The next morning Paul woke him up to come down to the dining hall to eat at the breakfast buffet. Harry grumbled and got into a shower before getting dressed: . He grabbed his phone and room key before leaving the suite and catching up with Liam in the elevator.
“How’s it going?” Liam asked. Harry sighed.
“Horribly.”
“I heard.”
“I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“Well are you happy?” Harry shook his head.
“Haven’t been for months.” Liam sighed.
“Then you need to break up with Taylor and tell Grace how you really feel.”
“She doesn’t want me anymore.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because I wouldn’t want me either.”
And then the elevator doors opened as it dinged. Liam and Harry joined the rest of the guys for breakfast, Liam having asked where the girls were.
“Oi, they went to breakfast with Gemma.” Niall said through a mouthful of eggs and toast.
“Ew!” Louis whined and threw a piece of fruit at Niall who gladly scooped it up to eat.
Harry sighed and had trouble eating but he knew he had to get some carbs and protein in his body so he would have energy for the show tonight. The prospect of performing tonight excited him, but not about the possible consequences of Taylor coming. Fortunately he was so busy she couldn’t come over early to hang out so he wouldn’t have to worry until tonight.
“Niall come on, go get them.” Harry groaned as he leaned against the door out in the hallway of the hotel.
“It’s Elise, she’s taking forever.” Niall agreed and knocked on the door.
Grace greeted him looking beautiful as usual. Harry couldn’t keep his eyes off her and she smiled at Niall as he smiled back widely.
“Wow! You look fantastic Lovie!”
“Thank you Niall, you’re looking quite dashing yourself.” Niall laughed.
“Well thank you, I do try. Is Lise almost done?”
“She’s finishing up, but I’m definitely done.”
“Great! You can head down with Harry! We’ll be right there!”
And then Niall walked inside the suite. Grace strapped her usual grungy satchel across her torso and met eyes with Harry. He smiled at her and she easily smiled back. He felt better seeing the necklace around her neck still.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
Harry and Grace got into the elevator before Harry pushed for the lobby.
“You do look very beautiful.” Harry complimented.
Grace looked down at the ground bashfully and Harry smiled wider. Just like in their song, it was like “What Makes You Beautiful” had always been written about her.
“Thank you, you look very handsome.”
Harry thanked her softly before the doors opened. He was looking forward to talking with Grace and they did just that the whole ride to the venue where fans were already filling out the wide space. All the guys were growing excited with nervous energy buzzing through their beings. Harry and Grace and Elise were all laughing about something when Harry heard his name being called.
It was Taylor.
Elise’s face immediately fell and Harry looked stressed before she rushed over, backstage pass around her neck like the rest of them. Taylor caught Grace there before she called Harry’s name so she immediately grabbed his face and started kissing him. Harry shut his eyes and tried to push her back but that just urged Taylor on. Elise glared and tapped her booted foot against the floor of the backstage before clearing her throat loudly. Harry pushed back and looked at the girls with stressful fear.
“Oh hi Elise, it’s nice to see you again.”
Taylor smiled in that way that Elise knew was fake.
“Mhm, nice to see you too I suppose.”
Harry was obviously panicking and couldn’t speak coherently so Grace stepped forward, politely outstretching her small hand to the much taller performer. Taylor stared at her hand for a few seconds, as if it was some germ riddled explosive device before gripping her hand and shaking it roughly twice and then pulled back.
“Hello Taylor, I’m Grace, it’s very nice to finally meet you.”
Grace was all genuine, completely sweet and nice as usual but Taylor thought she was faking it.
“Yeah, it’s so nice to meet you too Grace, I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Taylor spoke in a high pitched voice that was clearly Girl Code for being fake. Elise rolled her eyes and wrapped her arm protectively around Grace.
“Yes we’re so happy to have Grace here with us tonight, it’s been much too long since she’s seen the boys perform. Isn’t that right Harry?”
Harry blinked before nodding.
“Uh yeah.”
“Come on Harry I want a picture!”
Taylor pulled Harry away and Elise scoffed.
“She’s so fake!”
“She seemed nice.” Grace tried to defend her.
“Oh no! Don’t even try that card Grace! She was so rude to you! And Harry did nothing!”
Grace shrugged cutely.
“He was frozen with fear.”
“Yeah well he better be now, I’m shoving this boot covered foot so far up his arse, he won’t sit properly for weeks!”
Grace giggled and Gemma walked over with Eleanor and Perrie, all of whom immediately started gossiping about how fake Taylor was. They were all shocked to see Grace be so nice about it, but then they remembered that’s just who Grace was.
“Excuse you, it’s highly inappropriate to be snogging like that!” Elise yelled as Taylor and Harry were making out against a wall. He was still a guy and had needs. Harry flipped her off before going back at it.
“Ugh gross.” Gemma winced.
Grace looked away from the scene, her heart hurting, before Eleanor put a comforting arm around her and then soon enough it was time for the guys to go on. Of course the crowd was going absolutely insane and the girls all screamed and cheered them on from backstage.
It was actually hot despite the cold surrounding New York City so all the girls took off their coats and scarves and began to jump up and down and sing along, even Grace did. And the guys were having so much fun, having their families there to support them and all, they put on an amazing show.
“Alright you guys have been such an amazing crowd but we’ve got one song left!” Liam yelled.
“A song we hope you all still remember!” Niall joked.
“A song that will get you off your feet and jumping!” Zayn shouted.
“A song that we all love dearly!” Louis added.
“And it’s a song I’m dedicating to a special someone backstage tonight, she’s the most important girl in my life and I want her to know that she is beautiful and this song is for her!” Harry finished.
All the girls gasped as “What Makes You Beautiful” started up. It was obvious Harry had dedicated the song to Grace, even Taylor knew that. And she was fuming. The girls started screaming and singing along with the boys, Harry glancing over every once in a while, especially during his solos, to look straight at Grace.
Her heart fluttered and butterflies erupted in her stomach as she continued to sing along, feeling so alive once again. Harry had dedicated this song to her when they first started dating too, at the first concert she had ever attended. It had made Grace blush so much, especially when Harry brought her out on stage to show her off.
“You don’t know oh-oh-oh, you don’t know your beautiful!”
When Harry’s solo came up he walked closer to their side of the stage and he looked right at Grace as he sang to her. She was blushing and all the girls around her cheered and Harry winked at her before finishing up the song with the boys.
“That’s what makes you beautiful!”
The crowd was going absolutely insane as was everyone backstage. Well, everyone except for Taylor, who was clearly angry.
“WE LOVE YOU NEW YORK CITY! THANK YOU!” The boys all yelled out to the crowd.
And then they rushed backstage, immediately being engulfed in hugs and kisses from their loved ones. It was so exciting, the energy coursing through them all, and they all cheered. Harry tried to get to Grace, wanting to ask her how she liked it, before Taylor ripped his arm and pulled him to a private area.
“What was that Harry?” She demanded.
“What?”
“You were totally singing to Grace!” Harry rolled his eyes.
“Taylor, it’s kind of a song we’ve always dedicated to her.”
It was true, he wasn’t lying about that.
“You were singing to her!” Taylor shouted.
“She’s my friend, of course I think that way about her, we’re very close! You don’t even know what the hell she’s gone through!” Harry defended Grace.
It was his fault after all.
“You still didn’t have to look directly at her!” Harry sighed.
“I’m not having this conversation right now.” Harry grumbled and left the Green Room and bumped into Grace.
“Harry! That was so great! Congrats!”
Grace threw her arms around his neck as she pulled him down for a hug. Harry chuckled and hugged her back, he loved seeing her so happy.
“Thank you Love! I’m glad you enjoyed it!”
He kissed her cheek and Grace blushed. Their faces were close together but Grace quickly pulled away, still smiling and pulled him back by his hand to go and see all the rest of everybody. Taylor left angrily without letting Harry know.
And to be honest, he didn’t really care.