doomed [h.s]

one: the house

"Don't get too close It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide"
» Demons, Imagine Dragons

✞︎

October 10th. Lacock, UK.

Rory was organizing the Mythology books on the high shelves, climbing a ladder that in her opinion she didn't find very safe. She rearranged the World History books and cleaned up some dusty ones of Literature of the Middle Ages. Working in the only library in town had its perks and cons.

The good thing: she could read all the books she wanted for free, her boss let her take the ones that couldn't even leave the library just because she trusted her, she had a decent salary and.... that was it.

The bad thing: sometimes she got rhinitis from cleaning up the abundant dust and mites in books that were untouched for years and people didn't care to read, tidying up the ones that people left lying around and didn't deign to put back in their places, and peeling off the nasty chewing gum that disgusting individuals stuck under the tables.

Rory carefully descended the stairs and when her black docs hit the floor she let out a relieved sigh. It was Friday afternoon and naturally the place was empty.

Except for two adults doing some work reports, a young girl with big round glasses who always came to read love stories and.... that curly chocolate hair she often saw in the school hallways and in the library.

He was sitting in the back, with a lamp pointed at a trail of books he was reading in deep concentration, wearing a cream-colored turtleneck sweater, his pale ring-filled hands anxiously playing with his chapped and plump lower lip.

Three years ago no one would imagine that Harry Styles would be in a library with his nose stuck in books, let alone on a Friday when most young people are getting ready to get drunk off their asses. But the truth was that Harry had changed radically a year ago and no one knew why or what had happened to him.

He used to be one of those who annoyed everyone in the halls, with a group of stupid, toxic and mean people who thought of no one but themselves without being aware of the damage they could cause to others.

Rory and Harry were friends in elementary school, really good friends and close. She still kept the drawings and poems he gave her, remembered their silly, innocent but cute conversations as they played in their favorite park or lay stargazing in the attics of their homes.

Until he changed in high school and hurt Rory, pushing her away, ignoring her, becoming shallow and mean, laughing behind her back, blinded by the mostly female attention he received, turning into a total unrecognizable asshole.

And Rory hated him, honestly. She hated having to cry for the one who was supposed to be her best friend.

But then almost a year ago, back to school after the summer, suddenly Harry changed again but, this time it was different and strange. He had distanced himself from everyone, absolutely everyone. He paced the corridors with furrowed brows, an empty look and eternal dark circles under his eyes. He didn't bother anyone, didn't talk to anyone, didn't look at anyone. He sat at the end of class and ate alone in the cafeteria. He walked with his back hunched, always distrustful.

Everyone at first was surprised and confused, but eventually they stopped giving him importance and now they looked at him like he was a weirdo and no one wanted to go near Harry, they were afraid of him.

He used to be the center of attention with a narcissistic smirk, now he goes unnoticed with a sad look on his face.

And Rory at first wanted to know, she was dying to ask him, but she stopped thinking about it and ignored him. She couldn't forget how Harry hurt her and pushed her away of his life when she had always been loyal and a good friend.