barista / h.s

12

C H A P T E R ~ T W E L V E

"Harry!" Sydney squealed. All her waiting had paid off. There stood Harry, right at her very dorm door, dressed as the personification of winter itself just like the first day she met him. He wore a wide smile on his face just like any kind and gentle man like he was, and his arms slung to the side.

"Sydney." He said, his dimpled smile warming her heart. "I missed you so much."

That meant a lot to Sydney. She was used to being neglected by everyone. Even her boss said that Harry didn't want to be around her, but thank goodness she was wrong. Elise only talked to her when she needed homework. Everyone was using her except for Harry, it seemed. She was beyond glad to see him again.

"Let's go to the coffee shop and talk, okay?"

"Okay!" Sydney chimed, but she had no idea exactly what Harry wanted. Did he want to ask her out? Did he just want a warm drink? She had no idea and the suspense built inside of her like a balloon slowly filling with water by the second.

Harry grabbed his car keys and led her to the parking lot. His car was a black Porsche, a type of car known for the higher class with higher incomes. Harry definitely fell under that category.

"Your car is fancy." Sydney gushed. Harry just smiled and unlocked the doors, in which the two used to step inside the deluxe sports car.

Harry started the car up and soon enough they took off. He drove at what seemed like top speed; cars and people seeming to whiz by instead of the car itself. "We're going fast." Sydney complained, in which Harry only increased in speed.

By the time they got there, Harry had been quiet for quite some time. Sydney had no idea what tricks he had up that coat sleeve of his, but she was anticipating to find out.

They got inside and Tom was serving, which was usual for a Friday like this one. It seemed like Tom served every time the sidewalk was lightly coated in white.

"Hey, Tom." Sydney said happily, but her former workmate just frowned.

"Is that..."

"Yes, I'm Harry Styles." He seemed rather annoyed, "and I will give you an autograph if you want one."

Sydney laughed.

Tom just sighed and wiped his hands on a hand towel. "Welcome to Starbucks, may I take your order?"

Tom never really liked Sydney.

"Tall caramel macchiato and a chocolate chip cookie," Harry paused, "and a grande chocolate chip frappe for the lady."

Tom scoffed and walked over to the machines.

"Hey, what was that all about?" Sydney asked rhetorically. Of course she didn't know that Tom was ready to blow the whistle on this whole thing any second.

"He seemed jealous." Harry shrugged. "Maybe he likes you."

"I don't know..." She frowned. Harry did not answer after that.

They got their drinks and Harry got his cookie. They sat across from each other at one of the tables in a far corner, so no one could notice Harry and give away his location. After all, he was supposed to be in Chesire.

"What's wrong?" Sydney asked. "You seem a little under the weather."

"Maybe it's because it's snowing." Harry lied. "I never liked snow."

Sydney just nodded, but she wasn't sure if she believed him. He wasn't as talkative as usual. Sure, he had that signature smile but she wasn't just feeling it today.

And what if it was like that for the rest of them knowing each other? Every day she saw him he would be the same-- candid and neutral. He almost seemed emotionless, like he had nothing to say.

"So what did you want to tell me?" Sydney asked, curiosity getting the best of her. She rested he head on her hand, which was propped up on the table by her elbow.

"Oh, just a few things.." Harry messed around with his fingers and waited. It was so quiet the whole cafe could hear a pin drop, as cliche as it sounds. The ticking of the clock pounded each time into Sydney's mind.

"What?"

Harry chuckled. He had been waiting for her to ask. "Remember when I told you that I went to the doctor, and that it wasn't a normal doctor?"

Sydney nodded.

"Do you know what that means?"

"Physciatrist." She answered correctly. "I used to see one too. Her name was Shelly, if that makes you feel better."

Harry looked at his shoes and smiled. He really liked her. He wanted to tell her but that fear of rejection was nagging at him again. "The doctor diagnosed me with a disorder." He prompted, and Sydney cocked her head to the side.

"What is it?"

"Seasonal depression." Harry answered. "That means there's something in my brain that makes me sad a certain time of year. And winter just so happens to be that time." He tried to make it so that Sydney could understand, opposed to all those complex words Ms. Lennox, her physciatrist, had given him.

"I have that too." Sydney said shyly. "I get depressed around the spring."

Harry leaned in closer to her, his macchiato breath fanning on her. "Maybe at the end of winter and the beginning of spring we can be depressed together."

"That sounds really morbid." Sydney joked, but she didn't realize what he was hinting at.

"Sydney..." He probed, but she still didn't understand. "I'm saying we should go out. However you Americans say it over here-- date, go out? 'You got kik?'".

Sydney laughed at the last one, and then her cheeks started to warm up at an alarming rate. "Harry..."

"You should say yes." Sydney turned around and smiled when she saw Elise. Her friend occasionally visited here, but it was very coincidental that she decided to come today at this hour.

"Okay, yes." Sydney gave in easily. "I will. Only because I really, really, really have a thing for Harry Styles."

Harry blushed a little. "Sydney, I like you. I really do, and ill do anything to make this work."

Sydney flicked her wrist dismissively. "It's nothing. Go on tour if you'd like. I'm not the clingy type, Harry. I just love seeing you."

"I would say I love you, but that'd be too soon." He said, and Sydney laughed nervously. Then he leaned in even more, and finally after a week or so of knowing each other they kissed.

It wasn't some desperate kiss like most couples. It meant something to them. It was almost like exchanging a promise; like saying "I do" at the altar but not as big of a commitment. A commitment to stay faithful and loyal to each other, and that was one they could both easily keep on their part.

Sydney had finally been appreciated by someone, and that just so happened to be Harry Styles.