Empty // H.s

Chapter 2

The tall green trees towered over me as I ran through the dog park with Ryno. He kept me running even when I didn't want to anymore. I slowed down to a jog as I came across a fountain. I stopped Ryno and took a seat on the edge of the fountain. It was drastically hot that day and I just wanted to cool down.

I glanced around the park to frisbee throwers and joggers without dogs. A boy with a white hoodie over his head distracted me. I wondered how he could be wearing that when it's almost 90 degrees outside. The boy slowed down near a tree and leaned up against it for a breather. I laughed to myself. I thought maybe you shouldn't wear hoodies in extremely warm weather.

I stood back up and looked at my reflection in the water fountain.

"Beth?" The voice rang through my body making it even hotter than it was before. I turned to see Harry in a pair of jean shorts and a long white sleeve shirt smiling down at me. I thought to myself how I probably looked all sweaty and gross and cursed myself for being out in public.

"Harry, hi." I smiled at the lengthy boy. "How are you not hot in that?" I rambled out without thinking. I wondered at the time if he thought I was odd.

He let out a hearty laugh and said, "I'm immune to this type of weather. It's really bad in the middle of July."

I watched his every move. The way he shifted his weight to his other foot and the way his tongue slid across his bottom lip to wet it.

"Is this the famous dog I picked a collar out for?" He kneeled down to pet Ryno.

"Sure is." I laughed out. He looked up at me and smiled causing those same dimples from yesterday to show.

"By any chance are you free today?" The words tumbled out of his mouth like water that falls off a cliff.

"Uh, no." I stammered. "I'm not doing anything." I tried to recover from embarrassing myself at the time but he just smiled at me. He was always smiling.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go get lunch?" He stood back up not breaking the eye contact we had.

"Sure..uh when?"

"Right now." This boy broke every rule in the book. I've never been so caught off guard. "I know a place we can eat outside." His eyes moved to Ryno, who sat panting.

"Oh alright!" I said a little too eager.

As we walked down the side walk of this small town I noticed our footsteps had matched up with each other. I wondered why he was at the dog park all by himself.

"Right here." His hand landed on my lower back as he guided me through the black gates. I felt like I swallowed so loud he heard me. I was nervous obviously but he seemed calm and collected. Carefree even.

I sat down in the seat he had pulled open for me with a smile on my face. I tied Ryno around my chair and looked back up to the menu. My eyes ran through the menu and I had no clue what I wanted. I could feel his eyes burning a hole through my head.

"Do you always do that when you focus?" He asked running his large hand through his hair.

"Do what?" I scrunched my face together in confusion. His eyes had a playful tint to them.

"Do you always chew on your cheek?" He asked the question clearer. His lips turned up playfully on the sides and I blushed. "I didn't mean to embarrass you." That's when he reached out and touched my hand. The touch was soft and sweet. I felt like I was flying through a sky full of white clouds. My eyes locked on his playful ones.

"Are we ready to order?" The waitress asked Harry, not even bothered to look in my direction.

"Do you know what you want?" He sweetly asked. I shake my head and keep my eyes on my menu.

"Should I give you two another minute?" The blonde asked the handsome man in front of me.

"I can order for you." He offered.

"Um sure?" I stated it more like a question. I was confused at the time but he was just being his charming self.

"We will both have the spaghetti with red sauce. Also two waters please." He took the menu I had and handed it to the waitress. His eyes were back on me within seconds and I gladly watched the blonde walk off upset. I was jealous at the time. This curly haired man had asked me to lunch and I was still jealous of the pretty blonde waitress.

"So Beth, are you new around here?" He took his bottom lip between his thumb and index finger pinching and pulling it. I nodded my head.

"I just moved in a couple weeks ago."

"Do you like it here?" He asked a simple question.

"I do now." I blurted out. My face turned the color of a tomato and I put my head in my hands while I laughed. I heard a carefree laugh come out of his lovely mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't think before I spoke." I babbled more.

"Beth," he try's to control his smile, "it's fine."

Our food came out and we continued to talk between bites. We exchanged last names with more information. He owed a small house a block down from me. I laughed at the way he would slurp his pasta into his mouth.

"What's so funny?" A jokingly hurt expression played on his face as he put his hand over his heart. "Beth Fulton, are you making fun of how I like to eat my pasta?"

A giggle escaped my mouth and I said, "No Harry styles, I am not making fun of you."