Before the Factor

When He Left

For reasons unknown to me, Harold Styles loves to bring me to the fanciest places to eat. As if it's not enough with the clothes and the shoes and the sheer weight of items he buys me. He never seems to be satisfied with just a burger and a pair of sweat pants.

My converse squeak across the tile floor due to the rain outside sticking to my soles. My shopping bag dragging along with me and my hair a sopping mess, I walk into the prestige dining area led by a beautiful French woman with a shaved head and a tattoo of a heart just visible beneath her short locks.

But all that leaves my mind as soon as I catch sight of Harry, curls tucked into a beanie and forest green sweater rolled up his tattooed arms, staring out the window with those eyes that take my breath away every time. His smile warms me and suddenly I don't need my heavy coat and scarf, my personal sun is here to warm me. "Mia, love, I missed you." His voice rasps and my heart skips a beat and I take a seat to keep my legs from shaking. It's weird, really, that some days are like this when others are not. One day I'll make jokes and his laugh encourages me to play more and the urge just to make him smile is so strong it crushes me. I'll be fearless in my questions and him in his answers, denying me nothing. And others my shyness gets the best of me and I find myself appreciating the sheer wonder of him. Like he couldn't really exists and I'm just dreaming. I'm just dreaming him. He stares at me now, those eyes of his warming me, loving me unconditionally.

"You couldn't have. I've only been away for hours." A smile reaches my lips as soon as I see his.

"Oh, but I did." He twists one of his rings around his finger, "I simply cannot be away from you, miss Lucas."

The color floods my cheeks and, wow, those eyes twinkle and shine like the stars. His pink lips spread and dimples make their grand entrance. He is simply too much for me to handle today. The waiter comes, distracting me from Harry and recommending the soup of the day-which I order just so he can leave-and my attention turns back to Harry, but he's not looking at me. He stares out the window, solemn and thoughtful. I can almost see the ideas running through his eyes and lips twitch as if to speak. "Harry." I say as I reach across the white tablecloth to take his hand in mine. It's cold and his rings are just as freezing. I rub his hand with mine, hoping to bring the warmth back into them. "What are you thinking about?"

A small smile reaches those perfect lips and eyes twinkle at me. "Leaving." He says "The trip that's coming and I'll be away from you." I smile too as the warmth comes back to his fingers and the smile stays on his face. "I'm so worried," a chuckle escapes his lips. "I'm so absurdly worried about you."

"Why?" The question leaves my lips before I can stop it. I curse myself silently.

He smirks as he brings my hand to his lips, slowly kissing each finger, sending shocks through my spine and making me feel weak. "I've already lost you once." He says as he kisses my thumb. "I won't lose you again." He whispers into my hand. God, why does he do this to me?

"You won't."

***

"Bags packed?"

"Yup."

"Headphones for the plane?"

"Yup."

"Extra underwear."

"Yup- wait, no."

Harry runs to the drawers that are jam packed with his boxers and shoves about three extra pairs of underwear into his suitcase. I smile when he puts a pair of hot pink ones in there cause I picked those ones out for him. "There," he says triumphantly. "Finished."

I help him with a carry on bag and walk down the stairs to the car that waits for him. The trip will take a week, maximum. He said of he gets lucky he'll be able to come home sooner, but I know better. "You better enjoy yourself, Styles." I say to him once the driver takes his bags for us. "And take a bunch of pictures."

He laughs and waits till the driver to gets into the car to turn to me. "Mia, listen to me okay? Be careful. Please." He says almost pleadingly, face serious. I nod and he hugs me, his strong arms enveloping me in his smell. "I'm going to miss you. So, so much."

"I'll miss you too, Harry. But it's just a week, you'll be back before you know it." I smile and he leans back to give me one sweet, last kiss before he gets in the car and drives off. And, like England decided to mourn his departure, it starts to rain.

***

"See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O, that I were a glove upon that hand. That I might touch that cheek!" The pages of Romeo and Juliet flutter in the wind and the birds chirp around the entire park. The leaves abandon their places on the branches and dance to the floor, making for a lot of noise as people walk across them. Three days since Harry left and the house has never been cleaner, the laundry all done, and the loneliness I feel everyday grow more and more. How pathetic is that? That I can't go on without someone else by my side. I haven't even been able to sleep well without knowing he's right there beside me. My phone rings in my pocket and Harry's name pops up on the lock screen. What time is it over there? "Hello?" I say as I pack up my book and walk toward the house.

"Amelia." He says in his beautiful voice.

I giggle and turn the corner, "Harold. How is it over there? Isn't it, like, nine o'clock?" There's a rustle of movement and laughter on his side of the line. He chuckles and something hits someone and they call out. He laughs again. I pull the phone closer to my ear, eager to hear him again.

"Yea, the guys just ordered some pizza. It's nice here too, I'll bring you back a shirt." He sighs like he just sat down and there's more rustling as the voices in the background fade away. "There," he says and sighs again. "Now I can really hear your voice. What are you doing, love?"

I take the house keys out of my jacket pocket and open the door, grateful that I left the heater on. "I just got home from the park, I was reading."

He laughs again, "You're always reading, Mia."

I laugh too as I hang my coat on the hook and take my boots off, making for the comfort of the couch. "What about you, hmm? What are you up to?" Some cartoon is on and I leave it because there's a talking dog, snuggling with the blanket I always leave on the couch. It smells slightly of Harry and the new body wash I got for him, mint leaves.

He yawns and as he speaks a shiver runs through my spine at the sound of him. "I'm missing you right now. Like I was yesterday, the day before, and the moment I got into that car." I blush and clutch the blanket closer to my chest, as if it would turn into Harry and be here with me, just for a little while. "And I will probably miss you tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that." His voice is soft and slow, the rumble of his voice distracting me. How is it that I can miss a sound so much? The breath that he takes, the way his words fall over one another, it's music to my ears and warms my heart.

"Wow. That was so cheesy, Styles." I say with a small laugh.

"I know," he chuckles and sighs. "It was in the heat of the moment."

We talk for an hour, going back and forth between each other until he has to leave to go eat dinner. He says goodbye about a million times before he actually hangs up, saying that he'll miss me again, and again, and again. It's only days now, until he comes home. Only days before I have him in my arms again.

Incoming A.N

It's a bit of a filler I suppose, but the next chapter will be juicy I promise! Thanks for the reads guys! It's great to know you're enjoying the story!