DEEP END // Harry Styles

Risky Business

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter, I had a horrible week. I'll do better 😂

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That kiss had changed everything.

Ezili had thought that it would bring Harry closer to her, but it had done the opposite. He had stopped going to her room to say goodnight before bed. And he would leave so early in the morning that they had barely spoken to each other in two days, except for when they were in public and had to act like they were in love. Ezili believed in herself. She was smart and powerful, and nothing was impossible if she was determined to make it work. However, this tasted almost like failure.

Maybe Koa was right about her not being able to finish this mission. Harry would never fall in love with her, and she would have to face her mother and admit that she was never worthy of the throne.

The idea had sent her spiralling down the pit of depression, and she wished there was a book to guide her through this. Did humans have books for every situation?

Anyway, now she must consider her backup plan.

"Hey, Dawson."

"Hey, Ezili!"

Dawson sounded so cheerful on the phone that it made Ezili feel bad when she imagined ripping out his heart. Dawson was the only male human who had not done her wrong. If anyone deserved to live, it should be him. Still, it was either her or him, and she must be selfish for once.

"How are you?" she asked while sitting cross-legged on the bed. Chilli hopped onto her lap and nudged her tiny head against Ezili's stomach. Ezili smiled and petted the animal. If only cats could live underwater. She was going to miss Chilli most when she left this place.

"I'm good." Dawson's laugh pulled her out of her head. "I'm surprised you called. Harry gave you my number?"

More like she got his number from Harry's phone while Harry was asleep.

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure we're okay."

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"You know...the other day," Ezili said while fidgeting with her fuzzy pink sock. "I just don't want you to think I'm using Harry. I'm not a horrible person, I swear." Well, not a person at all.

"I could never think so!" Dawson said, sounding appalled. "You're literally one of the nicest girls I've ever met."

"Really?" Now Ezili was in shock. Her? One of the nicest girls he'd ever met? Well, either she was good at pretending or he hadn't met that many girls in his life.

"Yeah," Dawson chuckled. "I'm sorry about the things my mother said to you."

"Don't worry. My mother wouldn't like you, either."

Dawson laughed then stopped when he realised she actually meant that.

"Oh. Why?"

Ezili shrugged even though Dawson could not see her. "That's my mother. I'm not even sure she likes me. But let's not talk about our mothers."

"You're right. Not gonna lie, I was kind of worried when I heard you were dating Harry."

"Really? Why?"

There was a pause. But Ezili knew Dawson was going to say something bad about Harry. Who could blame him? Speaking from her own experience, Harry was a very hateable person.

"You're just so...different," Dawson said. "At least from the way I see it. Pretty sure Harry has commitment issues."

"Yeah, that's very clear," Ezili said. She wanted to tell Dawson that Harry had been acting weird since they'd kissed that one time in his mother's closet, but she didn't want to make this whole conversation about Harry. This wasn't why she'd called.