Harry Styles; Short Story Imagines

Their Guitarist (Pt 13)

Max Hillers.

Curly and I just awkwardly sit opposite of each other and eat our food that we ordered, the chattering of people, spoons and forks hitting the plates rung in in the background. 

He ordered a double chicken burger with fries, while I ordered macaroni and cheese with water. I knew for  a fact that someone from the team is watching us, just incase something 'bad' happens. To be honest, this is the first time Curly and I have gone this far without arguing. New record, huh?

My train of thought breaks as I hear Curly clear his throat. I look up at him to see him gently wiping the corners of his mouth with a tissue. "So," he says as he puts his arms in front of him and interlocks his fingers, "Longest we've gone without arguing, huh?"

I stare at him for a while. This is weird. Us being civil with each other...it just feels illegal. 

I look away from him and back at my food as I raise and eyebrow and shrug, "That's just what I was thinking. That's what happens when you wanna keep your job, I guess."

He suddenly chuckles, making me look at him again, but it sounded more like a scoff. I noticed how he had barely touched his fries and only ate half his burger. 

"What's so funny?" I say, removing my eyes from his burger and back to my Mac and cheese as I play around with my food, not wanting to make eye contact with him like I usually do. 

"You haven't insulted me after I insulted you in the car. You've been quiet most of the time, and you seemed so bloody scared in the crowd. Now, you're barely talking and you're not even rolling your eyes. You're not even mumbling how bloody annoying I am under your breath. Hell, you're not even glaring at me. You just keep playing with your food and haven't had a single bite yet. Do you think I haven't noticed how weird you're acting?" He states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. 

That's when my eyes finally meet his green ones. This time, his eyes weren't those usual dark, angry, annoyed ones that would make me annoyed too. No, it wasn't that. His eyes looked calm and pleading, as if he actually wanted to talk to me and know what's going on.

Before I could stare any longer, I break my eye contact and look down at my food that I haven't eaten yet. "I didn't know you put that much attention into what I do." 

"That's not the point." He says, as if he already knows I'm trying to change the subject. 

I honestly didn't know he looked into this much detail. I thought, to him, I was just a random human and a door mat that he could just walk over and annoy every once in a while. I didn't know he paid that attention to what I eat or not. 

"I'm claustrophobic." I suddenly say, which leads to an awkward silence. But let me tell you, this silence is the loudest sound I've ever heard. 

I didn't dare look up at him as the burning sensation from my ears travel all the way to my jaw, while my body starts to heat up in embarrassment. I knew if I didn't tell him now, he's going to keep bringing it up until I actually tell him. 

"Okay?" He says, making me look up at him for the 100th time today in shock. I watched as he had an unbothered look on his face. "So?" 

I stare at him. As if not believing what he just said. "That doesn't...bother you?" 

He scoffs and looks around before running a hand through his hair, "Why would it bother me? You're afraid of small spaces. So, what's the big deal? We all have fears in our lives. And you're not the only one I know who's claustrophobic, Niall is claustrophobic too. He almost collapsed in LA once." 

The fact that he doesn't really care made me feel something inside. Maybe it's the fact that I thought he was going to judge me and laugh. I mean, that's what people do when you tell them your secrets and fears, don't they? Whatever it was, maybe, just maybe, Curly may not be all that bad. Maybe he's changed for the better. And maybe Kai was right. I just had to loosen up a bit and maybe things could fall right back into place.