Stage Lights || H.S.

the pie

Harry put our bags in the trunk. The morning was beautiful outside, different from yesterday, the sun was shinning, the sky so blue that no clouds were in sight. I wore a dress that Harry called me crazy for bringing, it's always cloudy and rainy in England, he said. So now I wore it, it was light and white, and I was now proving a point, making him roll his eyes when I walked in the room.

"Harry's really fond of you, Luna." Anne said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "And I'm really glad he found a great girl like you."

"Thank you, Anne. I'm really lucky to have met him."

"I know he cares about you a lot and he's lucky to have met you too. I know I'm glad I have and I know Robin would've loved to meet you." I looked over at her, her big hazel eyes watery as she looked back at me.

"Mum, you promised not to cry." Harry said, shutting the trunk and walking in our direction. His glasses held his hair up, his white t-shirt hung loose on his torso, his light wash jeans were baggy and his vans so clean they looked brand new.

"I know, I know. But you're my baby, it always hurts to see you leave." She let go of me to cup his face when he was close enough, her finger rubbing on his cheek before her hand fell to his broad shoulders.

"Are you sure you don't want to fly out to Paris? Jeffrey can--"

"No. I'm sure. I'll see you at the London shows." He nodded.

"You're staying at my place yeah? You've got the keys?"

"Yeah I've got the keys." She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "Be safe."

His hand grabbed mine and he placed a kiss on her forehead before walking away. His long fingers squeezed mine and I knew he was heartbroken to leave. I wondered how it felt to love someone so much that made leaving nearly impossible. Leaving was the easiest thing I've done my entire life, I've lost count of how many times I've left.

Harry opened the passenger door for me, waiting for me to get in. "Are you okay?" I asked, the sun shinning on his hair making it look a light natural chestnut shade.

"I'll never get used to it."

+++++++

Harry left me on the corner of the street to go look for parking, he knew that if we both had to walk around blocks to get there we'd catch too much attention and have fans track him down. There was a red telephone booth, a cream wall with large writing on it, W. Mandeville, grocer and baker maker of Hovis. I walked through the thin sidewalk and pushed the door open not knowing what to expect.

The smell of baked goods filled my lungs and watered my mouth. The shop wasn't too big, the floor was brown tiled, one of the walls filled with homemade jam, the other with panettone. Behind the counter was an older lady, she wore a maroon apron and put fresh bread on display.

"'Ello." She said happily. "Can I help you?"

"Just browsing." I said.

On one of the corners was a long banner with a picture of Harry. He looked much younger, maybe fifteen or sixteen, his hair curly and funny looking but his dimples and smile were the same. He wore the same apron as the woman behind the counter and held a bread on his hand. People come from miles and miles for craft baking and Harry Styles, it said and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Are you a fan of Harry's?" She asked, making me turn around again.

"Yeah I am."

"Do you live in the village? I don't reckon seeing you before."

"Oh no, I'm not from around here."

"Are you from America?"

"Yeah. California."

"Wow. We've never had someone come from California before. From Ireland yeah, but never from the other side of the pond." I walked over to the counter.

"You know, anything for Harry Styles." I said.

"I'm sure you're a big fan. He worked here with us for years. A charmer that one."

"I'm sure he is."

On top of the counter, by the register, was a small picture frame with a picture of five boys in it. I grabbed it in my hands to see closer, Harry in a brown vest and same colored pants. Our pie's are going in One Direction, read the words on the bottom.

"Would you like to try some of our pie? Harry's favorite was the strawberry one and it's fresh."

"Yeah I would love that."

I waited as she grabbed a slice from the perfect pie on display. She pushed it in my direction over the counter with a plastic fork and watched me as I took a bite off of it. She was short, her grey hair cut above her ears and a pair of glasses hanging on her neck.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's very lovely. I--"

I was interrupted by the bell announcing someone walking in the shop and I turned around to find Harry making his way in. He pushed his sunglasses up his head and shoved his phone on his back pocket, glancing from the woman, to me, to the pie in my hands and back to me. I tried to smile as I chewed on the food.

"Oh my god." The woman behind the counter gasped. "Harry! Oh my god." I put the pie down as she ran to a door that probably led to the kitchen. "Barbara come see who came to visit." She shouted before running back and around the counter. "Harry. Oh my god. Look at you."

"'Ello!" He hugged her. "I see you've made friends." He walked in with an arm around her.

"The strawberry pie is delicious." I said. "And that picture of you holding the bread is adorable."

"Oh bloody hell, Jerry, you gave her my pie!"

"You two know each other?"

Before either of us could answer, another older lady walked out of the back door, glasses on her eyes and cleaning her hands on a cloth. "Harry!" She shouted before being too wrapped by his arms.

"Barbara. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well but I see you've been doing great. Look at you!" She slapped his arm with the cloth. "What have you been eating? You never stop growing. Oh you look so handsome."

"You don't look so bad your self, Barbara. Did you get a hair cut?"

"Oh you, stop." She laughed. "Who's the pretty lady?"

"This is Luna."

"From California, Barbara." The other lady said, raising her eyebrows.

"Can you believe she let me drag her all the way to Holmes Chapel? She's a keeper, yeah?" Harry asked.