Twist Of Fate

First Impressions Are Last

The journey from the elevator to the parking lot goes quite smoothly because there are no fans down there. Harry doesn't leave my hand until the car. I sit shotgun and Gregg lies down on the backseats. Now, as we're pulling out of Gregg's driveway, my phone starts to ring in my pocket. Kate's name flashes across the screen.
"Kate, I'll call you back." I hastily say, as I accept the call.
"Mus! You kissed Harry Styles!" Kate yells in my ear. From the corner of my eye, I see Harry smile. God, he heard her.
"I'll talk to you later." Before she can say anything else, and embarrass me further, I end the call.
"Your friend, I presume." Harry says, making a sharp right turn.
"Yeah, my best friend." I say, switching my phone off and shoving it into my bag.
"So, the news did spread like wildfire."
"I knew it, Harry! You were wrong when you said it won't affect me in the least bit."
"I just thought..." Harry sighs, smiling. "Yes, I was wrong and you are right, Mus. All hail the queen!" I giggle, slapping Harry's arm.
"Are you always this playful and fun, or this act just for me?" I ask, changing my position, so that I'm facing Harry at all times.
"I'm usually like this. Often, it gets on peoples nerves, but I really don't care." Harry pauses, as he stops the car at a traffic light. "Mus, at first people critiqued me about my attitude and behavior and they wanted me to change it. I tried, I really did. But then I realized that the person who I'm trying to become will never make me happy. I'm not a serious, perfect gentleman. I'm far from it." Harry chuckles. "So, instead of me changing, and getting used to another version of myself, the people around me had to get used to the real me. Eventually, it all ended well." I don't know what to say. Since I've been spending time with Harry, he didn't say anything serious, until now. And now that he's said something deep and serious, I'm at a loss for words. I agree with him, though. One shouldn't change their personality, or physical appearance for others. They should do it for themselves.
"Oh my God, for once Madam Mus has nothing to say. She's at a loss for words!" Harry announces, making me smile.
"You gave such a long and emotional speech, I needed time to digest it." I say, just as Harry stops outside my house. He unlocks the doors, and a wave of sadness floods over me. I don't want to leave his company.
"W-Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee? Or tea?" I offer.
"I would love that, but I have to attend practice. Another show tonight," Harry says.
"Oh," I murmur. "Thanks for everything." I open the door and get out of the car. "Bye, take care." I shut the door and turn around. Harry honks the car horn from behind me, making me turn around immediately.
"Mus, I hope that we can meet again. Soon." Harry says, his voice laced with hope. I nod my head, grinning.
"I would like that very much," I agree. Harry smiles, seeming satisfied.
"Take care of yourself, Mus." I nod my head, and turn back. I hear Harry's car drive down the road, as I unlock the front door. My house seems so lonely and quiet, after spending a whole night with Harry and a few hours with the boys. Gregg will reach my home by five in the evening, but it won't be the same. Sure, we have fun, but the fun that I had with Harry last night was different. Sighing, I deposit the keys into a bowl lying on a table by the front door, and drop my purse right there. Sluggishly, I walk toward my room, and throw myself on the bed.
**********
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Gregg's voice interrupts my dream. My dream bubble pops and I'm left in darkness. I open one eye to find Gregg sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at me.
"What're you doing in my house?" I say, sitting up.
"You left the front door open, so I let myself in. I thought you'd be bathing or getting ready for movie night. Instead, I find you lying here, sleeping."
"I didn't sleep too well last night." All night I was worried about my hands, legs, or any other part of my body touching Harry and he getting the wrong message. So, I had to sleep like a mummy.
"Wonder why?" Gregg smiles at me mischievously and wiggles his eyebrows.
"Shut up!" I chuck my pillow at him and it hits him in the face.
"Now go and get ready!" Gregg instructs. "By the way, I hope you weren't drooling last night." I glare at him, but before I can strangle him to death, Gregg runs out of my room. Was I drooling last night? I don't even know. Shit! Harry must think I'm a disgusting creep. I want to cry out of embarrassment, but like a lady - a lady that's not me - I head over to the bathroom and wash my face. Every time I look up in the mirror above the sink, I imagine me drooling and Harry staring at me with a disgusted expression. This is bad, very bad. Once I'm done with everything, I head out to the lounge where I'm sure Gregg is lying on the couch, with a bowl of popcorn on his stomach. This is our daily Saturday night routine. Sure enough, I find Gregg in the position that I predicted.
"What are we watching tonight?" I ask, as it's his turn to choose a movie.
"I can't decide between Allegiant, and The Choice." Gregg says, looking at me questioningly.
"Allegiant!" I exclaim, excitedly.
"Allegiant, it is." Gregg gets up to put the DVD in the player. "Oh, by the way, Mus your phone's been out of control since I arrived."
"Where is it?" I ask him, patting my pockets.
"Near the front door," Gregg says. Oh right, it is in my purse.
"I'll get us some drinks, too." I say, as I walk over to my purse that's lying next to a table and open the zip to find my phone light up with a message.
'Are you seriously dead?!' The message reads. It's an unknown number. I've gotten several other texts from the same number and calls. However, before I can read the rest, my phone rings again, the same number flashing across the screen.
"Hello." I say, accepting it.
"Thank God, Mus! You had me worried sick. I was just going to come over to your house," Harry says.
"How'd you get my number?" That's the first question that pops into my mind.
"Gregg." Harry answers, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"Of course!" I exclaim, realization dawning on me. "Why were you so worried? I'm fine, I was sleeping."
"I don't know why I was worried...I just was." Confusion is clear in Harry's tone. "Mus, we're finishing off early today, can I come over?" Come over?! My house is a mess. I glance around the hallway. My purse is lying on the floor, my dog's half-eaten meat bone is lying near the fur carpet, and two, or three coats are piled on top of one another. If this is the state of my hallway, the rest of the house will look worse. "Sorry, I don't know-"
"Sure!" I blurt out. I stamp my foot against the floor, frustrated at my lack of brainpower when it comes to Harry.
"That's great, then! I'll see you in half an hour...or forty-five minutes," Harry says. "Bye." He ends the call, and I'm left open-mouthed, wondering how to sort out my house.
"Gregg, get your ass off the couch and help me!" I yell, grabbing the coats, the bone and my purse. Gregg's face appears beside the lounge's door frame, and he raises his eyebrow questioningly. "Here, take these to my room." I shove the items in his arms.
"What's going on, Mus?" Gregg asks, confused.
"Harry's coming over, we need to clean this place up." I say, marching down the hall into the lounge.
"Wait, what? When did you two start making plans together?" Gregg follows me.
"Since now." I pick up the blanket that's lying on the couch and start to fold it. "Gregg, focus! Go and keep those items in my room. Oh, and check up on Nef."
"Okay, doggy duty." I roll my eyes and glare at Gregg.
"Don't call her a dog!" I scold him. "I just want you to check up on the food situation in the beaker."
"Yes, ma'am." Gregg turns on his heel and jogs toward my room. Chip packets - unopened and opened - are lying on the coffee table, Nef's toys are lying around the room and books are lining the tv table.
"How will I do this?" I murmur, picking up the books and stacking them up.
"Done," Gregg says. "Her beaker is still full and it is depositing food into her bowl thrice in a day. Nef is sleeping in her pad."
"Good job, Gregg. Now go and check the kitchen. If there's flour or anything on the counters, please clean it up. Thank you." I run toward my room with all of Nef's toys balanced in my arms. I dump them in the toy basket in my room. Sighing, I run back out, straight into the kitchen. Before I can grab another cloth to help Gregg out, the bell rings.
"He said half an hour!" I say, passing my hand through my hair. First impressions are last impressions and sadly, Harry's first impression of my apartment won't be the best.