Stage Lights || H.S.

the sold out show

It was like an unwritten rule. Everyone knew who I was and why I was there, no one asked or mentioned Harry and I. But I could tell by the way their eyes traveled from Harry to me and back to Harry that they took their guesses about us.

I was introduced as his friend as he pulled me around the room. I remembered Waseem from Mallorca and, even though in Spain we didn't chat for more than three minutes, he seemed happy to see me there and greeted me with kisses on the cheek. Alongside him was Matt Hitt, who I didn't need to be introduced to. We had met last fall in Ohio when I saw his band perform for about five hundred people. He didn't remember my name, but remembered my face, I was "quite hard to forget" he said. The two guys pushed me a glass of rosé they had bought from the food stand out in the lobby, they said the doors opened and now the place was crowded.

Slowly the room started getting more and more empty. Harry was telling me about the opening band and how I should check them out when my dad reached us. He too had a wine glass in hand, his friends shook Harry's hand and walked out of the room, but Will stayed.

"I heard it's mad out there, kid." Will said. "You're writing history."

"Thanks to you."

"No. It's all you. You did it." He pulled Harry into a hug, tapping his back as he did so. "I'm proud of you, Styles. We all are."

"Thank you. I'll see you later to celebrate, eh?"

"Absolutely." And then Will pulled me close, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. "Ready to go, kiddo?"

"Actually, Anne asked me if I could keep her company during the show. You met Anne, right?" I said nervously.

"My sister couldn't make it." Harry explained. "She has amazing seats. And Luna can hang back here until I have to go on."

I felt my insides burning, my heart racing and my stomach tied into a knot. I was never put into this situation because I've never brought a guy home, but now there was this weird tension between the three of us where Will couldn't say anything because I told him Harry and I weren't together, but he had also seen a picture of us... together.

"That's okay. Just make sure she's alright, yeah Harry?"

It was now Harry, Jeff and Glenne, Anne and I. We chatted for a while, Jeff kept running in and out of the room to make sure things were on time. Harry insisted on giving Glenne his phone for her to snap a few pictures of us. He held me on his side and we both smiled to the camera.

Soon the tour manager, hair stylist and Harry's stylist stormed in making the once peaceful green room a mess again. Anne sat with Glenne on a corner snacking on pretzels, they seemed to know each other well. I sat on top of the table in front of Harry, my back pressed against the mirror that lit up his face while getting his hair styled.

"So after the show we're going back to the hotel bar for a few drinks with the Columbia Records people."

"My dad." He nodded.

"The hotel is not far from here, is right down Broadway, close to Times Square." He reached for my thigh, his thumb rubbing on the thin fabric of my pants. "I like these, they're very hip."

I laughed. "I know someone is going to post a picture of me online so I had to at least try and look decent."

"You're beautiful always. You don't have to try." I shook my head. "So you think Will will be okay with you leaving with me after?"

"I'm sure he'll survive."

Harry chuckled. "You're staying at mine, yeah? I'll have you back at your hotel before I leave to Boston tomorrow."

I was going to say that I was okay to stay at his room for the night, but someone else pulled him from the chair he was sitting in. "Let's get you dressed quick."

Glenne and Anne hugged him goodbye. He took his time with his mom, he rubbed her back as she whispered something in his ear and I could tell her holding back the tears and she pulled away from his arms. Glenne left with Jeff and Anne looked for me.

"I'll wait for you in the hallway."

"She'll be out in a second." Harry said.

Once his mom was out the door his hands cupped my face and his lips found mine. It was fast and it left me wanting more.

"I've been wanting to do that since you walked in the room."

"Go get ready, rockstar. I'll see you later." He kisses my lips again. "Harry..."

"Alright. Alright." He smiled. I turned around to walk out the door. "Luna." I glanced over at him. "My mum tends to get a bit emotional, just a warning."

"I'll handle it, don't worry." He nodded and turned around. "Harry..." He glanced over to me one last time. "Break a leg."

Anne laced her arm on mine as we walked out of backstage, we followed a woman with a ear piece and walkie-talkie around. We tried to go unnoticed, since Harry was close to going on stage there wasn't people hanging around the lobby but as soon as we walked into the room I felt all the heads turn and eyes on us. Suddenly the voices became louder and I just tried not to fall on the carpet as the woman brought us to our seats.

"You know, Luna." She said, as we sat down. People shouted her name and she waved before grabbing my hand on my lap. "Harry thinks you're a lovely person and I agree with him. You shouldn't let anyone here tonight make you nervous or think otherwise."

"Harry and I are friends."

"I know. But I do think he fancies you. Don't you?"

Before I could say anything, the room was filled with screams and a soft melody took over. I had never seen a room vibrate as much as that one in that moment. Not when I saw him perform at the Troubadour, not when I saw perform at the Greek Theater, not when I saw him perform in Las Vegas. I couldn't help but smile.

Ohhh tell me something I don't already know

The curtains fell down and the screamed became even louder. It released Harry, standing behind the microphone holding a guitar in front of his body. The spotlight shinned on top of him. He wore a red suit with black details. The girls on the few rows in front of us jumped up and down like a kid on Christmas morning.

Tell me something, tell me something
You don't know nothing, just pretend you do
I need something, tell me something new
Choose your words 'cause there's no antidote
For this curse, oh what's it waiting for?
Must this hurt you just before you go?

Oh tell me something I don't already know
Oh tell me something I don't already know

I felt Anne's hand grab mine and squeeze it. I looked over to find her with tears falling from her eyes and a big smile on her lips. She glanced over at me and squeezed my hand again. I couldn't say I understood what she was feeling, being in New York seeing her youngest son play his sold out first solo show at Radio City Music Hall. It felt overwhelming for me, and I'm sure she was flooding with different emotions so I just let her hold me hand for how long she needed.

Brooklyn saw me, empty at the news
There's no water inside the swimming pool
Almost over, had enough from you
And I've been praying, I never didn't before
Understand I'm talking to the walls
I've been praying ever since New York

Words aren't enough to describe that moment. The way the room sang those words back at him, the way they cheered when the verse was over. I was glad I went, I was truly glad to be there standing in that room watching him do what he was passionate the most. I had never seen someone like Harry.