inspirations // harry styles

chapter twenty // time is ticking.

The audience laughs along as if they were watching their own friendship on stage as the boys go into the chorus once more.

"You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
And I'll be there.
'Cause I know when I need it,
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
And you'll be there.
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah.
Ooooooh, Ooooh yeah, yeah."

Then Harry steps out as the band changes up the music, signalling the bridge of the song.

"You'll always have my shoulder when you cry.
I'll never let go; never say goodbye." He goes into his falsetto, causing goosebumps to form all up and down my arms and legs. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Falsettos have always been my weakness. You want to have complete control over me? Just use your falsetto and I'm your slave.

The lyrics bring me back to when Harry was there for me when I was crying over all the twitter hate I was reading. I hadn't expected him to stay by my side that whole afternoon when I was such a mess. It was an extremely pleasant surprise.

The boys sing the chorus one final time, all putting their arms around each other. They look like the poster children for your ideal friendship. They look at each other the same way I look at Tea when we're performing together; so happy that you get to do what you love with someone you care about. It's honestly one of the best feelings in the entire universe. It's what I'm gonna miss most once I go off to college.

The song ends and everyone jumps to their feet, cheering and applauding loudly. I cheer and holler with the rest of the crowd as well, wearing a great big smile that hurts my cheeks. Beside me Ed whistles louldy, cheering as if he were their number one fan.

"Thanks again for coming out everyone!" Liam waves at the crowd after they all take a bow.

They all give grateful waves to the audience before turning around and running off stage as the curtain closes. The audience lights go up and people start to calm down as they take their seats once more.

The waiters go around, getting people's desert orders. Knowing I probably shouldn't because of the extremely form-fitting dress I'm wearing, but everything on the menu looks beyond delicious. Once our waiter comes to our table, I order a teramisu, one of my favorite deserts. Rosalie looks at me with surprised eyes as she hadn't even glanced at her menu. She's probably not used to being with other girls that actually eat.

She quickly opens her menu and orders the first thing her eyes land on. She sends me a smile from across the table.

"So what'd you think of all that?" Ed asks me once the waiter leaves with all our orders, "It is your first 'concert' isn't it?" He puts quote marks around the word 'concert' since it's not really a concert, just a small performance for a select few.

How do I even answer this? Do I admit that I could listen to Harry sing for years and years and never get sick of it? Do I admit that Harry's lyrics make me feel as if I'm living in a Nicholas Sparks novel? Do I admit that I can't wait to see Harry just so I can give him the biggest kiss ever?

"It wasn't at all what I was expecting," I settle with, earning a laugh from him.

"Harry told me that the pop music scene wasn't your specialty," He nods, "I know what you mean. This isn't my type music preference, but there's no lying these lads are talented," He says, like any best friend would.

In high school, Tea went through a phase where she only sang depressing heavy metal songs and it literally drove me nuts. It had gotten so excessive that I could barely go over to her house because the music would give me a headache. She wouldn't just listen to it, she'd sing and write it as well. I think it's the main reason her voice has that raspy-ness to it now, all that damage to her vocal chords.