"Zahara, seriously, get the fuck up. This is just depressing," Lauren, my best friend and roommate, groans. She began to shake my tired body.
"No," I grumble, pulling myself into a tighter ball.
"But it's Monday!" she sighs. "We have a spin class, Zar,"
"Go without me, I'm tired," I sigh.
"Nope, nope, and nope." she says. "And not just because I hate going alone." Lauren adds, still shaking my body and poking me.
"I'm not going, Laur. My heads killing," I whine.
"Yes, because you drank an entire bottle of red to yourself last night." she says. I finally open my eyes, just to look at her and pout. "Look, whatever happened over the weekend, it's a new week-"
"Easy for you to say," I groan, huffing as I hauled myself to sit up.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she scoffs.
"You've had yet another stress-free, easy-going weekend with Mr Perfect," I say.
"Oh, stop being so bitter. You could have a relationship if you worked for it," Lauren huffs.
"Shut up," I hiss.
I didn't want a relationship. I couldn't have a relationship. They were stupid and set for failure, and I'd never find myself in one. Love was fake and relationships were a waste of time. You learn this, when you're the unloveable burden of your family.
"Come on. We're spinning whether you like it or not."
"No," I say. "Just let me wallow in self-pity,"
"Oh my god, you need to tell me what went down at that family party! This isn't good, Zar." Lauren sighs, pushing me back down onto the bed and laying down beside me. Her eyes were concernedly looking into my own.
"Nothing happened," I lie. I didn't enjoy lying to Lauren, but I also couldn't tell her about Daniel. I told Harry when he was a mere stranger to me. Lauren would hassle me to tell Salma, no doubt.
"That guy you went with-"
"Oh my god, just drop it, Laur." I groan, biting my lip in frustration.
"Tell me some more about him," she smiles. Ugh.
"Brown hair. Tall. I've already told you-"
"Details, Zahara. Please? We're best friends-"
"Fine," I groan.
I hadn't exactly said much to Lauren about him yet. I didn't see the need; he was merely doing me a favour. The other times we met were by coincidence. Nothing more.
"We had sex." I say.
"You hadn't before?"
"No," I mumble. "Did I tell you that he's the World Champion Boxer? Two years running," I say nervously, looking at her expression as the news unfolded.
"Zahara! What?" she gasps, her eyes wide as she sat up a little. "You never told me that! Why did you never-"
"It's not big deal, Laur. It's not like I'll be seeing him again-"
"Woah, woah. Why?" she says. "Why do you always do this, Zar? You spent the weekend with him. At your dysfunctional family's party. That has to count for something, right? Was he a dick?"
With a sigh, I pulled myself out from the bed and stood to my feet. I was in nothing but a pair of panties, but it was only Lauren. I didn't mind.
"I just needed a date so my extended family would shut the fuck up about me not having one," I scoff, walking towards the oversized windows in my room and cracking them open. I grabbed my cigarettes from the cabinet and lit one up.
"But you slept together?" Lauren asks, sounding confused.
"Yes, Laur. We slept together. Big whoop." I sigh, taking a drag from the cigarette.
"Can I have some?" Lauren asks softly, walking up behind me. I passed her the cigarette. "The neighbours can see your tits, you know?" she giggles.
"Wouldn't be the first time,"
"Harry wanted time see me again. I invited him over to mine after the brunch, which we left very early, but he hesitated, and then I realised; what the fuck was I doing? You know? Like, he's Harry fucking Styles and I'm literally a nobody. Then he started asking about seeing me soon, arranging something. It was stupid. I don't see why he did that." I ramble, shaking my head and furrowing my brows together. I took the cigarette back from Lauren and began to aggressively take drags from it.
"Zahara... he likes you." Lauren says carefully, taking finished cigarette from me and putting it in my bin.
"What? No he doesn't. He can't," I laugh. "Doesn't he know how messed up I am? Why would he like me after spending a weekend with my family? Besides, we hardly know one another. We've only spent a few days together," I ramble, words falling quickly as my mind began to race.
"Zahara, he likes you." she smirks. "'A few days', yeah. Every time you see him you spend all night with him. Or all day and night and day again. You've slept together. He went to your family shit with you. He likes you, idiot."
"H-he only went because he was trying to get laid. Typical man, really-"
"Call him."
"What?! Are you out of your mind?" I scoff. "He'll be busy. Besides, he's had enough time now to think of all of the reasons why he hates me-"
"If you don't call him right now, I will."
"You don't know his number," I say, rolling my eyes.
"No, but you do, and I know your phone password." she smirks.
"Lauren, don't."
"FaceTime him. You've got your tits out, I'm sure he'll love that." she winks.
"I'm getting dressed now." I huff, walking away to my drawers. I pull out an oversized tee and throw it over my body.
"Just think about it, okay?" she says. "Because you're the best and deserve hot, nice guys-"
"Get out, bitch." I laugh, ignoring her motivational speech. "I'll be ready to leave for spin in five,"
"Really?!" Lauren beams, a little squeal following.
"Yes," I groan. "Now leave, before I change my mind."
"Okay! Love you!"
"Love you," I chuckle.
Lauren left my bedroom, closing the door behind her. I chuckled to myself as I got myself changed into some black leggings and a white sports bra.
I decided to ignore everything Lauren had said, and decided to leave my phone at home. I needed a distraction, and I needed a good one.
-
"I am dying," Lauren pants, shaking her head as we left the spin building.
"I feel disgusted and soaked through-" I begin, but my voice becomes lost in my throat as a sight ahead of me causes all sense to be lost.
"Zar, what's up?" Lauren asks. From my peripheral vision, I notice her eyes trail to where mine were stuck.
And then, he saw me.
"Shit," I whisper. "Lauren, can we go another way?" I ask quickly.
"Is that-"
"Yes."
"With...?"
"She's called Gina." I say, quickly looking over the road to see that the two had now separated, because Harry was on his way over. No, no, no, no, no.
"Zahara, hey." Harry says once he had crossed the road. His frame became larger and large, until he was stood directly in front of Lauren and I.
"H-Hi." I stutter, looking down at the ground. "Um, I've actually got to go-"
"I'm Lauren!" Lauren says chirpily.
"Ah, the roommate!" Harry smiles. He extended his hand out for her to shake, which she did so easily.
"Not very gentlemanly to just abandon Gina like that," I scoff, shaking my head.
"She didn't want to come and say hi." Harry shrugs.
"Maybe because it's weird to hang out with two girls that you're sleeping with." I say, my tone unintentionally bitchy. Lauren nudges me.
"Just wanted to say 'hi', Zahara..." Harry mumbles.
"We've just been to a spin class!" Lauren says enthusiastically. "What are you up to, Harry?"
"Ah, nice. How was that?" he asks politely. "I'm just on a walk, gotta train for the day."
"It's not nice to lead Gina on, you know? You can't just sleep with me on the weekend and then see her the day after. It's disgusting." I spit.
"You're not the only person I've slept with, Zahara." Harry scoffs. "I'm single, I can do what I want." Harry says. Lauren nudged me, again.
"You're leading her on and you know it." I laugh dryly. "Oh, did you see her last night? Two girls in one day? Wow,"
"Zar," Lauren hisses.
"Just drop it, Zahara." Harry spits. "You wanted nothing to do with me yesterday, so don't act all high and mighty now."
"Guys, we're in public." Lauren says. "Harry, don't lead Gina on. It is gross to double-dip. Zahara, stop being a bitch."
"I'm going home." I huff, walking quickly away from the two of them.
"Zahara, wait!" I hear Harry call. I shake my head in anger to myself, picking up my step.
Stopping me in my tracks, I felt a hand grip onto my arm. I quickly turned around, coming face-to-face with Harry.
"What?" I groan. "Where's Lauren? Gina?"
"Lauren's just giving us a minute to talk. Gina was just leaving anyway,"
"What do you want?" I sigh.
"I want to talk to you. Why are you being so cold?" he asks. His hand falls from my arm, and his green eyes bore into my own.
"I'm not." I say, blinking to look away.
"Hey, what are the chances of us being in the same area again?" he smiles, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Is Gina your girlfriend, Harry?" I ask, the words falling from me without warning. "Because it's just- she hates when I'm around you. She leaves every time you speak to me. She's always with you, she's-"
"Just a friend." he says. "Who I sometimes sleep with."
"You're leading her on,"
"I know." he mumbles.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, okay?" I sigh.
"You can make it up to me by getting coffee with me tomorrow," he smiles cheekily.
"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea," I sigh.
"Why?" he says, his smile faltering.
"Because it isn't."
"Okay. See you at 1pm. Text me your address so that I can pick you up."
"And if I don't?" I challenge.
"I'll have to just accept that you hate me." he smiles.
"Okay," I nod. "I don't like you, though,"
"I know," he smiles, dimples poking through.
"Goodbye, Harry." I say. "Was Gina really leaving?"
"Yes, in a huff because she hates you."
"Oh, nice." I nod.
"I don't hate you, though."
"Gee, thanks," I scoff. "I'm gonna go,"
"Okay. You look beautiful, by the way." he says. I felt my cheeks blush gently.
"Oh fuck off, that loses all meaning when you've just been with your other fuck buddy,"
"You're not my fuck buddy." Harry shrugs.
"We can discuss that another time."
"Over coffee?" he smiles.
"Tomorrow, at 1pm." I smirk softly.
"See you then, Zahara." he smiles, before placing a little kiss to my cheek.
Harry turns back around, going back to where he came from, except minus the girl he was with. I wasn't sure how to feel, and there was no time to focus, because Lauren came running up to me, a large smile on her face.
"You guys just bump into one another so much!" she squeals.
"Okay," I chuckle.
"It's almost like fate!" she giggles.
"Did you miss the part where he was with another girl?" I laugh.
"Why does that bother you, hm?" she smirks.
"It doesn't," I scoff. "I'm just saying; hardly fate, Lauren."
"Okay," she sighs. "What did you guys talk about?"
"He wants to meet for coffee tomorrow."
"He does?!" she squeals.
"Yeah," I sigh. "I wasn't gonna go, but I might. Just to shut him up,"
"And because you want to," she smirks.
"No."
"Want to go get pancakes?" Lauren smiles.
"I'm not very hungry," I chuckle. "I could drink a smoothie, though."
"Okay! Let's go do that, then." she smiles.
Arms linked, we set off down the street to find a nearby cafe. There were plenty, so it wasn't exactly a hard task.
As we walked to grab smoothies, all my mind could think about was how good he smelt. How good he looked. And I hated it. I hated feeling pathetic, like putty at his fingertips. I hated what he was doing to me. Because he was the one who was going to end up hurt.