DEEP END // Harry Styles

The Little Mermaid

"Why?" she asked him, taking the piece of paper with both hands.

Harry chuckled and shrugged. "I'm forgetful. Besides, if I'd written on my phone, you would accuse me of editing the rules."

Ezi said nothing as she folded the piece of paper and carefully tucked it into the pocket of her...well, his joggers. He gazed at her. She gazed out of the window, her chin on her knuckles, the corners of her mouth lowered in dismay. Harry swore he could see a tear in her mysterious blue eyes. Those eyes were bluer than the ocean on a sunny day, yet hard and rage-filled like the stormy sea. Those eyes had lost the innocence a girl her age should have. And so Harry wondered what kind of secrets this creature was keeping from him.

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Ezili didn't like the plane. She had been fine at first, but as soon as they had landed, she'd emptied her stomach right out on the floor. She'd slept in the car for most of the way back to Harry's house, so she hadn't had a chance to observe and memorise the way there, which put her at a disadvantage because she would have to depend on Harry for directions. As soon as the thought sparked up in her mind, Ezili remembered the piece of paper lying safely in her pocket. Guilt washed over her, but she ignored it. She was here for a mission, and at one point, she would have to leave the house without Harry. But until then, she'd try her best not to have him suspect her intentions.

Harry's house looked no different from a castle. The floor was so shiny that Ezili had been excited thinking it was water and got disappointed when she found out it was just titled. To be fair, everything in the house was clean and bright and shiny, and Ezili couldn't name two of the objects in the first room they entered.

Scanning her eyes around, she swallowed and put her arms securely around herself. The thought of living here for the next twelve months sent shivers down her spine. Suddenly, she missed her home, and also her mother and Koa.

A scream escaped her when she felt something soft moving around her ankle. She almost tackled Harry to the floor as she jumped onto him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He burst out laughing, held her hips and gently pushed her away. She took a few steps back and watched Harry get down on his knees and start petting the black furry little creature.

"This little fluffball is Chilli." Harry looked back at Ezili with a grin. "My cat."

Ezili didn't dare to move when Harry waved her over.

"Come on. Pet her.."

"No."

Harry got to his feet, standing with his hands on his hips. Ezili looked at the cat, and the cat looked at her. Neither was blinking. Ezili was second-guessing its next move. The rule said not to attack people, so it would mean that she could attack cats, right?

She was ready to bite the cat's head off when it let out a soft purr, wagged its tail, and walked away.

Ezili's shoulders slumped with a sigh of relief that made Harry laugh. "You're afraid of a cat. Ha. Weak."

She opened her mouth to tell him that he was the weak one, but then her stomach growled once again, and she felt everything that she'd eaten last night coming right up to her throat.

She threw up all over the shiny floor, causing Harry to let out an inhuman sound as he jumped away. Too late. She'd got it all over his shoes.

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"Don't worry. You're not dying. You're just not used to flying and jet lag."