Shine (A Harry Styles Fanfiction)

Prologue

"Alex?" my father's voice coos from where I can just make out his tall figure leaned against the door frame. "Are you alright? Bad dream?"

"Yeah," I answer, lying back down on the mattress and pulling the blankets up to my chin. I hear him sigh and listen to the steady rhythm of his feet on the carpet as he walks back into his room.

Like I said, my parents have long since stopped coming into my room, much less try to comfort me when I have one of my nightmares. I must have just been screaming more than usual this time.

I punch my pillow to try and mold it into a suitable shape for sleeping, but I just end up throwing it to the floor in frustration when sleep evades me for yet another hour.

Seeing as I won't be getting any more sleep tonight, I switch on the light next to my bed, illuminating the dark purple bedspread that is stretched across it. Placing my feet on the thick, carpeted floor, I stand up and walk out of my bedroom, my bare feet making sticky sounds as they connect and disconnect with the polished wood floors of the hallway.

I run a hand through my hair as I make my way down the spiraling staircase that cuts through the center of our ginormous home. My father is a very successful heart surgeon and my mother is a very gifted attorney, making us very wealthy. At least that's how my mother explains it.

I am grateful for our fortunate circumstances, but sometimes being known as the 'rich kid' gets a little irritating. With that label, people judge me just based on what I own and hardly ever on who I actually am. My brother hated our reputation, that's why he never comes home anymore. I still see him, but only if I meet him somewhere or go to his pace.

My brother Michael is 20 years old, making him two years older than me. Michael actually just had his birthday last month and dyed his hair bright pink in celebration. He's always dying his hair funky colors; I'm surprised it hasn't fallen out yet. His natural color is dirty blonde like mine, and while I am completely satisfied with it, Mike insists on torturing his hair with different hues that are never found in any part of nature.

So with that information, you'd think that he would be punk and listen to screamo music and have tattoos and piercings, but he's actually a huge softie and a really great brother when he's not out partying. He does have tattoos and piercings but they are meaningful and they suit his personality as far as I'm concerned.

All his friends are the same way, hard on the outside but soft on the inside. They do party quite a bit, though, especially since they are in the same fraternity at the college they attend, University of Southern California. My parents are often disappointed in Mike by how much he drinks and parties, but I look up to him and admire his rebellious spark that I somewhat lack. I like to think that some has rubbed off on me, but only a fraction of what Mike possesses. 

Mike and I both got good grades through high school, and I continue to maintain my 4.0 GPA in my fourth and final year. I honestly can't wait to graduate. Will graduated last year and he went straight to the army. He comes home when he can, but that is not often.

Just thinking about Will sends a pang of worry through my chest. We've been dating for three years and I'm so worried about his safety. I truly love him and I don't even want to think about his life potentially being in jeopardy. I know he's doing a good thing and all, fighting for our country, but as much as I hate to admit it, I really wish he wouldn't.

It's not that I don't appreciate what he's doing, I just wish I got to see him more often. I am always worried about him and I have no idea where he even is most of the time. It gives me a stomachache just thinking about it.

I open the refrigerator door and search for something to distract me as the light bulb inside temporarily illuminates the kitchen. I end up choosing a peach yogurt and I eat it in pitch darkness so as not to wake my family. Well, just my parents because Michael is gone since it's a weekday and he's at the frat house with Luke, Ashton, Calum, Tyler, and Dex, the friends I was talking about.