18 - h.s

twenty seven

Harry Styles

I turned my head towards Sophia as she got out of the car and slammed the door shut, making me jump from my seat slightly startled. She tucked her arms around herself and walked around the front of the car and towards Z's house. She stopped mid-way up the path and stared at me, raising her eyebrows at the fact I hadn't moved yet and I nodded quickly, mumbling a 'sorry' that I knew for a fact she couldn't hear. 

I sighed and grabbed my car keys, swinging the car door open. Stepping out of the car, I heard an impatient sigh from Sophia who continued up to the house, making me yell out to her to wait for me but she didn't. 

"For fuck sake." I murmured under my breath in frustration, getting out of the car and slamming my door shut. She never fucking listens to a word I say. "Sophia!" I called out to her, walking up to her as she stopped in her tracks and turned on her heels, looking at me innocently as I walked up closer to her and grabbed her hand. "Stay with me, okay?" I said, lowly and keeping my grip on her hand tight. 

She rolled her eyes and went to say something that was most likely extremely sarcastic but I jumped in before she could, making her eyes widen in surprise as I cut her off.

"I'm serious, I know what Z's parties can get like, I just want you to be safe." I said in a sincere tone, making her defensive expression soften and she looked at me with a sorry expression, she gripped my hand tightly back and smiled at me, the skin by her eyes crinkling, signifying to me that her smile was genuine, making me smile involuntarily in response. 

"Well, we're not going to get drunk out here, are we? Let's go." She turned around and swung the door open, her hand still gripped in mine tightly. As the door swung open, the sound of people shouting drunkenly was mixed with music blaring so loud through the speakers that it was distorted, and the overwhelming smell of alcohol hit us both in the face as I noticed her mouth hang open at the sight of Zayn's house. 

I chuckled and shook my head, switching positions with Sophia and leading us into the house. I pulled us forward by our linked hands, but creased my eyebrows at the fact I didn't move forward. I looked back at Sophia whose feet stayed planted to the floor, noticing that she tried to keep a calm expression of her face, but it was clear she was nervous. 

I turned round to face her and pulled my hand away from hers, almost frowning at the fact my hand wasn't gripping hers anymore as the warmth of her was replaced by the chilly air that wrapped itself around us. I placed both of my hands on her forearms which she held outstretched for me to hold. Her anxiety-filled eyes looked into mine, causing my previous confused expression to drop from my face and be replaced with a softer expression. 

"Hey, I said we didn't have to go in," I spoke softly, keeping my hands tight enough on her arms for a sense of reassurance but not enough to hurt her. She quickly shook her head in response, opening her mouth to say something, but again, I cut her off. "I know you're anxious. I can see it in your eyes," I said, matter-of-factly while giving her a look to say that I knew she was going to say I was wrong but I knew she was lying. "Look, I get it. I really do. We don't have to go in." I rubbed my thumb over her skin back and forth softly, but she shook her head in response again, pulling her arms away from me, causing my eyebrows to knit together as she suddenly smiled brightly and pushed past me, getting halfway through the doorway and holding her hand out for me to grasp.

I gave her a confused look, but reached for her hand nonetheless, following her into the house and slamming the door shut behind me, probably a little too hard because even over the commotion of the music and many drunken conversations, it caused a few people to look round for the source of the noise. 

Sophia walked us over to an empty space on the couch and smiled, her motioning for me to sit down. Again, I shot her a confused look at where this sudden outburst had come from as she was anxiety ridden only moments ago, looking as though she was terrified to even set foot in Zayn's house. I obliged anyway though and sat down with a tired sigh. Within no time, she was sat on my lap with her hands snaked around the back of my neck, taking me by surprise slightly.