I was getting tired of this game I was playing with Aria.

Don't get me wrong, it was fun. I enjoyed it but it was exhausting always being on your toes. I had to be on every time she was near, which as it happened, was always.

I was at the point where I was willing to reach an actual, legitimate truce. One were we could try to actually be friends, maybe friends that picked on each other often though.

Besides I was getting sick of being the only one out of the loop.

She seemed to get on with everyone but me, maybe it was time to swallow my pride and make the first move.

And I would be lying if the fact that she had been spending more time with Niall didn't play a small part in this revelation.

I wasn't sure what they were up to but I was sure they were up to something. They had been spending a lot of time together recently, more than usual, and as much as I would like to say it didn't bother me, it did.

I reasoned with myself that it was because I didn't want Niall getting involved with her and getting his heart broken. And no matter what anyone said that was the reason I was sticking to.

I was sure it was bound to happen. They weren't right together so he needed to stop while he was ahead. I knew he liked her. It was obvious but he needed to back off.

For his own good of course.

And then there was Aria herself.

Even though she did annoy me, I was getting quite used to Aria being around. Darcy loved her, and I loved that Darcy was happy.

And maybe I was a tiny bit jealous that she had her guard up around me all the time. Maybe a small, unmentionable, part of me wanted her to laugh and joke with me the same way she did with my mates.

I knew she knew how much her spending so much time with Niall was irritating me. If anything we had become pretty good at reading each other, it was probably how we knew how to irritate each other.

She was definitely trying to push my buttons. After all it was part of our game, but it didn't make me any more okay with it.

I also knew she didn't care how I felt about the matter but I wanted her to, no matter how much I wish I didn't.

"So it's set then-" Niall's voice trailed off as soon as I walked into the kitchen. The scene reminding me of a few days ago, when they started these little gossip sessions during nap time.

I raised an eyebrow as Aria stood up straighter catching a glimpse of me. Niall rubbed the back of his neck and smirked. They had a secret. I could tell.

"Hey Harry." He said as if I hadn't just heard what he was saying before.

I wasn't about to play this game with them.

"What's all set?" I asked looking from Niall to Aria, who were looking at each other.

They seemed to have silently come to an agreement when Aria turned to me with the biggest fake smile I had ever seen.

"Well you've ruined it now but we were planning your surprise birthday party."

My whole face dropped. "So you're not going to tell me?"

She looked offended as she held her hand to her chest delicately, Niall laughing silently from his seat. I hated that they seemed to have a joke I wasn't part of.

"Ugh... why would you think that wasn't true?" She asked and I could just make out the corners of her lips fighting to rise into a smile.

I rolled my eyes at her and made my way to the refrigerator. "To begin with my birthday is in February but that would only be relevant if I actually believed you would care."

She looked like she might keep it up but she just shrugged and looked away from me. "You're right I don't care."

And I would never admit how that was a slight blow to my ego.

"How do you two live together and not kill each other?" Niall asked still smiling.

Aria returned his smile. "I have great selective hearing."

"Yea she ignores everything I say even though I'm the one that pays her." I added taking a sip of my water.

Aria turned to me with a sweet smile. "What was that? I thought you said something but I wasn't quite listening."

I pressed my lips tightly in a mock smile and brought my attention back to my friend. "So what are you discussing with the wicked witch?"

I choose to ignore the offended look Aria gave me. Two could play this game, sweet cheeks.
"Oh, nothing really. You wouldn't care anyway."

I wanted to disagree, I wanted to tell her that I did care but I didn't want them to know how much I did. I didn't want Aria to know how much her indifference bothered me.

"You're right I don't," I lied. "But could you stop hiding in corners and passing secrets? Don't you have somewhere to be Niall, and Aria should you be taking care of my child and yours?"

"Whatever Harry." This time Niall was the one to roll his eyes before waving at Aria. "Ari I'll talk to you later."

"Sure thing. We can talk when my slave driver isn't around."

They exchanged quick good byes and then it was just Aria and I left in the kitchen. It was slightly awkward and I wished it wasn't.

"So..." I tried.

Aria pushed away from the counter and held her hands up in front of her. "Oh no. We are not doing this again."

"What are you talking about?"

"You and I." she pointed to me and then to herself. "We have nothing to talk about. I don't want to be stuck in another awkward conversation where we try to be friendly. We just can't do it so don't even bother."

I shoved my hands into my pockets and thought up some way to start a conversation because I really did want to try.

I wasn't sure what it was about Aria that both intrigued me and infuriated me. Maybe it was the fact that she was the first woman in a long time to not show any form of interest in me. Maybe it was the fact she got on well with everyone around us but couldn't seem to give me that time of day.

"What's your favorite color?" I blurted out when I realized she was leaving the room. Honestly it was probably the stupidest question for me to ask but it halted her in her tracks so I was thankful for that at least.

"What?" She asked squinting her eyes and turning back to me.

"I asked what your favorite color was."

"Why?" She countered suspiciously.

I sighed and leaned against the counter. "Because I want to get to know you better and maybe I'm sick of these little verbal brawls we keep having. Don't you think we should start acting like adults and just suck it up. We have to live together we might as well try and be friendly."

"We have a truce." She informed which made me chuckle and pull one of my hands up to rub my forehead.

"No one is fooled by that fake agreement."

I watched as she bit her lip, looking at me through narrowed eyes trying to judge what I was up to and if I was being sincere. I smiled reassuringly at her.

"Purple." She answered my original question and took a few steps into the room. She must have agreed it was time to grow up.

I smiled and nodded, glad we were making some progress. "Blue." I said pointing at myself.
"Favorite food?" She asked picking up the game.

I could feel my cheeks heat up because of my answer. "That um... that thing you made last night."

Her eyes widened and I internally cringed at the smug smile that graced her face. "You mean to Mexican lasagna?"

I nodded slowly and she bit her lip before muttering under her breath. "Good to know."

We kept at the game for a while, learning the most basic information about each others, things that any number of my fans would already know by heart but Aria seemed legitimately unaware of.

By the time we had decided to end the game we were laughing and it was nice.

"I swear Styles if I find you anywhere in this house naked I will punch you in the throat." She giggled out pointing an accusing finger at me.

"IT'S MY HOUSE!" I defended with a chuckle and a hand to my chest after telling her I like to sleep nude, before Darcy was born anyway.

"Holy crap!"

"What?" I asked after she stopped short from her laughing and looked at me wide eyed.

"We actually just had a whole conversation with each other and it was kind of.... Nice."

I laughed out loud at her words throwing my head back before looking at her with a smirk and a wink. "It's my charm."

She just rolled her eyes and grinned back at me.

I wasn't sure how to ask what I was thinking without sounding stupid because I knew the answer. But I decided to go with simple. "Why aren't we friends?"

She looked at me like I had lost my mind. "Are you really asking me that right now Harry?"

I just stared at her waiting for her to continue.

"Harry..." She bit her lip and looked to the side before looking back at me. "The first time we met you were a douche, then the second time we met you were a douche and you've pretty much been consistent since then."

I sighed. I knew that was going to be her answer, and she was right. For a while it was fun but honestly it was getting a little tiring.

"Well maybe I should change that." I concluded looking at my hands before holding one out to her.

She looked at it like it was diseased.

"What the hell is this?"

I grinned and ducked my chin into my chest. "My hand." I said slowly.

"No shit. Why are you holding it out to me?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Don't be difficult. I'm trying to be nice for a change... as hard as it maybe."

Aria pressed her lips together in a thin line before she finally, hesitantly, placed her hand in mine.

"Hello I'm Harry and sometimes I'm a prick."

She went to pull her hand away as she laughed but I held on tight keeping her hand in mine. She shook her head and sighed before speaking.

"Hi Harry, I'm Aria and sometimes you can be a prick."

I let go of her hand and joined her laughter. "See that wasn't so bad."

"If you say so." She said giving me a mock glare but I could see her eyes sparkling in mischief.
As much as I tried to fight it she had won me over, maybe my mother had been right. Maybe being friends was what we needed.

Notes

heres another chapter. Let me know what you guys think about Aria and Harry and Niall and even Darcy and Jamie... just let me know what you think about the story in general. love ya