the roommate ➸ [horan au]

eleven

- A b b y J o n e s -

You know that feeling when your professor has been talking about how difficult the exam's gonna be all year and how they always say that you should study every day? But you brush it off and decide to leave it all for the last minute?

Well, here I was making my sixth cup of coffee and trying to find my notes on the psychology of the human brain as I felt like I was about to lose mine. I was always a big procrastinator, and I guess that that's one thing that'll never change. It was never a big deal for me in high school. I'd just study the night before and I'd usually do well on tests. But this was college. This was very different, and I found myself imaging collecting garbage on the side of the street as I took a sip of my coffee.

In the span of the next five minutes, I somehow ended up face down on the couch, trying to groan all of my problems away.

That was when I heard the front door opening and closing, and I knew that my best friend had returned home. I felt better immediately.

I lifted my head to spot not one, but two people standing at the foot of the couch staring at me. One of those people, to my misfortune, being Harry. Well, this is going to be awkward.

"H-Hi." I croaked quietly.

"Oh my, God! She's alive!" Niall exclaimed, placing a heart on his chest to sarcastically indicate relief. "You had your head down and you weren't moving, I thought Psychology 101 killed you and that your carcass was now deteriorating on my couch."

"Excuse you," I sat up. "One: I am not dead. Two: all you use this couch for is to watch your beloved Derby games. And three: I was the one that bought the couch, so if anything, it's my couch."

"Jeez, someone get her another cup of coffee." Niall raised his arms defensively as Harry chuckled. I was once again aware of his presence. "Anyway, I brought this tosser over here 'cause you guys are both my friends, and I need you guys to talk it out and be friends so we could all be friends. Got it?"

"Wow Niall," I looked up at him as I placed a hand over my heart. "That was such an inspirational speech, I got a tear in my eye." I pretended to wipe it off.

"Abby." Niall spoke seriously. "Please."

I sighed as I got up. Harry smiled apologetically. He probably didn't want to do this just as much as me. "Fine, alright, but only for you." I pointed at Niall.

He smiled smugly and left the living room. What a doofus.

I looked up at Harry to see him shuffling around awkwardly. I looked down at my feet and stared at the nail polish on my toes. The red color was chipping. Damn it.

"I don't hear talking!" Niall's voice boomed from the kitchen, and I roll my eyes before grabbing Harry's wrist confidently and dragging him into my room.

Even if he wanted to protest, he didn't. He simply followed me without question. "If he wants us to talk, we're gonna talk without him listening."

He nodded.

"So, um-"

"I'll start." Harry suddenly spoke up, completely cutting me off.

"Alright," I nodded. "Go ahead. I'm listening."

Harry took a deep breath. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to go off that way when we went out. I guess I was just being a teenage boy and I wanted to have a good time, but I didn't even realize I was having a good time without the... other stuff. And later, I even realized that I didn't like you more than a friend, and I mean you're fucking beautiful, but I just don't find you attractive, and that's what I was trying to tell you over text, and yeah."

Harry's sudden word vomit took me by surprise. However, I was relieved that he saw me nothing more than a friend. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea, so I spoke up.

"I feel exactly the same way." I exhaled. "You have no idea how relieved I am because of what you just said."

"Really?"

"Yes," I nodded. "I mean, I guess I just kinda liked the idea of having someone beside me, and I mean I have Niall but he's really oblivious to everything, and I want a relationship with him, but there's no chance we'd have one and-" I stopped once I realized what I had just said.

"What?" Harry stared at me dumbfounded. "What the heck did you just say?"

"Um... oh." I tried to think of a quick response as the palms of my hands started sweating, my heart was beating against my ribcage as if it was trying to jump out, I felt dizzy, and I started breathing heavily. I went over my symptoms one more time before I diagnosed myself with a panic attack.

"Abby? Are you okay?" Harry watched me with a worried expression and it made me feel all the dizzier. I felt as if I was about to vomit. So, I did.

I puked my insides all over my bedroom floor and all I could hear was the buzzing in my ears along with the faint sound of Harry calling Niall's name. The tall boy grabbed my hair as I kept on vomiting like never before. All of the stress has finally caught up to me, and it made a physical appearance right on my clean bedroom carpet.

Once I had finally stopped puking, I stood up straight only to see Niall standing at the door in pure shock.

"What did you do to her?" He growled at Harry as if he had somehow caused me to puke my insides out.

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!" Harry defended himself. "We were just talking, and she just... puked!" He waved his hands violently, and it was making me sea sick in all honesty.

I grabbed my throbbing head as I sat down on my bed.

"Abby?" Niall moved to sit down next to me. "What just happened?"

"Well you know-" I was about to make a sarcastic remark about how my lunch wanted to leave my body for a fun day out, but the pain in my head was excruciating, and I couldn't handle it. I groaned as I leaned against my best friend.

He sighed and placed an arm around my shoulders. Harry stared at us curiously. He knew. I wiped my tears and looked up at Harry. He quirked an eyebrow, and I gently nodded. Then, I looked at Niall. He was visibly confused.

"She has been studying all day," Harry finally spoke up. "It's exam time. She's stressed out. That's what happened."

"Oh Abby," Niall pulled me closer. He made a face. "Could your stress not react like this? It smells really bad in here!" He exclaimed.

I slapped his arm. "Niall." I whined.

"Alright, alright," He sighed. "You can sleep in my room tonight."

"Thank you." I smiled lazily and gave him a quick hug. I took a deep breath. I needed to talk to Harry alone, and I needed to talk to him now. "Now, I need a little bit of rest. We should just watch TV or something. Niall, you go set up a movie, and Harry, come help me make some snacks."

Niall grinned and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before he stood up and left the room. Harry followed me into the kitchen.

"So, does he...?"

"He doesn't know." I quickly spoke up. "And, I'd very much appreciate it if you didn't tell him, because that's just between me and him and I really don't want anyone meddling, alright?"

Harry grinned. "You have a crush on him."

I rolled my eyes. "Say it a little louder, I don't think he heard you."

"Oh, this is so great." Harry cheered. "I could play matchmaker and set you guys up or something-"

"Harry," I cut him off, not wanting to continue this conversation. "I said that I don't want anyone meddling, remember?"

"Right, sorry." He smiled sheepishly. "We're friend now though, right?"

I smiled at him. He really was a sweetheart. "Of course."

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felt like updating :)