Four Letter Word.
liam.
Harry Styles. Aly sighed in slight frustration. Where did she hear that name before? Ignoring all the weird looks she got on the bus, Aly chewed on her bottom lip, still trying to figure out where she knew the name from. After a few seconds, she gave up with a groan.
“You okay there?” Harry chuckled. “I mean, I was expecting a different reaction but alright.”
Aly furrowed her eyebrows and tried to think on why he was even expecting a reaction out of her. “I’m sorry, but uh... How was I supposed to react?”
“A decent ‘oh my god! It’s Harry Styles! Holy chicken nuggets!’ would’ve sufficed.”
A sarcastic laugh escaped Aly’s lips as she contemplated whether or not she should just hang up on this ‘Harry Styles’ guy. “Cocky, aren’t we? Look, I really don’t know you. You could be a 60 year old man or something, trying to track down where I live so you could rape me.”
She could practically hear his eyes roll at her statement. “As flattering as that sounds, I don’t think you remember that I kind of fancy a girl at the moment. Alright, alright. I’m not 60. I’m 18, turning 19 in February. Come on, Allison. You really think I’m 60? I don’t even sound 60!”
“Er, that’s not my name, Harold. Alright, well I’m 15 turning 16 all the way in September, so this is still creepy,” she replied, her voice still low so no one could hear. Everyone thought she had something to hide already; no need to prove their thoughts right.
“So is your name just Aly?” Harry asked. Aly could tell that he was trying to change the subject away from age. Truth be told, she did that all the time as well. She hated being judged for her age, since most 15 year olds were frowned upon in today’s society.
Aly let out a laugh and shook her head even though he couldn’t see it. “It’s actually Alycia. A-L-Y-C-I-A. My bus just dropped me off at home. I gotta deuce it out.”
Harry whined a ‘no’ and sighed dramatically. “I’m not letting you hang up this ph—”
And with that, Aly hung up and shoved her phone in her pocket.
It was the night of Halloween and Aly was more than happy to be dressed up as Hello Kitty with a little puppy in her arms. Her boyfriend was next to her, smiling as pictures were being taken.
“I don’t understand why we have to take a million pictures. This isn’t prom, dad...” Aly muttered, a fake smile on her lips. The dog in her arms squirmed, trying to get comfortable. Aly stared down at the fluff-ball and smiled softly. “Aw, c’mon Gucci. Just one more minute.”
Just then, Aly’s best friend — Leena — grabbed her dog from her arms and laughed at Aly and her boyfriend’s awkward stance. “I don’t understand how you two can deal with each other. You guys are so awkward around each other. And what’s worse is that you guys have been dating for like two years!”
“More like five months, Lee. Get it right,” Jake chuckled, putting an arm around Aly. Aly smiled and leaned her head against his chest, cursing their large height difference. “Now are we gonna trick-or-treat or what?”
“Because five teenagers trick-or-treating is normal. Right then, Jake.”
“Right, Leena.”
The day after Halloween, Aly didn’t bother going to school. And she didn’t the next day either. Saturday came around, and she was ready to head out of her house and just go wherever. The sun was down and the stars were shining on the navy blue canvas. Her breath was visible whenever she’d let out a soft breath, indicating just how cold it was. Her usually straight-ish hair was down in big curls that were slowly dying due to the humidity.
Long story short, she looked like a mess.
But why didn’t she attend school the past couple of days? It was all thanks to her boyfriend. It wasn’t like he really did anything bad. Actually, it was Aly. She took what Leena said to heart. The two were awkward, and Aly felt uncomfortable once it was brought up. Leena was right. But Aly didn’t want to break up with him. He was there for her through pretty much everything. The two knew each other since 8th grade and got together then, but the timing was so terrible. They decided to try it again this year and it ended up working. But apparently, they were still awkward.
The thoughts left her head once her body collided with something. At first, Aly assumed it was a pole or a wall. It wouldn’t have been the first time that happened. Though, then the “wall” apologised, Aly knew it couldn’t have been something inanimate.
“Erm, it was my fault. Sorry,” Aly mumbled, picking herself up. “I, uh... I didn’t watch where I was going.”
“N-No, it’s okay. My fault, really. I’m so sorry, darling.” Aly smiled softly at the accent the boy sported. “Uh, I don’t think you should be out this late. I heard this place can get pretty dangerous at night.”
Aly shrugged and looked at her surroundings. She then tried to take a good look at the man, but couldn’t due to the terrible lighting. The only thing she could make out was a buzz-cut.
“Meh, I’ve lived here pretty much all my life. I’m sure if anyone were to try and kidnap me or kill me, I’d be able to fight back. But what about you? You’re not from here and er... You look like you could be taken down real easily. No offense though.”
“None taken,” the man chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. She noticed his eyes seemed to look closed as he smiled, making him look almost like a puppy. “I’m protected. Don’t worry. You need me to walk you home, babe? I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Aly looked around again and sighed. Should she really trust this stranger? “Uh, I don’t really know you, and it’d be really... weird. You’d know where I live and everything. I mean, I don’t even know your name. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. I think I’ll be fine. For all you know, my house could be just around the corner.”
The man let out a sigh and stuffed his hands in his pocket. “My name’s Liam, I’m from Wolverhampton in the UK, I’m 19 years old, and I promise I won’t hurt you.” Liam took a step into the light, and just his face gave Aly the ability to trust him. He looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly. Aly gave him a small smile and nodded, taking her hood down. “But what’s your name, hun?”
“Aly,” she replied. “And I live about a mile away from here.”
“You okay there?” Harry chuckled. “I mean, I was expecting a different reaction but alright.”
Aly furrowed her eyebrows and tried to think on why he was even expecting a reaction out of her. “I’m sorry, but uh... How was I supposed to react?”
“A decent ‘oh my god! It’s Harry Styles! Holy chicken nuggets!’ would’ve sufficed.”
A sarcastic laugh escaped Aly’s lips as she contemplated whether or not she should just hang up on this ‘Harry Styles’ guy. “Cocky, aren’t we? Look, I really don’t know you. You could be a 60 year old man or something, trying to track down where I live so you could rape me.”
She could practically hear his eyes roll at her statement. “As flattering as that sounds, I don’t think you remember that I kind of fancy a girl at the moment. Alright, alright. I’m not 60. I’m 18, turning 19 in February. Come on, Allison. You really think I’m 60? I don’t even sound 60!”
“Er, that’s not my name, Harold. Alright, well I’m 15 turning 16 all the way in September, so this is still creepy,” she replied, her voice still low so no one could hear. Everyone thought she had something to hide already; no need to prove their thoughts right.
“So is your name just Aly?” Harry asked. Aly could tell that he was trying to change the subject away from age. Truth be told, she did that all the time as well. She hated being judged for her age, since most 15 year olds were frowned upon in today’s society.
Aly let out a laugh and shook her head even though he couldn’t see it. “It’s actually Alycia. A-L-Y-C-I-A. My bus just dropped me off at home. I gotta deuce it out.”
Harry whined a ‘no’ and sighed dramatically. “I’m not letting you hang up this ph—”
And with that, Aly hung up and shoved her phone in her pocket.
×××
It was the night of Halloween and Aly was more than happy to be dressed up as Hello Kitty with a little puppy in her arms. Her boyfriend was next to her, smiling as pictures were being taken.
“I don’t understand why we have to take a million pictures. This isn’t prom, dad...” Aly muttered, a fake smile on her lips. The dog in her arms squirmed, trying to get comfortable. Aly stared down at the fluff-ball and smiled softly. “Aw, c’mon Gucci. Just one more minute.”
Just then, Aly’s best friend — Leena — grabbed her dog from her arms and laughed at Aly and her boyfriend’s awkward stance. “I don’t understand how you two can deal with each other. You guys are so awkward around each other. And what’s worse is that you guys have been dating for like two years!”
“More like five months, Lee. Get it right,” Jake chuckled, putting an arm around Aly. Aly smiled and leaned her head against his chest, cursing their large height difference. “Now are we gonna trick-or-treat or what?”
“Because five teenagers trick-or-treating is normal. Right then, Jake.”
“Right, Leena.”
×××
The day after Halloween, Aly didn’t bother going to school. And she didn’t the next day either. Saturday came around, and she was ready to head out of her house and just go wherever. The sun was down and the stars were shining on the navy blue canvas. Her breath was visible whenever she’d let out a soft breath, indicating just how cold it was. Her usually straight-ish hair was down in big curls that were slowly dying due to the humidity.
Long story short, she looked like a mess.
But why didn’t she attend school the past couple of days? It was all thanks to her boyfriend. It wasn’t like he really did anything bad. Actually, it was Aly. She took what Leena said to heart. The two were awkward, and Aly felt uncomfortable once it was brought up. Leena was right. But Aly didn’t want to break up with him. He was there for her through pretty much everything. The two knew each other since 8th grade and got together then, but the timing was so terrible. They decided to try it again this year and it ended up working. But apparently, they were still awkward.
The thoughts left her head once her body collided with something. At first, Aly assumed it was a pole or a wall. It wouldn’t have been the first time that happened. Though, then the “wall” apologised, Aly knew it couldn’t have been something inanimate.
“Erm, it was my fault. Sorry,” Aly mumbled, picking herself up. “I, uh... I didn’t watch where I was going.”
“N-No, it’s okay. My fault, really. I’m so sorry, darling.” Aly smiled softly at the accent the boy sported. “Uh, I don’t think you should be out this late. I heard this place can get pretty dangerous at night.”
Aly shrugged and looked at her surroundings. She then tried to take a good look at the man, but couldn’t due to the terrible lighting. The only thing she could make out was a buzz-cut.
“Meh, I’ve lived here pretty much all my life. I’m sure if anyone were to try and kidnap me or kill me, I’d be able to fight back. But what about you? You’re not from here and er... You look like you could be taken down real easily. No offense though.”
“None taken,” the man chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. She noticed his eyes seemed to look closed as he smiled, making him look almost like a puppy. “I’m protected. Don’t worry. You need me to walk you home, babe? I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Aly looked around again and sighed. Should she really trust this stranger? “Uh, I don’t really know you, and it’d be really... weird. You’d know where I live and everything. I mean, I don’t even know your name. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. I think I’ll be fine. For all you know, my house could be just around the corner.”
The man let out a sigh and stuffed his hands in his pocket. “My name’s Liam, I’m from Wolverhampton in the UK, I’m 19 years old, and I promise I won’t hurt you.” Liam took a step into the light, and just his face gave Aly the ability to trust him. He looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly. Aly gave him a small smile and nodded, taking her hood down. “But what’s your name, hun?”
“Aly,” she replied. “And I live about a mile away from here.”
♠ ♠ ♠
I'm so sorry this took forever and a day! To be honest, I lost all of the ideas I had in my brain, so I just made this up on the spot. It's been over a week since I last updated, huh? Okay, I promise, I'll try to made updates more frequent! Especially since I have a week off for Thanksgiving :) thank you for the comments, recommendations, and subscriptions! You guys are seriously the best.xx Honey
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