skinny || h.s. au [Rewrite Now Up!]

four

Marley has never really had friends. She did once, but that was before Maria. And that felt like a different lifetime for Marley. Or maybe even a dream. Completely made up in the middle of an unconscious aberration of shapes and colors somehow threading itself together into that distant memory.

And Marley played it off as if it had been simply that. A dream.

But with that came the uncertainty of how to handle a certain boy's persistence to be her friend.

And damn was he persistent.

"Why do you insist on being my friend?" Marley asks as they walk to their third period art class one day. "You're so charming and outgoing, it's not like you can't make other friends."

She meant to sound more snarky, like her usual tone with this sort of questions. But her voice betrays her. It spills some kind of vulnerability that Marley didn't even realize was there. At least, not until she heard it ring through her own ears.

Harry hears it too. But says nothing.

"Because most girls fall all over me," He shrugs, "You're different. It's nice to have a female friend who doesn't."

"So I mean as long as you like me for me..." Marley jokes with a small laugh, earning yet another protest from Maria in the back of her mind. But at this point it was somewhat halfhearted.

Oh, yes. Harry Styles' charm was even wearing on the cold, head-strong Maria.

Because Marley is all cold fingers and half-crazed minds and crystal blue eyes that remind a certain boy of icicles and frost-bitten noses.

He laughs. "Well, there's that. And you're just so approachable."

"Yeah I'm sure that's what you got out of my death stare on the first day." Marley says as they reach their next class.

"Most definitely." Harry smiles, playing along in their sarcastic banter as he holds the door open for her to walk through.

And, damn was he persistent.

Marley rolls her eyes. But as she steps through the doorframe, Harry places his hand on her back.

Only for a second, a gentleman-like gesture simply to guide her inside. But it wipes the smile right off of Marley's face.

Because no one touches her. Ever.

Maria goes off on her tangent of slurs and curses at Marley for letting him think this is okay. And Marley gets lost in her inner dialogue as she finds an empty seat toward the back.

Harry follows and sits in the next open seat near the girl with crystal blue eyes that remind him of icicles and frost-bitten noses.

Sitting in the seat directly in front of her, he can easily see her sudden, distant expression as she stares at her notebook when he turns around.

And he wonders yet again what goes on through the mind of Marley Parker. Those thoughts that make her phase out into these episodes of distant silence.

And he realizes the true answer to her question from before.

He likes her because she's different and interesting. But also because somehow he knows that she's broken in some way or another.

And all he wants to do is fix her.

_________________________________________

"No." Marley says immediately.

Is he crazy? Are you crazy? I told you not to let him get close to you! This is what happens Marley!