Let's Hurt Tonight

23

So my birthday was yesterday and 1) Harry Styles tweeted (alright it was just "do" but STILL and 2) this book is trending at #3 in Harry Styles. That's so crazy to me omg. I appreciate you all so much :)

...

Harry

"I'm actually going to piss myself," I tell Mitch over the phone. 

I picked Amelia up at her house right as 6:30 struck the clock and I'll admit, I didn't have much of a plan after Amelia agreed to going on a date with me. I mean, I did but I didn't. It was vague and I wasn't as confident as I normally was.

I've been thinking about our first date ever since I first met her. I fantasized about it to the point where it was bordering on obsessive. Now I finally get the chance and I'm nervous that I've screwed it all up. 

I ultimately decided to bring Amelia back to my hotel and cook for her. It's cheesy, but it's private and I thought it would be good for a first date. Under normal circumstances I would invite her to my house, but the hotel room will have to do. I'm lucky I have a suite with a full kitchen. It was unintentional when I booked this room but I'm glad that I did.

When Amelia left to use the loo a second ago, I quickly dialed up Mitch. My anxiety flows through me, stronger than the shot I just took to calm my nerves. I don't know why I'm so anxious. I shouldn't be. I mean, I've been on dates before but this one...this one is different. This one actually means something.

"You need to calm down," Mitch tells me. "You cooked for her, which is great. It's a good date idea. And then - what - a movie?" 

I huff and rub my eyes with my fingers. 

"Yeah, I thought we could watch a movie or something," I say. 

"Perfect! I don't understand why you're so stressed."

"Neither do I!" I say, a little louder than I intended to. I peer down the hallway to make sure Amelia didn't magically appear. I have maybe a minute left before she returns. "It's not weird that we're only in my hotel, is it? I didn't fuck up, right?"

Mitch chuckles. 

"Harry Styles asking me for dating advice? Now there's something I never thought I'd hear," he says, causing me to huff from annoyance. "It's not bad, Harry. It's casual. It's cute. I don't know what else you want me to tell you."

"Should I have taken her out? I thought about ice skating or a carriage ride. I mean we already ate so there's not much I can do at this point - "

"Harry, listen to me. She likes you, yeah? So then this won't be the last date you have with her. You can save all the other sappy crap for when you really get into things. This is a good introductory date because she doesn't like attention, from what you've told me, and going out in public would draw in fans and paparazzi, you know how it is. Better to avoid all that."

I sigh. I did tell him that. I think the attention I get scares Amelia. Not in a bad way or anything, but just in an overwhelming way. I was nervous about scaring her away on the first date if we went somewhere really public. Yeah, we've hung out before in the public eye, but this is different. This is more intimate and I don't want any distractions. 

"You're right," I tell Mitch. Suddenly I hear the bathroom door open and Amelia walking down the hall. "I need to go. I'll text you," I frantically say, and then hang up just as Amelia joins me back in the kitchen. 

"I like your suite. It's fancy," Amelia tells me when she comes into view. She laughs as she runs a hand through her hair, her eyes darting around the suite.