her finger as she raised an eyebrow. Her lips formed a frown as she looked me over.

"I wasn't staring at you-"

"Yes, you were. Did you think I couldn't see you hiding over there?" She pointed to where I had been standing before. "What's your deal?" she spat bitterly. I could tell she was in no mood for this.

"Look, it's just I was so excited to see you again!" I started walking towards her, but she backed away.

"You can stay right where you are." Her voice was cold. She picked at the hem of her jacket after zipping it up a little further.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her, wondering what was causing her to act so rude towards me. She had been so friendly before.

"Um, yes something's wrong. You."  

"I don't understand," I said slowly, shaking my head. I could feel the moisture of the frozen pizzas seeping into my sweatshirt.

"Why are you even talking to me?"

"What?" I wondered, shocked.

"You don't just stare at someone and talk to them. You're such a creep!" I frowned at her, not wanting to argue with her. My heart was pounding in my chest as she scolded me for staring at her. I hated the fact that she was yelling at me. It hurt. The offended look on her face broke my heart.

"Why are you calling me a creep?"

"Quit being an idiot! Go away!" she yelled, but stiffled her voice after the cashier shot us a worried glance. I hadn't been looking to start any trouble, but she was being difficult. "I did not come here to be creeped on, so you should probably leave now." The anger in her tone surprised me. Something was obviously bothering her.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong," I retorted, taking the few steps forward to close the gap between us. I searched her eyes for an answer, but the bright blue orbs caused my head to spin.

"Back off!" She placed her hands on my chest and shoved me away. She was stronger than I thought she'd be, and I stumbled back.

"You should know you can talk to me," I blurted the truth. She could talk to me. We were friends, even though we'd only talked for a brief while.

"No, I can't. Why would you think that? I don't even know you!" She balled her hands into fists, but kept them at her side.

"Just leave me alone!" She tried to back away again, but I had regained my balance and pinned her against the shelf. Our bodies were so close together, and I heard her breath catch in her throat. She stared up at me, and the look in her eyes was softer for a moment. I fought the overwhelming urge to cradle her beautiful face in my hands, but flinched away when I remembered how Niall felt about this girl.

"I'm so sorry," I breathed, stepping back. The fierce look returned.

"You should be," she spat. Before I could say anything else, she was gone.

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A/N: Hey everybody! We want to thank all of you for reading and commenting so far, we really appreciate it! Please comment again, the next chapter will be dedicated to whoever leaves us our favorite comment!