Spotlight |h.s|

Ten

Harry Styles

I nearly shit myself when I walk down my stairs half asleep and see a wide-eyed Aubrey perched on my couch with a bowl of strawberries in her lap, legs crossed.

She's in yesterday's clothes to push the whole one night stand thing. The wine stain has disappeared from her jeans, throwing me off a little. I also definitely don't have strawberries in my fridge, so I don't know where they came from.

"Uh, what's with the—"

"Jade brought me breakfast and a clean pair of pants," she knows what I'm going to ask before letting me finish, "She had a bunch of shit on to hide the fact that it was her in case the paps are already outside. I wouldn't be surprised, even though it's 6:00 am."

So she knows where I live now. That's just great.

"Okay." I rub my eyes, all of her words being too much for me to fully process just yet.

I would say something about her giving out my address to her friend who isn't a fan of me in the slightest, but I don't have enough brain power. It's too early. I also have a headache from drinking last night, making her long explanation even less of a concern to me at the moment.

I slowly make my way to the kitchen, turning on the light and groaning at the brightness entering my corneas. I put on a pot of coffee and stand leaned against the island waiting for it. Once it's done, I pour myself a mug of it and take a sip, instantly feeling more awake when the bitter liquid hits my taste buds.

I open my mouth to offer her some, then remember when she said it gives her panic attacks. I grab a water bottle from my fridge, walking over to her spot on the couch and handing it to her. Her bandaged hand takes it gratefully, bending a little awkwardly from being wrapped up.

"Thanks." She says with a mouthful of strawberry, covering her mouth when she talks.

I guzzle down my coffee quickly, getting myself a second mug of it to wake myself up more.

I turn my head from the kitchen to look at her as she quietly eats her strawberries, throwing the stems back into the bowl after taking big bites of each one. Something about the way she is right now seems very innocent. Different from her usual tough and stubborn demeanor she presents around me.

"How are you so awake when you don't even drink coffee in the morning?" I shake my head.

"Don't let this fool you. I hate mornings. I just don't always sleep super well at other people's houses for whatever reason, so I was up," she shrugs, "If I was at my house right now, I would've taken twenty minutes to open my eyes."

I nod at her words, watching as she keeps eating while taking long drinks of my coffee. She sees me eyeing the bowl of fruit in her lap, looking like she hesitates for a second before picking one up and holding it in my direction.

"Want one?"

I'm about to decline, but the strawberry in her hand is particularly large and looks almost too perfect to pass up. I nod, finishing up my coffee quickly and walking toward her. I take the strawberry from her and bite into it, then go to throw the stem in the trash.

"So your huge obsession with strawberries is all because your mom likes that song by The Beatles?" I recall what she said last night.

"Yep. The song reminds me of her, and since it has the word strawberry in the title, they remind me of her, too. I like having reminders of her. Especially recently." She explains, and I know she's eluding to the fact that she's the only family she has left. Well, her and her stepmom who I just learned about.