Unraveled - A Harry Styles Fan Fiction

Ch. 8 - Harry

So, Zayn had moved fast. Like, really fast.

The last thing I had expected when I had heard my name in the park was to look up and see Zayn with his arm around Jordan. It left me speechless. I knew I had told myself I would let him have her, since he had been all puppy-dog eyed about her since I'd picked him up at the airport yesterday, but seeing him with her now made my blood boil and my possessive side scream to grab her and drag her away from him.

Jordan had her hair tied back with a scarf hanging down, and was wearing an old jean jacket over a white dress with golden colored flowers down the side. Oversized orange sunglasses sat atop her head, and she completed the look with white high top converse, and I couldn't help but smirk. She was so obviously a tourist, an American one at that, and yet she still looked adorable.

When Zayn confirmed my suspicions that he had only shown her around the bars and nightlife sides of the city, the urge to drag her away from him turned to a need. I could see how disappointed she was to hear he thought museums were boring. Her eyes were so expressive, I could practically see her asking me for help. Or maybe I just wanted to be around her, and was making up excuses to justify my barging in on what Zayn obviously thought was indeed a date. What was this woman doing to me?

"What are you doing out here?" Zayn asked, pulling me out of my train of thought, which had been entranced in those blue eyes of hers once again. Unable to look away, I held up my book as explanation. Her gaze flicked to the cover and recognition splashed across her face. So, she knew The Unbearable Lightness of Being. She didn't let on any more than that, but that made her all the more intriguing. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was pick her brain apart, to know what she thought of Kundera, of the book I had read so many times I could almost recite it by memory. But not now. Not while Zayn was here, staring at the way Jordan and I were studying each other as if we were a puzzle he could solve. Not likely, mate. I can't seem to figure this woman out either.

That's how we found ourselves paddling out on the lake thirty minutes later. Zayn had jumped to be the one to row, probably thinking it would make him look good. All the better, it left Jordan and I sitting on the opposite bench while he took us around the lake. "So, Jordan, I think we'd better get to know each other better, don't you?" I asked, stretching my legs out in front of me.

Her eyes flicked to my legs at the movement and then back up. "Oh? And what would you like to know?" she asked, meeting my gaze head on, her eyes determined.

"Everything." I replied in a low voice. Her breath caught and a blush creeped up to her cheeks. There it was. I had been trying to get a reaction out of her.

She quickly recovered. "Ah, but if you knew everything, I'd be just another Maria, then wouldn't I?" she replied smugly. She turned then, looking out at the water and laughing softly. The girl knew just how to push my buttons and put me in my place simultaneously.

"Thanks for offering to row, Zayn," she said sweetly. His face lit up at that. I hated it.

"No problem!" He stopped rowing and I realized we were in the middle of the lake already. We floated there for a moment, and then Zayn's eyes lit up with an idea. "Hey, Jordan, I bet you'd like a photo? This is a pretty classic tourist thing to do," he said. Clever bastard.

"Oh, I'd love one actually!" She said excitedly.

"Here, switch spots with me so you can be rowing in the picture," Zayn offered. She stood up as he did and he grabbed onto her waist to keep her stable as she stepped right up to him. I had to hand it to the lad, he certainly knew what he was doing. I wished I had thought of it first.

"Ready?" He said quietly, their bodies pressed right up against each others. She was laughing lightly, her hair falling into her face as she nodded. I rolled my eyes at Zayn's cheesy attempt to be romantic. "One, two, three!" He spun her around smoothly and plopped her down onto the bench. Jordan blushed profusely, and it made me react in all sorts of ways.

She rifled through her backpack and pulled out a film camera. "Would you mind taking it on this?" she asked.

"You shoot film," I said matter of factly. Her eyes met mine and something sparked in hers.

"I do," she breathed.

"I don't know much about film, what do I press?" Zayn said, holding the camera like it would fall apart in his hands if the wind picked up.

"I've got it, mate." I said, grabbing it from him. It was a Minolta, and a nice one at that. I quickly adjusted the aperture and shutter speed and composed the shot. Looking through the view finder at her, I took a moment to just enjoy the view. She was truly stunning. She grabbed each of the paddles and smiled radiantly at me. It blew me away for a moment, that smile directed at me. Then I remembered it was for the camera, and quickly snapped the photo.

I handed the camera back to her, our hands touching as she grabbed it. A spark of electricity zapped between us as our hands met. "Thank you," Jordan said, giving me a small smile. Then, her gaze leaving mine, she adjusted the camera quickly and held it up at Zayn and I. "Now you two! My first friends in Spain," she said.

I groaned as Zayn good-naturedly threw his arm over my shoulder and leaned in. He scrunched his face up all funny and stuck his tongue out, making Jordan laugh. The sound was so contagious that I couldn't help but smile at the sound. The click of the shutter timed it perfectly. She was wildly lucky to have captured that, I usually hated taking photographs.

"How about you row us back, Harry? Jordan, you come sit next to me," Zayn offered in his helpful tone. Again, I saw right through his attempts and hated him for coming up with these ideas before I could.

"Sure, mate." I said, looking over at Jordan. She stood up on her own, quickly, probably in an attempt to avoid my touch. I stood as well, and the boat rocking forced her body forward. She grabbed onto my shoulders to steady herself, my hands snaking around her waist at the same time. She inhaled sharply. Tingles traveled down my body where our bodies touched. I leaned in so close our noses almost touched, and whispered "Ready?" Humor sparked in her eyes at the jab towards Zayn, and she surprised me by sarcastically whispering back "one, two, three!" We both laughed as we stepped around each other and sat down.

Zayn casually leaned his arm around her to grab either side of the boat, seamlessly inching his arm closer to her. I swear I've never rowed faster.

Back on dry ground, Zayn checked his phone. "Oh, shit, my study group is freaking out. They just released the first homework assignment for medical students and the reading for it wasn't on our summer reading list!" He looked up, panicked. "I'm so sorry, Jordan, I think I'd better go meet up with my classmates and figure this out."

"That's alright! Definitely make sure you're ready for classes. I'm sorry this got sprung on you!" she replied easily.

"Would you like me to walk you home first? I feel terrible cutting your Madrid tour short," Zayn asked.

Jordan paused at that, her eyes flicking to me before returning to him. I took that as my cue and interjected, "There's still an hour or so of daylight, and there is still so much to see. I can show you around a bit more and walk you home a little later if you'd still like to walk around?"

She looked at me, then Zayn, then me again. "If it isn't too much trouble, that sounds great, thank you."

Zayn looked visibly defeated at that, but didn't object. "Alright, then I'll be heading back now. I'll text you Jordan!" He hugged her goodbye and was off.

Finally, I had Jordan all to myself.