running through the shadows (harry styles)

Chapter 1

"Lacey! Up!" I hear a familiar voice barge into my room and rudely rip the covers off of me.

"Liam, you're an arse...go away." I mumble, curling up into a ball to stay warm. My head is throbbing, so it must be early.

"No, I know that mum usually wakes you up at 9:30. And I'm not going to let you off the hook." I can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Oh, shut up. You're not my mum, get out." I say, angrily getting out of bed and shoving him out the door.

I immediately crawl back into my warm bed and drift off to sleep...I had forgotten how obnoxious Liam can be.

At 11:17, I finally drag myself out of bed. I can hear Liam and another voice in the next room over, so I decide I should probably get dressed before leaving my room.

Who the hell hangs out before noon. What fucking losers...

After putting on a flannel and some jeans along with my every day makeup, I make my way downstairs into the kitchen, which is honestly my favorite place in this house other than my room.

Right after I crack two eggs into a frying pan, some random guy who I'm guessing was the other voice coming from Liam's room comes in. Damn, he's hot. He has dark chocolate colored curls that stop about an inch above his shoulder, stunning emerald colored eyes, and these adorable, yet hot dimples that somehow look perfect on him.

"Like what you see?" He asks cockily, wiggling his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes and turn back to my eggs, trying to ignore the butterflies erupting in my stomach.

"I'm Harry. You're a quiet one, eh? That's not what Liam said. According to him, you're pretty loud and obnoxious. Somehow, still, he seems to think the world of you! Never shuts up about Lacey. 'Lacey got a 4.0!' 'Lacey this, Lacey that..'"

"Why is he friends with you? You're a rude, annoying, cocky asshole." I angrily mutter, glancing over at him. Liam might irritate me to no end, but at the end of the day, he's my big brother and I love him, and I'm going to stick up for him.

"She speaks!" He mocks me, pretending to act surprised. "Hey, he's my best friend, I'm joking around with you." He smiles, and I roll my eyes. Still, the butterflies won't go away.

"You tell pretty bad jokes then." I say, getting out a plate for my breakfast.

"Yeah, I get that a lot, but I like my jokes." He replies, staring off into space while smiling. I find it funny how he can go from the cocky asshole to all spaced out and 'hey, can I tell you a joke?'

"Can I tell you one? Pleaaaaase?" He pleads and I can't help but laugh.

"Fine." I sigh.

"Knock knock." He starts out, grinning cheekily.
"Who's there? I mumble, rolling my eyes.
"Little old lady."
"Little old lady who?"
"Hey! I didn't know you could yodel!" He practically shouts, laughing.

"Harry this doesn't even make sense-" I start, but am interrupted by Liam's familiar voice.

"So I can see you two have met." He smirks, glancing back and fourth.

"Liam, your friend is an annoying asshole who tells horrible jokes that don't make sense!" I whine.

"Yeah, that's pretty accurate." He laughs, taking a seat next to Harry.

"Rude." Harry scoffs, glaring at Liam, and then looks up at me and winks...okay then?

"Liam, I'm going out with Caleb tonight." I say, turning off the stove and moving my breakfast onto a plastic plate.