Artwork [h.s]

forty-four

It was a little past seven in the evening when my phone suddenly buzzed from where it had been abandoned.

I furrowed my eyebrows, hesitantly picking it up, worry in my eyes as I realised that I had just received a text. I sat up all of sudden, unlocking the screen and finding myself relax almost instantly when I found out that it was from Niall.

From Niall: can i ask for your help with something?

I gave the screen a weird glance, trying to figure out what he possibly needed help with, but not managing to come up with anything. I shrugged, giving one last look to the book I was keeping open with a finger before turning it around not to lose the page while I replied.

To Niall: Sure

I sent it and picked the book up again, putting it on my thighs and going back to reading, but only paying half of the attention to the words printed on the page as I not so patiently waited for Niall to reply. When the text came, it seemed like ages had gone by, even though the fact that I was still on the same page proved that hardly a minute had gone by. Without moving the book, I took the phone, reading the text from the notification that had popped up on my lock-screen.

From Niall: go get Harry? tomorrow we have the maths test and he'll probably go get drunk and come back at a crazy time if he leaves on his own. i'd do it myself but he'd probably slap me or something

I chuckled at the text, pressing the home button to unlock the phone and typing a reply fast.

To Niall: Okay. Where is he?

I sent it and threw the phone on the mattress, sitting up with a little sigh. I stared at the couch for a couple of seconds, deciding what to do, before standing up and getting a warmer sweater than the one I was wearing out of the closet. I took a black hair tie from my nightstand and put my hair up in a bun, not feeling like making sure it looked nice at half past seven in the evening. I glanced at the phone as I walked by to grab a pair of socks, stopping on my tracks when I discovered that the screen had lit up with a text. I bent down a little to read what was on it without having to pick it up.

From Niall: he's at the gym. hang on i'll text you the address

I took the socks, sitting on the bed and putting them on before standing up and walking downstairs, not forgetting to take the phone with me, of course.

My mother gave me a weird glance as I walked behind the couch she was sitting on to get a pair of shoes. "What are you doing?" She asked somewhat casually, pretending to go back to watching the movie that was playing on the TV.

"Out with a friend" I replied as I put on the shoes, giving her a fast glance to make sure she was okay with that.

She raised an eyebrow. "At almost half past seven?"

I stopped my actions and looked up. "Is that a problem?" I asked her, all of sudden fearing that she wouldn't let me go.

"Just come back at an acceptable time" she said, finally turning her head and going back to the movie she was watching.

I stood up and walked into the hallway, taking my coat and putting it on before getting out of the front door. I pulled my phone out, discovering only in that moment that I'd already received the text I was waiting for.

I let out the breath I was inadvertently holding when I discovered that it was close enough to my house for me to be able to get there by foot in about twenty minutes. I put the phone back into my pocket and started walking, keeping a fast pace to make sure I wouldn't have risked missing Harry by just a few minutes. Personally, I preferred to have nothing to do with what he liked to do in his free time, especially because, not being able to understand it, I didn't feel like it was my place to judge it, but at the same time I knew that Niall was right. Being hungover during the test of the day after wouldn't have certainly helped him to keep his good maths grade.