Lyrical Souls [h.s]

Chapter Two: Spotlight - Coffee

I was getting ready for my day with Katie when my phone rang. Seeing Harry's name pop-up on my phone screen used to make me so happy. It was exciting how someone as big as Harry paid attention to someone as small as I am. I quickly answered the phone.

'Hey Cas' busy tonight?'

'Not specifically we were planning to go to some pubs and clubs in the area why?'

'Well I have this event I need to go to tonight and I really don't want to but my manager is making me do it because it's good for the networking so I was thinking if you were with me it would be much more fun what do you think?'

I reflected on his proposition. Everything between Harry and I was just surreal and amazing, even better than my dreams. But it was just the two of us, no one else, it was our thing, our secret. Going with him to that party meant going public. I wasn't ready to face what going public meant. The hate from the fans, the lies the media spread, my privacy completely disappearing. Besides, knowing that when I would leave to London, leaving Harry behind, won't really help him with the whole womaniser reputation he was trying to shake off. I couldn't do that to him.

'Hello? Cas'? Can you hear me?'

'What? Yes sorry I was just thinking about it. Can I see you now or are you busy? I think maybe we should discuss some stuff first. Going to a party like this is a statement, one I'm not sure what is exactly. I'm not sure I'm ready to face the consequences of being Harry Styles' date'

'I'm sending you an address meet me in the coffee shop in 15, we'll talk about it. And if it makes you feel better we can say we're just friends.' He tried comforting me and I sensed the sad tone in his deep voice but I was too caught up with my thoughts.

'Yeah like they ever believe you when you say that' I snapped then calmly confirmed before I hung up, ' I'm on my way see ya!'.

I got to the coffee shop and I found him sitting in a booth at the back, wearing a hat and sunglasses indoors. I knew it was to try to avoid fans but I had to tease him. 'Hat and sunglasses indoors? Really? Could you be any more badass?'

'It's just to avoid-'

'I know I'm just teasing' I reassured him.

'So tell me what you're thinking about. You still didn't say yes for tonight. What are you worried about? It's just a party, a private one. We'll go have fun, have a drink or two, talk to some people and then leave. It's not like it's a red carpet event with reporters everywhere. There might be some paparazzi but there's a great security team so we can avoid them if that's what you're worried about. I honestly have been enjoying spending time just the two of us and for the time being, I do think hiding from the media and the paparazzi is the best. I wouldn't want you to get hurt from all the hate and It would kill me if they said something along the lines of you being just a new victim to my womanising ways'.

I listened to him amazed at how well he can read my mind and understand what I was thinking of, without me even saying a word. But then I got concerned noticing the sad look in his eyes.

'I'm sorry they talk about you like that. It's obviously not true, you're one of the kindest people in the whole world and you're not superficial nor materialistic. They just like for some reason to twist every little good thing into their own messed up story and they don't care who it hurts. It's like they forget that celebrities are real people with real feelings they think of them more like dolls children play with for a while and then throw them away.'

'You're right it's really pathetic. But you don't have to worry about that tonight. As I said, it's a private party.'

'How fancy is it exactly?'

'Oh don't worry about that, come on let's go!' He stood up and held my hand waiting for me to do the same. So I did and followed him to a mall on a walking distance from the coffee shop.