The Only One {Harry Styles AU}

8. Now pt. 1

We watched the Emmys that weekend, and, oh Madelyn, seeing you in that dress again made my heart race just as fast as it had the day before. I hadn't told the boys that I'd seen you in it already. I won't repeat the comments spewing from their mouths that day, but suffice it to say, they were crude. Suffice it to say, that black and red dress was a hit all around. Suffice it to say, I was getting irritated. I tried to block out their crass words and push down that irritation, to focus on you.... but the cameras panned away.

And my irritation only grew when the guys started talking about ordering in pizza. I had the twenty note you'd given me as a gratuity, but I wasn't getting paid for almost two weeks, and that was all I had. The thing is, they all had assistance from the school to cover their costs. But because my dad made a decent living with his band, the university didn't offer me nearly as much, which meant my mum and I had to make up the difference, and she was already stretched too thin. All the money I'd saved the last year had gone to cover the remainder of my tuition and fees, my books, my rent. My last pay check from Sal, just from two days ago, was gone, spent on my cell phone bill. I was dead broke.

"I've got you, Haz," Liam nudged me quietly. "No worries."

"Nah, mate. You guys go on. I'll scrounge something together in the kitchen."

"We're not gonna sit here eating pizza in front of you while you eat water biscuits, Harry," Louis rolled his eyes. "Just have a slice."

I was hungry, but I was a bit ashamed to be in this bind, and I definitely did not want to take charity. But Louis was right; I don't think there was much to be had in our kitchen at the moment. So I finally gave in and agreed to eat with them. The pizzas actually were fairly inexpensive from Michael's, the little family-run place down in town. Louis and I had discovered it over the summer when we'd come to get our stuff squared away for school--their advertisment offered a lunch deal of a slice and a drink for peanuts. Four bucks. Couldn't beat that.

Louis held a piece with sausage and grilled onion out to me. "Best pizza joint we've found by far."

I took the slice, my stomach grumbling, "Agreed. Puts all others to shame. Fuckin tasty."

"Don't fuck the pizza, Harry. Eat it," Louis grinned at me.

Niall mumbled something, and when I turned to look at him, I burst into laughter. He had a slice in one hand and most of another sticking out of his mouth, his face as red as a pepperoni. He started laughing too, then, which expelled the half-eaten piece from his mouth onto the floor, a slobbery mashed up mess. It was disgusting. It was hilarious. It was ridiculous. There was a thick string of drool from the semi-chewed food to his mouth. Niall was doubled over laughing.

"Gah," Zayn exclaimed, scooting away from Niall. "Gross."

"You all right, mate?" Liam patted Niall's back.

"Yeah, 'm all right. Turns out I cannot eat a whole slice in one bite."

"Was this even up for debate? Why? Why would you do this?" I shook my head, grinning.

"Ménage-à-trois," Niall shrugged.

"What?"

"Fucking the pizza...?" Niall looked from me to Louis excitedly. Like, get it?

"She's on," Liam smacked my arm with the back of his hand. I stared at the screen in awe. We'd already seen you on the red carpet pre-show thingy, but now you were on the stage, presenting an award. The camera zoomed in on your face, your bare shoulders just in view. "God, she's perfect." I said nothing, but of course I agreed.

Zayn rolled his eyes, grabbed his backpack and went to the front door. "See ya later." He left so abruptly, so... icily.

(We didn't see him again for three days... Liam said not to worry, but I know we all did anyway. It was disconcerting for him to vanish like that. Something was up with Zayn, I was sure, but none of us knew what. Still don't. But we could see he wasn't all right. We could see he wasn't happy. We just couldn't see how to help him. He didn't seem to want us to help him.)