A mess with a thing for you

Chapter 2

He is smirking.

"Styles," he sighs.

He takes one last hit before throwing what remains is left of the cigarette to his feet and squeezes it under his black Vans.

Taking a few steps, he draws closer to the taller boy, eyes locking. His are shiny, a darker blue than this morning. A stormy sea. Harry's contemplating whether to step back, but he doesn't, that would come across as fright.

Harry isn't scared of him.

They stay there for what feels like minutes, doing nothing but staring into each other's souls.

"What do you want, Tomlinson?" Harry asks lowly, waiting patiently for an answer.

Finally, the doors to the main entrance fly open and Niall's warm laugh fills Harry's ears. He is on the phone with someone.

Without another word, the older boy gives Harry one last smirk before turning and walking off.

"Harry!" Niall is jogs towards him. He slides his phone in his pocket.

"Who was that?" he asks, confusion heavy in his Irish accent.

"Uh, nobody. He just asked me for directions. Let's go."

*

"There should be a mall somewhere around here," Niall affirms, his brows furrowing over his phone screen.

They are strolling down the street peacefully. Harry has his hands in his pockets, observing his surroundings, trying to concentrate on what's around him rather than the small talk he just had with Tomlinson.

Fall is coming earlier than usual this year. Several trees, hanging over them are already starting to turn into different warm shades of orange and yellow.
Fall had always been Harry's favourite season of the year. It filled the world with pastel colours, it meant Halloween was around the corner, it was never too warm or too cold and his mom was home most nights.

He adores his mom, more than anything in this dark world.

His thoughts are interrupted by Niall's grunting.

"This app isn't working, dammit!"

They turn a corner to find the mall Niall was talking about right in front of them.

"Ah, it's here! This app wasn't working properly anyways," Niall puts his phone away in frustration and leads Harry inside the mall.

'Cozy', Harry thinks as they enter. It's small but it has all the essential shops.
Plastic chandeliers hang from every inch of the ceiling, the pavement shiny and polished and the air smells like freshly baked cheesecake. A bit Disney-ish. As they wander around Niall stops at every showcase, pressing his hands against the glass like a kid and vivaciously commenting on everything he sees.

They walk past a music store. Harry being too deep in his thoughts, doesn't notice Niall entering the shop leaving him to walk on alone. It is only after his phone goes off in his pocket that he snaps back to reality.

He answers the call.

"Hello?"

"Mate, where are you?"

"What do you mean where am I? I'm next to—Niall?" He looks up and sees that Niall has left him alone.

He hears him sighing through the phone.

"I'm at the music store. Move your butt."

"Sorry."

*