Stuck in the Spotlight

Chapter 11: The Back of Your Mind

Harry's POV

I crept out of my bed, trying not to wake Charlie. She never seemed to sleep in her own room much, but I wasn't complaining. "Where are you going? It's 6 am," her soft voice mumbled, "Me and Niall are going golfing" I said as I pulled a Polo over my head, "It's so early" she complained and I laughed. She rolled off the bed and dragged herself out of my room.

I walked out to the kitchen and ate a cold slice of pizza left over from a few nights ago. I grabbed a water bottle and headed out the door. I met Niall in the hallway, "Ready?" "Ready to beat your sorry ass" I laughed and turned to walk to the elevator, 'Wait for us!" Charlie whisper/screamed. I turned around to see her and Ali running out of their room. My jaw dropped as I watched her bouncing toward me, wearing a short white sports skirt and a bright yellow halter top, her hair pulled up into a ponytail, "Close your mouth before bugs fly into it" Charlie smirked, "Shut up" I said and turned to walk to the elevator. Us 4 got in the elevator and I looked at Ali. She was wearing the same thing as Charlie, but with an emerald green halter.

I walked out of the hotel doors on to the main street, quickly being swarmed by tired looking paparazzi. I reached back for Charlie but I was already surrounded. I caught her eye and pushed through the paps, I reached her and wrapped my arm around her.

"Harry! Charlie!" "How about we make a deal?" Charlie started and I looked down at her, what was she doing? "Yeah?" one responded, "We pose for a few pictures, even kiss, and you leave all of One Direction and their girlfriends alone for the rest of the day" "Deal!" one shouted, "Wait, Niall and Ali have to pose to!" Charlie looked over at them and Ali nodded, "Alright" I cupped her face and bent down and kissed her. I could hear the cameras clicking and feel Charlie's grip tighten around my waist.

"One thing.." Charlie started, "Mhm?" I asked swinging the golf club, hitting the ball in to the distance, "I don't know how to golf" she smiled and sipped her strawberry daiquiri, "Then I guess I'll just have to show you" I smiled and adjusted my hat as she set her daiquiri down and walked over to me, "So this is how you hold it?" I laughed at her as she held the club upside down, "No, babe, like this" I fixed her positioning on the club, moving her right hand down about an inch from the end of the grip and placing her left hand towards the top of the club, as she is right handed, "I hope you know I have no upper strength" she laughed at herself and I smiled stepping towards her.

I set the golf ball on the tee and wrapped my arms around her, placing my right hand over hers and my left over hers. I pulled our arms back and swung forward, hitting the ball towards the hole. She smiled brightly, "Ali you have to try this!!" Ali smiled and got off the golf cart, walking towards us. I handed her a golf club and showed her how to hold it. She pulled back and swung forward, "Not bad for a beginner" I joked even though her shot was incredible, "I bet you can't do that again" Niall challenged, "Give me another golf ball" Ali smirked as Charlie bounced over with a bright pink ball, "What's up with the pink?" Niall asked, "It's pretty" she smiled and Niall scoffed, then she pouted, "I think you're pretty" I winked at Charlie, "Oh shut up curly" she laughed, sauntering over to me.

"Holy mother of fuck" Niall breathed as we watched the bright pink golf ball fly through the air,

"I call driving the golf cart!" Charlie called out jogging over to the cart. I couldn't help but stare as the light breeze lifted her skirt a little, revealing Victoria's Secret Cheeky panties. Ali climbed in the passenger side, while me and Niall grabbed the back seats, holding on to the bags of clubs. When the girls said they were joining us, I knew we weren't going to be playing real golf, so I canceled the caddies that we were going to have today.

"It's so weird driving on the left side" Charlie said coming to an abrupt stop on the path near the hole.

I wrapped my arms around her and swung the putter club with the right amount of force and it rolled over the well-cut grass in to the hole. Charlie jumped up and down and wrapped her arms around my neck, standing on the tips of her toes, I leaned down and kissed her but she pulled away.

She pulled her arms up like chicken wings and flapped them around, and pulled her legs up a bit and shook her hips, creating the awkwardest dance I've ever seen. Ali joined in, and soon all 4 of us were dancing around the golf course.

Ali's POV

The rain started coming down fast. I looked around the vast green, but no one seemed to be around.

"Char, Ali, can you guys take the golf bags and run up to the club house?" I nodded and Niall handed me his golf bag while Harry handed Charlie his.

We slung them over our shoulders and took off jogging up the path. The air was muggy and humid but the rain cooled it down a bit. We reached the club house and the doors opened immediately.

"Can we buy you ladies a drink?" a caddy asked, flashing us a smile.

"Sure," Charlie flashed a smile back. What was she doing? Harry and Niall would be back any minute.

The two caddies offered us their hand, Charlie took it, but I followed behind. They led us to a small bar inside. I caught Charlie's eye and she shrugged. I closed my eyes and sighed, fluttering them open.

"How do you ladies like Los Angeles so far?" one asked, flashing the smile again. The way he called us 'ladies' made me shiver. In a creepy way.

"Oh my god I love it!" Charlie smiled, sipping her cocktail. She set her drink down and pulled the rubberband out of her hair, running her fingers through her long, dark hair. Her hair and my hair were a lot alike.

The doors opened and a soaking wet Niall and Harry stepped in, both shaking their head, water droplets falling from their hair. Niall caught sight of me and his eyes sparkled. They walked over to where I was sitting, "Where's Char?" Harry asked, "Over there" I said, motioning to the small bar in the corner.

Harry's POV

"Charlie" my stomach sunk seeing her sitting there with Dave, a little tipsy from the drinks he obviously had bought her.

"Yeah?" she didn't even look up at me. "It's time to go" I replied flatly, showing no emotion in my voice. That got her attention. She slid his hand off her thigh and stood up, pushing me towards an empty space. I realized then what she had felt when she had found me and Eleanor, and she hadn't even been making out with Dave.

"I'm sorry I--" she started, "Let's just get out of here" I interrupted. She nodded looking down.

'Ali - we're in the car. take ur time. no rush'

"They're waiting in the car. We should go," she nodded again. I gripped her upper arm and pulled her outside, the rain still coming down hard. She stopped walking and faced me, "I'm sorry, Harry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," I said, looking down at the ground. How can I be mad at her when I've done worse things. With her best friend. I suddenly felt sick and closed my eyes, and rubbed my temples with my fingers.

"Please look at me," she whined softly, her voice cracking.

"I can't," the tears silently flowed down my face, blending in with the rain, "I don't know how you can even look at me, how do you do it?" she stepped in front of me, stood on her tiptoes and cupped my face, forcing me to look at her.

"It hurts when I see you and El in a room together, it really does, but when you love someone as much as I love you and El, you except their mistakes," she glanced down at her feet, still holding my face, and looked back up, staring into my eyes, "You forgive them. But the chance that it could happen again, the pain stored in the back of your mind. That.. that never goes away."