flower crowns // l.s.

❁5❁

Two days had passed before Harry had gotten that text from Mads. It's not like he was clinging to his phone 24/7 and jumped to grab it every time it buzzed. But once he did get it, he nearly shouted and spilled his coffee all over himself. He didn't know whether or not to get him a present, a gift card—or anything at all—so he just continued texting Madeline on what it was all going to be like. Casual. Just casual. He liked casual, is comfortable with casual, so he had put on a pair of black skinnies and a button-up flamingo shirt that Liam had gotten him for Christmas. His shoes were brown boots, of course, and his hair was in a bun (he found this new style to be really cool and it kept the hair out of his face), and really, he'd never been so excited about a little party before in his life.

When he had arrived, the door was open and a lot of people were there. A lot. And, okay, he'll admit he's not the best around people—especially if they're covered in tattoos and piercings and look as scary and unapproachable as they do—but he actually felt embarrassed and too out of place for this. Harry has a lot of tattoos, yeah, but they're not like . . . terrifying. His hands were already beginning to sweat, and all he could think of was just how much he wished Liam or Niall could've come. No, he's not going to have an anxiety attack over trying to talk to scary looking people, but having to talk to new people in general. At the moment, the room was packed (it was too tiny not to be packed), and they were all chilling in the living room, so Harry quietly made his way into the kitchen and settled between crook of the countertop, hands lacing together, and eyes darting down to his shoes. He felt bad for judging the people already, being scared of them. It wasn't nice and Harry only does nice. But he's still too scared to talk to anyone, unless they approach him of course, so he just stays in the corner of the kitchen, slightly punishing himself for thinking such thoughts.

"Dude, like—I don't even know how to explain it. Crazy, that's the word; crazy," someone said while entering the kitchen, a snort coming from his lips soon after.

Harry tensed up and pulled his phone out, deciding that if he looked busy, then he wouldn't look weird and awkward by himself. Well, just not as much as an awkward weirdo.

"Aye, Gary, right?"

Harry ignored, figuring the boys were talking to someone else. But they weren't. Zayn and a friend had walked into the kitchen, without Harry knowing since he didn't care to look up. Zayn knew the name didn't feel right rolling off his tongue, didn't suit the hairy boy (his hair was long enough to be put into a bun, so yeah, he's hairy), but then it all fit together and he held out the beer-filled hand, glad to have gotten his name right in his mind. "Wait, it's Harry! Right, sorry about that, man."

"Huh?" Harry looked up, raised his eyebrows and smiled at Zayn, and slid his phone in his back pocket. "Hey, Zayn, yeah, hey. How're you?" He asked, grinning widely because he actually knows one person here.

"Good, yeah. This is Josh; Josh, Harry. Harry, Josh." They shook hands. "I didn't know you and Louis were this close."

"Hm? Oh, well. Madeline actually invited me and all . . ." He muttered, pursing his lips.

"Ah, I see. Funny girl, but she's like the girl version of Louis. Yikes. One is enough sometimes, but she's pretty chill. Understanding, unlike Louis can be at times. Great guy, though, great guy."

Harry hums in agreement and looks over at the counter-top, the drinks in sight, and the thought of having one to loosen him up just a tad doesn't sound so bad at all. Very good, actually. Not a lot, since he doesn't want to go home drunk, but maybe one will be good. Just one.

"Want a drink?" Zayn asked, having caught Harry's staring.

"Er, yeah. That'd be nice, yeah." Zayn reached for a beer and Harry made a face; Zayn raised an eyebrow and moved his hand over to the next set of drinks, awaiting Harry's reaction on them, and when his hand hovered over Mike's Hard Lemonade, Harry slightly smiled and gladly accepted it. "Thank you."