Different (2) (Patreon)

Harry frowned, reading over the same assignment for what felt like the hundredth time in the last thirty minutes. This had been happening a lot lately. She had been taking over his mind. He felt incompetent since that night. He hadn’t been able to study or finish any assignment without thinking of her.

“Harry!” Mitch barged into the quiet library. Some laughed at him, whilst others shushed him.

“Quiet, please! Mr. Styles, please remove yourself and your friend, if you can’t keep your friend in order” Harry frowned and began gathering his books and notes. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him. Therefore, he kept his head down as he exited the room, while Mitch followed closely behind.

“What do you want?!” Harry condemned as he made his way toward his dorm in search of some quietness.

“She is playing. Today” Mitch almost yelled, wearing a big smile. “She is one of the captains of the soccer team” Harry held his breath as he listened to the news. He felt his hands getting damp and moist. The mere thought of her being so close to her made him nervous.

“So?” He brushed it off, trying his best to act like he didn’t care or had been thinking about her the last couple of days. “What do you want me to do?”

“We have to go to the game and see her, fucktard” He insisted as they left the building. “Come on! I saw the way you looked at her! I know you like her”.

“She has a boyfriend!” Harry snapped back.

“Who?” Mitch stopped him, “That Brian guy?” Mitch laughed heavily, throwing his head back, only irritating Harry even more.

“Emma told me all about him. They used to date, and he is still hung up on her, but she is done with him. Emma told me that Y/N thinks he is too superficial” Harry sighed, running his hands through his hair. The last thing he wanted was to get his hopes up. “Let’s go to her game!” He repeated, “Come on! I am not asking you to propose to her” Mitch exclaimed.

“Fine, but can you shut the fuck up about it already?” He needed some silence, just so he could put himself together before seeing her again. She probably doesn’t remember us — he wondered. Harry has always, thought, Y/N was like the type of girl that had multiple friends yet never remembered their names, and he felt like his name had been long forgotten.

They went back to their dorm and worked for a few hours before heading to the fields.

“I had no idea so many people came to these games” Harry pointed out as they walked up the bleachers.

“No one gives a fuck about it. Everyone is here to watch a bunch of girls, running around in shorts” Just as Mitch shared, the teams entered. Harry’s eyes instantly scanned the sea of girls in search of her. He spotted her running up while pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. She stood by her coach, who seemed to be having a conversation with one of her teammates.

Y/N was happy. She enjoyed playing soccer. It had first started as a hobby and before high school ended it had developed into something more. She spoke to the rest of the team. They nudged at one another and laughed. That was until the coach approached all of them. The entire team quiet down and started trailing behind her.

“She’s hot” Ezra Hart mumbled to his friend. He was known for playing with girls and using his good looks to get away with things. He was on the male soccer team. Harry had known him for years. They had even gone to the same high school.

The game quickly began. The players began moving fast. Everyone was yelling, and the referee kept blowing his whistle.

Y/N was receiving passes, and placing the ball center, but at the same time, everyone was going after her. At one point, they kicked her and had thrown her on the floor. The referee whistled and pulled a yellow card on the opposite team.

It was a free kick and Y/N was taking it. Harry had clenched fists by his sides. He was nervous for her. The referee whistled and Y/N kicked the ball.

She scored a perfect goal.

Half-time came around and Harry watched how Y/N run in their direction.

“Hey!” She smiled and kneeled by them. “Hey Mitch” he smiled at her widely.

“You are doing great out there” Mitch complimented her. “You are surely kicking some ass”

“Good. I am happy you are entertained” She giggled and turned her attention to Harry. “Could you wait for me after the game? I need to ask you something” Harry simply nodded, not being able to put the right words together. She gave them one last smile before running back to the bench.

“Styles!” Ezra Hart called out. Harry looked up at him, slightly intimidated by him. In high school, Ezra would embarrass him in front of everyone, and things hadn’t changed that much since. “Where do you know her from?” He scowls as his friends stand behind him for support.

“Met her at a party” Harry shrugged and turned his attention back to the game.

“That makes no fucking sense. Are you fucking her?” His friends laughed, “Nah, there is no way. You probably can’t get it even up”.

Harry pulled on the strings of his hoodie, trying to shield away from the laughs and comments.

Y/N played with the same rhythm, but didn’t score any more goals. Roughly with twenty minutes left of the game, she got substituted. She sat down on the bench and started taking her cleats and shin guards off.

The game finally comes to an end with the home team taking the victory. Y/N disappeared, but quickly reappeared with her gym bag and a coat.

“Hey” Y/N smiled as we all walked towards the parking lot. “Are you alright?” Y/N could sense that his mood had changed. Harry gave her a quick nod and tried his best to give her a reassuring smile. “I don’t do this usually, but I wanted to know if I could have your phone number” Harry stopped walking and faced her.

“Y-you do?” Harry stuttered, not believing what he had just heard. Y/N giggled and nodded simultaneously, leading him toward her car. “But—” he stopped himself, trying to keep all the negative thoughts out of his head.

Y/N threw her bag on the backseat, then leaned against the side of her car.

“But what?” She frowned, “Is there anything wrong?” Y/N asked innocently in a soft and sweet tone that could bring any man to his knees.

“N-no” He shook his head and reached back, taking his phone from his back pocket. Harry handed his phone to Y/N, so she could type her phone.

“Do you need a ride to your dorm?” She asked as she typed his on hers now.

“No. Mitch will walk with me” Harry looked around for him, but he couldn’t spot him.

“Just get in the car, silly!” She said getting in. Harry nodded and quietly got it.

“Why are you so nervous around me?” Y/N asked as she stopped at the first red light. Harry shook his head as he tried his best to be confident. “Are you sure? Because that’s the last thing I want”.

“I am fine” He bit down his lip and turned to look at her. Her hair had started slipping out of her ponytail, but it didn’t matter because her facial complexity always kept her looking stunning. “Does that hurt?” Harry pointed to her scraped knee.

“Not really. The skin is just a bit sore” She ran her hand over it.

“It was a rough knock” He pointed out, remembering how they had kicked her off her feet.

“Here right?” Y/N asked as she pulled up to his dorm. She had asked around, and they had told her where he lived. It had been a bit stalker-ish, but it hadn’t been with bad intentions.

“Thank you for the ride, Y/N” She really didn’t need to do that. It was a short walk from the fields to the dorms. Although Y/N knew it was cold, and it had already gotten dark. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay with her. Harry could listen to her speak for hours, yet he knew that she was a busy girl. “Could you do me a favor?” He asked as he got out of the car.

“Sure!”

“Can you please text me when you get home?”

“I-I mean if you want. You don’t have to if you don’t want” He babbled.

“I will, don’t worry,” She said just before he shut the door.

“Who was that?” One of Harry’s roommates asked as he walked into the building.

“A friend”

“Is that Y/N Y/L/N? You are friends with her?”

“Yes. She is very nice” He mutter before heading upstairs to finish some work, take a shower, and go to sleep. He kept checking his phone, and before he shut off the lights, his phone notified him of a text.

Hey, I just got home. I am okay. Goodnight ❤️

It was simple, but it was enough to make him smile and get his heart pumping quicker.