Winter [Harry Styles AU]

thirteen

winter // thirteen

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"What just happened?"

Lena shrugs as she pushes open the door. "It wasn't that bad, Louis. And we studied a lot. I'm sure you did fine."

"Okay, this is coming from the genius girl, so I'm going to take that all with a grain of salt." Louis adjusts the beanie over his ears. "See, I'm sure Zayn feels like he's going to die, too. He looked like he wanted to cry every time I looked over to cheat off of him."

Zayn rolls his eyes. "Nah, mate, I just really needed a cigarette."

"Well I needed to jump off of - "

"Hey! Lena! It's Lena, right?" A boy falls into step beside her, breath coming out in soft little pants from the jog. He's got on a thick, blue jacket, and a hesitant smile. He looks vaguely familiar. "Hey, I'm Sam. Listen, this is kind of weird, but I'm actually, like, failing this class and the professor said you could maybe help."

Louis snorts. Lena punches his shoulder, then turns to smile brightly at the boy - Sam - who looks a mix of confused and entertained with their interaction. She thinks that's probably how most people feel about their friend group. "Like a tutor?'

The boy ducks his head. "Yeah, I think. Yeah. I mean, I'll pay you and everything. I just really need help before this exam next week."

Lena considers her options. She's got five major exams to take, but really only needs to study for biology because the rest are easy. Plus, he seems nice enough. "Sure."

"Okay, sick." He fumbles for his phone in his pocket. His fingers are probably numb from the cold. She can sympathize. "Can I get your number? And then I'll text you and we can figure it out."

Lena rattles off the familiar digits, and the boy thanks her again profusely before separating. "Well," Louis deadpans as they watch him walk away, "I'm a bit offended because I thought you were our personal tutor. It's like your cheating on us with awkward boy."

"He wasn't awkward! He was sweet."

"Either way, you're still cheating on us," Zayn says helpfully.

"I can tutor as many people as I want."

Louis gives her a sharp little smile. "Help them earn some extra credit, if you know what I'm saying."

"You're disgusting," Lena says, but she's laughing. At the corner of the street, the boys turn left and Lena turns right, headed to work. "See you tonight!" she calls. "Please go to your other classes!"

"Don't fucking push it, Lena," Zayn says, and then in a cloud of cigarettes smoke, they're gone.

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Lena's brewing a latte for a girl with her hair in two buns and a septum piercing, thinking about all of the hipster comments she can make, when Harry raps on the window of Think Coffee. "Oy, mate," says Greg, because he's apparently Australian again today, "looks like you got a visitor from down under!"

"What is he doing?" the customer asks, turning to look at Harry with Lena. He's grinning like a lunatic, breathing onto the cool glass until it turns white, and then drawing various doodles in the frost. By doodles, Lena means penises and hearts and one smiley face.

He's got on those ridiculous, ratty chelsea boots that are probably doing nothing to keep out the chill, and those ridiculous skinny jeans, and one of his ridiculous sweaters. His cheeks and nose are bright pink with cold, but he seems happy, his eyes bright and awake and all-there.