The Middle | Hemmings + Styles AU

31. have fun

"Seriously. You guys have been gone for two days," I laughed. "He doesn't waste any time, does he?"

Luke's words travelled through the phone. I could hear the smile in his voice. "He's having his fun."

"And you?" I tried to ask as nonchalantly as possible. If Luke wanted to - like Calum - sleep with a groupie two days into the tour (and before they'd even done their first show), then that really wasn't my business. But it was hard not to be curious.

"I'm having fun," he answered simply. "Not as much as Calum though," he laughed.

"You should," I said, holding the phone in one hand and tidying up some of The Forgotten Kids merch at the front stand. "You know, have fun. If you want."

"Is that what you're doing? Having fun with other people?" Like me, Luke's question came with about as much subtly as my question had. Like me, he wasn't throwing accusations. I knew he was just curious.

"The only fun I've been having is working," I laughed as the bell sounded behind me. "Speaking of, I'm at work right now so I'll have to talk to you later." Louis was around somewhere so I technically didn't have to get off of the phone but I was grateful for an excuse to end this strange conversation.

"Alright. Have fun," Luke laughed. "I mean, if you want."

"Goodbye Luke," I smiled, ending the phone call and sliding my phone into my pocket. When I turned around it wasn't a customer I saw. It was Harry.

"Stella," he greeted me, his lips turned up at one corner. They seemed impossibly pink in contrast to the white shirt he was wearing.

"Harry," I said as neutrally as I could, finally tearing my eyes away from his lips. Why am I such a creep? "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to see if you had plans for the weekend."

"And that warranted a visit? A text would have been fine." I walked back behind the counter, examining the band posters resting on top. 

"It must be exhausting," he leaned forward, resting the palms of his hands on the counter. "Pretending that you can't stand me."

"Actually, it comes pretty naturally," I joked. Though it were partially true. Harry had this way of getting under my skin in ways I didn't know were possible.

"So, the weekend?" he asked, seemingly unfazed about my lack of interest. "Do you have plans?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I thought we could go to a show together. There's a band that I've been scouting, they're playing about an hour out of town."

"So this is a business date," I said slowly.

"Not just business." he smiled. I opened my mouth to say something but he cut me off. "Someone once told me I had a very boring rule of not mixing business and pleasure."

"She sounds very smart," I bit into my lip to hide my laugh. "Text me the details for the show."

"I can pick you up."

"I - " I paused for a moment. "Okay, sure."

When I got home from work, I called Aunty Peg and invited her over for dinner. "Are you cooking?" she teased. I promptly told her I'd be ordering Chinese to accompany the Teen Mom episodes we had to watch.

She said she'd be over shortly so after ordering the Chinese, I ran around the living room picking up dirty clothes to put in the laundry and old magazines to put in the recycling bin. I'd just finished putting the dishwasher on and sprinkling some food into Ringo and Penny Lane's tank when my aunt arrived at the door.

She greeted me with a kiss on each cheek and handed over a container of chocolate cupcakes. "Hello love."

"Thanks for not burning this lot," I laughed, holding up the box of cupcakes. She gave me an annoyed look and then placed her bag on the coffee table before sitting down.

The food arrived not long after and as we dug into the spring rolls, fried rice and honey chicken, Aunty Peg asked if I'd heard from Luke since he'd left.

"He called me today, actually. Their first show is tomorrow night," I smiled, thinking about how excited he and the boys will be.

"I hope you're not missing him too much," she said sternly.

"I'm not."

"It's no good basing your happiness around boys."

I snorted. "That's a bit rich coming from you, isn't it?"

"I'm not saying don't have fun with them. Just make sure you're your own person. You have to love yourself first."

I took into the spring roll and nodded, then focused my attention back to the tv. While we watched Teen Mom, I silently debated over telling Aunty Peg about my plans for the weekend. She'd probably be thrilled to hear that I was going out - with someone other than Luke or Olivia - instead of sitting at home with my iPod and junk food.

I hadn't told Olivia yet either and I didn't think I was going to. She'd probably just offer more of her terrible advice and it would make a casual night out to see a band feel like some sort of nightmare where I ended up analysing every word and gesture.

At least I could count on Aunty Peg to keep the dating advice to herself. Kind of.

Except perhaps telling her would make the plans feel more real, and as silly as it was I felt this weird sense of guilt. Like I was sneaking around behind Luke's back. I thought back to our conversation today. He did tell me I should have fun, whatever that meant.

"I'm going to a show with Harry on Friday night," I blurted out suddenly. Aunty Peg turned very slowly to face me. Her expression was completely unreadable and I was actually nervous she might say something disapproving. Harry was older than me after all.

"I think that's a swell idea."

"Really?"

She nodded. "I've seen the way your face changes when you talk about him."

"What do you mean? It does not!" I tried to sound shocked but suddenly I was smiling and as much as I tried to stop it, I could't.

"Oh, please. Look at you. You're blushing."

"I don't blush."

She gave me this look that said, Oh, please, and then I pretended to look very interested in my fried rice. "Do you think it's a bad idea?"

"Have you not listened to a word your dear Aunt has said?" she was frowning again. "British men, well, they're different to Australian men. And if this Harry is anything like Samuel Swanson, you could learn a lot from him... if you know what I'm saying. I remember once, Samuel took me to the movies and well, we only made it as far as his car because we could not keep our hands off of each other and he - "

"Stop, stop!" I threw my hands over my ears. "I get it. Please keep the details to yourself."