small world

chapter 4

HARRY

in response to my mothers announcement that someone had entered the room, I naturally turned around and met a gaze with the most beautiful blue-green eyes I had ever seen. They resembled the glimmering sparkle of the ocean under the sun and grew wide staring at me, clearly in just as much shock as I was in. I heard myself let out a gasp as I took in every detail of her face and then felt a sudden interrupting pain in my side as my mother elbowed me, signaling for me to say something. Charlotte let out a nervous giggle, obviously waiting for me to stop gawking over her and say something, but I was completely at loss for words. Something about her left me speechless, which didn't happen often. I was the "flirt" and everybody knew I could easily chat-up a girl and win her over. But this - this was different. After a long awkward silence the best i could come up with was

“Hi” I managed and face-palmed myself in my mind because that was the only syllable I could get out. I heard the creak of front door open in a distance but my focus was solely on her.

CHARLIE

Haz. Hazza. Harry. Cheshire. Holmes Chapel. Harry STYLES. How could I have forgotten the simple detail that Harry and his mother had different last names, and while hers was Cox his was STYLES. The same boy I played legos with and stole crayons from and chased and kissed was apart of UK’s very own One Direction. Suddenly I found myself returning his awkward silence with my very own and eventually it took me out of my trance... but I couldn’t even think of any greetings with this realization spinning through my mind making me dizzy. When I finally gathered words, I was cut off abruptly. 

“You’re-“ 

“CHARLIE?” a voice I wasn’t expecting to hear yelped my name in shock and suddenly, the familiar figure came running toward me.

 “LOUIS!” I screamed with arms wide open snuggling into his chest taking in his signature scent.

“You two know each other?” Anne and Harry said in unison, with the same confusion in their voices.

“Charlotte Parker what are you doing here?!” Louis questioned, ignoring the disoriented mother and son waiting for answes as he held me in his arms and looked down at me. He was absolutely beaming with a smile that revealed each and every tooth.

“Lou this is where I’m staying this summer, Anne is – was – my moms best friend.” I explained just as dumbstruck as he was while three more boys spilled into the kitchen with suitcases in hand.

“Harry where should we –“ Niall began to speak to Harry but followed his intent gaze which landed straight on me. I was caught up in the reuniting moment with my best friend and didn’t realize that Hazza – or should I say Harry – was staring at me with the sheer look of awe in his eyes and his jaw hung open.

“Harry you ‘oughta close that thing or you’ll catch flies” Niall said playfully in his adorable Irish accent pointing out Harry’s wide open mouth, which startled him, bringing him out of his trance-like state. Suddenly his eyes widened and his cheeks were flushed and he ran his hands through his curly hair to hide his embarrassment.

“When Harry said we’d be having somebody join us he didn’t mention it was a girl, or a very pretty girl for that matter” Zayn winked at me. Oh my god. Is Zayn Malik flirting with me? I let out an embarrassed laugh that sounded just as embarrassing as I was and quickly covered my mouth with my hand. What the hell is going on?

 “Wait, so let me get this straight” Liam, the sensible one was trying to put all the pieces together “Your Harry’s childhood best friend who moved to Doncaster and became Louis’ present day best friend who moved away from him back to Cheshire to live with your mum’s friend and her son ‘Hazza’ who happens to be Harry Styles and you had no idea but in addition to that is your best friends other best friend?” five pairs of eyes stared back at me as Anne returned from the kitchen with seven cups of tea on a tray. She took a seat on the sofa next to Harry joining in on the stare, waiting for answers as well.

 "That sounds about right.” I replied with the same hint of confusion that he had in the question and found myself chuckling at the situation before me.

 "Well,” I finally broke the all-around shocked silence “small world.”