Harry Styles Imagines

the one where things have changed

aka, the one where you're in love with the boy next door

She couldn't breathe. The house was big, the chattering noise was loud, the drink in her hand sweet enough, and yet Y/N couldn't breathe.

His eyes were on her. They had been from the moment she walked in earlier that night, proving to the girl she hadn't outgrown that stupid ability to feel Harry around, even if she wouldn't dare to look at him.

No, she couldn't. Hell, even seeing his face on a rag or a magazine threw her back in time, to that stupid night, there was no way she would be able to act normal around the guy.

Which made her being in his mother's house pretty uncomfortable, to say the least.

She didn't mean to college proved to be a great way to avoid these yearly gatherings, but one of her oldest friends had just had a baby, and Y/N loved babies, so of course, she used her break to go back home.

Took Gemma all of half a day to track her, two hours to convince her to come to dinner, gushing about how happy her brother would be to finally get to see her again.

She could have told her then and there, should have. They were still as close as they had been when she was a little girl, but Y/N was too embarrassed by what she had done to confess to it.

I mean, it looked a lot like the plot of a bad teen movie, except for the part where Harry wouldn't wake up one day and realize he had been in love with her all along.

No, all they had was this tension hanging in the air, the memories clinging to the walls, the bitter taste of mortification on her tongue.

Seriously, what was she thinking? She knew it couldn't end well. Knew a guy like that would never go for someone as simple, as boring as herself, even if he wasn't worldwide famous, but she still made a fool of herself.

All for a kiss. A stupid stolen kiss that haunted her every night since. Because he kissed her back.

Just for a moment, but he did. And she thought it was finally time to confess she loved him. That she had done it for a long time. Then, he pulled away, confusion on his eyes, right before breaking her heart.

Baby, we can't. I'm seeing someone, remember? 's not right for us to do that and you...

She never heard the end of that sentence. Didn't have to. That was more than enough to shake her back to reality, so she ran.

He didn't try to make her stop.

That still stung, as pathetic as it sounded.

"You smoke now?" his voice sounded closer than she thought it would be, but Y/N wasn't surprised: he lectured her whenever he saw her with a drink in hand, of course, he would ask about the cigarette hanging from her lips now.

"Sometimes, yeah" she kept her eyes focused on the bid, refusing to give in and watch the autumn wind caress his hair. "Keeps me calm" Y/N hoped her voice sounded level enough to put him off, but time passed and the man didn't move.

"I called" he whispered, finally. "Texted too"

"I know" she did. She had watched him leave from her window the morning after, knowing, even then, that if she didn't talk to him before he drove away, it would be a long while before she got another chance. For once, Y/N didn't want to.

"I'm sorry....for how we left things. I didn't mean to..." his voice was faltering a bit as he tried to get the words out faster than normal, perhaps fearing she wouldn't let him finish whatever he wanted to say.

It was a silly worry. Y/N didn't care. Not anymore.

Well, that was what she told herself every time someone talked about him, anyway.

"Harry...don't. You don't have to" she let out a dry laugh at that because it was an utter lie: she was biting her tongue not to ask why every moment he spent standing there.

"I do. I miss you, Y/N. You're my friend and I'm sorry about how we left things, but you wouldn't let me talk to you after that night..." she flinched when he reached his hand out, knowing she would crumble right then and there if he touched her.

"There's nothing to talk about, Harry... We're not friends, are we? I'm just someone you knew. From before. So don't worry." the girl wasn't crying when she turned around to go back to the house: this was good. It was closure.

This time, however, Harry knew better. This time, he didn't waste a second before following behind her. 

AN: comments and votes are always welcomed and eternally appreciated...see you next time! xx