Highest rank: #34 in Fanfiction
You think Ben Higgins was the best Bachelor ever? Think again.
Superstar Harry Styles is indeed the world's eligible man. What better place for him to find a soulmate than on the hot new reality TV show, The World...
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*HARPER'S Point of View*
I was giddy with excitement.
"Are you sure Harry will be happy to see me?" I asked Louis for the fifteenth time. "I mean, what if he's mad? What if he thinks I left on purpose and now I'm coming back because I had second thoughts?"
He cast a corrective glare in my direction. "Harper. Listen to me. I spoke to Ben and he told me that Harry has been a complete wreck since you disappeared."
Disappeared? It never occurred to me that Harry would have perceived it that way. That realization comforted me, but at the same time, I hated the thought of Harry beside himself with anxiety, not knowing what had really happened to me.
When I had first spoken to Louis not even 48 hours earlier, he was livid. He couldn't believe the show's managers would pull something so dirty, and he assured me that I was not exaggerating my indignation about the whole thing. Show business had an ugly underbelly that most people outsiders didn't know about.
He ended the call with me, saying he would make a few more calls and get back to me. Not even two hours later, he called back and said he had chartered a private jet to take me back to England, along with him and my father. He would fly to Sacramento and pick us up personally. According to him, when people got involved in crazy shit like this, there was no trusting anyone, so he was taking it upon himself to deliver me personally to Harry's front door. Figuratively speaking anyway.
Louis and I spent many hours of the flight talking - about One Direction, about his son, about his life. About Harry. I was unbelievably grateful to him for helping me, and I loved getting to know him better. He was the kind of friend you knew you could always count on, and here he was, flying me halfway across the world to make sure his best friend wasn't heartbroken.
"You knew back in New York, didn't you?" I asked Louis as my dad snoozed.
"What?" He asked, playing dumb, but smirking at me.
"You knew he was falling in love with me, didn't you?"
"I've seen Harry with lots of women," Louis said, and I flinched. "Lots of women," he said, widening his eyes.
"You're not making me feel any better," I cringed.
"No, no, no I don't mean that," he laughed, starting to realize what I thought he meant. "I meant, I've seen him around lots of women - friends, fans, family. And yes, he's fallen hard and fast for a few girls."
"Still not encouraging me much there, Lou," I huffed.
"I'm sorry," he said, laughing, and his contagious laughter got me started too. "What I'm trying to say, is in all the time I've known him, I've never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you." His face rested in a sincere, contented smile. "As cliché as that sounds."
We were only an hour out from Liverpool, which wasn't far from Harry's hometown of Holmes Chapel. He was there on his hometown dates with Victoria and Ariana, and the final Candle Ceremony would take place somewhere in Liverpool.
I felt terrible about Ariana; she must be heartbroken. I wondered how she would respond to me when we saw each other again. She had to know by now that Harry had chosen me, or at least that he was going to choose me before I disappeared. I knew he wouldn't string her along, though, leading her to think she was his number one. Ariana was smart, too - she would know that Harry's heart was already taken. But what if...?
I gasped. "What if they force Harry to pick someone else?" I said, suddenly panicking.
"Relax, love," Louis chuckled. "Ben said that's exactly what they're trying to do, but Harry is not required to marry anyone. He just has to make it look like he wants to continue a relationship with one of them."
"They're so fucking manipulative," I grumbled under my breath. Then I automatically apologized to my dad, who had just awakened, for swearing in front of him.
He laughed out loud. "Harper, you have every right to swear. Someone drugged you and sent you home against your will. Believe me, I have a few choice words for the people who did this, too."
"No violence, Dad," I reminded him, tongue in cheek of course. My father wouldn't hurt a fly. But he could be very intimidating, especially if he was defending me.
We landed in Liverpool, and just like Harry, Louis had a car waiting to take the three of us to a hotel. Must be nice to have people in every city who are waiting to do your bidding, I thought. Then, as an afterthought really, I realized that I would likely have the same conveniences if I married Harry.
No, when I married Harry.
It was already late Friday night when we got settled into the hotel. Louis zoomed out as quickly as we had come in. I was dying to go with him, just to catch a glimpse of Harry, even if he didn't know I was there. But Louis insisted that we stay hidden, and that he wasn't even going to talk to Harry. We had agreed to try to surprise him, as long as Louis felt that Harry could hold out for a few more hours without going crazy. Tonight, Louis was just going to meet Ben so they could make arrangements for the following day, which would culminate in the final Candle Ceremony.
Despite my angst, I was able to fall asleep quickly, knowing Louis would take care of everything, knowing my dad was right next door, and knowing I would see Harry in less than 24 hours.
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Okay, so after this, there are only two more chapters - all of your questions will be answered and all of your dreams will come true (well, at least concerning this story.) There will also be an epilogue <3
