Siren

Chapter Seven

IM STILL AT MY DESK WHEN MY PHONE RINGS. An unknown number flashes across my screen so I let it go to voicemail, flipping the phone upside down on the desktop so that I can focus back in on my writing.

Now that the events of last night are written in the form of a story, it's even harder to believe. However, I still have the text from Nadine proving that it was real.

My phone begins ringing again. It's the same number. Confused, I decide to answer. When the gruff voice on the other end mutters hello, my stomach contracts.

"How is your Saturday, Noah?" Harry Styles voice could not be confused with anyone else's. It is definitely him and hearing my name on his voice is something I don't think I would ever be able to become accustomed to.

"Well it was quite lovely. How did you get this number,Harry?" I smile to myself. Yes. Harry brings out confident Noah and I love it.

"I like the way you say my name." He chuckles and I can feel it between my legs. How does he do that? "Well let's make it lovely again. Come to dinner with me."

I look at the clock on my bed. It's nearly six now. Why is he inviting me to dinner now?Shouldn't this invitation have been extended hours ago? Talk about last minute. Or...Spontaneous?

I have to say yes, that's obvious. The blog needs this kind of outing to be added, it's what makes stories entertaining. This stuff doesn't happen to normal girls in real life. However, blog Noah would make him work for it.

"Kind of last minute, don't you think?"

"Not at all." He says. "Dinner at 8. I'll pick you up, text me your address."

He hangs up then and I turn the phone to check that the call has ended. I'm in awe. I never said yes! But, I'm going to dinner with Harry Styles.

I look down at my outfit. My sweatpants have a tear in the crotch, my shirt has paint stains on it from when Emily, Jonathan and I went on an art streak in high school. The mirror on the back of my bedroom door revels my hair is nowhere near presentable. I'm dead.

And he can't come get me here! I'm supposed to be a rich socialite. This is not where Noah in my blog lives and Harry cannot see that this is where the real Noah Walker lives...with her mum.

I call Tammy right away. She answers and tells me to head to her building. Steph agrees to rush over as well. I shower as fast as I can, not bothering with my hair or makeup so that I can catch the 6:27 bus into London.

I'm shaking the entire bus ride. I haven't been on an actual date in over a year. And I've never been on a date with someone like Harry. The guys I dated at University were just temporary distractions and fun, but none of them could be classified as a bad boy. They were all gentlemen, never did they call me at 6 to get dinner. This was all going to be new territory for me.

When I get to Tammy's apartment, my hair is nearly dry and I start freaking out all over again. It's 7:20 and we have a lot of work to do.

Tammy has three outfits picked out for me, brand new with the tags still on.

"I went shopping," she explains as she lays them all out. "Basically you have to try on the jeans, decide which ones are the best for you and then pick the top. Steph let her pick her outfit before you do her hair and makeup."

I strip out of my sweatpants and shirt right there. There is no time to be shy about this.

I pick the second pair of jeans, light wash and worn out at the knees.

None of us can agree on the top however. Tammy thinks I should go with the striped shirt and gray cardigan while Steph thinks the low cut tank with the leather jacket is the best option.

"Makeup and hair." I decide. "We'll decide the top last minute." Tammy takes a seat on the edge of the giant tub in her bathroom so that she can watch as Steph sits me down in front of the mirror to get my face and hair ready.

Tammy and Steph talk about the most irrelevant subjects while we sit there, probably to keep me calm. And it actually works. Tammy talks about the last date she went on a week ago and how much of a disaster it was since the guy came half an hour early and it just went down from there.

Steph says that she's hasn't been on a proper date in years even though she's seen a few different guys since. They're apparently always very lame and end up just hanging out at someone's flat.

Steph finished my hair and makeup in ten minutes. It's 7:53. Without consulting the other women, I put on the striped shirt and the leather jacket. Everyone agrees that it's the perfect compromise. Tammy let's me borrow a necklace and as we all look my reflection over, the clock hits 8. Somehow, we pulled this all off.

"When he gets here you can be waiting in the kitchen, looking through your purse. Steph and I will be back here. At some point tonight, bring up that you're moving out of this building. Maybe he'll offer to go house hunting with you, then there we go, second date!" Tammy briefs me quickly as we all head out into the living room.

I keep looking at the door as I switch everything from my purse into the maroon bag Tammy is letting me borrow.

We sit around together for a few minutes, Tammy and Steph trying hard and failing to keep up the small talk. But then, at 8:17, the phone rings.

Tammy answers and listens for a second.

"Send him up." She hangs up, gives me a big smile and then grabs Steph.

Steph gives me a thumbs up and a whispered good luck before the two of them disappear somewhere into the apartment. I head to the kitchen, put my bag down and take out my cell.

There's a knock on the door and I have to suck in a huge breath before I head to it.

As I walk to the door I try to work myself up for this night. It's just a date. A date that I might be out of my league for, but blog Noah isn't even worried.