The Strand // h.s

fourteen

My dad had called Harry to come down again and he left with a wink. A huge breath left my mouth and finally, I relaxed. He makes me so nervous.

I laid back down on my bed for a few minutes, wondering if Harry would say bye when he left. Maybe he will leave and I can change into some pajamas. I had thought maybe I could go hang out with Kara and Camilla or something so I dressed in black high-waisted shorts and a t-shirt, but I'm not sure now.

A knock on my door made me sit up. "Come in." Harry came in again and I blushed when he smirked at me. Why does he always smirk at me?

"I'm taking you to a party." He spoke with confidence and took two long strides towards my bed, but he didn't touch it.

My eyes widened, "No." I crossed my arms in defiance. He lost the smirk very quickly and replaced it with something serious.

"If you think it's going to be like the last one you went to, it's not. I'm going to be there with you. No one will touch you, I promise you that." He looked into my eyes as he said this and my stomach erupted with butterflies. Well, if he's there how bad could it be? I'm definitely not drinking if I do go so it should be okay. Right?

"Okay, fine." I sighed and he smiled and produced his hand out towards me. I lightly took it and he pulled me gently from my bed.

"Er, do you think you could put on something else? Something that covers more?" He kept his eyes from looking at my legs-I'm presuming- and I rolled my eyes. It's high waisted shorts, does he honestly think they aren't covering enough? Then I realized he still hasn't let go of my hand.

"Nope." I let go of his hand quickly and made my way out of the room, but stopped at the door and turned to him with a small smile. "Coming?"

He looked back at me with a face of disbelief, as if he couldn't believe I was telling him no-again.

"Elli-" I ran down the stairs before he could call me back. I looked around the living room and glanced in the kitchen. Mum must still be at work.

I quickly looked behind me to see if Harry was coming down yet. When I heard nothing I whispered to dad, "Did you tell Harry he could take me to a party?"

He picked up the the remote and paused the game, "Yes, love, I did".

I narrowed my eyes at him but before I could say anything else, Harry was at my side with his hand on the doorknob. "Goodbye, Sir." Harry said to him.

Harry opened the door, ushered me out, and followed me to his car. He opened the passenger's door-again-for me, and I quickly got inside. When I turned to close the door his eyes quickly lifted to my face, his cheeks tinging pink. But he tried to hide it with that cocky smirk of his.

"Are you blushing, Harold?" I tried to smirk a little, but I'm sure it's nothing close to as attractive as Harry's. The smirk left his face and he shook his head and slammed the door shut, causing me to laugh. He jogged around the front and got in without saying a word.

The silence was excruciating so I tried to start a conversation. "So, why are you and my dad so buddy buddy?"

Harry's hands tightened around the wheel when I looked toward him, his knuckles turning a light tinge of white.

He cleared his throat, "Well, I have to know my neighbours. I know you, don't I?" I scoffed under my breath at the fact he thinks he knows me.

"But you two are more than acquaintances, he doesn't even question why I'm at your hou-"

"We're here, Elliana." He opened the door and slammed it shut, jogging around the car to open my door-you know, since he's childproofed his car.

He always manages to get out of conversations that he doesn't want to be in.

I scanned the house before me with wide eyes as Harry wrapped his massive hand around mine, dragging me to the front door.

He knocked a couple of times as I tried to make out the music coming from inside, also trying not to think too much about the fire shooting up my arm-starting from where Harry held my hand.

The door opened and a guy, rather attractive may I say, with blond hair and brown roots smiled at us. Wow, he has a pretty smile, like Harry.

"Harry, mate, you decided to come." His Irish accent surprised me, the only accent I'm used to is British.

"Yeah, I did." Harry smiled, an actual genuine smile. Man, those dimples.

"Come in, come in." The guy ushered us into the crowded room, leading us through the sweaty bodies to get to the kitchen, Harry still holding firmly onto my hand. I glanced back at all of the people grinding on each other and it immediately made me ask myself why I couldn't move my body that way. I've never had to try but it seems like it would hurt, you know?

As we entered the kitchen, Harry began to make a drink for himself and the Irish lad started to talk to me.

"I'm Niall," he introduces himself, "Harry's best mate." He widely cheeses in Harry's direction.

Harry's eyes rolled. "More like someone I have to put up with." He followed the sarcastic retort with a genuine smile and my heart jumped at the sincerity in it.

"Yeah, sure," Niall laughed. His eyes landed on me again, "And you must be Elliana." He produced his hand towards me and I lightly shook it.

"Ellie." I corrected him, wondering how he even knew about me.

Niall turned to Harry and leaned up to whisper in his ear, purposely making it loud enough for me to hear. "Now I understand why you always talk about her, mate." Harry pushed him away and told him to shut up while my stomach erupted with butterflies.

"Good things I'm hoping?" I smiled at the laughing boy in front of me. His laugh is contagious and I might've laughed a little too. Harry turned to him and gave him a mean look.

"Great things." He winked at me and Harry wrapped his arm around his neck and started to squeeze when Niall surrendered and laughed loudly. Harry chuckled lightly and pulled me away while my cheeks were as red as cherries.

"Don't listen to him." He murmured. But honestly I liked the thought of Harry talking-good things-about me when he's with his friends. It means he thinks about me when we're not together.

We trudged through all of the bodies to the other side of the living room where a couch sat, full of boys who were all sipping from drinks and laughing at something someone said.

"These are my other best mates, Zayn, Louis, and Liam." Harry pointed to a boy after each name. I waved at all of them, giggling when they all cheesed widely.

"The famous Elliana, I'm assuming?" Louis leaned forward with his hand out, me putting mine out also while looking beside me to Harry. His face was covered by one of his massive hands. I giggled and corrected him, "Ellie." Louis' lips lightly kissed my knuckles, looking at Harry with a joking smirk while I laughed.

Harry punched him in the arm and Louis grabbed it wincing, chuckling lightly while everyone laughed at him.

After Liam and Zayn shook my hand, We all sat down and chatted while Harry sipped on his drink.

After a while, Harry excused himself to the bathroom and left me with his mates. "So," Louis started after he left. "Have you and Harry slept together yet?"

I nearly choked to death on my spit as I sputtered up a cough. "What?"

This was quite a way to start the night I guess.