The Water // a Harry Styles fan-fiction

Chapter One.

It's a cold and windy afternoon. The harsh winter weather was nipping my skin, sending chills down my spine. Although the arctic temperature, the water which drifted slowly beneath me, wasn't frozen. It rippled, as it usually did, with the shallow breeze.

I was dressed in the last outfit anyone would choose to be outside in, which only let the cold in closer to my body. But I hadn't exactly planned on sitting here. On the end of the wooden platform, as I would normally if I were upset. I'm not upset. Or I wasn't upset, I should say. I had been thrown out the house, - yet again- for a reason I don't want to discuss right now. My family are judgemental and incolent when they wish to be, and it's driving me crazy.

"You look cold." a voice spoke, breaking the silence I had been enjoying. I jumped violently, almost causing myself to fall off the edge of the pier and plummet into the icey water.

I whipped my head around quickly, expecting one of my brother's friends. Or maybe even my brother himself. It wasn't him. My annoyance disapeared rappidly, when my eyes fell upon a boy I didn't recognise. He looked about my age; tall, dark haired. His eyes were a bright, pircing green. They were hooked on my own mint colored ones, as he stared at me intently. His hair, which was a rich chocolate brown, wasn't quite curly. Just slight messy waves, exactly like my own. Although of course, his hair wasn't anywhere near the length of mine.

His full lips were pulled into a tight grin across his face. I noticed the slight inset dimples of either side of that cheeky grin.

I smiled back at him, and felt my own dimples pop. He's the male version of me. "I'm not cold. I'm fine." Puffs of mist came from my mouth as I spoke, exposing the lie I just told.

"Right. You nearly fell there, love. Better watch yourself." he said, shoving his thumbs in the front pockets of his washed out pants.

He had one of his thick brows high up his forehead, a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow at an equal level, at the confident boy that stood in front of me. "It's your faut I nearly fell. You made me jump. You creeped up on me."

The boy gently placed himself down next to me, at the end if the planks of wood. They creaked in protest to the weight gain.

"Actually, I've been stood here for a while. You just didn't notice me. You looked pretty absorbed in your thoughts."

"I was. That is until, a random weirdo appears out of nowhere and scared me so much, I nearly fell of the pier." I exclaimed dramatically, watching the boy carefully. "My mother told me never to talk to strangers." I added, narrowing my eyes.

"So now I'm a random, weirdo-stranger? You're the one that's being weird. If you would stop talking for one second, we might be able to communicate like normal people." he put his index finger in the space between us - hushing me -, just as I was about to start talking again.

"You haven't even asked me my name." he finished, letting his hand fall back to his side.

"That's because I don't want to know it. If you don't mind, I was here first, and I would appriciate it if you would leave me alone." I snapped.

I know how rude I sound. I don't mean to be, but my temper has already been picked at by my family. Which I will tell you about later.

"Someone's got their knickers in a twist." he chuckled, taking one of his hands to his foot. He began to slip off the brown leather boot that he was wearing, and placed it beside him. "Actually, as I said, I was here before you. You just didn't notice me."

Before I could think of any witty reply to this boy, he was in the water. He literally threw himself into the gray, cold, rippling water. My mouth dropped open in a comical 'O' shape, as this idiot bobbed about in the water below me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I gasped, pulling my legs up from over the edge of the wood. "You'll freeze to death!"

He paid absolutely no attention to me, and continued to tread water. His skin, I could tell, was icey. It had already turned a bright, flushed pink colour. I moved myself awkwardly to lay flat on my stomach, my arms out strectched to the boy.

"Take my hand. You need to get out of there. Why would you do that? What's wrong with you?"

"Cold water is good for your body. It helps with your blood circulation." he explained.

"I know that. But don't you think throwing yourself off a wooden platform, in the freezing winter weather is a bit of a stupid idea?" I pointed out, extending my arm as far as it would go.

The boy's hair was now soaking, and spread messily across his face.

"Well I'm generally a bit stupid." he laughed, reaching for my hand. I winced as his skin made contact with mine. He was freezing.

This guy is insane. I thought to myself, gripping his large hands in my own.

"P-promise me, you'll n-never let go, Rose." he stuttered, clasping my hands in his.

I couldn't help but let out a loud laugh at his Titanic quote. The boy chuckled below me, flashing his dimples yet again.

"You're crazy."

After a few moments of silence, I broke our gaze. I heaved myself up onto my knees, dragging the sodden boy up from the water.

"Why the heck did you decide to jump into the water?" I questioned, swiping my damp hands across my denim pants, eyeing the boy curiously as he laughed.

"I guess I just decided to show off in front of the first pretty girl I've seen in ages." he chuckled.

"There you go again! You're so weird." I exclaimed, crossing my arms across my chest.

He raised an eyebrow, and places his hands in front of his chest. "Well excuse me for complimenting you."

"How far away do you live?"

"Listen, we've only just met. I don't think we're at the stage in our relationship where I take you home to meet the family." he smirked, shaking out the exess water from his hair.

I felt the blood in my face warm up, and I could tell I had gone bright red. "You know that's not what I meant. You need to go home and get warm." I defended myself, tugging at the hem of my summer blouse.

He shrugged, beads of clear water dripping from his body. "If either of us need to go and get warm, it's you. You're basically out here in your underwear."

I gaped at him, exaspurated. "Who are you?"

Before he could answer, I quickly shook myself. What am I doing out here? Joking around and talking to a complete stranger?

"Actually, I was just leaving. I think you should go home and get warm. You could die if you get too cold." I mumbled, in an effort to avoid farther conversation.

"I'm not scared of death." he answered casually, totally ignoring my first question.

"Of course you're not. You just decided to jump off a bridge, into water which is basically as cold as the arctic."

"Technically, this isn't a bridge. It's a jetty." he grinned at me.

I frowned. "Yeah, I know. Well...bye then." I finally spoke. "You really should go and get warm."

I turned away from the stranger in front of me, and started to make my way down the jetty. As badly as I wanted to, I decided not to look back at the soaked boy. Until I got to the end of the wooden walkway, and I heard his voice.

"Goodbye, Amy."

But when I looked back over my shoulder in confusion, he was already gone.