"Just Friends" A Harry Styles Fanfic

Chapter 2

I drive onto the long bridge that takes me over the bay and onto the small sliver of land known as Ocean City New Jersey.

I open my window and take in the ocean air. I have missed the salty but fresh smell. The smell will make anyone's body feel refreshed.

I drive to the second street from the beach, turn left and drive 2 minutes until I see my childhood home. It looks exactly the same as when I left. I pull up and park in the driveway behind my mom's Prius.

I walk into the house and immediately see my parents running towards me to take me into a hug.

"Rebecca! We have missed you so much!" My parents say. They are the only ones who still call me Rebecca.

I saw my parents about 2 months ago when they came for graduation. My parents came to see me at least once every 3 months since I went to boarding school, I just never came home.

"I missed you too." I say back to them.

"I made your favorite for dinner. Chicken Parmesan!" My mom says.

"Yay! I'm starving." I say. I sit down and eat two full plates. I am such a foodie.

By the time I catch up my parents on the last two months the sun is going down and I feel drained. The drive took it out of me.

I decide to take a quick walk on the beach just to unwind.

I walk in the sand and let it squish between my toes. I forgot how nice living at the beach is. I splash my toes in the water as I continue to move down the beach.

I start to near a group of people. It looks like a small get together of people near my age.  As I get closer I can start to see some of their faces lit by the fire they have going. I browse the faces and don't recognize any of them.

I stop dead in my tracks. My stomach flips. I see the curls that I used to once pull when we would be teasing each other.

It's Harry.

He doesn't see me. I stumble and fall to my knees making a big splash in the shallow water I was standing in.

Everyone's heads turn.

Shit.

I quickly get up and turn around to head back to my house.

I hear a female's voice call out, "Rebecca?"

I continue walking swiftly.

I hear the person's footsteps getting closer. I then feel a hand on my shoulder pulling me to turn to face them.

"Rebecca, it is you!" The person takes me into a hug.

I am still processing who it is, then I recognize the voice. It's Stephanie.

Stephanie was a girl I went to school with. She was pretty nerdy and quiet. We had a few classes together and had to be partners for projects two or three times. We weren't close, but she was one of the few who didn't make fun of me after everything that happened.

I am snapped back to reality by her voice.

"Rebecca, I can't believe it's you. What are you doing back in Ocean City?" She asks.

I give a small smile and try to be friendly. "Oh, well I came back to go to community college."

"No shit!" She says.

This Stephanie seems much cooler than the one I once knew.

"So are you going to college?" I ask.

I continue walking towards home as the curly haired boy's appearance has not left my mind and I need to continue to create distance between us.

"Nah, I decided to take a gap year to find myself." She states.

Wow this Stephanie is nothing like the girl I knew in middle school. She's so chill.

"Oh cool." I say.

"Hey, well I have to get back to my friends, but we should grab a coffee and hang out sometime!" She says.

"Yeah that would be nice! What's your number?" I ask.

Stephanie enters her number into my phone and gives me a hug.

"Bye Rebecca!" She says.

"It's just Becca. Bye!" I reply.

"Noted." She says as she jogs back towards the fire, waving back as she starts to disappear into the dark.

I finish my walk back to the house. My mind is all over the place. I can't believe how much Stephanie has changed. Is she friends with Harry now? Was Harry actually there or was I just hallucinating? I'm too exhausted to think anymore.

I enter my private entrance to the basement. Oh I should have mentioned, my parents made me a little apartment in the basement so I have my own space. It has a little kitchenette, living room, and a bedroom with a huge bathroom with a walk in shower and jacuzzi tub. My parents went a little overboard with the bathroom, but I'm not complaining.

I am so tired that I don't even change in to pajamas. I slide my shorts off and get into bed with just my sweatshirt and panties on. By the time my head hits the pillow my eyes are shut and my brain goes into sleep mode.

What an interesting first day back.