"Ah, it was such a mess. I shouldn't have gone right before my trip. My makeup is a mess because of me bursting into tears and not to mention I'm basically running away," Katherine said into the phone.
"Just like you always do! Seriously, just cancel the trip and spend Valentine's day with Harry. Bradley will be fine if you don't come for his birthday, right?"
"Maanvi, for the last time, I can't just cancel my trip home to rush into Harry's arms. I promised Bradley that I'd be there for his birthday. I have his present with me and the only way it'll get into his hands on time is if I pay a bucket load for shipping or if I go now. I've already got the plane ticket," Katherine said at the terminal. Maanvi had called about some SD card and somehow they got on the topic of the whole scene before. "And I don't always run away."
"Yes you do! You're terrified of a love story that you aren't writing. I'm sure your family will understand. You don't have to cancel, you just have to delay! Come on Katherine, you left him there, probably a bit confused, after this whole big dramatic confession of love! You didn't even kiss him or anything good like that!" Maanvi explained. Katherine picked up her bag and went over to get some food. Security had been more efficient than she had planned for so she had time to spare.
"I'm sure Harry will understand! This is the first time I would have seen my family in a year. I miss them," Katherine explained. Her phone vibrated against her face. "Hold on for a second Maanvi." She looked down at the text.
What airport are you flying to? It said. It was from Harry.
O'Hare, why? She texted back. Katherine waited for a reply, but it never came. She switched back to the call and looked for someplace in the airport that had good food.
"Who was that?" Maanvi asked.
"Harry. He was asking what airport I was flying to," Katherine answered.
"Ooh! Do you think he'll rush to the airport, buy a ticket just in time to board the plane? And when he gets there he'll be sitting in the seat next to you and you'll introduce him to your family? But what if your family doesn't like him and you two have to run off together? Since that'd be really romantic," Maanvi asked. Katherine laughed as she found a Chinese food place. She quickly ordered, paid, and went back to the terminal.
"Maanvi, my life is not a chick flick! I swear, if Harry shows up at my terminal, I'll eat my shoe or something," Katherine said.
"How about you write a book about you two and all of this?" Maanvi challenged.
"And if we break up I'll trash him? Hun, I'm not Taylor Swift."
"Fine. Write the book, but don't include the break up. Let it be a happy ending. And if he's at the terminal, you sell the rights to a script to Hallmark." Katherine stopped midstride at the proposition.k
"Hallmark? You know I'd never do that."
"I know. But if you're so convinced he won't show up, what's the harm?" Katherine's terminal was just up ahead.
"Fine. But if he's not there, you're making me dinner for a week," she said.
"Deal." Katherine approached her terminal. She let out a curse. Harry was sitting there, right next to where her coat was. He had a bag next to him and was looking around a bit.
"Hallmark it is Maanvi," Katherine said.
"Seriously? I had no idea that would really happen! This is so romantic!" Maanvi said from the other line. "I'll hang up now. You go get him!" The phone beeped twice. Maanvi had hung up. Katherine walked over to Harry, trying to seem as angry as possible. He looked up and smiled, but it faded when he saw her expression.
"Thanks to you, Hallmark is going to make this whole story into a shitty movie," Katherine said. She flopped down into the seat next to Harry.
"It's lovely to see you too. It's not like I just chased after you and bought a ticket to Chicago to prove how much I love you," he stated. Katherine looked at Harry and couldn't keep up the act. She let a smile come through, though she was trying to fight it. "And what's this about a Hallmark movie?"
"I made a bet with Maanvi. She said that if you showed up at this terminal to chase after me, I'd have to make a book out of this whole ordeal and sell the rights to the script to Hallmark," she explained.
"And if I didn't show up, what would you get?"
"Maanvi was going to cook dinner for me for a week!" she sobbed dramatically.
"That hardly seems fair."
"No. It's more than fair. First off, I had fantastic chances. Second, Maanvi is a fantastic cook. I would have been eating like royalty for a week!" she explained. The two sat there in silence for a bit before both started laughing. Harry leaned over and gave Katherine a hug.
"If I cook for you for a week, would it make it all better?"
"Yes. Food always makes it better," Katherine replied instantly. Harry sat back up and smiled. She smiled back at him. "As soon as we get back from my parents' place, you are making me dinner for a week."
"Deal. Does this make the whole bet with Maanvi better?" Katherine gave him a look but cracked up laughing.
"I guess..." Katherine opened up her Chinese food and offered the pair of chop sticks to Harry. She took out a fork put in the bag and dug in to the noodles. He looked at all the food she ordered.
"Were you going to eat all of this yourself, or did you plan for me to be here?" Harry asked. He had a cheeky grin on. Katherine took a piece of the sweet and sour chicken and rubbed a bit of the sauce on Harry's cheek.
"This was my snack while I wait and my dinner on the plane. Now I guess it's a dinner for two," she replied. Harry wiped the sauce from his cheek and chuckled. He grabbed a noodle and put it on Katherine's hair. She laughed and took the noodle off and ate it. "Now, now, let's not start a food fight in the airport terminal."
"You started it!" Harry objected.
"And I'm finishing it." The two were silent for a bit, but began laughing again.
"Do you think your parents will like me?" he asked suddenly.
"Well, Marilyn, my step mom, she'll love you. Bradley will probably hate you just because his girlfriend loves One Direction. And you will probably first see my dad behind the barrel of a shot gun." Harry's eyes went wide. Katherine said it like it was no big deal.
"Is that normal?!" he asked. She chuckled and nodded.
"I'm daddy's little girl. You don't mess with daddy's little girl. He does this to any guy I bring home, boyfriend or friend," stated Katherine. She thought a moment. "I should call them and tell them you're coming, shouldn't I?"
"No. I'd like to catch your dad with out the shotgun," Harry laughed. Katherine couldn't help but join him.
"I'll call Marilyn. I need to let someone know." Katherine dialed the number and held the phone to her ear. "Would you like to speak with her?"
"I'll pass. I have Chinese food to eat," he smiled.
"Save some for me then," she chuckled. She wandered a bit while she waited for her stepmother to pick up.
"Hello? Katherine?" she asked.
"Hey Marilyn. How's the family?"
"Oh they're doing fine dear! Have you landed yet?" Marilyn responded in her usual cheery way. Katherine couldn't help but smile. Marilyn was the most cheerful, happy, and loving mother she ever knew. Even though Katherine was her stepdaughter and she wasn't around much, Marilyn made sure to make sure Katherine felt loved like a biological daughter. She was the only one Katherine really felt safe around for the longest time. They talked on the phone as often as possible and when she just needed to talk, Marilyn was there. Most thought they were related because of how close they were and how similar they looked.
"No, not yet. Our flight isn't boarding for about ten more minutes," Katherine responded. She looked at the flight board to double check. "There's actually a bit of a twist to my plans..."
"Don't tell me you're going to parachute in. While that would be fantastic, there are too many trees you could get stuck in," Marilyn stated.
"No, though I'll keep that in mind for next time. You're just full of fabulous ideas!"
"I know hun. Now what's you're twist and how does it effect me?"
"Um, well. Before driving to the airport my best friend Harry Styles confessed his feelings for me and it was all dramatic, romantic, and I was sobbing. And he well, followed me to the airport and is coming to Chicago to prove his love for me... No big deal though," Katherine explained.
"Seriously Katie. What's really your twist?" Katherine started laughing in the phone. "You're scaring me. What's really going on?"
"I'm dead serious. Do you need me to put Harry on the phone?" There was silence on the other end of the line for a bit.
"So Harry Styles is your best friend and now boyfriend and you're both coming to Chicago?"
"Yeah. That's pretty much how it is." There was silence a bit longer.
"Okay. We don't have extra room at our place and I don't trust you two to a hotel room by yourselves."
"Marilyn, we've already been in a hotel room together. Nothing happened."
"Nothing happened?! Of course nothing happened! You two didn't have your whole Hallmark moment then! I want you two where I can see you. I'll just set up an air mattress somewhere," Marilyn exclaimed.
"You're lovely Marilyn, you know that?" Katherine said. Marilyn just laughed on the other end of the line.
"Of course darling. Now go back to your boyfriend and get all the sickeningly sweet stuff out of the way. I don't want to gag in the bad way. See you soon darling!"
"Bye Marilyn!" Katherine hung up and went back to where Harry was sitting. He had already eaten most of her food. "Of course I should know better than to leave you with my food, unattended."
"You said it was ours to share. You just happened to share more," he stated.
"And I told you to save me some," Katherine responded.
"I did..." Katherine eyed the small amount of noodles left in the Styrofoam container, then eyed Harry. "Sorry..."
"You owe me eight days of food now. Or a chocolate cake, or anything chocolate in that case," she said. Harry chuckled as Katherine sat back down next to him. "You're really lucky I love you. Otherwise, you'd be missing all your fingers."
"Cannibalism isn't attractive," Harry stated.
"But it sure is tasty." Katherine licked her lips menacingly. Both couldn't help but laugh. "Oh! That reminds me! Why don't cannibals eat recently divorced women?"
"I don't know."
"Because they're bitter!" Harry couldn't help but snicker a bit. It was so terrible, but he couldn't help it.
"Flight to Chicago now departing, group A, ready to board," a voice announced. Harry and Katherine both looked at their tickets.
"Row 18, seat A, group C," Harry stated.
"Row 12, seat E, group B," Katherine answered. Both of their shoulders slumped. "Well, that's what you get for last minute tickets."
"I guess. That's a shame though. I could see if the person that's sitting next to you can switch seats," Harry suggested. Katherine looked at her ticket and then looked at Harry.
"How about we figure it out on the plane? It'll be easier to figure out who has the magic seat," Katherine suggested. Harry put his hand on hers and smiled.
"You have really tiny hands."
"You have really giant hands," Katherine said.
"Group B and A, ready to board!" was announced. Katherine gave Harry a sideways smile.
"I guess that's me. See you on the plane." Harry gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she went up to board the plane. She looked back in the long line with another small smile. She gave the ticket to one of the attendants and disappeared through the door way.