A Face to Call Home

Eleanor turned down the music coming out of the small stereo as she walked into the kitchen the next morning. I didn’t hear the front door close and I then wondered what time she might have gotten in last night. I turned to her with a spatula in my hand and I mentally laughed at the state she was in. Her hair was in a messy bun, she was wearing some of Louis’s clothing, and her eye make up was slightly smeared. “Morning sleeping beauty, did you sleep well?” She glared at me before plopping down on one of the barstools.

“I just got here and you greet me like that?” I laughed and flipped the pancake over.

“Sorry, did you have fun with Louis yesterday?” I asked, turning to face her once again. She sat up from her slouched position, a small smirk forming on her face.

“I did. What about you? Did you have fun with Harry, touring the city?” I blushed, turning away from her. “Nu-uh, you have to tell me what happened! Did you hold hands? Did you two get all cuddly and stuff? Did he kiss you at all?” My face was turning redder by the second. I bit my lip as I thought through everything that happened yesterday.

“No, we did not hold hands…” I said, turning my body to hers. “We held on to each for a little while when we were walking back to here, but nothing really happened. We just walked around the city and he took me to his favorite places and the touristy spots.” She almost looked disappointed.

“So no goodnight kiss?” She asked hopefully. I shook my head.

“He kissed my cheek, right here,” I said, pointing to the spot next to my lips. “But nothing else happened.”

“Wow, Harry. You really do have self-control,” she muttered softly to herself. I stared at her and she just smiled. “Well are you doing anything with him today?” I shrugged and placed a pancake on a plate, putting it in front of her. She mumbled a quiet thank you and started pouring syrup on it.

“Not that I know of. He hasn’t talked to me yet today,” I said kind of disappointed. She shoved a piece of pancake in her mouth, looking at me. She stared at me for a moment, chewing her food and swallowing it.

“You fancy him, don’t you?” She asked me softly, setting her fork down on the plate. I sighed, looking down at my hands that were resting on the counter, not saying anything. “Kaylin, you shouldn’t let that boy back in the states keep you from liking an attractive lad here in London. Harry’s an amazing boy and you should let things be. If you two end up liking each other and dating, let it happen. Michael or Matt, or whatever his name is shouldn’t be stopping you. He’s across the pond, thirteen hours away from here. It’s your life. Besides you told me yourself, you don’t love that boy like that and from the times I’ve seen you and Harry around each other, it’s like your ‘meant to be’ or something. I see the way he looks at you, he fancies you Kaylin.” She paused for a second before continuing. “He looks at you like you’re an angel or something. He hardly keeps his eyes off you. He’s practically in love with you.” I played with my fingers for a minute, taking in everything she said before looking up at her. I opened my mouth to say something but my phone started buzzing, signaling a text message. I picked it up off the counter, looking at the name on the screen.

“It’s Harry,” I said softly, before sliding my finger across the small bar on the screen.

I have the day off today, love. I was wondering if you would like to have movie day with me? Pleeeease! xxHarry

I heard Eleanor release a quiet giggle from behind me, looking over my shoulder. “You should go, spend some more time with him. He clearly wants to spend his day off with you, babe since you know, he’s in love with you.” I gasped, slapping her arm lightly.

“That’s not true,” I muttered, sending her a glare. My thumbs moved across the screen sending Harry a text back.

Sure, just give me about an hour and I’ll be there.

Not even a second later, my phone buzzed in my hands. The corners of my lips turned up as I read the text.

Don’t take to long, love. I want to spend as much time with you as much as I can!

I didn’t send him a text so I could just start getting ready. When I finished braiding my long, dark red hair to the side, I grabbed my phone and shoved it into my pocket. “I’m leaving El! I’ll be back later tonight!” I yelled, opening the door. She responded back with, “I hope I don’t see you tonight!” I rolled my eyes and slammed the door closed, heading to Harry’s.

* * *

“Kaylin!” Harry shouted happily, before pulling me into a tight hug. My cheek was smooched against his bare chest and my arms dangled by my side.

“Let go of me, Harold,” I muttered, pushing against his stomach with my hands. He laughed and pulled away, backing up into the large room and letting me come in through the door.

“You start school tomorrow,” he stated randomly.

“No dip Sherlock,” I said sarcastically.

“Oh, wow. You’re personality is starting to come out!” He exclaimed, making me blush.

“Whatever, Harold. That was just random.” He let out a loud laugh and walked into the kitchen. I watched him and my eyes trailed down his long bare back, his sweats hanging loosely on his waist and the white band of his black boxer-briefs peeking out. He disappeared behind the wall blocking off the kitchen and I blushed, biting my bottom lip. What has gotten into me? I’ve never acted this way towards a boy, ever. I took in a deep breath before following Harry’s previous steps into the kitchen. I saw him looking into the refrigerator, his back to me and I walked up behind him. I reached out and grabbed the waistband of his sweats, pulling them up. He jumped and turned around, glaring at me.

“Oi! Are you trying to give me a wedgie?!” He practically shouted, making me giggle. I shook my head, covering my mouth as giggles fell out. He stared at me until my giggles slowed to a minimum.

“No, no… I just noticed how you always let your underwear show! It’s unattractive!”

“What? You know, some girls actually like it, Kay. I like wearing my pants like that anyway, it’s comfy.”

“You like looking like you took a massive shit in your pants?”

“No!” I laughed and shook my head. “Well I don’t like how you curse. It’s unattractive.” I gasped and punched his arm. “Ow!” He whined, rubbing his upper arm.

“That was one time! I don’t say bad words on a daily basis. Only when I’m making a point or angry and I’m never angry,” I informed him. His face broke out into a huge grin, his dimples being completely evident.

“I would like to see you angry, it might turn into some fantastic shagging afte¬– OW!” He screamed like a little girl, grabbing his arm where I had just punched him again. “You know for a little girl like you, you hit hard.”

“Daddy taught me well, then,” I stated with a big smile. He playfully glared at me, a smile threatening to break out on his lips. I just smiled and grabbed a juice from the fridge before walking back out to the main room and plopping down onto the couch.

“We’re going to the movies in my room,” he said, walking past the couch. “Oh, don’t look at me that way,” he growled out when I raised my eyebrows up at him. “I won’t make an moves,” he reassured me before grabbing my hand and pulling me up. He tugged me along behind him to his bedroom. I took off my scarf and shoes before crawling onto the massive size bed, down the middle, and lied back against the pillows. He put in a movie and clicked the play button before moving into bed with me. He sat up against the pillows and put his arm around me, pulling me into his side. I moved over closer to him, sitting back against his warm chest.

“Do you have a boyfriend back in the states?” He asked me quietly about halfway through the movie. I tensed slightly, hesitating before I answered.

“No,” I whispered, keeping my eyes on the film. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before.”

“Never?” He asked in surprise, keeping his voice down low. “Why not? You’re a beautiful lady, any bloke would be blind not to see that.” I felt my cheeks heat up as I listened to his slow, husky voice. I lifted my shoulders up in a shrug and let them fall slowly. He settled his hand onto my waist, his soft fingers stroking their way under the hem of my blouse, resting on my bare hip.

“I don’t know,” I breathed out. “I just never paid any attention to the boys back at my school. I was too focused on studying that I never had time for one. There was one guy who was completely in lo–“ I stopped myself before I could finish.

“In love with you? What’s his name?” Harry questioned softly. I didn’t answer for a minute as I felt his fingers burning their way in my skin. I swallowed softly, the gulp making a loud noise in my ears. I took a quiet breath, trying to calm the butterflies forming in my stomach but they only fluttered faster as I breathed out.

“M-Max. He was my best friend,” I replied quietly. He was hardly my best friend anymore. I haven’t talked to him since the day I left the airport almost two weeks ago.

“He was in love with you?” I nodded as he took in the idea of my best friend being in love with me. “Well, do you love him?”

“Not in the way he loves me, but as a brother.” Harry remained silent by my side for a good five minutes and I kept my attention on the film. I thought he was done with the conversation but he then spoke up.

“Have you ever been in love, Kaylin?” The way his deep voice sounded when he spoke those words sent a chill through me. I turned my head a little to glance at him, his emerald eyes were staring straight at me waiting for an answer.

“No,” I said almost above a whisper. “Have you?” He stared at me with eyebrows furrowed in the middle and his lips set in a straight line, thinking. I let my eyes roam around his face, taking in every single feature: his perfect pointy nose, his slightly bushy eyebrows, the small freckles that fell upon the side of his face, his slightly dark, smooth pink lips and then to his green orbs that were sparkling from the lights on the televistion.

“No,” he finally responded. “I have never been in love.” I nodded and sat back against his chest once again and he raised his knee closest to me. I laid my hand just below his knee, pulling at the material softly. The movie played murmured quietly in the background as I debated whether or not to tell him the next thing I wanted to say.

“I have never kissed a boy,” I blurted out a little too loudly, my face flushing in embarrassment.

“Really?” He asked, shock filling his voice. I nodded my head, letting my fingers draw little figures on his lower thigh. He just pulled me closer to him and I turned my body slightly so I could rest my head on his shoulder. He dropped the conversation and continued to watch the movie we were hardly even paying attention to.

I must have fallen asleep in the middle of the fifth movie because I felt Harry shift slowly underneath me. I had my head resting on his chest and my body was curled up into his side with my arm draped across his bare waist. I lifted my head up and looked at him, my eyes feeling heavy. He smiled softly, pushing us further down the bed so he could lie down properly.

“What time is it?” I asked, groggily.

“Twenty after ten,” he replied quietly. I shot up straight, making his hand fall to the top of my bottom. I blushed furiously at his hand touching me like that.

“I should go, I have school tomorrow at noon.” I said, starting to get up.

“No, no. Don’t go! You can stay here. It’s not safe for you to go out there at this hour by yourself. Plus you’re tired, so you’re not thinking straight and you might get lost.” He protested, reaching for my hand.

“Then why don’t you drive me home?”

“Because I’m too tired to drive,” he responded quickly, tugging on my arm gently. I stared at him before sighing, giving up and lying back down next to him. “Thank you,” he mumbled into my ear as he pulled me into his chest, burying his face in the crook of my neck, his unruly curls tickling my cheek. I hummed softly as his arms wrapped themselves tightly around my body and I placed my head back onto his chest, listening to him breathe slowly. I closed my eyes, taking in his warmth. His fingers caressed the middle of my back, slowly putting me back to sleep. I buried myself into his body, my hands tucked up under my head that was on his arm that was wrapped around my shoulders. “Night, love,” he whispered right before I fell into a deep sleep.