Safety Net {l.r.h}

39) Want You in the Worst Ways

A/N: I'm updating rn because I just started a new full time job along with being in college, so I'm not sure how much "me" time I'm going to get. I have a speech due March 7th and one due the 14th, both worth over 100 points and then I have a rough draft for an essay due the 7th as well. It's all fucking nuts man. Anyways, enjoy this plz <3

ELLIE ABNER

My fingers curled in my hair as I propped my head up with my elbow on the library table. Stress clouded my brain as I read over the same sentence repeatedly, trying to make sense of it. My English professor decided I needed to reword some sentences to make them stronger and I couldn't think of a single way to change them. They were just fine, and if I weren't such a people pleaser to all my instructors, I'd say forget it and turn it in as is. They had engineers in my dormitory, working on the elevator since they last fixed it and I couldn't concentrate with the constant sound of electric tools and talking down the hallway, so I walked to the library.

Luke was out with Michael, Calum, and Ashton writing the song they've been working on for the past few days, so I had no one to keep me company or to give me a new perspective on my paper. Not that Luke would necessarily help me, but I liked him there for moral support. I felt a presence approaching me from the side and angled my head against my hand to see who had the audacity and was met with a guy that seemed about Luke's age, a few inches taller than me, and light blonde hair- blue eyes too.

"You seem stressed," he notes aloud, placing his hands on the back of the chair next to me. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked up to meet his gaze.

"Yeah," I state dryly, hoping he'd just go away.

His lips tilt up in a smirk and I internally groan. This is going to take more effort than I thought. "What do you say I take you out somewhere to get your mind off of things?"

"I'm good." I shut my laptop and stack my notebook on top of it, ready to leave when I hear laughing come from behind a bookshelf. The guy who was attempting to flirt with me started laughing too, which was when I turned around to face the boyish sound. Harry steps out from behind one of the bookshelves clutching his stomach.

"I totally got you!" He exclaimed, slinging his arm around the guy next to me. "Ellie, this is my friend Niall."

I send him a shy smile before turning to glare at the brunette, "what the hell, why?"

"I heard you and Luke finally got together," he says in a matter-of-fact tone, smirking. My face grew red as I nodded to confirm his statement. "Had to do a loyalty test on you."

My face dropped, "really? On me?" He shrugged.

"I knew you'd pass, but it was also fun to get a rise out of you."

"Harry, I'm trying to finish my English assignment, I don't really have time to mess around." I opened my laptop again and set my notebook off to the side. He sat down across from me, Niall following suit in the seat beside him. He grabbed the screen of my computer and pulled it in front of him and stared at the word document.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Apparently I need to reword some stuff to make my sentences stronger."

"Who's your professor?"

I sigh, "Mrs. Joy."

He laughed, "isn't her name ironic? I mean, if anything, she's a major bi-"

"Hey," I warn, narrowing my eyes at him, "just help me."

Pursing his lips, Harry's eyes scanned over the lines that are highlighted before typing on the keyboard. After a couple of minutes, he flipped the laptop back to me. "There, that should do it."