Endlessly (Harry Styles Fan Fiction)

Chapter 6

Harry leaped over the chain link fence, a sharp breath escaping his lips as his feet hit the ground.  He adjusted the coat that fit loosely on his back and ran a hand through his thick curls, the subtle breeze tarnishing what he had just created.

                “H!”  Travis called out, a dwindling cigarette bud tucked between his index and middle finger.  He flicked it off the tips of his fingers and let it fizzle out underneath the pressure of his foot pressing it further into the ground.

                “When are you going to stop that?” Harry inquired, grinning at Travis.  “I’m surprised you don’t have a hole in your throat yet, you’ve been smoking since the seventh grade.”

                Travis shrugged, letting the words roll right off his back.  He didn’t really care that his best friend didn’t approve of his addictive habits.  He did what he wanted, essentially.

                Harry had closed the gap between him and Travis and they were now walking side by side to a large group of people about twenty meters away.  Harry recognized most of the people leaning against the damp wall of the wash.  He remembered all of the same faces that he used to hang out with on a regular basis before he was arrested, with a few unfamiliar ones sprinkled in here and there.

                “Harry!” a distinguishable voice called from across the way as he approached the group of people.

                He craned his neck and scanned the area, looking for the face that matched the voice.  Finally, he saw her.  “Hey, Des,” he called out after her.  The petite, auburn haired girl lifted herself from her position on the ground and went to meet him.  There was a particular glow about her that wasn’t present until Harry had gotten there.  However, Harry’s mood stayed the same.  At one point, he and Desiree had a certain chemistry that was undeniable.  But their relationship was complicated, and Harry chose to keep his feelings about her repressed.

                “It’s been way too long,” she said, wrapping her skinny arms around his waist and squeezing tightly.  “How’ve you been?”

                Harry shrugged, not quite sure how to answer her.  The inner sarcasm in him begged to be let out; I’ve been in jail for the past year of my life, how do you think I’ve been?  He wanted to reply, but he smiled instead. 

                “I’m alive,” was all he replied.

                She flushed at his response and looked at the ground, tracing circles with the tip of her foot on the concrete in front of her.  It was evident that she was glad to be seeing him again; and she didn’t entirely know why.  Harry could tell by the way she acted around him that it was almost as if they’d never even had a falling out.  He knew she was going to try and convince him that it was okay for things to go back to the way they used to be, but Harry knew better than to let that happen again.

                “Wanna come sit down?”  She asked, “Josh will be so stoked to see that you’re back.”  Harry nodded and followed her to the circle of people that he had left behind.

                “Holy shit,” a boy with jet black hair and eyes to match exclaimed, scrambling to get to his feet.  “Harry, when the hell did you get back?” 

                Harry chuckled as Josh ran up to him and took his shoulders in both hands, shaking him gently to make sure he was actually standing before him.  “I just got back a few nights ago,” he said.

                “Why didn’t you come see me?”  Josh wondered, still in awe at Harry’s presence.

                He shrugged, “I haven’t been seeing much of anybody.”