Harrison Avenue // H.S.

The First Time

A/N: Yo, I'm going to sneak in here at the beginning really quick.

This title may seem misleading and you might be disappointed to find out that this isn't Harry and Elle's "first time" so I'm just going to get that out of the way first. But I said this would be different and so here it is!

Since this is a scene that's already happened a lot of the dialogue is the same, so I apologize for that. But I thought it'd be interesting to write it from Harry's view.

Hope you enjoy!

...

[Harry]

I've been in America for roughly thirty-six hours and I'm beginning to think maybe it is exactly like what they portray in films, that maybe there is some truth to the stereotypes.

Matt told me there was something I had to see but I did not realize this meant we would be walking into a house that I'm fairly certain is about to collapse. It's loud, which isn't a surprise considering how many people are stumbling around with a shouted drunken banter. The music doesn't do anything to help this either because the loud pounding of a bass audible from nearly a block away.

This is what Matt wanted me to see. A party filled with teenagers who aren't legally allowed to drink, threatening the well-being of the old house they decided was their prime location. And I know it's going to take more than two beers to even appear genuinely excited about this.

I haven't seen Matt for years now but when he and his dad picked me up from the airport there wasn't even an element of awkwardness. We were always close growing up, even if that wasn't true in physical distance. And it's become easier to stay in touch with him thanks to the mass amounts of technology. So when my mum suggested that I "get out of England and explore something new" I decided to go with something that had some familiarity to it, even if that meant I'd be spending my summer in a small town in South Dakota.

He's introduced to me to so many people that I think I only remember one or two names... but I decide that won't matter much anyways because the majority of those I've met have been drunk, so they won't remember mine either. Because of this it doesn't surprise me when I see him wave over another person, yelling their name with this huge smile on his face. I don't move from my leaned back position on the table behind me, but before I even see her there's already chills running down my spine.

I swear it's one of those things that always happen in those cliché American high school movies, where the popular girl is walking down the hallway and everything moves in slow motion. This girl that Matt has called moves out from the crowds of people, looking Matt in the eyes before giving him a small wave and then she sort of stomps her way through the dance floor that's made up in the middle. It isn't elegant and her scowl would make me think it should be the opposite of mesmerizing, but it's still in slow motion nonetheless.

She's beautiful.

"Hey, Matt," she greets him, her voice sounding clearly annoyed. It's softer than I was anticipating though, less harsh considering the way she presents herself. "What's up?"

Matt replies and she nods her head, still appearing cold and slightly uninterested. He hands her a beer and she downs almost half of it in one gulp. I'm still standing here with my mouth dry and this feeling of disbelief, already having this desire to figure her out. I haven't been much interested in any of the friends Matt has introduced to me so far, but her... she's different.

"Elle," Matt says her name again, regaining her attention from her gaze that moved to the side. "This is my cousin," he continues and my stomach drops before her eyes even move to mine. Once she does look at me, here gray eyes feeling like they see right through me, I'm pretty sure I lose it all together.