Two Can Keep a Secret if One of Them is - Season 1

Episode Nine - Chapter 41: Message In A Bottle

Harry's POV

"Hazza! Bruv! Mate! Pass us a beer then will ya?" I felt a tap on my shoulder followed by a familiar cheery voice. I steered my eyes away from the gorgeous blonde young lady standing on the other side of the room, who was clearly not interested in my attempt to lock eyes for a single moment. "Grimmy!" "Checkin' out the ladies rockin' the boat then are ya?" he winked, pun intended. "Ah, mate - you know me." I joked around with a smile. "So where's that beer then aye?" I did a single nod of my head, realising he really did want me to get him a beer. "Coming right up! Don't get too wasted before midnight though." I said turning around and heading to the bar to retrieve my best mate's request. "It's New Years Eve Harold! Untangle those knots!" He yelled, already half drunk. I shook my head letting a smile plaster across my face.

Things hadn't been too bad lately, and I was beginning to see a glimpse of hope that all 'A' wanted was revenge, which had been achieved. Louis' accident had been a shock for all of us, and I definitely knew it was no 'accident'. Louis and I had gotten back to our old ways during his time in hospital. I was hoping that the more 'A' tried to tear the lads and I apart, the more it brought us together, so in a way I could count this as a blessing in disguise and divert my negativity elsewhere. "One." I held my finger up to the bartender, and waited for him to grab the beer I had ordered for Nick. I looked out onto the deck and saw Liam chatting away with his old friend Allison, whom I still fully didn't trust, but I trusted Liam, so I guessed it would be okay. Zayn had wondered off on his own the minute we had all arrived, which was quite normal for him. I knew Niall would be sitting his backside down at the all-you-can-eat buffett just off the docks all night, so I didn't even need to question his whereabouts. Which left Louis. Cher was here. Eleanor was here. So whether he made a run for it, I questioned the possibility. My thoughts of my mates were then interrupted by the bottle of beer being thumped down on the bar infront of me. I frowned at how this bartender had no savvy for polite customer service, but took out a twenty pound note nonetheless, telling him to keep the change. I grabbed the bottle and started looking around for Nick, but he was no where to be seen. In my efforts to search for him, I was approached by the gorgeous blonde girl I had been treating my eyes to earlier, she was clearly quite intoxicated by this point. "You bought me a drink...how sweet." She said slow and softly, whilst running her hand down my back and wrapping the other around the bottle I had. "You're that sexy curly guy from...ermm...what's that band...Direction Five...or something." She smiled seductively. "One Direction." I corrected her. "Doesn't matter." She winked before opening the bottle I had gotten for Grimmy and began to skull. It took a second for the both of us to realise not only was no beer in that bottle, there was no liquid whatsoever. Her face turned to rage. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU CALL THIS! BUY A GIRL A DRINK WITH NOTHING INSIDE! WHAT KIND OF A BLOKE ARE YOU?!" She threw the bottle to the ground, sending it smashing into pieces, before storming off. I could feel the heat coming off my cheeks as the whole boat practically turned to stare at Harry Styles, the guy who supposedly buys chicks bottles and not drinks. I looked down to avoid any eye contact and camera's that started to be whipped out. Something between the broken glass caught my eye. It was a note, which appeared to have been in the bottle. I got a message in a bottle?

"Get the Flack off this boat, before I send it in One Direction - following the Titanic. -A."

I scrunched the note into my pocket. I was wrong to think of hope at all. 'A' was here. Out to get us, and I was afraid the short moment of silence between now and Louis' accident, was just a preparation for the big bang of a New Year 'A' had in store for us. I looked around at the people of this boat who had soon lost interest in my battle with a lady and an empty bottle and had gone back to their own New Years Eve party activities. I was trying to search for Caroline. There was at least three hundred and fifty people at this party, and over half on this boat. My heart was pounding because 'A' meant business. I was rushing through the area of the boat I was in, bumping into people, squeazing through groups of soicalites, rumaging my body through the bar, up the stairs onto the top deck and pulling on people's shoulders who could possibly resemble just one ounce of my ex girlfriend. I took out the note again to try and decifer it, Caroline couldn't be part of the party on the boathouse docks...she had to be on this boat, so it was at least half the party I only had to worry about. I rushed through the corridor into the ladies bathroom, hoping to find her there seeing as it seemed I searched every inch of this boat already. The few ladies glared at me in awe as I searched every open cubicle for Caroline as I was yelling her name. "I'm sure you could go up to the captain's deck and ask to use his intercom if you're searching for a missing person." A familiar voice said with a slight grin on her bright red lips. "Miss Taylor Swift!" I smiled remembering meeting her at the AMA's a couple of months back. "Hi Harry." She said with a giggle. "What are you doing here!" I seemed to have forgotten all about 'A' and Caroline by now. "It's New Years Eve? And I needed to use the ladies room?" She said, containing an expression of 'how could you even ask me that' on her face. "I meant back in the UK!" I laughed, leaning against the basin. "Oh! I have some promotional stuff for my upcoming tour here. The big question is...what are YOU doing here?" "I'm from here?" "In the ladies bathrooms Styles." She giggled. Oh right, Caroline. I quickly remembered. "Errmm..." I had no words. Saved by the bell, or should I say beep, I had received a text message.

**Until the clock strikes 12 Styles. -A**

"Can I catch you later?" I said fitting back into my hurry. "Sure?" She said eagerly mixed with slight confusion. I raced up the very last flight of stairs up to the captain's deck, utilising Taylor's wise idea. I knocked on the door. "Excuse me! Captain! Harry Styles!" I waited. Nothing. "Captain?" I knocked again, before barging in on the captain and Caroline. It was a sight I wasn't going to forget very quickly at all, and I knew that 'A' had led me up here to find this. Shocked and embarrassed Caroline pushed the captain away. "Harry!" "You need to come with me! NOW!" I said grabbing her arm. "Harry, I'm so sorry, I thought we were over! If it helps I was picturing you the whole time!" She apologised as I dragged her towards the exit of what turned into this nightmare of a boat. "Enough! I don't even care! Let's just get out of here!" I noticed the clock read 11:58pm, and started to drag her a little faster. She kept quiet then as we walked back onto the docks and I could breathe again. I did it. I felt a little bad then, realising she hadn't had a clue of what was going on. "Carrie, I'm sorry." I said turning to face her. She looked up at me and began to lean in. I hadn't even had two seconds to take another breath before that dreaded message tone sounded once more. I pulled away in sufficient time. 

**We are never ever getting back together - consider this a New Years resolution. Harry Styles versus Caroline Flack. Who will win this showdown? -A**

"Caroline...ermm... look, I'm sorry I did this tonight...ermm.. It's just that, I needed to talk to you." "So talk babe, I'm here." She cradled my cheek in her hand, before I pushed it away gently. "I think we should just be friends...ermm...there have been a lot of wrong signals and messages been sent lately, and I thought...ermm...that I should just clear it up. Friends and nothing more...ever." I cleared my throat before walking away. She had no time then to reply. "Ten! Nine! Eight..." I heard the countdown begin as the masses of people chanted, looking at the sky in preparation for the fireworks. New year, new beginnings, and 'A', I won the showdown. I felt good. 'A' probably didn't think I could do it. I saw Taylor standing on the edge of the dock then, also looking towards the sky. I had to admit, she was stunningly beautiful. Without thought, my legs walked towards her like they were on autopilot. "Three! Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Everyone shouted as the fireworks display began to light up the skies. Before I knew it I had my hands around her tiny waist and I was pulling her in for a New Years Kiss. Which was incredible might I add. She started giggling midway which I absolutely loved. "Happy New Year" I wispered closely to her lips with a smile. She embraced me and I held her tightly. I could still see Liam on the deck, who was possibly one of the only ones who didn't have his head in the air, only down at his phone. I then spotted Louis on the edge of the top deck in shock at his phone, followed by Niall, not even a second later running onto the deck, phone in hand like he had just seen a ghost as the fireworks resembling the letter 'A' filled the sky. I swallowed hard and timed my text message notification to the second. I pulled away from Taylor immediately. "Are you okay?" She asked looking into my eyes. She cared. "Yeah," I smiled and rubbed her arm. "Give me a sec?" She nodded and I took a few steps back to check my phone.

**Harry Styles' New Years Resolution - Make lil ol' Swifty fall for you, and then break her little heart like you've never broken anything before! Smash it in pieces or else Louis doesn't live next time. And there WILL be a next time. Oh how joyous that next breakup single is going to be - and the Grammy Award goes to..... Taylor Swift! Happy New Year Little Liar - A.**