Glasses (Harry Styles)

Chapter 2: Hurt

"I-I won't mind i-if you stay here," he offered, his hand finding its way to the back of his neck. "There's no other available room. We still haven't finished unpacking and the other rooms are completely messy."

"Really? I-I mean, I'm not forcing you...I-I'm just completely, you know? Knackered." I looked down on the ground and felt my face heating up from embarrassment and guilt from lying.

"Y-yeah it's okay, really." He was stuttering as badly as I am. I tried to smile normally, but it came out looking like a guilty smile.

He smiled too, quite shyly may I say, but the tension between us got worse. The towel was still draping on his waist and I don't know what to do next. Should I take a nap on his bed? On the floor?

So to answer my thoughts, I asked him, "Do you mind?" I cocked my head to the direction of the bed, asking for his permission.

"No, not at all." He smiled shyly again, then walked towards his closet, grabbed some clothes, then opened the door where he walked out a while ago. Great! I just feel more embarrased just thinking about how we met. He closed the door loudly, making me realize that was staring at him. I walked straight to the bed and lay myself on it just to feel its softness.

It felt so good to be alone for a little while. I closed eyes and absorbed the moment. No Caitlin, no Dave, no gorgeous girl and no stranger in a towel. I let out a relaxed sigh as my phone interrupted my short time of relaxation. Annoyed, I pulled out my phone from my pocket just to see my Mom calling so I answered it.

"Amber?" Mom spoke from the other end of the line.

"Mom? Why'd you call?" I asked, annoyed. But I tried to speak the words with no hint of annoyance in it.

"Just checking how my lovely daughter's doing. Are you enjoying the party?" I can feel her sweet smile drawn on her face when she spoke.

"Yes. I'm doing..." I paused, thinking what was the right word to explain what I feel "...Great." I lied. I felt horrible right now, all because my bestfriend who should be with me right now, ditched me for God knows what.

"Good. Be home before 12 o'clock, okay?" She said as the guy in towel walked out from the bathroom, I suppose, as my Mom asked. But this time he's wearing a navy blue t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Okay," I answered.

"Good. Enjoy your night honey! Love you!" She beams as she said.

"Love you too, Mom." Then she hung up, leaving me alone with the stranger again.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to ease the awkwardness. I sat up and settled my hands on my lap as I looked at him.

"H-Harry." He fixed his curly hair and licked his lips, which I thought was completely attractive. "Y-You?" I want to laugh at his tremulousness, and I can't lie, he's cute.

"Amber." For some reason, my stuttering completely went away. I tried to smile again, but he didn't glance at me. "What are you doing here?" Wait. That sounded like I wanted him to go away. "I mean, do you live here?" I asked timidly, afraid that he might take the first question seriously.

"Um, sad to say but yes." He ruffled his curly hair. "I live here with my Mom, sister, step-dad, and step-brother." He said and this time it came out more confident and it seems like we're recovering from the awkwardness. But when he said step-brother, a weird feeling came to me.

I wanted to ask but something different came out of my lips. "What do you mean by 'sad to say?'"

"Sad to say, you know? I have to leave the place where I grew up to move to another place that I'm unfamiliar with. I had to leave my friends just for the sake of my stepdad's will." He explained and I suddenly remembered Gemma.