Note To Self (Harry Styles AU)

Chapter Sixty Five.

Aubry's mouth surgery earned her free time away from lacrosse practice, and that gave Harry a rather pleasant surprise when not only Ben passed through the record shop doors, but Aubry too. It was seven thirty, the sunshine was obnoxiously bright through the glass storefront just as it was every night, and that made the two silhouettes practically appear like angels emerging from the gates of heaven. The positive side of facing the west, he got to see the sun set over the mountain peeks in the distance. The negative side, he sometimes couldn't see anything at all with how bright it was.

The golden light matched his emotions when he watched the two best looking people he knew step inside, their voices meshing together as they tried to talk over one another. Aubry's was extra loud. "Smokingcausescancer,smokingcausescancer,smokingcausescancer."

Matched with a quieter repetition of, "That'sthepoint,that'sthepoint,that'sthepoint."

"Hey," Harry interrupted, and they both fell quiet.

Ben's eyes met with his. "Tell her to stop berating me about my poor life choices," he spoke, stepping away from the girl and taking his intoxicating tobacco laced cologne scent with him.

"That's my thing," she insisted. "I tell people to do better while simultaneously making terrible decisions myself."

"I respect that, but kindly fuck off," Ben dismissed while his fingers began to flick through records for his weekly splurge. "Harry, suggestions."

"Alice In Chains."

"Fantastic."

"Yes, fantastic," Aubry repeated. "Who would've thought."

The bottle of Clorox he'd been using to disinfect the countertop was set aside, and his eyes narrowed. "Hope you're not implying you assumed my music taste was garbage."

"I am."

"How dare you, he made me buy a Paramore album last week. Which, by the way," Ben's eyes flitted to Harry, "is fantastic, thank you. Can't be incredibly good looking and have a shitty music taste, it's not allowed."

Harry eyeballed him from the corner of his eye, trying not to fall victim to his flattering. He tried his best to hang on to his supposed dislike of it, but as time passed the more he let it slide. Also, the less he deemed it as patronization. "Anyway..."

Aubry stepped up on the single stair at the end of the counter and leaned on the freshly cleaned top. "Anyway." She placed her frozen yoghurt cup from the shop across the street on the worn faux wood, and her chin settled on crossed forearms. "Other than being incredibly good looking, what else can you impress me with?"

Harry snorted. "Tying cherry stems with my tongue."

"Hot."

"Add another thing to the list," Ben spoke from across the room. "Likely to give incredible head."

The red flush that slowly creeped up his neck caused Aubry to smirk, but Harry turned shy and stepped away to absentmindedly run his fingers over loose papers as if pretending to be busy. Aubry's eyes scanned his backside.

"Has a perky ass too."

"I thought that," Ben admitted. "But I'm not ready for sexual harassment allegations."

Harry turned around just to hide his bum from view. He then realized both of them had something in common. They both liked pointing out his features, causing him to flush with either embarrassment or flattery (always both), and found amusement from his reactions. Also, Ben seemed much like a male version of Aubry. Stupidly good looking, and an oddly narcissistic attitude that perhaps was the reason they clashed. They bickered like children, she had a permanent nickname of 'asshole' for him, and he continuously called her a bitch. All in fun, though. Never out of malice. That was just how their relationship was.