New York [harry styles au]

08

08.
September hit New York and I could have sworn that I heard a sigh of relief echoing through the harsher breeze. Summer had packed up his bags and left with a small wave, making way for Autumn's brown leaves and Halloween mischief. Staying with Harry had only been getting better, we got along like a house on fire; especially now that we were closer than ever. Though we hadn't made love yet, we still didn't hesitate with surprising each other with quick and meaningful embraces. I liked our kisses the best. I liked when he would hide behind the door to his bedroom and jump out to scare me before engulfing my lips in a connection deep enough to reach my soul; or when we would dance slowly to Bobby Vinton's Blue Velvet barefooted together in the living room, his hands tightly holding my waist whilst mine wrapped around his neck. The memories of these moments bring a sorrowful feeling to me now, and thinking of how crazy we must have looked from outside the window causes a tear to slowly but surely roll down my cheek.

"You and Harry then?" Angelina asked with a cheeky smirk. We were stepping down the shopping district of New York, both of us feeling the noticeable difference in how quickly the trees now swayed and the refreshed busyness of people rushing past us, finally leaving the protection of their homes after summer.

"Yeah, we'll see how far it goes." I plainly reply, taking her arm and pulling her into a store nearby that presented some beautifully made dresses in its windows.

"You two really suit each other; Harry needs somebody like you, Winona." She says, and I smile widely, even at the expensive price tag of a skirt before me.

"You think so?"

"I know so." She clarifies, "That dress would look so good on you." Her hand gestures to a dress to the left of a skirt I had been inspecting.

"I'd buy it if I had the money, it doesn't seem like I'll be getting a job any time soon." I explain and she shakes her head, I begin to walk away.

"I'll buy it for you." She snatches the dress from the railing.

"Wait no, I couldn't possibly..."

"Winona, I insist. What sort of friend would I be if I didn't help my friends out." She sent a genuine smile my way before stepping to the checkout. I wanted to ask her how much money she had leftover from her previous job with Jonathan but she mustn't know that I was aware of her business. I had promised Harry.

I tried to stop her from purchasing the dress but however hard I tried, she wasn't swayed from the idea in the end, getting it bagged up at the counter and handing it to me on the way out.

"Angelina, you didn't have to." I reach into the bag to touch the expensive fabric of the deep red dress, it was one of the most expensive purchases anybody had ever made for me. My eyes glance at the price tag, growing frustrated at the label of '$120' and knowing that I couldn't return the favour any time soon.

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to." She says, "There's a difference."

It isn't long before we are near Harry's apartment and find the swings in the park nearby, each of us holding a cigarette to our lips.

"You've been here for over a month now, you know." She suddenly says, peering at me with concern.

"I know."

"Have you spent this much time anywhere else?" She asks and I shake my head, "That's got to mean something, Winona, surely."

"What could it mean, Angelina?" I take a drag of my cigarette between my lips.

"Maybe New York is the place for you, maybe you've found your happy place." It almost seemed like she was trying to persuade me to stay longer, I didn't have a time limit on my stays at destinations. "I know Harry really really likes you."