Instinct

Chapter Five

Monday rolled around soon enough. Too soon really. I wasn't sure if I was ready to face Liam at school, and I really just wanted to avoid the problem for a bit longer. I'd given up on working things out with him after that phone call on Friday night. I grumbled as I rolled out of bed, starting to get ready. As I applied mascara to my lashes, my mind wandered to Harry. What was he doing right now? Was he already ready for school? Did he even care to go?

I tried to shake the thoughts from my head, not sure why they came up in the first place.

“Ali.” My mom's voice came from the door frame. I looked up at her through the mirror.

“Yeah?”

“There's some boy here, he said you asked him for a ride this morning.” She told me, her voice unsure because she knew I had my own car and really didn't need a ride. I was confused by this,

“Who?” I asked her, putting my makeup away. She shrugs when I turn to face her.

“Definitely not Liam, he looks to be the exact opposite, really.” She explains.

“Harry.” I tell her and she raises her eyebrows.

“So you do know this boy...” I nod in response before going around my mother, to my room, picking up my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. She follows me, still suspicious.

“Yeah, he's cool, mom. Calm down.” I reassure her, knowing that all his tattoos and piercings were throwing her off.

“I am calm, Ali. He's just- he's...” She was searching for a word that wouldn't offend me, or him, but I knew she couldn't do it.

“I'm leaving, love you.” I told her halfheartedly, jogging downstairs, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl before walking out the front door without another word. I spotted Harry, leaning against his car, in tattered black jeans he seemed to wear every day, making the holes in the knees bigger and bigger. He also wore a plain white tank top under a blue plaid button up, that wasn't buttoned. He played with his lip ring, looking at me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I finally spoke up, peeling at the banana in my hand. He shrugged and rolled the lip ring with his tongue.

“Giving you a ride, didn't your lovely mother tell you this information?” He asked sarcastically and I rolled my eyes. I knew my mom probably gave him the stink eye, and from the window, probably still was.

“Yeah, but really, what are you doing here? I can drive myself.” I repeat and he seems to not have an answer.

“Figured I'd save you some gas, okay? Ready?” He finally says before taking the top of my banana for himself, sticking it in his mouth.

“Hey, that's my breakfast, you dick.” I spat jokingly, opening the passenger side door and hopping in. He laughed and took the bit he hadn't already ate out of his mouth.

“Would you like it back, then?” I vigorously shook my head before setting my bag on the floor, and reaching for the seat belt. He laughed and put it back in his mouth, reaching for his own seat belt.

“Wait.” I said, watching him click it in place.

“Really?” I asked, pointing to it as if it was a foreign object I'd never seen before.

“Erm, yeah.” He said emotionless, looking at me like I was crazy, before starting the car.

“Huh.” I said, looking out the window. We didn't really say anything for the rest of the car ride, which wasn't bad really. I focused out thee window, thinking about what I would say to Liam if he approached me today.

When we finally pulled into the school parking lot, I unbuckled quickly and gathered my things together.

“Sorry for the surprise visit this morning.” Harry said randomly as we were about to get out of his car. I shrugged and couldn't help but smile softly.

“It's cool. I'm sorry my mom is a pretentious snob.” He laughed at my retort and we got out of the car.

“Do you actually have your phone this time?” He asked with a smirk, and I patted my back pocket to check.

“Yep, it's there.” I tell him and shake my head at our stupid exchange. He shoved his hands in his pockets as we walked to the main entrance.

“ALI!” I heard my named screamed and I turned around to see a furious Liam. Harry turned too, not phased by Liam's attitude and sudden change of style for clothing. Liam was in a blue tank top, snap back on backwards, and a pair of blue jeans that he was sagging way too low. What the fuck.

“Liam I-” I didn't know what I was going to say as he approached me, I couldn't focus on anything besides his massive exposed biceps.

“Ali Taylor, goddamn it, why are you with this piece of shit again. Fuck.” He swore as he reached me, not hesitating to take my face in his hands and pulling my lips to his. This was weird. I didn't know how else to react beside kissing him back, which I did. I still didn't understand what he was doing, or why he was dressed like a ghetto prep, but I chose to ignore that for now.

He pulled away slowly, looking at me with warm brown eyes, surprisingly. I met his eyes shyly, embarrassed by this scene he just caused in front of Harry.

“Wow.” Harry said sarcastically. “Do you feel like you proved a point, Liam?” He added, shifting on his feet. Liam looked away from me, annoyed once again.

“I'm not proving a point, I'm kissing my girlfriend in public.” He spat back, and Harry threw his head back in laughter as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

“Fuck you're such a square.” He breathed and Liam stepped away from me. No, not today, please.

“Just stop, both of you.” I blurted, slightly panicked that another fight would break out, when it looked like they were both just starting to heal from previously.

“I can't believe that I irritate you so much, that you'd go this far just to prove me “wrong”.” Harry added, ignoring me. Proving him wrong? What the hell did that mean?

Liam huffed and walked back over to me.

“Look, babe, I'll see you later, okay?” He kissed the corner of my mouth before jogging up the steps, inside. My mind was on a trip, too many questions running through it at once.

“Sorry.” Harry said softly as we made our own way up the steps, I shrugged, still out of it.

“I don't want to start another fight with him, you know that, right?” He almost sounded vulnerable, but I knew he wasn't.

“Yeah, erm, whatever Harry. I'm just gonna go to class.” I told him, walking off faster, leaving Harry behind. I don't know what the little exchange between Liam and Harry was, and I was pretty sure I didn't want to know. Yeah, Harry and Liam have a past with this sort of thing, but right now, it seems to be very present as well, and somehow I was dragged into the middle. I didn't want to be, but I was, and there was absolutely nothing to do about it.