It's been nearly three weeks since Harry has slept over at my apartment that one night. I have not seen or heard of him since, which did not really worry me at all. We weren't even friends. Whenever I leave my apartment for class, he is never out. I searched my first class for these past two weeks and he was not appeared a single day. I don't even think he is going to college anymore.
So here I was, finally going back to my apartment after the last day of class. I had the whole weekend to myself so I made quick plans with Jai and Elizabeth to catch up on what happened at Jason and Elizabeth's dinner. I click the elevator button and walk in, pressing my floors button and waiting for the doors to close.
I feel a buzz on my phone and I fish it out of my jeans.
"Hello?" I say into the receiver.
"Hey Ariana!" Jai chirps into the speaker.
"Hi, what's up?" I walk out of the elevator and slowly walk towards my door.
"I can't make it tonight. I have to visit my parents for a while," Jai sighs and I can picture him rolling his eyes, "so it's kind of a big deal because my dad is visiting for a while or some shit."
"Oh, okay. That's fine." I say, switching my phone to my other ear.
"I'll text you, babe." he says.
"Okay." I say before hanging up the phone and stuffing it back into my pocket and digging my keys out of my bag.
As I am turning the lock to my door, I hear the usual deep and raspy voice from behind. "Hey," Harry says and I jump at his sudden voice.
"Hey." I casually say, not showing that I am wondering where he has been for a few weeks.
He has his hands stuffed into his pockets and he is wearing his usual white shirt and brown boots. A dark navy-blue bandana is holding back his long hair and he looks better than usual.
"Uhm," Harry bites the inside of his cheek and rocks back and forth on his heels. "I- I'm sorry."
"For what?" I ask, my head cocking to the side.
"For, um, being an asshole a few weeks ago. You did deserve to know what happened the night I crashed at your place." Harry admits.
I nod and clear my throat, "What happened?" I ask. Harry meets my eyes for the first time in three weeks and sighs, adjusting the bandana on his head.
"Can I tell you somewhere... private?" he whispers the last part.
I nod and twist the knob to my apartment, "Come in," Harry walks into my apartment and I shut the door behind me.
I throw my bag into my room before walking into the living room and plopping back down on the couch, on the opposite side of Harry.
"So, you're probably wondering why I came over here like a few weeks and disappeared." Harry nervously bites the inside of his cheek and continues. "Well, I already told you that my mum and I don't get along so she decided to visit me in the worst time so I just got pissed off. She never visits me and I am always her last option, it's just always been like that. She never takes a minute to even buzz me. And when she knocked on my door I had a friend over and we were drinking and having a great time and when I let her in, she started freaking out and scolding me for drinking so fucking much. Niall, my friend that was over at the time, just left while my mum and I were having a screaming match. Since she lives out of this state, I let her stay in my apartment before I blew up on her." he rolls his eyes at the memory. "So, I came here because I didn't feel like getting a hotel and I felt like a big asshole once I left so I missed classes for the next two weeks because I didn't feel good about anything. Besides, I am caught up with my shit now so it doesn't matter."
"Oh," Is all I manage to say after Harry finally opens up. "Where did you go?" I slowly ask, not wanting to meet his gaze.
This time he doesn't answer and I am completely fine with it. I know Harry has a hard time explaining personal things to people. And I do not want to push it to make him angry. Harry brings his knees up to his chest and knits his brows together, a slight frown set on his face. Why does he always look angry? I have never seen Harry smile, or even laugh.
"You know what," Harry says, standing from the couch. "This was stupid, I shouldn't have said anything." Harry rolls his eyes and stares at his feet.
"What?" I stand from the couch, "No it was not,"
"Yes it was, I shouldn't have came." Harry says, his feet leading him out the door and I quickly follow behind him, trying to match his face pace.
"Stop!" I grab ahold of Harry's shoulder and he turns back around. "Where are you going?"
"Back home." he says, the end of his tone rising like if he was asking a question. "Why do you even care? Were not even friends." he spits and I feel my stomach drop just a bit.
Harry sure has been acting like we were friends. Yeah, we have argued but that's what friends do, right?
"I-I.." I stutter, I am at complete loss of words. I drop my hand from Harry's broad shoulder and he turns back on his heel, storming out of my apartment again.
He walks out of my apartment and walks the opposite direction from his apartment. Leaving me dumb struck and speechless at my doorway.
-
The next few days were extremely difficult in terms with Harry and I. I wasn't speaking to him and he didn't make an effort to talk to me either. I didn't know why he got so upset the other day. I didn't say anything to make him upset. But I have also noticed that Harry has random mood swings, one second he is calm and the next he is angry ready to start an argument. Although I wasn't upset that Harry and I haven't been speaking to one another, I am worried about him. He hasn't returned to class these past few days too, and I have not seen or heard of him in a while.
It was not Friday afternoon and I was in the locker room, packing up my stuff from gym class for the weekend. I didn't have a lot of plans for the weekend, I just had to go get some groceries and maybe hang out with Jai, Elizabeth and Jason for a while. Unless they decided to show up to my a apartment this weekend. I walk out of the locker room in my yoga pants and a cozy sweater hugging me tightly. I begin to walk off campus and towards my apartment complex.
"Ari." A voice interrupted me from my thoughts. There was only one possibility of who was trying to talk to me.
"What do you want?" I snap, walking faster than I intended to.
"Do you want to come to the coffee shop with me?" Harry asks. Not even apologizing for the way he acted last week.
"To study?" I ask. Harry matches his pace to mine and wait for my answer.
"No, well if you want to. It doesn't matter." Harry says, his eyes shifting to his feet.
"Umm, I guess." I finally agree. I don't see why I shouldn't go. I don't have any plans tonight, I only need some groceries later on tonight.
"Really?" His eyes widen in surprise and I nod.
"Yeah, I mean why not? I have to finish some homework anyway," I say and I think I see Harry roll his eyes.
"Well we better get there now, I don't want to be late to work." He says and I feel all the air being sucked out of my lungs.
"You work there?" I choke.
"Yes, Ariana." Harry says, his long legs walking faster than they were before. I struggle to keep up with him and my walking becomes a slow jog.
"Slow down." I huff. Harry glances at my over his shoulder and slows down a bit. "Then why do you want to take me?"
"I don't know. Maybe I feel like repaying you for being such an asshole last week." he admits, looking back down at his feet.
If this was an apology from Harry, then hell, I am going to take it. "Okay, sounds good."
The rest of the walk is quiet and it doesn't take us long to find the familiar coffee shop right off campus. We walk into the coffee shop and it is all empty.
"We don't really get customers after classes, it's never really full here because people prefer that stupid Starbucks shit." He says, answering my thoughts.
He hops over the counter and a man with blonde hair and pale blue eyes walks towards the registers, meeting Harry and I. Harry gives him a quick nod and the blonde man smiles at me, "How may I help you?"
"Oh, I'm-" I begin but Harry interrupts.
"She's with me. She will just be hanging around here till I'm out."
The blonde man nods and runs his hands over his face, looking awfully tired.
"Ari, sit behind the counter," Harry pulls out a stool under the counter and taps on it. I sigh, still annoyed with the fact that he insist on calling me by my full name. "I'm going to get dressed."
I nod and oblige, hopping over the counter and taking a seat on the stool.
"Damn, what's up with him?" The man asks.
"He's always like that. In a bad mood." I teased, smiling ear to ear hoping Harry can hear our conversation.
He smiles but doesn't say anything else. "I'm Niall." The blonde man stands above me and flinch. I know that name is familiar. "I'm Harry's friend."
"No you're not!" Harry yells from wherever he is. Niall tilts his head back in laughter and clenching his stomach for air.
"I'm Ariana," I stand from the stool and hop onto the counter. "Also Harry's.." I trial off. I do not know where Harry and I stand right now. Just a week ago he said we weren't even friends.
Niall just nods and leans back against the counter, opening his mouth to speak but Harry interrupts him by walking in.
"Friend. Also Harry's friend." Harry mocks me in a high pitch voice and a smile smile is played on his lips. He is in such a good mood. I am taken back by him admitting that he is actually considering to be my friend.
"Yeah," I chuckle.
Niall looks back and forth between us and giggles, "You guys are fucking weird."
Harry rolls his eyes and tries to suppress a grin, biting his lip. He fumbles with the buttons on his shirt that are untied to the middle of his chest, revealing the swallows near his collarbones and a few small tattoos littered across his chest. The dark black ink blends so perfectly with his tanned skin and I don't even realize I am staring until he fully buttons it up, leaving two of the buttons popped open. Harry wraps the apron around his waist and fumbles with it for a minute before giving up and walking over to me.
"Can you tie it?" He asks, holding the strings behind his back.
"Y-yeah." I stutter. My fingers slowly tie his apron and I take a second to admire his back muscles moving underneath his black work shirt. Harry backs away and clears his throat.
"I have to do homework."
"Okay, would you like a drink or something?" Niall asks.
"Sure, how about an iced coffee and a chocolate chip cookie." I suggest and Niall nods.
"You heard her Harry, get us some coffee." Niall teases and Harry rolls his eyes and goes to the back, probably making us our coffee.
"So, I heard Harry has you for his first class." Niall helps me pull my bag from the opposite side of the counter and I place my hand on his shoulder, facing him towards me, our noses almost touching.
"Who told you that?" I say, lowering my voice so Harry will not hear.
Niall bit the inside of his cheek before sighing, "He just told me-"
"Fuck!" A loud shout was heard from the backroom, interrupting Niall. Harry came back a few seconds after with three coffees in his hands. "I almost spilled it all over me." Harry pouts and sets the coffee beside me, shoves one to Niall's chest and keeps the last one for himself. I cross my legs and Niall backs away from me, relived Harry came back.
After an hour of doing my homework, I shut my laptop off and rest my chin in the palm of my hand. Biting on the end of my pen and twirling a strand of hair between my fingers with my free hand. I watch Niall assist an elderly woman at the register and Harry is preparing some sort of iced coffee behind Niall.
I wish Niall would have told me how he knows that I have my first class with Harry. I know that Harry probably told Niall but I wonder why he started talking about me.
"Need help?" Harry's voice breaks me from my thoughts of him. I shake my head and nod.
"With what?" Harry asks, taking a seat next to me at the booth in the corner of the cafe.
"Uh, I don't know what to do." I lie. Harry takes the pen out of my mouth and sighs.
"Do you know how to read a literature book, Ariana?" Harry teases, a real full smile etched at the corners of his lips.
"No shit, honey." I chuckled, my shoulders shaking slightly with every exhale. "I just don't get why I have to summarize an entire story and put it into two complete pages."
"This is what college is, love."
"It's not like I'm going to have to summarize and read shit for the rest of my life!"
"Who told you that? You have to read everyday for the rest of your life, stupid." Harry teased as he bumped his shoulder into mine.
"I suddenly forgot how to read." I say and Harry unexpectedly burst into laughter.
"Let's make a deal," Harry says, the smallest smile I've ever seen from him is played on his lips. "If you finish this essay in an hour, I'll buy you something."
"No." I shake my head and back away from him.
"You didn't let me finish." Harry sighs, "And I'll do the rest of your assignments since we do have the same literature class."
I think about it for a moment; I only have half a page left to complete my two page summarization. Maybe with a little of Harrys help, I can weasel my way to a free dinner and no homework. "Deal."
-
"Bye Niall!" I shout as Niall walks away from Harry's car and into his apartment complex. Niall gives me one last wave before completely disappearing.
Niall wanted to join Harry and I for dinner tonight and I was actually very happy that he wanted to come. He made mostly all of the conversation at the table and make a few corny jokes that made me break out into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Niall also shared some things about his bromance with Harry. They have been friends for three years now and for a moment I thought they were even dating. And I have yet to tease Harry about it.
"Geez, you seem to like him more than you like me." Harry says as he drives towards our apartment complex.
"Maybe I do." I tease and eye Harry from the passenger seat. He lets out a deep chuckle and keeps his eyes on the road.
"You still have to do my homework!" I remind him and he rolls his eyes.
"Come on. I just paid for our lunch,"
"You said that if I finished my essay you will do my homework." I say. Sticking my tongue out at him as we hop out of the car and walk into the main entrance of our apartment building together.
"Still." Harry retorts, pressing the elevator doors open before stepping inside pressing our floors number.
"So you and Niall, huh?" I tease.
"Shut up."
The elevator doors open and we walk back to our apartments. I dig my keys out of my bag and shove them into the keyhole.
"Is everything alright now?" I ask Harry, referring to what happened with his mother a few weeks ago.
"Yeah, my mum left a few days after I crashed at your place. She agreed on not randomly visiting me without telling me first." He says as he turns the knob to his apartment, opening the door and I can't help but take a quick peek. It is all pitch black since the lights were flickered off the only thing I can see are the cream colored walls, matching the same color as my walls.
"Oh, I'm just happy that everything is alright now." I say. I don't know what has gotten into me. I am never this nice to one person.
"Me too. Well, I guess will see you later Ari." Harry says as he smiles, actually smiles.
"That's not my name!" I laugh.
"Whatever. Goodnight, Ariana, go to sleep." he waves me off and laughs.
"Goodnight, Harold." I retort, biting my lip to ensure I won't laugh. Harry walks back out of his apartment with a wide grin on his face.
"What did you just call me?"
"I said goodnight Harold."
Harry walks surprisingly close to me and my back hits the door to my apartment, his face inching closer to mine until he stops, about a few centimeters between our faces.
"Don't ever call me that again." He says. His hot breath fanning against my face, the faint smell of mint lingering off his breath.
"Whatever you say, Harold." I shove him back and he shakes his head, smiling, completely giving up.
"Stop it!"
"Bye Harold."
"Bye, Ariana." he says, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning back on his heels, walking towards his apartment. He walks into his apartment and shuts the door behind him and I can't help the warmness in my heart that Harry was actually able to smile all day today.
-
this chapter was so cheesy I love them so much
thank you for reading and I would just like to thank you for your incredible support so far because it truly means the world to me.
love u x