You Had Me At Hello || z.m.

Dinner With The Boys

It's Friday evening and I'm at the grocery: Alice and I invited the guys for dinner. Alice persuaded me to invite Perrie too. Ugh. I guess I'll have to put on my brightest fake smile. Me and Zayn haven't spent much time together after our morning at the airport, more than a week ago; but obviously my stupid mind hasn't got over him yet. I hate myself: he's got a girlfriend (even though I can still hear Liam saying "he doesn't love her") and he has repeated a thousand times that we are friends. Why can't I put up with it?!

I check my shopping list and stretch trying to reach the highest shelf.

"Oh fuck, why am I so short!" I mutter as I fail my attempt.

"Do you need any help?" I turn around and see Niall's smiling face.

"Hi! What a coincidence!"

He takes the jar of saffron from the shelf and hands it to me.

"Thank you very much!" I tell my saviour, while noticing Harry coming from behind him.

"Hi Harry" I grin; it's the second time I see them, but their smiles are so warm and confidential: I really feel comfortable around them.

"Why are the two of you here?" I ask.

"We wanted to buy something to drink for tonight!" Niall explains. He was born in Ireland, and has a cute typical accent.

"That's very kind, but you don't need to!"

"I already bought some wine, babe" Harry shows me the bottles in his hands, while his charming little dimple peeps out on his cheek.

"Ok, so...thank you! Do you want to come over earlier? We can walk to my house together and I can teach you how to cook some Italian delicacies!" I suggest.

The boys look at each other, shrug and nod in accord.

"Great, I'll go paying."

The guys come with me at the cash. I pay and they help me with the bags. We reach my flat in a few minutes, during which Niall tells me about his passion for food. I'm sure he's going to enjoy my dinner.

When we are home, the boys head to the living room, while I go in the kitchen and begin to cook. I want to make a "risotto alla Milanese", with saffron, and also a "frico", that's a typical dish of the region where Alice and I come from, made up of cheese and potatoes.

I hear the two guys talking with Alice for a while; then, Harry appears on the door and softly asks "Need any help?"

He's such a sweetheart.

"No thank you, I'm making the "soffritto", it's quite easy" I explain as I take an onion from the fridge. He comes closer and leans his back against the wall, next to me, with his arms crossed on his chest.

I don't know why, but his presence has some power of suggestion on me. He has this way of talking and behaving that make him look like a peaceful and quiet big boy, but I guess...he's much more than that.

I begin cutting the onion and my face turns bright red; my eyes fill with tears and I gasp in pain.

"Is the onion burning your eyes?" he questions, almost laughing.

I nod, turning my face away and closing my eyes for the complaint; Harry puts his hands on my hips, causing me to jolt.

"C'mon, let me help you" he whispers with that unique husky voice of his, gently pushing me aside and taking the knife from my hand.

I laugh and rub my eyes. After a while, Harry's eyes start getting wet too and he lets out an awkward moan.

I'm almost dying from laughing, and Harry joins me. We look like two complete idiots.

"What are you two doing?" Alice comes from the living room, a suspicious look on her face.

"The onion is killing our eyes" Harry clarifies, while I'm still laughing next to him.

Alice shakes her head as saying "what a couple of idiots" and leaves. Harry then turns to face me; his smile slowly vanishes and he because serious; for a second, I lose myself in his bright green eyes; they are so deep and beautiful. His intense gaze makes my cheeks flush, and when he slowly moves his look to my lips I almost faint. What is he doing?

It seems like it's just me and him for a while, but then a loud cluck brings us back to reality. The front door of the flat opens and Louis comes in.

I rapidly turn away from Harry.

What has just happened here?