salvia. [h.s. AU]

Chapter Twelve

Harry Styles

"Come on, mate, you have to go with me."

I don't even try to disguise a sigh, followed by the biggest eye roll I manage to pull off, looking up to Niall from my lying position.

He is standing in the middle of my room, wearing red shorts and a white tank top, sunglasses, a rolled towel under his arm. It's kinda ironic cause he is so pale I can almost see through his skin, but he is still the purest imagery of a beach boy right now, not even the white sticky sunblock on his nose missing.

"Why do I have to go? Since when do you need me to go places with you?" I huff, not moving a muscle.

"Since you painted her." Niall says with a smug look on his face, his words making me sit up immediately. "Yeah, I went to your studio before coming here and I saw your painting. It's amazing, mate. You haven't been able to paint like that in years."

Shit.

I wasn't planning on anyone to see that canvas yet. I finished it last week and once it was done it became so obvious those were Maria's eyes, there's no way I could deny it. And as I still have no idea why I'm so attracted to her, I'm not ready to share this strange feeling I have towards her with anyone.

"Do you have a crush on your maid, Styles? You pervert." Niall teases with a cheeky smile. "Come on, don't be so hard on yourself, she is super cute, it's not so crazy that you're attracted to her."

"Fuck off, Horan." I roll my eyes, ignoring his comment, but cursing myself when I'm unable to prevent my cheeks from blushing.

It's a biological response, it's not like I can control it.

"Is that a smile I'm seeing?" Niall sounds seriously haunted, all the cheeky inflection from earlier vanishing from his voice.

Looking away, I try to control the way my lips are curling up, shaking my head. "I just remembered something funny."

"Something funny Maria told you, heh?" Niall says matter-of-factly, winking at me. Huffing, I lie on my back again, but he gets closer, sitting on the edge of the mattress. "Is she the reason why you didn't drink your conscience away last night?" He asks me knowingly.

I simply nod, perfectly aware that there's no use in lying to Niall. Maybe because of his profession - he is a lawyer-, he is practically a hound dog when it comes to sniffing bullshit, especially when I'm the one saying it, the fucker knows me ever since we were kids and can see right through me, no matter the subject.

"She asked me not to. I was already drunk as a lord when it happened, but I didn't drink after." I shrug, trying not to make a big deal out of it.

"Why did she ask you not to drink?" Niall can barely disguise the smile playing on his lips.

My cheeks go full red as I remember the way I cornered her in the service's room last night. I don't know what took over me at that moment, the alcohol probably. I wasn't even planning to go after her, I knew she was in the kitchen the whole time but my sober mind wanted to avoid her, a mix of embarrassment and fear crippling in my veins and making me want to stay away. I was afraid of getting too close to her and doing something I shouldn't, cause I honestly don't understand this pull I have towards her.