Detached [h.s au]

Chapter 26: Prejudice

Elizabeth's POV

I stare at Harry. 

He stares back at me.

We've been stealing glances of each other for a while now, neither of us saying anything. We are sitting in the living room, me with a book in my hands and him watching some government propaganda on the TV. We never have movies or fun shows playing on our channels like it was the case in the old days, we have endless brainwashing in the form of a host praising our government officials and our sad, messed up way of life instead. 

"What?" Harry finally asks, turning the TV off.

"It's nothing," I mutter, averting my eyes to the book. We never officially apologised to each other after that ridiculous fight three days ago, so things have been awkward.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asks, annoyed.

"Why are you staring back?"

He sighs and drags his fingers through his messy locks. I always wonder how does he manage to keep his expression so stoic and detached all the time, even when he is clearly getting annoyed. The only times his facade slips is when he gets angry, he seems to be unable to control that emotion for some reason.

"I talked to Zayn today," I say, flipping another page casually. "He said some interesting things to me."

He gulps. "What things?"

"About you," I say. "But nothing serious, he actually defended you."

"Oh?" He looks at his fingernails, feigning indifference.

"Yeah. And you were right, he and I are very much alike."

That seems to catch his attention as his eyes lock with mine and he adjusts in his seat. "Really? What did he say?"

"He said the ability to connect is important and pretty much voiced my thoughts," I say, placing the book on the coffee table. "He actually agrees with me without thinking I'm being ridiculous."

"Not this again," he groans. "Why are you so persistent on that subject? The whole thing doesn't even make sense."

"What doesn't make sense? Feelings?"

He shakes his head and stands up, walking up to me. He grabs the book from the table, reading the title. "Pride and prejudice? You see, this kind of book messes with you," he puts it back on the table.

"You've read that?" I can't hide my surprise.

"Yeah. I was pleased with the book until the point where Darcy starts chasing after Elizabeth claiming he loves her? Honestly, I laughed," he says. "Darcy was a perfectly structured character and then a woman came along and ruined him."

"Of course you would like Darcy, he too has zero social skills and frowns upon anyone who tries to talk to him."

"And of course you would defend Elizabeth, with her constant judgment of Darcy and sticking stubbornly to that judgment, letting her pride to take over. You're just the same, you have this idea in your head and refuse to let it go," he snaps. "Don't even get me started on the irony her name is Elizabeth."

"Darcy is judgmental too, not to mention his arrogance and pride where he stubbornly refuses to acknowledge everyone is the same and the social class doesn't matter. You too stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the possibility I'm right."

I didn't even notice I stood up and we're now glaring at each other, our faces barely few inches apart.

"Love is just a myth," Harry says.