Say Cheese! // l.s.

0.8

harry's boots scuffed through the streets of washington, d.c.

he hugged his coat tighter as the brisk air of december whisked around him. he had just left campus and was making his way to starbucks. he hated starbucks. not the coffee and the food, no, but he hated how overused and over-mentioned it was. but it was his last resort because america doesn't have but one fucking costa and it's in california.

harry met this girl.

they aren't dating or anything, but they are good friends. they bonded at a football game, american, where the both of them were taking pictures for the universities web site. harry said that number fifty-seven was cute and she agreed. turns out that's her boyfriend, liam.

it was kind of funny how he found out; see, liam went to give sophia a kiss and harry had oh so attractively choked on the water he was drinking and spat it out. liam pat his back, almost knocking the wind out of him and smiled. and since then, they have been the best of friends. along with zayn, who was an art major that occasionally posed for harry, perrie, who was a music major with a hell of a voice (also zayn's soon to be fiancé if all goes well tonight) and ed who was just your average frat boy, in college for the hell of it.

harry hated the hustle and bustle of starbucks when he entered but that soon faded when the group of his friends called his name. he took his usual long strides until he was sitting right beside ed in the booth.

"your favourite," perrie chimed, pushing a mug towards harry. he smiled and sipped the minty tea; it wasn't as good as how louis makes it but it will do. plus, harry needs to stop thinking about louis. it had been three months, it's time for him to move on.

"so, dinner at olive garden, yeah?" zayn asked looking to harry. harry nodded.

"i'll bring the cannon," harry mumbled. zayn nodded and smiled at his mate. this is great. tonight's gonna be perfect.

"and harry this is a formal event. none of those half buttoned, old lady shirts," said sophia making him frown.

"those are my favourites."

"oh well, we need a suit please sir."

"fine," harry said, "now i have to dig in my closet for a suit."

"but i thought you were out the closet."

"sophia, shut up!" harry laughed, "you make too many gay jokes."

"only because i love you, babe."

harry chuckled, "love you, too, soph."

"you never told us why you actually moved here, harry," said perrie, "we aren't stupid and you're too sweet to get kicked out of school."

harry's gaze shifted to his half empty mug of tea and he felt his cheeks heat up.

"you don't have to tell us, man, we get it," said ed.

harry shook his head, his bun bouncing slightly.

"i want to tell you lot," he said. "basically my ex, he kinda made it obvious i wasn't enough for him, ripping me heart out my chest in the process." harry sighed, "but it's not his fault. if anything it's mine for being such a baby about it and i should've let it go when he basically kissed niall, right? like, i depended on him so much that when he finally made it clear i freaked out and - and, oh god!"

harry could feel the stares and the tears and his broken heart ramming against his rib cage, his lungs ready to explode.

"harry, harry don't cry. you're too sweet to cry, babe," said perrie said wrapping her arms tightly around him.