21 Murders | Harry Styles AU (discontinued)

XXVII. De Rigueur

de rigueur (adjective): required by etiquette or current fashion

Harry's POV

I'm cuffing the last of my uniform when my eyes meet the mirror and spot Noelle leaning over to grab her bag off the end of the hotel bed. Last night was nice; we simply came back to the hotel and decided to watch some telly before bed.

"What shows do you watch?" El asked, pulling the covers up to her chin while her legs are bent and pressed to her chest. She watches the side of my face while I skim through the network, cringing at the lack of good telly.

"I'm not a big telly kind of guy,'' I inform her to which she snorts.

"Could've figured."

"What about you?" I look over and toss the remote onto the comforter. She looks at it for a moment before mirroring my old position with the object held in her hand. "You don't look like the type to be into anything other than the History channel." I joke.

She rolls her blue eyes, ''For your information, the History channel happens to be very helpful. Once I was watching this documentary about owls, and it involuntarily won me my sixth grade science fair."

"I've never been in a science fair,'' I state and her head shoots in my direction. "What? I was home-schooled most of my life."

"That's so unfortunate,'' Noelle laughs, holding back an amused smile. "Poor mini Harry. Honestly, you aren't missing out on much. Most of the students are assholes and damn Judy Popel," she grunts, getting overly excited while adding, "What I'd pay to see her sorry ass face when I whooped her in front of the whole school one more time."

"I'm sure everybody loved you,'' I joke and dodge a pillow. Rolling my eyes, I sit back and fixate my eyes on the telly program she decided to put on. "Cupcake Wars? Oh my God."

"Listen and learn, Styles."

And that was the last thing she'd said before we watched three hours of ridiculously small decorations being put upon cupcakes. Half the flavors made me gag, honestly, but it was better than reliving my pathetic excuse for a childhood and her overly achieving one.

"Oh my gosh,'' I'm taken from my thoughts by Noelle. "Are seriously wearing a Robin Hood hat?" She laughs, bringing a hand to her lips. I groan and her head falls back.

"It isn't a Robin Hood hat,'' I clarify.  Smoothing out my coat jacket, I turn and meet eyes with Noelle. Her long dress is a dark red and her hair is pulled back and tied into a low bun. I smile.

"But it has a feather on it."

"So?" I raise a brow.

"So, it is a Robin Hood hat. Admit it."

"I will not,'' I respond, tucking the curls by my neck back over my shoulders. My hair is getting so long, but the change is different and sort of nice. I don't want to cut it, but that might change when the weather gets warmer.

"Fine, whatever you say Robin Hood. But what time does the event start?"

"One o'clock sharp,'' I scoff, slightly nerved with what company I will have to be forced with for the next five hours. "Remember what I told you about Fred,'' I remind.

"Yeah, yeah. Stay away from him and don't talk about the case."

"Exactly,'' I nod in agreement. ''Just think, after this dumb arse ball, we have two days to do whatever sight-seeing we want. I heard that there is a zoo nearby, and even a Madame Tussauds."