Anthropophobia [H.S]

Chapter 2

HARRY'S POV

I didn't have to look too far before I noticed Zayn walking towards me. I quickly grabbed his arm and hid behind him as Cadence made her way to us. Why couldn't she just leave me alone?

"Hey, you okay? You ran out of class pretty quick back there." She asks.

"Harry's just a little shy." Zayn butts in.

"Oh, well I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm always available if you need a friend. Here's my number. Give me a ring sometime, Harry." She beams and gives me a strip of paper with her digits on it. I reluctantly grab it from her.

With all that said and done, she walks away. "You okay?" Zayn questions.

"Y-yeah. I j-just d-don't like p-people." I answered and played with the rings on my fingers.

"She seemed nice. You should call her some time." He advised. I just shook my head no and he chuckled before tugging me along to my next class.

Once I was done for the day, I left the class to find my way out only to be met by a multitudinous crowd of people. I moaned in fright and hot tears started to roll down my cheeks as people shoved and pushed to get home and away from the misery of studying. I pulled myself up against a wall and rummaged through my bag for my phone, calling the only person I could think of at that specific anxiety filled moment.

"C-Cadence? I-It's m-me H-harry. I'm s-scared. T-too m-many p-people. H-help."

"Harry? Where are you? I'll come get you." She spoke.

"I'm i-in the m-main h-hall." I cried into the phone. She hung up after that and within minutes she was by my side, pulling me along and away from the crowd. We waited on a bench outside for my car while I sobbed in her arms, afraid of this new place. I just wanted to be in the comfort of my home and in my mother's warm embrace.

I nestled into her bosom like a little child would, as she rubbed my back and kissed my hair multiple times to get me to stop crying. I was so pathetic.

"Ssh. It's okay. It's alright. Calm down Harry. I'm right here. Your mother's going to be here soon as well. Then you can go home and relax." She cooed.

I calmed down a bit and my nerve racking sobs toned down to meagre sniffles.

Soon, mum arrived and Cadence led me to the car.

"Harry! What happened, baby? Why were you crying?" I groaned when she called me baby in front of the beautiful girl but remembered, when earlier, Cadence had seen me acting like a pathetic wimp, so I guess the damage had already been done.

"He's okay now. Just got a bit frazzled to see so many people." Cadence smiled at mum, who smiled back even bigger.

"Thank you for comforting him, love. What's your name?"

"Cadence, and it was no problem. That's what friends are for. Right, Harry?" I just nodded shyly and I could've sworn I saw my mother's eyes light up when Cadence said the word 'friend'.

My new "friend" bid us farewell and I got into the car as we drove home with my mother incessantly gushing over how nice Cadence was and that I finally made a friend. I just hummed along and waited till I could get home and read in my comfy bed. I must've dozed off on the way, since my mother shook me awake when we arrived.

I eagerly ran into the house and literally galloped up the stairs, locking myself in my room, finally, getting the alone time I was craving since the moment I left the safety of my home.

I got lost into my book within minutes and didn't even feel my phone vibrate on the bed-side table the first few times.

It was a text message. Nobody ever messaged me. Up till now, that was. I checked who it was from and an unknown number flashed across the screen. The same one that I had called earlier in my time of desperate need.

Cadence: Did you get home okay?

Harry: Yeah. Thanks.

For some reason the care and affection she showed me made my heart warm. I had just met her and shown her nothing but a closed off side of me, yet she made an extra effort to comfort and protect me when nobody else did.

Cadence: I'm glad. Give me your address, we're riding to uni together tomorrow. No arguments.

I smiled at her dominance and quirky method of making friends but agreed anyway. She was nice. I liked her now and I could use some friends too. More like a friend, since I had none.

Once we both said our goodnights and I gave her my address, I went down for dinner and soon after settled into bed, anxious to see her tomorrow.