Just Friends || h.s.

7

In sweatpants, a baggy t-shirt, and her all tied up, she still took my breath away.

Her eyes squinted through her glasses as she held an ice pack to her face, looking confused.

"Hey." I breathed anxiously. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. What are you doing here?" She asked, exhaustion all over her face. Now I felt even worse for bothering her, seeing how tired she was.

"Actually, it can wait. Sorry to bother you...again." I apologized before taking a step away from the door.

"You're not bothering me. You can come in." She invited, standing up straight.

I stopped walking and tilted my head. "Are you sure? If you're tired, I can come back another day."

"It's fine, I promise. I just woke up so obviously I'm gonna look like I just got attacked by a moose." She chuckled, wincing soon after.

Hesitantly, I enter her apartment and watch as she closed the door with her free hand.

"What's up?"

I opened my mouth to speak, my eyes remaining on her as she sat down on the couch recliner in front of me, gesturing for me to sit as well.

I remove my hands from my hoodie pockets and sit down on the opposite side of the couch, pinching at my rings.

"I just wanted to apologize for the other day. I shouldn't have pressured you into talking to me, and I deserved everything that you said to me." I started off slowly, her attentive eyes making me nervous.

"You did deserve it." She said in a humorous tone, making me smile. At least she was joking about it. "But it's fine. You were right anyways. If I had just been honest from the beginning, we wouldn't have been in that situation."

"I'm still really sorry. The last thing I wanted was to upset you even more." I frowned.

"It's okay." She smiled lightly. "As much as I would love to keep talking about this, I really need to shower."

"Right. I guess I'll go then." I replied, standing up at the same time she did.

"If you want, we can get coffee once I'm able to and talk more?" She suggested, and I had to fight the grin on my face.

This is progress.

"I'd love that." I answered, hiding my excitement. "I hope you feel better."

"Thank you."

Zayn was proud of me for finally talking to her, and the day after, Maddie actually invited everyone to her apartment - at least that's what I thought until we got there.

"I didn't realize the Tylenol came with company." Maddie says in amusement as she sat in the same spot as yesterday, a ceramic bowl in her hands.

"Yeah, they all followed me here. Sorry." Nick apologized, handing her the bottle of Tylenol in his hands. "Mashed potatoes again?"

"It's all I can eat. Sue me." She huffed, struggling to put the spoon into her mouth.

"What about ice cream?" Zayn asked, sitting next to her while I sat on a bar stool next to the counter.