Stuck In The Middle (Harry Styles/Zayn Malik) CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Chapter 3

"'Keep animal droppings off the turf, much 'ppreciated'." I read from the aging wooden sign near the rental building. "Very classy."

Harry snorted at my attempted southern accent. I shrugged, and leaned up against the building. I guess it wasn't the most redneck thing we've seen on the 20 minute drive here.

"We've got a group of four and a group of three," My dad told the attendant. I glared at him. Was this another ploy to get me to talk to the boys? The adults were sent off to the opposite side of the course, behind the waterfall, leaving Harry, Zayn and I at the counter. The man laid the clubs up on the counter for us to choose. Someone suddenly pressed up against my side and said, "Looks like this one's about right." Surprisingly, it was Zayn, not Harry. He grabbed both of our clubs off the counter and walked over to the first hole.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, running after him.

"I thought your 5'3 frame was pretty obvious," he laughed. He was now perched on the bench, marking up names on the scorecard.

"I can handle my own club." I scoffed, even though I was secretly flattered. Was he flirting?

"Really? Because if I remember correctly the last time we went golfing you guys--"

"Oh whatever!" I cut him off. "So I suck at golf. I'll just watch, big deal," I crossed my arms.

"Well if it helps babe, I don't." Zayn stood up from the bench and stuffed the scorecard in the back pocket of his khaki shorts.

"I'll teach you."

"Are y-you sure?" Instead of answering me he just grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the first hole. But he didn't hold it very long, only enough to hand me my club. And feel some sparks.

"Now, you've got to position your thumbs. It's all about the position, one on top of the other," he breathed, now behind me. His arms were wrapped around me, his hands guiding mine over the club. If it was possible to hear the dirty thoughts in my head that came from his pointers, he was definitely close enough.

"See? Now look." But I didn't see the position of my thumbs, I only noticed how large and incredibly warm Zayn's hands were on mine. And how good he smelled. I swallowed.

"Now, bend your knees a bit, just to get some leverage." Zayn constructed. I did as he told, now practically sitting on his legs. I turned to face him a bit, but he didn't say anything. I felt his cheek stubble brush against my face slightly. He was leaning forward..

Then the heat between us was immediately lost. Zayn moved from behind me and was now facing me, checking out my stance from the front, one knee bent on the turf.

"Perfect. Now take a swing. Nice and easy, not to rough." His brown eyes were on me, not the hole up ahead.

I tapped the ball, just enough to get it up the hill.

***

"See, I told you they would like it," Harry smirked.

I followed his gaze and looked down the course at the parents. My mom was lined up, preparing to take a swing.

"Looking great, honey!" My dad called, checking out my mom's 'stance' from behind. Ew.

We were sitting on the bench, watching our parents finish their game. Well, I was. Zayn was hunched forward over the scorecard, adding up our scores from the game. Harry was juggling our golf balls closer to the water. He was actually pretty good, he's had the balls going for almost a couple minutes.

Suddenly the yellow ball goes flying through the air and right into the water. It floats down the stream a bit but gets caught on some rocks preventing it from going through the waterfall.

"Oh fuck." Harry goes running after it, determined to grab it before it gets caught up in the current. He holds onto the rope at the edge of the course and puts a foot out, trying to kick the ball towards him.

Splash!

Harry feet slip from underneath him and he falls in the water, specifically on his ass.

"Fuck!" He lurches forward and grabs the ball, now almost knee deep in the water. He climbs across the rocks and back out onto the course. He's legs are dripping wet, shoes are squeaking, and teeth are chattering, but he's holding the yellow ball high in the air.

"Got it."

Zayn and I lost it. I fell off the bench, tears rolling down my eyes. Zayn's shoulders quaked with laughter. Neither of us can breathe.

"Hey mate, you do realize you could've just used the net right?"

***

"Well that was... fun. Right kids?" My dad asked. We were all back in the SUV on the way back to the cabin. I was squished between the boys in the backseat, though I was leaned more towards Zayn, considering Harry was still kind of damp.

"Oh yeah, it was quite the adventure," Harry replied, adjusting the beach towels around his waist before looking back out the window. I bit my tongue to prevent from laughing again, not quite recovered from what happened earlier. Zayn threw his head against the backseat of the van cackling every 2 minutes, not even bothering to hide his amusement from his younger brother's incident.

I felt terrible laughing, but it was hilarious. Harry knee-deep in the mini-golf pond was priceless, even he had to admit. Besides, it was a nice distraction from what had almost happened with Zayn earlier, when he was teaching me how to golf.

"By the way, who won?" I asked curiously, trying to make some conversation.

Zayn held up the scorecard and said, "58, 53, 49. Looks like you did, Cassie."

"Really?! All thanks to you though," I replied, smiling my thanks.

"Nope, I think it was you too," Zayn said, running a hand through his dark hair. "You're a natural," he grinned.

"Oh really?" I raised my eyebrows at him, allowing myself to flirt a bit.

An finger brushed against my other shoulder. Harry bit his lip, but continued to look out the window. He was fully aware that his arm was draped around me, though I knew it was because we were three teenagers squished in a backseat and he had no other comfortable position.

Finally we pulled into the entrance of the campground. It looked like the entire resort was already in bed. Street lights and signs were still lit up, but that was about it. It had been a good but long day, and I found myself ready to sleep but anxious for the next morning.

My dad pulled into the driveway and parked the car. "Home sweet home everybody."

***

Harry's POV

I flipped the bathroom light off and stepped into some sweatpants. Zayn already was in bed by the time I got out of the shower, so the only light in the room was coming from the street lamp out the window. I climbed into the twin bed next to Zayn's, and laid my head on the pillow, grateful that this day was finally over.

"You know what I noticed today?" Zayn spoke up, his whisper echoing through our room.

"What?" I replied. Apparently he wasn't asleep.

"Cassie is gorgeous. She turned into such a babe." Zayn stated. I felt my stomach quease uncomfortably. I knew he thought she was hot, I mean, who didn't think that? But just hearing him say it, especially to me.. it bothered me.

"She's always been that way," I replied quietly. Possibly low enough that he didn't even hear me.

"Whaat?" Zayn replied, drawing out the word. He flipped over in bed, and I knew he would be out in merely seconds. Zayn always fell asleep on his stomach.

I thought about what happened today. I saw everything. I saw Zayn lean towards her when he was helping hero golf. What I didn't know was if she reciprocated his actions- I turned away before I could see.

"Never mind," I replied, even though I was only talking to myself. "It doesn't matter."