Harry Styles; Short Story Imagines

Their Guitarist (Pt 17)

Max Hillers:

As I stand in line to exit the plane, I keep my eyes on the ground. My heart is still racing at the memories of what happened just a few hours ago. Curly and I had decided not to talk after what had happened, since he thought it would be better not to bring it up and I was too embarrassed to do so too, which I was very grateful  for.

I can't believe I almost let my guard down in front of him. Even if it's new to me, I can't let him see this side of me. He can exploit and expose me and that's the last thing I can afford. I'll can never learn to live or trust him, or continue to trust others. No one's capable of trust.

I look up to see a very masculine back in front of me. I stare at his tall back while I see his muscles flexing as he slightly bends his head down, looking at his phone and texting with one hand while the other was holding his small and black luggage. My eyes suddenly travel to his arm that was holding the phone. My brown eyes trace his tattoos and I stare in awe. It really must've hurt to get them, but they're just so beautiful. I wonder if they have a meaning behind them.

I see him start to move forward, his head not moving. I clear my throat and shake my head, hoping that any thoughts that weren't necessary shake away too. But there was this one thought that I couldn't get out of my head: Why did he help me?

You would think that enemies, or rather people who aren't friends, wouldn't like to help each other out when they're struggling, instead make fun of them. But when he helped me, it sparked something inside of me and I can't understand what. The thought of him helping me is killing me from inside and I don't like this feeling. I'm scared that I even might start liking him again...and I don't want that ever. Not again. I will never make that mistake again, no matter where it will lead me to.

The staff thank me and everyone for choosing to travel with them before we start to travel down a flight of stairs, the Australian wind greets me with force that my hair starts to go all over the place. I smile. I wish Ava or Hazel, or even Kia, were here to help share these small moments with me, and I need someone with me right now. I can't go through seeing them every day alone, c'mon now! I'll get over it eventually.

I love the cold weather a lot, too. I lift my luggage up with both my hands as I keep my eyes on the stairs, careful not to trip along with some other people following behind me. The night sky seemed clean and beautiful.

My eyes almost pop out of their sockets as I see Curly carrying his luggage with only one arm, which looked like with zero effort, his eyes still on his phone. What can I say? Of course he seems like an expert at this, he's traveled the world so many times. He's a goddamn famous singer for God's sake. Speaking of which, I really fucking miss Ava.

Thinking about my best friend, after I safely reach down the stairs, I fetch my phone from my pocket and tap it. 12:37am.

Right under the time, I saw a few messages pop up.

ava: aussiiii!!

hazel: missing you already <3

kai: oh fuck off

I furrow my eyebrows at the message from Kai. Why did he type that? I press on it, revealing all our messages. The last message I sent him was 'who's going to annoy the fuck out of you and bully you for no reason now?' I smile at the memory of typing that.

"Smiling on text, huh?" I hear a teasing voice from next to me and I nearly flinch. I playfully roll my eyes and shove my phone back in my pocket with a smile. I could see Curly look at me from the corner of his eye at this.

"It's just Kai." I turn to look at Caroline smirking from next to me. Plus, he has a girlfriend, and he is not my fucking type. I would never date him.

"How was the flight, baby?" She asks as we start to walk away, knowing that the rest will follow us eventually. Immediately the thought of Curly and I in the bathroom comes to my mind and my smile drops. I shut my eyes close before opening them up again with a fake smile.

"Uhm, it was good. I can't believe I'm already in my second country for my job. It seemed like I just started yesterday." I quickly change the topic.

"Yes!" She laughs, finding humor in my words. "It does feel like time's going by so fast. But it seems like I've known you for ages."

I slowly start to show a genuine smile as she says this. Caroline is so sweet. Scary at times, but still sweet. She can seem to put a smile on my face without even noticing it. She flashes me a beautiful smile before walking away to Paul and the other staff members, leaving me alone.

I hear the familiar laughter of boys and I snap my head to my right, seeing the same five boys standing together there, possibly laughing at something that had happened in the plane. This made my heart drop. What if Curly had told them about the incident in the plane? Would he? No, he wouldn't. But he could? I really hope he isn't.

Curly suddenly turns to look at me from feet away, and that immediately has me looking away and down at the floor as if it was my phone. Wow, smart move, Max. To not completely embarrass myself, I go on to bring my phone out once again. But what's on my phone is rather questioning.

Unknown: Hi.

I stare at my phone for a while with stitched eyebrows. Unknown? Who could this be? I tap on the message and stare at it a bit longer. Should I reply? Who is this? What do they want?

hi?

I bite my lip in anxiousness as I wait for them to reply. A shiver runs up my spine as I see three dots appear, meaning that they were texting me back.

Unknown: How are you?

I stitch my eyebrows further. Who is this? How did they get my number and start a normal conversation?"

who is this?

Unknown: Oh c'mon. Don't pretend you don't know me.

i don't though.

Unknown: You do. Very well. Try guessing.

grandma?

I nearly slap my hand on my head. This is so stupid. Why would I think my Grandmother is texting me? She doesn't even have a goddamn phone.

Unknown: Think about someone younger, maybe?

This person is starting to piss me off.

just tell me who you are.
i hate playing these childass games.

Unknown: You'll know soon enough.

I stare at the last message with mixed emotions. What is that supposed to mean? My mind is interrupted when I hear Caroline yell my name to follow the rest of the crew. I look up from my phone.

"Coming!" I call out to her, as if she was my mother.

I look back down at the texts as I re-read them once again, trying to see if I could figure out the texting style by any chance.

I don't.

Who is this? I just shut my phone before I could confuse myself even more and shove it back in my pocket, continuing to walk.

I will find out who this is.