"HARRY!"
"Harry over here!"
"Mr. Styles!"
"Harry look here!"
"HARRY!"
"Over here!"
"Who's the girl!?"
"Get in there sweetheart!"
"Harry! Here, Harry!"
"Is that Jo?"
"Jo! Look here!"
"Harry! Jo!"
I can't see anything. The flash from the cameras is truly blinding, thank god we aren't moving but a few steps every couple of minutes.
I'm not even supposed to be on this side! No one is supposed to care about taking my picture like HELLO do you see the man standing next to me!?
I mean do I look hot as fuck? Yes. But, I'm not the one we should be focusing on tonight. Also, I'm pretty sure that if any of them ask me a question, "I KISSED HARRY STYLES" is going to come flying out of my mouth.
Damn, I want to kiss him again.
"This way, careful." Harry's hand that rests on my waist pulls me toward him as he takes a few steps farther down the carpet. My brain snaps back to reality just in time to make sure I don't eat shit in front of all these cameras.
This dress is stunning but damn is it heavy.
We shuffle small steps farther down the carpet and Jeffrey flags down Harry's attention by pointing out a reporter for some network little ways down the carpet. Harry nods subtly and keeps a smile on his face for the cameras while helping me stay upright while we move.
"Harry! Oh my god, look at you!!" A vibrant woman in a stunning yellow dress captures Harry's attention with a microphone shoved in his direction. I gently grip the fingers that hold me to him and pry them off of me so that I can avoid this entire situation while he talks to the reporter.
He flicks me a small smirk while I pull away from him and then he gathers his hands in front of himself, holding his clutch while he approaches the cameraman and the loud woman.
I really didn't think this through very well though, because now I'm left standing on this carpet alone. Well, I guess I'm not alone, this thing is SWARMING with photographers and celebrities, so yay for the company while I stand here looking like an idiot.
"Jo!!!" A loud voice is shouting at me, giving me just enough warning time to brace myself before a beautiful brunette slams into me for a hug.
"Holy fuck, you look incredible! Are you here with Harry!? Are you here together!? Is it finally happening? God, tell me it's finally happening.PLEASE."
"Well hi Kacey, it's good to see you too. Uhm, firstly thank you, I've never worn something this extra in my whole life and I feel like a walking disco ball, so the vote of confidence is appreciated. Uhhhh, as for the other thing...yes I am here with him as his friend and makeup artist and that is all I know."
I hug her again, pulling her in tightly so I can shove my face near her ear, "Also we may or may not have kissed in the hotel room before we came here which I definitely shouldn't be telling you but if I don't someone I'm going to literally explode so..."
"OH MY -" I fling my hand over her beautifully painted mouth before she can finish. Her eyes are wide and she is practically bouncing out of her platform boots.
"Kacey! Shut your beautiful mouth! Twitter is going to have a field day with these pictures of us. Reign it in, chill out." I let her go and we both take long deep breaths to settle ourselves before she grabs my hands and squeals again.
"Jesus, I need a drink." I hang my head, laughing softly at her dramatic reaction.
"Oh Darlin, that can be arranged as soon as we step through those doors." Kacey's manager flags her to keep moving and she gives me a sad pout, "I gotta keep it moving, but God I'm glad I saw you! I'll see you inside okay!? You better find me!" She kisses my cheek and whispers quickly in my ear before she steps away, "Your secret is safe with me." She gives me a wink and with that she's gone, stopping to kiss Harry on the cheek, interrupting his little interview.
When she leaves I'm left standing here alone again so I decided to look around a little bit. It's very bright out here, lights are pouring in from every direction, making it almost disorienting to look up. When I turn around I notice a section of what looks like fans set up in bleachers, some of them hold press passes but most of them are just holding phones and screaming as the artists make their way down the carpet.
"Jo!! Jo! Over here!!"
I have to squint a bit to see where the shouting is coming from as I shuffle myself toward the bleachers, but I finally spot a young woman jumping and waving me down.
"Jo!! Hi!" The girl is yelling still, trying to talk over the loud crowd of people.
I wave at her and yell back "Hi!" as I approach the gate in front of the section.
"You look so pretty! We wondered if you'd be here, we've been waiting for you guys all night." The first girl pulled down another girl with her and then a third trailed behind as they came down to talk to me.
"Oh wow! Thank you, that's so sweet!" I smile brightly at the three of them, meeting each of their eyes, and that's when things in my brain start to shift.
"You all look so pretty too!" I keep the smile on my face while trying to catch up with the subconscious part of my brain.
"Can we get a picture?" My eyes flick to the first girl, she's obviously the leader of the group, she's the only one who's spoken so far. "Yeah, sure!"
I turn around and lean back toward them, all three crowds in around me and the third girl on the end holds out her phone and snaps a selfie of us.
"That's perfect! We all look so different from the last time we saw you."
"Hm?"
"We've met before, see!" She turns her phone around and sure enough, there is a picture of us together.
I'm catching up with my subconscious now.
The vanishing girls.
I saw her outside of the club.
I've seen them multiple times but I couldn't place their faces.
My heart rate is increasing and I'm suddenly feeling quite on edge like my body has caught up before my brain.
"Oh wow! Yeah, I remember haha. Well, it's good to see you again, enjoy your evening." I laughed nervously and I'm aware of it but I couldn't help it.
I step back slowly, distancing myself from the girl before turning around. My chest is heaving and I'm starting to feel clammy under these hot lights. I manage to get turned around enough to spot Jeff across the carpet. His eyes meet my panic gaze and he flicks his eyes toward Harry quickly, asking me if it has to do with him. I manage a small shake of my head and continue making small steps in his direction.
He must see my distress though because I watch him move toward the carpet before I shake my head at him again. If he comes out here then Harry will know something is wrong and he can't know that.
Not tonight.
Tonight is about fun and music and celebrating, not this shit.
I manage to cross the carpet while keeping my composure and make it to Jeff, who looks thoroughly anxious at this point.
"Hi. I know this isn't your problem, cause I'm not your problem but the-" I have to take a steadying breath because my heart is racing so fast.
" It could be a problem for H. I think they're probably using me to find him and that scares me. Uhm-" My hands are shaking now.
"There are three girls over there that called me over to take a picture...I've seen them before. They approached me a while ago and asked for a picture and then I kept seeing them but I couldn't place them."
I'm rambling. The words are crumbling out of my mouth in a mess.
"I didn't recognize them those times. I saw one outside a club and one called my name another time and I just- I can't believe I didn't put it together...how did they know where I was all those times? Jeff, Frankie said that Santana told him there were girls outside my apartment who said they had just been there and I wasn't home and so know I'm probably just crazy and this totally isn't your job or responsibility but I just know it was them, I feel it. I'm so sorry, you know I'm probably just overreacting and-"
Jeff reaches out and grabs my fidgeting hands. "Jo stop. I believe you. You're not crazy. This IS my job. Harry's well-being is my job and you are a vital part of that. Your safety is as much a priority to us as his is okay? I will handle this. I swear to you, I will handle this. You don't need to worry about it, I need you to take a deep breath okay? Everything is just fine, fans have stalked Harry before and we always handle it, it's going to be just fine."
I take a deep breath with him and by the time he's done talking I do feel a little better.
"Damn, no wonder he keeps you around, you are so good at that."
Jeff chuckles a little bit and then pulls me into him for a tight hug. "Oh, sweet girl, I'm glad you're around. Everything is okay. I'll have them escorted out so you don't need to worry for the night okay? Just relax. Have fun. It's the Grammys for God's sake, go get plastered and have a blast."
I nod into his shoulder and pull back from the hug feeling much better. Still very unhappy that those girls knew where I lived and where I was, but confident that Jeff would handle it.
"Thanks, Jeff. I needed that. I'll see you tonight, yea?"
"Hell yeah. There is no way in hell I'm missing this weekend." He smiles brightly while I make my way back to the carpet.
I spot Harry a little farther down the way, he hasn't gone far but he's talking to a new reporter now. Looks like E! news from where I'm standing.
I'll catch up to him and just stay back behind him so I don't disturb the interview.
"Jo! Can we get a picture? You look beautiful!"
It's an awkward announcement of my presence on the carpet but Harry turns and catches my eye with that stupid lopsided grin on his face.
I stand still and give a small smile while their cameras flash at me, at least I know my dress will catch the light and look incredible.
After the awkward moment, I continue my way down the carpet toward Harry. He's talking right now and I catch the last few seconds of whatever the reporter asks him.
"Seems she's become quite exquisite since being in your company."
to which Harry replied, "No actually, she was quite exquisite long before I ever met her. I'm quite lucky to have her genius artistry on my team and even luckier to be able to have her in my day-to-day life as well."
I felt my cheeks flush red and as if he could sense me there, Harry's hand extended behind him. He wiggled his fingers at me and I took them lightly, following his lead as he pulled me next to him.
"We were just talking about you and your brilliant mind." Harry keeps his fingers intertwined with the tips of mine and the report switches her focus to me.
"The one and only Jo! I'm so honored to meet you, I feel like everyone is trying to catch you these days. Is your life crazy different now that you're kind of known as "Harry Styles' girlfriend" ?"
A loud nervous laugh bubbles up through my chest and out of my mouth.
"Oh my god, I'm your girlfriend? Why didn't you TELL me? I would have been milking that shit. Why the hell am I still paying for lattes?"
Harry laughs and crinkles his nose at me while I playfully swat at his chest.
I turn back to the reporter after I've had my fun."Uhm to answer your question, my life is almost as boring as it was before I met him. People just take pictures of it now. My life has changed in some ways though. I get to do what I love full-time now, thanks to him. I have gone on a few hikes, which I guess is technically good for me, thanks to him. My life has a healthy dose of crazy but my friendship with Harry is one of the only things that keeps me balanced, I would have lost it months ago if it weren't for him. So I don't know what it's like to be his girlfriend, but being his best friend is pretty fantastic."
Harry's fingers squeeze mine and he kisses the side of my head quickly.
"Hey, he stole her from me, and I'm not gonna forget it."
Two heavily tattooed hands land on Harry's shoulders.
"She did my makeup first and therefore I had first dibs on being her bestie, but this handsome brit just stole her away."
"Oh piss off Posty, you snooze you lose man." Harry jokes with him and they hug quickly before Post Fucking Malone reaches over and hugs me to him.
"We took a selfie together that day and I still have it on my phone, we were supposed to be besties all along," Austin tells the reporter while maintaining a side hug.
At this point I have no fucking clue what's happening, I'm just laughing and rolling with the situation.
Austin leaves us just a few seconds later and we end up moving down the carpet too. Harry does two more interviews and then he gets his turn in the glam bot which of course means I have to tell him to do something more exciting than a fucking peace sign once he's in there.
I stand with my jaw on the floor while I watch him standing there.
Before the camera began I watched him open his clutch and dig out his own lip gloss. He applied it to his lips and then nodded at the cameraman.
This motherfucker stood in that red circle and wiped the bottom corner of his glossy lip while he WINKED.
My thighs clenched.
My breathing shallowed.
My hands started to sweat.
He walks out cool as a cucumber while the drool runs down my chin.
"You okay there Jojo?" He saunters to me with a smirk on his face.
"Fuck you. That was just mean. The internet is going to implode." I can't bring myself to look away from his mouth.
It's so shiny it looks wet.
Speaking of wet...
Fuck. God, I knew kissing him would be a terrible idea, I'll never be able to shut my brain up now.
Harry smiles at me and then walks around me, trailing his hand across my stomach and around me to rest on the small of my back. "Incoming. Smile big." His hot breath on my ear gives me shivers but I do as he says when a photographer approaches me again.
Harry poses for the photographer as well and then his hand takes its place on my back again while he walks us to an area almost off the carpet where Jeff is waiting on a small set of bleachers.
"Alright, before you two run off I need a picture. Just smile H." I step away from Harry but he jerks me back in just in time for Jeff to snap a quick photo of us.
Jeff hands each of us two shots which we immediately throwback. Probably not the best idea for us to do on empty stomachs but oh well.
We say goodbye to Jeff and make our way off of the carpet toward a small gathering area. There is a series of doors to the left of us that seem to lead inside and each time they open I can't help but take a peek. It looks dark in there but there are colorful lights that shine on the walls, it looks beautiful.
It looks sexy.
That's probably just the tequila talking and the residual frustration from earlier paired with the lip wiping incident.
Harry is across the small courtyard sipping on a drink and talking to someone, but his eyes meet mine every chance they get.
He looks at me from under his darkened lashes while he sips his drink and I can feel the heat flushing my chest.
He plasters a look of concern on his face and interrupts his friend while he's talking, "I'm so sorry one second. Jo!? Are you okay? You look a bit pale."
I gasp at him and then quickly try to look ill before his friend turns around. "Oh, I'm alright, I think I'm just a bit overwhelmed maybe." I use the most pathetic voice I can muster without laughing and Harry is immediately by my side.
"I'm going to take her inside and see if she'll feel better. It was good to see you though, I'll call you soon!" Harry takes my waist and leads me toward the doors, leaving the stunning woman standing there in the middle of the courtyard.
I can't help but start to snicker as we approach the doorway but Harry is quick to shush me. "Shh, shh, shh, come on. This way." He leads me through the far right door and then immediately finds a hallway, walking in front of me now but holding my hand as he pulls me through the dimly lit corridor.
"What exactly are we doing Harry!? Where are we going?" I whisper yell while I giggle as Harry is frantically looking around.
"That'll do." He pulls me into a pitch-black hallway and takes me all the way to the end before presses me against the wall.
"H?" I'm a little breathless now from the excitement of it all, his chest is pressed firmly against mine and he holds the side of my neck gently while he breathes heavily into it.
"I can't stop thinking about it. It was so good. Wasn't it? Was it good?" He's pleading into the tender skin of my neck and my whole body is covered in goosebumps.
He hums against me while his free hand flips the hair off my shoulder and his fingertips trace down over my collarbone.
"So good, fuck." My voice is a soft whimper that turns into a moan when his lips press against my throat. The tip of his tongue teases the hollow of my neck and my body presses into him instinctually.
His nose traces up my throat while a moan leaves his mouth. "I can still taste you." He whispers slowly into my ear.
My body is buzzing, I can't get close enough to him and I need to feel him on my mouth again. He's got me in a desperate state, pressed against this wall, the only thing left to do is beg.
"Please, Harry."
~
"A GRAMMY FUCKING AWARD WINNER!!"
"GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTIST, HARRY STYLES!"
"Jo, Shut up and get dressed." Harry is laughing hysterically while trying to get dressed himself.
We drank during the ceremony. A lot.
We had to, the tension after our makeout session in the hallway was just too much to handle. I would have let him destroy me in that hallway and he knew it. We had to stop in time to straighten ourselves up and get downstairs and that was a true test of willpower.
The ceremony itself was great, We got absolutely wasted and Harry won two of the three awards he was nominated for which meant I was obnoxiously screaming in my seat.
I also cried.
I'm just really proud of him okay?
His performance was beautiful, the horns that he brought in for "Watermelon Sugar" were brilliant. They added the perfect special touch to his sexy performance.
As soon as the ceremony ended we bolted. Jeff and I rushed Harry outside and into the limo. His birthday officially starts in 16 minutes now and we will start celebrating it in a limousine, on our way to the beach.
"H help! I need a zip!" I stumble out into the living area of the suite, the back of my pink satin dress completely open.
"Oh my God, you're so sparkly. Oh, I love it. You have more cleavage than me you bitch." I gape at Harry's exposed chest that's shown off in the deep cut of his sequin jumpsuit.
My drunk brain has no self-control and I instantly reach a hand out to rub it down his chest. Harry groans and throws his head back which makes me giggle out a "sorry."
He settles himself with a harsh breath and twirls his finger at me, signaling me to turn around for him.
I spin slowly and smile when I hear him whisper a harsh "Jesus," as he realizes my back is bare.
This is not the kind of dress you wear a bra with.
His fingertips gently graze over my skin, causing me to shiver. His fingers grip the dress firmly while he pulls the zipper up and then they relax and smooth their way down my arms while he places soft kisses on the back of my neck.
Wear hair up more often...noted.
"We gotta go. As much as I don't want to move right now, there is other fun to be had." I reluctantly step away from him and grab the huge faux fur coat off of its hanger, draping it over my body before I grab my clutch.
"Quick picture before we go, come here." He pulls me to him and I relax my head back against his shoulder in drunken comfort.
"You brought a camera from home!?"
"I did. I had a feeling I'd want to make sure I remembered tonight." He clicks a photo of us in the mirror and then kisses my cheek innocently before grabbing his purse and slipping his feet into his trusty white vans.
"Come on Birthday Boy, we gotta go!" I hurry him out the door and pull him along behind me while I rush out of the elevator toward the limousine waiting out front.
I push him toward the open door, desperately trying to get us in before the paparazzi find us. "Go, go, go you, slowpoke!"
The limo is full of happy, drunk smiles already when I close the door behind us. Mitch and Sarah are here, Jeff and Glenne of course, and Tommy too. There are a few more friends waiting at the house we rented too, but just the essentials for the limo ride.
"Here it comes! 10!"
Mitch pours champagne into our flutes.
"9!"
We scoot toward the middle so that we can toast.
"8!"
"7!"
"6!"
"5!"
We're all sipping the champagne off the top of our glasses as they overflow.
"4!"
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
We all clink our glasses together loudly and take a long drink.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY H!!!"
I throw gold confetti all over the limo, covering our golden boy in more sparkle.
I'm smiling so wide my face hurts and laughing hysterically at Mitch trying to pick confetti out of his drink.
My laughter is suddenly interrupted by a pair of perfect pink lips slamming into mine.
That's when Harry Styles kissed me in the back of a limousine, in front of all of his friends.
_____________________
hey, hi, hello
please don't kill me.
you're feeling robbed, i know. i just simply didn't have the energy today to give that scene what it would have needed...and i'll make it up to you next chapter.
okay i'm gonna go scramble to be kind of productive today since all i've done is write this all day.
love you so much.
thanks for being here,💖- mo
twt @/ stachestyles_