With finals over, Nina felt a weight already lifted off her shoulders. Especially knowing that by the early evening Harry will be back from the LA trip from hell. Both were ready to spend some time hiding out in Anne's home, sharing quiet, quality time together as a family.
The paparazzi were pretty much stalking Harry at this point, hungry for any information they could get on his lovelife. After Jeff swiftly shut down the Olivia rumors, much to Nina's delight and Olivia's dismay, the paparazzi were doubling down on their hunch that he was seeing someone. They thought perhaps Harry's team was throwing them off, especially since Olivia decided to join the same gym Harry had a membership to, and they were determined to get the next breaking headline right.
Harry was over it. He complained to Jeff any chance he got over the last three days, hating that being in LA meant being stalked. It was a big reason why he and Nina ruled Los Angeles out of their relationship, not even daring to step foot in the state of California together. But now that this director was following him around on top of the paparazzi, he found any excuse to get back to New York earlier than planned. He missed the privacy that he gained over there, never once being photographed in the last year unless it was pre-planned for work.
Even Nina was tired of the constant stream of photographs and headlines. Fake sources claiming he and Olivia were in the early stages of a relationship, pictures and videos of him just trying to go to his car after meetings. He looked just pissed off and annoyed in every single one, and she just hated knowing he was upset. She wished she could be there to comfort him, even if that was an unrealistic wish.
And though Harry reassured her over and over that everything about Olivia was false, it still bothered her. She didn't understand how stalking him could ever manifest into him joining her movie or even being in a relationship with her. Jeff combated every headline almost immediately, making it clear that there was nothing going on, but people just ran with the headlines, not bothering to read any further.
At night, instead of facetimes full of lovey-dovey dialogue and quietly enjoying each other's presence, they were full of rants and frustration over the entire media circus. Both just wanted to be together again, pretending that he wasn't famous and that they were just normal.
Nina's family and Jen had to deal with the brunt of stabilizing Nina and letting her get all her insecurities out. Amanda and Nathan even came for a visit, just to check in on if these headlines were even true. They were glad to hear that the couple was still going strong, secretly relieved since they knew of Harry's intentions to propose. Harry had wanted to involve them and Mabel into the proposal, since they were the reason he even met Nina, but they unfortunately couldn't go to Manchester.
Ava sat on the couch with Jen at the apartment, watching Nina pack up her last bag for the trip. "I agree, it's weird."
"Right? Like it's basically stalking, how are they allowed to just get away with it?" Nina sighed, folding up a sweater to put in the suitcase.
"It's because it's their job, I think. Like paparazzi have special privilege to follow celebrities around since they're like public figures." Jen adds before taking a sip from her wine.
"Like, how does a person feel comfortable stalking someone and saying 'well I'm just doing my job?'"
Nina looked at the girls, shaking her head in annoyance. "Well Harry has some sort of restraining order against some paparazzi in England so at least there's that. But now you both see why I avoid Los Angeles like the plague."
"Well because it is a plague, first of all." Ava teases, making the girls crack a smile. "Seriously though, if you went to LA with him for those shows over the summer you would be public enemy number one. I guess at least now that director chick is taking the heat off you. The fans will be so distracted with her, you won't even be a blip on their radar. You should thank her."
That last sentence made Nina scoff as she continued to pack. "Please, I have nothing to thank her for. Not that Harry and I were planning on going public, but now whenever that happens I'll just get compared to her and how I'm so not his type. I've already seen the fans saying that she looks exactly like his last girlfriend, and they're not wrong. Then you go down the rabbit hole of Harry Styles' ex girlfriends and start to notice a pattern. Tall, skinny blonde Supermodel, tall, skinny blonde supermodel, tall, skinny, blonde singer.... Short, brunette, grad student, kindergarten teacher? Maybe they're right, maybe she's his type. I am nothing like his exes..."
"And that's why he's with you!" Jen hated when Nina would go down this dark path of insecurity. It just really broke her heart. "Look, if he wanted another tall, blonde, skinny supermodel or actress that looked just like his ex, he would've been with one already. But he chose you. You're different, Nina and that's not a bad thing. He was dying to say that he loved you from the second you met."
Ava nodded, chiming in before Nina could continue putting herself down. "And if the fans say that you're not his type, you just ignore them. Because at the end of the day, you're the one he's dating, not some random girl online. He could have his fair share of tall, skinny, blondes in LA, but he chose the unique, beautiful, kind aspiring kindergarten teacher. That speaks volumes, Nina. And let's face it Nina, he is definitely not your type. I never would've expected you to go for a really famous musician. Maybe a doctor, or a firefighter, but never a celebrity."
Nina knew all of this was true. They've had this conversation more than she would probably care to admit, but it didn't mean she didn't still get insecure. She always felt like there was someone more famous and prettier out there that he could be with, someone with connections that could get him where he wanted to be. She had nothing to offer him, and yet he could give her the world in a heartbeat.
She tried not to let those thoughts get to her, since at the end of the day she was the one who got to call Harry her boyfriend. And most days she was confident and wouldn't entertain these thoughts. It just sucked seeing a fan reaction to rumors of Harry dating someone, especially since this hadn't happened before.
It would be a lie to say that Nina didn't care if the fans liked her once they knew about her. Harry's fans were extremely important to him and Nina always was aware of the close relationship he had with them. She didn't want to be the one to cause a rift in that relationship because she really did find it beautiful. At the same time, she knew that the fans would look for any reason to hate her.
She was pretty clean cut, had a great sense of morals and made it her life goal to provide a foundational education to young children. She volunteered all the time, educated her students on important social topics whenever possible, and fought to raise awareness to how little is given to teachers, especially in a public school setting. Most days, her biggest problem was which craft she wanted to do with her students and how to make her lessons even more fun for them.
She was soft spoken, extremely empathetic, and amazing with children. She always wore fun, exciting outfits to class that always tied back to whatever the theme was for the week. She had this bright light that radiated from her smile, and Harry always made sure to remind her just how kind of a face she had. There was not a mean bone in that tiny little body, which made the idea of someone hating Nina seem impossible.
Everyone who met Nina fell in love with her. From the kids at school to the likes of Taylor Swift, who drunkenly professed her approval and love for the girl to Harry when she first met Nina. Harry was hopeful that the fans would have the same reaction once they finally knew about her. At the shows, he knew that she would get along great with the fans, but they just didn't know who she really was.
Jen and Ava hated when she would get in these moods, not because they found her annoying or thought this was so unjustified, but because they wanted Nina to be confident. They wanted her to be able to see that she was a catch and that Harry won the lottery by being with her. They were able to see first hand the love that they shared and both knew it wasn't going anywhere. No matter how hard Harry and Nina tried, they were never breaking up.
Nina looked over at Ava, picking at the sweater she just placed into her luggage. "And I appreciate hearing that, all of it. I just can't put into words how... well how undeserving and out of place I feel sometimes. I know while we're home with his family things will feel normal again, but he'll always be this big celebrity. How are we supposed to make this work? At least with those models they like, get it I guess. The high speed lifestyle and the glamour of it all. It's not my world."
Jen shrugged, "Well, Nina, I don't think you're supposed to feel like this is normal. Because it really isn't. I don't even think Harry feels like this life is normal. That's the thing, he isn't into the quick pace and the designer purchases, not like some of these celebrities are. Have you talked to him about how you're feeling?"
With a sigh, she finally gives up on packing for now, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I have, in a sense. I just don't want to worry him or make him think I'm having second thoughts. Because I really do love him and want to be with him for the rest of my life. It's just really weird having this third party in our relationship that feel as if they know us and like they can speak about us. I mean, he shouldn't have had to warn me on our first date that his fans will send me death threats and make up all this fake shit and just hate me because I'm with him. I'm glad he was honest but like, that's not normal."
The other girls are shocked at the mention of death threats, but deep down they know it's definitely true. If things were going to be all rainbows and happiness, Nina and Harry wouldn't be going to such great lengths to hide from the public. And after seeing the fan reaction to these fake claims that Harry's in a relationship with this director, they know that Nina's concerns are completely valid.
"But I guess it's better you know now so that you don't let it get to you as much." Ava shrugged, hating to see her sister in this situation. She knew it would only get worse once they were engaged.
Jen shook her head. "That doesn't mean it won't still bother her. But just know that you can always tell us how you're feeling. We won't go to Harry about it either, not if you don't want us to." Ava nods in agreement, always ready to be a shoulder for Nina to lean on.
"Thank you guys, really." Checking the time on her phone, she sighs. "He should be landing now. I'm gonna head over to the apartment to wait up for him."
"Doing anything special tonight? I know you guys leave tomorrow."
Nina shrugged, standing up so she could finish tossing a couple more things into the suitcase before zipping it up. "We're gonna go to the sushi place and then just get some rest. We have a long travel day tomorrow."
"What time do you leave?" Ava asked, helping her get the suitcase closed.
Once it was closed, Nina put it down on the floor. "Well we're dropping Lu off here at like six and then he booked us a private flight at like seven so we'll be getting to London at six in the morning. I'm gonna probably sleep on the flight but I know the time difference is gonna be brutal."
Jen scrunched up her face in sarcastic disgust. "I do not envy you. But enjoy your dinner and seeing Harry again and I guess I'll see you tomorrow when you drop off Lulu."
The girls all hugged goodbye and Ava helped Nina bring her suitcases downstairs and out of the apartment building. They split up once they got upstairs and got Nina's luggage in the back of an Uber. The doorman at Harry's apartment helped her bring the bags upstairs, which Nina was extremely appreciative of.
As soon as Harry's jet landed on the tarmac, he was on his feet and ready to get off. He wanted nothing more than to run into Nina's arms and disappear for the next few weeks with her. He almost wanted to cancel their dinner plans to just stay in, but he knew that the restaurant was closing down for them and he didn't want to ruin business for them.
With his duffle bag in hand and his backpack on, he walked off the jet and right into a car. He already felt calmer as the car started on its way from JFK to his apartment in Manhattan. He sent Nina a quick text, letting her know he was on his way. She responded back in record time, just so excited to see him again. Sure it had only been a couple days, but that always felt like an eternity.
As Harry's car pulled up to the building, he could barely sit still. The car had barely come to a stop before he was opening the door, wanting to be upstairs in the safety of his lover's arms. He thanked the driver quickly, going around the car to rush into the building. In his haste, he didn't notice the fans that just so happened to be in the right place at the right time. The fans who quickly made it known online that Harry was in the city.
Nina was waiting impatiently by the elevator for Harry, ready to run into his arms as soon as he stepped foot in their little safe space. Harry was ready to catch her too, breathing in the sweet, intoxicating scent of her shampoo with perfume. As soon as he felt her body in his arms, he felt all the stress and frustration that had built up while he was in Los Angeles just melt away. None of that shit mattered when he had Nina with him.
"I missed you." He breathes out against her hair, holding her tighter.
"I missed you, too." Nina whispers to him, squeezing his waist closer. They stood there for what felt like an eternity, Lulu happily yapping at their feet. Finally home. They pulled away from the hug, Harry greeting Lulu with plenty of pets and kisses before going to shower and change. Nina sat in the bathroom while he did, listening to him explain how the flight back was.
Leaving the apartment once they were ready, the couple found themselves completely enraptured by the other. Holding hands, getting into the backseat of the car waiting out front that was ready to take them to their favorite restaurant. It felt normal, something Harry was so desperate for after everything he endured in Los Angeles.
They talked more about his time in California over dinner and how her finals went in the privacy of the empty restaurant. He ordered an extra dessert toward the end of dinner, wanting to celebrate her high scores on her finals and that she was officially in her last semester. They laughed and kissed, feeling safe in this little bubble.
Completely unaware that the paparazzi were hiding just outside the door, continuing to take their pictures. Only now they had a completely new story to sell.
One of Harry Styles and the mystery girl from New York.
⌂⌂⌂
and so it begins!
gab