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Chapter 6: Talking about him.

One week later.

Rose Jacobson's POV:

I was sitting at the dining hall with Eleanor, between two classes.

"Oh, by the way", she started, "you never talked to me about that brunette guy you're eating with every lunch."
"Harry?"
"Yes, him." she nodded.
"Well... what do you want to know?"
"Oh, don't play innocent with me!", she laughs, "you're friends, I suppose?"
"Of course!", I smile.
"Close friends, then?", she asks.
"Um.. yeah."

I didn't know what she was trying to do, but that was making me uncomfortable.

"To be honest with you, Rose, you should try something with him.", she says.
"What? No! He is just a friend."
"Are you sure?", she says, "you would make a cute couple."

Harry and I? Seriously? I imagined myself being Harry's girlfriend, but I quickly shook off that thought. He is a friend. A very good friend, and it stops there.

"There, you just imagined yourself with Harry.", she says.
"What? How do you know?"
"You just smiled."

Nonsense.

Harry Styles' POV:

I was sitting on a bench, in the campus' park, and I was just thinking.
I was thinking about lots of things, and about nothing at the same time.
I see a couple kissing, and I just start thinking about Rose. Where is she right now? Who is she with? Is she alone? With a girl? Or a boy? What is she doing?

It's possible she's with a guy, maybe even flirting with him..., my conscience said.

No, no, no, I'm not gonna think about that. It's not my business anyway.

Am I jealous? Obviously I am. I'm a pity, aren't I? I am jealous because maybe a girl I'm not in love with spends her time with another boy rather than me. What's wrong with you, Harry? Pull yourself together. Am I sick? I don't even want to know.

•••

It was finally time to eat, and I was walking towards the cafeteria to join my pretty blondie.
I was walking, head down, when someone just pushed me. I looked up and saw Zayn.

"Oh, Styles! It's been a while.", he smiles mischievously, "how are you? How's Rose?"
"Why are you talking about her?" I tell him.
"Because she insulted my girlfriend in public?"

I remembered about what Rose told me about Zayn and Emily. I doubt he knows that I know about it.

"Or maybe because she's sexy...", he says.
"Wait, wait, what?", I start to get pissed.

How dare he say my Rose is "sexy"?

"She's sexy, and she's a good one."

The punch in his face just went by itself.
I hit him in his jaw, which has taken him back. I've never hit anyone here.. As Malik came to his senses, he hit me on the cheek, and then in the ribs. I was bending over in pain, when Malik whispered in my ear:

"You'll tell your dear girl to never ever compete with me or my girlfriend again. And, if you want, tell her my bed is always open to her."

I groaned, as he left smiling.
Rose came to the hall and as soon as she saw me, she started running towards me. She told me to hold onto her, and asked me, worried:

"What happened? Oh my god, are you sure you're okay?"

I laughed nervously, still holding onto her.

"I'm fine, Rose.", I say.
"Who's the bastard that did this to you?", she asks.
"It's.. it's not a good idea."

She looked at my lip and at the blood coming out of it.

"We'll see about that there.", she says.
"Where are we going?"
"To my room", she says.

•••

Once we arrived to her room, Rose helped me sit on her bed, then went to get the first aid kit in the bathroom.
When she came back, she sat down and warned me:

"It's gonna sting..."

I was clenching my teeth, while she poured some disinfectant on a cotton. She stamped the cotton on my lip, trying not to hurt me. I let out a groan, she apologized, and then continued her action. While she was doing it, I just watched her. She was focused, her brows were furrowed, her lower lip was lightly stuck between her teeth, which made her... sexy. Yes, that's what I said. I have the right to say it. But that asshole of Malik, he has to shut his mouth and take care of his "girlfriend".

"What happened, Harry?", she asks.
"I.. um.."

And I told her everything. When I told her the part about the first punch, she smiled. I told her everything, except for the part "you'll tell your dear girl that my bed is always open to her". Was it really necessary for her to know that? I don't think so. When I was done telling her, she started laughing lightly.

"And then, you tell me to stop defending you.", she says.

I smiled, but I winced when the wound on my lip reopened.

"Harry!", she laughs, "Stop smiling, your wound will reopen!
"Then stop making me smile."

It's a long shot, said my conscience.
For once, it said something that's true!

"Take your shirt off", she says.

"What?"

I was surprised. Did she really say that?

"If you want me to take care of your ribs, you should take your shirt off."

Disappointed?, my conscience asked.
Oh, shut up.

I took my shirt off, like she asked, revealing my tattoos.
She lightly opened her mouth at the sight of them, and...

Admit you would have loved that it was because of your body?", said my fucking conscience.

The truth?

Yes.