Teenage Dirtbag ✖ ((Harry Styles/Selena Gomez))

09. Midnight Memories

"Thank you," I awkwardly nod as I sit down in my seat, ignoring the no doubt, piercing gaze of Harry. I can physically feel his eyes burning into the side of my face as I keep my focus on the front of the room. 

All the previous lingering whispers are replaced with complete silence and the occasional heavy breathing from the people who are holding in their exhales in anticipation of what's happening next. 

Liam's POV: 

Selena, why? 

This can't possibly end well. I study Harry's face intently and the deathly tight clench of his jaw frightens me. His eyes are alive and flaming, the emerald surrounding his pupils bright like fire. 

No one talks back to him like that, ever. 

I watch Harry moving his line of sight up and down Selena's face, his jaw flexing as he contemplates what to do next, considering he's never been put in this position before. Suddenly, he bends down and places his lips against her ear before placing a sturdy hand on her arm and yanking her out of the room, storming with the fury evident in his agitated footsteps and distorted facial expression. 

Selena's POV: 

"I suggest you get the fuck up now or I'll kill Liam for what he has done earlier. I know he's after another girl, but that doesn't deny the fact that he helped you escape. He's my friend but I'm not afraid to pummel him to death for before, so I hope you make a good choice," he hisses and my heart begins to beat irregularly. 

There's no way I sacrificed my lips only for Liam to get hurt again, or worse die.

I don't think I can even handle losing another male figure in my life that I deeply care for. Without fighting back, I let Harry pull me up and out of the room as I look back at Liam whose eyebrows furrow in confusion at my unexpected departure. Unable to mouth anything to him, Harry tugs me along stronger and my view of the room escapes me as I inhale the fresh air outside in the hallways, the environment less tense than the strained math classroom.

"Where are we going?" I ask silently as he continues to walk, eventually dragging me out of the classroom. 

"To my car," he replies as if it's no big deal.

"There's no way in hell I'm ditching school, especially with you," I huff, appalled at the mere idea. My mum will kill me. 

 "Then, I'll just kill Liam," he pauses in his steps as I freeze. 

"You would never do that. You guys are friends," I bite my lip. He's not that cruel, right?

"Were. We're on tight terms, right now," he licks his lips, "And you obviously don't know me well enough to think I wouldn't dare to do it."

Damn you, Styles. 

There's no way I'm endangering Liam.

"And where are we going after we reach your car?" I mumble in defeat, as a slight smirk begins to find its way on his face though with him in front, I'm only able to get a small glimpse from an angle.

"Home. We need to talk somewhere private so you can learn to never pull that stunt you did today," he looks straightforward, not even bothering to read my face, which clearly has horror written all over. When he finally decides to face me, I quickly tilt my head to glance at the right side to avoid his gaze. A sudden rush of relief floods through me when I notice that gym today is outside, as people in the matching physical education uniform are attempting to play baseball and coaches are supervising. I pray with all the energy in me that some teacher will notice us leaving and take us back. To my dismay, all that happens is that the teachers are scolding the students to be more active in participation, reminding me of my past. Unlike all the other girls in my old school, I actually liked it when they forced us to explore the different sports.