Crush Culture {{Harry Lewis - W2S}}

✮ EIGHT ✮

Mila's pov

"This is the best scran I've had all year" Ethan mumbled through a mouthful of Kabab, sauce lining the sides of his mouth.

"And he's had a lot" Freezy cackled, sitting up straighter in his seat as he told the joke. Lux was moving his camera between Ethan, whos face showed anything but humour, and Freezy, who could be compared to a hyena at that moment.

"Real funny lad, I might of looked like a hippo, but you still look like a fucking giraffe" Ethan's insult seemed to change their roles, now the whole table was creasing as Cal's face dropped, shaking his head in denial.

"That's poor from you Behz, poor"

The chemistry between the boys was intimidating, to say the least. Maybe it was because they were boys that they got away with plainly insulting each other as jokes. Mila was sure if she had compared Lucy to any animal they'd be fighting for days, but then again Mila wouldn't blame her.

"Aye, hold that" Ethan flexed, laughing as Freezy's lip trembled as he tried not to join in.

The rest of their very short meal was full of insults, with Lux moving his camera between each of them. All the while Harry didn't lose eye contact with his food.

"You good?" Mila finally managed to mumble out, popping another chip into her mouth.

"Mmhh" he nodded, finishing his rather large bite, "this is so good" he wiped his hands together as is he was cleaning them, before rubbing them onto his shorts.

From there the conversations fell, but it wasn't awkward due to the other boys' banter. Mila would laugh at certain bits, and was in hysterics when Freezy and Ethan turned on Lux, 'lispy twat' being part of the insult.

"Jeez, they're deep" Mila spoke, more to herself.

"Nah, Nah" Harry shook his head, replying despite her statement not being aimed at him, "it's all jokes" She nodded, having realised this earlier.

"How long have you lived in London then?" Harry turned to her, ignoring the boys now that his food was finished. Mila slyly looked to the other three, noticing that Lux had been too busy filming to even take a bite of his burger. Freezy had noticed too and had been getting away with stealing his chips for a few minutes now. They'd laugh every time he did, only confusing Lux.

"Me and Lucy moved down here two years ago, before that we lived in Paris for two years" She nodded as she spoke as if she was reminding herself.

"No way" his eyes widened, "did you know Guernsey is closer to Normandy than it is the mainland"

To this Mila had nothing to say, her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth opened slightly.

"Okay?" She let out slowly, unsure of what that had to do with their conversation.

"Wait no, you need context" he paused, "I'm from Guernsey"

"Oh.." she smiled, "I guess that now has something to do with our conversation... about Paris?" She raised an eyebrow, trying her hardest to stop a laugh, anything being funny in her intoxicated state, only further when she looked towards Lux as he shouted, finally seeing most of his food-gone.

"Shut up, shut up" he laughed, shaking his head.

"Okay, thank you for the geography lesson, Harold"

"Leave it out" he sat back, his face holding a jokingly sour look, "do not call me Harold."

"Sorry, Harold" she laughed more as he clutched his chest.

"You didn't answer my question" he reminded her after a few seconds, hoping to get away from the horrid nickname she was bound to call him from now on.

"What question?"

"Where are you from?" Mila's eyebrows furrowed at the boy in front of her.

"You never asked me that" she laughed.

"Did I not?" She shook her head, "Oh, well where are you from?"

"Middlesbrough, it was okay but we couldn't wait to leave" she referred to herself and Lucy, "we went to Paris as soon as I turned eighteen, only intending on staying a few weeks but then two years later we were still there" she shrugged.

"That sounds great, why did you come back?" He seemed genuinely interested.

"Figured we needed Uni, even just a few years, we both applied to a few of the same and some different but both got accepted into UCL, so that's how we ended up here" she explained, "then I met Talia through a friend on my course"

He nodded again, looking interested as he leaned forward, supporting himself on the table, she could smell the alcohol on his breath from the other side of the table.

"I'm so glad I never went to Uni" he sighed, "I'm so stupid"

"What? You can't be that stupid" she told him, leaning her elbow against the table as she got closer, as if to tell him a secret, "I sweated my A-levels, and am putting myself in debt to go to Uni and get a job so I can have the possibility to be successful" he nodded, "you post football videos and have more money than anybody I've ever know" they both paused for a second, just looking at each other as she spoke, "so who'd the stupid one, really?" And finally, he cracked, his head thrown back as he laughed, clutching the table.

In the flickering light of the backstreet Kebab shop, with flies zooming overhead and the grease from the food sticking to everything and everyone, Mila couldn't help but stare at the boy in front of her.

His smile brightened the whole room, his laugh was like music in the dingy establishment.

"You've just made me feel so much better about never getting an education" he let out through his laughs.

"And you've made me feel shit about paying so much for mine" She joined in on his giggling before looking around, suddenly noticing the quietness of the shop.

"Umm...Harry" she caught his attention.

"Yeah?" He asked, turning to look in the direction she was staring in, "shit"

Where their three friends were sat only minutes before was now three empty takeaway boxes, an uneaten burger smashed into the table in between them with salt all over the bun.

"Shit indeed"

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Written: 28th November 2020
Published: 28th November 2020
Edited: 17th June 2023