barista / h.s

13

C H A P T E R ~ T H I R T E E N

"We're leaving for the On The Road Again tour in February."

Louis was telling Sydney everything she didn't want to hear.

She had told Harry that she wasn't clingy and didn't mind him leaving, but as the month approached with each passing day she wasn't exactly sure.

Right now they were sitting in Gemma's dorm, which looked big enough to be an apartment.

"He's going to be seeing a lot of girls." Sydney found herself saying, playing with a pen in between her fingers. It was a weekend in December, which meant that she did not have to go to work.

And actually, she wouldn't have to for a while now. It was winter break. Christmas was next Sunday, and everyone around her including herself seemed excited for it.

"Yeah." Louis said, which got her mind back on track. "But trust me, Harry is faithful. He doesn't cheat or anything; he will tell you if he wants to end it but I'm sure he won't with you."

Sydney frowned. "How would you know that?" Louis didn't answer after she asked.

He changed the subject instead. "He's out getting groceries."

She didn't want to seem rude and keep asking about how he knew so much about his band mate, so she went along. "Why's he getting groceries?"

Louis snickered. "Didn't he tell you already?"

"Tell me what?" She probed, even more desperate to know now. If Louis thought Harry had told her, then she should've been knowing by then.

"Nothing. Ill ask him to tell you later."

Louis turned the television on and a reran episode of Spongebob illuminated the screen. He didn't seem intent on watching, and that was something Sydney often did as well. She would turn the television on just for a sense of comfort or source of light.

"Now I really want to know." Sydney said honestly, and Louis just shrugged at her saying of that.

"He'll tell you, stop being so impatient."

Sydney had no idea that Louis was the sassiest of the band, and this was not a good time to be talking to him at all. It felt weird to see someone right in front of you that girls usually idolize. He didn't seem as nice as people shaped him to be, he just seemed rude.

Just then the front door creaked open and a very tired Harry walked in. He was holding bags and bags of what seemed like groceries, so Sydney rushed over to help him. "Thank you Syd." He smiled and kissed her on the cheek despite his full hands.

They walked over to the table and set all the groceries down. "Why did you buy these?" Sydney asked, gesturing to the countless bags left on the tables and some on the floor. This wasn't even Harry's house, after all. It wasn't even a house at that.

"Oh, I bought these for Gemma." Harry explained, and Sydney just looked at him sideways. It didn't look like he was telling the truth from what Louis told him. But then again, why should she believe Louis over Harry? "She asked me to pick up some fruits and things for this smoothie or something she's making. But don't take my word for it, ask her."

Sydney nodded.

Louis threw something at Harry from at the other side of the room. It hit him right in the forehead, and Harry winced from the contact. Whatever it was must've hurt.

"Hey!" Sydney yelled in defense of her new boyfriend. "Not cool!"

She walked over to Harry who was now laying on the floor but lightly laughing from what it seemed like. She softly rubbed his head and tangled her hand in his stringy and curled hair. "What did he throw?" She finally asked.

Harry made eye contact with her and weakly smiled. He looked tired and hurt now. "Just one of Gemma's plushies."

He held up a stuffed dog and threw it carelessly across the room. Sydney smiled and helped him up. "Louis, you should put the groceries away."

Harry frowned. "Syd, you shouldn't have sai--"

"Who are you telling what to do?" Louis snapped. She should've seen this coming. "No one tells me to do anything for them, because I certainly won't do it!"

Sydney just laughed it off and started putting the things away.

"It's okay," Harry consoled her, but she was completely fine. She wasn't fazed by Louis and his funky attitude just yet. "He's like that."

"I noticed." She gave him a friendly grin before kissing him on the lips and putting a quart of milk in the fridge. "Trust me."

• • •

the last chapter is two away :(((

is a short story usually this long?

but I hope y'all are liking this so far!

-alex :)