Back For You (Harry Styles)

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

In front of me was the most beautiful thing I had seen in my life. We were in some kind of store, and it looked like a bakery by the counter tops and glass displays in front. There was a seating area right there in front; it was a tiny place. There were no table or chairs to be seen; instead, countless lit candles flickered dimly. In the center of it all was a blanket, with a gorgeous variety of my favorite foods. Strawberries with whipped cream, chicken and spinach in Alfredo sauce, and salmon with peaches. It was perfect, and I didn't realize that I was crying until Harry wiped away a tear.

"Hey, love, don't cry." He kissed my nose.

It was too perfect. "It's amazing. It's perfect. Thank you so much. I love you so much, Harry." I threw my arms around his neck and didn't plan on letting go. His natural scent mixed with his cologne filled my nose. I breathed it in heavily and smiled.

"I love you too. You have no idea." He squeezed me tightly, and then let me go. "After you."

I giggled and sat down on the blanket, Harry taking a seat by my side. "I don't know what to eat first." I admitted. It was strange: this was so similar to our very first date at the O2 Arena. How times have changed!

"Whatever you want; tell me how it is, I haven't cooked in a while." He threw arm over my shoulder.

My eyes widened. "You made all this? Is that what you were doing all this time?" It made perfect sense now.

"Yeah," A blush crept up on his cheeks. I poked his right dimple and kissed it.

"I'll try this one." I pointed to the salmon, and Harry grinned. He fed me some, and it was the best thing I had tasted in my entire life. The sweetness of the peaches balanced out the saltiness of the salmon. "Oh my god, Harry! This is amazing, really." I put some more in my mouth.

"I'm glad you like it." He looked so beautiful in this light, the candles flickering and shadowing his skin in the perfect way. I noticed the shadow of his eyelashes fan out over his cheek and the sparkle of his green eyes reflecting off the tiny flames around us. His lips hadn't lost the deep rose color and his hair hadn't lost the curliness. He was without a doubt the most beautiful person I had seen in my life. "You do that a lot." He said simply.

"D-Do what?" I shook my head out of my traveling thoughts.

"Stare at me like that."

"Sorry. It's not my fault you're so beautiful." I played with my fingernails.

He smirked at me. "I think you're the beautiful one in the room tonight, babe." His hand crept behind my neck as he pressed his lips to mine. I smiled and allowed his tongue inside. I gripped his t-shirt and pulled him closer to my body, needing him to feel him against my body. When he pulled away I saw love. There was nothing else to describe it. "I have something for you." He grinned widely.

"Harry, you don't need to do anything else." I said.

"Too late. It's already done." He rose to his feet and kissed the top of my head before disappearing into the kitchen. I sighed, and within a few seconds, Harry came back holding a display of something that looked like...

"Cupcakes!" I exclaimed, and smiled when Harry sat back down and put them in front of us. I gasped when I saw that they were lined up, so they wrote HAPPY ONE YEAR. Every cupcake had a different letter on in it blue frosting. "These are amazing," I moaned when I tasted one, "Did you make them?"

Harry nodded. "There's one thing I have to do." He picked up a cupcake and started to feed it to me. I giggled and opened my mouth, but instead, Harry smeared it all over my face.

"Harry!" I screamed.

"Sorry, babe! I had to!" He laughed, rolling back and then sitting up.

"You so asked for it." I grinned, and then hurled one of the cupcakes at him. As fast as I could I ran for the kitchen and hid behind an oven.

"Where are you, baby?" Harry asked evilly. A giggle escaped my mouth, giving me away. Shoot! "Gotcha!"

I screamed and then burst out laughing as Harry gripped my waist and threw me over his shoulder. "Harry, put me down!" I yelled and sighed as he set me on my feet. We were both covered in frosting and cake. I stepped up to Harry and wiped the chocolate frosting from his forehead. "You got some in your hair."

"So do you," he tried to wipe it off but it wasn't coming out. I just stared into his captivating green eyes. He leaned in slowly, and gently but forcefully pressed his lips against mine. He tasted like mint gum and sugar. My right hand sneaked up behind his neck and he held the small of my back.

"How did I get lucky enough to find you?" he whispered, bringing our foreheads together and stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"I ask myself that same thing." I replied, kissing him again. I cleared my throat. "Now, it's my turn."

"Your turn for what?" he asked as we sat down.

I raised an eyebrow. "You honestly thought I didn't get you something?"

He shrugged. "You're giving me everything I could ever want just by being mine."

I blushed. "Well, too bad. You're getting something." I really hoped he liked it. It was something I thought symbolized everything that mattered to me. I reached into my purse and pulled out the small black box with a red bow on the top. "Here" I handed it him.

He grinned and took it, yanking the bow and opening it. I held my breath watching as he held it in his palm. His beautiful green eyes looked back and forth between it and me -eyes wide.

"It-It's amazing. I love it." He whispered and put it around his neck. It was a silver key on a chain, quite similar to a house key, with the words "Forever and always" engraved in the back.

"It's the key to my heart." I told him. He peered up and me from under his eyelashes and bit his lip.

"I can't tell you how amazing this is. Thank you so much." He enveloped me into a bone-crushing hug, but I didn't mind. I buried my face in his neck and breathed in his scent, something I had grown addicted to.

"You're welcome. I love you so much." I said, my voice muffled by his shirt.

"I love you too." He murmured as his arms around my tightened.

And in that moment, I had never felt so loved.

*****

"Harry, wake up!" I whispered to my sleeping boyfriend. I smiled at his parted pink lips and heaving breathing. His brown hair was disheveled and messy, fanning out on the pillow. "Harry, it's Christmas Eve!"

His eyes shot open. "Hu, what?" he mumbled and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Ten fifteen. Everyone else is awake and downstairs." I pressed my lips to his cheek and skipped out of the room. This morning, I had called the boys, Dani and Sam and told them to come over to Harry's house for Louis's birthday party. I made the Doncaster boy some breakfast -I offered him carrots and he just about ran away- and cleaned up Harry's place a bit.

"So do I get a cake, or....?" Louis grinned at the table when I got down there.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled. "You get something better."

"Happy Birthday Boo Bear!" Harry screamed as he ran into the room and just about tackled the birthday boy.

"Thanks, Harry." He grinned and fixed his hair; such a princess.

"So, Louis," I asked, "what do you want to do today?"

He pondered the thought. "I want to go roller skating."

"Roller skating?" repeated Liam, who had Danielle sitting in his lap.

"Yup. It's my birthday so that's what we're doing."

"That's a great birthday idea mate...if you're ten." Zayn snickered.

"Hey! It'll be great. Don't be so square." Louis pouted.

Zayn stuck his tongue out. How mature. "When did you want to go Louis?" Danielle asked sweetly.

Louis glared at her, ignoring her completely and turned his attention to Niall and the rest of us. "I was thinking in an hour, if that's alright." We all agreed but I pulled Louis off to the side and angry-whispered at him.

"What the hell was that?" I smacked his arm.

"OW! What was what?" he frowned and rubbed his arm.

"You were a total ass to Danielle. What's up?"

Louis played with his fingers and didn't answer. "I'm done with girls. I hate them all, okay? Well except for you 'cause I know you're the only person who hates Elea- her almost as much as I do."

"Louis William Tomlinson. That's no reason to be rude. Suck it up. I get that you're angry and confused and hurt right now, but you and I both know that what you need right now is your friends. So be thankful that Dani is here and not with her."

He bit his lip and nodded shamefully. I stood and paused before patting his head softly. In the common area, I sat in Harry's lap and hummed quietly as he failed at braiding my hair.

"Shit," he cursed, "how do girls do this?!" he whined.

"We don't have giant abnormal hands." I giggled and held his hands in mine, turning them over.

"I still hate braids." He mumbled and then switched to just running his hands through it.

"Didn't you learn how to braid during Boy Scouts?" Niall asked with a cookie in his hand.

"I didn't do Boy Scouts." Harry shrugged.

"Um, every boy does it." Zayn said from down the hall.

"It's true." Liam piped up.

"What does that have to do with braids?" Harry snapped.

"If you did Boy Scouts, you would know how to make one that doesn't look like a knot." pointed out Niall.

Harry rolled his eyes and I laughed. "Whatever."

*****

"I can't believe we're here!" Louis screamed. I winced but laughed as he ran over to the counter and asked the lady for a size 10 skate. Holding Harry's hand, I asked for a woman's size 5.

"Your feet are so small!" Harry laughed.

"It's not my fault!" I smacked his arm. He pretended to cry and rub his arm.

"Why are you so violent?"

I smiled. "It doesn't matter. You're stuck with me."

Harry rolled his eyes and kissed my cheek. I crinkled my nose and then put my skates on. Louis was ahead of the game; he was grinning from ear to ear and skating around in frantic circles. "D-D-DO THE HARLEM SHAKE!" he screamed, and a bunch of people turned to look at him. He just waved and continued with whatever he was doing. I was really proud of him. After going through a breakup, he could have chosen to hide inside his shell, disappear into his own little world where only he existed, but he didn't. Louis chose to see the best in things, too see the outlook where everything was alright. There're not many people like that; and that's why I admired him so much. Only he would behave this way. He was a free spirit, and had a light no one could turn off. I don't he could turn it off either, even if he wanted to.

"Babe, let's go!" Harry whined from the rink. I hadn't even noticed he had left. I skated over to him and stumbled, and fell into his arms. "Well this is romantic." He winked.

"It's more like completely embarrassing and cliché." I grumbled and brushed my hair out of my face.

"You look really beautiful tonight." He told me over the pump of the music. I bit my lip and peered down at my white ripped jeans, army green jacket and black t-shirt. My hair was straightened and I only wore little makeup. "Why can't you take a compliment, love?"

I shrugged. "I just...Don't think it's true."

Harry tilted my head up so I was looking into his eyes. "Take my word for it." He smirked, and then kissed me. I smiled and kissed him back, but not for long.

"Please keep your hands to yourself, sir." A deep Bradford voice commanded. When I turned around, Zayn and Louis were laughing their butts off. I stuck my tongue out at them. Niall was doubled over laughing, going red in the face. I rolled my eyes and kept skating.

Harry held my hand, and gave it a small squeeze when a slow song came on. "Alright, it's that time; couple's dance. Get with a partner, get on the rink, and get movin'." The DJ said into the microphone. I looked at Harry.

"I'm gonna skate with Lou. I think he needs it." I kissed his cheek and he smiled. "Hey Louis, wanna skate?" I grinned and he blushed, but nodded.

"You didn't have to do this, Am," he told me as we started skating, holding hands. "I could have just sat."

I rolled my eyes again and replied, "Come on Louis. It's your birthday."

He shrugged. "It's my 22nd birthday. Is that a special number or something?"

I smacked his arm. "Don't be stupid. Everything's special when it's your birthday!" After I said that, it went quiet between the two of us and we just rolled along, listening to 'The Way You Look Tonight' by Frank Sinatra.

I would have made conversation with Louis, but I was too busy thinking. How did he stay so...strong? He went through one of the worst breakups I had ever heard of, yet still acted like there wasn't a care in the world. I had no idea what that was like, what it was like to always be smiling. Just because he was smiling doesn't mean he was always happy, on the inside, but he was doing a great job of masking whatever he was trying to hide. If I went through what he does every day, I wouldn't have the energy to please everyone like he does. "How do you do it?" I blurt before I can stop myself.

"Do what? Skate? It's really easy-you're doing it right now, I-"

"No, Louis. Be...happy all the time." I shrugged.

Louis furrowed his eyebrows. "Who says I am?"

I looked at our intertwined hands. "You're always smiling and making other people laugh. I don't think I've ever seen you in a ban mood, not since..." I wasn't going to go there.

"I don't want people worrying about me." Louis admitted.

"Louis! Being your best friend, it's sort of my job. And if something's wrong, you need to tell someone!"

He shrugged. I sighed but dropped it, but that didn't stop me from thinking further. From the corner of my eye, I saw Harry waving us over. Louis and I skated over, and I sat down on the bench. "Guys! It's about 3, and we still have to open Louis's presents!"

Louis's face lit up like a light bulb. "Let's go!" he screamed and quickly untied his skates.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I just love this chapter so much! It's one of my favorites for so many reasons.

GUYS. SUNDAY WAS THE ONE DIRECTION CONCERT! It was without a doubt the best night of my life. I went to the one in Tinley Park in Chicago. I had lawn seats so I couldn't really see the boys too well, but who cares?! Niall and Louis were thrusting on each other during a song and it was really funny. For the Twitter Q's, the boys had to walk down the stage like they were models on the catwalk. Funniest thing ever, I swear. I'm sure it's on YouTube, so you should totally check it out.

AND ALSO. OMG. A girl in the front row got sang to by Harry and SHE GOT HIS SWEAT TOWEL. I know. How lucky is she? BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. Turns out, this girl is one of my friends from when I was like nine or ten years old! I'm going to call her or something and see if I can touch Harry Styles's sweat towel! OMG!

OK, sorry that took forever. Anyways, next chapter on Sunday. Thanks for the 1.5K reads. :)

xoxo, Alli