How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 23

Harry spent Friday morning on the phone. It was surprisingly easy for me to forget that he was actually in a famous band. We did such normal things together at home and he was so easy going. The series of business phone calls had him talking in a serious tone and pacing around the kitchen jotting down notes on a small piece of paper.

Watching him like this was a new experience. His jaw was clenched tightly and his eyes were narrowed in focus. He used the back of his hand to push his hair out of his eyes periodically. He would take rushed steps to the piece of paper and write down something quickly, look it over, and nod. Just when I thought he was lost in his phone call, he looked over at me and winked.

I felt my face burn hot as I blushed. I tore my stare from Harry where it had been for several minutes. I felt like a girl in school again trying to steal glances of her crush. Harry could cause butterflies to erupt in my stomach. He could make my heart melt completely. He had me wrapped around his finger and it was like he wasn't even fully aware.

"Love?" he called from the kitchen.

"Huh?" I had been standing near the window overlooking part of the city. I turned back to him.

He looked conflicted as he walked out of the kitchen and toward the window near the fireplace where I was standing. His lip was taken between his teeth and he was pushing his hand around his hair making it messy, but no worse than it had been. Harry stopped beside me and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I know you're still really nervous about going out in public with me because of the paps and the fans." He swallowed and pouted his lips. "There's a party tonight at a club we've been invited to. Some of the other boys are going, too. It's sort of a last get-together before tour starts."

I understood why he was having so much trouble bringing up the party. First, it required us going out together, and he was aware of the anxiety I still had. I was worried about photographers and fans and his friends wanting to talk to me and still not having any memory. But more than that, he had brought up tour. Harry going on tour was a reality we were both conscious of, but neither of us had really engaged in a conversation about him leaving.

"I'll go," I smiled in mock confidence.

He saw right through me. "I would never want you to go if you weren't comfortable with it. I don't mind waiting for you until you're ready."

"I know," I took his hand in mine. "I can't hide away forever."

"I'll be with you the entire time."

____________

When the car pulled up to the front of the club, I instantly felt nervous. A particularly large number of photographers were lining the street. This was definitely a big photo opportunity. Several members of One Direction, along with a few other local celebrities, would be in one place. The cameras were already flashing wildly at us before we even got out of the car.

"You alright?" Harry looked over at me.

"I'm fine, Harry." I tried to laugh off my anxiety.

The door on Harry's side of the car opened and he got out, the volume of the crowd increasing significantly. Harry didn't pay any attention. Instead, he turned around and offered me his hand as I got of the car behind him. He put his arm around me securely as we made our way to the doors of the club.

Harry raised his hand as a civil wave to the suddenly animalistic photographers as they closed in on us. Bodyguards appeared and kept a circle of space around us so we could walk as freely as possible.