KEEP DRIVING - H.S

Chapter 3

September 9 2021, San Antonio

ALLIAH HAD NEVER BEEN MORE NERVOUS IN HER ENTIRE LIFE. So her solution? Play music.

Alliah had a playlist for every ocassion. The most specific of moods had playlists. Something to bake with? Playlist. In the shower and want to do a concert? Playlist. So nervous you're about to puke in your dressing room? Playlist.

Music was the best form of escapism, in Alliah's opinion. If she needed to distract herself, she'd just focus on the music, and dissect the wide variety of instruments utilized to make it.

Humming along to the melody of the song, Bubblegum Bitch, Alliah managed to calm her racing heart. Just slightly.

And then a knock on the door sent her heart into a frantic speed once again. "Come in!" Alliah called.

The door opened, and a head of messy brown hair peaked through the opening. A small smile graced Harry's features. "Hi, sorry. Got a little sick of Mitch and Sarah being infuriatingly adorable. 'S it okay if I hang out here?"

Alliah laughed. "Yeah, yeah, take a seat wherever. I totally get being the third-wheel. That's me most of the time."

Harry grinned, and his dimples started to appear.

Holy shit, his dimples. They're adorable.

"Your love life is as miserable as mine?"

"Seeing as I am incredibly single, I'd assume so," Alliah joked. They laughed a little, before an awkward silence fell over them.

Comfortable silence was definitely not overrated. Alliah would kill for a comfortable silence.

Harry's brow furrowed suddenly. He tilted his head to the side. "Is- Is that song one of Zayn's songs?"

Alliah's face paled as she listened to the music playing from her phone. The previous song had ended and now it was playing Sour Diesel.

Alliah scrambled, stumbling to her feet and making her way to the desk across from her, snatching her phone and skipping to the next song. Pillowtalk.

The universe really hated her.

She skipped to the next song, and the universe finally took pity on her and Mitski started echoing through the room.

Alliah coughed loudly, "Nope, no Zayn. This is Mitski."

Harry frowned. "I just saw you skip several songs-"

"It's Mitski!" Alliah interrupted him, her voice a little too loud and too high-pitched. "It-It's Mitski," She repeated, clearing her throat and allowing her voice to return to its regular pitch. "I think you've had one too many special brownies, Styles, if you think Mitski is Zayn."

Harry stared at Alliah for two seconds more, before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

After a brief moment, Alliah joined into his raucous laughter. He had the kind of light, joyful laugh that made it impossible not to join in.

"Special brownies? That's seriously- Wow, Alliah, I expected a better excuse from you."

Alliah snickered. "I dunno, it was the first thing to came to mind."