bare [h.s.]

Fun

His emerald eyes,
wide and vulnerable,
gaze into mine; almost through.
"Your hormones are overwhelming, I assume?"
He laughs lightly, kissing my lips
once, twice; until I can't catch
my breath underneath his affection.

"What can I say? You're undeniably charming.
I cannot resist," I mirror
his satisfied smirk, my fingers
brushing loose waves from his face.

Harry smiles down at me,
"I can hardly control myself
when I'm with you."

"Then don't," I breathe lightly,
my heart pounding against my chest. He lowers his body to press against my own for one last, longing kiss.

"It's not the right time for this,
I hope you understand that I--" he begins, sitting upright beside me.
His fingers brush gently along my
legs, my skin burning at his touch.
A knock sounds against the door,
and his attention is quickly
diverted away from me.

"Harry, I think we have a problem," Ally says, barely audible behind the barrier that separates us. Harry glances back to me with
one brow raised, his lips in a confused smile.

"I should go see what's happening," he sighs, patting his hand on my thigh.

"Be careful, you know how dangerous intoxicated teenagers can be," I jokingly warn, pushing myself to a sitting position on the mattress. He nods me off, the door opening on the scene outside of our own little world we've created in this bedroom.
I bring my knees into my chest,
tracing the path where Harry's
fingers danced across my legs.

The room doesn't belong to him,
for there's no posters of centerfolds and the enticing fragrance of mint and faint cologne is not present in the air.
My eyes follow the patterns of
family photographs that line
the walls, each one a candid
of a smiling, beautiful boy
surrounded by unfamiliar faces.
Even if those strangers were
known to my gaze, my attention would still be on him, the others disappearing in blurs of color.

A commotion of voices speak
loudly from the other room,
almost overpowering the music.
I move hurriedly off the bed
to the door, cracking it open the
slightest bit to peek at the reason.
And I regret letting my curiosity
get the best of me.

"She isn't here, so there's no need
for you to be," Ally says, hands pressed on her hips and back
turned to me.

"Wherever he is, she follows. Do you think I'm stupid?" Elijah narrows his gaze, Niall and Harry standing on either side of Ally.

"For showing up at my home, yes, you are. I think it would be best for you to leave," Harry steps forward, ushering for Elijah to walk toward the exit. He doesn't budge, only looks around the room, calling my name. I close the door slowly, not to make any sound as it shuts.

I panic.
My head begins to whirl,
the room spins as my balance
falters and the bed becomes my
only support.
My eyelids flutter shut,
my chest aching and lungs
gasping for air.
He can't be here,
this is not real.
But when my eyes open on
the world once more,
the door is opened,
Elijah standing in the pathway.

"What are you doing here?" We
ask one another at the same moment; I almost laugh in his face.

"It's a party. I can be here if I want," I stand, shoulders back, with a new confidence I've been waiting for.

"Dressed like that? Look at you," he moves toward me in an elongated stride. "Do you want every guy to stare at you?" His fingers pinch the material of my shirt and I flinch at his touch.
As he stands before me,
the confidence has vanished,
and I am only a weak, little girl
in his presence.

"Please," I beg, resting my hand on his wrist. "Don't do this now. Not here."

"You're leaving with me," Elijah decides, taking my hand. I reluctantly follow, my gaze shifting down to my feet. The embarrassment eats at me, the party pausing momentarily to witness the action taking place.

"I will call the cops if you don't let go of her," Ally threatens, her grip now tightly around my forearm. "Don't try me."

"Elijah," I turn to him, searching his face before gathering up the courage to speak. "I want to stay here. You can stay with me, it'll be fun."
He stands awkwardly above me,
his brows furrowed and his tongue
grazes his bottom lip.

"Fun," he repeats, shifting his gaze
from Harry back to myself.
"I do love parties."
A relaxed sigh escapes my lips
and my body loosens at his words.
I gently squeeze his hand,
a grateful gesture for his
seemingly lenient behavior.
When I turn back to smile at Harry, to tell him everything is okay, he's striding toward the kitchen, muttering angrily
to himself.
Ally glares at me,
disappointment prominent
in her eyes as she shakes her
head slowly, following Harry
out of the room.

Elijah wraps his arms around my
shoulders, pulling me into his chest as his lips press meaningless kisses into my hair.
"We don't need them.
We'll have our own fun."