♡♡♡
All the young girls love Alice
Tender young Alice they say
♡♡♡
October 13th 1997
Alice's P.O.V.
Normally I couldn't tell these banquet halls a part. They all look the same. Round tables with white tablecloths, red napkins, and gold utensils. Glasses of ice water that are mostly untouched and melted because everyone already has an alcoholic beverage in their hand.
Harry stiffens the moment we walk through the door. The funny, sweet boy that he is around me melts away and is replaced with his cold, stern business facade.
"I'm going to go say hello to my family and get that out of the way. I'm sure my sisters are here, but if they were smart they got a nanny for the kids. Can you go get us drinks?"
He may have hated coming to these events growing up, but they were everything to me, for no reason other than seeing him.
A film reel of memories plays in my mind as I walk over to the bar. The best thing about these events (other than being with Harry of course), is the open bar.
A brunette has her back to me, facing the wall as I get closer. Something about her seems familiar but I can't see her face. Ignoring her for now, I place my order with the beautiful woman behind the bar.
"Can I get two Roy Rogers, please?"
"Virgin?"
My eyes go wide and my purse falls out of my hand. "I'm sorry?"
She gestures to the glasses on the bar. "The drinks. Did you want those with alcohol? Most people get them without. Actually most people don't order them, it's usually kids whose heads barely look over the bar top."
My face is on fire and I am praying that my makeup covers it.
"Yes, please." I wasn't going to drink tonight, but now I definitely would like to. Didn't need that reminder. Not that it matters right now.
"I guess some people never change." The woman on my right speaks and turns her body to the bar.
Oh lord forgive me, I try my best not to curse. But what the fuck is she doing here?
"Sarah. What are... um... what are you, what are you doing here?" Nice one, Alice. Real smooth.
"Celebrating Erin of course! The charity work she's done is so inspiring. I work for her at the bank. I have for years now. I mean, only interning while I'm in school, but hoping to get a full time position come graduation this spring. When I saw the invite I just had to clear my schedule." Her hair has gross chunky blonde highlights that don't blend out with her dark brown hair. Her face is pure evil. It doesn't matter that she's smiling with pearls around her neck. Beneath the surface is the worst human you'll ever meet.
"Really? And you thought that was a good idea because?"
Her smile stretches her face even more. "Why wouldn't it be? You know how close Harry and I used to be. I was hoping to run into him. He tends to keep his head down at the office."
The bartender places two dark glasses, illuminating with red syrup in front of me. I smile and pick up the two glasses. I move in closer to Sarah.
I lower my voice and try to make my higher pitched voice sound as intimidating as possible. "In case you've forgotten, Sarah. I know better than anyone just exactly how close you and Harry got. And you should be thankful that I am the one that found you first and not Mrs. Styles. I got you out of Harry's life once, I sacrificed years of my life to do it. I will be damned before I let you re enter it. Now you are going to leave and you are going to do so quietly. You are not going to say hello or goodbye to anyone. If you are not out of here in ten seconds, or I find out someone knows that you were here, you better hope there is another company within the state of New York that will be willing to hire you."
I am holding on to our drinks so tightly I'm shocked they haven't slipped from the condensation.
She has the audacity to smirk at me. "Oh I get it. Y'all are doing it." She plucks one of the maraschino cherries from my glass. She puts it in between her horse teeth and crunches down on it. "Tell me, Ally Girl. Did he pop yours?"
I stand my ground. I need her gone before Harry sees her. "I'm not joking around, Sarah."
"Oh I know! You are defending your little boyfriend! It's really cute."
I refuse to let her condescending tone get to me. I keep my face completely neutral. "Ten."
She doesn't move.
"Oh, please. You can't get me kicked out of here if you tr-"
"Nine."
"Okay, okay. I'm going." She picks up her purse and pulls the long strap over her shoulder. "It was good seeing you Ally. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you soon. Keep his bed warm for me."
"It's Alice," I mutter under my breath. It takes everything in me not to throw the drinks in my hands all over her ugly cheap dress. It might actually improve it. She walks past me and I keep an eye on her to make sure she follows my instructions. I turn back to the bartender who is pretending she didn't listen in on the whole thing.
I place one of the glasses down. "Could you remake this one for me? That woman put her hands in it."
She laughs. "Of course. Boy troubles?"
I purse my lips together and shrug, taking a sip of my own drink. "I guess you could say that. You know how it is."
She gives me the fresh drink, and with a wink responds. "No, actually. I don't know."
I'm about to ask her what she means about this when I feel two arms wrap around my torso. My body that was previously on high alert and ready to punch someone is instantly calmed by Harry's presence.
He plops his chin down on my shoulder. "Oooo, are these for us?" He picks up the new drink and takes a sip. He lets out a small cough, not expecting them to have alcohol in them. "Yup, these are definitely for us. And I'm sure there's going to be a lot of them."
He takes my free hand and brings me around the room. "Come on. We've got some people to see and some hands to shake. And then I have a surprise for you later."
There's a whole butterfly exhibit in my stomach. "Really? What is it?"
"You'll have to wait and see."
♡♡♡
I underestimated just how many people Harry felt he had to "say hi" to. But I have to say, whatever crush I had on Harry that I thought was gone, was well nurtured tonight.
I'm not going to act on it. Especially right now, he is a much better friend to have than a boyfriend. He's a mess emotionally and definitely ready for someone in his life that isn't Jaime. My gut drops every time I think of her name. I'm sure she's lovely, but I feel so guilty when I think of her.
Am I the other woman? I can't be. Harry and I are just friends. And technically, I knew him first so she would be the other woman. Maybe? It's all so confusing. I've never met her, but I don't think there is anyone in this world that can have Harry come into their world, leave abruptly, and survive that.
And yet, here I stand.
Every person Harry said hi to, he introduced me as "Alice Van Baker, his date." That piercing scream is eleven year old me losing her mind inside me.
I thought Mrs. Styles would be shocked to see me here. But when I first sat down at the family table she smiled. Later when Harry got up to go to the bathroom, she leaned over to talk to me.
"Alice. I am so happy to see you here tonight."
"Thank you, Mrs. Styles. I am honored to be here. I'm sorry if I am slightly crashing, Harry invited me at the last minute. I had to move my calendar around a bit."
"Oh dear, look at this table. Didn't you notice how no one had to pull up a chair? I knew you'd be here tonight. You're exactly where you're meant to be."
I've been playing that conversation over and over in my head. Something doesn't feel right. Considering how against she was to Harry and spending time together in the first place, her comments don't make sense. I've taken five years of math in high school alone, including AP Calculus at the moment, and I can't seem to figure her out. Something isn't adding up.
I'm running through the conversation again when the singer of the live band steps up to the microphone. It's one of those big circles on a tall stand that looks like it's from the 1920s.
"Good evening, everyone."
The room goes mostly quiet. No matter what, in a room like this, people are always going to be talking. And these types of people think they are better than everyone, especially every form of entertainment or help.
"Before I get to the announcement, let's give another round of applause to the woman of the evening. Mrs. Erin Styles everyone!"
The room erupts in applause. I watch Mr. Styles squeeze Mrs. Styles hand in support, but she is quick to pull it away. She isn't particularly...warm. Once the applause dies down a little bit, the singer approaches the microphone again.
"Well, I usually don't speak up here, but I must say that you folks have been particularly shy of this beautiful dance floor in the middle of the room."
A flash of embarrassment reddens my face as I remember all the times I was too little to know better. I loved the nice music and the musicians in their fancy suits. I just wanted to dance. But as soon as my father saw me I was being pulled away for causing a scene. The very few times I got to dance it was always with Harry, somewhere hidden.
"...and earlier tonight a certain young man requested that we play a song for his pretty lady to dance to tonight. So this is for them."
I want to clutch my heart and say 'awwwwwww.' I want someone like that. Whoever that girl is should consider herself the luckiest woman in the world. I watch as couples get out of their chairs and start moving to the dance floor. It's easily the most people I've seen on this dance floor at once. I expected the song to be more of a slow ballad, but it's actually pretty upbeat. I think I recognize this song from one of the albums Harry loves to play.
Raised to be a lady by the golden rule, Alice was the spawn of a public school.
A familiar hand is outstretched in front of my face. "May I have this dance, Wonderland?"
If my smile gets any bigger, my lips might run off my face. I place my hand in his. "Of course."
He rushes us out to the dance floor. I barely get my footing before he's spinning me in circles. He pushes out and in. I twirl and twirl, and we're barely twenty seconds into the song. I can't stop laughing, not because this is funny but out of pure joy. It's not until the cymbals crash and the first chorus starts. The song slows down in the middle and Harry pulls me close. I allow myself to listen to the lyrics and it smacks me in the face.
All the young girls love Alice
Tender young Alice they say
Come over and see me
Come over and please me
Alice it's my turn today
Oh. My. God. I'm the girl. "Harry, did you do this for me?"
He laughs and twirls me, pulling me back to his chest. His breath hits my ear and I try not to shiver but fail. "Of course, I did. You've spent enough time dancing behind curtains. It's time we show off these sick moves. These old geezers could use a little movement. Besides, who doesn't love Elton?"
Poor little darling with a chip out of her heart
It's like acting in a movie when you got the wrong part
Getting your kicks in another girl's bed
I break out of his dance hold to jump and wrap my arms around his neck. I practically tackle him in a hug in the middle of the dance floor. He freezes for a moment before holding me tight. "Thank you," I whisper.
"Anything for you, Wonderland."
When the silence is too much, Harry is the voice that calls for me. And I will answer every time.
I peer over his shoulder to see his mother with a big smile on her face. I shake it off and go back to dancing with my favorite person in the whole world.
It isn't until later that night as Harry's driving me home all the pieces connect. Mrs. Styles never wanted Harry to stay away from me. She told him that on purpose, knowing that he would do the exact opposite. She wants us together, and we both played right into it. What I can't figure out is why.
I think back to the first conversation I had with Harry when we saw each other again.
"We're like actual players in this thing now. We're not pawns for our parents. We're like the little tower dudes or the horses on the chess board."
"Not to scare you, Ally Girl, but I don't think we're knights and rooks. I think we're supposed to be the people playing the game. Not just the pieces."
I was wrong. We'll never be chess players. We'll always be the pieces.
So what's everyone's fave 1989 vault track?
also this is one of my fave chapters...
Meet you at the Precipice
Oli x