collision // harry styles au

chapter twenty-one

After Harry ignored multiple calls and left all of my text messages unanswered, I went home from work and straight to bed with a sick feeling in my stomach. My thoughts were going a mile a minute as I could only imagine what Harry was assuming of Michael and I. Trying to keep from him the fact that I had gotten Michael's number was a mistake, an unjustifiable one at that. Why did I automatically assume that Harry would overreact? At the extreme, he would have gotten a little jealous, but he wouldn't have gotten mad at me. Now he probably thought I was cheating on him or something and I couldn't get that disappointed look he had out of my mind. We were in a real relationship now, and I was sure I had broken part of his trust.

So the next afternoon, after my only class of the day I did what any good girlfriend would do after she had done something wrong. I went to the store to buy some things so I could bake Harry's favorite cookies as an apology. He told me he was a big fan of butter pecan cookies because his grandma made them for him when he was younger. So, I convinced my mom to email me a recipe, which I achieved by telling her the cookies were for a school bake-sale (I didn't want to tell her I needed them because I was such a screw up with Harry), and I hoped they would turn out all right.

I baked all afternoon and when the timer went off I pulled the cookies out of the oven and set them out to cool. They looked golden brown, and the bottoms weren't even burnt! The smell wafted through my dorm and it took all I had not to shove a cookie in my mouth right that second. Then I text Violet, who I knew was with Niall at his flat.

hey Vi. is Harry at home?

yeah he is... why?

I messed up, have to apologize. can you and niall vacate? i'll explain later xx

sure thing babe, we'll just come back to our dorm, that cool?

perfect, I owe you one!!

I went to put on a cute outfit and brush my hair, hoping that if I looked at least a little pretty it would be easier for him to accept my apology. And of course, the cookies might butter him up. Before I left, I piled the cookies into a plastic container, praying they would keep a bit of their warmth.

I felt a tad guilty while riding the bus because Harry was already angry with me and I didn't really need him another reason to be. After I got off at at Harry's apartment I felt myself fidgeting in the elevator. I didn't like for people to be mad at me, especially someone like Harry. When I reached the door I stared at it for a few moments before knocking softly until I heard the sound of footsteps towards the door, and then it was being swung open.

Harry looked down at me with an expression that I couldn't decipher. It was a mixture of annoyance and surprise, I think.

"Hi." I spoke first.

He responded with a very short, "Hey."

Normally whenever Harry greeted me he asked me about my day or how I was feeling or what I'd had for breakfast. (He loves breakfast.)

"I brought apology cookies." I said quietly, holding up my container and shaking it softly.

Harry sighed, and his expression softened the tiniest bit. I looked him right in the eye and spilled the speech I'd already planned in my head.

"Harry, I was so stupid. I knew I should've just told you about the number, but it just looked like a bad situation for me to have another guy's number in my pocket. It was dumb and I should've just told you instead of assuming you'd overreact. I would never do anything behind your back. I like you so much, probably too much. I'm so sorry and I promise that --"