Mixed Up // Harry Styles

Sixteen

                                          CHAPTER SIXTEEN

     “You’re the most disorganised person I know,” Aaron playfully says in disbelief, turning his back to me so I’m able to tie up his apron at the back.

     I roll my eyes as he turns to face me again, “Yeah yeah, heard it all before, don’t remind me.”

     “Have you got the cookie dough mix?”

     I slam my fist down against the granite kitchen worktop causing him to flinch.

     “I was meant to get cookie dough mix?” I whine and cover my face with my hands in shame.

     “So…what exactly did you get?” He chuckles and removes my hands from my face.

     “I got fairy cake mix, I’m sorry.” I shyly apologise and pass the box over to him and hurry to get the mixing bowl out.

     “Don’t apologise, at least you remembered to get something,” He jokes, giving me a quick peck on the lips.

     “So, remind me why exactly you’re wearing an apron Mr.Carter.” I tease him.

     “Well Miss.Henderson, it’s so I don’t get dirty like you seem to be,” He laughs and throws a handful of flour at me which I respond to by doing the same straight back to him.

     “Enough!” He surrenders after a while and shields himself from any more flour that may fall on him. “I give in, you win!”

     I grin with victory and drop my handful of remaining flour into the mixing bowl whilst Aaron brushes himself free of any flour still attaching itself to his clothes and hat.

     “Harry and Mia will think I’m a right freak going with random patches of flour in my hair. Warning: this guy looks like he has major dandruff issues, please avoid,” Aaron mocks his own appearance, now removing clumped pieces of flour from his hair.

     I shake my head and giggle, “It’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

                                                               *

     “Are you ready yet?” Aaron shouts from outside my bedroom door. “It’s ten to eight, we’re gonna be late.”

     “Oh look at you, rhyme master.” I say sarcastically and swing open the bedroom door to reveal myself to him.

     He stares me up and down with a smirk on his face, “You look…amazing.”

     “Thank you. Not looking too bad either Mr.Carter,” I comment and strut past him, swinging my hips on purpose, my skirt swaying side to side.

     I stand in front of the mirror and pull two small strands of my curled hair back from either side of my head, pinning them back with bobby pins. Aaron stands behind me, pulling his phone from out of his pocket.

     “What are you doing?” I turn to face him.

     “Taking a photo of us,” He replies and turns me back around in his arms, holding his phone up in one hand.

     “Pose!” He yells with a grin, quickly snapping a photo of my dazed faces and grabbing hold of my hand. “Now little miss, we’ve gotta go.”

                                                               *

     “Sorry we’re late,” I apologise the second Mia and Harry come into view.

     “Only twenty minutes late,” Harry mumbles, glaring and looking Aaron up and down with disapprovement.

     “Lucky we’ve even came Styles,” I snap back in response.

     Mia looks between us both, confusion crossing her face. “Are you two OK?”

     “Fine,” Both me and Harry reply sharply.

     “If you say so…” Her voice fades, uncertainty shining in it.

     We walk into the small restaurant, instantly being served and sitting in the far back corner away from the public’s piercing eyes.

     “So Aaron, what do you do for a living?” Mia questions whilst her eyes scan over the menu.

     I look over at Harry who once hasn’t taken his eyes off of Aaron, his eyes boring into him and making Aaron shift uncomfortably in his seat.

     “I’m a boxer,” He announces, now causing Harry to shuffle about in his seat.

     “A blow to your face might improve it mate,” Harry grunts.

     “Harry!” Mia’s voice squeals, kicking him in the leg and causing him to flinch.

     “I’m just gonna choose to ignore that.” Aaron mutters, looking down at his own menu.

     “You do that,” Harry sarcastically adds.

     I grit my teeth, my jaw tense and my hands in tightly clenched fists.

     “Don’t.” Aaron whispers to me.

     I release my hands and relax a little, letting out a shaky breath and picking up my menu to block any line of vision of Harry I may have.

     “Are you ready to order?” A giggling waitress approaches our table, a soft pink burning at her cheeks.

     “Can we get a Happy Salad for Harry over there?” I snarl and narrow my eyes at Harry.

     “Look who is talking.”

     “Yes, I do believe my mother taught me that.”

     “Didn’t do a good job in teaching manners, did she?” He smugly responds.

     I throw my menu down on the table and pick up my bag, standing up and sending my chair firing backwards causing the whole restaurant to fall silent as it clatters on the floor. My feet thump against the wood flooring as I charge towards the exit, tears pricking at my eyes.

     I breathe in the fresh air and make my way around the side of the building, leaning against the brick wall and sliding down it as a single tear rolls down my cheek.

     “Holly?” I hear Harry’s voice ring out into the silence.

     I clasp my hand over my mouth to muffle my sobs but it’s useless and his head pokes around the corner. Without saying any further words, he approaches me and sits beside me, his arm snaking its way around my shoulder and pulling me closer into the warmth of his body.

     “The one time I’m happy, and you make me out to be a complete fool and insult my boyfriend.” My voice croaks and I wipe away my tears with the back of my hand, sniffling a little.

     “It’s because…” He pauses and his arm becomes even tight around my limp body. “It’s because I want to be the one making you happy.”