before i start: i do NOT promote underage drinking. don't do it. forreal.
ok go read xx
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harry
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The first thing I did when I landed in America was head to the bar.
Not because I was a raging drunk or anything, because I wasn't, but because my mate Liam had recommended it to me and told me that was the first thing I had to do. He also demanded for picture proof and I was a man of my word.
"Hey man, what can I get for you today?" The bartender asked. The bar was pretty dark and there weren't a whole lot of people inside, so I didn't have to worry about someone leaking my identity. Usually people at the bar were cool about things like that.
"I'll take a vesper." I said as I sat down on a stool and had a look around.
"Comin' right up." The cheery bartender said as he turned around and started to mix up my drink.
The lighting in the building was incredibly poor, but I still took a selfie and sent it to Liam before mapping out where I'd go next. I was taking a two months road trip across America and starting off in Philadelphia, PA where I had to pick up the trailer that I bought online. After that I really didn't know where I'd go, I just knew that I'd get there somehow.
"Here you go, sir." The bartender said.
"Thanks, man." I smiled as I took a sip. Liam was right- this place served pretty good drinks. I made sure I didn't get anything too heavy, though, because if I got even the slightest bit tipsy there would be a story in the papers about it.
I heard the whoosh of the front door open and shoes stomping across the floor. To my left sat some stranger and when I looked over and saw it was a girl who seemed my age, I quickly ducked my head. I didn't want to start off on my road trip by getting mobbed by girls and this girl could potentially have the power to send out a tweet and ruin me.
"What can I get for you today?" The cheery bartender asked. I glanced over to see her flush and look around a bit.
"I, uh..." She trailed off. "I don't really know."
A smile played on my lips. Yes, she was easy on the eyes and that in itself was enough to smile about, but I found it a bit amusing that this stranger marched into a bar without a clue of what she wanted. By the looks of her, she seemed like she didn't even know what alcohol was.
"What do you recommend?" She asked. I finally realized that she was referring to me and now it was my turn to blush. I scratched the back of my neck and pulled back a clump of my hair as I thought of something that might be appropriate for this girl.
"Try rum and a coke." I suggested. She nodded and turned back to the bartender.
"What Harry Styles said." She smiled, making me smile more.
"So you know who I am, then?" I teased.
"It just now clicked." The girl laughed lightly. "My cousins really like your band. They're, like eight and ten, but they both insist that they'll marry one of you."
"Well tell them I'm flattered." I joked. "It's alright, I've said yes to about a thousand marriage proposals anyway. What's two more?" She cracked a smile and I noticed that she had freckles running across her nose and cheeks.
"Oh, I'm Mia by the way." She introduced herself. "Sorry, usually the introductions come before all of this but today's been... stressful. My mind's all over the place."
"Nothing a drink doesn't fix." Cheery bartender said as he slid her the drink. "I.D, please?"
Mia opened up her wallet and showed the bartender a slip of paper and he nodded before stalking off to go visit some other customers. I frowned down at the words written on the page because they didn't match up to what she had just told me.
"So your name is... Susan and you're 25? Well, Susan, have you lied to me? I'm quite offended." I asked with a chuckle. She shushed me and took the fake I.D out of my hands before hiding it in her purse.
"I'm only just under nineteen." Mia admitted. "And I've had this thing since the beginning of my senior year and stumbled upon it today. I figured I could use it, take my mind off things." I smirked.
"Don't worry, I'm only twenty. The reason I'm allowed to be served is all because of the title." I shrugged. She pulled a face and I wanted to ask her why but I held my tongue.
"I would have guessed you were at least twenty three." She confessed. "You could definitely be twenty three." I let out a throaty laugh before sipping on my drink. Mia turned to hers and drank large sips- I was surprised that she wasn't sputtering most of it out.
"Slow down there, Susan." I said. "Do you plan on driving yourself home?"
"Nope." She said. "I'll be picked up in a limousine, actually."
"Where to?" I asked curiously. I wasn't sure if she was just an extreme lightweight and the rum was getting to her or if she was actually serious.
"Oh, I just have to attend some wedding today."
"Well that's exciting." I said. "But, I'm guessing not so much for you. Who is it, the bride or the groom who you don't like?" I thought I heard her mutter something under her breath but I couldn't quite make it out.
"The groom." Mia sighed. "He just doesn't seem right for the bride."
"Mm." I said, taking another sip. "Well, if they're happy together then you shouldn't stand in the way of that. Even if you don't agree on it." As soon as the words slipped out of my mouth she let out a chuckle, as if what I said was a joke to her.
"Guess so." Was all that she said.
We were silent for some time. It wasn't awkward, although it probably should have been considering this girl was just a stranger to me, but it wasn't. She had pulled out her phone for a second and I was afraid that she'd send out a message about me, but all she was doing was texting her mum. I felt bad for eavesdropping but knew that I had good intentions.
"So," Mia sighed. "What about you?"
"Well, my band just finished up promotional things for our album Four."
"For your album for what?" She frowned.
"What do you mean?" I chuckled.
"You said 'for our new album for...'" She even tried to copy my low British accent, which caused me to laugh even more.
"No, like the album's name is Four. Like the number." I explained. "It's our fourth album together, our fourth year together..."
"Creative." She snorted. "Sorry, as you can see I'm not very up-to-date with my boy bands."
"It's all good." I smiled. "It's kind of... refreshing. Nice to see someone who isn't too in your face, y'know? So thank you." I was trying so hard to read this girl and try and tell what she was thinking, but I had a hard time in trying.
"Well thanks, I think." Mia said.
The bartender approached us once more and offered to refill my glass that was almost empty, but I kindly declined. Mia was still trying to finish her first glass and it was incredibly obvious that she wasn't used to alcohol when her face puckered at every sip of her drink.
"You alright there?" I asked.
"Yeah." She laughed. "Man, my parents would kill me if they knew I was here." She shivered at the mere thought of it and I smiled. Sitting here with such an average person almost made me feel average, too, and I liked that.
"It's better to have overbearing parents than uncaring parents." I noted.
"Don't think so." Mia pursed her lips. "You don't know half of the story... if I could go back and change them I would. Sorry, I sound like an awful person. I promise I'm not an awful person, Harry Styles."
"I believe you." I promised.
"Not like you met me five minutes ago or anything." Mia snorted as she finished up her drink and passed it back to the bartender who gave her a wink.
"Well, I should probably get going." I said.
"Me too." She hummed along in agreement. "Where are you off to?"
"I'm going on a road trip." I grinned. "And you?"
"My wedding."
Her words made me laugh. She gave me a blank stare before glaring at me.
"You're not serious, right?" I asked.
"Wish I was." Mia shrugged as she slipped on her coat.
"Wait, you're being completely honest with me?" I was a bit wary of her. She didn't know me and I didn't know her and she could just be doing something to get me interested. It sounds a bit bizarre but I had been played like that in the past before.
"Wouldn't lie about it." She raised her left hand and showed me a ring with a giant rock on it that made me question how I had possibly missed it earlier. "The wedding is tonight."
"But..." I trailed off, at loss for words. "That's crazy! Didn't you say you were only eighteen?"
Mia bit her lip and glanced down at the ground before looking back up at me. Something about the whole situation didn't add up but I believed that she was telling me the truth. That was something that I found to be a flaw- I trusted people too easily. But something about this seemed completely legit to me, it wasn't like she went out and bought herself an engagement ring.
Suddenly, everything that she had mentioned about a wedding today clicked. How she said she didn't think the groom was right for the bride, how she was upset about it all... she was talking about herself.
"Wait." I said as she tried to walk out the door. "Why are you getting married!?"
"I appreciate your concern, really." Mia smiled sadly. "But don't worry about it, I'll be fine. Always am." The smile on her face told me otherwise. I wanted to know more.
"Is there anything I can do?" I offered.
"Nope." Mia said. "But thanks. I do have to go, though, start getting ready."
I frowned and pressed my fingers to my temple. The combination of drinks and this bizarre situation with a complete stranger was enough to make my head hurt. Being the incredibly nosy lad that I was, I yearned to know why this stranger was getting married at such a young age. I wanted to know why she didn't want to get married to whoever this man was.
"Alright," I pursed my lips. "Can we at least stay in contact, maybe?"
Mia smiled another sad smile.
"Take care of yourself, Harry Styles."
And then she was gone.
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a/n:
talk about an eventful first chapter!
i apologize for the length, i know that it is shorter than what my usual chapters are but i felt like this was just enough information for one chapter. i didn't want to pack a whole bunch of stuff into one chapter, because that would be too much.
and OH MY GOODNESS, GUYS. THIS APPARENTLY GOT TO FAN FICTION NUMBER 2. HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? you're all ridiculous and amazing and i want to give you all hugs. i still don't even understand how it got there but THANK YOU SO MUCH.
also, to the side is an amazing cover that @xBeautyRisesx made for me! i wanted to show it to you guys and ask you if you feel i should change this profile picture to that one bc she's supa talented.
and question- did you think this was too fast for a first chapter? i know what i'm doing but i just wanted a personal opinion from you guys because i love getting feedback.
SPEAKING OF FEEDBACK~ please vote, fan, and COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT.
ily guys xoxo
- delilah