"Harry," I whined at the smirking boy as he held the fork out, trying to feed me. "I can do it myself." This was over the top.
"But I want to, milkduds... Now open up!" I just glared at him. I refused to be fed like a little child. "Please Chrissy?" Harry whispered with a frown, his lips tucking into a pout. My eyes lingered there before trailing up to his sad puppy eyes. I let out a loud sigh that let him know he was victorious.
"You just spoil the poor girl," Zayn said.
"Tell me about it," I grumbled before opening my mouth properly. Harry carefully placed the fork in my mouth, letting me bite off the rolled up pasta. "Thank you," I said sarcastically once I finished chewing.
"With pleasure," Harry took the same fork and twisted more pasta onto it, shoving it into his mouth. His eyes stayed on me for a second longer until I finally I fake gagged which just earned a glare from him. "Get use to my germs."
"This food is heaven," Niall exclaimed dramatically. Most of the bread sticks were gone because of his bottomless stomach. "We have got to come here more often."
"Who knew that Niall was a Olive Garden boy," I commented. Olive Garden was an italian place and was America's high class version on a budget. It was surprisingly vacant for the night but the food was still great. All six of us had pushed together two tables, making enough room for everyone. I was seated in between Liam and Harry. Zayn, Louis, and Niall sat across from us.
"Thank you for showing us it," Louis thanked me as he looked up from his own plate.
"Thanks for inviting me along," I returned his smile.
"Anything for the girlfriend of Mr. Styles," Liam snickered. We were still in public and had to keep a cover just in case- it felt like this faux agreement wasn't outlined how much 'public' exercises we had to endure.
"What should we do tonight?" Harry continued to shove pasta in his mouth, still looking attractive somehow, while I sipped on my diet coke.
"Scary movie night?" Niall said as he smirked at me, remembering my jump scares from Halloween.
"No." I crossed my arms stubbornly.
"I will not be sleeping with her when she's scared again. She kicks," Harry narrowed his eyes at me as I stuck my tongue out at him. I do not kick... I think.
"You can snuggle with me!" Louis grinned.
"Lou! How could you?" Harry looked up, his face dropping. His hand went to his heart, gasping at the idea.
"Pass up a chance to snuggle with her? Never!" Louis winked at me before his face twisted in pain. "Ouch! Harry- no need to kick me!" How ironic, he just complained about my sleep kicking.
"Enough fighting boys, we all know she'd want to be with Daddy Direction," Liam put an arm around the back of my chair.
"You're all wrong! She wants me! All of this," Zayn said as he pointed to his body.
"I'm her best friend!" Niall put down his fork. Oh boy, this was getting serious.
"I'm her boyfriend!" Harry set his own fork down, the hand closest to me found my knee. I looked up at him, my eyebrows scrunched slightly. No one can even see under the table, why would he do that?
"You just said you didn't want to snuggle with a scared Chris!" Louis said as he leaned over the table tauntingly. "Therefore I get the right."
"But she's my girlfriend," Harry halfheartedly added. I looked over to see Zayn staring intensely between Harry and I. I caught his eyes and raised one of my eyebrows. He just smiled and mouthed that he'd tell me later. "But seriously," Harry caught my attention again. "What are we going to do tonight?"
"Let's..." Liam started to say something before he fell silent. His expression telling me he was still thinking about what to do. I wasn't sure of what was most happening. "Play games? Maybe the pool? But it is kind of chilly so maybe not... Maybe-"
"We'll figure it out when the time comes," Zayn finally stepped in. Liam nodded as he went back to his plate. I turned to Harry, about to ask him why he was acting so possessive. He looked at me and held up another fork full of food, feeding me again.
"You two are really cute," Niall announced randomly. I looked away from Harry to him, my eyebrows pulled up. "Like, I want you two to actually date." His blunt remark made my eyes widened. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Harry's actions mimic mine.
Louis coughed awkwardly before looking at Harry. "How's Elizabeth?"
"She's great," Harry shifted his attention to Louis. "I talked to Paul, and I might actually get to go see her later this week. It would only be for a few days but at least it is in person. I could really use time with her." As he was talking, Harry's hand slipped off my knee. I turned to the other boys, letting them talk in private. I tried not to think about that action or the loss of warmth from his touch. It shouldn't bother me...
"So..." I started off, looking at Niall.
"I'm not kidding," Niall pressed again as he pressed the awkward topic on us.
"Shut it, Niall," I pointed the fork that I stole from Harry at him. "I want you and Abigail to date," the words that left my mouth caused the blondie's cheeks to heat up.
"She's alright," he said shyly.
"Alright? Oh please," Liam laughed as he joined our conversation. "You never shut up about how fiery and passionate you think she is!"
"Bro!" Niall shot him a look, his mouth dropping open. "How could you say that! She'll tell Abi that!"
"Will not," I rolled my eyes. "I'm not as big as a gossip as Tammy."
"Are you gonna ask her out?" Zayn looked at Niall, who just looked at us frantically.
"I don't know! Let's focus on someone else! Like you!" He pointed to Zayn. "Situation on Sarah?"
Zayn shrugged before taking a long sip of water. "We've talked... I don't think she really wants to be a girlfriend of a celebrity after hearing Chris," he corrected, "complain all the time."
"I do not complain all the time." I glared playfully.
"Yes you do." Zayn countered back. "Oh we have to go out again, oh I'm tired of the stares, oh everyone is treating me differently-"
"You guys really do make me feel like a dad with the constant bickering." Liam cut him off, glancing at me.
"Love you," I smiled happily at Liam- thankfully for his teamwork in changing the subject.
"Love you too," Liam pinched my cheeks.
~
"Pile in, kids!" Liam shouted as we walked outside. We all got back in the car in our original spots, Harry and I occupying the very back. Harry hadn't really talked or touched me ever since Louis and him talked. Harry became engrossed in his phone, I tired not to notice as I yawned. The ride back to the hotel was about 20 minutes but it was already getting late. I don't know how the boys weren't dead after the performance. Just watching them and sitting with them to meet fans took all the energy out of me. These boys were walking gods, I swear. The silence and the road were making me drowsy. I let my eyes slip close... just for a second.
~
"Chris," my named was called softly. "Chris, come on get up."
"W-What?" I said groggily.
"Come on, time to get out." I opened my eyes to see an awaiting Zayn. I slowly crawled over the seats and out of the car just to have him pick me up bridal style. "The boys are making their way to the elevator." He explained. The way he walked with me made it seem as if I weighed as light as a feather. This boy was toned under this shirt. "We're close so once we get up to the room you can go back to sleep."
"Okay," I said quietly. Zayn walked with me as he kept me huddled to his chest. I didn't need him to carry but I was so tired, I wasn't going to stop him.
"Chris?" He said as we stepped onto an empty elevator.
"Mhm?" I opened my eyes and looked up at him. He smiled down at me, his beautiful face looked angelic in the elevator light... So, I may or may not be lacking some very needed hours of sleep.
"Do you like Harry?" His question was innocent but I didn't want to actually think about it, so I tried to play it off as a joke.
"What?" I said with a tiny giggle. He said the funniest things.
"I'm serious," he quietly added. "I know Harry has a girlfriend and all... but sometimes you can't fight feelings. And with the way he's acting with you-"
"No," I decided in a hard voice. "I don't like Harry." Even as I said the words, I didn't know if they were completely true. At times, I found myself attracted to Harry so much I wanted to cry from frustration. When we acted like boyfriend and girlfriend, it felt like we weren't even acting and we could just naturally connect. I found my knees feeling weak and at other times it felt like birds were having a rave in my stomach. It's hormones, remember? I had to keep telling myself that; hormones, hormones. Not actual feelings.
"It's okay if you do," Zayn pushed when I didn't add more to his question..
"It's also okay if you like Sarah," I said as I put my ear to his chest and listened to his constant heartbeat. Zayn got off the elevator and walked down the hallway.
"I know," he whipsered and I could tell there was a smile on his face. He opened the door without dropping me and was carrying me inside. "So, who is she with tonight?" Zayn said, causing my eyes to fully open. I could feel myself getting tired again, lapsing in and out of sleep.
"Not I," I heard Niall laugh. Prick, I thought. "Ow! I was kidding! No need to hit me, Liam," I heard him whine. I always loved Liam!
"Just drop her in my room," I heard a deep voice say.
"If you say so," Zayn followed the orders and put me in the bedroom I always ended up in. "If for some reason, you think you can't sleep here tonight... You know where my bed is, for solitude" Zayn kissed my forehead.
"Zayn?" I said as he was walking out the door. He stopped and turned his head back. "Thank you... I love you, Zayn," I smiled sleepily.
"I love you too, Chris," he grinned before walking out. My eyes fluttering close as he shut the door.
The bed was moving, causing me to wake up. I rubbed my eyes and let out a groan. "Sorry," the voice whispered. The room was pitch dark now, and the alarm clock said it was a little past midnight. "Need clothes?" He whispered again. I let out a small yes, and the bed was shifting again. A large t-shirt was thrown to me. My eyes were starting to adjust to the dark. "Don't worry, I'm not looking." I didn't second guess his words and I just threw my shirt off. I put the big t-shirt on and kicked off my pants. "Done?" The voice paused.
"Yea," I said as he crawled in bed. I could feel the heat of his skin radiating even though we weren't as close as we usually slept- his arm not finding its usual place at my waist. I turned in bed; trying to find the most comfortable position. After minutes I finally sighed loudly. Thanks a lot, Harry. I've become addicted to your stupid arms. The thought instantly made my gut roll- I shouldn't be addicted to his arms in the first place. They aren't my arms. This isn't my boyfriend. This shouldn't be a habit. I wanted to get up and run to the living room in embarrassment but his voice cut through the storm of thoughts in my head.
"I'm sorry," he finally said. In the dark, I make out his outline- that he was staring up at the ceiling with his arms behind his head.
"For what?"
"Dinner," he said. "I was acting like a huge jerk and I randomly gave you the cold shoulder..."
"It's alright." I didn't want to pry, not right now at least. If Harry wanted to talk about it, then he'd talk about it.
"Want me to sing you a lullaby?" His accent rang in my ears, a smile in his voice. I let out a quiet 'mhm' as he wiggled close to me. Harry had pulled me close so that my head was now on his bare chest, his heartbeat echoing softly. His hands weaved into my hair, lightly stroking.
"If we could have only have this life, for one more day" He sang softly, and I felt my eyes close. A small smile walked its way onto my lips.
"If we could only turn back time,"
He continued to softly sing. I felt myself breathe slowly, relaxation sweeping through me. I was getting used to falling asleep in his arms all the time.
"You know I'll be,
Your life,
Your voice,
Your reason to be,
My love, my heart."
I could never stay mad at him. Harry knew how to play the strings of my heart just right.
(Edited June 2024)