The Time Traveler

Chapter 7: Maybe this won't be so bad.

sorry for not writing in a while, yada-yada-yada, JUST READ ALRIGHT!

kidding, love you all, mwah :-*

~Alex

p.s. keep waiting.... the chapters will keep getting better and better.

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*Harry's POV*

Great.

She had fallen asleep. Who falls asleep in three minutes?

I looked over at her, snuggled up against the airplane window, wrapped up in her own arms. I saw her breathe in and out, peacefully. Finally, things were getting back to normal. At least some things were.

I turned to the flight attendant who had connected me to Paul, I asked her if he had called back.

"Nothing yet." She said, taking a glimpse at Rose, who was behind me.

"Thank you." I said, and she carried on serving other passangers around me.

Management had contacted Paul saying there were fans crawling around the hotel, waiting for our arrival. I couldn't be seen walking in with Rose, I didn't want people to think she was my girlfriend, although I had to make certain people believe she was.

Oh and did I mention? Management wasn't as accepting of the fact I had a secret girlfriend as Paul was. How would I convince them she was my girlfriend?

Which makes me wonder how. What would I do?

What would I say to the other mates? They're my best friends. They would've known if I was even talking to a girl. I could just say it was going to be a surprise.

Eh.... no. I had no clue.

Maybe I should ask Rose.

"Rose." I said, aloud.

She slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes. Fantastic. I had forgotten she was asleep and I woke her up.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you-"

"It's okay. I wasn't really- nevermind. What's up?" She sat up.

"I was thinking.... and I wanted to ask what we would do to make the other guys believe we're... together." I shrugged.

"Oh." She grinned, then she tapped her chin. "Um. I'm not a very good liar, but I guess we can just say you were keeping me a surprise."

We think alike. Either that or neither of us can come up with anything better.

"Oh. I hadn't thought of that." I lied. She smiled and opened her mouth to speak. She hesitated, but then spoke.

"Harry."

"We're friends now, right?"

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, we kind of got off to a bad start, and I'm actually a really nice person... and since we're going to be together for the next few days..." She nervously cut off her sentence.

"I'm sorry I misjudged you when we first met.... I owe you a big one- I mean, you saved my life."

"So is that a yes?"

"Definitely." I said.

She smiled. "Alright. And, um, I'm also sorry that I called you a snooty, annoying popstar."

Wait, what? "When did you say that?"

"What?"

"You never called me a 'snooty, annoying popstar'." I shook my head.

She looked down. "You're right. I never called you that, aha. Ha...." She turned away, and ran her fingers through her hair. "Well, maybe we should get to know each other." She suggested, in a voice almosy two octaves higher than she normally speaks.

I nodded in agreement.

Wow, she was cute.

The next hour or so we spent the time talking about our lives. And, in my opinion, hers was definitely more interesting than mine.

Rose is 18 and she was going to graduate in a month. She lived at home with her younger cousin, Sofia, who was 16. Sofia was adopted by Rose's family when she was little, after her parents died in an airplane crash.

"Yeah, Sofia would never, ever, go on a plane." Rose told me, as she tapped the window next to her. Although it was midnight, we still had it open to where we could watch the dark clouds pass by.

"Oh." There was a long pause. I tried to change the subject. "So, uh, how's school?"

"Um..." She broke her eye contact with me, and then began to fidget with her hands.

"Oh, are you not passing?"

"No." She laughed softly and chewed on her bottom lip. "I-" She breathed in deeply. "I just don't like going to school very much."

"Why?" I asked. She looked like she was in pain. Should I regret asking?

"I'm not everyone's favorite person at school, I guess. I've never done anything to anyone, I just don't get why people are so mean to me." She continued to stare at her hands. This shocked me.

"Rose... why would anybody ever be mean to you?"

"I just said I don't know!" She snapped. Then she covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry. I have a hard time focusing on school and enjoying it because people always call me names and single me out. Everyone thinks I'm a freak."

This wasn't right. I didn't make sense. Why would anyone ever say such a thing to her? Clearly, they've never talked to her. She was in no way repulsive at all. She was actually.... attractive.

"Ever since the 8th grade I've been picked on by the same girl over and over again, and she's sort of popular, so a whole bunch of her friends pick on me too. The worst part is, some of those friends used to be my friends. The only friend I have is Sofia, really. Everyone else would be too scared to be caught ever talking to me." I could hear her voice begin to shake.

My mouth dropped. I had never imagined her crying. She always looked so strong to me. I might have mistaken strong for independent. And now that I think of it, I might be misunderstanding independet for alone.

Why?

That's my question.

Why would someone do that to her?

I was upset. I don't know why, but I felt her pain. In some strange way we were connected, and at that moment, I felt her suffering. And inside of my own head, there was anger.

I didn't have to think about what to say. It just came out. "They don't know how amazing you are."

She scoffed and wiped her tears. "Thanks. And if it's true, they never will. After I get out of school, I'm out of my town. I'm leaving. I need a new start. I need new people in my life." I placed my hand on hers. I felt something wet on her fingertips. I took one look at her face and realized they were tears. I felt terrible.

"That's all I want." She whispered.

"You will. You're a beautiful person, and when you graduate, you're going to show everyone you're not who everyone though you were. I mean, look at you now." I grinned, to keep from tearing up as well. Either that or punching a wall. "You're dating Harry Styles."

She turned away from me and laughed a bit, through the tears that continued to stream down her face.

"Yeah, I'm dating Harry Styles."

I laughed with her. She looked up at me and smiled. "You know, maybe this won't be so bad?"

"Hopefully." I said, as I stroked my thumb agaist her cheek, wiping her tears away.