7up || larry stylinson au ||

Part II: The Early Years

I will be
whatever you want me to be.
Does that sound awful?

I will be your spring,
if you will be my summer.

I will be your fall,
if you will be my winter.

We will cycle
and cycle
until forever breaks the seconds
and the seconds break the hours.

Every moment we spend
is every moment we have been
looking for,
for so long.

-- RM Drake

September
Age 21

Harry is in his third year of university the next time he has to interview for The Up Series. Eloise, Augustus, and the rest of the crew meet up with Harry during his first month back to school. They set up in his tiny cramped flat, which he shares with his two friends, Ellis and James, whom he met the year prior. When he'd told them about the series, they both thought it was incredible.

"That's absolutely sick, mate!" James had exclaimed.

Harry smiled. "I suppose so. It's just something that's always been there, since I was seven. I haven't really thought much about the end result."

"It'll be like a time capsule," Ellis said.

"Hmm. I guess you're right."

"Can we watch you film?" James asked.

"If you'd like to."
—————

So here they are, Harry sat on a chair under the lights, Ellis and James stood to the side with the rest of the crew, excitedly awaiting for the process to begin. Harry actually remembers the questions this time around, so he nerves aren't out of control.

"Hello again, I'm Harry Styles, I'm 21 years old, and I am in my third year at university. I'm studying English and law."

Augustus smiles. "Good to see you again, Harry. You're looking well."

"Thanks. It must be the copious amount of alcohol and the bare minimum of sleep per night."

"Still quite the smart arse as always, I see."

He winks. "Pretty much."

"Okay, Harry. What are your goals for right now?"

"Easy. To not flunk out of uni. Imagine the look on my mum's face."

Eloise laughs in the background. "Anne would not be thrilled, yeah?"

"Absolutely not."

Augustus continues. "Goals for the future, Harry?"

Harry smiles. "To keep Ellis and James around in my life forever. They're good lads." James aww's loudly behind Augustus, and Ellis laughs.

"Can you explain to the viewers who Ellis and James are?"

"Oh. Duh, sorry. Those two knobheads are my flatmates. They, um..." Harry trails off, thinking of how much he wants to reveal. "I had a tough year last year with some personal stuff, and James was in one of my literature classes. He helped me pick me up, I guess you could say. And he's been friends with Ellis for years, so they were a package deal." He smiles. "We all just get on really well. I'm very lucky to have found them."

"We love you, too, you fucking sap," Ellis yells.

"Hush! You can't say 'fuck' on the telly, you twat!"

"You just did, too!"

Augustus claps his hands together. "The lot of you need to shut up." Harry laughs. "Harry, what was going on last year that you needed support with?"