Scrabble | Harry Styles

2

"He was so sweet - honestly, I don't know how I've never noticed him before. He was so dreamy, Blair. You would've liked him a lot; if I didn't like the look of him so much, then I would've - wait, are you even listening to me?"

"Hm?" I snapped out of my thoughts, winding the cord from the phone around my fingers as I held it pressed to my ear with my other hand. Truthfully, I hadn't been listening. I'd zoned out no more than two minutes in to Vic's recollection of the night before, as she'd began to give me every detail of her encounter with James Whiteley from our maths class - someone who she'd sat two rows behind for nearing three years now, but had only just noticed in the uproar of New Year's Eve.

He was pretty attractive, I couldn't deny it - but I'd also heard him murmur something to his best friend in the seat beside him a few months back about how he 'needed to find a new bitch to boss around', and, in all honesty, that had written him off for me.

"I love you, Blair, but sometimes I swear you're in a world of your own," she sighed into the phone, though I knew she didn't really mind. I bit my lip guiltily.

"Sorry, Vic - I was listening, I promise. James Whiteley - sounds promising."

"You sound like you mean it," she said dryly, and I shrugged.

"'Just think there's probably better guys out there. And from what I've heard, he's a total douche. With the attitude of a spoiled brat," I paused, chewing on my lip again, "but you can't judge someone if you don't know them, I suppose. If you really like him, then you know I'll support that."

A shuffling sounded from the other end of the line, and I couldn't decipher whether it was movement, or a scoff at my words. "It's not that big of a deal - I'm not head over heels just yet. But if he's got a dick reputation, then I'll be careful. It's a new year, Blair - no new heartbreaks for me this time around!"

I let out a quiet chuckle, "Good for you, Vic." And I meant it - I wouldn't want any sort of harm to come her way, ever. She'd dated someone last year, for around four months, and it had ended horribly. Endless tears had filled the month to follow, and she'd sworn she was off men - until she'd hooked up with two or three during the Summer. She was better, now, I knew that - but still, it was painful to witness the running mascara and the piles of tissues all the same.

"So.." she dragged the word out, and I sighed in anticipation of the inevitable question, extending the phone wire as I walked and taking a seat on the edge of my bed, crossing one of my legs over the other, "You've still yet to tell me where you disappeared to last night."

"I told you before I left," I pointed out.

"Barely," she scoffed, "you showed up after midnight and that was when your parents were getting ready to leave, and so you told me you 'couldn't find the bathroom', and you 'made a friend'."

"Both true," I argued.

"But not detailed enough. Spill."

I pursed my lips, not sure how to sum it up. She was right - I'd stayed with Harry far longer than I had planned to, and by the time I'd actually got ahold of myself and returned back to where I was supposed to be, I realised that it was nearing half-twelve, and I'd missed the celebrations altogether. It did dishearten me a little, and I feared that Vic would be annoyed I hadn't been there for the clock to strike midnight, but Harry didn't see the big deal. "You have far more New Year's to live through and to celebrate accordingly, I'm sure of it," he'd said, raising his eyebrows at my minor despair.

"There's really not much to it, if I'm honest," I tilted my head slightly to the side as I spoke, "I met this boy, Harry-"

"Harry who?" she interjected.

"I-" I stopped, bringing my lips together, "I don't know," I confessed.

"What?!" she shrieked, "don't tell me you spent hours with this guy and didn't even learn his last name? You had one job, Blair-"

"It wasn't hours..." I went to argue, but realised there was no point, "but I know, shut up," I huffed in equal disbelief, only now coming to my attention that I hadn't bothered to ask his last name - I felt I'd gotten to know him in that period of time, yet really, I didn't know a thing about him. It wasn't an issue, though - of course, I'd never be seeing him again. He made it clear he was only visiting town for a short period, and so it was just a temporary friendship of sorts.

"Anyway," I continued pointedly, "I met him last night, and he was nice, but that was all. He was just visiting some family."

"Oh, who were his family?"

"I didn't meet them."

"You're telling me this guy was here to visit family, yet he was alone?" I could basically sense her judgement as she spoke. "Weirdo."

"I didn't question it, Vic, he didn't seem like the most sociable person I'd ever met, judging by the way he was alone in a room playing board games."

"He was-" she began, and I could imagine her pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance the way she often did. "You know what? I won't question it. I trust your judgement. Was he hot?"

I let out a breathy laugh, as I debated my answer. Was I about to admit that? Was he- yes, yes he was. He was easy on the eye to say the least - his eyes suddenly flashed through my mind, the bold green of his irises as they'd watched me in an unreadable manner, as I'd reached to spell out each of my words.

"That's such a yes!" Vic exclaimed so loudly that I had to pull the phone away from my ear for a moment.

I rolled my eyes although she couldn't see, "He was nice. Different. It was interesting to meet someone who isn't from here."

"Did you kiss him at midnight?"

I didn't. I barely knew him, and though it would've been meaningless, it surely would've been strange to kiss him at midnight simply for the sake of kissing somebody. It wouldn't have happened, regardless, as we'd missed midnight, but now I couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if we hadn't - missed midnight, that is. I wondered if he would've kissed me - and I doubted it. Though it seemed an odd judgement to make, he didn't seem the type to spontaneously kiss a stranger. I wondered what he was like when he kissed someone - if he was the type to create a buildup, or if he'd kiss someone just because. Or if he'd even kissed anybody at all - no, he obviously had. Nobody lives their life whilst being that attractive and doesn't kiss somebody along the way.

I pushed the thoughts out of my head. It was my worst habit - overanalysing - it always had been. I'd simply met the guy, and I was never to meet him again, yet I was wondering what type of kisser he was.

"Hello? Earth to Blair?"

"No," I admitted, turning the question around, "do you kiss strangers?"

"If they're hot, then I have nothing against it," she replied, and I laughed. "Are you coming to the diner tonight with us?"

"I am," I stood up, wandering back over to where the phone attached to the wall.

"Good. I'll see you there. Now go back to daydreaming about your non-intimate one night stand."

I rolled my eyes again, "Whatever. See you later."

I slotted the phone back into its place on the wall, hanging up and going back to doing just that.