Endlessly (Harry Styles)

Chapter 7

*Hazel Murray*

                Today was our last day of school. Friday 8th. I would be there for the first period, then I would leave for the Cedar City airport and leave for San Diego, California, to see the show One Direction was doing. Mom and Dad were going to drive to the airport, then we had to say goodbye. They weren't coming with me. 

                I dressed up quickly. My bags were all packed and I didn't even need my Jansport bag. I grabbed my phone, put some black flats on and let my hair fall naturally on my shoulders. My stomach was twisting from the excitement. 

                Today was going to be the last of my life in which I'd be going to the Hell of school. I was going in there, I grab my diploma, I say goodbye to my teachers who barely knew me, then I get the Hell out of there. Sounds like a great plan to me...!

                My phone buzzed, and I saw the text Simon just send me.

"Mom?" I called while going downstairs.
"Yes, sweetie?" Mom answered from the kitchen.
"My plane leaves at 12 o'clock. You have to come and get me at school at 10, okay?"
"Sure, I'll be there with your Dad and all of your things." Her voice answered. I could hear all her sadness in her voice.
"Thanks Mom." I said, coming in the kitchen.

                I grabbed an apple, hugged Mom and left the house. I ate my apple, listening to Ed's voice in my headphones. I was too excited to eat anything else than that. After today, I was never coming back to this school. I stopped. After today, I'm never going to walk to school again... I realized. I smiled widely, not feeling a tiny bit of nostalgia. I was too happy for that.

                I entered the school, the grin still on my face and went to class. Nobody had a bag, since we weren't going to work. All the Exams were finished, and today was a day of celebration for the senior. Celebration that I will miss, gladly. I walked to the teacher, Mr. Prisky.

"Hello, Mr. Prisky." I politely said.
"Hi, Hazel." He answered. "You look incredibly happy today."

                Like I said before, Mr. Prisky is the only teacher who remembered me.

"I have to leave at 10 o'clock, fifteen minutes before the end of the period." I said.
"I guess this is not the reason why you are so happy..."
I chuckled. "So but it's related to it."
"Okay. You have to give me a signed paper for that, though. Not that I don't believe you, it's just that it's the school policy."
"I know." I looked in my pocket and took the sealed envelope in it. "I was told to give you this. I haven't opened it."

                He gently took it and motioned me to go sit down. I did.

                As the class was about to start, I saw Mr. Prisky open the envelope and quickly read the letter inside. He smiled widely when he read it. I had no idea what was in it. Simon posted it with a note telling me to give this to my teacher before I left. I grinned at the thought of Simon. He seemed to be a really nice man. 

"Why are you smiling, idiot?" A voice I feared sneered beside me.

                I didn't move or answered to Aaron. I felt a hand grip my right upper arm. I winced. Another bruise I was about to get.

"Answer when I ask a question."
"None of your business." I snapped, surprising myself.
Rage darkened Aaron's eyes. "Feisty, today, are we?"

                He gripped my arm tighter, making me flinch. 

"Mr. Parker, I would like you to sit down, the class is about to start." Mr. Prisky's voice snapped.

                Aaron glared at him, but released my arm and sat down. I sighed in relief as the pain in my arm eased up. This was going to give me one Hell of a bruise... I smiled a bit to my teacher, who winked at me. I let my thoughts wander until Mr. Prisky said my name.

"Hazel, it's 10 o'clock. I think you have to get going."
I looked at the clock and nodded. "You're right, thank you."

                I stood up and felt everybody's eyes on me. I swallowed, embarrassed by so much attention. I heard a few comments as I left the classroom. 'Good thing she's leaving.' 'Finally, I was tired of seeing her face.' I looked at my feet as I walked faster. But as I was about to pass the door, Mr. Prisky's voice stopped me.

"Hazel, you might want to take this with you." He said, and gave me a brown envelope as I turned around.
I took it, puzzled and I opened it. I gasped as I saw what was in it. "My diploma!"
Mr. Prisky laughed. "Have a great day, Hazel. Travel safe." He winked.

                I grinned at him. He knew! I giggled and left the class, everybody's stare on my back. And for the first time in all the years I've been to school, I didn't acre for them at all. I started running to the door and I pushed them open. I saw my mom's car and I ran straight to it.

"Hey, honey! How was your last hour of High School?"
I shoved my diploma in her face as I entered the car. "MOM I JUST FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL!" 
She laughed. "You did."
"Drive fast! I have a plane to catch!" I squealed, really excited. 
"Okay sweetie." Mom chuckled. "I've never seen you so excited."
"I never did something so exciting either."
"Impatient to leave us?" Mom teased.

                I knew she was only teasing me, but it still hurt. 

"Mom, I love you, I'm not leaving you... I'm leaving this town." I said, my smile fading.
"I know. Don't worry for me. Don't let a grumpy old lady ruin your beautiful day and get your adorable smile back on your face."

                I instantly smiled again. Mom chuckled, then she started the car. I noticed that Dad wasn't there.

"Where's Dad?"
Mom sighed. "He had an emergency at work and couldn't leave. He really tried." She quickly added when she saw my grin leaving my face again.
"I know... I just... I just wished he was there to say goodbye." I admitted.
"I know, honey. And I know he wishes he was there too."

                The rest of the drive was in silence. A heavy silence, the one before a goodbye. A silence full of memories and nostalgia. A silence where you try to enjoy the other's presence, knowing that you won't see the other in a long time. As we arrived to the Airport, Mom asked me if I was going to be alone in the plane.

"I don't know. He said somebody was going to take care of me when I arrived at the airport, but I don't know which airport it is. San Diego's or here."
"Anyways, do you have your plane ticket?"
"Yes."
"Okay, great, let's go in."

                We went inside and my mom was asking me if I had everything.

"You have your bags?"
"Yes."
"Your phone?"
"Yes."
"Books?"
"Yes."
"Shoes?"
"Yes."
"Clothes?"
"Yes."
"Tampons?"
"MOM!?"
She chuckled. "Sorry I had to... Do you have some?"
"Yes..." I mumbled, irritated.

                I scanned through the airport. I saw a tall and muscular man holding a cardboard saying 'Hazel Murray'. I told my mom.

"I guess Simon did send somebody here."
She nodded. "What are we waiting for? Let's go meet him."

                Intimidated by his imposing stature, I slowly walked towards him. 

"Hazel Murray?" He asked me.

                I nodded, too shy to answer anything else.

"Hello, my name is Andy Davies, I'm a One Direction bodyguard. Simon send me to take care of you."

                I nodded again, really uncomfortable. Mom decided to intervene. 

"Hello, I'm Susan Murray, Hazel's mother. This is Hazel. Excuse her for not presenting herself, she's pretty shy in front of strangers."
"Mom..." I nudged her, but she ignored me and shook Mr. Davies hand.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Murray. You too Hazel." He said extending one hand.

                I took his hand, who was huge compared to my tiny hand. 

"Pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Davies." I mumbled.
Mr. Davies chuckled. "You are a polite and shy one, are you?" I nodded shyly. "Please, call me Andy."
"Okay, Andy." I smiled timidly.

                Andy looked at his watch. 

"We should get going. We have security to pass and the plane is leaving in on hour. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Murray."
"Same here." She said, smiling up to Andy. Then, she hugged me tightly. "I love you, honey."
"Mom, please, don't cry. Because if you cry, then I will cry. Then we'll both cry and we'll look awful. And maybe we'll make Andy cry." I joked, lamely I have to admit. But my mom chuckled at those words.
"Seeing Mr. Davies cry must be traumatizing."
"I don't cry." Andy said, smirking.

                I giggled and released my mom.

"I'll call you tonight, okay? Tell Dad I love him."
"Okay... Bye Hazel."
"Bye Mom."

                I hugged her one last time before leaving. I waved one last time before entering the security, where you can only go if you have a ticket. Andy, in spite of my protests, took all my bags and carried them.

                Thirty minutes later, we were waiting on the benches. 

"So, Andy..." I said awkwardly, trying to start a conversation. "How long is the flight?" I mentally faceplamed myself. Way to be even more awkward.
"About 3 hours and 45 minutes." He shrugged.
"What? You did almost 4 hours of plane to come and get me?" I asked, incredulous.
"Well, actually I did 9 hours of plane from Mexico City, where the boys had a show. They took a plane to San Diego to prepare the show, and I came here to get you."
"You could've just wait for me in San Diego's Airport..."
"I'm used to all the plane hours... You're not. I think Simon mentioned you've never taken the plane before."
I nodded. "He's right."
"It wouldn't have been nice to let you take your first plane ride alone, would it?" Andy continued with a smile.

                I grinned back.

"Thank you so much." I shyly said.
"You're really shy, are you?" Andy asked.
I shrugged. "Yeah..."
"The boys are nothing like that. They're probably closer to crazy and undisciplined."
"Do you think they'll like me?" I asked, a bit worried.
"Yes, have no worries. You are a lovely person, Hazel. And perhaps being around a quiet girl will make them a bit less difficult to control." Andy chuckled.
"They're crazy?"
"You have no idea." He took his phone out and showed it to me. It was full of pictures of him and another man fighting with the boys. "The other man there is Paul Higgins, their other bodyguard."

                I giggled when I saw a picture of Paul carrying one of the boys bridal style, with Andy following.

"That's Liam." Andy said. "And that's Harry climbing on Paul."

                I laughed so hard when I saw Harry in a green jumper. Andy showed me a video.

"That's when we were trying to get in their room but they wouldn't let us..." Andy grumbled.

I chuckled. "You seem to be more like babysitters than bodyguards!" I bit my tongue when I realized how rude that sounded. 
And just laughed with me. "You have no idea."

                I breathed, happy that Andy didn't take my comment badly. The electronic voice of a woman made me jump.

"All the passengers in first class for the flight #376 direction San Diego must come abort. All the passengers in first class for the flight #376 direction San Diego must come abort. Thank you."

                Andy stood up.

"Alright, Hazel, this is our flight!"
"What? But they said first class."
"Yes. And that's us!"

                My mouth fell open. I was going first class?

"We weren't going to let the opening act of one of the most famous boys band in the world ride in economic flight..." Andy teased me.
My mouth still wide open, I nodded. "Okay... Let's go."

                I gave my ticket to the flight attendant, who smiled sweetly at me and wished me a good flight. I thanked her and entered in the plane. I was shaking of excitement as I sat down in my seat. Andy sat next to me.

"We have approximately 4 hours to kill. You can watch a movie, sleep, read, or whatever you like. Feel free to command anything on the menu if you're hungry." Andy told me.
"Hungry? I am way too excited to be hungry!"
Andy gasped playfully. "If Niall heard you! It's a blaspheme!"
"He really likes eating?" I asked.
"Likes eating? I swear I have never seen a lad eat so much like him and stay thin."
I chuckled. "Good to know."
"What do you like to eat, Hazel?" Andy asked me.
"Chocolate." I instantly replied. "Why?"

                Andy smiled mysteriously before ringing the bell. A air hostess immediately came.

"What can I do for you?"
"I would like a glass of wine and this young girl would like a chocolate please."
"I can bring you the chocolate, but the wine will have to wait after we take off." She answered.
"It's okay. Thank you."
"You're very welcome."

                A couple of minutes later, she brought me my chocolate. The captain's voice told us we were about to leave. The plane started moving and it took off, leaving my stomach behind. Andy chuckled at my discomfort. 

"You get used to it." He said.
I took a deep breath and I ate my whole chocolate. "Yeah, I guess..."
"You really do like chocolate, do you?"
"Is it that obvious?" I giggled.

                Suddenly, I stiffed a yawn.

"I think I'm going to sleep. If the boys are only half as cray as you told me they were, I will need it. Besides, I was too excited to sleep last night..." I admitted, blushing.
"Go ahead. I'll wake you up when we're about to land."

                I nodded and thanked him. I put my headphones on and I listened to Ed's voice. I closed my eyes and felt myself drift to sleep.

MEDIA PICTURE: LILY COLLINS AS HAZEL