Lonely (HS)

1

"I just need someone in my life to give it structure."
~

H.

This was incredibly stupid and unnecessary.

"Why do I have to meet this girl again? Sure she's engaged to Ryan but-," I watched my mother give me a death stare that could kill, snapping my mouth shut. What was the rave about this girl?

Ryan and his father always seem to make her out to be the sweetest and most likable person around. I knew her name was Corinna but that was all, never even seen a picture of her. I was never actually sure if she existed, who the hell would marry Ryan?

My eyes subtly panned over to the buff guy sitting nervously across from my mother, hands shuffling on the table. Miss Corinna was late and it seemed to be stressing him out, mumbling about work it seemed.

"So Ryan where did you meet this girl?," I asked politely while trying to make conversation, she was probably a dud just like him. Anyone dumb enough to marry Ryan had to be either stupid or overflowing with self hatred.

There wasn't much wrong with him other than the fact that he was an airhead who barely passed high-school, reliving his glory days at the local gym. A well put together woman would never see him as potential or special even.

He hummed while scratching the back of his neck, "Well actually we met in high-school and she always turned me down but one day she said yes finally...been together ever since," my eyebrows furrowed at his story as I twisted my lips, trying not to laugh. She had said no to him everyday and finally gave up? Romantic.

I cleared my throat just as the bells on the door jingled, a frantic blonde stumbling inside. My lips parted in surprise as she steadied herself in the doorway, chest heaving and hair messy.

My eyes slid down her body to examine her outfit, a pair of brown dress slacks that stuck tightly to her waist and an oversized blue button down top tucked in. The girls black chunky heels made her a little taller but not by much I could tell she was short.

It seemed as if she had been running frantically, the top couple buttons popped on her shirt and cheeks flushed from the cold..she was really pretty. My throat cleared as she looked around, watching her sigh in relief while heading toward us. Wait..it couldn't be.

"I am so sorry, I left work on time but a crash happened and all the roads got blocked...so I jogged here," the blonde said her apologies while staring at my mother and Steve, both of them immediately excusing her. This couldn't be Corinna, she was way too normal for Ryan.

My mother jabbed me in the side with her elbow as I grunted unexpectedly, "Ouch fuck...it's his girlfriend he should be introducing us I mean that's rude-," my words trailed off as the blondes eyes slid to look at me, pushing some messy waves behind her ear. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold air and eyes wide, but she seemed...uneasy.

"Right...Corinna this is my stepbrother Harry Styles, and Harry this is my fiancé Corinna Fresne," I stood up and reached across the table to shake her hand, noticing slight hesitation as she placed her palm against mine. Her hands were small and soft, touch gentle like I would break at the slightest squeeze.

My lips twitched as we pulled away and we both sat down, noticing that Ryan seemed a little off. I flipped through the menu for a minute as our parents bickered next to me, this lunch was pointless.

I lifted my eyes at the sound of harsh whispers and noticed Ryan turning red, "I told you to wear a dress...this isn't what I expected you to wear," I snapped my gaze to the blonde who was looking down with hooded eyes, teeth biting her bottom lip.

"Well I had to run here so I'm glad I didn't wear a dress," the girls humor was lackluster but still there, my lips quirking up at her lame joke. It seemed as if Ryan didn't exactly appreciate the sarcasm, spitting out a quick.

"No excuse."

The waitress popped up behind the two just as Corinna opened her mouth again, pushing her lips together tightly. Was she going to snap?

I scratched my jawline as my eyes danced over to our parents, they were watching them too. "So Corinna when do you expect to have the wedding or get a ring?," my gaze dropped down to her hands immediately, now noticing a ring was missing.

"No ring dude? Wow," the words slipped from my lips before I could filter them, sighing as my mother began to curse me out. I looked up to apologize to Corinna but it seemed she didn't mind, not even paying attention to us.

She was looking out the window while her fingers ghosted over where a ring should be, "We have no plans for a wedding, and the ring isn't really up to me now is it?," the subtle snap to her tone had shocked me slightly, her mask was slipping.

I cleared my throat and gave the girl a smile, "Rings make a fuss...everyone wants to comment about it. Without one you take out the awkward exchanges," it was true that I would absolutely a buy ring for someone but how important was it?

To have a love that felt even remotely healthy or stable would be a marvel, something I surely haven't ever felt.

"Harry that is so rude, he is going to get her a ring-," the blonde hummed to stop my mother from yelling at me too badly, playing with the silverware on the table.

"He's right, the less fuss the better and marrying this young is crazy so we can hold off," my head tilted slightly at her answer, watching as both of our parents subtly got the hint. I licked my lips while scratching the back of my head, this was a disaster.

But Corinna wasn't as I thought, she was intriguing and beautiful all in one pretty picture. I had yet to see her smile but I'm sure it's warm and inviting, the kind that give you butterflies. "Well, let's all go back to Rin's place....I have wine bottles from last time."

I felt my eyebrows furrow as our parents erupted with joy at the idea, Ryan speaking happily while Corinna frowned. My stomach dropped as her eyes closed and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

This was going to be a long night.