kaitlynn rose // h.s

drowning

Somehow, only a matter of two weeks into the semester, I was already up to my neck in assignments.

At the beginning of this week, the professor that Harry and I had for english, Angela, reached out to me and told me about an open position in our school's writing center. She went on to say that she couldn't think of anybody that would be more perfect for the job than me. After thinking it over and getting some input from Harry and Erin, I told her that I'd take it. For my training, she'd sent me ten papers to revise and instructions for handling student papers. So on top of everything I had for classes, I now have more work to do.

I'd decided that I would spend all of my Saturday in my dorm working on the papers so I could get them back to Angela. I'd gotten through one already. I've spent almost an hour on the second one due to the fact that Erin had been in and out and also due to the fact that literally everybody in this entire dorm building decided that today would be the day that they would be very loud and disruptive. I was ready to pull my hair out of my skull by the time I finished. As soon as I wrap it up, I stand from my desk and pack my bag up. It's odd, because usually I can work for hours in a Starbucks full of people, but today I couldn't handle the noise.

As I head out of the building, I call Harry.

"Hey, babe."

"Hi. Are you home? I'm coming over."

"Not at the moment, no. I'm at the store. Is everything okay?"

"Just stressed," I huff. "Need somewhere to work that's quiet."

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit, alright? Do you need or want anything while I'm out?"

"I don't think so," I adjust my bag on my shoulder as I start the walk to Harry's house.

"Alright. I'll see you soon, sweetheart. I love you."

I tell him I love him and bid goodbye before hanging up the phone. I take a deep breath and try to relax as I walk, but it's hard to when the thought of the list of everything I have to do is clouding my brain. I feel myself relax a little as I reach Harry's house, but it's not much. I'm wondering if taking on this job is a good idea right now.

I toss my bag and keys on the kitchen counter and head upstairs. I change into the shorts that I leave here and one of Harry's hoodies before heading back downstairs. I pull out the next paper and my pen, immediately getting to work once I'm comfortably sitting at the kitchen island.

The house is silent and I'm working away for about twenty minutes before I hear the door open. I keep working, not thinking much of it. Harry slides an iced coffee and a bouquet of roses on the counter in front of me, winding his arms around my waist from behind. He presses a gentle kiss to my cheek and I smile. I wasn't cold before, but I'm very aware of how warm I feel now that he's here. A sigh falls from my lips as I lean into him and I notice that tears had welled up in my eyes. I'd been in such a shit mood and he was so lovely that it made me emotional. Harry takes notice of the tears too and kisses my temple.

"M'sorry you're so stressed, baby."

"It's alright," I sigh again. "Part of the college experience, yeah?"

He runs his fingers through my hair gently as he shifts his body so he's next to me. "If you feel like you're drowning, then no. It's not part of the college experience. I know that you want to do the job, but if you're going to be this stressed over it all the time, then maybe you shouldn't take it. If money is a problem, I'd be more than willing to-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Styles. I'm not taking your money."

Harry rolls his eyes at me and gives me a small smile. "Not my main point, Kait. But it's an option, and I want you to know that. I don't want to watch you self-destruct because you feel like you have to take the job."

I slide off of the bar stool and wrap my arms around him, pulling myself against him completely. He's quick to return the hug.

"I don't want to self-destruct. And if I do, I don't want you to see it," I laugh dryly. "But this is something that I really want to do. Is that crazy? That I'm putting myself through stress for such a small job?"

"It's not crazy if it's something that you want to do and that you like. You just have to find a balance with it."

I nod against his chest, smiling a little as he kisses my head again. I pull back from his chest and give him a quick kiss before backing away completely so I can get back to work. Harry moves around the kitchen to bring in and put away the groceries that he'd just bought, but I'm able to ignore it enough to keep working through the papers.

After a few hours, I finish the last of the papers that Angela had given me. As soon as I'm done, I rest my arms and head on the counter in front of me and take a deep breath. Harry had disappeared upstairs awhile ago. After sitting there for a minute more, I stand and head upstairs to find him.

I find him in the photography room, hunched over the light table and looking at a strip of film. He glances up at me briefly as I enter, but turns back to the film as I walk over to him.

"Hey, babe," he mutters under his breath. "Good timing. Can you c'mere and look at these? Pick your three favorites?"

As I stand next to him and look at the strip of film, he rests his hand on my back. I inspect the pictures with his magnifying tool and tell him the ones I like. When I look back over at him, he's smiling at me.

"Those were some of my favorites too. Thanks."

"No problem," I give him a small smile and wrap both my arms around his torso. He pulls me into his chest immediately and kisses my head gently.

"Can we make dinner? My brain is gone. Wanna spend time with you."

"Of course, baby."

He shuts off the light table and takes my hand before leading me out of the room, then down the stairs. I follow him into the kitchen and lean myself against the counter while he opens the fridge and scans what's in there.

"I know this is hopeless... but is there anything you want?"

"Actually," I start, which causes him to look over at me in slight shock. "I kinda want spaghetti."

"You actually know what you want for dinner? Should I go buy a lottery ticket?"

I pout and he chuckles. "Shut up."

I watch as he smiles and stumbles over to where I'm standing. He wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead. "Only kidding, love. No pouting."

To hide my smile, I hide my face in his neck.

"I can feel you smiling against my neck, babe. You can't hide it."

"Do I have to tell you to shut up again?"

He laughs and rubs his hands along my back. "Even if you do, I'm not going to shut up. You get all cute and cuddly when I tease you."

"I'm cute and cuddly all the time, I just don't always show it."

Another laugh falls from his mouth as I pull back from him. I give him a quick kiss before stepping back completely.

"Let's cook, I'm hungry."

"Something tells me that as soon as you're full, you're going to pass out on our couch."

I smile at him. I loved that things were ours. Even if they're really all his.

"You're probably not wrong. Carry me up to the bed if that happens, please?"

He kisses my temple. "Always."