Dedication to In_wond3rland_ because she's such a sweetheart and comments on like.. All of my stories. :) (Please read Author's Note at the end!)
Chapter Twenty-Nine
An hour later and I was standing in front of a mirror. I had refused any type of make-up, telling Lou that honestly, wearing a dress was enough torture for me to go through in one day. She continued to bugger me about it and I stayed firm.. Until she brought in her little girl. Lux, who was just learning to talk, repeated after her mother, saying 'Lipgloss!' repeatedly. So I consented.. Only if Lux would apply it.
"Go like this!" The two, almost three year old, declared as she waved the lipgloss wand around. She then, pretty much, attacked my lips with it. Not sure if there was more on my lips or more inside my mouth.
"Okay," I laughed.
My hair was down, seeing as I also refused any type of bun, braid, or anything. So the slightly curly, brown hair had been left alone and hung down to just under my chest. The dress clung annoyingly to my body and I was honestly thinking about just yelling 'no deal', ripping it off and then crawling under the covers in my room and watching Merlin.
Yet, although I was a stubborn girl, I never went against what I said I'd do. I'd promised Lou that I would go through with it all, that I wouldn't back out. Easier said than done. Especially when another freaking limo pulled into the house's driveway. The girls and Harry waited at the door.. They all saw Cara first, her friends all declaring how flawless she looked. And it was true.
The blonde's dress accentuated her body shape, and her hair had been spun up into a lovely bun. Her make-up was done to a tee, dark eyeshadow making her bright blue eyes pop. Harry smirked in approval, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Then, as if in sync, they all turned to look at me. Cara grinned knowingly at me and I subconsciously picked at my nails.
With my dark brown hair down, I assumed I looked just like I normally did. Yet the girls all had wide eyes and Harry stared at me as if I was the first girl he had ever laid eyes on.
"You look.. Wow. You look stunning," he blubbered out, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. I pulled a Matrix move, bending out of the way so he missed. I stuck my tongue out at him and he chuckled. "Still the same attitude, though."
"You can put a dress on a girl, but that doesn't change who she is." I shot back, hiking the dress up and stalking to the limo.
I heard a few girls mutter under their breathes about my converse clad feet, but I plopped right into the seat.
"You can't be in a bad mood when we get to the event," Harry forewarned as he and Cara got into the limousine as well.
"I promise to be on my absolutely best behavior," I said sarcastically.
"Why do I have a feeling I should not believe anything that comes out of your mouth while your in a dress?" Harry teased.
"Because I'm unhappy, therefore not willing to tell the truth." I replied simply.
The rest of the car ride was mostly silent, except for a few side comments made from Harry and Cara. I couldn't bring myself to break the quietness that had enveloped us, even despite the fact that silence annoyed me. But eventually, the limo came to a stop.
I stared out the door and suddenly realized the plan for this date. Photographers were lined up, flashes going off periodically. And a long, red carpet.
"Mind telling me what this is for?" I asked as we waited for the driver to come open the door for us. Photographers were posed, waiting for our exit.
"Movie premiere for Identity Theft," Harry grinned. "Now.. Are you ready for the world?"
"The amount of hate I have for you right now, Styles, is greater than my love for Tumblr. Please realize you are number one on my 'people who are stupid' list." I muttered as the door got opened and I got blinded.
~
Being paraded around was not exactly my idea of 'fun', but it was amusing to watch what happens from this side of the red carpet. Walking, stopping, posing for pictures (Most of which I made faces for), and having people yell random things out at us. After we had taken way too many pictures for my liking (Seriously, now there's photographic evidence of me wearing a dress.. Never going to live this down.), Harry dragged us over to where there was a line of interviewers. Apparently, as contestants on the show, we had to be interviewed by random magazines. The torture never ends.
"Hello! This is Seventeen Magazine, here with Harry Styles and two contestants from One Direction's reality game show, Going In Different Directions. What are your names, girls?" The bombshell brunette interviewer turn the microphone to us. Her syrupy sweet voice was annoying and her perfume nearly intoxicated me.
"I'm Cara Nolin," Cara responded with a tilted head and smile.
"Al Grate," I said with a stone hard expression.
"You both are looking lovely tonight.. Wouldn't you agree, Harry?" The girl turned to Harry, shoving the mic into his face.
"Definitely, I'm lucky to be able to escort two beautiful girls tonight." Harry tossed his curls and grinned into the camera.
For the first time since this entire show started, I was seeing the 'famous' Harry Styles. After hearing his name yelled out, after seeing girls fawning over him, photographers begging for pictures of him.. It just made me realize that the boys I had come to know as normal, hormonal, annoying boys were indeed 'wanted' by millions of girls. I mean, girls fangirled at the house, but that was a total of twenty-nine girls. It hadn't seemed that big of deal, but now he was actually acting the part.
"So Harry.. What's it like? Going to a house every day to spend time with girls who'd do anything for you?"
"The lads and I don't think of them like that," Harry didn't lose his smile for a second as he continued to talk, "We've been getting to know them. A lot of them just have fun personalities. After the second week, a lot of them seemed to catch onto the fact that we're just normal teenagers you'd go to school with."
"Is that true, Cara?" The interview tilted towards the blonde.
"In a way, I guess. Extremely attractive, nice guys… Okay. They're not at all like the guys I go to school with. Although they are pretty dorky," Cara giggled prettily. Man, that girl sure had different moods. One second she'd be pretty chill, but the next she'd resemble a Fake. A nice Fake, but still.
"Your input, Al?"
I suddenly felt the mic whiz towards me. Yes. Felt. "They're obnoxious. And annoying."
"Oh my," the girl looked taken aback by my statement. Cara snorted in quiet laughter.
"We're still working our charms on Al. She's not exactly the biggest One Direction fan.. And getting her into a dress tonight was definitely a trip," Harry spoke up for me. I felt his hand rest against my waist and I immediately smacked it away. He gave me a momentary pout before focusing back on the interviewer.
"You look stunning," the lady smiled (A bit forcefully) at me.
"We must get going, great talking to you!" Harry ended our conversation, nodding and winking towards the camera before pushing Cara and I farther down the line, straight into another interview.
You have got to be kidding me.
"It's Brianna from Popstar magazine! Hi Harry! Would you please introduce the lovely girls with you tonight?" The second we had walked up to this interview, she grinned like a crazy person and started firing questions towards us. Not intimidating at all.
"This is Al Grate and this is Cara Nolin, two contestants from One Direction's current reality game show," Harry said.
"Very nice to meet you both! Al, what's been your favorite part so far?"
"The food," I replied, "They have really good food."
"Must be fun, then! What about you, Cara? Favorite part?"
"That's hard, I've really enjoyed all of it. Probably getting to know everyone, the girls are all pretty funny.. Especially Al. She's the comic relief for us all," Cara laughed.
"I'd agree with that. She also keeps us grounded. There's no way someone could have a big head around Al, she's not one for compliments." Harry inputed, his green eyes twinkling with joy as he looked at me.
I stuck my tongue out. I had heard these questions a thousand times. After all, we had weekly interviews. I felt like anything that could possibly be said.. Had already been said.
"Any love interest in the house? I know that a kiss happened to be shared between you, Harry, and you, Al.." The interview said with a smug smile, as if it was so original of her to ask that question. I mean, we hadn't gotten that question before, but this lady was driving me nuts.
"That would be factual," Harry chuckled nervously.
"To all the crazy fans out there who want to wring my guts out and make a rug out of my hair, I did not give Styles any sort of consent to do what he did. In fact, he received a stern lecture after." I informed the camera, staring straight into the little reflection.
"Isn't she just a sweetheart?" Harry teased. "We better get going inside.. Great talking to you!"
Then, just like that, Harry guided Cara and I into the building. I shot him a death glare as he once again tried to get away with having his hand on the small of my back. Jeez, you put on a dress and suddenly it's like you're a girl. Seriously, I think I might burn this dress when this was all over and done with. Nice bonfire with lots and lots of flames and smoke and maybe I'll burn the entire Going In Different Directions contract Nick had so kindly signed for me.
"Smile, Al, you're the prettiest girl here." Harry whispered to me under his breath.
And for one.. I didn't have a comeback.. Instead, I found myself blushing.
Oh goodness..
~~
You guys know how much I love you all and how much I enjoy your input.. But I need to say a few things.
This story is my baby. It's the first fan-fiction I've ever started, beginning it over a year ago. And I understand not all of you are going to like my characters and such.. But please, please think about what you say before you comment. I'm tired of seeing the "AL IS SO MEAN LIKE I HATE EVERY TIME SHE BREATHES" it really frustrates and annoys me. Honestly, Al is not mean.. She's sarcastic. That's part of her personality. She might offend people, but she doesn't realize she's doing it because it's just the way she is. There's more to her than meets the eye, too. Which you will be learning upcoming chapters. Also, to those of you who are so angry that she gave into wearing a dress.. Think about the fact that she didn't really have a choice. It's not like she gave in easily, anyways.