Chapter 10

The key card fitted through the slot and the door clicked open. I laughed at a joke Harry had just made and I pushed the door and we went inside room 610. It was the first time Harry had been in the room without breaking and entering. Harry flicked on the lights and I shut the door. I had this urge to just tackle him and do unimaginable things but that was just a schoolgirl fantasy. Instead I just squeezed his hand tightly and we walked into the main room of the apartment.

*cough cough*

Our heads turned from each other’s gaze to where the coughs had come from. Zack was sitting on the edge of the bed, crushing the carefully folded linen and dirtying the sheets with his filthy Nike’s.

“Zack!” I acted as if I weren’t at all surprised, which in fact, I was the complete opposite. “Why are you in my room?”

Harry’s grip on my hand loosened as Zack folded his arms over his chest. “I stole mum’s extra key card to your room. I knew you two would end up back here.” His gaze whipped to Harry, examining head to toe. “So… Who’s he?”

“He’s…” I began but Harry cut me off.

“The name’s Styles, Harry Styles. I’m Tilly’s boyfriend.” Harry beamed at Zack and my jaw must have dropped. Boyfriend?!!? I had never even thought about Harry as my boyfriend. I didn’t even know he wanted me as his girlfriend.  Was my first real boyfriend going to be Harry Styles..?

Harry walked over to Zack, whose posture had relaxed a little bit. His hand was held out for a hand shake and Zack took it willingly. Strangely enough, Zack smiled up at Harry. Maybe it was the use of the James Bond quote… Zack was obsessed with Bond.

Zack chuckled and looked over at me, awkwardly standing by the mirror. “Tilly? Ha-ha! Tilly’s never had a boyfriend before. You must be really desperate to want her.”

Harry laughed and sat with a plunk on the bed next to Zack. He slapped him on the back in a brotherly way and said sarcastically, “Ahh Zack, there comes a time in every man’s life when you are so desperate that you chase after any and every girl there is.”

Zack turned to Harry with a serious look. “Dude, that’s my sister we’re talking about.” Then he farted and they both started bursting out into fits of laughter, rolling over the bed and slapping their hands on the sheets. I was unsure what to do or what to say. It really did surprise me how they were bonding so quickly and how Zack had just accepted Harry as soon as he opened his mouth. Poor Ernesto… He had done nothing wrong really. Maybe it was the fact that they were both just boys.

“Um…” I held my arms subconsciously, hesitant of what do next.

They immediately stopped laughing and sat up straight. Although they were still smiling, Harry said, “Maybe we should talk about all this over some ice cream. I’ll call room service.” He got up and walked over to the telephone by the bed.

Whilst Harry dilled the number, Zack beamed at me. “For a second there, we almost forgot you existed.”

Harry had heard what Zack said and stifled a laugh before the other line picked up. “Hola. Is this room service? … Yes, can we have someone bring the ice cream trolley to room 610? Tell them that Harry Styles is ordering. Muchos Gracias…” He put down the phone and rubbed his hands together and smiled at us both. “Shall we take this outside?”

***

The ice cream was the best thing I had ever tasted. Literally. I never knew that something could be so good. Room service kindly brought us the ice cream trolley up to my room and a waiter let us choose the flavor we wanted and scooped it into cones for us. I always make the mistake of picking the cone over the cup. I never learn…

The view of Valencia from my balcony was amazing. The lights of the city at night were beautiful. I wondered how much money mum had paid for the room. We could hear the water lapping onto the sand down at the beach, and the laughs of people strolling along it travelled up to the balcony. Zack and Harry had become best friends in 2 hours. It was amazing. I had never seen Zack so animated before. They talked about cars, movies, girls and of course… Soccer.

“I’ve never really understood how people can even be near Ronaldo. He’s got an amazing talent yes, but his ego is the size of the moon.” Zack began to explain about his dislike for the Spanish football team, Real Madrid. Harry intervened at times and I just sat back and listened.

Harry was being a gentleman though. He included me in the conversation every once in a while and had his arm around my shoulder whilst chatting with Zack. Zack didn’t seem to mind. They continued to gossip about the recent football events when Harry turned to me, “What’s your favourite football team Tilly?” Before I could answer, Zack said with a hint of sass, “Ugh, she supports Chelsea…”

Harry’s eyes widened and he turned to face me fully. “No. No. NO!” He got up and started running around. “You can’t support Chelsea! That’s against the laws of my nature. Please tell me he’s joking. Maybe I got knocked out unconscious. I’ll wake up and you’ll tell me that Manchester United is the one. Yes, that’s it.”

Both Zack and I started laughing. “I can’t believe you take this so seriously Harry!” I opened my phone and showed him the photo of me in my Chelsea jersey, 6 years ago when we went to London. Harry looked like he was going to faint. “Ok I need a moment.” He walked inside the room and into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Zack turned to me. “Where did you find him?”

I began telling him about the bistro, and the beach and then the picnic in the gardens. I left out the kiss because I felt that was way too private to share with my 10 year old brother. I was definitely closer with Zack than I was with V. It was because we bonded better when Dad disappeared. V just stopped talking about Dad completely. Till this day, she had not mentioned him.

After I was done, Zack smiled. “Wow… You’ve never really been like this have you. I can see the way you look at each other.” “He’s a really cool guy. I like him so I give you my blessing ahaha…” He pinched my arm the way he usually did to annoy me.

I punched him childishly in the arm and we started laughing like we were back home. Back home with dad. Before we could start thinking about dad any further, Harry came back and stood behind the outdoor couch we were sitting on.

“Ok so, I’ve thought about it long and hard. I think I can handle my girlfriend supporting Chelsea… It’s gonna be difficult but I think I can do it.” He held my shoulders and shook me around. Zack smiled at us. “I think it’s time for me to go to bed. Mum’s probably wondering where I am by now. Unless she’s with Ernesto…” His face darkened for a second. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right Harry?”

Harry looked down at him friendlily, “Sure! I’ll walk you back to your room. I’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

I supposed it was time for me to go to bed too so I stood up and walked them to the door. Zack walked out first and then Harry. He turned back at me standing in the doorway. “I won’t be here tomorrow all day but I’ll see you tomorrow night ok?” I nodded and he took my hand and kissed it slightly. “Goodnight Tilly.” I smiled back at him dreamily, “Goodnight Harry.”

They turned away and walked down the hallway. Harry and Zack high fived and Harry slapped him in the back before looking back at me with a smile. It always made me tingly when people looked back at me when they walked off. Like I really meant something to them.

After all, Harry Styles was my boyfriend.