untitled |h.s|

five

Ariella

I silently followed Harry out of the small restaurant Niall had brought me to. I found myself getting more frustrated with Niall every time he felt the need to say something to Harry about me. I love him, and it's sweet that he's trying to protect me, but I'm not the fragile little girl he used to know anymore. I haven't seen him for more than two-days at a time since I was sixteen, there's so many things he doesn't know about me at this point. I understand that he just wants me to be safe, and I appreciate him for that, but he has to know I'm an adult now, he can't control everything.

I knew Niall said something about a bike, but I guess I didn't let myself process that information until I rounded the corner of the building, watching Harry walk over to a motorcycle. I bite my lip, trying to hold back a smirk as I watch him climb onto the bike. He twists around, grabbing an extra helmet from the back compartment and extending it out to me as I walk over to him. I grab the helmet, climbing onto the bike behind him.

"You're not scared?" Harry questioned, almost like he was anticipating me being nervous.

"No," I chuckle as I settle behind him, "my ex had a bike that I rode on all the time."

He hums in response, starting up the engine of the motorcycle.

"I think it's hot," I whisper into his ear before he puts his helmet on. I feel him tense at my words as I lean forward, my chest pressing against his back. An involuntary smile tugs at my lips at his reaction, and I sit up just enough to put my helmet on. I wrap my arms around his waist, allowing my fingers to lightly trace over his tense abs through the thin fabric of his shirt.

He doesn't say anything to me after that. The ride back to the apartment is short, just like Harry said, and he silently guides me up to their apartment. The quiet elevator ride instantly gives me flashbacks of the last time I went up to his apartment with him, but the tension in the air forces me to stay quiet. He unlocks the door and I make a beeline straight to the guest room, wanting to escape the silence as soon as possible.

Closing the door, I slump against it, my body sliding down the door until I'm sitting on the floor. I sigh, pulling out my phone to see a text from Niall.

Niall (9:15 pm)
hey, it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I'll probably get home late, don't wait up for me. Text me if you need anything x

I let out a breath at the message, unsure if it was from relief or annoyance. Regardless, I pull myself off the floor and make my way over to the corner where I'd left my suitcase earlier. I pull out everything I need to get ready for bed, it's early, but the only thing I want to do right now is curl into the warm bed and scroll through my phone until I fall asleep.

I gather everything and make my way to the bathroom Niall showed me earlier, setting my stuff on the counter and turning on the shower. While the water heats up, I move over to the counter and start taking my makeup off. I take my time meticulously wiping away the mascara so I can avoid waking up with raccoon eyes for a second day in a row, cringing as I recall the state I saw myself in when I finally got back to my hotel this morning. Eventually, I finish, slowly stripping my clothes off and getting ready to get in the shower when I hear faint music through the walls, I'm assuming it's coming from Harry's room.

When I step into the shower, the music is louder, solidifying the sound is coming from Harry considering the shower shares a wall with his room. It's still quiet, but it's enough for me to be able to recognize the song, and it's not long until I find myself lowly singing along as I start washing my hair.

listen to the wind blow

down comes the night

run in the shadows