Undercover | H.S.

2.

I've always been a kid at heart. I think that's the major reason why my favorite place to go when I wanted to think, was an old playground at the back of my neighborhood. There is something about the nostalgia of being on a swing I think that I've always felt comforting.

I leave my house through the front door. It's not that late, only 10 PM, and our neighborhood is safe. My mother is on the night shift this week, she's an RN at a local hospital and I rarely see her these days as she tries to make ends meet after my dad left last year. It's been hard on us both and our relationship has taken a hit, sometimes I wonder if that's the real reason she's never home anymore. I start out on the mile long trek to my spot and I revel in the quiet.

I try to concentrate on the sounds of my breathing and the way the winds is rustling the leaves in the trees along the sidewalk.

I try not to think about what I saw that led me out here. I try not to reproduce in my mind the Instagram post with my childhood best friend and my ex boyfriend making out for the world to see.

Kambrie has been my best friend, my only real friend, for as long as I can remember. The past few weeks of summer have been odd because she hasn't reached out to me but I'd seen her social media posts out and about. I hadn't contacted her because I hadn't known how to approach the subject, I'm bad with words and human interaction that way, but now I guess I know why she's been distant.

Caleb is the only boy I've ever dated. He wasn't the love of my life and things ended mutually. But we dated for six months and now after seeing the picture I'm mentally replaying every time Caleb and Kambrie were ever alone without me. I'm beginning to question if maybe I'm more of an idiot than I originally thought.

•

After 30 minutes of walking I finally spot the outline of the playground in the distance. I sigh in relief at the sight of my favorite spot, my safe place. The relief is short lived as I realize there is a shadowy figure seated in one of the two swings. I frown into the dark, no one is ever here.

I approach slowly, realizing quickly that the figure is male. He seems to be alone and he is facing away from me. From the back I can spot that he's around my age, he's slim and lanky and at least from this angle he appears harmless so I decide to stay and chance it in hopes I can still do the thinking I'd come here to do.I don't want to startle him as he appears to be doing some thinking of his own so I call out to him.

"Hey there, mind if I join you?"

I take another step towards the swings reaching the open one and grabbing the ropes that hold it up as the stranger turns to meet my gaze.

The recognition is instant but I do my best to keep the shock off of my face. I look deep into the green eyes piercing through me and recall the thousands of times I've seen them through a computer screen and across tabloid pages.

He looks away from me but mutters

"Sure"

I go to take a seat before realizing my body has already done so. The shock of being next to the Harry Styles seems to have cost me the control of my limbs. I try to think of something, anything, even remotely cool to say but I can't seem to process what is happening, let alone form words.

My jumbled and rapid thoughts are only halted when he reaches into his pocket and grabs a pack of smokes.

"Want one?"

I've never smoked before in my life but find myself accepting the offer. I place the filter end in my mouth and lean in to let him light it for me. My eyes close and I absorb his scent musky with just a bit of mint. Up close he is even more beautiful than in pictures. His dark hair is brushed up and off of his face making his eyes seem bigger and brighter if that's possible. I thank him and settle into the swing.

Harry is quiet seemingly still lost in his thoughts as my own begin to swarm my head. I'm no longer thinking of Caleb and Kambrie though.

Now I am lost in the curiosity of what the hell Harry Styles is doing in my neighborhood.

Before I can think of anything worthy of being said he chimes in again.

"Are you from around here?" His accent is thick and his voice laced with something that sounds like pain.

"Yeah, I live a few streets over. I come here all the time"

"I bought a house not too far from here a month ago. It's nice, I like the quiet. Sometimes my life gets to be a little much."

I wait to see if he'll offer more about his life but he doesn't. I don't tell him that I know about his house in LA or about his life.

"I get that. This is my favorite spot to just come reason through things when my life is falling apart." I pause for a second before adding "and it seems to always be these days"

"I can relate more than I care to admit. My job.." he starts but then pauses. Headlights of a car come into view and the car stalls in front of us the lights blinding my eyes before it turns left and stops yet again. I squint trying to distinguish what's happening before a giant flash lights the space and the car drives down the block.

"Dammit. I should go." He breathes "what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't" I reply "but it's Ellie. Ellie Mitchell"

"It was a pleasure to meet you Ellie." His eyes meet mine and a scowl covers face as he says "I'm sorry for whatever happens tomorrow."

I don't know how to reply to that so I stay silent as he lifts himself off the swing and walks away to a black sedan I hadn't noticed sitting in the street.

One minute he was here, the next he was gone.

And I was left wondering if it had ever really happened at all or if I'd just dreamed the whole thing.