Serendipity ...

Chapter 1 .

  Pining engulfed Harry's first year of university. Sure, he did his fair share of studying, dabbled in a bit of partying, but pining really took over his year. His friend - Liam - gave him an ultimatum, talk to the boy before his second year was over, or he would talk to him for Harry (and there was no way Harry trusted what Liam would say).

"Mate, you know we adore you, but this is getting out of hand. He's just a bloke, I doubt he'll start barking at you if you go up to him to say hello or something. It's been a year and I know that you know he knows who you are just as much as you know who he is" Liam had told him.

"I bet that was meant to be motivational, Li. But I lost track at the second 'know'" Harry had responded.

And then just before he walked away, without letting Harry get a word in, Liam said, "Look, if you don't talk to him before the end of next year, I'll talk to him. Frankly, this is getting ridiculous"

That replayed constantly in Harry's head every time he saw the boy Liam was referring to, then it replayed in his head over the Christmas break. Just as it's replaying in his head as he sees the boy for the first time this year.

His brown hair was messier than it had been the previous year, nearly falling over his eyes as it swept down across his forehead, his green hoodie resting comfortably around him. So effortlessly beautiful.

Harry had never gotten the guy's name, but he was sure he heard someone refer to him as Niall once. He didn't think he looked like a Niall, but what does he know.

It took Harry more off guard than it should've to see Niall. He had been back for about a week, and just hadn't seen him. Not that he tried to search for him, he's not creepy. They just happen to pass each other a lot. But seeing him here, now, looking like a god, really took him off guard.

So off guard in fact, he tripped over his neighbour's hose into a puddle.

Fucking Great.

Now here he is lying face first in a puddle that's long enough to be a bloody swamp, his headphones somehow still on, and ironically blaring 'I'm Still Standing' by Elton John.

Way to impress his super cool crush who probably saw the entire ordeal, considering he was directly the other side of the road, sitting on a bench facing Harry.

He rolled over, onto his back and out of the puddle hoping the ground would just swallow him whole. He got the dry part of his sleeve and wiped the mud from his eyes, risking a glance at the bench. Just as fate would have it, the pretty boy was looking at him wide eyed with a hand slammed over his mouth.

Harry shot him what he thought was an awkwardly appropriate smile, pulling his beanie down just a bit and closing his eyes again. He new he was a clumsy person, he was used to it, had nearly 19 years of experience, but he had never wanted to disappear more than he did in this moment.

The self-loathing was cut short when a voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

"Oi, lad. You alright?"

Harry opened one eye, then the other when he noticed Niall? standing above him.

"Yeah m'good, you?" Wait. That wasn't the right response.

The guy smirked and laughed lowly, "Give me your hand"

Harry felt his cheeks heat up, thankfully the mud covered that up. He reached for the man's hand and let himself be helped up. It was small touch, but it made Harry's entire body feel like fire.

"Thanks" Harry didn't know what to say, what's really the appropriate thing to say to somebody who watched you fall into a mud puddle.

What's really the appropriate thing to say to somebody who you've been mildly obsessing over for the past year.