New Student
Synopsis: One where YN bumps into a handsome dude at the party to only know how popular he is later
More of my work | Part Two is up
"Belle, you're coming with me or I'm going to this party myself!" YN told her roommate, who's also become her friend as she unpacked her stuff. She moved her flat with her friend.
"Why do you want to go to this party so bad? Let's stay in," Isabelle said.
"I haven't made any friends here and we don't even have any classes together, hell we aren't even in the same course!" YN whined plopping on her unmade bed face down.
"You're so dramatic," Isabelle laughed.
"You're so not a good friend. Please?"
"Fine we're going to the party, but I have a few errands to run I'll meet you there, send me the location." Isabelle grabbed her phone.
"Okay," YN nodded.
......................................................................
Everything was louder than YN thought it would be, it was nothing like frat parties she's seen on TV or in movies. It was her first time to a place like this, but it was the best way to make friends she thought.
As soon as she entered the house, her eardrums were brought to edge of bursting, further down the hall was filled with people. A table was surrounded in the corner with screaming and cheering people, other corners were filled with couples making out, or getting to do something which should be usually something private, some heading upstairs for privacy. The backyard seemed pretty chilled so she made her way through sweaty, drunk frats out. There she found two girls from her Accounting class.
Something of nervousness washed over her to even go and talk to them, she have only spoke to them a couple of times in class that was related to studies. YN decided to chicken out and turned out to leave and call Isabelle but she bumped into someone.
"I'm, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," she stuttered and tried to leave but that person grabbed a hold of her wrist.
"Hey you alright?" His was deep and was carried with a thick accent, his words were laced with nothing but concern.
"Yeah, yeah I am, I am." YN nodded, scared of everything worse to happen to her, her only friend wasn't there too.
"You're all flustered and sweaty, come with me." He pointed out and dragged her to aside where there were barely any people which allowed fresh air to cool her down. She hadn't even realise jer face was all sweaty and her cheeks were damp with her tears. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no, I'm fine." She looked down all nervous, "Just, just that I'm not, I'm not fond of crowds. I, I, I just want to go."
"Hey, relax okay?" He handed her his solo cup.
"No, I, I don't drink."
"It's just water," he assured her but she has ready way too many articles and seen way too many documentaries where girls are offered drinks with some or many sorts of drugs and sold off.
"No, I, I don't want it." YN freed her hand from his grip and finally looked up at him, she thought her neck would have a sprain as to how tall he really stood in front of her. Think locks of long brown curls were free around his shoulders, the frown in between his brows made his green eyes look a ten times more intimidating. Her heart started palpitating in her chest making it even harder for her to breath.
"Look you're clearly about to have a full blown episode of panic attack," he set his cup down on the grass, "it's okay, it's okay."
"Eve — everything is, is closing on me, I can't, I can't breathe," she managed to sob out in between her gasps.
"Look at me," he grabbed her hand, "I want you point out everything you around yourself, okay, can y'do that for me?"
She looked at him again, he was now stood at a distance from her, "I, I see tree, there, there are people around me, no, no there are people around me!"
"Hey, hey focus on things around you mot people okay?" He assured her. "A tree, what else? C'mon love, I know you can do it."
"I, I see the house, fairy, fairy lights on, on the bushes," her breathing slowly started to steady out.
"You good now, love?" He asked.
"Yeah, yeah," she stuttered, "don't, don't call me that."
"I'm Harry by the way," he introduced himself, "you're alone here?"
"No, no I'm here with my friend," YN said, which wasn't a lie but her friend wasn't there yet, and it was better to say she is not alone than to be taken advantage of.
"Okay, call them up to come and get you." He stood next to her with his arms folded over his chest. She just glanced at him as she pulled out her phone from her dress pocket and called her friends number with stuttering hands.
Harry just couldn't help but notice how pretty she is. He haven't gotten her name yet, but that's okay. He tried to remember where he have seen her mean while he couldn't over her eyes, yes she was crying, but she's got the prettiest eyes even with mascara marks cascading down her full of her cheeks. A pair of big glasses with a dainty frame perched up on the bridge of her nose. A baby pink summer dress with embroidered strawberries covered her small (well, in compare to him) frame, spaghetti straps of her dress did not help covering up her black bra straps.
Now, now Harry try and keep your mind out of the gutter!
She had her hair gathered up into a braid in the back with few pieces of her hair falling on her face. It's still a bit warm.
"No, no please come and get me here," she cried on the phone to her friend which caught his attention, "no, nothing happened. please?" She waited for a beat, "okay, okay." And which that she hung up.
"Is your friend coming to get you?" He asked.
"Yes," she nodded stealing a few glances at him. "I, I need to go."
Before he can say anything further she fled the place.
......................................................................
"Hey it's okay," Isabelle tried to console her friend who was sobbing in her pillow. "I didn't know you would panic like that."
"I know," she just sobbed, "this is why I can't make friends."
"Hey, come on, you have me." Belle said, "now stop crying, I was going to get pizza. You wanna join?"
"I'm not hungry," her voice was muffled by her pillow.
"Come on, love you haven't had your dinner yet. Let's go get something to eat, it's on me." She tried to convince her, "wherever you want to go, we can go to subway. You wanted to try right?"
"I can't order." YN sniffled turning onto her back.
"I can order for you, now come on, wash your face and come out I need to get my things."
"Okay," YN nodded and got out of her bed, washed up her face and took off her makeup which was left after her crying session. Isabelle took her to a pizza place and ordered for her like she said.
"By the way, who was that guy?" She asked.
"I don't know," YN shrugged taking a sip of her coke.
"You didn't even looked at him?" Her friend gasped.
"I was trying to breathe," YN defended herself.
"Mhmm, I'm sure he took your breath away. Was he that beautiful?" Isabelle said but YN just shook her head, "dude you gay something?"
YN giggled, "what? No, I did not look at him but he said his name is Harry."
"Harry?"
"Yeah, what's there to be so shocked about?" YN picked up her first pizza slice.
"Lemme ask the follow up questions." Isabelle gulped down her pizza, "was he tall?"
"I'm short so everyone is tall for me, so yeah."
"Did he hand long hair?"
"I'm pretty sure, yeah," YN nodded.
"Bitch you bumped into Harry Styles, and helped you through your panic attack? Amd offered you water?" YN knew her friend is dramatic, but she didn't know she was that dramatic. "Oh my god, I would have happily accepted poison from him."
"That's not right Belle!" YN smacked her arm, "what's with him?"
"He is our senior, most popular one on the campus." Isabelle said, "I cliche playboy, but he's so fucking genius, he is in your course but two years ahead of you."
"That's nice, he will get out of the campus this year." YN sighed of relief.
"What? That's rude to say, and he plays soccer, or I should say Football, he's from Manchester close by to where your dad lives."
"My dad lives in London." YN corrected her. "You know that,you lived next door to him."
"Yeah it's like five hour drive from there, but hear me out, he does not go around talking to anyone unless he wants to sleep with them." Isabelle ended her rant.
"But I bumped into him," YN said, "he did mot approach me, but he did pulled me to a side and helped me whilst I was having a panic attack, as you label it."
"Oh my god, he's got a crush on you. Definitely!" Isabelle gasped in her own concluded assumption, "if didn't had boyfriend, I would be so jealous of you."
YN scoffed, "I don't want that, I'm just here to study."
"Right," Isabelle rolled her eyes.
......................................................................
It was Monday morning, YN was waiting for her accounting professor to dismiss the class as she was getting late for work. She worked on campus at the college canteen and to be fair her boss was a bitch. She always sat closest to the door so she can flee the place as fast as she could. Amd that's what she did. Speed walking she bumped into someone again, dropped her book and pencil pouch.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she bent down to pick up her stuff.
"You always keep bumping into people?" She heard very familiar voice which caught her attention making her look up at him.
"No," she shook her head and started walking down the hallway towards canteen.
"Then I'm just going to assume you don't look where you're going." He said earning a panicked death glare from her. "Just want you to be safe, love."
"Don't call me that, and, and leave me alone." She speed walked away from him. Her shift was just three hours a day, which went by very fast. Just when she was about to go to the back and head for her last class she was approached by another customer which was Isabelle.
"Hiya love," she said, "I need a coffee so bad!"
"One coffee coming right up," YN smiled, got her friend her coffee and her friend cookie. "It's on me."
"No lemme pay," Isabelle fished out her card.
"You got me pizza last night," YN stopped her.
"Okay, you done for the day?" She asked.
"Yeah, I've got another lecture to attend then I'm done." YN said.
"Okay, I'll wait for you in the library, I have to get this report done by midnight."
"Yeah," YN nodded and watched her friend just to be approached by another customer. It was that Harry guy.
"Hi, what can I get for you?" She asked. Usually she would introduce herself and make a sma talk but she did mot wanted to talk to him.
"Hiya, darling," he smiled. "I'll get a plain black coffee please," he said.
"Anything else?"
"The cookie you gave your friend." He shrugged and handed his card to her.
"Okay," she nodded and made his order real quick, she watched him put a five dollar bill in the tip jar before leaving.
After her last class, YN went to library to see her friend.
"I will take an hour more to complete this YN, but you can go back if you want." Isabelle said.
"No, I, I need to use one of the computer here too, I'll be done by the time you are." YN assured her friend.
She sat down at one of the library computer and did her work for one of her assignment and submitted it, printed one out to submit it the next day. It all took her not more than half and hour and her friend was still not done so she waited.
"Why don't you ask your dad to get you a computer?" Isabelle asked, "he pays for your tuition anyway."
"He does not, I got scholarship." YN corrected her, "he just paid for three months of my rent."
"Again, he should at least get you laptop. It wouldn't cost him much of what he spends on your half siblings." She rolled her eyes.
"I, I did ask him, he said he will send me some money to buy one." YN shrugged, "I don't like to bother him much."
"Come on, I've lived next door to your dad my whole life, his kids are little monsters. Like real demons, have you seen your fifteen year old half sister? She doesn't go out without anything Gucci?"
"It's okay with me," YN said, "they bother him doesn't mean I should too, you know?"
"Uh-huh, I do," Isabelle shook her head.
"I can get my work done just fine with the library computer." YN shrugged making an excuse, knowing very well that those computers are like four year old and need an upgrade real bad. And she is saving up to get one herself, it's nust that most her salary is eaten up by rent and food costs. "You want pasta for dinner?"
"If you're making, then I'm never going to turn down your desi version of pasta." Isabelle agreed.
YN laughed, "okay then I'll make my desi version of pasta."
......................................................................
"Hello love," Harry greeted his unnamed friend who was coming out of her class all happy and bubbly looking in her phone. Her happiness quickly washed away looking up at him. "Good morning to you too," he smiled looking at her now grumpy face.
It's been about a month, Harry have figured she have her third lecture the same time as his. She would be the first, or at least few of the firsts to leave the lecture hall. He finds her very intriguing as she tried her best to avoid him. Today he headed to his next class.
"So, where are you with that girl?" Kacy asked.
"Which girl?" Harry said, eating his lunch.
"That girl you talk to every other day on the after your third lecture." Kacy helped his point out what she was actually talking about.
"Yeah, is she hard to get or something? You've never tried to talk anyone up like that," Niall said, stole from his girlfriend's lunch.
"Why would talk about her like that?" Harry shot him a deadpan look.
"Oh come on, she hardly talks to anyone, she's no one, she isn't even that great with studies." Beatrice said who was sat next to Harry. "She's in my accounting class, she never talks to anyone."
"She is very pretty I'm not going to lie," Kacy commented, Harry was trying hard not let his smile reach up to his face thinking right about what his friend said.
"Why don't you go talk to her then? Maybe she's gay too and would want to go out with someone like you?" Beatrice rolled her eyes.
"That's rude, Trice," Louis deadpanned, "you're talking about my sister here."
"Whatever," she rolled her wyes again.
"I'm done," Harry grabbed his things and stood up to leave. Beatrice found the opportunity and followed after him leaving her half eaten lunch on the table there. He wasn't feeling to attend his last lecture which wasn't that important either so he decided to head back to his flat.
"But, Belle, I was thinking to go today, I needed it to complete my assignment it's due midnight." He heard soft voice from the corner of the exit, "okay, I'll go to the library then, you take care of him, and call me if you, you need anything. No it's okay, it's okay we can go tomorrow yeah."
"Careful," Harry said when she almost bumped into him, yet again on her way to library like she said. His heart melted seeing her teary eyes, "you alright?"
"Yeah, yeah," she nodded and tried to leave from the other side but he stopped her. "I have to go, can, can you please move?"
"Harry, wait!"
Harry sighed hearing his friend, "you're going to library right? Come with me then." He grabbed her hand lacing his fingers through hers and started walking out, on way to the longer route to library.
"I, I want to go to the library." She said, trying to free her hand from his gentle grip.
"We're going to library." He said and kept walking.
YN was quite surprised to learn another route to library but it was from back and all the computers were up front. Library was quite crowded today.
"You want to sit here?" Harry asked.
"No, I, I want to use computer." She answered, "I, I'll go there."
"You don't computer?" He asked, confused how she doesn't have her own computer. She just nodded in no. "Come on, have a seat you can use mine." He dropped her hand pulled out a chair for her.
"No, it's fine, thank you." She shook her head taking advantage of his hand not having a hold of her she stepped back.
"Those computers are like century old, this will be faster," he tried to convince her. He was right, that computer takes about a minute and half to load every little action and she needed to make a twenty five slide presentation in detail because she doesn't have to present it in class as it was a last minute thing assigned by her professor. Even Isabelle would have offered her, her laptop.
"Okay, thank you," she nodded and took up on his offer. Harry pulled out his MacBook and sat next to her.
"What you want to do?" He asked.
"I, I want to make a presentation." She shared, "I, I don't know how to use this." She have never used MacBook and the computers on campus run on windows.
"It's the same as the other computers." Harry said. "I'll help you if you need any."
"Oh, okay." She nodded again. She realised it was name thing it just looked a bit different with dark mode turned on. Harry watched as she pulled out her book with her entire assignment planned out, slide by slide, all she needed to do was type it out.
"I never got to ask your name by the way," Harry spoke his voice hushed, his elbow rested on the desk with his chin planted on the heel of his palm.
"YN," she said.
Finally, he's got a name to put to those pretty eyes of her.
"Why have you been avoiding me YN?" He asked, tried to keep up a conversation because he's got nothing to do, but all he got was just a simple shrug of her shoulders from YN. Harry sat there in silence and watched her complete her assignment, he didn't know what else to say.
His friends are right when they say he's bad at this stuff. Harry found relationships pretty distracting, all it was that he didn't know how to go through with stuff and be with someone. So he just always stuck to participating in hookup cultures where his friends were all in long term relationships. He'd hate to admit it but he really left out.
Through his two years of flirting and sleeping around with people, he's quite polished his flirting skill, but he didn't wanted to flirt with her. He doubts she would even know what flirting is, but never judge a book by it's cover, right? He would somehow try and figure out how to go ask someone on a proper date, or even try to take up many of offers from people who ask him out but with his playboy persona (who he have no one to blame but himself) it was a bit difficult. Not a bit, but really difficult.
"You're in first year right?" He asked, finally being proud of himself for thinking of something to talk about.
"Mhmm," she glanced at him once before she got to her work. "Thank you for helping me the other day."
"Mhmm," he nodded, happy that she's finally talking.
"Thank you for letting me use your laptop," she said after a beat.
"Have you got a list of thank yous?" He chuckled softly, she looked at him again and shook her head. "Aren't you friends with Beatrice?"
"I haven't got any friends yet." YN shrugged, "I just know Isabelle, that too because she lived next door to by dad before her and I moved here."
"Mhmm, I see," he sighed, "if you need any help you can ask me, yeah?"
"Thank you." She smiled, "I'm done with my assignment, can you please email it to me?"
"Sure," he emailed the file to him. "You should have submitted it as well."
"I will do that when I get back home with my phone." She said, "thank you again, you let me use your laptop even though you don't know me."
"Now I do." He smiled, his dimples denting deep in his cheeks. She just smiled and looked back her her notes tucking her loose hair behind her ear and packed her things back in her bag. He walked offered her out to the campus gate.
"Thank you again for letting me use your laptop," YN said, trying to keep up with his fast pace of walking, "I, I was going to get one today but my friend, she, she got to go see her boyfriend last minute as he got into accident."
"Really? Is he fine now?"
"I don't know," she shrugged clutching onto her tote tightly, "I really needed to complete that project today itself, thank you so much."
"You're so welcome, love, now stop thanking me." He chuckled.
"Yeah, okay," she nodded and looked down, "I, I should go now."
"Yeah, see ya around." He said. YN headed to the same direction he was going towards which caught him off guard, "you following me?" She paused and looked at him, a little scared and taken back.
"No, my flat is this way," she defended himself.
"I'm just playing," he chuckled, "want to walk together?" She just nodded.
Harry noticed she was out of breath, clutching onto her bag like her life depends on it trying to keep up with him so he slowed down his pace.
"I really like your bag by the way, where did you get it from?"
"My Dadi, I mean my grandma crocheted it for me." She shared, happily and proud. It was just a simple being tote bag with her initial on it, a teddy bear charm hung on one of the handles.
"I want one too, if she can make it for me." He requested, and watched her smile fade away in instance, "I'm sorry if that was too forward of me."
"No, no it's okay, you don't know." She shook her head, "she passed. Not to long ago."
"I'm sorry," he left bad.
"But she would have made one for you too," she assured him sniffling onto her tears which were coward enough to not leave her eyes this time.
"Yeah?" He smiled, "tell me about her."
Harry wouldn't lie he really enjoyed hearing her talk—or rant one can say—about how amazing her grandma was. He couldn't help but notice her flinch on every small noise distrubance on the street, especially fast cars and motorcycles passing by on the road. He subtly moved closer to the side closest to the street, she looked anxious of every little thing around her and that made his heart hurt. She stopped by building.
"Thank you walking me home," she said.
"You live here?" He asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"I live here too," he couldn't believe it, "I never saw you leaving or coming back."
"Isabelle and I moved here not even a month and half ago." YN shared. "Maybe that's why you didn't see us around."
"Mhmm I see, you live on the fourth floor?" He pushed the lift button.
"How do you know?" She seemed genuinely confused and shocked.
"Just a wild lil' guess," he shrugged, trying to hold back his laugh seeing her amusement, he stepped on the entrance of the lift so it won't shut and waited for YN to get in, he followed her right after. Watched her press number four he just stood there seeing her realise how his wild lil' guess was so accurate, she just chose to not acknowledge it.
"You want to go get coffee sometime?" He asked, finally, though it took everything in him to gather every mili gram of courage. She glanced up at him, a tiny bit confused.
"I don't drink coffee," she shook her head and looked ahead, watching the number on the digital screen go from two to three. "But thank you for offering."
He chuckled, "my pleasure," is all he could say.
He'd never found a rejection that adorable though.
......................................................................
It's been a good couple of weeks, or even a little couple of weeks. YN was seeing herself improve in her weak subjects really, her assignments were being submitted on time, she did not had to waste twice of time now on library computers. Like Isabelle had promised, she had gone to get a laptop with YN.
As for Harry, Isabelle have been on YN's nerves as she saw him walk her home the other day, asking all sorts of questions. She was enjoying it because she's got a personal beef with Beatrice who is trying her best to get with Harry from day one.
Isabelle was hanging out with YN in her balcony as both of them had their study session together, whilst her best friend gossiped about her family drama and she just listened. It was a secret that balcony next to hers was Harry's to her friend, well it was until Isabelle gasped her soul out, started slapping her friends knee.
"What?" YN whined looking up from her notes.
"Hello Harry," Isabelle smiled.
"Hello Isabelle," Harry smiled back, he rested his coffee mug on the small table on his balcony, he walked over to the closest side to YN's to lean over the railing. "Hello love." He greeted YN.
"Hi," YN looked at him over her shoulder. Just as Harry was about to start a conversation his phone started ringing in his room so he had to excuse himself.
"'Ello love," Isabelle teased, "he likes you, doesn't he? Have he asked you out yet? Have you two made out yet?"
"Oh my god, calm down Belle!" YN exclaimed, "no, no, that's not happening."
"Why? He's good looking, isn't like we thought he is, in fact he's very sweet and humble, you know how many girls would die to date him?" Isabelle laid out all the reason, "he walks home with you everyday, lives next door, if I were you I'd shoot my shot."
"No, no, I can't do that." YN shook her head and picked up her pen she just dropped.
"What's wrong with that?" Her friend pushed, "it's okay to date, you said he asked if you wanted to get coffee with him and you said you don't drink coffee? Yeah, he was asking you out."
"He was just being nice," YN sighed in denial and continued her work. "It's looked down upon where I'm from if a girl is going out with a guy, and he's white. My aunty would bury me alive."
"Babe, she kicked you out, you grandma was trying to marry you to your cousin, that's not normal." Isabelle said.
"I know, but I don't find it is right."
"You're gonna die single." Her friend rolled her eyes.
"I won't, I'll marry someone my dad chooses."
"It's not 1850s, arrange marriages isn't a thing anymore," Isabelle exclaimed, "you cannot marry a guy blindly your dad chooses for you!"
"Not blindly," YN shrugged confusedly.
......................................................................
Winter was coming closer, which meant Christmas holiday was coming closer and she was so excited to spend that time back home with her dad. She was getting her work as fast as she could so she could leave the day her vacation starts.
Now she was just four when her dad had taken her back to India so she can live with her grandma and uncles as her step mother met every stereotypes of a step mother and did not wanted her there. It's not like her dad did not love her, he called her everyday and talked to her for however long she wanted, but that however long became an hour a day, and that hour a day became every other day, that every other day became once a week and that once a week become once a month to once every other month.
Her aunties were abusive of her, she never got to go to nice schools like all her cousins did, she never got to wear nice clothes like other kids even though her dad never wanted her to feel that way, he sent her many, many presents but her cousins were to hog all of that, when she started highschool her dad sent her two phones which was also hogged by her cousins. She never got to go out and play with the kids in her neighbourhood her aunties made her help them in house. All she did was tried her best to study without anyone's help and spend her time with her grandma who was the only person nice to her.
Yeah, it was sap story, she knows that. That's why she doesn't like to talk about it, especially when her dad had got her out of that house, now she's going to college in one of the most prestigious university.
Though her dad never believed her and thought she was lying just for him to take her back to London with him when she'd cry over phone to him, it was never too late to realise she wasn't.
Today she was alone at home, getting last of assignment sorted and looking for cheapest flights to London when she got a call from her dad she was waiting for.
"Hello, Baba?" She answered, and talked to him for long time. Her step mother never let him talk to her so he was calling her whilst he was on his night walk alone.
She shared really special bond with her father from the very first day, maybe because that's all she knew? She never knew her mum though. Up until she was four, it was her and her dad, but he met his now wife and everything did 180 for her. But she still loves her dad.
"No, I'm did eat my dinner yet," she shared with her dad when he enquired that.
"Why not beta, you have to eat so you have energy to study, right? Are you taking care of yourself right?" He said.
"I know, I know, I'm taking care of myself. I, I was just getting my work done before I come and see you for holidays?" She finally brought up the topic which made her forget she's a human and she needs to eat. The line on the other side went deal silent, "Hello, Baba you there?"
"Yes, uhhh, you, you don't have to come see me." Her dad stuttered, "I will come there to see you myself."
"When? Are you coming this holiday? I have my days off from two days!" She got excited.
"Not this time, but next time, yeah?" He tried to be as convincing as he could but she wasn't convinced, not even a tiny bit, "I'm, I'm going on a vacation with my family and as soon as I'm done there I'll straight be heading to States to come see you, okay?"
She tried to hold back her tears as they'd show through her voice, taking a deep breath a long pause, "okay. I, I need to go now, I'll talk to you later." With that she hung up on him.
Isn't she his family too? Why wouldn't he take her with him?
She's going to be all alone for whole month, Isabelle is going to her Boyfriend's parents' home this time. She has got to friends here except of her. Though she doesn't celebrate Christmas but she really looked forward to the holidays, her dad got her many presents just so she doesn't felt left out with all her friends who celebrated the holiday, they went out to have dinner to her choice of restaurant. She was just four but she remembered it all, that's what she got something happy to remember. She remembered they watched Matilda the year before he took her to live with her grandma. YN didn't realise she was sobbing, loudly with her head in her palm of her hands until she heard a familiar voice call for her.
"Hey YN, what's wrong love?" She looked up to find a concerned Harry stood in his balcony, he was in his Payjama still, grey sweats and a loose black Tshirt covered his form.
"I, I am good," she mumbled standing up and rushing inside her room, she forgot to close the door to her balcony as she wanted her room to be dark so she turned back around go shut it but she was shocked to see Harry there. "How—how did you get here?" She asked, scared thinking all the possibilities of how he might've got in.
"Doesn't matter," he dismissed her question, "what's wrong lovie, why are you crying so badly?"
"What—what's wrong? Nothing's wrong. I'm, I'm mot crying." She wiped her face with the sleeves of her jumper. Harry just sighed at her failed attempt of lying. He grabbed a gentle hold of her hand and made her sit ok the edge of her bed whilst he crouched in front of her.
"I know we aren't that good of friends. Yet. That doesn't mean you can't share anything with me, yeah?" His tone was soft yet there was usual rasp to his voice, he hand both their hands clasped together in her lap, "you want to talk about it?" She just looked down at their hands in her lap sniffling and shook her head in no. He'd never push her to her limits so he stopped there.
Few strands of hair fell onto her face, he carefully reached out to tuck those pieces of hair behind her ear, she flinched, tilting her head to her shoulder. "What's wrong love? It's just me." He assured her taking his hand back. "You want to talk about something else?" He suggested.
"No."
In about five months of knowing her it wasn't hard for Harry to come to terms that every little thing made her cry, it might be something happy or something sad, which isn't wrong. Especially if she's upset or sad. He hated to see tears in her eyes. He have no idea how to make her stop crying either, he just sat there watching her cry and sniffle.
"You did mot just climbed into my balcony from yours!" She panicked all of a sudden. "You could have hurt yourself or, or worse, you could have fallen down, for gods sake we-we live on fourth floor Harry!" She scolded once it hit her how he must have gotten in, again.
"Yeah, that was bad decision I made, but nothing happened." He made an excuse after admitting. He took a pause, "Mitch and I were going out to get dinner, come with us."
"I'm not, I'm mot hungry. Thank you." She shook her head.
"I'm not asking," he stood up to leave, "leaving by the main door." He padded down to the door of her bedroom, but stopped, "fifteen minutes." With that he walked out barefoot back to his flat, through the door this time not the balcony.
The rest of the evening was pretty nice. Mitch was a good friend of Harry's who got along with her very good. She wasn't expecting to go out of her room let alone go get dinner with her neighbour dudes, one of who is her college mate. Mitch had to go get his girlfriend from the airport so he left earlier than he planned to leave, Harry took the full advantage of the time and drove YN to a nice cafe so they have hot chocolate— he remembered she doesn't drink coffee.
"I'm sorry about getting into your flat— I mean appartment like that earlier." He spoke, setting her cup of hot chocolate right in front of her.
"I'm just glad you didn't hurt yourself though." She said, "and you don't need to correct yourself, I'm technically British."
"I see," he smiled, dimples denting deep in his cheeks, "we've become really good friends recently, haven't we?" He pondered, looking at her sip her cup full of warm chocolaty goodness. It was quite an adorable sight seeing her glasses fog up when she blew at her hot drink.
"I know," she smiled and took off her fogged up glasses and set her cup down, "I thought I would never be able to make any friends here, given I've already finished my first term. And I don't know..."
"Why did you think that? You made friends with me." He was quite surprised.
"I didn't, you did." She corrected him, "I just don't know, I don't like to go up to people and start a conversation. I'm not very good at it. I know Isabelle from London she lived next door to my dad with her parents, we applied at same colleges and we got accepted here so I moved with her."
He nodded acknowledging everything she said, "I'm surprised you haven't picked up on accent if you're from London."
"I Never got to, I lived my grandmother from when I was four." She shared, just a tiny bit, "so I haven't got the chance to. How did you and Mitch meet?"
"He works at my dad's company here in New York." Harry shared, "been living with him for about three years now."
"Oh, that's nice." YN nodded. "He's very nice person."
"Isn't he?" Harry exclaimed, "you know what he's even an excellent guitar player, and I've been telling him that..." and he went on and on about one of his best friend.
By the end of his rant, they had two empty cups of which earlier contained hot chocolate he was quite surprised how patient she was with his slow talking, most people found him annoying, hell even his own sister found him annoying sometimes. But she looked tired and it was quarter past ten, the cafe was about to be closed anyway. He paid for the drink and they headed out.
"You look tired, sorry for keeping you out this late." Harry said.
"It's okay, it's just a little later than my bed time." She shrugged, stuffing her hands in her coat pockets to keep herself warm and probably tried her best not to yawn.
"Why were you crying earlier?" He asked just because it had been bugging him all evening okay!
"It was nothing. I thought I'd go back to my dad this vacation but he's going somewhere with his family, I mean my step mother and siblings." She shared, "I was a little upset but it's okay. He said he'll come see me next vacation," she said that more to herself than saying with the purpose of sharing with Harry.
"So you're not going home either?" Is what he enquired.
"Nope," she shook her head, "why?"
"I'm not either, I have my mum and dad come over this time. It's actually with my dad having some work here and mum is just coming to see me for two days then she'll be off with her own friends to New York City." He explained, " even Mitch is going to see Sarah's parents this time around. He's been shitting his pants thinking about it." YN just laughed at that.
"Sarah doesn't live here?" She enquired.
"Oh no, she's from Brighton, she's a drummer so she travels quite alot she's got a gig tomorrow after that she'll be taking my best friend with her." Harry explained. "Anyway, what do you think about ice skating?"
"I— I don't know, I've never been ice skating." She said, and he just nodded. They walked in silence for a quite a bit, Mitch had taken his car so they had no other option than to walk twenty minutes.
Just when he was about to comment something on the conversation, a drunk bastard who was coming down the pavement bumped into YN.
"Oi, look where you are walking twat!" Harry pulled YN closer to him and kept walking. "It's Christmas eve tomorrow, what are your plans?"
"Nothing," she said. "I have to go to work tomorrow in morning. Why?"
"I was going to bake my mum's ginger bread cookies, thought you'd want to join." He shared.
"You know how to bake?" YN was surprised.
"I worked at a bakery for two years." He bragged, proudly. "What you don't believe me? I'm actually an excellent Baker, if I weren't to take over after my dad in his business I'd start my own bakery."
"Mhmm," YN chuckled.
"You still don't believe me?" He squinted his eyes at her, "you're coming over tomorrow and watch me bake, maybe get the best ginger bread cookies in the world to eat."
"Okay," she nodded still mot believing him.
......................................................................
Harry had gotten out all the ingredients to make his cookies, he was really adamant to prove he can make best cookies, he wanted to bake with her. He'd already gotten to make some when his mum came over but left in evening to go out with her friends. He just couldn't deny his mum when she offered to assist him.
This morning Isabelle had invited him and Mitch over to give them presents she got both of them and have morning tea and coffee before she had to leave. Harry had really made two more good friends apart from Mitch over past few months he is very grateful for.
But he found their Christmas tree set up very adorable, it was a small fake tree which he was sure isn't taller than a half a foot with with dainty lights all around it and some DIY fake presents underneath it is to make it appear like a real deal was kept on their coffee table. It was creative and adorable he found, of course because it was YN's idea as her and her best friend couldn't afford to get a decent sized tree. It was a fake tree Isabelle found at wallmart for very cheap and YN made mini fake presents to keep under it with some things she had laying around.
He was just waiting around when he heard some noise from next door, it was definitely YN but he was curious to see what she was doing and he's nosy he went out check on her to find her struggling to get a butt ton of delivery boxes inside.
"Oh god!" She mumbled falling down on her bum trying to lift a box which was half her size.
"Hey, you alright?" Harry chuckled.
"Not funny," she huffed getting up.
"You went ham on online shopping, huh?" He picked up the box she was struggling to get inside. She picked up the few smaller boxes.
"I did not order these," she was out of breath carrying what looked like a TV inside and keeping it on the sofa when her phone chimed in her bag, she dug it out after she was done getting all the stuff in. It was a text from her dad apologising for being able to go see her and promise of doing just that the first thing after New year's, these were just presents and stuff she had casually mentioned to him that he'd sent her.
"A mini fucking fridge!" She exclaimed taking Harry by surprise, he never expected her to be kind one to cuss.
She remembered that Isabelle and YN are getting another roommate, they have an extra room so they need both need their separate mini fridges to keep their food in because the mew girl is a nightmare but she pays her bills and rent on time. It was going to be very new getting groceries for only herself as her and her best friend got groceries together every week and shared with no problems at all.
"You've really gotten jnto Christmas spirit here, huh?" Harry chuckled seeing her so happy all of a sudden. After a short break of breather and removing every item from it's brown box, Harry helped her carry everything to her room. Luckily he haven't got the cookies in the oven yet. He watched as she placed every thing as she wants on it's place so she take her time to arrange everything whenever she wants. She placed the TV on her dresser, to set it up later.
"You want me to help you set that up?" He asked.
"It's fine, I'll do that later." She declined politely.
"You were struggling to lift that box up," he shook his head, "lemme help ya." He picked up the box with his one bare hand which she was struggling to lift up with both hands, given the fact LED TVs are fairly very lightweight. She looked at him embarrassedly as he set up her new TV.
"Oh, you want to watch The Office? I found it on Netflix last night and it's hilarious!" She shared excitedly.
"Never heard of that show, yeah I'll watch it with you," he nodded, lying, he knows the entire series from first word to the last. He was just surprised to see she had just found that show. "I'll bring the cookies."
"You baked them already?" Her eyes rounded out immediately, the emotion of upset laced with her voice.
"Oh, I'm sorry love, mum came over so we baked together." He explained, "I'll bring them anyway, yeah? We can bake some sugar cookies tomorrow." With that he rushed over to his flat and brought all the cookies (red velvet, chocolate chip and ginger bread) he's made with his mum. By the time he was over she had put on the show on the TV. She was already on season 2, Episode 13 where Jim let's Michael take him on an very uncomfortable lunch at Hooters just so he doesn't tell his crush about his feelings.
"You did not make these," she loomed at him with squinty suspicious eyes looking at the cooking.
"I told you we're baking more cookies darlin'," he kept the Tupperware containers on her bed and made himself comfy by the headboard of her large twin sized bed.
Her room really screamed her personality to him, quiet and pretty. There was nothing much in her room, excluding the stuff she received today, a dark study table with a desk book shelf with her stuff arranged nicely on it, above it was a cork board witch jute strings tied around the width of it, few film pictures hung there with helf of coloured baby clips and a couple of certificates pined on it. On the left was an empty area where her laundry basket sat and next to that was her beige dresser. Her bed was soft, with cotton sheets printed with 3D looking flowers, and her chocolate brown duvet, twi bed side tables with ransoms jewellery kept in a dish, her closet with mirror doors.
Right in front of him she sat in her very worn out looking blue zip up jerkin which would literally gobble up her small form if it was a living object, especially with the hood on, he's seen her wear it around all the house (or mainly when he'd meet her on their respective balconies) all the time since it has started getting cold.
"You like 'em?" He asked watching her take a bite of the chocolate chip cookie.
"They're good," she nodded. "You're mum is amazing."
"Oh for god's sake," he breathed out a laugh, "I'll tell her about you praising her cookies."
They both finished the entire rest of the season in next three and half hours. It was nearly midnight and Harry was feeling jittery wanting to blurt out his feelings to her so bad.
"Hey YN?" He started, cleared his throat.
"Hmm?" She turned to him.
"I wanted to tell you something," he started. Her looking at him with all her attention made him a bit nervous.
"What?" She giggled finding his nervous fave funny.
"I'd probably ruin our friendship with this but urmm," he took a short moment, "I really like you, a lot actually. Like more than a friend. Just wanted to get this out of my chest, it's okay and I hope it doesn't change anything between us if you don't feel the same."
If Isabelle would be present there that moment, she'd be laughing her butt off bragging how right she was. That's that, but YN's been especially taken back by him really confessing his feelings for her like that. He's nice to her. Like very nice to her unlike other people who are in her life other than her dad and Isabelle.
She knew she'd got this issue—which she doesn't know jf it's good or bad—of attachment with every person who's nice to her. All of them have betrayed her, especially her friends growing up. Hell even her own father betrayed her leaving her back with her cruel aunties and uncles who'd abuse her mentally and emotionally, but he'd made up for it or at least trying to make up to her. It scared her to get to know people around her, even the thought of loosing her best friend, Isabelle scares her and Harry talking about having romantic feelings for her.
It was so new to her to feel that way. She did enjoyed every moment with him, he'd stay with her at the library after classes and wait for her finish up her projects or help her out in subjects she's not confident in. The other day he even stood upto her when Beatrice was talking shit about her. He'd taken her to see his other friends for the first time that day, whilst everyone was nice Beatrice wasn't having a good time around her. These were just two of many examples why he's third person (other being her dad and Isabelle) she feels safe to be around.
He is special to her, like how she remembers her grandma telling her about different relationships she's have with people around her. Her grandma was special to her in a different way, her dad is special one to her in a different way, Isabelle is special to her in a different way now so is Harry. But quite more specific than Isabelle is. She's had a fare shares of staring at him when he's speaking noticing the way his mouth moved with every syllable he spoke, or randomly giving him a coffee for free at the college canteen even though it would maybe get her in trouble. She'd even given deep thoughts to Isabelle's fire round of questions the first time Harry walked her home. He'd flirt with her subtly all chances he got but he knows his limits of course, even if he's in from of his friends or even her own best friend. Isabelle was kind enough to let the oblivious YN know he's flirting with her all the chances he get, since then his remarks haven't failed to make blood rush through her veins to her face. Did she really imagined going out with him, and maybe, just a tiny maybe kissing him, being with him like other people are with their person? Well, maybe...
It was so overwhelming that her vision started to blur up, tears pooled up in her eyes, which scared Harry.
"Hey, hey I'm really sorry if I said something that made you upset. Please don't cry love!" He cooed, his voice soft as he scooted closer to her and reached for her sweater paw, for the first time she did not flinched by his gesture of holding her hand like that. "I'm so, so sorry."
"No, no, it's—" she sucked in a breath before admitting, "—it's just overwhelming." He opted to wait for her speak up on her own without him having to dig out what was going on in her mind.
"I'm sorry, I just, I don't know." She shrugged, "no one's every said that to me."
He didn't meant to shame her but he couldn't help the soft giggle which escape his lips, "you're crying 'cause I said I like you a lot? Well, that's the truth, you don't have to 'cause I don't mind saying it for however many times. only if you want me to."
She nodded and proceeded to boldly say, "I, I like you too." Her sniffles made him crack another smile.
"Yeah? Then why did you turn down me asking you out on date the first time?" He enquired, just to tease her in attempt to make her smile at least. Her eyes welled up with tears again.
"You were really asking me out on a date?" She mumbled in hushed voice, feeling guilty.
"Yeah," he said, "you want to still go out with me?"
"Mhmm," she jerkingly nodded her head.
"You're cute," he giggled and booped the tip of her nose before he proceeded to wipe her tears, "no more crying okay?"
"Okay," she nodded again.
"Think you should go to sleep then, yeah?" He suggested, "we'll bake more cookies tomorrow and go out, how does that sound, hm?"
"Good," she nodded in agreement and walked him to the door.
"Lock the door okay?" He said, "no actually shut the door and lock it, I'm not leaving until then."
The other day Isabelle was coming home late and YN had forgotten to lock the door, luckily nothing bad happened but it terrified Isabelle and even Harry when YN ranted to him all upset that her best friend was mad at her for such a small thing.
"No that's rude!" She exclaimed in a hushed tone.
"No that's not!" He mocked her tone jokingly.
And she shut the door on his face, there you go Harry got what you fucking wanted!
He sighed and knocked on her door, "hey YN, open the door." He didn't hear anything, "please open the door love?"
"What do you want?" She opened the door back up annoyed clearly.
"What got you upset lile that?" He asked.
She shrugged, "I don't like it when someone mocks the way I talk, I—I have been made feel bad about it growing up. Sorry, I didn't meant to lash out like that."
"Can you delete the word sorry from you vocabulary for once? I'm sorry for making you upset, okay? That won't ever happen again." He cooed, "you want to talk about it?"
"Not now," she shook her head, grabbing onto the door knob.
"You know I was trying to get to stay for longer, but okay," he let out a long sad breath, his shoulders deflated. He is being dramatic and she knows.
"Harry!"
"YN," he leaned in closer, his eyes set on her.
"You're mocking me again," she pointed out.
"I'm not, I'm just admiring this pretty little face in front of me so I can dream of it tonight," Harry whispered. He noticed how her cheeks flushed in instant, how she licked her lips in nervousness and pushed her glasses back on the bridge of her nose.
God no!
He tries his best to just not kiss her oh-so-kissable lips, because that's extremely very wrong if she's not consenting and also he didn't wanted to come out at creepy.
"You want anything, Harry?" She asked grabbing his attention back.
"I dunno if I should ask jist yet," he said, a slight pout to his lips as he stared at her with puppy eyes. How can he look intimidating yet so adorable at the same time?
"Why so?" She asked confusedly, releasing the grip on the door knob just a bit to open the door slightly wider.
"I'll ask tomorrow, maybe, good night YN."
"Good night." She smiled. He took a step back and she closed the door and locked it knowing he won't budge from his place.
Guess he'll just to wait longer for the kiss after all.
✿✿✿
N O T E :
1. I'm sorry for a very late off schedule update, I've had my exams going on plus a very bad writers block.
2. Please do leave a feedback of how you like this one.
3. Sorry if this one sucked, it was written in semi hurry and had to cut it short so if you want to see more of this couple please do let me know. Also requests for any other troops are open, you can request for anything.
4. I'm so excited to see My Policeman!!!
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