kiwi || h.s [edited]

Chapter Seventeen

There is something intentional yet so instinctual in the way that Harry and his friends interacted with each other. It was a scene to behold and to be mesmerised by. The night had dwindled down into warm flames beside a fire place and laughter smothered in fatigue. A pang of sadness that ran through my body as I realised how much I had missed these moments. How I missed being young and wild and meeting new people. My past had taken so much from me but it felt so hopeful to know that all the good things in my life had not concluded. That my life was always on the cusp of beautifully wholesome moments. And I had made the decision to participate in my own life again not just an observer.

"It looks like we're the last two survivors, would you like coffee?" My question was directed at Niall who was lazily strumming one of Harry's many guitars.

"I'd love that," His Irish accent had softened and came out in a low whisper before his attention fell back to the wooden instrument between his hands.

I had only been in Harry's home a few times and yet I found myself manoeuvring around the kitchen as if it weren't a stranger. While the kettle boiled in the background, my eyes wandered around the home and I caught sight of the beautifully captured photographs that sat so delicately yet firmly against the pale walls. I could tell that the different abstract part were all made up of the same person. Who she was, I was yet to uncover.

"So, Niall tell me what made you move to America?" I finally turned to my only remaining companion. He grateful cupped the warm mug of coffee in his hand as he thought over his words.

"Harry never told you?" The way the words fell from his lips caused a wave of embarrassment through me as I realised that I had never allowed Harry to share anything about his life with me. Something I would soon change.

"I guess not" I simply shrugged.

"Well we all -" He gestured to the snoring gentlemen around him, "auditioned for this talent show a few years back and unfortunately not of us made it all that far but Harry had somehow convinced us that we had something. We had another lad join our ground and I guess that how we formed out band," A reminiscent smile accompanied his nostalgic recollection.

"We were proudly known as One Direction - Harry's bright idea" He chuckled at the rather odd name. "We did really well back home so we decided to make the big leap for L.A"

"Obviously we were a huge success so we decided to stop to give other bands a chance" Niall's sarcasm was one of my favourite characteristics of him and that always caused a belly-full laughter to escape my lips.

"We all loved the band, really, but we knew that we had outgrown it and so instead of turning something we loved into something sour, we broke up and well, here we are" He concluded with a gentle shrug.

"I have to hear some of your stuff" I teased as I sipped from the coffee I had forgotten about due to my vested interest in his story.

"And you? Any reckless but amazing decisions?" He asked, his gorgeously blue eyes searching for any interesting antidotes I could offer.