The X-Factor Experience | L.S

Twenty Nine: May

The small IKEA pieces were spread across the floor as two struggling heads were hurting their brains trying to figure out how to read the Swedish instructions.

Regret was starting to grow in Harry's stomach over buying that chair.

It had been standing there. In a box in the corner of his room the entire week. Harry was too lazy to get a grip and just put it together so he could actually use the chair he'd bought for himself.

Niall stood up suddenly and Harry whipped his head up, narrowing his eyes at him suspiciously.

Niall swallowed thickly. "So while you go do that, I am just gonna head over to the mall and catch up with Liam," he said, about to walk out the door of Harry's room, but he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

He turned around to meet Harry's disapproving face.

"You promised to help me. Please, I suck at assembling stuff," he gestured helplessly to the screws in his hands, having zero clue what their purpose in the world was.

"I'm sorry. I just promised I'd meet him there. He's bored out of his mind," Niall said apologetically. "You can do this yourself, I know you'll find a way."

"Ugh," Harry kicked away the two pieces. "Screw IKEA."

"Screw IKEA," Niall echoed with a firm nod. They shared a laugh.

"Liam?" Harry then asked. "Who's that?"

Niall raised two confused eyebrows. "Liam? You know Liam."

Harry shook his head no, curls bouncing in every direction.

"Come on, works at that sandwich bar? Ham's Kitchen? He's got that terrible cap on they force him to wear? Hates you?"

Harry frowned, "hates me? What?"

"Oh. Yeah, Liam doesn't like you," Niall said casually with a shrug as if he'd just told him that fish can swim.

Harry's lips tugged downward. "I don't know who he is but why would he not like me?" He asked.

"Does it matter? You don't even know who he is."

"Exactly! That's why I don't get how he doesn't like me," Harry insisted.

Niall sighed and sat down at the table with Harry. He started explaining, "it annoys him that you... that yo-"

"That I what?" Harry pushed.

"Jesus relax, I'm not the one who hates you. So he takes a disliking to you because he thinks you're... too shy."

"Excuse me?"

"He thinks you take too long to order what you'll have. And that you speak so quietly he can't hear you."

Harry gasped, offended that this random stranger thought he took too long to order a sandwich.

Ordering is hard, okay.

Niall placed a comforting hand over Harry's. "I can cancel if you want me to."

"No. No, don't do that. Do you mind if I tag along actually?"