Chapter 1
The small cup of coffee warmed Elenore's hand as she made her way towards the small table at the back of the library. It was always dimly lit, but the small window let in just enough light to see. The table was dark brown and the stain on the wood had began to chip and wear away. People initials had been carved deep into the wood, and the small lamp that sat on the table never worked. The chairs that accompanied the desk were a deep emerald leather. The cushions were worn down, and the seams were starting to rip. To anyone else it wouldn't have been even a thought. They would have opted for the nicer desks towards the front of the library, all of the lamps worked, the desk was perfectly polished, and the seats were new; but this was her spot and she absolutely adored it.
She set her coffee on the table and took a seat in the small chair by the window. She opened her book and began to read where she had left off from last night. By tomorrow she would probably be scouring through shelves trying to figure out what to read next. She rested her palm against her cheek and began to read. Her eyes shifted from one page to another in a matter of seconds as she slowly began to get lost in a entirely different world. Elenore often got lost in different world's, a habit that she had developed early on in life.
"Greeting's fair maiden."
Elenore lifted her head, making a mental note of where she had left off. "Good Sir."
Tobias Harlow, perhaps the only person Elenore truly trusted. His soft brown curls were tasseled upon his head, and his dark brown eyes were bright behind his dark rimmed glasses. He held a small notebook between his teeth, and his small message bag was slung across the table. He took a seat across from her, quickly pulling out a small wooden box from the bag. It was a wooden chess set. Half of the pieces were missing paint and falling apart. Elenore had tried to replace the chess set several times, but Tobias kept refusing her offer. It was his first chess set and he was proud of it, but Tobias was proud of everything. Elenore had once described him to her mother as arrogant.
"I hope you're planning on at least attempting to win today." Tobias mocked, setting up all the pieces on their appropriate squares.
Elenore let out a small dramatic gasp, "Me lose to you, never."
Tobias giggled at her comment and gestured towards the board, indicating that it was her move. "That's not what my score book says."
"I think you're putting tally's on your side when I'm not looking."
Tobias kept his eyes trained on the board, "I'd never do such a thing."
Elenore had known Tobias since they were kids. Everyone had expected that the smartest kid on the block and the town's bookworm would undoubtedly become lovers, however everyone's dreams were crushed when Tobias had come out as gay. It wasn't a surprise to Elenore, and it didn't surprise her when her father blew it off as a act of defiance. Once when they were teenagers, Elenore had kissed Tobias. Tobias tried to like it, he really did, but he couldn't. It felt wrong. His family had a reputation and he was more than likely to inherit that reputation, and he knew his father didn't need the publicity. Elenore was the only one who really knew the real Tobias.
Elenore grabbed her knight and took away one of his pawns. Tobias smirked, "Oh El, you shouldn't have done that."
Elenore giggled. She knew that he was only joking and that it was all probably and elaborate trap in order to capture her Queen, but she didn't care. She enjoyed his company more than some silly chess game. She couldn't remember a time when Tobias wasn't there. He had been through every messy breakup, every two-faced friend, and through the divorce of her parents. Tobias was her rock, and her constant.
With in a few minutes Tobias had already trapped her Queen and taken more than half of her pieces, while she only had managed to capture a few of his. Her fingers rested on her temples as she studied the board, her eyes flicking between her remaining pieces, trying to determine their fate.
"You're not going to get out of it." Tobias teased sitting back in his chair, analyzing her.
She groaned in frustration and slumped back into her chair with a pout, before she reluctantly laid her King down on the board. Tobias chuckled and began to set the board up again.
"Would you like to attempt to play again?"
Elenore rolled her eyes, "I was playing."
"A very poor attempt on your part." Tobias stated, smirking at her. "I'm going to go get a coffee, do you want a refill?"
Elenore shook her head, "No I'm fine, however I do hope you lose your cocky attitude somewhere along the way."
Tobias held is chest, "You wound me Elenore Ramone"
Elenore pulled her book towards her and opened it up where she had left off. Her eyes began to wonder down the pages and in an instant she was sucked back into her own world forgetting the game with Tobias and the noise around her. She hadn't told Tobias about her financial troubles yet. She knew that her job at Kingsley's Knickknacks and Bookstore wouldn't help her with her rent, and her roommate had already bailed on her; leaving her to pay for the expenses of two people instead of one. She knew that Tobias would immediately offer to help her, but she didn't want to take her friend's money. Elenore knew that money practically grew on trees for Tobias and that him and his father made more money than they could spend, but Elenore still felt guilty. It wasn't in her nature to rely on someone else, even if it was Tobias. For years they had been pulling off an elaborate stunt in order to keep the peace between Tobias and his father, and she certainly didn't need to ruin all of their hard work because of her financial problems.
"Fancy a game?"
Elenore looked up from her book and her eyes locked with the unfamiliar green iris's of gentlemen in a dark suit. Curls rested on top of his head, his jaw was sharp, and he was looking at her. She sat dumbfounded, how could a Greek God be talking to her? They were supposed to be myth. Elenore snapped her book shut and cleared her throat. "I beg your pardon?"
She felt stupid. How was she supposed to talk to this man, this beautiful god-like man. He towered above her seated position, and one of his ring clad hands rested upon the table. Tobias was nowhere in sight and she assumed that he had been chatting up the barista Adam again. He has always had a soft spot for the blondes.
"Do you fancy a game?" He said gesturing to the board. "I haven't played in ages, but I'm sure I can manage."
How could she say no. Elenore just nodded her head. She didn't trust her voice, knowing her it would probably shake. The man sat down across from her and examined the board and then looked up at her.
"Ladies first."
Elenore slid her book away from her and leaned forward, eyeing the chipped black paint on her pieces. "It's standard for white to go first."
The man chuckled, before he placed his hands on either side of the board. He rotated the board, until the white pieces sat in font of Elenore. She looked at him with a shy smile on her face. He smiled back at her like he had just solved all of the world's problems.
"I am a gentlemen after all."
Elenore chuckled, grabbing a pawn and moving it forward. "Do I get the honor of knowing the gentlemen's name?"
He smirked looking down at the board, "My name is Harry."
"My friend should be back any second now." Elenore blurted.
"I know. I saw him making his way to the coffee shop." Harry said sliding a piece across the board.
"You were watching us?" Elenore asked, panic rising in her chest. He was watching them.
"I was watching the game. I thought you'd beat him." He said bringing a hand up to fumble with his lip. His eyes never left the board. "What's your name?"
"Elenore."
Harry leaned forward and smiled, moving a piece. "It's very nice to meet you Elenore."
His green iris's caught hers. His eyes were memorizing, how could anyone look away. How could she look away. She realized that she had probably been staring for too long and reverted her eyes back to the board. Elenore cleared her throat, "Why are you playing chess with me?"
Elenore was more than glad to have a handsome man to play chess with, but he was a handsome stranger. For all she knew he could be a stalker or a serial killer.
"You were sitting by yourself. I thought you could use the company." Harry said, keeping his eyes on the board.
Elenore let out a small laugh, "I'm a complete stranger, you're a stranger. Do you always play chess with strangers?"
"Do you?" He asked, looking up from the board. "And technically love, we're not strangers anymore, you know my name."
Elenore smiled softly, "I suppose. However there is still the possibility that you're a crazy stalker, a hitman, or just someone who is desperate to lose at chess." She was being cocky, a trait that she had most likely inherited from Tobias.
Harry smirked at her, "I guess we'll just have to find out."
Harry and Elenore continued to play, each move more calculate than the last. Elenore was happy that Harry wasn't as brutal of an opponent as Tobias, but he definitely knew his way around the board and she was very distracted by his ring clad fingers. She wondered if they were cold to the touch and how they would feel against her fingers. Her wondering mind was getting the best of her and she didn't know how to calm her racing thoughts. She knew that she was probably eating her own words right now, and that Harry had probably thought she was bluffing about her being good at chess. Harry had seemed to be using her distraction as an advantage, he had already managed to capture most of her pieces and Elenore was beginning to think that she wasn't as good as she thought she was. Not when he was her opponent. He was a complete stranger, yet she was mesmerized by him.
Harry chuckled when she moved her rook. It lined up his next moves perfectly, and he looked at her. He was smirking at her. He had her cornered and right where he wanted her. She could see the dimples forming around the corners of his mouth. She smiled back at him, it was contagious, he was contagious. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but the abrupt slam of a coffee cup on the table made Elenore jump in her chair.
"El, who is this?"
Elenore glanced up at Tobias. His eyes held concern, his jaw was clenched, and his fist were in balls at his side. Tobias had always been the overprotective type. It was in his nature and he often stated that it was written in his contract as best friend. Harry looked Tobias up and down. His green iris's seemed darker and Elenore feared that there was a fire underneath them. He looked like the type of man that didn't like to be interrupted. Elenore reached out and placed a hand on his Tobias's clenched fist, trying to comfort him. Harry glanced at their hands.
"Tobias this is Harry, we were-"
"We were just playing mate" Harry said standing, "Harry Styles"
Harry extended a hand towards Tobias. Tobias's eyes flashed with a uncertain emotion, but he placed his hand in Harry's and shook it. His jaw was clenched and Elenore held her breath. After her last relationship, Tobias had become increasingly more protective. "Tobias Harlow."
Both men released each other's hands, but their cold demeanor's lingered. Elenore was beginning to feel suffocated by the testosterone that was in the air. She stood from her chair and attempt to diffuse the situation.
"Well Mr. Styles, we must be going." she said, collecting the small pieces and chessboard quickly shoving them in Tobias's bag.
Tobias slung his bag over his shoulder and grabbed his small notebook. The small coffee cup was forgotten on the table. His eyes remained locked with Harry's. Elenore grabbed her coat and slipped it on before pushing Tobias towards the door. "Thank you for the game Mr. Styles." She said politely before storming away.
Tobias grabbed her hand and rushed her out into the street. "El, what the hell where you thinking?"
Elenore went to open her mouth but Tobias quickly interrupted her. "That's Harry Styles, the Harry Styles. He's one of the richest men in the country. He's signing a contract with my father next month!" Tobias exclaimed.
"Tobias I really don't understand what the fuss is about." Elenore breathed, pulling her arm away from his grasp so he wouldn't pull it out of it's socket.
Tobias rounded on her, and she nearly bumped into his chest. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Bloody hell, wake up Elenore. One of London's most eligible bachelor's sat down to play chess with you."
"And? So what I didn't know who he was." Elenore exclaimed, confused on why it was such a big deal.
Tobias chuckled, "El, I love you, but sometimes you need to get your head out of the books."
Elenore lightly smacked Tobias. He chuckled at her, smiling brightly. Her relaxed demeanor quickly shifted when she felt an emptiness in her hand. Her book. She had left her book. She quickly threw Tobias bag open hoping that she had shoved it in there with the chess set.
"Whoa, what's wrong?" Tobias asked.
"My book, I forgot my book!"
"So just get another copy." He said shrugging.
Elenore's eyes bulged out of her head and she hit him harder this time, "Don't be an idiot Tobias. That was my father's copy."
Tobias groaned, "Fine we'll go back."
When Elenore and Tobias got to the library Elenore was quick to make a beeline to the back, leaving Tobias by himself. She was relieved when she saw the book sitting on the table untouched. When she reached the table, she noticed a small card sticking out of the top. That definitely wasn't hers. She pulled the card out of the top, it was a business card.
In case you ever fancy another game. -H.S.
She smiled at the messy handwriting on the small card, quickly tucking the card back into her book. She couldn't help to feel giddy, her stomach swirled and she smiled softly to herself.
[unedited]
