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{Kate's Point of View}
Against my better judgment, I boarded a flight from London to Los Angeles to attend Laura's wedding in late September. Alessandra and I booked the same flight, and, as always, Eli accompanied me. The flight was long, especially when Alessandra began telling me about a new boy she was seeing. I wondered if she could tell I was far less than interested in hearing about her new love when mine was gone.
I was angry. I was angry with Harry for not going public with our breakup because he was holding it for his own benefit. I was angry that I felt so alone all the time. I was angry that sometimes I missed him. I was angry because he changed his mind about being with me so fast. I was angry with myself for being so easy to leave. After everything we had been through together, after all the special moments, after all the love, Harry effortlessly asked for a break. That should have made me angry with him, but it only made me angry with myself.
I didn't even know why I was going to the wedding. Laura hated me and I didn't even attempt to mask my distaste for her. Laura was partially responsible for ruining my life after causing my anxiety with her "intervention" to tell me how much I hurt Harry—the unnecessary anxiety that would later lead to my concussion. It was hard for me to rationalize why I had agreed to attend the ceremony. But then again, in the back of my mind I knew why I was going: Harry would be there.
We landed in Los Angeles among warm sunshine and palm trees. The city was buzzing with energy as people rode by on bicycles and drove with the tops down on their convertibles. Music blasted from every storefront. Designer shoes clacked on the pavement. Designer handbags swung back and forth from diamond-ringed fingers.
"We have to be to the ceremony by one tomorrow afternoon," Eli said to me as we waited at a stoplight somewhere downtown. "I have the address."
"Right," I said absently.
"Are you feeling okay?" he whispered to me.
"Fine. Hey, do you think you could drop Alessandra and I off on the next block? We still have to buy a wedding gift for Laura. We didn't buy one in London because we didn't trust to fly with it."
"Sure." Eli signaled and pulled over in front of a series of high-end home goods stores. Alessandra and I climbed out of the car and arranged a time for Eli to pick us up.
____________
{Harry's Point of View}
I felt the force of the airplane pushing me back in my seat as we gained altitude. I closed my eyes and griped the armrests. Flying didn't scare me, but the intensity of takeoff was always somewhat unnerving. When the plane evened its course, I opened my eyes and glanced around the cabin. Niall was already asleep. Liam and Louis were sitting with some people near the front talking about writing a new song. Amid our ever-present entourage, I found myself alone.
I stared out the window at the lights of Minneapolis shrinking beneath us. The concert there had been good compared to the last few. I had finally felt okay. I had been able to sing without voice cracks and I could carry a note a lot longer than I had been. The fans' energy was so strong that even I couldn't be immune. I remember it took several hours for my smile to wear off long after the show ended.
Somewhere in the distance was our destination: Los Angeles. I looked forward to the change in scenery, not so much the wedding we were attending. Despite her perpetual bad attitude, Laura had been with the band for many years and we owed it to her to be there on her wedding day. The boys agreed to go to the wedding with the incentive of a few days off in Los Angeles. I had agreed for a different reason; Kate would be there.
I reached into the bag sitting in the seat beside me. I pulled out the worn leather journal that accompanied me wherever I went. A cheap pen bearing the name of our last hotel was tucked in the pages marking my latest entry. Before I could flip to the page, something fell from the front cover of the journal and landed in my lap. It was an envelope addressed to Kate from me. The postage was even in the top corner, but the letter had never reached a mailbox. I slowly opened the unsent letter and squinted at my messy writing.
Kate,
It's two days before Christmas and I'm sitting at home with my family, but I'm thinking of you and only you. I guess I'm not in the Christmas spirit without you near me. It won't really feel like Christmas without you. I told you that you should be with your family on Christmas, and I really believe that, but I wish we weren't so far apart. I'm here and you're there, and to me, there sounds like a pretty good place to be.
I miss you so much. I can't wait to see you again. I'll meet you in London on the twenty-eighth. Have an incredible time with your family. I hope you have the best Christmas.
Thinking of you always,
H.
I could remember writing the letter perfectly. Mum was in the kitchen baking and Gemma went out Christmas shopping with friends. I had been sitting on the floor in the glow of the Christmas tree writing the letter.
"Harry?" Julia appeared in the aisle of the plane with a phone against her ear tilted up so she could speak to me. "The style team wants to know which suit you're planning to wear to the wedding."
"Tom Ford, all black."
"Tom Ford, all black," Julia repeated into the phone. "Yes. I'll ask him." She tilted the phone to speak to me again. "You sure you want to wear all black to a summer wedding."
"All black."
"Right then." She readjusted the phone and relayed the information to the person on the other line. "He'll be wearing all black. Okay, I'll ask." Julia looked at me. "Are you opposed to wearing a hat?" "Is it an outdoor wedding?"
"No."
"Then, yes I am opposed. I would prefer not to wear a hat."
____________
{Kate's Point of View}
Morning sun washed into our hotel room as Alessandra and I busied ourselves with getting ready. A tangle of cords from curling irons and blow dryers crisscrossed the bathroom floor. Eyeliner pencils, tubes of mascara, eyelash curlers, palettes of eye shadow, makeup brushes dipped in bright pink shades of blush, and tubes of lipstick littered every surface of the hotel room. The air smelled distinctly of Dior perfume from Alessandra.
"Have you seen my diamond earrings?" I called to Alessandra.
"No, babe. Could you zip up my dress?"
"Yeah, come here." Alessandra wore a beautiful coral dress that made her skin look perfect. I pulled the zipper up and fastened the latch at the top to keep it together. "You look great, Alessandra."
"Thanks! Let's get you into your dress. You have to look absolutely perfect before we go down to the lobby."
I laughed as I pulled my champagne colored dress from its hanger. "Why is that?"
"The boys are in the hotel across the street. If Harry happens to see you, he needs to know exactly what he's missing out on." Alessandra zipped the back of my dress and threw her head back in laughter.
____________
{Harry's Point of View}
The California sun was beating down on us as we waited outside the hotel for our cars to pick us up. Wearing all black was starting to seem like a mistake as my skin felt like it was melting off me in the heat.
"No photographers?" Louis asked in sheer surprise.
"Sent a decoy car out this morning. Paps followed it." Nick smiled with satisfaction.
I stared at the façade of the hotel across the street. A fountain was set in time to classical music that was audible even from our distance. A yellow Ferrari was parked and glinting arrogantly in the sun. I could hear Liam and Niall talking about it.
"The cars are on the way, boys," Nick reported.
I watched as the doors to the palatial hotel in the distance opened and three people stepped out. Two beautiful women in nice dresses walked in time with a man dressed similar to me in all black. I immediately registered who they were. My heart contorted in my chest. My breathing stopped altogether. It was no longer the sun making me feel like I was on fire; it was the sight of Kate.
____________
{Kate's Point of View}
I couldn't bring myself to look across the street. In my peripheral vision, I could see a cluster of people gathered at the doors of the hotel. I didn't need to look because I could feel his presence. The sun was hot, but knowing Harry was nearby was making me cold.
"Our car is being brought around," Eli explained.
"He's there," Alessandra whispered.
"I know," I admitted. "I can tell."
"You look absolutely amazing. I hope he feels bad for what he's done after seeing you looking this good."
I looked over and saw a scrawny bearded man slip from the inside of a yellow Ferrari. His eyes were bloodshot and his shirt was stained. One of his shoes was without shoelaces. He reached into the Ferrari and clumsily took out a cup of steaming coffee.
____________
{Harry's Point of View}
It was like the scene was moving in slow motion. I watched the lanky guy step from the Ferrari with his cup of coffee. He stumbled across the cobblestone walkway in front of the hotel toward the girls. He shuffled his feet along and kept his head down.
I clenched my fists. He wasn't watching where he was going. I swallowed hard. His foot caught the edge of the cobblestone. I felt my muscles tense. He lost his balance. I stopped breathing. He fell forward with his coffee cup escaping his drunken grasp. My mouth fell open. The cup of coffee rocketed toward Kate and splashed across the front of her dress. My face turned hot. Her dress was ruined.
Eli launched forward and grabbed the man off the ground. He seized the front of his shirt and raised him until his feet barely touched the cobblestone. I could see Eli's face harden with anger as he spit vicious threats to the Ferrari owner. Alessandra produced a handkerchief from her clutch and began blotting futilely at the stain.
"Cars are pulling up," Nick informed us.
"Wait," I said firmly.
"What?"
I watched intently as Kate's hands flew to her face and she began wiping below her eyes and shaking her head rapidly. I didn't need to hear what she was saying to understand the situation. She didn't have another dress to wear to the wedding.
____________
{Kate's Point of View}
I ignored the stinging pain of my stomach and thighs where the hot coffee had burned me through my dress. Eli was busy screaming at the guy and threatening him. Alessandra was on her knees trying to blot out the stain.
"Can I get some water?" she yelled to one of the doormen.
"Alessandra," I whimpered as tears sprang to my eyes.
"Shh, babe. It's fine. We'll get it."
"No, we won't. It's coffee!"
"I've removed coffee from clothing before," she said quietly.
"This dress is chiffon. The stain isn't coming out." Tears were falling now and landing on Alessandra's perfectly done hair.
"No crying, babe. We'll just switch the dress."
"I didn't bring another. This is the only dress I brought. I'm going to have to miss the wedding!"
"Calm down, babe," Alessandra cooed to me. She stood up and marched toward the young men gathered at the valet desk. "Do any of you lads have water?"
____________
{Harry's Point of View}
Two black SUVs pulled up in front of the hotel blocking my line of sight to the drama unfolding across the street. Everything was processing slowly in my head. I saw Kate. She's going to the wedding. Some idiot spilled his coffee all over her. The dress she is wearing is ruined. She doesn't have another dress.
"Hold the second car," I shouted.
"What?" Louis turned around.
"Send the first car. I have something to fix."
"What?" he repeated.
"Nick," I turned to my security guard. I reached in my front pocket and pulled out my wallet. I removed a platinum credit card and handed it to him. "Eli is across the street with Kate. Take this to him and tell him that I've called Burberry and arranged for them to use my card there. He'll understand."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. Hurry."
Nick turned and waited on the side of the street for a small break in traffic. He darted across the street and managed to avoid being hit by a car. I watched as he approached Eli who still held the offender captive. Eli released the Ferrari owner who fell to the ground. Nick handed Eli the card and then gave him a friendly slap on the back before starting his journey back to our side of the street.
I dialed the number for Burberry. I wanted to send Kate to a nice store. I wanted her to go somewhere the sales associates would take care of her. I wanted to buy her a dress.
"Hi, this is Harry Styles. I just sent my credit card with my girlf—uh, I just sent my credit card over to be used by someone. I wanted to call ahead and confirm to you that it should be used. I have an account set up there. There is no limit to what she can buy. And don't allow her to see a receipt. Have it sent over to me. I want her to have the best experience, but it needs to be quick. She has somewhere to be."
____________
{Kate's Point of View}
I stood in the fitting room staring at my reflection in the mirror. The dress was sleek and felt expensive. It was black Mulberry silk and black Italian lace. It was a conservative midi length with classic short sleeves. It was fitted with a slit running up the back and stopping near the center of the backs of my thighs. The zipper was exposed and black in color.
"How does it look?" Alessandra called through the fitting room door.
"Amazing," I sighed happily.
"What do you think? Come on out," the sales associate urged.
I stepped out spun slowly for the two women. Their faces were alight with amusement. Alessandra looked speechless; the sales associate looked satisfied. "I love it," I beamed.
"Good! And the shoes?"
The ankle strap pumps were perfect. "I'll take them, too,"
"I'll have your total at the front counter."
"Thank you."
I folded up the coffee-stained dress and put it in the Burberry bag the sales associate had given me. Alessandra held my other heels and followed me to the counter where I could hear the computer printing a receipt.
"Your new job must be paying well, Ms. Burberry," Alessandra nudged me.
"No," I shook my head feebly.
"Then how?"
We lingered back as Eli pulled out a credit card. The woman examined it for a moment and then asked to see Eli's photo ID. He waved his hand dismissively and leaned over the counter and said something quietly. The sales associate nodded and swiped the credit card. She tore the receipt from the printer, crumpled it up in her hand, and threw it in the bin.
It had only been a suspicion before, but now I knew. It was Harry. He had done this for me.
"That was sweet of Eli to buy this for you," Alessandra tugged on the sleeve of the dress.
"He didn't," I mumbled.