aster - Chapter 2: Chapter 2
You are reading aster, Chapter 2: Chapter 2. Read more chapters of aster.
(Y/N) misses Harry.
It had been a few days since Sarah's show, and as (Y/N) had very wrongly predicted at the time, she was most definitely not over Harry and had instead almost obsessed over the few slightly sweet moments they had. Especially in the particularly slow moments at the library—like now—, did she daydream about what she would hope to happen the next time they see each other.
In her head, he would have made a full one-eighty and been even sweeter than what he had showed at the gig. He'd give her a hug, a kiss on her cheek to make her blush, and would talk to her about anything and not just Sarah or Mitch or anyone that isn't themselves. Sarah had psyched her up just the tiniest bit the other night, causing her to think that maybe he had developed a teeny-tiny crush on her, too. (Although (Y/N) does admit—only to herself of course—that her itty-bitty crush she had on him before has most definitely grown much larger than itty-bitty). She would love for that to be reality and not just a fantasy of her's, but she also feels a shot of anxiety go through her at the idea of him reciprocating her feelings on any level.
She doesn't know how to be a girlfriend, or even a date, so what if she somehow got comfortable enough with him to be something more than just a tolerable person to him. What would she do then? She doesn't know how to kiss really (only having had a very juvenile kiss at her junior year homecoming with a guy her friends had said liked her, and feeling self conscious about being so behind romantically, she had allowed him to kiss her but very quickly broke it off when he tried to add his tongue), she doesn't know how to express her feelings very well, and who knows what else he'd expect of her. But that's only if—if!—he were to ever feel the same way about her.
As much as (Y/N) loves the library—and the money—, she really doesn't think she should be allowed to work when it isn't busy, seeing as she is now over-analyzing a relationship that isn't even real.
"(Y/N), your shift ended five minutes ago. Are you okay?" Her coworker, Avery, asked. (Y/N) hadn't even realized that it was time for her to go, being too caught up in her confusing feelings and overthinking.
"Oh, uh, yeah sorry. I didn't even realize what time it was. Is there anything you need me to do before I clock out?" (Y/N) offered. She knew there wasn't going to be anything that absolutely needed her attention before she left, seeing as there was only one person in the library, a boy she she recognizes from her criminal psychology class from last semester. He didn't even have any books out, or laptop which (Y/N) thought was odd seeing as people usually came here to study or do homework and he didn't seem to be doing either.
"No, you should head out, it's already pretty dark and it's supposed to keep getting colder tonight."
(Y/N) just nodded her head and collected her things at the front desk. She clocked herself out and said goodbye to Avery and headed towards the door.
It was 8:15 (she was supposed to be out at eight o'clock even but that didn't exactly go to plan), and (Y/N) was ready to just get back to her apartment and be alone for a little while and try to sort out her feelings as best she could. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the boy from her criminal psych class—who she vaguely remembers is named Reese—abruptly get up after seeing her exit from behind the front desk. He didn't even have to pack up his things as all he seemed to have was his phone, a pair of headphones, and a notebook that was left unopened. Soon enough he was only a few beats behind her.
(Y/N) knows he could be doing just about anything in the world, and just because he seemed to be leaving at the same time as her could mean nothing. He could have been waiting for someone that never showed, he could have been waiting for a ride, he could have been doing literally anything that has nothing to do with (Y/N), but blame it on her parents and the ingrained paranoia around boys they gave her, but she can't help but feel like this was all on purpose; like he was trying to corner her or something.
Her heart starts pumping a tiny bit f as she sees him near her from the corner of her eye. All she needs to do is get out the door before he can catch up and she'll be fine. Hopefully.
Just as she's about to push the door, a hand shoots out before her, pushing it open for her.
"There you go," Reese says, looking at (Y/N) with these suspiciously charming eyes and matching smirk.
"Uh, thanks," (Y/N) rushes, skirting past his arm and out the door and away from him. She walks f than she normally does, trying not to run in case he really was just trying to be nice and she just ends up looking crazy.
But she wishes she had just ran.
"Hey, why don't you let me walk you home? Since it's late and all. I'd feel so guilty if I left you all alone in the dark like this," he calls to her. The polite girl her parents pushed her to be shined through as she replies back with a no, thanks and keeps walking, although the rational woman that values her safety above manners knows she should have kept quiet and kept going.
"It's not like I'm a stranger or anything. We had criminal psychology together, right? I read your essays and you're pretty smart. (Y/N), right?" He tried again, coming up and walking alongside her although she declined.
"I'm fine, really, I have to go a few places before I go home anyway. But thank you," she tries again, making up some lie about how she had anywhere other than her bedroom to be.
"Actually, I overheard you talking to that other girl earlier about how you couldn't wait to just go home. That you were so happy that you had finished all your papers a week early and had nothing left to do today," he challenges, the friendly tone he's been using vanishes.
"I-uh-" (Y/N) was cut off by the boy grabbing at her waist and wrapping his arm around her midsection. A harsh pinch is placed on her side as he speaks up again.
"So since you're free, why don't you come over to my place, yeah?" He has her stopped in the middle of the sidewalk with no cars driving past and no people out and about, trying to turn her around in what she assumes is the direction of his house.
"No, I-I just really want to go home, and my-uh-my roommate is expecting me and just—please stop, you're hurting me!" She speaks up, his fingers harshly digging into her side and causing these tiny tears to form on her waterline and her voice to crack. She stiffened her arms out in front of her, pushing against him to get out of his grip.
"Just follow me and st-"
He's abruptly cut off by the sound of someone shouting. "Hey, mate, what do you think you're doing?!"
(Y/N) knows that voice, she's been thinking about it for the past three days straight.
Harry.
"Just talking to my girl, man, she's just being a bit fussy. Guess it's time to get you home so you can go to bed, huh, love?" Reese tries to cover, taking ahold of (Y/N) again and stabbing his fingers into her hipbone to coerce her into playing along.
Harry comes closer now, and if (Y/N) wasn't so scared at the moment, she's sure her eyes would turn to the shape of hearts with how good he looks; her little daydreams didn't do him any justice.
"Is that right, (Y/N)? I didn't know y'had a boyfriend," Harry challenged, speaking only to (Y/N) to give her a way out. His arms folded in front of him, his shoulders squared up to take any type of route it took to get (Y/N) out of the situation.
"No-I-I don't know him. Harry, I-" she was cut off by the feeling of Reese beside her squeezing her side tight enough that (Y/N) was sure she'll have bruises tomorrow.
Harry took a step forward placing his hand out for her to take. "C'mere, get behind me."
(Y/N) used all her might to get out Reese's embrace, pulled closer to Harry with the help of his outstretched hand. She barricaded herself behind like as he suggested, hiding herself from view.
"Mate, c'mon, find your own. I've been waiting for this one," Reese presses, taking a step forward and reaching around to try and catch a grip on her.
Harry didn't say anything back, just pushing at Reese's chest to hold him back. "Hey, watch it. Just leave her alone, she's not going with you." His voice definitive, like he was drawing the line for this boy not to cross. Harry delivered a shove against his chest, causing Reese to stumble back a bit.
"She's not even worth it, mate. I heard she's a prude anyway so you can have her," he spits, turning away and leave Harry and (Y/N) behind finally. Harry waits until Reese is a good ways away before he finally turns to see (Y/N) shaking like a leaf.
A concerned look paints his face, causing his brows to furrow and a pout to form and his lip ring to droop in response. "Are you alright?" he breathed out, showing more emotion in that one breath than she'd ever seen from him. He takes a step back from her, allowing him to get a better look at her and give her some space he thinks she might want.
"Thank you s-so much, Harry. I-I was so scared and he was hurting me and just didn't think I would get away," she rambles, on the verge of tears. She pulls the sleeves of her thin, pink shirt down over her hands to prepare for the tears she knows are bound to come down.
"Of course, y'don't have to thank me at all, would've done that whether I knew you or not. 'M so sorry. Do y'want to go report it to campus police or go to the real police? Whichever y'want, we can do," Harry speaks softly to her, trying to keep her as calm as he can while still trying to figure out what's next for her.
"I don't think they can really do too much for me. He didn't really break any laws or code of conduct or whatever it's called. I-I just want to go home." That's when she started really crying. The reality of what could have happened if Harry hadn't shown up starts to sink in for her.
Harry lets out a sad sigh, his tongue peeking out and messing with his lip ring out of habit. He hesitantly reaches a hand towards her, not really knowing how to comfort her, someone he hadn't been exactly the nicest to but he wasn't cold-hearted or anything. Seeing a crying girl got to him, it made him think of his mother and sister. (Y/N) felt his hand wrap around her wrist. Although being wary of contact from boys (in general from her parents and also because of what just happened), she felt herself latch on to that bit of contact.
She all but threw herself into his arms without a thought. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, feeling a bit tense from the suddenness of her motions. She knew she probably threw him off, this isn't something she would do in any clear state of mind; contact with boys who weren't necessarily the nicest weren't on the top of her list. But this is just a moment for her. Harry's basically turned into her version of her tattooed knight in nail polish and eyeliner. And, surprisingly, he was very good at this, and she was very grateful of that. His arms felt strong around her, his heartbeat steadying. His shushing and overall calming tone of his voice was something she never really got growing up with her parents. He was just so comforting. If she had half the mind to think of anything other than the most dreadful possibilities of what could be happening to her now if she wasn't with him, she'd be wondering about how someone like Harry who seemed so tense and always moody and broody, would be good at something so emotionally taxing. But now is not the time.
(Y/N) pulled herself out of Harry's embrace, although she loved the feeling of his tattooed arms around her, she felt kind of embarrassed (she knew she shouldn't, but it's just something her parents pushed on her, emotion wasn't something you showed openly) to just be crying out in the open like that. What would someone think if they saw her having a crying fit on the public sidewalk? She'll save the rest of it for when she gets back home, she decides.
"Can you take-take me home?" She hiccuped, wiping away any left over tears.
"Yeah, I can walk you," Harry offers, his body still tense and alert for any signs of a flip of emotions in her.
"I just don't want to be alone in the dark like this right now, I'm sorry," (Y/N) apologized (unnecessarily, Harry thinks).
"Hey, don't be sorry, okay? I completely understand why y'need that right now. Now let's get y'home," Harry reassures her, placing a hand gently in her bicep and squeezing a tiny bit. (Y/N) just nodded her head, keeping her eyes and face towards the ground so he didn't see her flushed cheeks from his touching.
On the walk to her apartment, (Y/N) learned that Harry had just locked up his tattoo shop for the night when he had heard her yelling which caused him to intervene.
"Do you usually work this late?" Harry asked, being the eyes for both of them as she's too busy looking at her shoes and messing with her nails—both nervous ticks he's sure—to be watching where they were walking.
"Kind of. I can only work the later shifts since most of my classes are in the morning," (Y/N) answers, looking up at Harry for the briefest second to see him already looking at her before adverting her gaze.
"Since y'know where the shop is now, if y'want, come by after your late shifts so y'don't walk alone. This isn't going to happen again," Harry offers, a clench in his jaw evident in his speech towards the end.
"Y-yeah, I'd like that."
—————
Harry gets her home just around nine. Sarah was just about flipping out when (Y/N) hadn't returned home a half hour before that. (Y/N) knows they start talking about her when she goes to the bathroom and starts washing her face and getting more comfortable. She can tell by the hushed voices and the gasps coming from Sarah, she even hears Sarah thank Harry before (Y/N) returns from her bedroom now in her pajamas.
Harry's the first to talk to her as Sarah seemed to not know what to say now that she knew why they had been so late. "Feeling a bit better now?" Harry asks, standing up from his leaning position again the kitchen counter.
(Y/N) nods her head, distracting herself with the ties in her sweatpants. Her heart squeezed for a moment at the sound of the genuine concern she heard in his voice.
"Good, that's good. 'M going to head home then myself. If there isn't anything else y'needed?" Harry prompted, stepping closer to her, his arms folded in concern.
"I-I think I'm okay. Sarah can help if I need anything, right?" (Y/N) starts, peeking around him to see Sarah nod her head, "Are you going to be okay walking in the dark?"
Harry could feel his heart warm the slightest bit at the genuine concern dripping from her words. She's just too cute for her own good; for his good either. Much too sweet after how he's acted before tonight, after what's happened to her. She's still got the mind to wonder if Harry, the type of person that others are scared of on their walks home, would be okay walking in the dark. Too adorable.
"Yeah, 'm sure I'll be fine, but thank you for asking. Can I ask something of y'before I go?" A half tilted smirk on his face that was the closest thing (Y/N)'s seen to a smile from him.
(Y/N) eagerly nods her head, ready to repay him in any way she could.
"Could y'put your number in my phone? Jus' in case y'need to get ahold of me or to let me know if you're coming by the shop?" Harry asks, already slipping his phone out of his back pocket.
(Y/N) stutters out an agreement, having never been asked for her number by a boy before, grabbing his outstretched phone. She quickly puts in all her information, not being bold enough to put any cute emojis or anything next to her name like she's sure many other girls would have done. Harry sent her a quick text, just so she would have his number as well before putting his phone away.
"Alright, 'm going to head home, then," Harry started, giving her the same half tilted smirk before turning towards Sarah and giving her a hug. He offered (Y/N) a wave (she kind of was also expecting a hug, but maybe he spent all the contact he could give tonight) before heading towards the door. "Goodnight."
Harry let himself out, Sarah following behind him to lock the door before turning to (Y/N) with the saddest eyes she thinks she's ever seen Sarah have.
"I'm so sorry, (Y/N). If there's any-"
"I'm really fine Sarah, he didn't do anything to me I'm just shaken up. But thank you... Would it be okay if I cried a little bit?"
"Oh, (Y/N), of course."
And they just sat on the couch for another hour, letting (Y/N) get everything out and Sarah comforting her the best she can. Sarah sent her to bed soon after, telling her she needed to get some sleep and promising that tomorrow they would skip their morning classes and have a proper breakfast together.
(Y/N) laid in her bed, draining the last few stray tears she had before she finally fell asleep. Just as she wiped away that last of her sadness, her phone vibrated on her nightstand.
Harry
Sleep well. Let me know if you need anything.
(Y/N) thinks she could feel each individual muscle in her body relax after reading that.
—————
Harry kind of thinks he's a little fucked.
He hasn't seen (Y/N) in about a week or so now, but he just can't get her out of his head. Although their last meeting wasn't on the best of circumstances, he just can't get the look of her wet, doe eyes out of his head, the feel of her soft, pretty body in his arms off his mind. He's never been really a soft type of guy; sure he can make friends fairly easy and he isn't just an asshole to strangers on the street, but overall he's just a bit more closed off than most people. But this girl, this sweet, innocent girl is just cracking him.
He's never been much of a protector, having fended for himself for a good while, he doesn't see how others can't do it, too. For (Y/N), though, he feels like he's got to! At the show when she just sat there when he left to go be with Mitch, he couldn't just leave her alone, who knows what could have happened! And then she's just jumping and bouncing around, bound to fall at one point, and—of course—she did and he couldn't just let her fall down and hurt herself, so he had to make sure she was steady and let her know to be careful. The last time, though? That was something different. He'd have done that for anyone really, but the fact that it was (Y/N) just really got to him.
From what Sarah had explained to him the few times they had talked about her before they met, he knew she didn't have much of a history with being around boys or any type of romantic history. And the fact that one of the few times she has an interaction with a boy, its him pushing her around and trying to do something to her that she doesn't want. It just really got to him.
As much as he wants to be that protector and that man in her life that would take care of her, he just doesn't know how. He doesn't know how to be all sweet on a girl, or be the type of person that he'd envision her to be with. And he's just also kind of confused. He isn't usually into girls like her. He wasn't lying when he said she wasn't his type. He usually is one for girls who are assertive and make the first move; more outspoken, and up front about what they want and what they don't want. Not to say he likes "bad" girls, but he does like the badass type of girls that traditionally look like they'd go with him. So he's pretty confused to be feeling this way about someone so out of the norm for him.
She reminded him of the girls he grew up with in grade school. All these pristine little girls who didn't know the first thing about being kind. It only ever started when his parents got divorced, and he knows that the teasing from those girls weren't from them (at least he knows that now), but it's just things they had heard their parents say and gossip about. It still hurt his feelings nonetheless. But (Y/N) isn't like that. She's so kind and sweet, and he's given her so many reasons to be anything but that, but she just keeps her smile on her face and keeps trying. She may look like these girls but she's nothing like them. He just got stuck on her and all of her softness. She's all soft colors, and soft looks, and soft hair, and soft eyes, and she does this thing when he catches her looking at him where her cheeks just light up and she flutters her lashes and looks away real fast, and she—
He's just fucked, okay!
The way he copes with this is something he doesn't entirely enjoy doing really, but it's almost like a reflex. He starts getting all annoyed and frustrated with her (mostly because he just wants to make sure she's safe and careful and she doesn't do herself too many favors in that department) and he says things he doesn't really mean. He feels like some school boy who has a crush and is mean to her because be doesn't know how to express it. But he's not a twelve year old boy, he's a business owner, a real, grown man who doesn't know how to handle his own feelings. And it's slightly embarrassing.
He hasn't seen her in a week and he just wants to text her and call her and see what she's doing and just see her again, but he stops himself everytime knowing that although in his head he'd be the sweet boyfriend type, he knows that what would really happen is he'd see her or hear her voice and short circuit and just turn into some frustrated asshole. He knows who he is alone, but when he see her he turns into someone new. So he'll just leave her at arm's length.
At least until he heard the buzz from his phone on his workstation at the shop.
Sarah
Hey, H! I just wanted to let you know that I have a show this coming Thursday with that band again. There's going to be an after party at the singer's house, too. (Y/N), Clare, and Mitch are coming and Adam said he'll be bartending, so everyone's going to be there, and it'd be cool if you come, too!!
Harry knows good and well that Sarah made a point to list out the group of them, just to say that (Y/N) was going to be there. He knows that Mitch definitely saw through his pushing her away and he probably relayed that message to Sarah, so he knew the game she was playing. He did appreciate it, though. He'd never tell them, but he does. It was nice knowing that they supported the thought of Harry being there for her, and gave him opportunities to make it happen. So he's going to take it.
Sure. Just let me know when and where.
—————
When Thursday rolled around, Sarah and Mitch both left early again leaving (Y/N) to fend for herself for a couple of hours. Since the last gig, Clare had been able to get her car all fixed up and was going to take her tonight. Although she breathed a sigh of relief at the information, she could feel all the butterflies fluttering in her tummy disappear when she realized she wouldn't have any alone time with Harry this time around. Not only that, but apparently he can only make it to the after party, so there's no chance of him being all sweet on her like he was before.
But it'll still be fun! And this time around she won't have to be on her toes thinking about how she's being flanked by two boys, and people she doesn't even know. And she'll still see him afterwards so it's all okay.
Clare
I'm on my way now, I'll let you know when I'm outside!
(Y/N) answered back with a simple okay and a smiley face before gathering all her things and finishing up getting ready before Clare arrived.
Just as she finished pinning her hair back, (Y/N)'s phone buzzed, not once but twice. Before she could even open them, a third buzz came.
Clare
I'm outside, whenever you're ready!
(Y/N) finished up, sending a message saying she was on her way down, before putting on her jacket and locking up the apartment. Once outside, she quickly spotted Clare's car, and hopped in the passenger seat.
"Hey, Clare!" (Y/N) greeted, leaning over the center console and giving her a hug. She pulled away quickly, allowing Clare to start pulling out of the parking lot of the complex, and on the way to the venue.
"Hey! How have you been? Its really nice to see you again," she reciprocated, a smile on her face.
The two started conversation, a major difference compared to when she was with Harry the last time. Although it was nice, she did miss listening to all the music he picked out and put together, and just overall being in his presence no matter if it was headache inducing sometimes. As Clare was telling her about this new business venture she was considering, (Y/N) took a moment to check the two texts she missed when leaving the house.
Safe to say (Y/N) was surprised at having to still fend off an asthma attack when she wasn't even in Harry's presence.
Harry
Get to the venue safely, please. Let me know when you and Clare make it.
I'll see you at the party tonight. Have fun at the show. Be careful.
She never thought she'd say this, but she can't wait for this party.
—————
The two had made it just in time to get to the very front of the crowd with Mitch. (Y/N) took a moment to message Harry back, that they had gotten there just fine. All he sent back was a simple good leaving (Y/N) much too excited over single word text.
Just like the last time, (Y/N) really had the time of her life. The vibe was full of adrenaline, the lights flashing to the beat, the floor thumping from the bass, and just the feel of the place was just as amazing as the time before. Sarah was amazing, as expected, and (Y/N) loved seeing her best friend up there doing what she does best. It was also an added little bit of fun having Clare next to her. They jumped around and screamed, and pretended to know the words to all of these songs together. She was able to relax. Tonight had to have been one of the best nights (Y/N)'s ever had.
When the set ended they waited for Sarah and Mitch to come back from the breakdown.
"You did amazing, Sarah!" (Y/N) cheered, rushing to give Sarah a hug as she emerged from the back room.
"Thank you, guys!" Sarah said, reciprocating her hug before moving to Clare. (Y/N) moved to gather all of her stuff she left at the bar with Adam.
She waited as the three of them all talked amongst themselves, bouncing on her feet. She's sure she looked like a giddy child, waiting for someone to say it was time to go to this after party. She just really wanted to see Harry.
"(Y/N), what are you so excited about?" Sarah asked, a knowing tone to her voice as she realized what had (Y/N) all quiet.
"Nothing! Are you guys ready to go to that party?" She quickly asked. She's not very good at playing off her excitement.
"Are you sure you aren't all excited to see Harry?" A song-song, teasing tone entered Sarah's voice as she said Harry's name. (Y/N) knew she was caught, but she didn't want to just admit so freely, almost embarrassed at how excited she was to see him.
"I just think it would be even more fun with all of us together," (Y/N) tried to cover, offering an unconvincing smile. All Sarah did was playfully roll her eyes and nod her head. Clare even had a knowing little look her face, which (Y/N) didn't expect but she should have figured she would have caught on, especially after how (Y/N) mentioned Harry an unnecessary amount of times on the car ride over. Mitch pretended not to know a thing, but (Y/N) knows he much more aware of what's going on than he likes to admit, so she's sure he knows.
To waste a bit of time to let the party get into full swing as Clare put it, Sarah went ahead and changed out of her performance clothes. Adam also took his time cleaning up and closing down the bar as the attendants filtered out, before the five of them all left the venue. Sarah, Mitch, and Adam all went in Sarah's car, with (Y/N) and Clare in the other.
Clare followed behind Sarah, leaving the next twenty minutes to the singer's house for (Y/N) to anticipate seeing Harry.
"You really like him, huh?" Clare asked out of the blue.
"What do you mean?" (Y/N) asked, genuinely confused at where she was coming from.
"Harry. You really like him, I can tell. You're bouncing around in the seat like you've got to use the bathroom or something," Clare joked, keeping her eyes on the road.
"I—...He's just really nice and stuff," (Y/N) timidly explained. She felt like a little girl admitting she had a crush on a boy in her kindergarten class.
"He's only really nice like that to you, you know. You really bring something out of him, from what I hear. I can see why you're excited to see him. I'm sure he really wants to see you, too." Clare was able to do the same thing that Sarah can, making (Y/N) feel normal and like her feelings weren't that of a child's. It was very nice to think that she wasn't just making up these moments with him in her head, and that other people could see it too.
"You think so?"
"Definitely."
—————
After going down a winding side road, Clare pulled up behind Sarah on a long driveway, to a lone house. All these cars were parked outside, but it wasn't anything like (Y/N) had imagined from all of the movies she's seen. There weren't these crazy technicolor lights flashing from the windows, with bass heavy music vibrating the ground and bouncing the house. She could hear some faint music, and from what she could see, some regular colored lights. It looked nice, like a "grown up" party.
"Ready?" Clare asked. All of her things were gathered up into her hands, and she was about to turn the car off.
"Yeah, I-I think so," (Y/N) stuttered. The fact that this was a party had flown over her head in the excitement of seeing Harry. Once she remembered that fact, all of her nerves she's been able to fight off through the night, just reemerged and awakened the butterflies in her tummy.
Sarah, Mitch, and Adam all got out of Sarah's car, letting Clare and (Y/N) catch up before moving towards the front door. (Y/N) couldn't help but scan through the parked cars, hoping to spot Harry's. Finally she did spot his black Range Rover parked towards the back of the house, and the butterflies flapped harder.
Once inside, she saw that the lights she thought were just the regular ceiling lights were actually strings and strings of fairy lights brightening up the room. Two different songs were coming from different rooms in the house; upstairs a song with amateur vocals played causing (Y/N) to think that, maybe, it was karaoke, and the downstairs had a more professional sounding song filtering through loud speakers. Everyone was milling about some with drinks in their hands, others with water. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and (Y/N) was excited that this could be her first party and not some weird, teenage house party where everyone was on edge from the fear of getting busted by the police.
And Harry was here. She didn't know where exactly, but she knew he was here somewhere.
Sarah started off in her own direction, and the group of them followed. She went to greet the singer of the band who had thrown the party, while Adam decided to be the first one to break away and start talking to people he had recognized from the bar. (Y/N) stuck to Clare's side, following behind her as she went around and talked to some of the people and friends she knew from the band. She would introduce (Y/N) to people, bringing her into the conversation as much as she could but she was preoccupied.
Her eyes scanned the room looking for Harry, trying to find any glimpse of an arm full a tattoos, or even a wisp of a curl, just anything to show where he was.
And she did find that tattooed arm. It just happened to be around another girl. And she looked exactly like what she would think Harry would consider his type. She had clusters of tattoos (not as many as Harry but enough for (Y/N) to wince at the thought of sitting through them), and these pretty, colorful streaks through her bright blonde hair. And she was pretty and cool and she was everything that complimented Harry. And he had his arm around her.
She shouldn't feel hurt, and she knows that but... she just is. Even though she had no claim over him, and she never told him of her feelings for him. She knows she's not really the girlfriend type; she's too clueless as to how to be in a relationship and she knows that's not what Harry wants. He deserves someone like this girl who seemed to cool and confident. She clung to him without a shadow of worry of whether or not he felt the same, like she knew they belonged together. She knows she has no right to be upset. It just hurt to see him with someone after how softly he had treated her the last time they had been together and just from all the texts he had sent before tonight. (Y/N) also let it run through her mind that maybe, possibly this was nothing more than a friendly little gesture and she was overreacting on more than one front, but the idea of this being a display of affection from a couple was too upsetting to consider anything else at the moment.
"Hey, you okay?" Clare called, breaking her from her thoughts. The concerned look on her face becoming more prevalent when she could see the sad, puppy eyes (Y/N) was sure she was giving.
"Um, yeah. I just have a headache from the lights and music and all, you know? I'll be fine," she lied. Now wasn't the time to complain about a guy who definitely wasn't her boyfriend.
"Okay... Let me know if you need to leave or anything okay?" Clare offered, setting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing. (Y/N) gave her a genuine smile at the support and kept quiet.
After watching Harry for a beat longer (she honestly felt quite creepy), she didn't want to see how he was flirting with this girl anymore, instead opting to excuse herself to the kitchen, citing a need for water. Clare offered to go with her, but (Y/N) declined as she just wanted to be alone for a moment.
The kitchen was empty, no fairy lights in here, just the regular ceiling light. Stacks of red Solo cups were on the counter next to various bottles of alcohol. (Y/N) grabbed one for herself, filling it with water from the tap. Away from the noise outside, she leaned her back against the counter, taking a moment to soak in her feelings and somehow teach herself to get over it in three seconds.
After her few minutes alone, someone else entered the kitchen with her. She vaguely recognized him from the crowd at the show, standing towards the side. He didn't seem to be watching the show so much as looking at the other attendants.
"Hey, aren't you Sarah's friend?" he asks over the full thumping from the music just outside the door. He reaches for a solo cup and fills it with different colored alcohol and juices.
"Um, yeah," she answers, surprised that he knew anything about her, "Are you friends with her, too?"
"Yeah, kind of. I help set up for the shows. I'm actually good friends with the regular drummer. I saw you at the show tonight, you looked like you were having a good time," he smiled, coming around the kitchen island to stand next to her.
"Yeah, it was a really good show," she started shrinking herself away from him as he got closer to her. She didn't really know him and she still loved her personal space no matter how adventurous she's been.
"I'll have to let them all know that," he said with a suspiciously dazzling smile on his face, bumping his shoulder against her's, "what are you drinking?"
(Y/N) scooted herself away from him the slightest bit before answering, "Just water."
"Aw, why? I can fix you up something if you want. I'm actually a really good bartender. I know how to make all those fruity drinks you girls like," he offered, closing the distance that she had created.
"I—I don't really drink, but thank you," she declined. She set down her now empty water cup, and started slowly skirting towards the swinging door of the kitchen. He reached out and caught into her arm before she could get too far away.
"Are you sure? You look like you've had a rough night," he pressed, pulling her back towards him, "if you really don't want anything like that, I can just get you some juice or pop or something, if you'd like."
His handling of her had (Y/N) reminiscing of the last time she was cornered by a guy she didn't know. Although he seemed much nicer than Reese—less creepy, more of a "nice guy"—she still didn't really much want to spend time with him. (She also didn't think her broken-hearted, puppy dog look was that obvious, but apparently it was).
But her parents didn't raise an impolite girl, now did they?
"I—okay." He had already pulled a cup off the stack and started rummaging through different juices and things in the fridge. At this point a no wasn't going to be of any use anyway, she figured.
"Did you want a pop or juice?" he questioned, looking back at her from the pen door of the fridge.
"Um, cranberry juice?" If she was going to have a drink, might as well have it be something she actually likes, right? He gave her a nod and another much-too-dazzling smile and started pouring her a cup of juice.
She took the silent time to try and send a text to Clare or Sarah to let them know where she was and that she wanted to leave. Unfortunately, she didn't miraculously connect to the WiFi she didn't have the password to, so nothing was going through.
"Alright, here you go. Are you sure you didn't want anything else?" He offered, handing her the new cup. He slid up next to her again, leaning on the counter the way he had before.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you."
"Now, what's got you all gloomy lookin'?" He asked, slinging a—very unwanted—arm around her shoulders. (Y/N) very subtly shrugged off the arm, using the excuse of moving her arm to take a drink of her cranberry juice.
Just as she was about to take a sip, Harry came through the kitchen doorway. (Y/N) half expected the girl she saw him with to be following behind him, but she didn't which was very appreciated, (Y/N) thought. He looked like the same intimidating man she had met that first time, very neutral and cool, but that was until he saw her. As soon as their eyes met, his entire expression changed. Gone was the indifferent expression, now replaced with a pair of furrowed brows and a tensed jaw. His whole body seemed to go rigid when he saw her. She could see his eyes go from her, to the arm around her, and to who the arm belonged to.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
He probably came in here to get his girlfriend a drink and now somehow (Y/N)'s pissed him off. (Y/N) didn't have a moment to respond before Harry had his arm wrapped around her waist and was tugging her out of his arms and out of the kitchen. He pulled her through the living room and out the door. Still without a word, he took her to his car and opened the door for her and setting her inside before moving to his own side.
It wasn't until he had backed out of the driveway and was out on the main road before (Y/N) decided to say something.
"Are you okay?" She questioned, her gaze down on her nails where she was picking.
She stole a glance towards him, seeing his tensed shoulders, locked jaw, and white knuckles from his grip on the steering wheel. He looked so scary, and just angry, he looked like a completely different person than she had seen the week before. Sure, she knew he probably wouldn't make a complete one-eighty and be all clouds, and rainbows, and sparkles to her, but maybe she thought that he wouldn't yell at her first chance he got. It was like he wasn't even the same person. He didn't look like the same soft boy that gently took care of her and made sure she was okay before reluctantly leaving her that night.
The black on his nails now finally chipping a week later. His eyeliner smudged for the first time she's seen, also very different than the boy she's known before tonight. His lip ring was fit snug between his lips, moving from the motions of his tongue. He still looked like the cute, intimidating boy she developed that crush on, just really, really mad. Still cute though, but maybe now wasn't the time.
"No." His monotone reply pulled her out of her admiring of him, causing her to move her gaze to her nails to mess with them.
Usually people just said yes to that question, no matter if it was the truth not, so Harry's blunt honesty really threw her off.
"I'm sorry," she offered, her tone soft and truly apologetic. Harry said nothing in return, just silently driving them back into the direction of home.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that she tried to talk to him again. "I'm sorry for whatever I did that made you mad. I—I didn't mean to," she apologized, she wasn't sure for what, but usually when Harry gets mad it's because of something she did.
"Do you even know who that was? Did you even watch him make that drink he gave you?" he asked, already knowing the answer, but surely he just was asking to make (Y/N) feel embarrassed.
"He said that he was friends with the other drummer and—and that he helps set up for the shows, but I didn't ask what his name was." Her voice was small and timid, almost like she was trying to shrink herself from the inside out for him. If he was aiming to get embarrassment from her, he was definitely achieving it. She felt like she was getting reprimanded from her parents all over again. It reminded her of the times they would come and pick her up from school and the brother of another student, there to pick up their sister, would unknowingly be standing too close to her and as soon as she got in the car she would get the lecture of her life about trusting boys too freely. (One of their favorite lines was "we raised you better than that", usually followed by a threat of homeschooling since they apparently couldn't trust her, even at an all girls school). It wasn't a good feeling. Especially from Harry.
"If you had paid attention at all, you'd know that he has nothing to do with that band. He's just some creep that shows up to parties around here and tries to get girls to sleep with him," Harry started, his tone even and unwavering, "He wasn't even at the first show, (Y/N). Did you even see him 'help' with the set up tonight?"
"I'm sorry, Harry...I just don't really go to parties and stuff. I—I thought he was trying to be nice. He gave me juice and was ask—asking me how I was," (Y/N) explained, the nail polish on her nails chipping from her messing.
"I can never leave you by yourself! I always have to babysit you because you can't seem to take care of yourself! You fall for anything anybody says to you!" This was the first time she's actually heard him raise his voice, even after all the times he's gotten frustrated with her and even almost got into a fight the last time she saw him. He hadn't gotten mad at her like this, actually yelling at her. How he went from speaking so calmly (although very bitingly) to this, was something she couldn't fathom.
(Y/N) didn't bother to respond, feeling like a reprimanded puppy. A thin sheen of tears collected on her eyes, pooling into her waterline as she looked towards her lap in an effort to hide them. She tried her hardest to just shrink herself down into nothing so she wouldn't have to sit there and hear this from him anymore. She didn't want him to see her as a child that had to be babysat and put in time out for breaking rules. She wanted him to see her as a confident and cool girl that could take care of herself. She wanted him to see her like he saw that cool blonde girl from before.
Harry let out a sigh after she soaked in her feelings for a moment. "Hey, 'm sorry. I didn't mean that, I jus' get frustrated sometimes. I don't think y'realize what people are really thinking around you."
"I—um—it's fine. You're right, I don't have much experience with people. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you babysit me," she apologized—again—,her voice watery. If she were to be taking a running tally from the last twenty minutes, (Y/N) sure she must have apologized at least one hundred times. Harry's body visibly softens at the last bit; his knuckles relax, his jaw unclenches, and his shoulders soften.
"I didn't mean that. Y'can take care of yourself just fine, 'm jus' being a prick. 'M working on being nicer, and being less of a dick to you. Especially after the last time I saw you," he explained, the mention of last week causing him to tense back up for a moment. "It made me sad seeing y'cry and everything. I don't want to make y'anywhere near that upset, so 'm working on it. Promise."
All (Y/N) did in response was nod, and offer him a small smile, her tears effectively falling back. There was nothing she could think to say to that. Hearing him apologetic like this wasn't something she thought she'd ever hear, and then to tack on him being sweet on her, too? Even after his sweet texts and the gentle way he handled her a week ago, couldn't have prepared her for his words now.
They both stayed in silence again, listening to a different playlist than last time. It seemed to be full of sweet ballads of love and soft instrumentals. The title of this one only had a date, nothing clever like the last one. (Y/N) decided to focus on what that date might have been instead of thinking about his words any longer. The vision of the girl wrapped in his arms enough ammo to ward off the daydreams of a relationship and the fleeting idea of him reciprocating her feelings.
A few songs later (very pretty songs (Y/N) is probably going to add to her own library tonight, she thinks), they pull up in front of her apartment complex. Harry puts the car in park before looking over towards her, his body turning with him.
"'M sorry for ending your night early. I—I just don't think I could've left y'there," he started, more apologies leaving his lips, "and for all the shouting and all...I guess I'll see y'around?"
"It's really okay, Harry. I'm not mad. Maybe we'll all get together again soon," (Y/N) accepted, hoping that what she said was true and that they'd see each other again under better circumstances.
She began feeling around her seat, grabbing her phone and looking for her purse. Her purse that had her keys. Her keys that would allow her into her apartment.
But.
She couldn't find it. At all.
That's when she realized that through the jitters of looking for Harry at the party, she had left everything but her phone in Clare's car: her purse, her keys, her sunglasses, and her favorite pink scrunchie.
"Y'alright?" Harry asked, breaking her out of her silent panic.
"I left all my things in Clare's car," she breathed out, running a hand through her hair before putting her face in her hands. "I-I don't know what to do. I'm sorry you drove all the way here for nothing."
Harry offered no response, just sitting along with her to the tune of his dated playlist. (Y/N) popped up from her hunched position, looking to see Harry still in his turned position, looking off with a blank look in his face with his lip ring snug between his lips. "I'll just call Sarah and wait for her to come back. I don't want to waste anymore of your night. Thank you for driving me ho-."
(Y/N) was cut off by Harry (very rudely, (Y/N) thinks) turning away from her and pulling the car out of park and into drive. Without saying anything, he pulled away from the curb in front of the building and started the opposite direction they came from.
"W-what are you doing? Where are we going?" (Y/N) usually feels quite safe—nervous, but always safe—with Harry, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared right now. She knows Harry wouldn't hurt her, but who know what he's up to especially after she made him so mad earlier, he could just be lying saying it was okay, she's probably overthi-
"'M taking y'to my place. 'M not letting y'sit outside in the dark waiting for Sarah to come home," Harry explained, glancing towards her for a moment before continuing, "Unless, that's not what y'want. I can take y'back to the party or something, if that's better."
"No, it's fine. We can just go to—uh—your house. But only if you're okay with it, I don't want to, like, intrude." Her voice came out rushed towards the end, a nervous feeling taking over at the thought of her actually going to a boy's house. And to make it even more nerve-wracking, it's Harry's house. With Harry's things. And Harry. Alone.
That's a lot of pressure.
Or she could just force him to drive all the way back to that lone house, just to pick up her purse that Sarah could just bring home with her later.
"'M offering, don't worry."
Now (Y/N) had all of ten minutes to properly—and subtly—freak out about her current predicament.
It had been a few days since Sarah's show, and as (Y/N) had very wrongly predicted at the time, she was most definitely not over Harry and had instead almost obsessed over the few slightly sweet moments they had. Especially in the particularly slow moments at the library—like now—, did she daydream about what she would hope to happen the next time they see each other.
In her head, he would have made a full one-eighty and been even sweeter than what he had showed at the gig. He'd give her a hug, a kiss on her cheek to make her blush, and would talk to her about anything and not just Sarah or Mitch or anyone that isn't themselves. Sarah had psyched her up just the tiniest bit the other night, causing her to think that maybe he had developed a teeny-tiny crush on her, too. (Although (Y/N) does admit—only to herself of course—that her itty-bitty crush she had on him before has most definitely grown much larger than itty-bitty). She would love for that to be reality and not just a fantasy of her's, but she also feels a shot of anxiety go through her at the idea of him reciprocating her feelings on any level.
She doesn't know how to be a girlfriend, or even a date, so what if she somehow got comfortable enough with him to be something more than just a tolerable person to him. What would she do then? She doesn't know how to kiss really (only having had a very juvenile kiss at her junior year homecoming with a guy her friends had said liked her, and feeling self conscious about being so behind romantically, she had allowed him to kiss her but very quickly broke it off when he tried to add his tongue), she doesn't know how to express her feelings very well, and who knows what else he'd expect of her. But that's only if—if!—he were to ever feel the same way about her.
As much as (Y/N) loves the library—and the money—, she really doesn't think she should be allowed to work when it isn't busy, seeing as she is now over-analyzing a relationship that isn't even real.
"(Y/N), your shift ended five minutes ago. Are you okay?" Her coworker, Avery, asked. (Y/N) hadn't even realized that it was time for her to go, being too caught up in her confusing feelings and overthinking.
"Oh, uh, yeah sorry. I didn't even realize what time it was. Is there anything you need me to do before I clock out?" (Y/N) offered. She knew there wasn't going to be anything that absolutely needed her attention before she left, seeing as there was only one person in the library, a boy she she recognizes from her criminal psychology class from last semester. He didn't even have any books out, or laptop which (Y/N) thought was odd seeing as people usually came here to study or do homework and he didn't seem to be doing either.
"No, you should head out, it's already pretty dark and it's supposed to keep getting colder tonight."
(Y/N) just nodded her head and collected her things at the front desk. She clocked herself out and said goodbye to Avery and headed towards the door.
It was 8:15 (she was supposed to be out at eight o'clock even but that didn't exactly go to plan), and (Y/N) was ready to just get back to her apartment and be alone for a little while and try to sort out her feelings as best she could. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the boy from her criminal psych class—who she vaguely remembers is named Reese—abruptly get up after seeing her exit from behind the front desk. He didn't even have to pack up his things as all he seemed to have was his phone, a pair of headphones, and a notebook that was left unopened. Soon enough he was only a few beats behind her.
(Y/N) knows he could be doing just about anything in the world, and just because he seemed to be leaving at the same time as her could mean nothing. He could have been waiting for someone that never showed, he could have been waiting for a ride, he could have been doing literally anything that has nothing to do with (Y/N), but blame it on her parents and the ingrained paranoia around boys they gave her, but she can't help but feel like this was all on purpose; like he was trying to corner her or something.
Her heart starts pumping a tiny bit f as she sees him near her from the corner of her eye. All she needs to do is get out the door before he can catch up and she'll be fine. Hopefully.
Just as she's about to push the door, a hand shoots out before her, pushing it open for her.
"There you go," Reese says, looking at (Y/N) with these suspiciously charming eyes and matching smirk.
"Uh, thanks," (Y/N) rushes, skirting past his arm and out the door and away from him. She walks f than she normally does, trying not to run in case he really was just trying to be nice and she just ends up looking crazy.
But she wishes she had just ran.
"Hey, why don't you let me walk you home? Since it's late and all. I'd feel so guilty if I left you all alone in the dark like this," he calls to her. The polite girl her parents pushed her to be shined through as she replies back with a no, thanks and keeps walking, although the rational woman that values her safety above manners knows she should have kept quiet and kept going.
"It's not like I'm a stranger or anything. We had criminal psychology together, right? I read your essays and you're pretty smart. (Y/N), right?" He tried again, coming up and walking alongside her although she declined.
"I'm fine, really, I have to go a few places before I go home anyway. But thank you," she tries again, making up some lie about how she had anywhere other than her bedroom to be.
"Actually, I overheard you talking to that other girl earlier about how you couldn't wait to just go home. That you were so happy that you had finished all your papers a week early and had nothing left to do today," he challenges, the friendly tone he's been using vanishes.
"I-uh-" (Y/N) was cut off by the boy grabbing at her waist and wrapping his arm around her midsection. A harsh pinch is placed on her side as he speaks up again.
"So since you're free, why don't you come over to my place, yeah?" He has her stopped in the middle of the sidewalk with no cars driving past and no people out and about, trying to turn her around in what she assumes is the direction of his house.
"No, I-I just really want to go home, and my-uh-my roommate is expecting me and just—please stop, you're hurting me!" She speaks up, his fingers harshly digging into her side and causing these tiny tears to form on her waterline and her voice to crack. She stiffened her arms out in front of her, pushing against him to get out of his grip.
"Just follow me and st-"
He's abruptly cut off by the sound of someone shouting. "Hey, mate, what do you think you're doing?!"
(Y/N) knows that voice, she's been thinking about it for the past three days straight.
Harry.
"Just talking to my girl, man, she's just being a bit fussy. Guess it's time to get you home so you can go to bed, huh, love?" Reese tries to cover, taking ahold of (Y/N) again and stabbing his fingers into her hipbone to coerce her into playing along.
Harry comes closer now, and if (Y/N) wasn't so scared at the moment, she's sure her eyes would turn to the shape of hearts with how good he looks; her little daydreams didn't do him any justice.
"Is that right, (Y/N)? I didn't know y'had a boyfriend," Harry challenged, speaking only to (Y/N) to give her a way out. His arms folded in front of him, his shoulders squared up to take any type of route it took to get (Y/N) out of the situation.
"No-I-I don't know him. Harry, I-" she was cut off by the feeling of Reese beside her squeezing her side tight enough that (Y/N) was sure she'll have bruises tomorrow.
Harry took a step forward placing his hand out for her to take. "C'mere, get behind me."
(Y/N) used all her might to get out Reese's embrace, pulled closer to Harry with the help of his outstretched hand. She barricaded herself behind like as he suggested, hiding herself from view.
"Mate, c'mon, find your own. I've been waiting for this one," Reese presses, taking a step forward and reaching around to try and catch a grip on her.
Harry didn't say anything back, just pushing at Reese's chest to hold him back. "Hey, watch it. Just leave her alone, she's not going with you." His voice definitive, like he was drawing the line for this boy not to cross. Harry delivered a shove against his chest, causing Reese to stumble back a bit.
"She's not even worth it, mate. I heard she's a prude anyway so you can have her," he spits, turning away and leave Harry and (Y/N) behind finally. Harry waits until Reese is a good ways away before he finally turns to see (Y/N) shaking like a leaf.
A concerned look paints his face, causing his brows to furrow and a pout to form and his lip ring to droop in response. "Are you alright?" he breathed out, showing more emotion in that one breath than she'd ever seen from him. He takes a step back from her, allowing him to get a better look at her and give her some space he thinks she might want.
"Thank you s-so much, Harry. I-I was so scared and he was hurting me and just didn't think I would get away," she rambles, on the verge of tears. She pulls the sleeves of her thin, pink shirt down over her hands to prepare for the tears she knows are bound to come down.
"Of course, y'don't have to thank me at all, would've done that whether I knew you or not. 'M so sorry. Do y'want to go report it to campus police or go to the real police? Whichever y'want, we can do," Harry speaks softly to her, trying to keep her as calm as he can while still trying to figure out what's next for her.
"I don't think they can really do too much for me. He didn't really break any laws or code of conduct or whatever it's called. I-I just want to go home." That's when she started really crying. The reality of what could have happened if Harry hadn't shown up starts to sink in for her.
Harry lets out a sad sigh, his tongue peeking out and messing with his lip ring out of habit. He hesitantly reaches a hand towards her, not really knowing how to comfort her, someone he hadn't been exactly the nicest to but he wasn't cold-hearted or anything. Seeing a crying girl got to him, it made him think of his mother and sister. (Y/N) felt his hand wrap around her wrist. Although being wary of contact from boys (in general from her parents and also because of what just happened), she felt herself latch on to that bit of contact.
She all but threw herself into his arms without a thought. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, feeling a bit tense from the suddenness of her motions. She knew she probably threw him off, this isn't something she would do in any clear state of mind; contact with boys who weren't necessarily the nicest weren't on the top of her list. But this is just a moment for her. Harry's basically turned into her version of her tattooed knight in nail polish and eyeliner. And, surprisingly, he was very good at this, and she was very grateful of that. His arms felt strong around her, his heartbeat steadying. His shushing and overall calming tone of his voice was something she never really got growing up with her parents. He was just so comforting. If she had half the mind to think of anything other than the most dreadful possibilities of what could be happening to her now if she wasn't with him, she'd be wondering about how someone like Harry who seemed so tense and always moody and broody, would be good at something so emotionally taxing. But now is not the time.
(Y/N) pulled herself out of Harry's embrace, although she loved the feeling of his tattooed arms around her, she felt kind of embarrassed (she knew she shouldn't, but it's just something her parents pushed on her, emotion wasn't something you showed openly) to just be crying out in the open like that. What would someone think if they saw her having a crying fit on the public sidewalk? She'll save the rest of it for when she gets back home, she decides.
"Can you take-take me home?" She hiccuped, wiping away any left over tears.
"Yeah, I can walk you," Harry offers, his body still tense and alert for any signs of a flip of emotions in her.
"I just don't want to be alone in the dark like this right now, I'm sorry," (Y/N) apologized (unnecessarily, Harry thinks).
"Hey, don't be sorry, okay? I completely understand why y'need that right now. Now let's get y'home," Harry reassures her, placing a hand gently in her bicep and squeezing a tiny bit. (Y/N) just nodded her head, keeping her eyes and face towards the ground so he didn't see her flushed cheeks from his touching.
On the walk to her apartment, (Y/N) learned that Harry had just locked up his tattoo shop for the night when he had heard her yelling which caused him to intervene.
"Do you usually work this late?" Harry asked, being the eyes for both of them as she's too busy looking at her shoes and messing with her nails—both nervous ticks he's sure—to be watching where they were walking.
"Kind of. I can only work the later shifts since most of my classes are in the morning," (Y/N) answers, looking up at Harry for the briefest second to see him already looking at her before adverting her gaze.
"Since y'know where the shop is now, if y'want, come by after your late shifts so y'don't walk alone. This isn't going to happen again," Harry offers, a clench in his jaw evident in his speech towards the end.
"Y-yeah, I'd like that."
—————
Harry gets her home just around nine. Sarah was just about flipping out when (Y/N) hadn't returned home a half hour before that. (Y/N) knows they start talking about her when she goes to the bathroom and starts washing her face and getting more comfortable. She can tell by the hushed voices and the gasps coming from Sarah, she even hears Sarah thank Harry before (Y/N) returns from her bedroom now in her pajamas.
Harry's the first to talk to her as Sarah seemed to not know what to say now that she knew why they had been so late. "Feeling a bit better now?" Harry asks, standing up from his leaning position again the kitchen counter.
(Y/N) nods her head, distracting herself with the ties in her sweatpants. Her heart squeezed for a moment at the sound of the genuine concern she heard in his voice.
"Good, that's good. 'M going to head home then myself. If there isn't anything else y'needed?" Harry prompted, stepping closer to her, his arms folded in concern.
"I-I think I'm okay. Sarah can help if I need anything, right?" (Y/N) starts, peeking around him to see Sarah nod her head, "Are you going to be okay walking in the dark?"
Harry could feel his heart warm the slightest bit at the genuine concern dripping from her words. She's just too cute for her own good; for his good either. Much too sweet after how he's acted before tonight, after what's happened to her. She's still got the mind to wonder if Harry, the type of person that others are scared of on their walks home, would be okay walking in the dark. Too adorable.
"Yeah, 'm sure I'll be fine, but thank you for asking. Can I ask something of y'before I go?" A half tilted smirk on his face that was the closest thing (Y/N)'s seen to a smile from him.
(Y/N) eagerly nods her head, ready to repay him in any way she could.
"Could y'put your number in my phone? Jus' in case y'need to get ahold of me or to let me know if you're coming by the shop?" Harry asks, already slipping his phone out of his back pocket.
(Y/N) stutters out an agreement, having never been asked for her number by a boy before, grabbing his outstretched phone. She quickly puts in all her information, not being bold enough to put any cute emojis or anything next to her name like she's sure many other girls would have done. Harry sent her a quick text, just so she would have his number as well before putting his phone away.
"Alright, 'm going to head home, then," Harry started, giving her the same half tilted smirk before turning towards Sarah and giving her a hug. He offered (Y/N) a wave (she kind of was also expecting a hug, but maybe he spent all the contact he could give tonight) before heading towards the door. "Goodnight."
Harry let himself out, Sarah following behind him to lock the door before turning to (Y/N) with the saddest eyes she thinks she's ever seen Sarah have.
"I'm so sorry, (Y/N). If there's any-"
"I'm really fine Sarah, he didn't do anything to me I'm just shaken up. But thank you... Would it be okay if I cried a little bit?"
"Oh, (Y/N), of course."
And they just sat on the couch for another hour, letting (Y/N) get everything out and Sarah comforting her the best she can. Sarah sent her to bed soon after, telling her she needed to get some sleep and promising that tomorrow they would skip their morning classes and have a proper breakfast together.
(Y/N) laid in her bed, draining the last few stray tears she had before she finally fell asleep. Just as she wiped away that last of her sadness, her phone vibrated on her nightstand.
Harry
Sleep well. Let me know if you need anything.
(Y/N) thinks she could feel each individual muscle in her body relax after reading that.
—————
Harry kind of thinks he's a little fucked.
He hasn't seen (Y/N) in about a week or so now, but he just can't get her out of his head. Although their last meeting wasn't on the best of circumstances, he just can't get the look of her wet, doe eyes out of his head, the feel of her soft, pretty body in his arms off his mind. He's never been really a soft type of guy; sure he can make friends fairly easy and he isn't just an asshole to strangers on the street, but overall he's just a bit more closed off than most people. But this girl, this sweet, innocent girl is just cracking him.
He's never been much of a protector, having fended for himself for a good while, he doesn't see how others can't do it, too. For (Y/N), though, he feels like he's got to! At the show when she just sat there when he left to go be with Mitch, he couldn't just leave her alone, who knows what could have happened! And then she's just jumping and bouncing around, bound to fall at one point, and—of course—she did and he couldn't just let her fall down and hurt herself, so he had to make sure she was steady and let her know to be careful. The last time, though? That was something different. He'd have done that for anyone really, but the fact that it was (Y/N) just really got to him.
From what Sarah had explained to him the few times they had talked about her before they met, he knew she didn't have much of a history with being around boys or any type of romantic history. And the fact that one of the few times she has an interaction with a boy, its him pushing her around and trying to do something to her that she doesn't want. It just really got to him.
As much as he wants to be that protector and that man in her life that would take care of her, he just doesn't know how. He doesn't know how to be all sweet on a girl, or be the type of person that he'd envision her to be with. And he's just also kind of confused. He isn't usually into girls like her. He wasn't lying when he said she wasn't his type. He usually is one for girls who are assertive and make the first move; more outspoken, and up front about what they want and what they don't want. Not to say he likes "bad" girls, but he does like the badass type of girls that traditionally look like they'd go with him. So he's pretty confused to be feeling this way about someone so out of the norm for him.
She reminded him of the girls he grew up with in grade school. All these pristine little girls who didn't know the first thing about being kind. It only ever started when his parents got divorced, and he knows that the teasing from those girls weren't from them (at least he knows that now), but it's just things they had heard their parents say and gossip about. It still hurt his feelings nonetheless. But (Y/N) isn't like that. She's so kind and sweet, and he's given her so many reasons to be anything but that, but she just keeps her smile on her face and keeps trying. She may look like these girls but she's nothing like them. He just got stuck on her and all of her softness. She's all soft colors, and soft looks, and soft hair, and soft eyes, and she does this thing when he catches her looking at him where her cheeks just light up and she flutters her lashes and looks away real fast, and she—
He's just fucked, okay!
The way he copes with this is something he doesn't entirely enjoy doing really, but it's almost like a reflex. He starts getting all annoyed and frustrated with her (mostly because he just wants to make sure she's safe and careful and she doesn't do herself too many favors in that department) and he says things he doesn't really mean. He feels like some school boy who has a crush and is mean to her because be doesn't know how to express it. But he's not a twelve year old boy, he's a business owner, a real, grown man who doesn't know how to handle his own feelings. And it's slightly embarrassing.
He hasn't seen her in a week and he just wants to text her and call her and see what she's doing and just see her again, but he stops himself everytime knowing that although in his head he'd be the sweet boyfriend type, he knows that what would really happen is he'd see her or hear her voice and short circuit and just turn into some frustrated asshole. He knows who he is alone, but when he see her he turns into someone new. So he'll just leave her at arm's length.
At least until he heard the buzz from his phone on his workstation at the shop.
Sarah
Hey, H! I just wanted to let you know that I have a show this coming Thursday with that band again. There's going to be an after party at the singer's house, too. (Y/N), Clare, and Mitch are coming and Adam said he'll be bartending, so everyone's going to be there, and it'd be cool if you come, too!!
Harry knows good and well that Sarah made a point to list out the group of them, just to say that (Y/N) was going to be there. He knows that Mitch definitely saw through his pushing her away and he probably relayed that message to Sarah, so he knew the game she was playing. He did appreciate it, though. He'd never tell them, but he does. It was nice knowing that they supported the thought of Harry being there for her, and gave him opportunities to make it happen. So he's going to take it.
Sure. Just let me know when and where.
—————
When Thursday rolled around, Sarah and Mitch both left early again leaving (Y/N) to fend for herself for a couple of hours. Since the last gig, Clare had been able to get her car all fixed up and was going to take her tonight. Although she breathed a sigh of relief at the information, she could feel all the butterflies fluttering in her tummy disappear when she realized she wouldn't have any alone time with Harry this time around. Not only that, but apparently he can only make it to the after party, so there's no chance of him being all sweet on her like he was before.
But it'll still be fun! And this time around she won't have to be on her toes thinking about how she's being flanked by two boys, and people she doesn't even know. And she'll still see him afterwards so it's all okay.
Clare
I'm on my way now, I'll let you know when I'm outside!
(Y/N) answered back with a simple okay and a smiley face before gathering all her things and finishing up getting ready before Clare arrived.
Just as she finished pinning her hair back, (Y/N)'s phone buzzed, not once but twice. Before she could even open them, a third buzz came.
Clare
I'm outside, whenever you're ready!
(Y/N) finished up, sending a message saying she was on her way down, before putting on her jacket and locking up the apartment. Once outside, she quickly spotted Clare's car, and hopped in the passenger seat.
"Hey, Clare!" (Y/N) greeted, leaning over the center console and giving her a hug. She pulled away quickly, allowing Clare to start pulling out of the parking lot of the complex, and on the way to the venue.
"Hey! How have you been? Its really nice to see you again," she reciprocated, a smile on her face.
The two started conversation, a major difference compared to when she was with Harry the last time. Although it was nice, she did miss listening to all the music he picked out and put together, and just overall being in his presence no matter if it was headache inducing sometimes. As Clare was telling her about this new business venture she was considering, (Y/N) took a moment to check the two texts she missed when leaving the house.
Safe to say (Y/N) was surprised at having to still fend off an asthma attack when she wasn't even in Harry's presence.
Harry
Get to the venue safely, please. Let me know when you and Clare make it.
I'll see you at the party tonight. Have fun at the show. Be careful.
She never thought she'd say this, but she can't wait for this party.
—————
The two had made it just in time to get to the very front of the crowd with Mitch. (Y/N) took a moment to message Harry back, that they had gotten there just fine. All he sent back was a simple good leaving (Y/N) much too excited over single word text.
Just like the last time, (Y/N) really had the time of her life. The vibe was full of adrenaline, the lights flashing to the beat, the floor thumping from the bass, and just the feel of the place was just as amazing as the time before. Sarah was amazing, as expected, and (Y/N) loved seeing her best friend up there doing what she does best. It was also an added little bit of fun having Clare next to her. They jumped around and screamed, and pretended to know the words to all of these songs together. She was able to relax. Tonight had to have been one of the best nights (Y/N)'s ever had.
When the set ended they waited for Sarah and Mitch to come back from the breakdown.
"You did amazing, Sarah!" (Y/N) cheered, rushing to give Sarah a hug as she emerged from the back room.
"Thank you, guys!" Sarah said, reciprocating her hug before moving to Clare. (Y/N) moved to gather all of her stuff she left at the bar with Adam.
She waited as the three of them all talked amongst themselves, bouncing on her feet. She's sure she looked like a giddy child, waiting for someone to say it was time to go to this after party. She just really wanted to see Harry.
"(Y/N), what are you so excited about?" Sarah asked, a knowing tone to her voice as she realized what had (Y/N) all quiet.
"Nothing! Are you guys ready to go to that party?" She quickly asked. She's not very good at playing off her excitement.
"Are you sure you aren't all excited to see Harry?" A song-song, teasing tone entered Sarah's voice as she said Harry's name. (Y/N) knew she was caught, but she didn't want to just admit so freely, almost embarrassed at how excited she was to see him.
"I just think it would be even more fun with all of us together," (Y/N) tried to cover, offering an unconvincing smile. All Sarah did was playfully roll her eyes and nod her head. Clare even had a knowing little look her face, which (Y/N) didn't expect but she should have figured she would have caught on, especially after how (Y/N) mentioned Harry an unnecessary amount of times on the car ride over. Mitch pretended not to know a thing, but (Y/N) knows he much more aware of what's going on than he likes to admit, so she's sure he knows.
To waste a bit of time to let the party get into full swing as Clare put it, Sarah went ahead and changed out of her performance clothes. Adam also took his time cleaning up and closing down the bar as the attendants filtered out, before the five of them all left the venue. Sarah, Mitch, and Adam all went in Sarah's car, with (Y/N) and Clare in the other.
Clare followed behind Sarah, leaving the next twenty minutes to the singer's house for (Y/N) to anticipate seeing Harry.
"You really like him, huh?" Clare asked out of the blue.
"What do you mean?" (Y/N) asked, genuinely confused at where she was coming from.
"Harry. You really like him, I can tell. You're bouncing around in the seat like you've got to use the bathroom or something," Clare joked, keeping her eyes on the road.
"I—...He's just really nice and stuff," (Y/N) timidly explained. She felt like a little girl admitting she had a crush on a boy in her kindergarten class.
"He's only really nice like that to you, you know. You really bring something out of him, from what I hear. I can see why you're excited to see him. I'm sure he really wants to see you, too." Clare was able to do the same thing that Sarah can, making (Y/N) feel normal and like her feelings weren't that of a child's. It was very nice to think that she wasn't just making up these moments with him in her head, and that other people could see it too.
"You think so?"
"Definitely."
—————
After going down a winding side road, Clare pulled up behind Sarah on a long driveway, to a lone house. All these cars were parked outside, but it wasn't anything like (Y/N) had imagined from all of the movies she's seen. There weren't these crazy technicolor lights flashing from the windows, with bass heavy music vibrating the ground and bouncing the house. She could hear some faint music, and from what she could see, some regular colored lights. It looked nice, like a "grown up" party.
"Ready?" Clare asked. All of her things were gathered up into her hands, and she was about to turn the car off.
"Yeah, I-I think so," (Y/N) stuttered. The fact that this was a party had flown over her head in the excitement of seeing Harry. Once she remembered that fact, all of her nerves she's been able to fight off through the night, just reemerged and awakened the butterflies in her tummy.
Sarah, Mitch, and Adam all got out of Sarah's car, letting Clare and (Y/N) catch up before moving towards the front door. (Y/N) couldn't help but scan through the parked cars, hoping to spot Harry's. Finally she did spot his black Range Rover parked towards the back of the house, and the butterflies flapped harder.
Once inside, she saw that the lights she thought were just the regular ceiling lights were actually strings and strings of fairy lights brightening up the room. Two different songs were coming from different rooms in the house; upstairs a song with amateur vocals played causing (Y/N) to think that, maybe, it was karaoke, and the downstairs had a more professional sounding song filtering through loud speakers. Everyone was milling about some with drinks in their hands, others with water. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and (Y/N) was excited that this could be her first party and not some weird, teenage house party where everyone was on edge from the fear of getting busted by the police.
And Harry was here. She didn't know where exactly, but she knew he was here somewhere.
Sarah started off in her own direction, and the group of them followed. She went to greet the singer of the band who had thrown the party, while Adam decided to be the first one to break away and start talking to people he had recognized from the bar. (Y/N) stuck to Clare's side, following behind her as she went around and talked to some of the people and friends she knew from the band. She would introduce (Y/N) to people, bringing her into the conversation as much as she could but she was preoccupied.
Her eyes scanned the room looking for Harry, trying to find any glimpse of an arm full a tattoos, or even a wisp of a curl, just anything to show where he was.
And she did find that tattooed arm. It just happened to be around another girl. And she looked exactly like what she would think Harry would consider his type. She had clusters of tattoos (not as many as Harry but enough for (Y/N) to wince at the thought of sitting through them), and these pretty, colorful streaks through her bright blonde hair. And she was pretty and cool and she was everything that complimented Harry. And he had his arm around her.
She shouldn't feel hurt, and she knows that but... she just is. Even though she had no claim over him, and she never told him of her feelings for him. She knows she's not really the girlfriend type; she's too clueless as to how to be in a relationship and she knows that's not what Harry wants. He deserves someone like this girl who seemed to cool and confident. She clung to him without a shadow of worry of whether or not he felt the same, like she knew they belonged together. She knows she has no right to be upset. It just hurt to see him with someone after how softly he had treated her the last time they had been together and just from all the texts he had sent before tonight. (Y/N) also let it run through her mind that maybe, possibly this was nothing more than a friendly little gesture and she was overreacting on more than one front, but the idea of this being a display of affection from a couple was too upsetting to consider anything else at the moment.
"Hey, you okay?" Clare called, breaking her from her thoughts. The concerned look on her face becoming more prevalent when she could see the sad, puppy eyes (Y/N) was sure she was giving.
"Um, yeah. I just have a headache from the lights and music and all, you know? I'll be fine," she lied. Now wasn't the time to complain about a guy who definitely wasn't her boyfriend.
"Okay... Let me know if you need to leave or anything okay?" Clare offered, setting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing. (Y/N) gave her a genuine smile at the support and kept quiet.
After watching Harry for a beat longer (she honestly felt quite creepy), she didn't want to see how he was flirting with this girl anymore, instead opting to excuse herself to the kitchen, citing a need for water. Clare offered to go with her, but (Y/N) declined as she just wanted to be alone for a moment.
The kitchen was empty, no fairy lights in here, just the regular ceiling light. Stacks of red Solo cups were on the counter next to various bottles of alcohol. (Y/N) grabbed one for herself, filling it with water from the tap. Away from the noise outside, she leaned her back against the counter, taking a moment to soak in her feelings and somehow teach herself to get over it in three seconds.
After her few minutes alone, someone else entered the kitchen with her. She vaguely recognized him from the crowd at the show, standing towards the side. He didn't seem to be watching the show so much as looking at the other attendants.
"Hey, aren't you Sarah's friend?" he asks over the full thumping from the music just outside the door. He reaches for a solo cup and fills it with different colored alcohol and juices.
"Um, yeah," she answers, surprised that he knew anything about her, "Are you friends with her, too?"
"Yeah, kind of. I help set up for the shows. I'm actually good friends with the regular drummer. I saw you at the show tonight, you looked like you were having a good time," he smiled, coming around the kitchen island to stand next to her.
"Yeah, it was a really good show," she started shrinking herself away from him as he got closer to her. She didn't really know him and she still loved her personal space no matter how adventurous she's been.
"I'll have to let them all know that," he said with a suspiciously dazzling smile on his face, bumping his shoulder against her's, "what are you drinking?"
(Y/N) scooted herself away from him the slightest bit before answering, "Just water."
"Aw, why? I can fix you up something if you want. I'm actually a really good bartender. I know how to make all those fruity drinks you girls like," he offered, closing the distance that she had created.
"I—I don't really drink, but thank you," she declined. She set down her now empty water cup, and started slowly skirting towards the swinging door of the kitchen. He reached out and caught into her arm before she could get too far away.
"Are you sure? You look like you've had a rough night," he pressed, pulling her back towards him, "if you really don't want anything like that, I can just get you some juice or pop or something, if you'd like."
His handling of her had (Y/N) reminiscing of the last time she was cornered by a guy she didn't know. Although he seemed much nicer than Reese—less creepy, more of a "nice guy"—she still didn't really much want to spend time with him. (She also didn't think her broken-hearted, puppy dog look was that obvious, but apparently it was).
But her parents didn't raise an impolite girl, now did they?
"I—okay." He had already pulled a cup off the stack and started rummaging through different juices and things in the fridge. At this point a no wasn't going to be of any use anyway, she figured.
"Did you want a pop or juice?" he questioned, looking back at her from the pen door of the fridge.
"Um, cranberry juice?" If she was going to have a drink, might as well have it be something she actually likes, right? He gave her a nod and another much-too-dazzling smile and started pouring her a cup of juice.
She took the silent time to try and send a text to Clare or Sarah to let them know where she was and that she wanted to leave. Unfortunately, she didn't miraculously connect to the WiFi she didn't have the password to, so nothing was going through.
"Alright, here you go. Are you sure you didn't want anything else?" He offered, handing her the new cup. He slid up next to her again, leaning on the counter the way he had before.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you."
"Now, what's got you all gloomy lookin'?" He asked, slinging a—very unwanted—arm around her shoulders. (Y/N) very subtly shrugged off the arm, using the excuse of moving her arm to take a drink of her cranberry juice.
Just as she was about to take a sip, Harry came through the kitchen doorway. (Y/N) half expected the girl she saw him with to be following behind him, but she didn't which was very appreciated, (Y/N) thought. He looked like the same intimidating man she had met that first time, very neutral and cool, but that was until he saw her. As soon as their eyes met, his entire expression changed. Gone was the indifferent expression, now replaced with a pair of furrowed brows and a tensed jaw. His whole body seemed to go rigid when he saw her. She could see his eyes go from her, to the arm around her, and to who the arm belonged to.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
He probably came in here to get his girlfriend a drink and now somehow (Y/N)'s pissed him off. (Y/N) didn't have a moment to respond before Harry had his arm wrapped around her waist and was tugging her out of his arms and out of the kitchen. He pulled her through the living room and out the door. Still without a word, he took her to his car and opened the door for her and setting her inside before moving to his own side.
It wasn't until he had backed out of the driveway and was out on the main road before (Y/N) decided to say something.
"Are you okay?" She questioned, her gaze down on her nails where she was picking.
She stole a glance towards him, seeing his tensed shoulders, locked jaw, and white knuckles from his grip on the steering wheel. He looked so scary, and just angry, he looked like a completely different person than she had seen the week before. Sure, she knew he probably wouldn't make a complete one-eighty and be all clouds, and rainbows, and sparkles to her, but maybe she thought that he wouldn't yell at her first chance he got. It was like he wasn't even the same person. He didn't look like the same soft boy that gently took care of her and made sure she was okay before reluctantly leaving her that night.
The black on his nails now finally chipping a week later. His eyeliner smudged for the first time she's seen, also very different than the boy she's known before tonight. His lip ring was fit snug between his lips, moving from the motions of his tongue. He still looked like the cute, intimidating boy she developed that crush on, just really, really mad. Still cute though, but maybe now wasn't the time.
"No." His monotone reply pulled her out of her admiring of him, causing her to move her gaze to her nails to mess with them.
Usually people just said yes to that question, no matter if it was the truth not, so Harry's blunt honesty really threw her off.
"I'm sorry," she offered, her tone soft and truly apologetic. Harry said nothing in return, just silently driving them back into the direction of home.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that she tried to talk to him again. "I'm sorry for whatever I did that made you mad. I—I didn't mean to," she apologized, she wasn't sure for what, but usually when Harry gets mad it's because of something she did.
"Do you even know who that was? Did you even watch him make that drink he gave you?" he asked, already knowing the answer, but surely he just was asking to make (Y/N) feel embarrassed.
"He said that he was friends with the other drummer and—and that he helps set up for the shows, but I didn't ask what his name was." Her voice was small and timid, almost like she was trying to shrink herself from the inside out for him. If he was aiming to get embarrassment from her, he was definitely achieving it. She felt like she was getting reprimanded from her parents all over again. It reminded her of the times they would come and pick her up from school and the brother of another student, there to pick up their sister, would unknowingly be standing too close to her and as soon as she got in the car she would get the lecture of her life about trusting boys too freely. (One of their favorite lines was "we raised you better than that", usually followed by a threat of homeschooling since they apparently couldn't trust her, even at an all girls school). It wasn't a good feeling. Especially from Harry.
"If you had paid attention at all, you'd know that he has nothing to do with that band. He's just some creep that shows up to parties around here and tries to get girls to sleep with him," Harry started, his tone even and unwavering, "He wasn't even at the first show, (Y/N). Did you even see him 'help' with the set up tonight?"
"I'm sorry, Harry...I just don't really go to parties and stuff. I—I thought he was trying to be nice. He gave me juice and was ask—asking me how I was," (Y/N) explained, the nail polish on her nails chipping from her messing.
"I can never leave you by yourself! I always have to babysit you because you can't seem to take care of yourself! You fall for anything anybody says to you!" This was the first time she's actually heard him raise his voice, even after all the times he's gotten frustrated with her and even almost got into a fight the last time she saw him. He hadn't gotten mad at her like this, actually yelling at her. How he went from speaking so calmly (although very bitingly) to this, was something she couldn't fathom.
(Y/N) didn't bother to respond, feeling like a reprimanded puppy. A thin sheen of tears collected on her eyes, pooling into her waterline as she looked towards her lap in an effort to hide them. She tried her hardest to just shrink herself down into nothing so she wouldn't have to sit there and hear this from him anymore. She didn't want him to see her as a child that had to be babysat and put in time out for breaking rules. She wanted him to see her as a confident and cool girl that could take care of herself. She wanted him to see her like he saw that cool blonde girl from before.
Harry let out a sigh after she soaked in her feelings for a moment. "Hey, 'm sorry. I didn't mean that, I jus' get frustrated sometimes. I don't think y'realize what people are really thinking around you."
"I—um—it's fine. You're right, I don't have much experience with people. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you babysit me," she apologized—again—,her voice watery. If she were to be taking a running tally from the last twenty minutes, (Y/N) sure she must have apologized at least one hundred times. Harry's body visibly softens at the last bit; his knuckles relax, his jaw unclenches, and his shoulders soften.
"I didn't mean that. Y'can take care of yourself just fine, 'm jus' being a prick. 'M working on being nicer, and being less of a dick to you. Especially after the last time I saw you," he explained, the mention of last week causing him to tense back up for a moment. "It made me sad seeing y'cry and everything. I don't want to make y'anywhere near that upset, so 'm working on it. Promise."
All (Y/N) did in response was nod, and offer him a small smile, her tears effectively falling back. There was nothing she could think to say to that. Hearing him apologetic like this wasn't something she thought she'd ever hear, and then to tack on him being sweet on her, too? Even after his sweet texts and the gentle way he handled her a week ago, couldn't have prepared her for his words now.
They both stayed in silence again, listening to a different playlist than last time. It seemed to be full of sweet ballads of love and soft instrumentals. The title of this one only had a date, nothing clever like the last one. (Y/N) decided to focus on what that date might have been instead of thinking about his words any longer. The vision of the girl wrapped in his arms enough ammo to ward off the daydreams of a relationship and the fleeting idea of him reciprocating her feelings.
A few songs later (very pretty songs (Y/N) is probably going to add to her own library tonight, she thinks), they pull up in front of her apartment complex. Harry puts the car in park before looking over towards her, his body turning with him.
"'M sorry for ending your night early. I—I just don't think I could've left y'there," he started, more apologies leaving his lips, "and for all the shouting and all...I guess I'll see y'around?"
"It's really okay, Harry. I'm not mad. Maybe we'll all get together again soon," (Y/N) accepted, hoping that what she said was true and that they'd see each other again under better circumstances.
She began feeling around her seat, grabbing her phone and looking for her purse. Her purse that had her keys. Her keys that would allow her into her apartment.
But.
She couldn't find it. At all.
That's when she realized that through the jitters of looking for Harry at the party, she had left everything but her phone in Clare's car: her purse, her keys, her sunglasses, and her favorite pink scrunchie.
"Y'alright?" Harry asked, breaking her out of her silent panic.
"I left all my things in Clare's car," she breathed out, running a hand through her hair before putting her face in her hands. "I-I don't know what to do. I'm sorry you drove all the way here for nothing."
Harry offered no response, just sitting along with her to the tune of his dated playlist. (Y/N) popped up from her hunched position, looking to see Harry still in his turned position, looking off with a blank look in his face with his lip ring snug between his lips. "I'll just call Sarah and wait for her to come back. I don't want to waste anymore of your night. Thank you for driving me ho-."
(Y/N) was cut off by Harry (very rudely, (Y/N) thinks) turning away from her and pulling the car out of park and into drive. Without saying anything, he pulled away from the curb in front of the building and started the opposite direction they came from.
"W-what are you doing? Where are we going?" (Y/N) usually feels quite safe—nervous, but always safe—with Harry, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared right now. She knows Harry wouldn't hurt her, but who know what he's up to especially after she made him so mad earlier, he could just be lying saying it was okay, she's probably overthi-
"'M taking y'to my place. 'M not letting y'sit outside in the dark waiting for Sarah to come home," Harry explained, glancing towards her for a moment before continuing, "Unless, that's not what y'want. I can take y'back to the party or something, if that's better."
"No, it's fine. We can just go to—uh—your house. But only if you're okay with it, I don't want to, like, intrude." Her voice came out rushed towards the end, a nervous feeling taking over at the thought of her actually going to a boy's house. And to make it even more nerve-wracking, it's Harry's house. With Harry's things. And Harry. Alone.
That's a lot of pressure.
Or she could just force him to drive all the way back to that lone house, just to pick up her purse that Sarah could just bring home with her later.
"'M offering, don't worry."
Now (Y/N) had all of ten minutes to properly—and subtly—freak out about her current predicament.
End of aster Chapter 2. Continue reading Chapter 3 or return to aster book page.