Rising Stars [H.S]

28.

song: Mystery of Love by Sufjan Stevens

Harry Styles

As we walk through the back entrance of the building, I watch as the city lights hit her skin and light it up. I guide her through the back doors and into an empty alleyway, finding my car where I left it.

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close to my side as I walk her down the alley towards my car, not knowing who could turn into the alley any second.

I guess I feel a little bad for leaving Vanessa in the party by herself, but I'd rather do that then leave Olivia alone on a roof drunk. Although I am pretty sure she was sobering up some.

"How did your car get from Chicago to here?" She asks, noticing it was the same car we drove with on the road trip.

"I had people fly it back." I say dismissively as we climb into the car. As she sat in the passengers seat and wrapped the seatbelt across her chest, I notice the bruises on her wrist still very visible.

"Is your wrist better?" I ask as I start the car, putting it into reverse as I drive out of my parking spot.

"I guess." She shrugs, looking down in her lap and picking at her nails, her signature anxious move.

"You're still upset." I say, beginning to drive down the alleyway onto the almost empty street. I look to my side for a second to see Olivia gazing out the window, her eyes following the road that we drove on.

"I'm not upset. I am just confused." She answers honestly.

"Why?" I ask, even though I knew the exact reason why, but I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

"Maybe because you ignored me for almost a week and then I find out you're going out with some model." She says, an annoyed yet timid tone her voice. She didn't sound mad, just a little annoyed.

I sigh, running my hands through my fingers before speaking up, "I know." is all I can really say.

I honestly don't know why I did what I did. I didn't plan on ghosting Olivia— it's just when I walked her back to her apartment that night, and I saw her bedroom and her whole living space, it made me feel shit. I got this warm feeling inside, and it made my heart rate increase and my palms become sweaty... I don't know what it was but I hated it. So I got... nervous. I was sexually frustrated, so I got a girl that had the same hair color as Olivia and took her out dinner and then brought her back to place. It barely helped though.

"Where are you taking me?" She changes the subject but keeping her stare out the window.

"I don't know." I answer truthfully. I have no idea where I am taking her, but I just wanted to be alone with her. I turn my head to steal a glance at her. I notice the way the wind was blowing in her hair, causing it to fly behind her, exposing her bare shoulders.

I notice her arms wrapped around each other, and I look down at her skin to see goosebumps.

"You cold?" I ask her. She removes her stare from the streets and looks at me.

"Kinda, but it's ok." She dismisses it, but I reach my arm behind her and into the backseat, pulling out a black leather jacket of mine.

"Here." I say, removing my hands from the steering wheel for just a second to drape it around her shoulders.

"Oh, that's ok you don't—"

"You're cold. It's ok, just use the jacket." I say as I set my stare back to the empty street ahead of us. She gives in, pulling her arms through the sleeves and wrapping the jacket against herself.