It was weird singing in public. I was used to singing in her bedroom, never in a place like this. The lights were dimmed, a few candles giving it some ambiance. Katherine twirled idly, watching the frilly hem of her white dress swish back and forth, contrasting against the dark floor. Her dark hair fell on her frail shoulders in small ringlets, and with that, Katherine twitched nervously, feeling the braid pulling her badly butchered bangs away from her face. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she felt it still in place, and her conscience told her to stop being so nervous. Enjoy it. But something pulled at her insides, telling her she'd somehow fuck it up. Katherine was ready to run out when she felt to sturdy hands fall on her shoulders, and she spun to see a familiar mop of brown hair. She smiled a huge smile, jumping up to embrace her best friend.
"Louis!" I yelled, latching onto him like some parasite, lifting her feet up in the air as she did so. Normally, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing something like this. But it was Louis, and he was, well... Louis. He had no shame and I figured, hey, why should I. He smiled happily back at her, twirling me in a small circle before placing her back on the ground. Louis jokingly pulled the front of my dress up, grinning.
"Well, Kat Bishop, I thought you were here for the music, not to show your ta-tas!" Louis was such a joker, and while I thought he was hilarious, some of his jokes hurt me. I know it's stupid, and that he meant nothing by it, but he knows how hard this all is for me, and he should've been more sensitive.
"Oh, Louis! Get me a shrug or something!" I said, looking around backstage for something to put over what I know thought was a horribly inappropriate outfit. He just chuckled at me, placing his arm around my shoulders. A set of green eyes narrowed at him, and I could feel him thinking of something clever to say and I gave him a look that said 'shut-up-Louis-or-i'll-make-sure-you-never-have-kids', and he immediately backed off, placing his hands up above his head before laughing again. Sometimes is was hard being friends with such a goofball. He almost never took my warnings seriously. He didn't take me seriously, either. I shook my head at him, turning towards the stage as the last act finished their set. I lifted my cheek up expectantly for him, and smiled as he placed a kiss there. I felt so comfortable with Louis. I could do anything. He'd been the one to convince me to do this, anyhow. I smiled back at him, walking backwards onto the stage and I saw him retreat into the crowd.
My smile faltered as the bright white lights hit my face, blinding me momentarily as I stumbled backwards. My guitar rested on my lap as I seated myself in a stool near the front of the stage, eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness. I scanned the crowd one more time for Louis, and spotted him lurking in a back corner, eyes on me. I gave him a quick wave and a smile, and caught his kiss as he blew me it. I hadn't a care in the world as I went through my songs. I didn't think it was a big deal when I glanced back at where Louis had been standing and saw nothing but wall.
Little did I know, that would be the last time I saw my best friend.
It's been a year and a half since that day. I haven't sung once. Hell, I've barely talked since. I skip school all the time. I died my hair black. I continued ballet from just before I met Lou and he convinced me to pursue singing. I'd wanted to change. I wanted to get rid of him so bad, ripe every trace of Tomlinson that I still had left on me. But then I didn't. I had a box of his stuff stashed in my closet, and when I was missing him more than usual, I pulled it out. His old soccer jersey still had the smell of him on it, that smell I hated so much then that I now couldn't live without. I had his mix tapes, the black and white Gameboy he lent me, the shirt from when we'd painted my room (or lack thereof) and I threw a bucket of paint on him. I acted like I didn't miss him, like he wasn't important to me anymore. And my family acted like they believed it, but it was all a big lie. Louis was as much their son as I was their daughter, and we all missed him. Most of all, I think they missed me. The old me. I started to go strictly by Katherine, and I'd snap if someone tried to be cute and call me Kat. Because I was Kat to Louis and only to Louis. I wanted to keep him in my heart.
I stared out at the room before me with a sense of loathing, and I could tell it showed on my face. My face rested lazily on my cheek as I took in my surroundings. Sometimes these kids were so obnoxious. Sometimes, I just wanted to slap them upside the head. Typically, I wasn’t confrontational int he slightest. I knew my conversational limits, by behavioral limits. I knew what was acceptable and what was not. But when you were the only quiet one in a class full of… baffoons, it was hard to keep your cool. I wanted out of this stupid school, once and for all. This school filled to the brim with people I hate, this school where people are afraid to walk up to me. It’s been like this for a while, and for the most part, I’ve accepted it and moved on. Doesn’t mean I can’t still hate it.
I pryed myself out of my seat, shuffling up to the teacher, who was annoyed with everyone. I said, “Miss, may I use the restroom?” I’d also gotten very used to manners. It’d been weird, but I’d found I could do almost anything when it came to my teachers. They did play favorites, no matter what they may say.
I stepped out into the hallway, feeling a sudden silence wash into my ears. Gratefully, I took a deep breath of air that wasn’t mingled with strange, foreign smells and sweaty bodies. I felt my soft-soled TOMs pad against the linoleum, the chill of it all racing through my bones. I always felt better when I was alone, when I didn’t have ten sets of eyes on me at a time. I liked the silence, the way I could get lost in nothing but my own thoughts. I could write my songs without having to literally do just that. I got the melody in my head easily. Mostly, I liked not being bothered.
As I reached the girls’ bathroom, I looked inside to find no one there. I kneeled down near the entrance, tapping my pen against the tiles, echoing beautifully through the high walls. My fingers itched to play it on the piano, fingers flying across the keys, something that felt more natural than breathing nowadays. If I could just get to my locker before I forgot it, I could write it down or record it or… something. I walked with an impatient strut out the doors, catching it with my small hands before it could close completely. My locker wasn’t too terribly far away, and I hop-skipped as fast as I could to get there, humming the melody along the way.
I did it all with my head downwards, increasing my speed and getting there faster, and I didn’t notice the other person walking the hallway until we colliding. While I had short legs and a relatively small torso, this boy was tall and thin, and I fell easily to the floor, an audible scuff sounding as I scraped against it. I cringed as I felt my tail bone swell, the hard floor connecting with it. Shaking it off, I looked back up at him. He didn’t seem to want to help me up, so I pushed my small body off the floor, wiping off the back of my jeans.
“You couldn’t have stopped?” I snapped at him, folding my arms as my eyes transformed to slits.
The boy smirked at me, shrugging his wide shoulders, “Well, there’s this thing called inertia, babes. An object in motion will stay in motion and all that,” I suddenly realized this boy was the ugliest species of vermin I’d ever seen. I’d talked to him for only a moment or two, and I already wanted to spit in his face. I lifted my chin slightly, standing up straighter.
“I’m glad you payed attention in second grade science, congratulations,” I looked around, tapping the beat with my foot, trying to cement it in my brain until I could get this big oaf to move. My eyes narrowed further as two dimples appeared in his cheeks. I bet girls ate that up. I rolled my eyes at him, drumming my fingers impatiently against my forearm.
“Hey, you’re Louis’ girl, right?” he asked, his dimples disappearing and his lip retreating beneath a row of sharp, white teeth. My heart sunk deep into my chest as I heard his name and I wanted to flee. I stared down at my folded arms, gulping back a wave of remembrance of Louis. I nodded at him, avoiding his eyes.
“Um… I guess. Why do you care?” I retorted back at him, placing my wall back up just as soon as it was momentarily demolished.
“Why do you want to know my feelings? You don’t even know my name!”
“What’s your name, then?” I said, rolling my eyes at him. Not that I cared. At all.
“Harry,” he muttered to me. “Bye now!” he said, brushing past me. I rotated around, glancing at his retreating figure. That was odd. I shook my head and headed for my locker, confused thoughts swimming through my brain. What was that all about?
I waited a while until I dialed my mom’s cell and informed her of my ‘ill condition’. I put on a pretty good show, too. Nasaly voice, faux coughs, the whole shebang. I could tell I was entertaining Harry as I did so. Or maybe that cocky grin was a permanent thing for him. I pulled a piece of dark hair behind my ear, fussing with my shirt to make sure it wasn’t sliding up as it usually did. And then I looked at him. I could feel his eyes boring through me even before I saw him doing it. I let out an exasperated breath and nearly closed the space between us, standing right in front of him. I could practically feel his body tense.
“Now that we’ve got that over with, can you tell me what the hell you’re talking about?” I asked, crossing my arms indignantly over my chest. He looked down on my small frame, as if searching for the answer to my own question. I looked back at the Harry character, widening my eyes as if to say ‘well spit it on, numbnuts’. Or at least I hope that was the message conveyed, because those were my thoughts at the moment.
“Hmm?” he asked, like he hadn’t heard my question at all. I scoffed at him, turning away. How could he be so thick? So stupid. I saw him snap out of it after a moment. “Oh, uh…”
“Why is it that I’ve just started seeing you?” I asked him. It was pretty weird, after all. Not many new kids came to Hall Cross, and definitely not to my secluded little neck of the woods. And no new kid was this cocky. There was something weird about him, something not quite right, but I couldn’t pick it out. “And how do you know Louis?” which was the more important question.
He shrugged, looking off into the distance. I could tell he was purposely avoiding the question. He was a trip, this boy. I let out a slow, steady breath before I spoke again, “You know, I’ll just go home if you’re not going to tell me what this is all about,” And as he looked at me, I could tell he noticed the frustration in my face. My tension eased as I saw him run a hand through his curls and loosen up himself.
“This could be a very bad thing for me, Kitty Kat,” I rolled my eyes. Now I knew he’d talked to Louis at some point in time. He was the only person who’d ever called me that in my life. Even my parents had shied away from that horrid nickname, for which I was thankful. I let it slide when it came to Louis because I knew the only other choice was to get that liquifying puppy dog face of his.
“Maybe we can get out of this weather before I say anything? I’d rather be warm and dead than left out in the rain… and dead,” He looked up at the darkening skies, watching as the clouds pulled together like a rope cord. I bit the fleshy inside of my mouth, shrugging and nodding, turning in the direction of my house. “I guess if you’re going to stop beating around the goddamn bush, I’m fine with that,” and on that note I start walking towards my house. We walk in complete silence until we reach the chalky gravel driveway of my house. The big white house is nothing special to me, but I can tell it’s a little… strange to him. For a moment, out of the corner of my eye, I see his jaw drop and his eyes widen, but it seems just as soon as he did it he caught himself. I really didn’t care, I was used to this kind of reaction. My parents were both doctors and they made good money from it. I guess that was one reason we weren’t close. I knew they expected just that much success out of me, but I didn’t have the grades or the determination for anything they’d be interested in me doing. Music was my niche, and I knew it. I didn’t need to convince anyone else.
I lifted my shoe and pulled the elastic holding my key over my shoe and into my hand, unlocking the door with an almost inaudible click. I opened the door wide to reveal a polished, pristine excuse for a house. It was like this all over until you got into my room, where paint was splattered on the walls from the Louis days and records on tables and clothes scattered on the floor. I threw my rucksack off of my shoulders, pulling my hair into a messy bun at the nape of my neck. I told him to do something with himself while I went and changed into sweatpants and a blue hoodie. I didn’t need to look good around him, I wouldn’t see him after this.
At least, a girl could hope.
I skipped back down the stairs two at a time, almost slipping in my fuzzy socks. I squealed when I did so, warranting the attention of Harry. I brushed it off casually. I’m good at those things. But I saw him wink and knew he’d got me.
I sat Indian style on the couch in the family room, waiting until Harry joined me. I looked at him expectantly, my big green eyes even bigger with eagerness. “So?”
He laughed nervously, “Um, well, like I said, he was on this talent competition. And so was I, with some other lads. I’m surprised you don’t know, there are some girls who really, really fancy us,” He popped his collar proudly and I rolled my eyes. “Anyhow, we didn’t win, and we all kid of split up… And I mean, I honestly have no idea where Louis is now, but he talked about you,”
I looked down, feeling a flood of heat swell up in my cheeks. God dammit.
“And when I found out he hadn’t come back home, I figured you’d know where he is… So I snuck into your school and pretty much followed you around… And then I uh… kind of followed you home, and here we a—-” he scratched the back of his neck, laughing nervously as I cut him off.
“Hold a minute, you what?” “I followed you around,” he caught himself before I could claw his eyes out. “But I have good reason!”
I laughed, “This should be good…”
“I met with a record company a while ago just for me, but they told me I wouldn’t sell enough albums without the other guys, and so I’m kind of trying to find the other guys.” He looked at me from approval.
“I’m sure you could sell plenty of albums. You could sell dog poo if it had your face on it,” and that called for a collective eye roll.
“Good one. But really, I need them. And I mean, it should be easy to find the others, because they’re underage and living with their parents… but Louis’ eighteen and on his own… And I was thinking…”
Oh fuck. I knew what was coming.
“… maybe you could assist me in the search efforts?”
I watched as the muddy, wet Spring faded into early Summer, as the flowers started to bloom and the world started to brighten. Summer had always been my favorite time of year, unsurprisingly. I never really liked school until it was all I had to keep me focused on something and, in turn, keep me sane. And now that I had something else on my brain, I wasn’t satisfied with it anymore.
While Harry had gone off in the past months to collect the other boys, I stayed here and finished up sixth form. Granted, it was probably the most boring, suspenseful few months of my life.
And now it was my last day. I don’t think I’d been so eager for a bell in my lifetime. Once the final bell rang, I didn’t even stay long enough for the teacher to mumble a goodbye to me. I got out there quick. If I hadn’t, I’d undoubtedly be slowed by kids swaggering on their merry way through the hallways.
I dug through my backpack, pulling out my phone in one graceful movement, and scrolling through my contacts to highlight Harry Styles. I still wasn’t all too fond of him, but I’d gotten used to it, because I had to admit he was good at uncovering the truth. A couple days after he told me about Louis, he told me he’d wanted to be a detective when he was younger. i realized the sarcastic tone in his voice then, but now that I’d seen him dig up these boys even though he didn’t know them too well, I didn’t doubt he could do it.
I wrapped my fingers around my phone, tapping the on-screen keyboard to write out ‘out of school, should be home soon xx’.
We’d went over the plan ten times over only in the previous day. He was pretty lax when it came to plans, and that scared me more than anything. I’d been the one to go over with him, and I was annoyed to hear him laugh and say ‘Calm down, babes!’ every time I did. I especially hated the affectionate title he gave me. Not that he didn’t do it to everyone, I was just a little… well, uncomfortable. “Katherine?” I heard my mother’s calm soprano coming from another room. I sat my half-empty rucksack on the dining room table and walking in, placing my fingers loosely into the belt loops. I hugged my mum from behind and kissed the top of her chocolate brown hair. “Yes mum?”
“Hello dear. There was a call for you earlier, darling. Voice sounded familiar, but once I told him you weren’t home quite yet, he hung up almost immediately. All he said was ‘tell her don’t go today’. Any clue what that boy meant?” she looked at me with the most naive of looks, at my furrowed brow and creased forehead. I didn’t understand what that was all about.
“Hmm, I dunno. What’d he sound like?”
“He was definitely from around here. I’m almost positive it’s someone you’ve had around here. What about that boy you had round a bit ago?” she asked. Obviously, she was talking about Harry, since I didn’t really have any other friends worthy of bringing home (not that he was, really) at this point in time.
“No Mum, he’s not from around here, and he’d just call my cell. I don’t know what they’re talking about anyway,” I shrugged my shoulders, dismissing it entirely. “But Mum, I’m going to be leaving for um, camp, fairly soon, Harry’s picking me up,”
Did I not mention my big fat lie of an excuse as to why I’d be gone all Summer? I’d sat down with my parents a bit after Harry had first told me and explained to them that I was ‘counseling a Summer-long camp up north’. Of course, this wasn’t the truth. I mean, what kind of lie is the truth, right? But they’d eaten up, just like I knew they would. They trusted me. I hadn’t done anything but tell them the truth the past few years, and they had no reason not to trust me. Nerves were inevitable, though, and I figured they’d find out by the end of the Summer and I’d be grounded for life; or at least until I turned eighteen.
I heard gravel on tires out front and gathered my duffel bag. I yelled goodbye to my mom, giving her a quick kiss and a hug when she ran this way. “I’ll miss you darling, make sure you call later so you can talk to Caroline and your father, okay?” I nodded and agreed I would before I heard a horn honk from outside. Waving, I ran out to the car and threw the passenger door open.
We left my house at 3:19, right on the dot. I marked it. Now that it was half past seven and we hadn’t come close to where we were supposed to be, I saw a problem. I’d been trying to convince Harry to let me drive for God knew how long now, but he was about as stubborn as a mule. Despite my constant pleas to let me take us, he refused every one. Finally, I made up a stupid excuse to get out of the tense car.
“Harry, I need the toilet,” I told him, and smirked to myself as I heard him groan and smash his hands against the steering wheel. I faked bladder problems, sitting on my feet and jumping around. I almost couldn’t stop myself from laughing when I saw his death glares from the driver’s seat. Soon enough, we saw a light in the distance and he pulled up to a petrol station. I opened the door before the car came to a complete stop, jogging easily into the building. I spotted a guy maybe a little older than I was and smiled at him.
“Excuse me, this might be a stupid question, but where am I right now?” i laughed nervously, realizing that it did, indeed, sound foolish. Great.
Thankfully, he smiled right back and motioned me over. I looked around the counter, noticing the many pamphlets. “You’re in Blackpool, love,” he said, and I could tell as soon as he spoke. I raised my eyebrows and groaned. I didn’t understand how Harry had gotten himself hours away from where we were supposed to be. I clenched my teeth, nodding at the boy and waving as I ran back into the car.
Harry was studying the map when I sat back in the passenger side. Ironic, yeah?
“Harry! Do you know where we are?”[/b] I whined at him, setting my feet on the dash. I reeked of annoyance.
“Urm… no. But i’m assuming you do…” he said, a little confusion lingering in his voice. I laughed spitefully, shaking my head.
“We’re in fucking Blackpool, Harry! That’s four hours from where we were going! Gonna let me drive now?”
“Oi, calm down! Blackpool’s not so bad. There’s the beaches, the tower… How about we go sightseeing, Kat?”
A half hour later, we’d parked off a shoulder near the beach, and we were changing into our bathing suits. How he’d gotten me to do this, I didn’t know.
Before I knew it, Harry was around the corner from my makeshift changing area, yelling at me to hurry up. Easy for him to say, right? He was probably in his knickers and nothing else. I hadn’t known him for long, but one thing I did know what that he didn’t have an ounce of shame in his body. I shook my head, pulling a baggy white shirt over my swimsuit. Then I yelled back at him and came out.
“Where’ve you been hiding that, Kitty Kat?” he said, winking cheekily as I slapped him. It was hardly in the ‘oh stop it, you cheeky fox’ kind of way, though. It was more in the ‘I wish you would go away, because I hate your guts’ kind of way. I glared at him and self consciously wrapped my arms around my torso. I was like any other girl in the sense that I could find something wrong with myself at any point in time. It was easier to list the things I did like. And in that list came two things: my dimples and my eyelashes. Otherwise, I fluctuated often. Sometimes I love how I look, and other times I want to curl up and die. And right now it was probably the latter.
We walked down the beach, and I felt the slightly unfamiliar sensation of smooth sand between my toes. This was completely different than the times I’d been here as a child with my family. In a whole other realm. It was so pretty here at night. With the moon gleaming on the water, the sand dark, I couldn’t imagine anything prettier.
“Wow, it’s gorgeous,” I said in awe, voicing my last few thoughts. I looked over at Harry and smiled, motioning to the still water.
We trotted down into the water and I dipped a toe in, feeling a shiver run up my spine. I squealed out loud, backing away. There was no was I was going in there. Even if it was Summer, the water was still chilly and after being in the humid, sticky weather out of water, I didn’t know how i could just jump in there. I looked back in amazement as Harry dived into the shallow water, and still as he came up, his curly hair plastered to his forehead. I tried to suppress my giggles.
Until three and a half seconds later when he roughly splashed me with the water. I screamed, gasping at his audacity. Then again, I couldn’t really talk about audacity until I felt him grab my legs and pull me over his shoulder, throwing me in the ocean, cover-up and all.
I squawked, and saw his cheeky grin in response. And, in unison, we broke out in uncontrollable laughter.
I hadn’t had that much fun in way, way too long. We laughed and played for hours, splashing each other and seeing who could hold their breath the longest, having a handstand contest. We might have stayed there forever if we hadn’t heard the crack of thunder overhead. At that, i ran all the way back to the car, screaming, and proceeded to laugh maniacally there.
If the rest of this was trip, maybe I wouldn’t be as hurt when we don’t find Louis, which is what I think will happen.
There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark
The Adele song sprayed through the speakers, crackling as the reception came and went. Both Harry and I were groggy and couldn’t help but sing at the top of our lungs, if only and probably because of your hysteria over being awake for so long. My hands gripped the wheel tight and my eyes trailed over to the origin of Harry’s now childish voice as it had been for a while. I don’t know what it was that kept me here. I could be sitting in the back seat, wishing I’d stayed home. But I wasn’t. I could be in sweats with my hair piled on top of my head, yet I found myself with my hair in its naturally wavy state, my eyes framed with mascara and my clothes the exact opposite of sweats and a hoodie. And I didn’t know why. I blame it on getting attention from a boy for the first time in a while.
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go ahead and sell me out and i’ll lay your ship bare
I hummed quietly to the song, secretly enjoying Harry’s smooth, low voice. Looking around, I noticed the beaches and salty air had faded into trees and trees and… oh goody, more trees! Harry gripped a huge, unfolded map in his hands, and in my peripheral vision I could see him turning it over and over. Then, a moment later, I heard the crinkling of the map stop and glanced over to see him grinning proudly at it.
See how I leave with every piece of you?
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do
“Harry, what are you smiling at?” I asked him, trying to keep an eye on him and the road at the same time. The last thing I wanted was to crash the car. Harry bit down on his on his lower lip, narrowing his eyes in concentration.
“Hmm? Oh, we’re almost there!” Harry opened the map a bit more as he said it, flattening it on his knee. I tapped the brake, slowing us down a little so I could lean over and take a look at the map. Of course, I had an idea of where we were, but mostly I was listening to Harry’s directions. I must’ve been awfully tired this morning for agreeing to let him give directions, but it had panned out. We were fifteen minutes from Bradford. I could practically hear them and their obnoxious accents already.
Harry and I looked out the windows, marveling partly at the city and partly at the face we’d even made it here. After the night we’d had… well, needless to say, if we didn’t get here, I wouldn’t have been surprised. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Harry dialed a phone number, speaking in slightly hushed tones to what was obviously someone from Bradford. Harry hit the end call button after a moment, pointing at a busy McDonalds. I parked the car easily and we stepped out.
Today was the beginning of our journey.
Harry placed a hand on my arm, attempting to calm me a bit. As confident as I may or may not have been confronting and getting to know Harry, I wasn't ready to meet this Zayn character. As we sat in the McDonalds booth, my eyes shifted around nervously, thinking any boy around my age was him. Taking a deep breath, I shot a look at Harry.
"Harry," I started nervously, intertwining my own fingers together in nervous anticipation of whatever might happen next. "I'm really sorry, i'm awful with people," I looked up at him apologetically and my heart slowed down a little as he offered up a reassuring smile and a pat on the back. Finally, after ages and ages of sitting in the sticky booth, a grin grew on Harry's face, dimples gracing his cheeks. I saw him stand up to take a boy -- if you could call him a boy, that is -- in his large embrace. I grinned a little as Harry ruffled his hair, and I felt a little better. He seemed a bit like me; he didn't appreciate Harry's touchy-feely nature, but he put up with it. And if he was that much like me, he'd warmed up to it a little. I saw him glance back at the booth as Harry let him go. I offered up a small wave, slipping s piece of chocolate brown hair behind my ear and looking down shyly.
I couldn't help but blush a little as Zayn nudged Harry, nodding cockily like I knew boys like him to do. I pulled my legs indian style up into the booth as Harry and Zayn slid into the booth opposite me. I stood up a few moments later, pulling out a crinkled-up bill to pay for my water. I'd never actually liked water, and so I moved to the adjacent counter to pour packets and packets of sugar into it. As I ripped them open with a new ferocity and exaggeratedly poured in the granules, I practically felt a pair of eyes fixed on me. I swiveled around to see Harry and Zayn in a seemingly serious hushed conversation. I shook my head. It couldn't have been anything. I was breaking rules and I was in an unfamiliar place. It had to be all paranoia.
I slid back into the booth, holding the cup between both hands and sipping quietly as they seemed not to notice me. I'd never wanted a cell phone more than I did just then, to simply move my fingers over and pretend I was doing something important instead of sitting there like a bump on a long. Instead, I tried to decode the whispers I heard.
"...you ruined it, Harry, it's to late to fix it with him..."
"...she deserves to know where he is, yeah..."
I tried to keep my breathing steady as I realized they were talking about me. I cleared my throat, angling my chin downwards and feeling the fabric of my shirt between my fingers. Typical Harry looked up with dimpled cheeks and a huge grin. Typical Zayn scratched his neck and looked down.
"Alright, then, let's get going!" Harry piped up, playing with a curl and looking at Zayn and I, motionless in our seats. After a moment we both stood up in unison and we walked to the car in silence. But it was hard to keep quiet with Harry's dramatic, exaggerated opera voice singing every overplayed pop song the radio had to offer. After not even ten minutes of silence in the car, we were all laughing and singing.
