The Rings

[ seventeen ]

[ Harry ]

I hadn't done anything productive at all for the previous 12 hours but sit and contemplate the events of last night. Skye's smile and sarcastic comments, her frequent eye rolling and criticism. Despite her constant rejection to me and her pessimistic attitude that she used in reply to about everything I said, I somehow enjoyed her company.

It weakened my mood that she had left my house before saying goodbye, the following morning, because I really had done everything in my power to be as nice as I possibly could. I couldn't hold in the guilt that consumed me as I speculated the previous few months and how our relationship had progressed and how I had treated her.

I rose from the end of my bed, from where I had been lying and staring at the crusty and messy state of my bedroom cieling, for the past hour or so, checking my phone for any distractions, but to no avail. Eyeing the light that streamed in through my window, I opted to go and see her, check how she was doing; check how we were doing.

Proceeding through my bedroom and into the hallway, my phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump, slightly as silence filled my house. I pulled the phone from my pocket, only to be disappointed. Liam was calling.

He was the last person I wanted to speak to, but out of politeness I pressed the green button, lightly and raised the phone to my ear.

"Liam," I stated, trying to sound cheerful. He probably wasn't buying it; he knew I was already pissed at him.

"Harry," he replied, mimicking the way I had spoken to him, "I need to talk to you."

"OK, so talk?" I said, even though it sounded more like a question.

He sighed, half-heartedly."No, like, in person." He said, his voice sounding irritated.

"Now?" I groaned, exaggerating my lack of favour. "My head hurts and I'm tired. I can't, today."

"Alright, I'll just tell you over the phone." He said. I could almost picture the scowl plastering his face. "I want you to stay away from Skye. Stop messing with her head, she's had enough of your pestering."

"How do you know that?" I barked, brusquely.

"She told me," he countered, restfully, as though it were obvious. "It's pretty clear how much you like her."

"You don't know what you're talking about." I spat, putting as much disrespect into my words as I could muster. I hung up on him and forced the phone into the back pocket of my jeans, storming from my apartment.

I wasn't one-hundred percent sure where I was going, but it didn't matter because the cool morning air calmed me and refreshed my senses, the small clouds of chilled air entertaining me everytime I exhaled.

I needed to see Skye. Did she really say that? She probably had a good reason to say it. I had picked on her since the beginning of college, that was almost a year, and suddenly I wanted to be her friend?

It sounded odd when I thought about it and I had to admit that I would say the same if it were the other way around.

[ Niall ]

I sat in The Rings, playing with my hands and zoning out of Zayn's chatter with Liam. Skye liked me. She had told me she liked me. I told her I liked her back. Right then I wasn't sure if the drink had made me say it, or think it, or wether I meant it. But now, I knew I meant it.

Perhaps if we had a decent conversation, completely sober, we would get along a lot better. It seemed we only spoke when she was completely wasted and trying to seduce me. For some reason, this time it had worked.

"Niall, you okay, man?" Liam, asked, nudging me.

I looked up at him and held back my urge to nudge him back, harder. After all he had kissed Skye very deliberately and obnoxiously, just to get at me. I mean, I assume it was to get at me; people do nothing but tease me and say I fancy 'a loser like her'. I was pretty sure she didn't enjoy the 'kiss', from what everyone else could all see it looked like he was trying to stick his tongue down her throat. I was surprised she could breathe.

"What? Yeah, yeah." I replied, forcing a weak smile, although my mind was drifting elsewhere. "Hey, Liam, you picked up Skye for the party, so you know where she lives?"

"Yeah?" He said, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"So... Where?" I said, shrugging, like I was casual.

"Why? You stalking her?" Liam said, with a faux laugh.

"No, just curious." I defended.

"Milennium Block, just round the corner. I think its the fourth floor." Liam said, eyeing me as he finished his drink.

"Oh," I said, zoning out again. "Cool. Well, look lads, I'm gonna' head off, if that's OK." I suddenly snapped out of my motionless stare into nothing and hopped up, grabbing my hoodie and standing up from the table.

"To see Skye?" Zayn asked, grinning.

"No, no, I'm really tired and I have a Physics test tomorrow, so, I'll see you around." I muttered, frowning to myself as I tugged the grey hoodie over my head. I left my hood up, my blonde hair poking out of the top as I turned away and left, stuffing my hands into my pockets.

As I lightly pushed through the door of the cafe, I naturally felt myself wondering to the left, down the road towards Milennium Block, as the rain pelted my back and shoulders.