The Date of Doom

The first half is in Harry's point of view, then it's in Ari's

We’re in the middle of a Nerf gun war when there is a knock on the hotel room door. “I’ll get it!” Niall calls, running to it. “Please be pizza, please be pizza,” he begs as he opens it. “Um, Harry, I think it’s for you.”

I walk over and se Ari standing there. Just seeing her sends a smile spreading across my face. “Hi.” I say lamely.

She gives me a once over. “Uh, if this is a bad time, I can come over later…” she says indicating to the Nerf darts that are stuck to my arms and forehead.

 “Now is okay,” I say quickly, pulling off the darts. The suction cups make pooping noises as I unstick them.

“So about that date… is the offer still open?” I smile triumphantly and nod. “And I’ll never have to see you again?” I nod again, but less enthusiastically this time. She waits a minute then says, “Okay, one date.”

“Friday?” I ask.

“Okay.”

“Six?”

“Fine.” She turns and walks down the hallway toward the elevator.

“I have never seen anyone less excited to date you.” Lou says.

“Yeah, but now I have a chance to change her mind.” I say turning back to him with a huge grin on my face. Then I shoot him right between the eyes.

 

I wipe the sweat on my palms off on my trousers. Breathe, Harry, just breathe. I take a deep breath and ring the doorbell. It’s answered by her older brother and I get the weirdest sense of déjà vu. “Um, hi. I’m looking for Ari.”

          He shoots daggers at me and I think that he might punch me. Luckily Ari came out just then and slipped through the door, joining me on the porch. She gives her brother a little wave. Then she takes my arm and guides me towards the rental car that is parked in the driveway.   

          “Yours?” she asks and I nod, quickly opening the passenger door for her.

          Then I close the door and hurry to the other side. The left side. It’s gonna take a while for me to get used to that.

          “Sorry about my brother. He’s more than a little protective…” She says. I could deal with her brother being a dragon who hasn’t eaten in two weeks if it meant I could have her.

          But I don’t say that. Instead I say, “that’s okay. I’ve dealt with protective brothers before.” A second after I say it, I can tell that it was the wrong thing. Her face has a “what did you just say?” expression on it. Defiantly the wrong thing. I forgot the basic rule of girls. Don’t ever mention your exes. “I mean…” I attempt to rectify it. She just raises an eyebrow and I give up.

 

Ari------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

He parks the car and I instantly recognize where we are. The beach. He opens the door for me and I climb out of the passenger seat. The smell of salt and sand hit me in a wave. I hear the crash of the surf as it collides with the beach.

          I can’t help the smile that takes over my face as my hair blows in the ocean-wind. “You look beautiful,” Harry tells me.

          “You know, most guys say that when they first see the girl, not forty-five minutes later.” I say.

          “One: I was too busy trying not to be eaten by your brother,” he counters and I have to laugh. “Two,” He continues seriously, “I’m not like most guys.”

If this were a movie, this would be the part where the whole theater collectively goes “awww”. It takes all my self-control not to say that now. “Your more annoying than most guys, for one thing,” I tease.

He puts on a hurt face and says, “Ouch.” Then he smiles the Harry Styles smile that is plastered all over Drew’s walls and head to the trunk of the car. He takes out a picnic basket. “Do you like chicken parm?” He asks and I nod. And he can cook…

 He spreads out a blanket on the sand and we sit down. He hands me a plate with steaming breaded chicken over pasta. Yum.

So he can sing, cook, and he is absolutely gorgeous… What is wrong with him? Nothing that I have found yet. But everyone has a weakness. And I’ve got to find one of his so that I can end this.

Despite the fact that I am looking for every possible thing wrong with him, I manage to enjoy myself.  After we are done with our dinner, he throws our dishes into the picnic basket and we go for a walk on the beach.

The wind whips my hair and I have to carry my shoes that are now full of sand. I don’t care. If anything, it makes it even more perfect. He rolls up his pants and runs in to the ocean. “C’mon, Ari!” he calls to me. I laugh and roll up my white skinny jeans. I join him.

We attempt to run in the waves for a bit but eventually we slow and he grabs my hand. I push him into the water. He drags me down with him. Soon we are having a full-out splash war, not even caring that our clothes are probably getting ruined.

            I grab an abandoned bucket from the sand and use it to dump water over his head. “Uncle! Uncle!” he cries, laughing.

 

He opens the passenger door for me again. “I’m gonna get the seats all wet…” I warn him.

            He shrugs. “That’s not a big deal.”

            “Isn’t it a rental?”

            “Yeah, really it’s fine,” he says.  I shrug and climb into the front seat.

            He turns on the radio and What Makes You Beautiful comes on. He quickly changes the station. “You don’t like hearing yourself on the radio?” I ask.

“No, I just don’t want you to think that I’m trying to impress you with it.” He answers. “Truefully, It’s really cool.”

“Did you ever think that you were going to make it this far?”

He laughs, “You sound like a reporter.”

“Oh! Sorry.”

“No problem. Now when you ask me if I thought I would make it this far do you mean with the music or you?” I stare at him in shock. “In the music: no, I had no clue. It’s more than I ever hoped for when I entered the X-factor. With you, that’s a no as well. I had no clue that night that we’d be here. And for the music and you: I hope that I can get further.”

“What?!”

He seems to realize what he just said sounded like from my point of view because he yells, “Not like that!” Then he realizes that that sounds offensive so he sputters, “Well, I mean, yeah of course I’d like that but… What I mean is…I…can’t win.” He sighs and I burst out laughing. He gives me a nervous smile. Then he pulls into my driveway and our date is almost officially over.

He walks me to the door like the English gentleman I suppose he is. He certainly acted like one during the date. I think I misjudged him.

            I’m caught up in my thoughts so I don’t notice that he is leaning down closer. And when I do notice, I don’t try to stop him. I let his lips meet mine, I let him wrap his arms around me and pull me closer.

            My mind is numb and irrational but my arms act of their own accord. They reach up and my hands entwine in his curly hair.

            God this is so wrong, I think as he deepens the kiss. All his hesitation melts away as my lips move on his. But it feels right. So, so right. More right than anything on the planet. More right then… My thoughts are lost and all I am aware of is Harry. Harry with his strong arms and perfect smile (though his lips are apparently good for more than that) and huge hair that would terrible on anyone else. His amazing voice, green eyes, abbbbbbs, but also so much more than that.

            I barely know him, but yet I feel like we have been friends for years. Have loved each other for years. That word, love, stops me in my tracks. I love Mason. I have known and love Mason for years.

            I push Harry away and he stumbles into the porch railing. Then, not really knowing what I’m doing, I slap him across the face.  He catches his breath and looks to me for an explanation. God! Why is he so adorable?

I’m such a horrible person. I should have never allowed this to happen. I look down at the ground as I say, “I’m sorry. This should have never�"“ for some reason it pains me to continue. “�"never happened. This is a mistake.”

He steps forward and grabs my arms, forcing me to look into his eyes. Eyes that are full of emotions that I don’t want to see�"can’t see. Or I will give in. “Everyone makes mistakes,” he says softly, almost heartbroken.

“This is one I won’t make. I can’t risk making.” Then I run inside before he can say anything else that sounds like it’s from a movie in his perfect British accent.

I run up to my room, slam my door, and flop onto my bed. Then I cry. It has to be that time of month, I almost convince myself. I don’t want to think what the alternative is. Because the only other alternative is that I’m in love with Harry Styles, and I won’t allow that to happen.

Reviews

[Legolas]

My oh my. What a story!

[Krista Weiss]

Ohh my gosh I'm so hooked haha

[Odayin]

What if the boys' positions were swapped...then it wouldn't even be a question of who's who. I guess it just depends on who you are..

[Dominique]

Why won't she just give into the thought that she is in LOVE with Harry Styles???? Man that girl is annoying! How can Harry stand that? I am still wondering if Mason will find out. I mean he has to find out soon right?

[Amanda]

For a while into the story, I was like, Brooklyn is on her way to being my new best friend, but then, no, she slaps Harry and says it's a mistake. Which is okay, cause she's kind of cheating which i have like zero tolerance for. BUT it was still an okay chapter... :P