Numb (Harry Styles AU)

Three

(thank you so much for the votes on the last chapter- I honestly was not expecting it. Thank you so much, you all are amazing. I was at a weekend retreat and then I've been busy so that's why this is like a week late, but it's gotta be better than two months, right? Aha I hope you are enjoying this and having a good day. byeeeeeee Drew xx)

THE NIGHT OF THE PARTY-

Harry. Harry. Harry. What a simple name for such a mysterious person.

"My name is Delilah," I remark, trying to start a conversation with this strange boy. He looked at me as if I'd said something wrong, as if he was not use to people asking him such things, or talking to him in general. So, instead of answering, he just gave me a small nod to confirm that he'd heard. "Would you like to go out there with me? That is, if you are here alone. I don't really know where my group went off..." I hoped deep inside he would say yes. I wanted to learn about him. Whatever pill Margret gave me was working.

Once again, only silence came from the person standing in the kitchen with me. His breathing was silent and his face pale, so that if you would glance he was like a ghost, blending in with the walls that surrounded us.

I turned around to throw away my bottle. "Yes." Was that the reply to my offer of going out there together? I went with it and walked beside him, following him out of the white kitchen. His smell drifted towards me. He smelled like woods with a burst of clean. It was refreshing, but not overbearing.

There was a song playing over the radio that'd I'd never heard before, but I could hear him sloppily humming along. He seemed relaxed, even though he remained silent. Maybe that was the way he preferred to be. People were all around us, pushing up on us as they played part in their mundane lives. I never understood the point in partying all of the time, but maybe because I hadn't been too experienced with it.

"Where are we going?" I ask Harry. He glanced back at me, looking at me with curiosity.

"We are going to find life," was all he said. I never knew what he meant, and it would be years before I understood. Still, there was something about him that made me follow his trail without question, an unknown force working inside of me, moving my feet towards the next part of my life.

His boots kept stepping one in front of the other until they came to a halt in front of the back door. Time froze in that moment, with sweaty hot bodies moving around our cold fragile ones as we stood before the exit. I wondered what was past that doorway. He turned to me and gestured to his jacket, asking if I would be warm enough with just my dress and small overcoat on (I hadn't brought a heavy jacket, even though it did get chilly at night). I shook my head, grateful for his offer and kindness.

We walked to the backyard, which was significantly less crowded. Some orange glow spots were radiating from the side fence, and as I walked closer I cold make out the fact that they were cigarettes. A group of boys were lined along the wall, all with smoke rings coming from them and beer in their stomachs. Foster was among them, but the two others I did not recognize.

"Hey, Harry. Wanna smoke?" The one with a tall blond quiff asked Styles. He nodded and light it up with a lighter that he pulled out of his pocket. It had the word Free written across it.

"Who's your friend?" the other boy, a short boy with black tousled hair, asked while looking at me.

"No one. We leaving this place or what?" Harry asked. They all laughed and began walking to the front to leave. I stood still where I was, not sure if I should follow or not. Harry looked back when he realized I was not there and waved me forward. After hesitating for a moment, I followed. There was more than likely a frown painted on my face as well because Harry didn't even bother to introduce me. I wouldn't have minded if Foster had either.