Dazed (Zarry AU)

Chapter 1

here’s chapter 1! hope you guys enjoy it! feedback is also very important to me so as soon as i receive some i’ll update. xxx

Portland, Maine was definitely a far cry from the noisy, crowded streets of London. The air was clearer and everything seemed more vibrant. It was definitely...different. A lot different than Harry was expecting, but a massive change is what he was aiming for after all. More importantly, he needed to get away. Away from all the stress and bullshit that was engulfing him, constantly setting him on edge. 

He didn’t like the person he had become and often blamed himself for the damaged man he saw in the mirror every day. The disappointment he often saw in his mother’s eyes made him hate himself even more and was confused by how sad she seemed when he told her he was leaving. Moving across the Atlantic, even if only temporary, was something he felt needed to be done. There was nothing for him in London except bad memories which had formed a permanent home in his mind. 

His Aunt Flora had a surprisingly large, cottage-like home that had it’s back to a magnificent freshwater lake. Having never left London in his twenty years, he had never seen anything quite like it. He hadn’t seen his aunt in what seemed like an eternity and hardly remembered her until he caught a glimpse of an image of them together framed on the wall. While Harry admired her hospitality and although he placed himself in this position, the sad truth was that he still wasn’t completely happy. Yes he came here to try and start over, but he still wished he wasn’t in this position. He wished he was back home with his mates, well his old mates, being able to share and bask in the glowing pride of success radiating from them. 

There was a time when Harry wasn’t like this. He had just started university with his best mate Colin who he had developed an even...closer relationship with. No one ever suspected anything odd due to how close they always were, but that gave them easier access to sneak off and experiment on each other. It started with occasional heavy make-out sessions which eventually led to all the bases being covered, but things just got worse from there. Harry should have seen it coming.

*** *** ***

Long lines of adorable shops lined the streets as Harry made his way into town, wanting to take advantage of the lovely day instead of closing himself off like he used to. He couldn’t help but overhear how thrilled the older women in front of him seemed about this particular coffee shop located at the corner of Middle and Exchange Street. Bard Coffee, apparently. A good cup of coffee or tea did sound good right now. In the most least stalker way possible, he ended up following the pair to the quaint, yet fairly popular shop. 

An odd chill took over him as he stepped onto the short line, focusing on the menu and pastries visible to him to avoid any awkward eye contact. It was then that he spotted him. They hadn’t made eye contact, but Harry grew anxious with anticipation at how he would feel if they did. A jawline that could cut glass accentuated the brilliant smile that formed on his lips then, causing Harry’s knees to buckle. A far too familiar dazed-like feeling had overcame him then and he wasn’t exactly sure how that made him feel. A small tap on the shoulder from the older man behind him sent him quietly apologizing and stepping to the register. 

“What would you like, sir?” The young girl politely asked.

“Uhm...an iced vanilla latte and chocolate scone, please.”

“Coming right up.” She smiled. “Zayn pass over a choco scone!”

His foot was tapping, his lips were dry, and a nervous run of his hand through his hair was soon to be followed by anxious knots forming in his stomach. 

Snap out of it, Styles. Not again. 

Harry gulped hard as ‘Zayn’ stepped over and placed it in front of him. His hand only a few inches from his. And as their eyes finally met, Harry felt his chest go heavy as he drew in the radiance beaming from him. What he felt when he looked at Zayn...it was dark. Bold. Sexy. Mischievous. 

“Lacey, I’ll be back. Going on my fifteen.” Zayn said, never breaking the gaze between them.