(Kalila)

"I want you to meet someone",
Harry said.

I kept looking down at the edges of the tattoos on his chest and took in a deep breath.
The faint scent of his cologne clouded my thoughts.

Harry looked down at his own chest, where I was staring, then looked at my eyes through his eyelashes with a smirk.

He gathered both sides of his collar and spread his shirt open, showing me both tattoos.
"Swallows", he said.

I watched his eyes look at mine, then lower down to the left side of my neck.

Seeing him focus on that part of my body made my skin heat up and immediately look away.

"They symbolize a lot of different things", he spoke and it felt like my knees would buckle from the deep tone of his voice.

Without thinking, I touched the left tattoo of the bird on his chest.
Harry looked down at my lips and pursed his, then went on.

"I got them because they symbolize love and loyalty....traveling, but always coming back home from wherever you were", he said as I just kept staring as he continued.

"But my personal favorite thing about these birds....they use their voices to attract their mate. The males sing to find their female"

My eyes jetted to his and I jerked my hand off of him as if his skin just burned it.

His calm and dreamy look changed into alarm. He watched me as I took two fast steps to the side, away from him.

"Lila. Okay. Lila? Please don't...I don't know what I said...I-I'm sorry...I'll just...be quiet and let you just breathe slowly and I'll just...I-I'll just wait, Lila", he spoke quickly, trying to hold me still with only his words.

I broke out in a sweat and the room got smaller. My eyes darted around, looking everywhere, like I was searching for the quickest way out.

I understood that I was on the verge of a panic attack, but I didn't understand why, just like the other times.

"Zayn. Za...yn...I n-need Zayn", I said.
It was a reflex. I wasn't even thinking the words, they just automatically came out of me.

I need Zayn
No one could ever love and take care of me better than Zayn

(Harry)

Lila put some space in between us and got that panicked look that I immediately recognized.

I didn't know what I said, but something obviously shook her up.

"Zayn. Za...yn...I n-need Zayn", Lila said, breathing faster.

She's asking for Zayn
I hate that so fucking much
No
Not him
Think
Do something
Do something

I pushed my hands into my front pockets and looked down at the floor. I cleared my throat.

"Got out of town on a boat goin' to Southern Islands...", I sang quietly.

I kept my eyes down and focused on the lyrics that I had heard so much as a child.

"....sailing a reach before a followin' sea...she was makin' for the trades on the outside....and the downhill run...to Papeete...", my voice got a little stronger.

I swayed, the tiniest bit, back and forth on my heels to my toes.

"Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas....we got eighty feet of the waterline, nicely making way....in a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you...but on a midnight watch I realized....why twice you ran away", I sang and heard Lila's breathing slow. I stayed where I was, still swaying.

"Think about how many times I have fallen....spirits are using me, larger voices callin'....what Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten", I finally looked at her and she now faced me.

Her eyes were wide with curious surprise and possibly the tiniest speck of amusement.

"I have been around the world....lookin' for that woman girl....who knows love can endure....and you know it will....and you know it will", I sang and Lila walked closer to me.

Without thinking, I pulled her into a hug.
When I realized what I did and she didn't push me away, I closed my eyes with gratitude.

I smiled and hummed the rest of the song's tune.

I calmed her
I reached her

When I stopped humming, Lila lifted her head and looked again at the swallows on my chest.

She lifted her hand and patted the place over my heart.
"Who am I going to meet?"

(Kalila)

Harry drove us away from town and I looked over at him.

I rubbed my thumb over my bottom lip as I watched how he sat, leaning slightly to the right. His right elbow leaned on the armrest.

His left wrist casually draped over the top of the steering wheel. His shirt was unbuttoned so low that as he leaned, I had a clear view of his left nipple. I fidgeted in my seat, unable to take my eyes off of it.

"What?", he smiled, keeping his focus on the road. I looked up at his lips, loving the sound of his voice.

The more I was around him, the more relaxed I seemed to become. When he talked, it had a soothing effect on me.

"Where are we going?", I said, looking down at his right hand. He was turning the ring on his middle finger around with his thumb.

I watched his fingers.
I could almost feel the skin of his fingertips. I squinted at his index and middle finger. My mind began to wander, but Harry stopped it as he spoke.

"One of my assistants is responsible for getting everyone who works for me their paychecks", he said.

I wanted to ask what he did for a living, but I stayed quiet.

"A few years ago, she made a mistake and my head groundskeeper, Lagro, didn't get his paycheck when he should have", he went on.

"Lagro's a very hard worker. He gives one hundred percent, every single day. The equipment that he and his crew use to tend to my landscaping is mine, but Lagro takes care of it like his own. I once found out that one of the lawn mowers needed a repair and he spent three months of his salary to fix it. He never said a word. I respect a man like that".

"Wow", I said, staring out at the road, "That's integrity"

Harry looked over at me.
I turned to meet his eyes and he just kept looking at me, smiling.

"What?", I asked, just like he did a moment ago when I stared at him.

"Nothing", his gaze went back to the road and he kept talking.

"So, yes, I wanted to show Lagro as much respect as he's shown me. It was important", Harry said as he took a turn onto a dirt road.

"So I drove out here to hand deliver his check myself and apologize. I knocked on the door and Lagro's mother opened it"

Harry grinned, thinking back to the memory.

(Harry)

I knocked on the front door and a few seconds later, it opened. A beautiful old woman stood with long silver hair, wearing a dark blouse and a colorful, long, flowing skirt.

She wore multiple necklaces, bracelets and rings, all silver. The shine of the metal created a stunning contrast with her dark, deeply-wrinkled skin.

Her eyes were intense, but friendly. She smiled, exposing strong, brilliantly white teeth.
"Hola?", her voice was deep and cheerful.

"Hi! Hello, I'm Harry, ah...is this Lagro Espiritu's home?"

"Si....", she said, narrowing her eyes and then smiled with interest.

"Mama", she said and patted her chest, telling me she was his mother.

"Oh! Yes ma'am. I have his paycheck...I...he works for me and he should've gotten this days ago...", I stammered, holding the check out in front of me.

Something about the way she looked at me made me feel very exposed. Not in a bad way, just a vulnerable way that I wasn't used to.

Suddenly, she started to clap and laugh. I smiled a confused smile, deciding she might be senile.

She pulled me into a hug, taking me off-guard.
"O-Oh...ah...okay...", I awkwardly hugged her, patting her back.

She pulled away and put her hands on my shoulders. Her cute smile was thoughtful, sincere and full of so much joy.

"Una lira! Ah....Senor Styles. Una lira!", she laughed.

"Mi padre me dijo que me encontraria con uno cuando tenia ochenta y cinco anos de edad! Ha! Ha!", she said, excitedly.

"I-I'm sorry...I don't...I don't speak Spanish, I don't understand, Mrs.
Espiritu", I looked at her apologetically, but she just waved her hand, giggled and pinched my cheek.

"Come to me", she said, gesturing toward the opposite end of the house, then turned and began to walk.

I knew she meant to say "come with me", and I did what I was told.

I followed her to a door that led to the backyard.

I spotted a man near what looked like some kind of a barn or shed. Lagro's mom pointed to him.
"Mimilagro"

After I apologized and gave Lagro his paycheck, Mrs. Espiritu wrapped her left arm around my right arm and began walking me back toward the house.

"Tacos", she smiled and led me into a small, charming kitchen.

She pointed to a chair and I sat down in it, seemingly compelled by this little old lady.

A large plate of the most amazing smelling tacos was placed in front of me and she sat down.

"Ruler of the casa. The house", she smiled at me as I ate. Meanwhile, I felt I was in an almost euphoric state from the most delicious food I'd ever eaten.

"That is the meaning of your name, Hoyuelos", she smiled.

(Lila)

"Hoyuelos?", my eyebrows furrowed at Harry, but he ignored me and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"I wound up talking to her for hours that day. Before leaving, she made me promise to come see her again and I have, every week,
over the years. She's become like a grandmother to me", Harry said and got out of the car.

He walked over to my side and opened the door.
"And I think the two of you are cut from the same cloth", he said, taking my hand.

"What do you mean?", I squinted up at the house, then to Harry.

"You'll see", he just smiled.

"Why did she call you "Hoyuelos"? What does that mean?", I asked him, watching my steps to the front door.

Harry took a deep breath and sighed.
"Dimples"

I stopped walking and smiled at him with my eyes wide with amusement.

"Stop it", he pulled me with him.

"Uh, that's the cutest thing....ever", I laughed out, my eyebrows raised with adoration.

Harry stood smiling, his hands on his hips, letting me giggle and point at his cuteness.

"Are you done?", he looked up at the sky as my laughter died down.

Then I thought back to the beginning of Harry telling me about first meeting Lagro's mother.

"Wait. "Una lira". She said "Senor
Styles, una lira". What did that mean?", I asked as we reached the front door.

"She told me, but never explained why she was saying it",
Harry knocked on the door and looked over at me.

"A lyre"

The last thing I saw were the edges of Harry's swallow tattoos before I blacked out.