Falling for Harry Styles

Two hours of restless sleep, followed by four hours of homework and cramming, followed by an eight hour shift in which I had to deal with complaining customers and an overly flirtatious Aaron had me beyond my tolerance for annoyance. Coming home to Harry gone was just what I needed; some peace and quiet. Some time to be alone and enjoy myself, or so I thought.
I went to the kitchen to grab a snack before going back to cramming and found a note from Harry. I cringed inwardly as I read, Out for dinner with Christina be back soon XOXO Haz. I crumbled the note up and threw it into the bin on my way to the lounge, cramming forgotten. I plopped onto the sofa and flicked on the telly, paying it no mind at all. I was reveling in my annoyance and judging a girl I didn’t even know, one that I frankly didn’t care to know either.
I was like that for about an hour, or so, before Harry came home. He came in a happy, bubbling shiny sun and was met with a dark gloomy cloud that was me. “Hi Nat!” he drew out enthusiastically, plopping down next to me.
“Hi,” I said curtly, as my eyes stayed on the screen.
“You… Okay?” he said, with a sort of confusion laced in his voice.
“Oh, dandy!” I said with sarcasm drenching my tone, turning to him with an obviously fake smile. “Did you have fun with your girlfriend?” I said acidly.
He had a wary look on his face as he answered, “She’s not my girlfriend Nat, we’re just getting to know each other.”
I scoffed, “Do you know she’s a shallow, gold-digger yet?” His mouth fell open and his eyebrows scrunched in disbelief. “Oh, Harry, don’t look so shocked,” I said bitterly, “some people are just like that, Haz.”
“Well, she isn’t,” he defended.
“How do you know?” my voice rose slightly.
“How do you?” his voice matched mine.
“I can see it, I can hear it, she’s fake.”
“I can’t believe you would be so judgmental.”
I chuckled slightly and rolled my eyes. I could already taste the tension in the air as our conversation turned in to a verbal battle. Again, my jealousy wiped out my sense of good judgment and I found myself adding to the tension. “At least I don’t lie and hide things from my best friend.” I willed him to hear the accusation in my voice.
He had the same wide eyed mouth agape, disbelieving look on his face again, “I don’t lie and keep things from you! And what do you call hiding those bruises that that asshole left on you while you dated him hmmm?” his voice was harsh with anger and slowly increasing in volume.
“Pour judgment. What about you huh? That nightmare that kept waking you up and terrified you; you kept that from me for three months!”
“That is not even the same thing!” he shouted, hopping up from the couch and pacing behind it.
I followed his lead, “How so Harry? We both hid something from the other. Something that hurt us. Mine may have been physical—“I saw him cringe slightly “—but yours hurt you too.”
“But I didn’t cause you pain after you found out that I hid that dream from you.”
I scoffed, “No I guess you didn’t. But that isn’t the only thing you’ve kept from me now is it Harry?” I raised one eyebrow as I fought to keep an angry glare fixed on him.
“What else am I keep from you Natalie? Please, enlighten me,” he leaned back and crossed his arms with a ‘you’ve got nothing on me’ look on his face.
I chuckled as anger shrunk and hurt began to take over, “Tell me what that meeting actually entailed last week, Harry?” he had a confused look on his face, still in his stance. I waited longer than I should have to clarify, “Maybe a—“I swallowed hard “—a tour.” My voice broke on the word and I set my jaw so my lips wouldn’t pout.
His arms fell, as did his expression, as he realized what I knew that he neglected to tell me. “Natalie, I-“he took a step toward me with his arms out stretched to hold me like he always does when I’m upset.
“Don’t,” I put a hand up to stop him and turned slightly. “Just don’t, Harry.” He stopped and dropped his arms, staring at my averted, downcast eyes, as I tried to stop tears from spilling down my face.
We stood in silence, the tension thicker and more bitter than earlier. He sighed, “I- I’m going to go crash at Lou’s.”
I nodded, indicating that I heard. He turned and walked to the door. I heard it shut and broke down, crying and wishing that he would come back.

Notes