21 Murders | Harry Styles AU (discontinued)

XII. Circumstance

circumstance (noun): a fact or condition connected with or relevant to an event or action

Noelle's POV

"W-What?" My voice breaks on me, the news of Harry over-hearing my conversation with Estelle never transferring through my mind. "What exactly did you hear?" I clarify, raising a brow and trying to hold back my nervousness that is bound to be blatantly obvious to the officer.

Suddenly, the parking garage air seems to be thicker and the tension seems to rise above our heads. The anger in his eyes makes me step back a few feet and wish I never would have asked. The possibilities are endless to what he could have heard and seeing as though I have no idea how long he was listening in, he could be mad at me for endless possibilities.

"For how long?" Harry solemnly asks, fumes still burning in waves over his head. "How long have you felt this way about me, Noelle?"

"I-I,'' my lips stutter for an answer that I'm not sure I know how to give. "I don't know,'' my hands fiddle with themselves, scratching at my opposite forearm and doing anything other than staring up into his burning green eyes.

"You don't know?!" His voice raises, stress and an eery silence following shortly after. I stay silent, too, finding no words to accompany my case. He was never supposed to hear that and honestly, as much as I would like for him to not be angry, I can see why he is.

"I'm sorry,'' I apologize, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

After watching his feet pace lightly on the cement concrete, my eyes trail up to his worried expression. His large palms tangle in his hair and tug at the roots on his scalp, only adding to my anxious nerves at the sight of him so shaken up. Never have I seen the calm and collected man so irate in a worry-some way.

"Noelle,'' he calmly states, my eyes darting away immediately at the mention of my name. Whether it just be me or the situation, I still can't help but find his figure obscenely attractive with his lean waist and lanky legs.

"Yeah?" I weakly ask, picking at my thumbs and avoiding eye contact that I know he is aiming straight at me. It feels like the day I was questioned by him - all over again. Not only then did I get his intense stare, but I had his full attention. This adds to my self-conscious mind and all at once, brown ankle boots are stalking up into my field of casted-down vision.

"Please look at me,'' Harry softly commands, his voice now calm and collected like usual. "Please?"

Hesitantly, I  look up. Like expected, his eyes are straight-forwardly aimed at mine in a serious stare with some type of look of adoration on his face. The flash fades away before I can quite put my finger on it and the solemn look falls back to his features.

"This wasn't supposed to happen,'' he tells me, voice now an octave lower in intimidation yet solidly smooth. "I am an Officer and you are just a victim. I'm helping you because it is my job, not because there is anything between us. There is nothing going on between us, Noelle. We are nothing."

My frown etches further, his words hurting more than intended. Though I should have expected him to react in this way, it hurts ten times worse having him speak to me like I am a child getting reprimanded by their parents.

"What about the kiss? Well,'' I pause, mouth moving before my mind can process. "The almost kiss. You were going to kiss me, weren't you? 'Cause I thought-"

"No, Noelle. I would never kiss you. That is unprofessional and it was a mistake." He cuts me off, turning sharply around and stalking the rest of the way to his car.

My eyes flutter shut exhaustedly as I shake my head. The best thing right now would be just to let him cool down and have time to process what he heard, so clamping my lips shut, I jog up to the passenger side of the car and jerk the car handle open.