Temporary Fix

After realizing that I needed to get my shit together, I started to devise a plan. It wasn’t a very difficult or tedious plan, but one that mostly had to do with my attitude, specifically about my future. It was a good start and for the first time in weeks, I had something -- something that was surely going to get me out of my rut and back in the game. The Rise of Mara Horton was going to start now.

“So, Mara, how’s that little job of yours going?” Mom asked one night during dinner. Dad had cooked since Mom was complaining about a migraine earlier and it was a nice change. Dad was an impressive cook, but he didn’t do it often. Only here and there when Mom wasn’t up to it. Tonight, he’d made this simple pasta dish with chicken, the sour and spicy undertones blended in.

“It’s good,” I told her after I finished chewing. “Been making that cash, surprisingly enough.”

I’d definitely undermined the amount of revenue a used book shop could make. After all, we were in the new age where most people read from their iBooks app or their Kindle. But, it seemed that Laguna Beach still had some authentic readers amongst them. The shop wasn’t ever crowded, but it had a nice mill of customers throughout the day. I believed it was the smell the books gave off that created a calm and relaxed atmosphere the moment someone walked through the doors.

It also helped that Zayn was such a nice guy to everyone, making a point to have conversations with each of them. He’d actually made me smile more than I had in a long time, which made up for the fact that I didn’t really find the job all that exciting. I even told Zayn all about my situation back in LA one day, to which he sympathized and told me that things were going to start falling back into place very soon. After closing the shop that night, he offered me a joint in his office, where we lit it up and danced to “Feeling Myself.” It was a cathartic experience, one that evidently brought us closer as friends. In fact, he was probably my only friend at the moment.  

“That’s great, sweetie. We’re proud that you’re able to stand back on your feet after everything that happened and keep moving,” Dad encouraged with a smile.

I offered a smile back. “Thanks for letting me stay here. I would probably be homeless in LA had it not been for you guys.”

“Don’t be silly,” Mom shushed me. “You would never be homeless anywhere as long as we’re here. And even if we’re not, we’ll leave you with something to support you so that that could never be a possibility. You know that.”

“I know, I know,” I replied. “Most parents wouldn’t let their child stay at home like this, though. Especially when I wasn’t working and just lazing around in the basement.”

“You needed your time to cope and come to terms with things,” Dad reasoned. “You can’t beat yourself up for wanting a few days to yourself.”

“Yes, but I also needed that push from you to get up off my ass and get a job. So please just let me thank you,” I laughed.

“If you insist,” Mom said, biting into her chicken.

There were a lot of people who couldn’t say this, so I knew I was lucky when I said I had great parents. The duration of my stay in Laguna Beach was indefinite at the moment. It could be months before I saved up enough, found a steady job and apartment, and moved back.  But I was determined and I was ready to start working toward it.



I was arranging the staff recommendations pile at the book shop when I heard a quick series of taps on the glass door. We were well past closing time and I knew Zayn was ready to head out for the night since it was a Saturday. I turned around, hoping whoever was trying to come in had read the CLOSED sign on the door and left, only to realize it was Harry fucking Styles.

I had been trying to pretend like he didn’t exist. It couldn’t have been that hard, I had thought at first, but it was. He was everywhere. He was next door whenever I walked in or out of the house. He was next door when I was at work, handling the steady breeze of customers that flew in and out of the cupcake shop. When I saw him, I tried to walk the other way or act like I didn’t see him, but Harry was insistent upon giving me a cheery greeting every time we crossed paths. So I couldn’t escape Harry Styles as much as I wanted to, but I’d done my best in not interacting with him any more than I needed to.

He seemed adamant on coming inside, though, tapping again once he caught my eye, and I noticed he had someone else beside him. Before I could go over and open the door, Zayn popped out from his office and opened it himself. “Boys,” he greeted.

Harry strolled in with a cheesy grin on his face and behind him was Niall Horan, who gave Zayn a big hug in greeting. I hadn’t seen Niall since we all graduated high school, but he’d definitely grown up. He used to have such a baby face so nobody ever took him seriously, especially the girls. But now, his features had matured and he even had a subtle beard going. That, mixed in with his bleached blonde and brunette hairdo, somehow worked.

“Mara!” he exclaimed upon seeing me, rushing over to envelope me in a hug as well. “It’s so good to see you! Harry told me you were back, but I said I wouldn’t believe it until I saw you since you never stick for too long around after leaving this small city.”

I chuckled awkwardly. “Um, yeah. I went to school there and stuff, but I’m back for a bit now.”

“Cool,” Niall said. “What have you been up to? What do you do?”

I felt my cheeks burn up, feeling Zayn and Harry’s gazes on us. It wasn’t that I was ashamed of working at a bookstore because I thought what Zayn did was amazing. He owned this whole place and he made a lot of income, but it was just so far off from where I saw myself. “I’m working here at the moment,” I finally admitted. “With Zayn.”

“Sick,” Niall smiled. “Zayn’s good people.”

“Thanks, Ni,” Zayn grinned, pleased with the compliment. “You guys just give me a moment. I’m going to grab my stuff from the back and come out.”

Harry and Niall nodded at him before he disappeared. To avoid conversing with them furthermore, I put the last book down on the staff recommendations table and headed toward the counter to grab my wallet and head out as well. Niall was polite enough to pull out his phone and get engrossed in that. Instead of following suit, I could feel Harry watching me, and it was irritating me. Harry always did something weird to irritate me. Right now, it was watching my every move like a weird stalker/murderer. He always did have a creepy stare. Too intense with his big, green eyes.

I took out my wallet from a cubby under the top of the counter before making my way around and heading toward the door. Just as I was about to step out, I heard Zayn call out my name. I turned to face him, thinking he was probably calling to say bye, but then he waited until he approached me.

“Come out with us. We’re going to the bar,” he said.

“Uh, no, it’s alright,” I shook my head, trying to seem as casual as possible. “I think I’ll just head home.”

“Nonsense,” Zayn insisted. “You haven’t gone out to do something like this since you got here and don’t even try to deny it. C’mon. It’ll be good for you.”

“It’s not that. I’m just not a big drinker,” I told him.

“That’s a lie,” Harry intercepted nosily. “I remember you doing belly shots off of your girlfriends during those high school parities we all used to go to.”

I glared at him with all my might. “That was six years ago, Harry.”

“What? So you quit drinking?” he asked.

“I didn’t quit drinking.”

“Just come then. Have your first legal drink at a bar in Laguna. It is your hometown after all.”

First of all, his tone seemed way too condescending. And second of all, how did he know I didn’t already have my first legal drink here? My parents took me to a bar within the same month I’d turned 21. In fact, I visited them a lot, but most didn’t know that because I didn’t go out of my way to see them. I was just so sick and tired of people making it sound like I had abandoned Laguna Beach when in reality I’d just moved less than two hours away. Harry was one of those people and it was coming to the point where I straight wanted to tell him I didn’t want to go to the bar with him. But, I didn’t want to offend Zayn, who I was starting to get really close to, and Niall, who I’d never had a problem with.

Zayn looked at me then, a pleading look on his face, and I finally conceded. “Fine. I’ll go,” I said.

“Yes,” Zayn grinned. “We’ll have so much fun, Mara, I promise!”



It wasn’t a lot of fun.

I felt weirdly out of place. Mostly because Zayn, Harry, and Niall had a bond going and it didn’t have anything to do them with them being guys, but just that they clearly knew each other for a while and had a lot of inside jokes. I, on the other hand, just felt like I didn’t belong here anymore. Not in this group or this city. Zayn did his best in including me, though. He brought me into their many conversations, filling me in on things I didn’t know. I, for my part, tried to at least appear like I was interested. The most I spoke to was with Niall.

Turned out, he had left Laguna Beach to go to University of San Diego. He graduated with a degree in Business and was now working with a small, up and coming company right in town. He’d decided to move back on a whim, not knowing what else to do, and ended up just staying when he got the job. It helped that he’d kept in touch with Harry over the years and they’d always wanted to be roommates at some point in their lives, so they decided to take the plunge and rent out a two bedroom a few blocks away.

“What about you, Horton?” Harry asked after Niall finished telling me what he’d been up to. Annoyingly, he was sitting directly across from me with Niall beside him. Zayn was sitting next to me in our four person booth toward the back corner of the bar. It was some place called The Saloon and the bar owner, Paul, knew them all.

I raised an eyebrow at Harry, giving him a pointed look. “What about me?”

“What have you been up to? Every time I’ve asked, you’ve avoided answering. We’re all starting to wonder what the real story is. You didn’t murder someone in LA, right? Are you on the run from the cops?”

Niall laughed, quite loudly, while Zayn had an amused smirk on his face. “No,” I gritted. “I’m not. There’s really not a lot to tell, plus I already told you about my job.”

“I think there’s more to the story,” Harry said, drinking his whiskey and coke.

I rolled my eyes at him before sighing. “I got fired because of downsizing and then my roommate and I got into a fight. So I moved back and needed a job to tide me over because I’ve got bills to pay.” I took a sip of my PBR, meeting the gaze of all three boys. “That’s it. There’s no murder, scandalous LA story, or any of that.”

“Are you serious?” Harry asked. “That was what you were hiding? How anticlimactic.”

“Sorry my life isn’t interesting enough for you, Harry. I’ll try to do better.”

He shot me a smirk, further annoying me. “I mean, you were off living that big life. I thought I’d ask how it was. Was it everything you hoped it would be?”

“It was and it still is,” I answered truthfully. “I don’t really see myself here in this city anymore. It’s not because I hate it or I think I’m too good for it; I grew up here and it’ll always be home, but I like it out there. I’m going to be moving back as soon as I’m stable again. Job hunts just aren’t easy and until I find a job, I can’t look for a space to live in. It’s going to be a process.”

“Fucking adulthood, am I right?” Niall shook his head in disbelief, placing his empty beer cup down on the table. “Don’t blame you for being a little lost, Mara. All of us are, in one way or another.”

His tone was genuine, which made me believe him, and also feel a little bit comforted by that fact. In front of me, Harry placed his glass down, looking behind me toward the front door. His eyes perked up immediately and I couldn’t help but get curious and turn around. Three girls had walked in, all of them gorgeous with their sun-kissed skin, long hair, and flowy floral print dresses. I turned back around, looking down at my chopped blonde locks, ripped jean shorts and white blouse. While I was tan from the sun like those girls, everything else was a stark difference. I wasn’t sure why I was comparing, but I knew Harry was checking them out. It was a bit odd because I couldn’t remember him having a girlfriend back in high school.

“Are you looking to get laid tonight?” Niall asked Harry, snapping him out of his weird staring.

“Um, I don’t know,” he replied, looking back at Niall.

“I hope you’re not bringing them back to our apartment.”

Harry frowned. “And why can’t I? My childhood bed is too small.”

“Use your family’s guest room, asshole. I’ve got plans in the morning and don’t want to hear you having sex while I’m trying to sleep. God knows you like it loud.”

I almost gasped at the little piece of knowledge, but Harry just looked cocky, which made me want to slap him. He must have read my expression because he looked to me, still smiling. “How’s your love life, Horton? Seeing anyone special?”

“You’re nosey,” I told him in response.

Zayn burst out laughing and it occurred to me that he hadn’t really been speaking since me and Harry started talking. Instead, he watched us in silence, eyes curious and perceptive.

“You’re avoiding the question again,” Harry said. “C’mon. We’re all friends here. You can tell us.”

“No,” I hissed. “I’m not. I’m single.”

“I could always give Jeremy Lewis a call for you,” he tacked on.

For a second, I actually believed him, my eyes widening and jaw dropping. It didn’t take long for me to realize he was a lying piece of shit who thought he was being funny. “Piss off,” I said.

“Who’s Jeremy Lewis?” Zayn asked, looking at me.

“Isn’t he that guy from high school?” Niall asked, eyes narrowed as he tried to remember. “The one who was really bad in Math so the teacher would always make fun of him?”

For all that Jeremy was good-looking, clearly the legacy he left behind had more to do with his less than excelling academic record. Harry found Niall’s comment funny and started laughing, looking delighted at the way the conversation was progressing. “Horton here had a huge crush on him. Did loads of crazy stuff.”

“Like what?” Niall asked.

Harry studied me for a few moments before answering. “Silly stuff. Got a peek of it through the window when she used to be my neighbor. Anywho, I’m going to go get a drink. Does anyone else want anything?”

“Another beer,” Niall answered.

“Alright. Zayn? Mara?”

“I’m good,” Zayn responded while I shook my head. Harry took his empty glass and walked over to the bar. Meanwhile, Niall leaned forward, fixing me with a look.

“Did something happen between you and Harry?” he asked.

I stared at him in shock while Zayn laughed. “I asked her the same thing and she denied it!”

“Because nothing happened between me and Harry,” I argued. “Why do you guys think that something did?”

Niall shrugged, scrunching up his nose as he grinned. “Seems a little tense between you two.”

“Well yeah,” I said. “He’s annoying and he’s always been annoying to me. You know this, Niall. You were there when he used to torment me back in high school.”

“That was different. Something else is just boiling here.”

I frowned at his choice of words when Zayn chimed in. “Plus, there was something about him peeking through the window when you were neighbors? Did he see you naked or something?”

“God, I hope not,” I groaned. “He’s just stupid, guys. We don’t get along. Never have. At least not since we were seven.”

Niall shrugged his shoulders, looking over at the bar behind me. “If you say so.”

Though I wanted to appear like I didn’t care what -- or who -- Harry did, I got too curious and turned around to take a peek. Harry had perched himself up on a bar stool, leaning into one of the blondes he’d set his sights on earlier. She was sitting next to him, listening intently as Harry whispered stuff into her ear. She was blushing while he had a smug grin on his face, clearly pleased with his effect on her. The whole scene was annoying me. Who did Harry think he was? So cocky and confident all the time. It was aggravating to watch him waltz through life like he had no fucking care in the world.

I swiftly turned around, downing the rest of my drink. Zayn and Niall shared a look between themselves, their brows raised. “What’s up?” Zayn asked me.

“Nothing. He’s just annoying,” I responded, realizing I sounded like a broken record player, repeating the same thing over and over.

“Right,” Zayn chuckled. “Sounds like you’re really frustrated. Maybe you should follow Harry’s lead. Find a nice boy at the bar and get laid.”

I scowled at him while Niall laughed, even though it really wasn’t funny. I didn’t need to get laid. Sure, it’d been awhile since the last guy I had sex with was Liam, but I was fine. Completely fine.



I felt hot, sweat beading down my body while the temperature just continued to rise. Harry hovered over me, his green eyes glinting in the dark room, as he bent down to kiss down my jaw. I let out a shuddery breath, my hands coming up to tangle in his hair. Tugging on it, I heard him groan while he dragged his lips to my neck. His wet lips puckered, sucking a mark on my skin, and I couldn’t help but spread my legs, allowing him to come between them and rest his body over mine. My eyes had adjusted to the dark and I took in the planes of Harry’s back. His shoulders were broad and his body completely covered mine. Just the image of him mixed in with the love bite he was leaving on my neck made my stomach quiver.

My eyes fluttered shut while Harry’s hand moved down my body. His fingers roamed over bare skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake before dipping down between my legs. At the first stroke, I let out a gasp, surprised and so unbearably turned on. Harry’s fingers continued to rub just right and the heat in my lower belly reached its boiling point. Harry lifted his head from my neck, locking his green eyes with mine, and the second I looked at him I came with a soft shout, echoing his name before jolting up in bed.

I took in my surroundings, blinking blearily into the light that was streaming in from the small basement windows. There was no one else in my bed, which elicited a sigh of relief. I was just dreaming, but it felt so real. My wet underwear was proof of that. My cheeks flushed as I lied back down. I’d only ever had sex dreams a handful of times in my life, but never was it with Harry fucking Styles. It was embarrassing and I was going to take this dream to my grave, never uttering a word about it to anyone. Maybe Zayn was right last night. Maybe I did need to get laid and was just sexually frustrated. But Harry, of all people, popping up into my dream was not cool. I couldn’t believe I actually came at the thought of him fingering me, or that I even found him attractive enough to go all the way.

Deciding I couldn’t lie in bed and continue to think about this, I quickly got up and hopped into the shower. Being that it was Sunday, Tattered Cover was closed and I had the whole day to myself. I was going to pop into this nearby bakery and pick up something sweet to go with my iced coffee, and then come back home to work on my resume while watching some more episodes of Gossip Girl. It seemed like a solid Sunday plan. Thankfully I hadn’t had too much to drink last night, so I wasn’t hungover.

Getting out of my shower, I changed into a pair of jeans, pale blue crop top, and white sandals. The house was empty when I walked upstairs, so I locked the door behind me on my way out. As I started making my way down the front yard, I noticed Harry on his own lawn doing push ups. I frowned once I realized he was shirtless, wearing a pair of baggy black shorts and pink running shoes. He looked ridiculous, but infuriatingly hot, too. He didn’t used to be so well built in high school. In fact, he was way too tall and lanky. Now, it seemed he worked out quite regularly and had a physique to show for it.

It seemed I had stared too long because Harry noticed me, glancing up. He grinned, wiping the sweat off his face. His hair was tied back into a bun on top of his head and he really shouldn’t look as attractive as he did, but apparently it was Harry Styles’ world and we were all just living in it.

I’d thought Harry would say something, seeing as how he always had something stupid to say, but he only looked at me for a moment before a smug smirk took over his lips and he continued to work out. I didn’t even want to think about whatever entitled shit was going on his brain. Instead, I shot him a glare before walking toward the bakery.

Stupid fucking Harry Styles with his stupid hot body and his stupid hot face.