Stardust
Let Me Introduce Myself
Harry stood in front of his mirror and took a deep breath. Black jeans, black shoes, white t-shirt and a leather jacket. He wouldn’t really stand out like this. He rearranged his hair numerous times, but couldn’t seem to be happy with it. Just when he was about to go to the bathroom to wash it and do it all over again, Louis came into his room.
“Stop it, Harry. Your hair looks good and you have other things to worry about than what your hair looks like.” Louis crossed his arms over his chest, already dressed, car keys in his jeans pocket. “Let’s go, or you’ll be late.”
“Is it already time?” Nervously, Harry fidgeted around, looked for his phone, his wallet and his keys. Damn, when was the last time he’d been this nervous? Not even before gigs and interviews. Well, it was rather a different kind of nervous. The last time he’d been nervous because of a girl had been ages ago.
When Harry finally had everything he needed, they left the apartment and went to the car. It was a good thing that Louis was driving, because Harry definitely wasn’t in the state to do this. He was looking at the scenery as they drove to the little café. Time passed quickly, and Harry was shocked, when Louis parked the car. This couldn’t have been it, could it? He’d just gotten into the car, and the drive was at least twenty minutes.
“Are you going to get out of the car, or I you want me to kick you out?” Louis peered at him, unbuckling his seatbelt. He’d be here for a moment, so he could at least sit a little more comfortably.
“You’re coming with me!” Harry got out of the car without waiting for an answer or even some kind of reaction. Louis followed him immediately, demanding an explanation for this. “You have to wait and see her reaction. It could be that she grabs her things and runs away. You’d have to stop her and explain it to her.”
Louis thought about this for a moment, but nodded in the end. After all, Harry would do the same for him. That’s what friends are for, right? He didn’t really have anything to do anyway. Well, he’d wanted to drive to Doncaster, but it was probably better if he waited a little longer. That way he wouldn’t get in trouble for trying to see Lilly. Not that it would really cause trouble, but it was probably good for him to not see her for a bit.
Slowly they walked up to the café and peered inside. Harry stared at her. He couldn’t help it. Her auburn her fell in big waves down past her shoulders. With a smile on her lips, she was looking down at the book in her hands. She was the only person inside except for an older couple.
“Are you only going to stare at her from afar, or will you go inside?” Louis nudged Harry in the side to get him out of his state.
“No, I’ll go inside, before I think better of it and run away.”
“As if I’d let that happen.” Louis grinned at his friend. “I’ll wait here for her reaction, and if I think everything’s alright, I’ll go home.”
Harry nodded one last time, then left Louis at the corner. He walked up to the door and entered the building. The couple lifted their heads and noticed him, but Natalie was so engrossed in her book that she didn’t notice a thing around her. Harry seized the opportunity and quietly sat down across from her. He could see the freckles on her cheeks and across her nose. Her eyelashes were really long, but he couldn’t detect her eye color right now. Her face showed every reaction to what she was reading. She smiled, her face fell, and then she suddenly looked up.
“Hey, I’m Harry,” he said, because he didn’t know what else to say in that situation. Maybe he shouldn’t have watched her for five minutes, and instead he should have just introduced himself. Louis was probably still waiting at the corner because of him. He wouldn’t apologize, though, because he’d enjoyed watching her way too much.
Her eyes widened in recognition, and she straightened in her seat. Harry thought she didn’t know what to say, but just then she opened her mouth.
“I know who you are. The question is what you are doing here.” There was the hint of a smile on her face, but it was overshadowed by confusion and nervousness.
“I see, the teacher is already coming through,” Harry said with a grin, feeling immediately relaxed because she hadn’t started screaming at him, yet, and she hadn’t run away. “We met on Omegle and since then we’ve been texting.” He took a deep breath and scratched his head. He should continue before she could say anything and silence him. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you who I really was, Natalie, but I don’t think you would have believed me. To be fair, it was one hundred percent me texting you, my personality, I just wasn’t honest when I told you about my reasons to be in America. I enjoyed our chat on Omegle so much that I wanted to stay in contact with you, get to know you better. And that wouldn’t have happened if I had told you who I am. So I wanted to give this a shot, show you who I am before you’re blinded by what everybody thinks they know about me.”
There was a long silence between them until Natalie looked up at him. He was right. She would never have believed him if he had told her that he was Harry Styles from One Direction. She would have thought it to be some crazy person and never talked to him again. It was still hard to believe, and the betrayal stung a little bit, but she could understand his motivation.
“You’re probably right,” she eventually said holding out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you in person, Harry, I’m Natalie Faye Knight.”
A little surprised, and more than happy about her reaction, Harry wrapped his hand around hers. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He couldn’t help but hold on to her hand a little longer than necessary, enjoying the warm, soft feeling of her skin against his. Slowly he let go and indicated the book she was reading. “You’re quite the book-lover, aren’t you?”
“How could you tell?”
“You’ve mentioned a couple of books and while you were reading just now, it was showing on your face. You got sucked into the story, didn’t you?”
Natalie blushed slightly and looked down at her book for a moment, before she raised her gaze to face Harry again: “I can’t help it. I love all kinds of books, even the ones I have to read for University. But why didn’t you say something and watched me instead?”
Now it was Harry’s turn to blush, but he didn’t look away when he answered: “I couldn’t help it. It’s the first time that I’m seeing you and you were so engrossed in that book, that I just wanted to watch you for a moment. I couldn’t look away from your face. I wanted to speak up, really, but I couldn’t because then you wouldn’t have looked so peaceful anymore, and I really enjoyed seeing that.”
“We haven’t even talked five minutes in person and you’ve already made me blush more than my ex-boyfriend.” A smile crept on her lips, making her eyes light up. “I guess, I can’t be mad because of that.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, would you like something to drink?”
“A cappuccino would be nice.”
“Coming right up.” Harry took off his jacket and hung it over the back of the chair before he walked up to the counter to order for them. The man said he’d bring it right over, so Harry could get in his seat again. He sent a little prayer to whoever was in charge of these things, because he wasn’t as nervous anymore as he’d been a couple of minutes ago.
They talked easily over coffee. It wasn’t awkward at all, just like they were having their conversations in person instead of on their phones. Harry got to know a little bit more about her. Twice a week she went to the hospital to read books to children with cancer. It wasn’t always easy for her, but that was one way to distract them from what was happening at the hospital for some time.
“Maybe I could come with you some time?” Harry suggested. “Just me and you, not the other boys, no press. It’s very admirable that you’re doing something like this, and maybe I could help out?”
“Don’t you have a busy schedule?” Natalie was excited at the prospect of going there together with Harry, of spending more time with him at all.
“Yeah, but I have some days off work before we have to head to America. I’ll have time for that. Just tell me when you’re going and I’ll see that I can come with you.” Harry smiled at her. Damn, he really wanted to spend more time with her, and the hospital was a great opportunity to do something good and see her “at work”. He couldn’t wait to see her around the children.
“Okay. We’ll figure something out,” Natalie said with a smile.
They stayed for nearly two more hours, talking about this and that, but Natalie had to get back and help out her aunt. Harry hesitated for a moment, before he leaned in for a hug. She went away from him with a smile on her lips. Just before she was about to round the corner, she turned around and waved at him again. Harry waved back, a big grin on his lips. E took out his phone and messaged her that he was looking forward to seeing her again.
“Stop it, Harry. Your hair looks good and you have other things to worry about than what your hair looks like.” Louis crossed his arms over his chest, already dressed, car keys in his jeans pocket. “Let’s go, or you’ll be late.”
“Is it already time?” Nervously, Harry fidgeted around, looked for his phone, his wallet and his keys. Damn, when was the last time he’d been this nervous? Not even before gigs and interviews. Well, it was rather a different kind of nervous. The last time he’d been nervous because of a girl had been ages ago.
When Harry finally had everything he needed, they left the apartment and went to the car. It was a good thing that Louis was driving, because Harry definitely wasn’t in the state to do this. He was looking at the scenery as they drove to the little café. Time passed quickly, and Harry was shocked, when Louis parked the car. This couldn’t have been it, could it? He’d just gotten into the car, and the drive was at least twenty minutes.
“Are you going to get out of the car, or I you want me to kick you out?” Louis peered at him, unbuckling his seatbelt. He’d be here for a moment, so he could at least sit a little more comfortably.
“You’re coming with me!” Harry got out of the car without waiting for an answer or even some kind of reaction. Louis followed him immediately, demanding an explanation for this. “You have to wait and see her reaction. It could be that she grabs her things and runs away. You’d have to stop her and explain it to her.”
Louis thought about this for a moment, but nodded in the end. After all, Harry would do the same for him. That’s what friends are for, right? He didn’t really have anything to do anyway. Well, he’d wanted to drive to Doncaster, but it was probably better if he waited a little longer. That way he wouldn’t get in trouble for trying to see Lilly. Not that it would really cause trouble, but it was probably good for him to not see her for a bit.
Slowly they walked up to the café and peered inside. Harry stared at her. He couldn’t help it. Her auburn her fell in big waves down past her shoulders. With a smile on her lips, she was looking down at the book in her hands. She was the only person inside except for an older couple.
“Are you only going to stare at her from afar, or will you go inside?” Louis nudged Harry in the side to get him out of his state.
“No, I’ll go inside, before I think better of it and run away.”
“As if I’d let that happen.” Louis grinned at his friend. “I’ll wait here for her reaction, and if I think everything’s alright, I’ll go home.”
Harry nodded one last time, then left Louis at the corner. He walked up to the door and entered the building. The couple lifted their heads and noticed him, but Natalie was so engrossed in her book that she didn’t notice a thing around her. Harry seized the opportunity and quietly sat down across from her. He could see the freckles on her cheeks and across her nose. Her eyelashes were really long, but he couldn’t detect her eye color right now. Her face showed every reaction to what she was reading. She smiled, her face fell, and then she suddenly looked up.
“Hey, I’m Harry,” he said, because he didn’t know what else to say in that situation. Maybe he shouldn’t have watched her for five minutes, and instead he should have just introduced himself. Louis was probably still waiting at the corner because of him. He wouldn’t apologize, though, because he’d enjoyed watching her way too much.
Her eyes widened in recognition, and she straightened in her seat. Harry thought she didn’t know what to say, but just then she opened her mouth.
“I know who you are. The question is what you are doing here.” There was the hint of a smile on her face, but it was overshadowed by confusion and nervousness.
“I see, the teacher is already coming through,” Harry said with a grin, feeling immediately relaxed because she hadn’t started screaming at him, yet, and she hadn’t run away. “We met on Omegle and since then we’ve been texting.” He took a deep breath and scratched his head. He should continue before she could say anything and silence him. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you who I really was, Natalie, but I don’t think you would have believed me. To be fair, it was one hundred percent me texting you, my personality, I just wasn’t honest when I told you about my reasons to be in America. I enjoyed our chat on Omegle so much that I wanted to stay in contact with you, get to know you better. And that wouldn’t have happened if I had told you who I am. So I wanted to give this a shot, show you who I am before you’re blinded by what everybody thinks they know about me.”
There was a long silence between them until Natalie looked up at him. He was right. She would never have believed him if he had told her that he was Harry Styles from One Direction. She would have thought it to be some crazy person and never talked to him again. It was still hard to believe, and the betrayal stung a little bit, but she could understand his motivation.
“You’re probably right,” she eventually said holding out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you in person, Harry, I’m Natalie Faye Knight.”
A little surprised, and more than happy about her reaction, Harry wrapped his hand around hers. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He couldn’t help but hold on to her hand a little longer than necessary, enjoying the warm, soft feeling of her skin against his. Slowly he let go and indicated the book she was reading. “You’re quite the book-lover, aren’t you?”
“How could you tell?”
“You’ve mentioned a couple of books and while you were reading just now, it was showing on your face. You got sucked into the story, didn’t you?”
Natalie blushed slightly and looked down at her book for a moment, before she raised her gaze to face Harry again: “I can’t help it. I love all kinds of books, even the ones I have to read for University. But why didn’t you say something and watched me instead?”
Now it was Harry’s turn to blush, but he didn’t look away when he answered: “I couldn’t help it. It’s the first time that I’m seeing you and you were so engrossed in that book, that I just wanted to watch you for a moment. I couldn’t look away from your face. I wanted to speak up, really, but I couldn’t because then you wouldn’t have looked so peaceful anymore, and I really enjoyed seeing that.”
“We haven’t even talked five minutes in person and you’ve already made me blush more than my ex-boyfriend.” A smile crept on her lips, making her eyes light up. “I guess, I can’t be mad because of that.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, would you like something to drink?”
“A cappuccino would be nice.”
“Coming right up.” Harry took off his jacket and hung it over the back of the chair before he walked up to the counter to order for them. The man said he’d bring it right over, so Harry could get in his seat again. He sent a little prayer to whoever was in charge of these things, because he wasn’t as nervous anymore as he’d been a couple of minutes ago.
They talked easily over coffee. It wasn’t awkward at all, just like they were having their conversations in person instead of on their phones. Harry got to know a little bit more about her. Twice a week she went to the hospital to read books to children with cancer. It wasn’t always easy for her, but that was one way to distract them from what was happening at the hospital for some time.
“Maybe I could come with you some time?” Harry suggested. “Just me and you, not the other boys, no press. It’s very admirable that you’re doing something like this, and maybe I could help out?”
“Don’t you have a busy schedule?” Natalie was excited at the prospect of going there together with Harry, of spending more time with him at all.
“Yeah, but I have some days off work before we have to head to America. I’ll have time for that. Just tell me when you’re going and I’ll see that I can come with you.” Harry smiled at her. Damn, he really wanted to spend more time with her, and the hospital was a great opportunity to do something good and see her “at work”. He couldn’t wait to see her around the children.
“Okay. We’ll figure something out,” Natalie said with a smile.
They stayed for nearly two more hours, talking about this and that, but Natalie had to get back and help out her aunt. Harry hesitated for a moment, before he leaned in for a hug. She went away from him with a smile on her lips. Just before she was about to round the corner, she turned around and waved at him again. Harry waved back, a big grin on his lips. E took out his phone and messaged her that he was looking forward to seeing her again.
11/16/13