asset [h.s.]

twenty six // bienvenue à paris

"welcome to Paris."

Alicia

Before we leave the hotel, we say goodbye to Liam, myself giving him a hug and Harry giving him one of those bro hugs, telling him we should see him soon. As I'm hugging him and his arms wrap around me, my eyes flit over to find Harry's face set in a annoyed expression, his eyes narrowed slightly as he watches our friendly embrace, and I can't help but smile a little to myself.

"Are we done here?" Harry suddenly asks, causing both Liam and I to pull away from each other and glance over at him. I raise one eyebrow at him but he ignores me, focusing his attention on Liam. "We have a plane to catch."

"Of course," Liam says, letting his arms drop down to his sides and giving both of us a nod and smile. "Have a safe flight. Keep me informed, H."

Harry nods and I smile back at him, not able to help myself because of how kind and caring Liam is. He turns around and begins heading back towards the elevator, and I jump slightly when I feel Harry's arm wrapping around my waist, pulling my body into his. I raise my gaze to look up at him, noticing him watching me intently.

"You ready?" he asks.

"Yeah, lets go."

I feel like I'm floating on air when Harry links his hand with mine as he pulls me through the lobby and then outside. The night air is bitterly cold and the city is still fairly busy and loud for nighttime, but Harry keeps me close as he hails a taxi, holding the door open for me to climb in when it finally pulls up.

My heart is still thumping in my chest from fear but also adrenaline, which is a feeling I haven't really had before during all of this, but it's a feeling I quite enjoy now that we're racing off to somewhere new. Or perhaps that's just because of the feeling of Harry's leg pressed against mine as we sit in the car, and how he's never chosen to sit in the middle seat so he can be close to me before. Or maybe it's even because I can remember the feeling of his lips pressed so tightly against mine and each time I look at him, I can't help but think about it again.

As we drive, I have to keep my eyes on the city whizzing by outside. I can feel Harry's eyes burning into me but I daren't look back at him. I don't even know what to say to him or how to act around him after everything that just happened. Do I completely brush off the kiss and act like it never happened, like he does, or do I bring it up and ask him about it? My mind still hasn't completely processed it all, but I suppose that will take some time. Time that I don't really seem to have.

However, it takes no time at all before we're back at the airport and Harry keeps his fingers laced with mine as we both walk over to our gate, and I know that if I asked him about it, he would say it's for my protection, but I know that secretly that's not the only reason, and it sends a flutter of butterflies to the pit of my stomach.

Harry somehow gets away with getting us past security again because of his connections and we're soon heading onto the plane. The plane ride isn't as awkwardly silent as our one to New York was, but I guess that's because we're now surrounded by about 100 other people, as Harry, and also Liam, decided that taking an economy flight would be better.

Harry and I are placed in a row of four so we are both smushed between two other people, which both myself and Harry are not pleased about, judging by Harry's clenched jaw and huffy attitude every time the fat but jolly man sat next to him moves. He pulls his laptop out of his bag and tries to do some work, however each time he clicks on something, the man beside him peers over, looking to see what he's doing. I stifle a laugh as Harry lets out an annoyed huff, closing his laptop and shoving it back into his bag.