Never - A Haylor Fanfic [discontinued]

Chapter 16 - We're going out.

       
A knock on the door disrupts me from my cosy reading, and instead of clambering out of the array of pillows and blankets encasing me, I call out lazily,

"IT'S OPEN!"

The door instantly flies open and Harry barges into my living room.

"Uh, hi...?"

I comment, raising my eyebrows behind my reading glasses.

"Hello."

He replies, his breathing rather shallow as if he sprinted all the way here.

"I'm sorry I made you cry yesterday."

I stay silent for a couple of seconds, before realizing I'm supposed to reply.

"Oh, right. Um..."

I shake my head as I remember the embarrassment of last night, slowly closing the book on my lap. I glance up at Harry, just long enough to take in the red, checkered shirt he has hanging from his shoulders, the pair of tight, black jeans he has clinging to all the right places, stylishly adorned with small rips across the knees, and the glinting gold cross draped around his neck. Noticing I may have been staring silently for slightly too long, I muster a reply.

"Yeah...yeah, that's ok."

I avoid eye contact as he continues to stand there in front me. Confused as to why he hasn't left now that I've forgiven him once again, I look up again and find his pale green eyes staring back at me. His features are hard and absent of any emotion, until he notices me gazing back, and they soften noticeably. I assume he hasn't noticed, but he's definitely been doing that a lot lately; treating me as if, I dunno...he cares about my feelings to an extent...?

"I don't like it when you cry."

He mutters. I try to stay calm, but my mouth still falls open in surprise. He stays staring into my eyes, looking beyond confused.

"Well, thanks...that's actually quite sweet."

I smile lightly, but it soon turns into a full on grin. He doesn't smile back, but I can tell he's lightened up slightly.

"Can I take you out?"

My mouth drops open once again, even though I literally just peeled my jaw off of the ground.

"Wha- really?"

I breathe, completely exasperated, but he simply looks back unblinkingly, an amused smirk on his lips, awaiting my reply.

"Well, I mean...okay?"

I finally say, glancing at the clock behind me and realizing that this spontaneous trip with Harry is probably going to mess up my sleeping schedule for the next week at least. Great.

"Well, come on then."

He calls, simply raising his eyebrows once again as he heads for the door. I leap up, my entire pile of pillows and blankets collapsing onto the floor due to my excitement at the prospect of Harry actually initiating hanging out with me.

"Waaaait."

I skid to a halt. He turns face me briefly to show he's listening.

"Why are we going out?"

He pauses slightly before answering me, turning back around to face the door.

"Because I wanna catch up on gossip. Obviously.

He says matter-of-factly, still not looking at me, but instantly my heart rate fastens and my eyes widen noticeably.

"Why would you even think there's any new 'gossip'...?!"

My hands soon start to clam up, and I clasp them together whilst trying desperately to figure out how he could possibly know what went down between me and Jason a couple of nights ago.

"Oh no, what did you do?"

He says, his hands finding his hips and an accusing tone drizzles his words.

"Oh...no, nothing, really-"

The look in his eyes is enough to shut me up instantly as I realise that I'm going to end up telling him anyways, simply because...well actually I don't think either of us know the reason why I always end up telling him.

"C'mon. Grab your coat if you don't want to freeze to death, Taylor."

I glance down at the pastel blue collared shirt I have on, neatly tucked into a pair of rather short jeans and realize he's probably right, but I still roll my eyes at the return of his condescending tone.

Grabbing my coat from the rack by the door, I quickly follow him out, ignoring the rising of my heart rate as we walk out into the brisk evening air together. He slows slightly, allowing me to catch up to his long strides.

"So, what did you do? I'm desperate to know."

His warm breath is visible in the cool evening air, and I watch it fade before sighing loudly. As we saunter down the pavement, I feel my left hand rub my other arm in nervousness at what I'm about to admit.

"Well, uh, whilst you were away on that trip thingy...I happened to run into Jason one particular day- and- and we...well, I, um...ugh, I made a really stupid mistake and hooked up with him..."

I shake my head and throw my arms up in frustration after finally having heard the truth blurted out loud.

"And he's already texted me hundreds of times since then, and I've had to be so careful not to run into him on the streets, 'cause I'm terrified he'll capture me and lock me in a box just so I can never leave him and will always text him back."

I finish with a huff, before I'm rudely interrupted by Harry bursting into laughter. I watch as he clutches his stomach, his eyes squinting in laughter before he claps his hands in amusement. I try to look annoyed, but soon enough I'm giggling along, and that's the moment I hear an eager voice echo down the once silent street.