To be so lucky {H.S.} ✔️

Chapter 19

When Harry had told me we would be flying to California that night, I'd freaked out. I didn't have a chance to pack during the week, and I couldn't just fly across the country in my hospital gown.

It turned out I had been worried over nothing, it had all been taken care of for me. Ava had packed my bag, with everything she'd thought I'd be needing. Charles had called my boss, explaining the situation, and why I would be missing my last day of work before going on vacation. John had offered to cover for me, taking both his part of the project and mine. Harry had taken care of the plane tickets.

So, as soon as I'd finished signing my discharge papers, we would be ready to go to the airport and fly to California. Oscar, obviously, would be coming with us. Harry had insisted on it, even when Ava offered to take care of him while I was gone, and I loved him for it.

"Nina? Wake up, baby." Harry's voice, whispering in my ear.

"What?" I opened my eyes, feeling restless.

"We're here. The plane's landed. You slept the whole flight." He was smiling, an adoring expression on his face.

"Oh. Wow. Sorry." I rubbed my eyes, trying to fully get back to the land of the waken.

"It's okay. You're cute when you sleep. Even when you drool all over my clothes."

That managed to wake me up faster than any eye rubbing ever would. "What?"

Harry didn't answer me, pointing at my shoulder, instead. I looked down, noticing I was wearing his sweater. I didn't remember putting it on, but I was too embarrassed to worry about that. Harry had been telling the truth, there was a wet stain, the size of a golf ball, on my shoulder.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me." I covered my face with my hands. Harry couldn't stop laughing, by my side, while he petted my sleeping dog's head. I gave him a mean look. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Yes. And I would love to continue this conversation, but we have to go. Most people are already out of the plane."

"Oh. Right." I focused on real life. There would be plenty of time to bicker off with Harry, later. "Should I leave first? Or you?"

Harry shook his head, standing from his seat, to put Oscar back on his transportation box. "There is no way I'm letting you out of my sight. You're coming with me, right by my side. You can wear my sunglasses, and put your hood up. That way, no one will recognise you."

"They'll recognise you."

Harry shrugged, unfazed. "They always do, anyway. And yes, later there will be pictures of us all over the internet, and people speculating over your identity. Harry Styles' new girlfriend this, Harry Styles' new girlfriend that. But you know what? I don't care. I've been dealing with that shit for years. At least this time it's true."

Suddenly, I felt sorry for him. He was still a teenager when he first started in the music business. Dealing with public scrutinisation from such a young age must have been hard on him.

"Come on." Harry held out his sunglasses. I put them on, tightening my hood around my very conspicuous copper hair. "Ready?"

I took a deep breath, holding his hand. "Ready."

We stepped out of the plane, and I let Harry guide me through the motions until we got to a black Mercedes-Benz. I mostly tried to keep my head down the whole time, but still managed to catch a few people snapping pictures of us.

Harry opened the door, handing me Oscar, and I got into the car. He followed me right after he'd put our bags in the trunk.

"You okay?" He asked, settling on the back seat, next to me. I nodded, slightly overwhelmed.