Mandolin Rain

Elliot's POV

“So they're come to our house for the cook out then?” Joe ask as he makes some hamburger patties.

“Yep.” Its all I can say, for some reason I'm a little nervous. From our yoga session today I feel like Liam doesn't like me for some reason and I really want to make sure that things are okay. Harry apologized for him but I just have this weird feeling that something is not right.

“So are you ever going to tell him your feelings for him?” Joe asks me. Joe being my roommate and my cousin I tell him everything. Not all the littler personal details but I've been living with him for two years now and he picks up on things before I even say anything.

I sigh. “Probably not.” I say and continue to cut the lettuce for the salad.

“Why not? I've seen you two together and interact together and you fit together. I know he likes you. I see the way he looks at you when you're not paying attention. How he looks like he always wants to reach out for you when you sit next to him. He even takes pictures of you two. Guys don't just take pictures of themselves with another girl if they don't like them.” Joe tries to explain.

“Well I don't see any of it.” I'm not getting my hopes up.

“Obviously you are blind because I know you're not stupid. Just pay attention tonight and I'm sure it will click for you. Put yourself out there more.” Joe elbows me to make sure I'm paying attention.

“Okay, okay.” I tell him.

When the doorbell rings Joe races down the steps beating me to it. He's like a child sometimes I swear. I wait at the top of the steps and hear Harry's voice. I instantly smile. I'm so in for it, he's my best friend in my brain but in my heart he's someone I can't get enough of.

“Hey Elliot!” Niall says to me from the bottom of the steps with an awkward wave.

“Hey Niall, Liam, Harry.” I look at each one as I say their names.

When Harry gets to the top he pulls me in for a hug and I can't help but close my eyes when I wrap my hands around him and discreetly smell him. I try to save the smell in my memory of him. As much as I want things to work out, for me to see him and kiss him, I know it's not going to happen. I've been friend zoned.

“So there's food?' Liam asks as I smile and tilt my head in the direction of the kitchen and back patio.

After Joe's girlfriend, Rose, arrives, along with a few of our friends we ate and decided to build a fire in the backyard. You can't have an open bonfire inside city limits so we have a fire pit with a cover. It still does the trick.

“I'm going to get extra chairs!” I say to no one in particular as I walk back towards the house. We have plenty of those collapsible chairs in the garage but I can't quite remember where. I use the back door to the garage and fumble around to see if I can find the light switch when I hear footsteps behind me.

“Hey, do you need help?” It's Harry. It's dark in here so I can't see him but I've grown fond of that voice that I would recognize anywhere.

“Yeah, thanks, I can't find the light switch.” A little embarrassing, considering this is our house and we've lived here for two years, but Joe always parks in the garage.

“Found it!” Harry tells me as he flips the light on. I turn and realize that I'm right next to him, our faces just a few inches apart. We stare into each others eyes before I break contact.

“Right.” I take a deep breath. “So the chairs are over here I think.” I turn and side step away from him walking back towards the shelves.

“What's this?” Harry asks from behind me as I hear him strum an instrument that I used to play. “It's made by Fender but I know it's not a guitar.” He asks still strumming the badly out of tune machine.

“It's a mandolin.” I say without even looking. I pull the step stool over and gingerly reach the top shelf to pull some more chairs from the pile.

“Whose is it? Why is it in the garage?” He asks still focused on it.

“It's mine. It's in the garage because I don't play it anymore.” I tell him, obviously annoyed because he came here to help and I'm the one who has all the chairs on my shoulders.

“Why not?” Jeez this kid just keeps talking.

“Well I got it a long time ago, played it all the time, I guess I just got busy with everything else. I quit playing it.” I explain. That's really the truth. When I was homeschooled I had a lot more free time, I picked things up when we traveled from country to country but when I started public school we went to school for longer and I had more time for homework. Then started teaching yoga and went to school, time just got away from me.

“You don't miss it?”

“I didn't say that. I just forgot about it.” I shrug my shoulders. “Are you going to help me with these chairs or keep asking me about a mandolin?” I tease and hand him some chairs.

“I'll help, but I want to hear you play this sometime.”

“Fine. But not tonight.” Harry places the mandolin on an empty spot on the shelf and grabs a few chairs from my shoulder as we exit the garage and walk back to join the others.

We start setting up the chairs for people who are standing, a few chairs were already out here but Liam, Niall, Harry, and I didn't have any. After all the chairs are set up I realize since the sun has gone down it's a lot cooler then I had expected.

“I'm going to go grab a blanket anyone need anything?” I ask to the group. No one says anything so I once again walk back to the house and grab a throw from the back of the couch. When I return I notice the only open chair is in between Harry and Liam so I take my seat, tuck my legs in and wrap the blanket around me.

I sit in silence, breathing in the air and listening to everyone else chatter about. Dropping in on conversation when I feel fit. Joe talking about his job with the Dodgers, Rose telling everyone about a new coffee shop close to her office, Niall and Liam talking about the apparently hilarious flight attendant they had on the way over, and the ever present banter back and forth between everyone.

“You alright?” Harry nudges my elbow.

“Yeah, just tired. Listening to everyone.” I smile and lean my head back looking at him.

“Care to share your giant blanket? I'm cold.” I hear a hint of a whine in his voice.

“Scoot closer.” I tell him as I try to untwist the blanket from under me. He scoots so that our arm rests are on top of each other and I turn so that he can have more blanket. I throw the unused part of my blanket so it's covering him.

“Thank you.” He says in a low voice. I look around and see Joe looking at me with his eyebrows raised almost to tell me a non-verbal “I told you so.” I dismiss his eye movement and turn my attention back to the fire.

After a while I notice that my body has involuntary shifted to be closer to Harry. I raise my arm to rest it on our shared arm rest only to notice that Harry's arm has already occupied it. I whisper a quick sorry and pull it back down when he grabs it back. I turn my head to him and he just smiles as to not grab any ones attention to us, I'm suddenly nervous when I feel Harry's fingers intertwine with mine. I try to calm myself as I relax my fingers and snuggle under the blanket more. No one can see us holding hands under the blanket but I feel like if they noticed my face, they would notice something was going on.

After a few more minutes of listening to chatter I yawn and lay my head back against the chair and peacefully fall asleep.

I don't know how long I've been out before I hear voices. My neck hurt but when I try to move it I realize that I'm resting on Harry's shoulder. I must have moved in my sleep.

“I can help you get her upstairs.” Harry tells someone.

“I know you like her.” It's Joe's voice. I feel my body automatically stiffen.

“I don't hid it very well.” They both start laughing. Is this conversation really happening? Harry just admitted he liked me. Shit.

“Apparently to her you do.” He responds. “I can be right back down, just going to get Rose up the steps.” It's Joe. “You guys can stay if you want.” He offers, I'm sure Niall and Liam are still here.

“Well thanks, but I'll just wake them up and take them back to my place, all their stuff is there and we have an mid morning session we need to get stuff ready for before.” Harry explains as I feel him take his hand from mine, how long have we been holding hands? The chair squeaks as he turns and gently moves my head back to where I thought it was.

“Well if you change your mind.” Joe offers up.

“Thanks.” Harry takes a deep breath and I feel his arm slip under my shoulder and soon another one under my knees. He lifts me with ease as I move my head to be closer to his chest. Apparently I'm really good at pretending I'm sleeping. I hear the grass crunch under our weight and Harry turns sideways so we can both fit through the door. I let out a moan to keep him thinking I'm sleeping and he quickly takes a deep breath. The floor squeaks below us as he walks down the hallway to my bedroom. My door is always open and it's easy to tell which room is mine, Joe doesn't really prefer a purple comforter.

“Elliot, I have to lift the covers back, just hold on to me.” He tells me as he gently lets go of my legs and makes sure they're on the ground. I'm taking full advantage of this situation and really breathing him in. He leans a little to fix the covers and picks me back up to place me in bed. He takes my flip flops off and pulls the covers over me.

I know he hasn't left yet. He leans over and pushes hair away from my face it takes everything I have not to open my eyes and pull him in for a kiss. He's apparently reading my mind as he plants a soft kiss on my forehead and staying close to my face I hear him whisper, “Good night beautiful. I wish I could stay.” And with that he straightens up, turns around and walks out.

How can I sleep now?

Notes