The Fence || h. s.

10 || Strippers And Tequila

"Oh," I stick my tongue out at him playfully, "Also, shut up, I know my boybanders well enough!" 

I think of H and the playful conversation we once had about sexy long-haired men. As soon as I came back home that day, I typed in Harry Styles on Google image search to check whether he indeed had long hair. He sure did. He was also smoking hot, just as I remembered from the rare times I'd come across a photograph of him in One Direction. 

In conclusion, I know at least one boyband member.

"That's not true!" I protest, sounding mock affronted. "I know Harry Styles!" 

Asa chokes a little bit, pulling the water bottle away from his lips while I look at him strangely. "Sorry," he mumbles. "You do?" 

"You're so full of shit!" Sally slurs, pressing her pointer finger into my chest. "I bet you don't know a single thing about him! Can you name at least one of his songs?" 

"And here's where you're wrong, babe. I know he has long hair and… and… He's like…" I struggle to think of something, "hot!" 

Sally erupts in giggles, "That he is, but you missed a relevant detail—he cut his hair almost two years ago, sometime after he went solo." 

"Wait, One Direction is no longer together?" I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, causing both my friends to look at me incredulously. I bow my head, raising my arms in a gesture of surrender. "Okay fine, you win! I have no clue." 

"I'm surprised you even heard about him in the first place…" Asa lowers his voice, leaning closer to me with a hint of interest. 

"Uhm, well, it came up during one of our talks," I look at him pointedly, not wanting to mention my fence friend out loud with Sally around, since that would result in a whole new round of uncomfortable questions. "With my new friend."

"No fucking way," he grins, shaking his head. 

"What?" I ask, even more confused now. 

"Nothing, look, we're here!" he points to the swing at the edge of the hill, the one that H's house sits upon. We all huddle on it together, the old rusty chains creaking as we move around to get comfortable. 

"Girls, stop fidgeting, this thing looks like it's about to collapse at any moment," Asa frets, trying to keep both of us still. 

"I love you both soooooooooo much…." Sally ignores him, leaning her head against my shoulder with a moony smile. "I missed you." 

I pat her head affectionately, knowing she's slowly transitioning into the cuddly phase of her intoxication. "I love you too!" 

"Is this where you spend all your free time?" she asks, looking around the area curiously. 

"Yes, it's either here or up on this hill," I point behind her head. "I love it here. It's very peaceful." 

"You've always been a bit of a recluse, and that's one of the reasons why we love you so much. Our little hermit!" she giggles as I bump her shoulder playfully. "Even when you were going through your crazy partying stage, always surrounded by people, you still somehow managed to slip away for a moment of privacy each time." 

I nod in silent agreement, leaning my forehead on top of Sally's head. Out of all the comforts my old apartment in New York could offer, the rooftop terrace used to my absolute favourite. Living in NYC made me grow accustomed to the constant sound of traffic and busy urban setting, but the terrace full of greenery had become my little haven, a sort of solace from the crowds and the ever-present noise. I loved the feeling that I was somehow washing away all of my worries there. After moving to Malibu, I guess this spot on the hill has become the equivalent of it, hence why I keep coming back here. Even if it's no longer just 'mine' anymore, but rather shared with the elusive H.