Robbers // H.S.

four

Lostmyhead - The 1975

August 5, 2021

"'Ya know your bandmate is a complete and utter dick?"

I almost slammed my apartment door in Niall's face if his hand didn't catch it before it sent him flying down the hallway.

Vivi sat on the floor of the living room folding clothes in stacks that are a bit too high. She jumped out of her skin when I shoved my way through the front door and started yelling at the ripe time of 8am.

"What?" She was taken back.

Niall sighed behind me. "She met Harry."

I could feel his eyes rolling like a sixth sense.

The way his name came out of Niall's mouth made my skin crawl. Our interaction was so miniscule that you could count the minutes on one hand, but his persona sent an ick to be engraved into my skin. I could feel something off, wrong, about him.

Viv sucked a breath between her teeth, cringing from the steam spewing from my ears. The entire ride back here made my blood boil over. I'd complain, and Niall would defend. Back and forth for a whole thirty minutes until I slammed the car door, stomped up the stairs, and am now standing before Viv.

-

"Why did he call me that?" I bickered.

Niall just shook his head. "He's just stiff. Doesn't exactly have a way with words."

"He seems stuck up." I rolled my eyes, looking out the window. "Is that whole house just his?"

"Yeah."

I groaned. "Stuck up and loaded?"

Niall stayed silent.

"Is it daddy's money?" I asked, narrowing my eyes towards him.

He stiffened. "I don't know."

"Well, he's a complete and utter dick."

"You just need to get to know him." he huffed. "He isn't that bad."

I shot him a stare that could kill. "Hell would freeze before I 'got to know him'." I said between my teeth.

"Don't be so stubborn." he said, raising his voice. "He's a part of the band, and our friend, so try to make a damn effort, Alice. You met him once."

I glued my teeth together to keep from saying anything I'd regret this early in the morning. But damn Niall if he thinks there will be any effort coming from me.

-

Vivianne stood from the floor, walking up to me and placing a hand on my arm. "Do you want some tea and talk about it?" her face painted with concern.

I sank, nodding. "Tea. No talking."

She led me over to the kitchen island while she turned on the kettle. Niall went over to the record player, flipping through the stacks of albums we've collected on vinyl. A mug slid across the counter after the tea pot sang, steam creating images in the air.

After sitting here in a coated silence, the buzzing from the record player filling the room, Vivianne spoke words that caused my skin to buzz.

"You just need to get to know him."

I shot my head up from staring at the tea. "What?" I bit. "You are just like your brother."

"Hey."