salvia. [h.s. AU]

Chapter Twenty One

Harry Styles

Driving with Maria on the passenger seat is always funny.

She loves to sing along with whatever music that's playing on the radio, moving her legs as if it's almost too hard to stay seated, and shaking her head in the same rhythm of the song. I've always loved to drive around with her, every time we had to take the car and go somewhere else to take pictures, it has always been so much fun.

And it feels even better when I can drive all the way to her apartment with my hand resting on her soft thigh, the way I've always wanted to.

After we shared our very first kiss, I thought the mood could get a little awkward between us in the drive back to her place, but Maria didn't let it happen. She was so bright and happy, talking a lot about the most random subjects, and touching my hand on her thigh every once in a while, sometimes playing with the rings on my fingers. I heard her gladly, making some comments here and there, but mainly letting her hold the conversation and take it to whatever path she might've wanted.

Her apartment is about 30 minutes from my place, in a not-so-flattering part of the town. Because of that, her whole mood immediately changed when I entered her neighborhood, her shoulders going high with tension. I asked her what was wrong, and she actually apologised for living where she does, which sounded so crazy to me I almost stopped driving altogether from how outraged it made me. I'm sure she only said something like that because of that moronic ex-boyfriend of hers, he looks like the type who would make her feel like she should apologise for her neighborhood.

Once I stopped across her building, the mood changed, both of us getting tense as we didn't know how to properly say goodbye. My mind was rushing with all the possible scenarios - should I pull her to another kiss? Should I kiss her cheeks? Should I simply say goodbye and wait for her to leave the car? I had no idea how to act in these types of situations, and the fact Maria was the one in the receiving end just made me ten times more awkward and insecure.

She seemed so nervous, at least I wasn't the only one losing my shit over how to properly say goodbye, which I know how ludicrous it might sound - especially for me, a grown ass man, but there's nothing I can do about it. We ended up smiling at each other nervously, and she ceased the awkward moment by quickly smashing her lips against mine for a fraction of second before jolting out of the car and crossing the street without looking back, her cheeks redder than I've ever seen, and somehow it felt perfect.

She's been gone for 5 minutes, but I still have my car parked on the sidewalk right across her building, cigarette tucked between my lips and heart bursting every time I think about last night and this morning - it was so good, I can't even believe it actually happened. Everything about Maria is so mesmerizing for me, it all feels so fucking unreachable, I almost don't want her to be with me, simply because I don't feel worthy of her.

On the other hand, a big part of my heart believes she is perfect for me. She's all I need and all I can do is hope someday I'll be all that she needs too. Knowing she actually had the courage and strength to break up with her toxic boyfriend, and then ran right into my arms, is a good indicator that I might be on the right track here.

"Styles! What are you doing here?" Niall's voice pulls me from my rambling mind and simultaneously makes me jump about three feet from my seat.

"What the fu--" I mumble under my breath, looking through the open window to see Niall and Daniella walking towards my car. They're both wearing wrinkled clothes, Niall with the  same shirt he was wearing last night, but they don't look tired or sleepy - they're actually glowing.

Seems like I wasn't the only one to score last night.

I mean, not that I actually scored something with Maria, I don't even see her like someone to "score" with, but still... What I meant is, whatever our relationship is, it took a new step last night and this morning.