Harry Styles

    "Where's Lee tonight?" I asked, closing the fridge with my foot and twisting the caps off of two beers before handing one to Max. He took it with a nod, moving into the den.

    He collapsed onto the sofa, taking a long drag from his bottle, before picking back up the black controller. The dull roar of virtual bullets and yelling filled the room. "I don't know—Shit! Mother fucker—," Max cursed at the game as his thumbs tumbled over the joy sticks and buttons in a blur. "She ran out an hour or two ago."

    "Know where she went?" I hated myself for asking. Since our return to the city at the start of the summer, I'd felt her pulling away, forcing more distance between us as she grew closer to the youngest McKenney.

    "Nope. Didn't ask— Fuck yeah!" Max roared, fist bumping the air and taking another drag from his beer. I'd never understood the obsession with virtual gaming; people invested countless hours on something that had no actual impact on the world. You wouldn't know about his obsession by looking at him, but one step into his and Lee's apartment and it was like setting foot into a best buy. Max had several gaming systems, each more complex than the last. I was honestly surprised that he hand't put on his head set; usually I'd walk in and he'd be yelling at someone across the world.

    "Any idea when she'll be back?"

    "Nope. I'm not the one who signed on as her stalker," he quipped, jabbing a quick progression of buttons before shooting me a knowing look.

    "I'm not stalking her," I sighed in exasperation, pushing the few curls that had fell onto my forehead back and out of my face.

    "Dude, she's noticed. We both have. You're stalking her and it's creepy as fuck." He punched a button, effectively pausing the game before tossing the remote onto the sofa next to him. He turned to look at me, watching me over the lip of his bottle as he took a prolonged drag.

    I rose from my spot on the love-seat opposite him, moving to pace back and forth across the expanse of the room. "I'm not stalking her. I just need to know when—when they'll be back. I know Jas told her."

    "Oh, yeah. I don't know, buddy," Max muttered, his eyes flicking over to me briefly before returning to the screen.

    "Max."

    "They landed four hours ago."

    "Of course they did." At least now I understood the source of my growing unease. Darien Grace was back in New York.

* * *

    Leala stumbled through the front door an hour and a half later. Swaying and spinning along the length of the wall, she hiccuped as she hummed a familiar tune.

    "Good night?" I asked. It hurt to speak past the knot in my throat. I forced myself to finish off what was left of my lukewarm beer.

    "Hallfred." Lee tutted. "You know you're not going to get a word out of me."

    "You should've told me she was back."

    She heaved a sigh and collapsed onto the couch, flinging her legs across my lap. "And why, pray-tell, is that?"

    "I have a right to know."

    "Actually, Halley, you don't. Plus, the Blonde One will kill me if I let you within a hundred feet of her... and I quite like living... and snogging. The Blonde One won't snog me if I let you chase her sister away again..." Leala trailed off, moving her bleary-eyed gaze across the apartment. "Where did I put the champagne?"

    "What champagne?"

    "I had the bottle...and then we were on the fire escape..." Leala groaned. "Those whores."

    She slumped down further, snuggling into the couch. Carefully, I tugged her heeled boots off, rubbing circles into the balls of her feet. Her eyes fluttered closed.

    "Just answer one question. Please."

    She shook her hand at me, waving me on.

    "How is she?"

    Leala sat back up, propping herself on her elbows. She released a deep breath. "Better. Not the same, that's for damn sure. But, better."

    "When can I see her?"

    "You said one question."

    "Leala—"

    "No, mate. You said one and I answered one. That's it." She dropped back down against the couch. "I want tacos. We should get tacos."

    "You don't need tacos."

    "You're right," she said, sitting up abruptly. "I need the loo." Leala bolted from the couch, her feet slipping as she skidded into the bathroom.

* * *

    "Venti Americano for Harry?" The barista called out, placing the cup on the pickup bar. Setting my worn copy of A Tale of Two Cities down onto the table, I got up and navigated the crowded space.

    "Cheers," I muttered, grabbing the drink and a straw. I'd spent so much time in here lately without really meaning to. In the beginning it had been in hopes of seeing her. A day hadn't been able to go by without her need for one of the coffee chain's overpriced lattes. Over time, coming here had just become routine. I understood why so many Americans were addicted to caffeine; coffee bars made it too easy. In New York alone, there was a Starbucks on every corner and each one was constantly packed.

    In the beginning, whenever I would catch sight of anything even slightly purple in hue, I'd look up, my heart racing. Now, though, I'd learned to force myself to ignore the flashes of color and the desire to turn. She'd been gone for months without a word, but all that had changed last night. Now, there was a chance.

    Frowning, I picked at my breakfast biscuit, turning the page in my book. It had been one of my father's favorites which had consequently made it mine. I'd read it so many times when I was younger; it had been a near constant in my room. I guess that's why when he moved out, he'd left it with me. I didn't pick it up for years after that, angry with both him and my mum for choosing to separate. I hadn't understood their reasoning, and, for the most part, I still couldn't. They'd made a promise to each other and then to me as well. They'd broken it and betrayed their vows of forever. What was the point of marriage if it was something that could be undone on a whim?

    Their broken promise was the reason that I'd even left England and it was the reason I refused to go back. I hadn't seen either of my parents in years. I'd heard from a few of their friends that they were happier now, settled down with different people. My mum was even engaged to a man she'd met at church. I didn't understand why she thought that this time would be different than before. What would make it different enough to last?

    I'd gotten the invitation in the mail last week, the 'save the date' advertising a Christmas wedding. Lee had said that she had probably set it in December in the hope that I'd come. She'd even volunteered to go with me as my plus one. I hadn't had the heart to tell her that there was no way in hell that I'd ever show up. I'd already been to England once this year and that was more than enough to last me for the next ten. I'd thrown the invitation into the bin after she left for the night.

    I wasn't even really reading the words decorating the pages, my mind too wrapped up in the events of my past and unfortunate present to process what was written. It didn't even really matter anyway, I'd read the book so many times I knew exactly what was happening.

    The roar of the coffee shop filled my senses and I forced myself to take my mind away from things that would only sour the day. I brought the straw to my lips, and let the caffeine clear my head, before turning my attention back to my book and the paragraph I'd just spent half an hour re-reading.

    Heat rushed into the shop as the door opened and closed for what had to be the three hundredth time since I'd been here. A flash of color caught my eye, and my heart hammered in my chest. I didn't look up.

    "I'll be right back," I looked up at the familiar voice.

    Leala yanked the dark glasses from her face as she stormed through the crowd. I craned my neck to see who she'd been talking to but the crowd had shifted back after she passed.

    "What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed.

    I raised my drink, the ice plunking against the sides plastic cup.

    "You need to leave. Now."

    "Why?"

    Then I heard it. My heart stopped cold at the far too familiar voice. My mind had to be playing a trick on me. The voice had to be a figment of an overtired mind, dosed with far too much caffeine. It couldn't be real— she couldn't be real.

    But she was. Leala's anger at my sheer presence confirmed it. I clambered to my feet, but Lee stepped in front of me.

    "Don't even think about it, Hadley."

    "You need to move. Now." The crowd surged forward as the barista beckoned the next customer forward. There was a flash of violet before the gap shifted once more.

    That same heart wrenching laugh filled the coffee shop, drowning out everything else.

    "You are not going anywhere near her. Understand me? It's been a day. One bloody day. She's a goddamn flight risk."

    I couldn't tear my eyes away from the crowd.

    Leala snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Tell me you understand."

    "I have to at least see her."

    "If you won't leave, then you're going to sit right here and shove your nose down into that book. You're not going to move a bloody muscle until we are on the other side of the city."

    I nodded.

    "You move and I will personally chop your pecker off and feed it to you. Promise me, you'll stay put."

    The crowd shifted again and this time a familiar face framed by soft blonde curls filled the opening. Jasmine McKenney's face paled. She shot a fearful glance behind her.

    "Fine." My pulse thundering I sat back down, hovering on the edge of the chain. My hands trembled as I picked up my book, the words on the pages shaking so violently they were impossible to read. Lee squared her shoulders and marched back into the crowd. She whispered something in Jas's ear and the youngest McKenney tensed.

    Had it been within her power, I had a feeling I would be sprawled out on the floor as she stomped on my lifeless body.

    I lifted my book higher and watched the line surge forward.

    "What can I get started for you?"

    "Hi, yeah, we need a grande iced coffee— black. A grande iced, skinny caramel macchiato, and a piping cup of earl grey tea for her royal majesty." Darien beckoned toward Lee with a wave of her hand, a mocking smile curling her full lips. My heart stopped in my chest before kickstarting and racing. It felt as if it were about to beat out of my chest. I couldn't breathe and my vision was clouded by black and red spots, but I could see her as clearly as I had eight months ago and every day before she'd left.

    Her bobbed violet hair was pulled into a miniature bun at the base of her neck, stray curls spilling out around her face. Her white sundress flowed out around her hips, the lace detailing settled against the middle of her thighs. Her chunky brown sandals set her four inches higher off the ground than I knew her to stand. Her skin was the color of caramel, her arms decorated with thin gold bangles that jingled as she passed her card over to the barista.

    I could hardly recognize her as the girl I'd known before. She was so different— so changed. It was like she held the sun within her, letting it leak out slowly through her skin only to blind everyone in the room. She was radiant and happy; it tore at my soul. Nothing seemed to remain of the girl who had poured her heart out at the Christmas Gala eight months ago. She had transformed while I had all but disappeared inside of myself.

    "Can I get a name for the order?" The barista asked.

    "McKenney." She took back her card and turned to place it back inside her purse, revealing her profile. I rose immediately to my feet. She smiled warmly at the barista before Jas took her arm and pulled guided her to the other side of the room. The entire time she and Lee kept me blocked from Darien's line of sight.

    My feet carried me forward on their own. All it had taken was a single glimpse of her and I was, once again, placed under her spell. I knew that I'd do anything she asked me to if she'd only look my way. Hers was the face that I'd dreamt of every night for months. Her ghost had haunted me and how she was here— actually here. I had no idea if it was to torment me or to put my ghosts to rest, but I didn't care. She was back. And she was happy. And all I was miserable. All I could do was dream of the life I'd lost.

    Time seemed to freeze entirely as I watched the scene unfold in front of me. I'd never imagined any sort of ending for either of us after that first day in September. I knew how foolish it sounded; we'd been together for less than four months. That was nothing in the grand scheme of things, but I still couldn't imagine my life without her in it. And yet, I couldn't even begin to imagine how I would ever win back her trust.

    Darien's trilling laugh carried over to me from across the room, her smile curling all the way up until it met her eyes. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Lee and Jas and her smile grew as she caught sight of the arm snaked protectively around her best friend's waist. Their conversation continued, blocking out the rest of the world and Jas leaned comfortable into Lee's embrace. I willed myself to understand what was being said, to place myself once again into her story, but the barrier was stronger than my will. It was one created by distance and time— the differences the two impart when paired were too profound to overcome.

    Darien Grace seemed to steal all of the light from the room, holding it captive under her skin. She beamed at the youngest McKenney, already settled so easily back into city life.

    I knew how much time had passed, but it still felt as if she'd left me standing alone on the curb, my heart shattered at my feet only yesterday. Time simply didn't make sense anymore. Instead of eight months, it was like she'd been gone for eight years. She'd changed so much. Nothing remained of the girl I'd known except the colour of her hair, and even that seemed to shine differently under the light filtering into the coffee shoppe. It was lighter, softer— far from the hue that she used to prefer. Her entire being radiated a warmth that I'd only ever witnessed in the most intimate of moments.

    I couldn't bring myself to move forward. I couldn't stand the thought of dimming that new light. I could see the happiness shining bright in her eyes, the serenity in her expression, and the peace invading her soul.

    I stumbled backward, knocking into my chair, sending it clattering to the ground. A few of the people around me turned to see what had happened, but Jas had found a way to pull Darien's attention once more.

    Shaking my head to ward off the fog that had drifted in upon her entrance, I sank shakily down into my chair.

    I'd wanted to speak to her. It had been all I'd been able to fantasize about for the past eight months and now, when I had the opportunity, I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to get back onto my feet and cross the small shoppe. I couldn't bring myself to take her into my arms and forget everything— time, distance, the world, everything. I couldn't bring myself to voice the apology I'd spent months reworking, searching for the words that need to be said. I wanted to. Christ, I wanted to.

    I couldn't be that selfish, though. I could see her happiness radiating out from her and filling the entire space. I knew that, before, she'd believed herself to be tainted, to be the one to darken my soul. I could see now that the roles had been reversed. She was so full of light while I was struggling to find way way through the darkness. She'd escape and I couldn't let her become trapped again. I couldn't take this away from her.

    But, Christ, I wanted to. I knew that I wanted her to forgive me, that's all I'd ever really want. I was willing to settle, though. I'd settle simply for the chance to be near her. Despite the darkness we'd both contained, we'd managed to find some sort of light. She brought a vitality to my life that I'd been struggling to live without. I couldn't do it. She'd made me feel alive and now simply existing wasn't good enough.

    I couldn't take my eyes off of her, the magnetism between us refused to grant me that mercy. I'd gone too long without her light, it was blinding me and I was happy to let it.

    The longer I watched, the more her posture changed. She stiffened more every passing second and her blonde protectors noticed. Lee shot a withering glare over her shoulder.

    Darien stiffened further, her eyes roaming the entire shoppe. I ducked my head behind my book as he gaze roamed over me. I felt it linger there, as if she could somehow sense that it was me. My heart thundered faster, I was sure that everyone standing within a five foot radius could hear its erratic beat. Finally, the pressure clenching around my heart decreased and I dared a glance up. She was frowning at the ground, shaking her head as if to clear it.

    "I'm not sure... I'm fine. I'll be fine," she muttered, flashing a smile that came nowhere near her eyes.

    "Maybe we should go." Jas said, reaching out to take Darien's hand in her own.

    "No, I'm fine," she responded right as the barista announced their order. Darien picked up her own, thanking the barista before turning back to the new couple behind her "Well, off we go then. The daddies dearest are bound dial the cops if we take much longer." Her grin shown with far more sincerity than before as she led the way out of the shop.

    Refusing to think about what exactly I was doing or planning to do, I packed up my bag, throwing my book and keys inside, before rushing after them. I tossed my coffee in the bin next to the door as I watched them walk down the street a hundred feet away.

    Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to wait until they'd rounded the corned to step foot out of the shoppe. My heart was begging for me to sprint after her, telling me that if I didn't, I would lose her again. I knew better, though. It was Saturday which almost always meant an extensive brunch at the McKenney's townhouse. They were merciful in their predictability and that was the only thing that kept me from barreling down the streets and poking my head around corners to watch Darien's progress.

    Fifteen minutes later, I stood across the street from the McKenney's townhouse, warring with myself over why I'd even bothered to come and what I had hoped to accomplish.

    A flurry of movement on the third floor caught my eye, familiar blonde head swimming into view. Even from this distance, I understood her darkened expression. Lee's silhouette joined her in the window. Minutes later, Lee closed the front door softly behind her a she followed the petite blonde storming across the street.

    "What the hell do you think you're doing here?" She hissed, blue eyes flashing. There wasn't a speck of kindness in her expression. She was prepared to go to war in honor of her best friend and she was out for blood. If I admired any singular thing about Jasmine McKenney it was her loyalty—she was unwavering.

    "I need to see her."

    "Leave. Now."

    "Jas, please. I need to see her, I need her."

    "If you are not gone in the next five seconds—so help me God—I will call the fucking cops."

    "Please, I know that I fucked up. I've been so bloody lost without her. I don't know who I am anymore," I whispered my kneels buckling at the realization. It was true. I'd lost myself the second she'd left me standing alone in the driveway outside of this very house.

    "You don't know who you are? You don't know who you are?" She howled with sadistic laughter, a bitter grimace of a smile curling her features. "You know, I'd know that you were selfish and a fucking idiot, but I'd never known how deeply fucked up you truly are." Bile rose in the back of her throat as I began to understand the perverse joy she was finding at my expense.

    "I messed up, I know. Please, just let me—."

    "I said leave. Now." Leala stood just beyond Jas, her expression mirroring the youngest McKenney's. She'd taken Jas's hand into her own, offering her something that I couldn't— strength.

    "You've lost them." she motioned back toward the house and the people I knew to be inside. There'd been a time when I'd believed them to be my chance at a second family. That hope was gone now, taken by my actions and Jas's revelation, "You've lost us." She looked to Leala who only nodded in affirmation, "And you've lost her. There's no going back from here, Harry. I know that my dads have already told you to stay the hell away from my family and I'm only going to tell you one more time. If you come near my sister ever again, I will kill you."

    There was no doubting the darkness of her words. I'd heard her joke about violence countless times before, but this was different. There was not a trace of humor in her tone. I wasn't sure whether she could bring herself to physically take my life, but I did not doubt her capability to make me wish that she had.

    "Now, get the hell off of my property before I have you arrested for trespassing." I couldn't move. I couldn't even properly comprehend everything that had happened. I felt as if I were drifting a thousand miles away from my body. It was like I was watching the entire scene play out, helpless to have any part of it. I simply there on the pavement, my knees pressing into the relentless cement pavement.

    "I'll get rid of him," Lee said, her expression stony. Jas sucked in a single deep breath before turning on her heel and storming back through the front door.

    "Can you stand?" My mouth opened and closed to no avail. She just rolled her eyes before stooping to help me to my feet.

"Time to go," she huffed before she began to physically force me down the street and away from the girl I'd waited months for.

A/N: Hello my beautiful, wonderful people! Happy #SonataMonday! I want to start out by wishing happy birthday to three exceptional people. Kassandra Tate (famouxx), Kalina Tyne, and Giana (@gi_722)! Happy birthday loves! I hope that your days are all magic and bliss!

Second, just wanted to throw a little reminder in that all new characters will be based on you, my friends. That's right. You can be a part of Darien's world, because honestly? Y'all are the best part of mine. I read every single comment left on every single chapter and seeing y'all's love for the characters and your dedication to my s.hit upload schedule is d.amn near magical.

So do me a favor, pop on over to the So You Want to be a Character section of this book (I've posted it toward the front for new readers). Fill out all of the information listed there and comment. I will be picking the names of the most engaged readers and you will get a special shout-out at the end of the chapter. I have my first guest character popping up in Chapter 15, so we still have a bit of time, but I'm on a bit of a binge when it comes to writing at the moment. I'm stocking up on new chapters.

All of this being said, please COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT -- Here, There, Everywhere. I need to get a sense of your personality if I am going to do your character any justice.

Third, I love you all so much! Thank you again for reading. Honestly, y'all mean the world to me. Please stop by famouxx 's page and check out The Classix and hannahgrowe 's and give THE AROTTIR a read.

That's all from me. See y'all next week.

Loads of love,

--xE