Taylor wanted to give Harry the benefit of the doubt. Surely somewhere deep down inside of him there was a part of him that actually cared about other people’s feelings. But every day of working on this assignment with him convinced Taylor otherwise. She found herself constantly bickering with him and they always seemed to have a difference of opinion. Or maybe Harry just loved to argue with her. Either way, whether they liked it or not, they had to work together. It had been a week since they received the assignment and it was now the weekend and they had all agreed to meet up at Taylor’s house to work on it.
Taylor had been busying herself baking cookies for everyone when she heard the doorbell. Assuming it would be Niall, she set down one of the cookies she was icing and answered the door, surprised to see Harry leaning on the wall outside.
“You’re early…” She stated as he just shrugged, stepping into the house as Taylor closed the door behind him. “Make yourself at home, I guess. I was just doing some baking.” Harry followed Taylor back into the kitchen and sat at the bench, watching Taylor intently as she glided around the kitchen, getting back to icing her cookies.
“What type?” Harry asked, motioning at the cookies.
“Pumpkin spice. I’m just finishing up icing them with cream cheese frosting. Would you like one?” Taylor offered. Harry nodded as he was handed one, eating the whole cookie in two bites. Taylor tried to read his facial expression but she couldn’t tell whether he liked them or not. When he picked another one up to eat, Taylor was relieved to know that he obviously liked them.
“They’re really good.” Taylor’s face lit up at Harry’s compliment. She wasn’t sure why he was being nice to her all of a sudden, but she was going to take it. “Thanks. Baking is just something I do in my free time.” She took a seat next to Harry, picking up one of the cookies as took a couple of bites. She had to admit, these cookies were always really good, whether they were made by herself or not. They sat in silence for about a minute, before Taylor was first to break the awkwardness.
“Do you have something against me, Harry?” Harry looked at Taylor, his face turning into a frown.
“You’re a pain in the ass.” Harry shrugged slightly, as if to say that was all. “And you’re too much of a rule book.” Taylor’s mouth gaped open at the last part. Did people really think of her like that? She knew herself that she would never do anything out of line or something that would get her into trouble but hearing someone say it made her feel like she needed to defend herself.
“I am not a rule book!”
“You really are. Don’t even try to deny it.” Taylor opened her mouth to defend herself once more, but didn’t have a chance when the doorbell rang again. She sighed, huffing as she got up and headed to the door.
“Oh I’m so glad you’re here, you guys! Come in!” Niall and Selena, the other girl in their group, both smiled at Taylor as she invited them in. “Hey Tay, how are you?” Niall hugged Taylor and she opened her arms up, welcoming the hug. “Harry’s already here…” She said under her breath, a little frustrated with him as they entered the kitchen again.
“So are you guys ready to work on the assignment?” Taylor asked and they all agreed. “I thought we could maybe work outside? It’s a lot cooler and I can bring the cookies and some lemonade for us! Niall would you mind taking the cookies while I get the lemonade? I’ll meet you all outside, it’s just through that door!” Taylor pointed to the outside door and Niall took the cookies, Harry and Selena following them as she went to her fridge the fetch the lemonade and then some glasses. Taylor liked this. It felt as though she had friends, even though she knew for a fact Harry still didn’t like her and she didn’t really know Selena all that well yet. But Niall had been so welcoming of her and she couldn’t be happier to have a friend like him. And she hoped that eventually, maybe she would get to know Selena as well, and perhaps even Harry. But she knew being friends with Harry was a long shot. As soon as this assignment was over in a couple of weeks’ time, he would go back to his ‘popular’ group and that would be that.
