Headspace

Chapter Three

"What can I help you with young man?" The woman asks, suspiciously. I doubt many teenagers around here actually read. She probably thinks im here to steal.

"Could you please point me in the direction of the blueprints of the town?" I ask her, as kindly as I can. I sound sickeningly sweet and I can tell she doesn't buy into it, however, she still points over to the 6th isle of books, directing me.

I thank her and make my way over to the blueprints and begin looking at all the names of buildings around town. I found one for the town hall, one for the local grocers and the bakery. Soon I found the High Schools one in between the park and the preschool.

"Got it!" I whisper to myself out loud and grab the book off of the shelf.

"Got what?" I hear a somewhat familiar voice ask from behind me, causing me to jump and spin around.

A boy just one inch or so taller than me is standing in front of me, bright blue eyes and scruffy light chestnut hair. My eyes widen as I realise I'm stood right in front of Louis Tomlinson, holding the blueprint plan of his school.

He better not fucking recognise me. I know i've been to enough footie games for him to know who I am. Plus, im all over the teams Social Media pages.

"Well what do we have here? Never thought I'd catch a Styles on this side of town." He smirks, leaning against the bookshelf besides me. Hes holding a book in his hands too, it looks as if its an algebra book. Wait.. he does school work?

I cant bring myself to speak, because i'm so caught off guard. What the fuck is my luck.

"Close your mouth darling, you might catch flies." He says. His voice is smooth and confident and I find myself finally able to speak.

"Wh- what are you doing here?!" I splutter, flustered. He can't have seriously showed up right at this moment. Is he stalking me? theres no possible way he could be! "And how the fuck do you know who I am?"

"I live here. The real question is, what are you doing on this side of town with a blueprint of my school? And I know you're Liams brother. I've seen you come to every game for three years." He says.

He actually noticed me coming for three years?

"um- I- I have a project!" I stutter. Shit. "Its an extra credits thing, you know, for Geography class. I have to provide an accurate map of the town. I had almost every place down, but couldn't find the schools blueprint on Google. I figured I'd find It over here."

Phew. I saved it.

"Hm? Is that so?" Louis asks, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Yeah." I reply smoothly. "And you're a dick, by the way."

I don't know where this new found confidence is coming from, but I cant take back what I said. Its true, anyway. Mum always told me to be honest.

"Am I? How so?" He has that smirk on his lips again. I want to slap it off but hes also kind of pretty... Wait what? No. Hes not.

"Egging my brothers car." I stated simply. "It wasn't that good of a prank, you did the same thing back in 2019."

He blinks, taken aback by my words. This time its my turn to smirk.

"And it was stupid. Like really? In the middle of a thunderstorm? How is the yolk supposed to ruin the metal if the rain washes it off straight away?" I question him.

He looks at me for a few moments more, as if he was studying me very closely. Ill be honest, it was a little uncomfortable.

"Didn't know it would rain." He mutters, as if he were mad at himself for it. "Whats your name, anyway?"

"Why should I tell you?" I ask, reaching up to adjust the bandana holding my hair back. He follows my hand movements with his eyes, watching.

"Because ill find it out either way. Besides, you know mine. Tell me yours." He looks away from my hair and looks me right in the eyes. Hes quite intimidating.

"Harry," I mumble.

"Harry Styles." Louis tests the name out on his tongue. "Its better than Liam Styles. what idiot chose his name?"

I narrow my eyes at the taller boy for insulting Liams name. After all, my mum chose it. Not him.

"Our mother." I tell him.

"Ah, the famous entrepreneur?" He says. "Well she picked a shit name. I mean, I guess it doesn't matter to her, does it. Its not like shes around to actually call him by that name."

Ouch. It was the stupidest insult id ever heard, yet it still kind of hurt because it was true. She really was never around, and when she was it wasn't as if she wanted to be with us. It was just her duty as a parent.

"Fuck off," I say. "What are your parents? Drug dealers?"

He rolls his eyes, again, and looks at me with that smirk on his lips again. can he stop smirking for like, one minute? seriously. This guys getting on my nerves. No wonder Niall and Liam hate him so much.

"Yeah, totally," He says, voice laced with sarcasm. "I have a question."

Really? I need to get back home.

"What?" I snap rudely.

"Well I can tell you're a Styles," He says. "Anyway, why is it that Liam Styles, the most annoying unattractive prick ive literally ever met in my entire life, who I really want to just punch in the face sometimes, has a really fit little brother?"

I choke on air. Literally.

"You cant just say that!" I hiss, eyes wide. Did he really just sat that? What the fuck.

"What? Its true. How old are you anyway?" He asks.

"Not that its any of your business, but im fifteen." I say. "Sixteen in twelve days,"

His icy blue eyes are filled with curiosity as he trails them up and down my body, from the highest curl sticking out of my bandana, to my shoelaces, which are untied, and back up again until his blue eyes meet my green.

After another minute of him observing me- not as uncomfortable as the first time, but still- he speaks once again, his thick southern accent moulding his words sounds really satisfying, but annoying at the same time.

"You know, sixteen is the age of consent.." Louis says lowly, almost whispering.

"And? what does that have to do with anything." I ask, genuinely confused.

He smirks at me for the fourth fucking time, then leans in, our noses almost touching. I feel myself stop breathing because what. the. fuck. What is this lunatic doing?

He pushes my curls to the side and leans in close to my ear. I feel his hot breath against my skin and the situation is so overwhelming I feel I might actually pass out.

"Well when you need it, call me." He whispers hotly into my ear and what the fuck. What the fuck. Those are the only words that describe what im thinking right now. I watch as he winks, turns away and walks off, leaving me with my mouth hung wide open again. 'call me'? Is he okay? Surely he knows I would never stoop that low.. even though he is kind of hot. What? Who cares if hes nice to look at. Liam would kill you if you ever even considered having the tiniest crush on the boy! I tell myself.

I decide that's enough thinking for today. I'll start again tomorrow.

I start my miserable journey back home, after finding the book and checking it out at the desk. The lady didnt even bother saying bye, which I found rather rude. I just couldn't wait to get back home.