barista / h.s

3

C H A P T E R ~ T H R E E

The next day, Sydney called in sick. Another barista named Tom took her spot that day instead.

She just wasn't feeling up to serving strangers with drinks, and watching them walk off as happy as can be when she was upset.

She was sure that anyone would love to talk to Harry on a daily basis, but it felt even worse to be friend zoned by him. He was so kind and generous and he even seemed to turn her down in the kindest way possible.

Her best friend Elise agreed to help her study for the exams that were coming up concerning her major, which was teaching. She had always wanted to get a degree in some field of teaching. So they sat on her bed, crossed legged, going over procedures for instructing a classroom.

"When a student is acting up, you: a-- you ignore them. B-- you warn them, or C-- you woop their àss."

Sydney laughed loudly. "Definitely C, for sure."

Elise frowned. "You always seem on your top game, so what's up? Why are you so happy and giddy and full of sunshine? Usually you hate that."

Sydney gave her best friend a sideways look. She herself didn't notice a change. "Nothing." She shrugged it off and asked for the next question.

"No." Said Elise, "You're not taking this seriously at all. What is up?"

Sydney sighed. It was probably Harry finding his way into her thoughts again. She wondered if he was thinking of her at that same moment. "I may or may not be ill fevered with a case of the I-Want-To-Date-Harry-Styles."

Elise grinned, and then laughed. "Everyone does. That's just a quirk to being a fangirl, Sydney."

She shook her head with a knowing smile. Little did her best friend know, she actually talked to Harry. She saw him in the flesh, right in front of her. Not on a cell phone screen, right in front of her own eyes.

"I saw him, Ellie." Sydney used her nickname for her friend. "He comes to the coffee shop every day now."

Ellie slapped her thigh. "Get out."

"I'm so serious." Sydney said with excitement. "I was so surprised when he-"

She was cut off by the sound of her rather obnoxious phone chiming. It got louder and louder with each loop of its annoying tone.

"That must be your mom calling me." Sydney assumed. "I told her you would be ready to be picked up at seven."

"Seven?" Elise repeated. "Why so early? I thought we were going to watch movies."

Sydney didn't have time to talk to Elise, or the phone would stop ringing altogether. She answered it hastily and said hello in a questioning manner into the phone.

"Hi, love."

"Elise, it's Harry." Sydney gasped. She used her hand to cover the microphone of her cell.

"Put it on speakerphone!" Elise squealed. It was obvious her friend was excited, but Sydney was just surprised Harry had her number.

Sydney pressed speakerphone and used nonverbal expressions to tell Elise to be quiet.

"Sorry, I kind of freaked." Sydney smiled to herself. It was a nice feeling to know that someone wanted to talk to her, especially when that someone happened to be world famous.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Harry's voice said. "I looked in the barista directory to find your number. There was just something I wanted to talk about..."

She could hear the fall in his voice, and so could Elise apparently. Elise seemed like she had a case of second-hand sadness, because her face was beset with gloom.

"What is it?"

"Well, for one-- that doctors appointment."

Sydney shifted her position on the bed. She was immediately worried about his well being, the fact that he was worried about seeing a doctor.

"Do you have me on speakerphone?"

After hearing that, Sydney turned speakerphone off and left Elise disappointed.

"No."

"Okay, are you ready to hear this?"

Sydney wasn't sure if she was ready.

"Yes."

"I don't exactly see a normal doctor. " He started and Sydney could already tell where this was going. Harry's voice cracked and it was obvious he was broken behind repair.

"Harry..." She sighed. She was terribly sad that he couldn't just reach through the phone and console him, and tell him that it's all right.

"It's just that-- my girlfriend broke up with me today. I know I shouldn't be telling you this because you're just my barista but I feel like I can tell you a lot. I'm just unhappy, Sadie."

"Sydney." She corrected him. "Sorry."

"It's fine." He said. "I just need someone to talk to."

"It's kind of ironic that you're the most famous guy out there. I mean, every girl wants to talk to you. And then there's me, who just kind of needs a friend."

There was a brief pause. "I don't think you understand. You're a pretty girl with a nice personality. Everyone wants to talk to you. And what am I? Harry Styles, just because I'm a singer. That's all my legacy will ever be. No good traits, nothing. Just a singer. 'Oh, he was famous'."

Sydney could see where he was coming from. He was being labeled as famous instead of the quality traits that actually mattered. "Hey, when I see you tomorrow, I have something to tell you too."

"Glad I have someone to talk to."

"Me too, Harry-- me too."

"Hey, can you do me a favor and not give anyone my number?" Harry asked. Sydney glared at Elise and chuckled.

"Sure, of course I won't."

"Thanks."

"Any day."

"See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

"Maybe tomorrow can be our always. "

"Harry, you goofball. We haven't even known each other for two days yet and you're already quoting The Fault In Our Stars."

"I believe we have."

"Have we?"

"Wait, never mind. I'm horribly bad at math."

The two went back and forth for what seemed like was only a minute, but as it seemed by the time they were done and hung up, it was 8. And Elise was fast asleep.

So much for studying.

Sydney had a glimmer of hope the hold on to. Harry trusted her not to tell anyone his number, his mental state-- and that's a lot for just being his barista. Maybe she was just friend zoned, but it wouldn't be that hard to get out of the friend zone-- knowing Harry.

But then again, she didn't know Harry truthfully. He was an enigma, a puzzle, waiting to be solved. Sydney felt like his next victim, trying to figure the puzzle out but only getting frustrated as an end result. The only thing that mattered was she took a liking to him, and she had high hopes that he felt the same way too.

Little did she know that the little hope she had was about to become a reality.

A/N: I really love updating this. Thanks for commenting and voting and I hope you guys enjoy! And just if you haven't realized, this isn't the happiest book. And I'm not sure if it'll have the happiest ending. (:

-Alex