how you get the boy

seventeen

I didn't actually recognise the number when it appeared on my mobile phone. But since I was preparing a cup of chamomile tea, I wasn't really in the mood to play the guessing game.

Sliding my thumb over the screen whilst reminding myself to save these digits after this conversation ended, I clicked the loudspeaker option and put it down on the counter before I poured hot water into the cup.

"Tee, you like cupcakes, right?" Harry asked before I got the chance to say a word, his voice familiar in every way it shouldn't. Behind my closed lids, I could make out a clear picture of him with a lopsided smile, eyes glinting with mischief. I pushed that image away immediately, for I didn't even want to think how I'd managed to conjure that up in my head; I refused to believe that I remembered every inch of his face.

"Yeah, but not as much as you do," I replied as I picked up the device and held it in one hand.

For the past week, since the night Harry saved my number in his mobile, he had been sending me abundance of text messages and against my better judgment, I replied to most of them. Originally, I had thought that talking to him through text messages would be boring, but I was proved wrong because he was anything but boring. As a matter of fact, I found him quite an entertaining texter.

Much like when we were face to face, Harry was good at keeping the conversation going. I didn't know how he did it, but I wasn't going to complain because I did enjoy talking to him although sometimes he asked too many questions.

There's a laugh and a sound of shuffling accompanying it before Harry let out an exasperated sigh, "Niall's with me and he thinks this place Jo's working at makes better cupcakes than Crumbles."

Again, I could imagine how he looked like at the moment, his bottom lip jutted out, creating a pout and dissatisfied frown adorned his forehead. I pushed that image to the back of my mind quickly.

"And you don't agree with him," I said pointedly before I brought the cup up to my lips and took a sip of the hot tea. I relaxed against the cabinet, a sigh of relief escaping my lips.

Almost immediately, a loud scoff came from the speaker. "Course not!" He exclaimed, "Are you mental?"

At that, I let out an amused chuckle. Despite the fact that I was aware of his love towards cupcakes, I didn't know he was capable of getting overly defensive over them too. "'m not. But-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence as Niall's voice came into the speaker. He probably had snatched Harry's mobile from his hand, for I could distinctly pick out the sound of Harry's groan in the background. "Tee, don't listen to H."

I felt my brows furrowing in confusion although corners of my lips twitched. Then, before I could ask him why, Harry's voice returned. "No, don't listen to Niall," he told me, "He's only saying this cos he wants to woo Jo."

"Am not!" Niall shouted.

"Shut up, Ni," Harry said next and I could hear the sound of a slap. I could only assume that Harry had just slapped Niall – not on his face, I was sure – for his inability to give people some privacy. But then again, Harry sort of deserved it considering he was all the same. "Oh and Tee, could you come to my place later?"

Upon hearing the front door opening and closing, I disabled the loudspeaker and pressed my mobile phone against my ear, "Hmm?"

"Come to my place in about thirty minutes?" Harry repeated his question and added, "Niall and I need you to tell us which cupcake's better."

Soon, Louis appeared in the kitchen, his dark blue beanie pulled down to cover his ears. It must've been cold out there, I thought. "Okay."

"Love you, Tee!" Niall shouted from behind Harry, followed by, "C'mon, H, tell her you love her too."