Lockdown | Harry Styles | AU

Chapter 38

It's getting interesting...

It had been a week since James Burrow's party, and Aubrey hadn't left Tim's house since.

After the earthquake, surprisingly to Aubrey, the party roared on till the early hours of the morning. Luckily no one got hurt; the only casualties being a few broken glasses and dish-wear. So everyone just seemed happy to dust themselves off and carry on.

Aubrey found the whole scenario quite strange.

Was the shifting of the earth really not that much of a big deal in California?

So much so that everyone just went on with their lives as though nothing had happened?

Bizarre.

Being from the UK Aubrey had never experienced an earthquake before, maybe she had felt a tremor once when she was a child, but other than that it was something that England never really had to deal with.

The whole thing had really shook her up.

She felt anxious and on edge for the rest of the evening, and in all honestly she just couldn't wait to leave.

However that could have also been down to the fact that Harry had gone from protecting her and quite frankly almost kissing her, to then turning angry and telling her to leave the city. Which was then followed by him abandoning Aubrey in order to run and find Dakota. His heart suddenly racing with worry once he had realized that while being with Aubrey, he had completely forgotten all about his wonderful bride-to-be.

As soon as he spotted Dakota in the garden, his chest instantly began to sting with guilt. His stomach twisting with knots, battling against the relief he felt when he wrapped his arms around her frame, his mouth showering her face with kisses. His mind trying to ignore the racing thoughts of Aubrey and the moment they had shared.

So for the rest of the party Harry ignored Aubrey.

He actually vowed to ignore her for the rest of his life.

However Aubrey's encounter with Harry was slightly forgotten when she stepped foot out of the house just as Tim came bounding over. Enveloping her in a warm and comforting embrace, his hold on her tight as he buried his face into her hair. Closing his eyes for a moment as he enjoyed her scent and the way she felt in his arms. He was just so happy she was okay.

He cared for her.

Which made Aubrey happy that at least somebody did.

Timothee was also a good enough friend to sense that Aubrey's mood had shifted greatly after the earthquake, so to her delight after only an hour later he decided they should leave the party. The happiness she felt when they finally got into the Uber to head back to his house bringing her much relief and comfort. Which Tim could easily feel. The corner of his lips curling upward when Aubrey rested her head on his shoulder during the car journey back.

***

"Okay, I'm heading out. You sure you're gonna be okay on your own for a couple of nights?" Timothee called over to Aubrey as soon as he stepped out of the house and headed across the patio. His feet pausing by the pool as he fixed his eyes on Aubrey's limp frame. Her body simply floating in the middle of the water as she lay on her back, her eyes staring up at the setting pink sky where a few twinkling stars could already be seen creeping in.

The glow from the pool lights illuminated her sun-kissed, supple body as she wore a rather dainty black bikini. Her limbs completely spread out while her dirty blonde hair fanned and floated in the water. The expression on her face pensive and lost in thought, she hadn't even noticed Tim's arrival.