Harry’s POV:

I stood outside her door for a minute, contemplating on whether or not I wanted to knock on her door and ask her to come out. My fingertips reached up to my lips, still tingling from mine and Charlie’s kiss. The thing that was blowing me away was that SHE started it! SHE leaned in first.

I was sad that she had cut it so short, but I wasn’t looking at it as a bad thing. She’s coming around to her feelings for me. It wouldn’t be much longer until she realizes how perfect we would be for each other. With that thought in my mind, I decide against knocking and walk down to my room.

Tomorrow was our last night in New York and then it was off to Miami. Hopefully with a little help from the waves, I could get her walls to finally come down. Beaches are extremely romantic. I could do this.

Charlie’s POV:

We had just finished up the last show in New York and are now on our way to the terminal for our three hour flight to Miami. I still hadn’t talked to Harry about our kiss last night because I could never get a moment alone, so we just went along with our business as if nothing had happened.

It almost surprised me that he wasn’t all over me after I had clearly initiated that kiss. I assumed that he would’ve tried to make a move on me by now. It was almost a relief that he didn’t make it awkward. Nevertheless, I think the event needed to be discussed, so I was planning on doing it while we waited for our plane to get to our gate.

Once we arrived at our waiting area, I walked over to Harry and asked if he wanted to get a cup of coffee with me. He nodded and we walked in silence towards the Starbucks across the way. Once we had paid for the drinks, I turned to him and let everything out.

“Harry, I just want to apologize for last night. I didn’t mean to kiss you. It was just…the heat of the moment and I think I may have had a few too many glasses of champagne. I just want you to know that this doesn’t change anything between us.” I look up at him after I finish and get a reaction I was not expecting.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” He smiles and pats my shoulder and he grabs our cups from the barista. I narrow my eyes at him, completely in shock.

“Okaaaay? So, we’re good?” He laughs and nods his head, taking a sip of his chai tea.

“Mhmm, we are definitely good.” I take my cup from him and follow him over to where the boys are sitting.

We finally board the plane and I fall asleep on Liam’s shoulder, who’s sitting next to me, only waking up once we have reached our new gate. We wait for airport security to prepare our exit out the front entrance. It’s still relatively light outside and I am overjoyed when I see tall palm trees swaying in the wind. I think I was most excited for this visit because I LOVED the beach. I couldn’t wait to wear the new bikinis I bought before we left.

I started to grow impatient as we stand in the lobby of the airport. I sighed loudly.

“What are we waiting for?” I whine and the boys all laugh at me.

“We’re waiting for this.” Niall nudges me and points towards the hallway where we just came from. A tall, blonde comes running towards me.

“EMMA?!”

“CC!!”

I’m in complete shock as I run towards the girl and jump into her arms. I can barely contain my excitement and the tears of joy from running down my face.

“I thought you weren’t flying in until Vegas?!” She beamed and shrugged her shoulders.

“Surprise! Did you honest think I was going to miss four days at the beach?” I squeal and hug her tightly again as we make our way back over to the group. Apparently everyone was in on the secret, because they’re all laughing and high fiving each other. Zayn pulls me under his arm and squeezes my shoulder.

“We’re you surprised?”

“Completely! I can’t believe you guys kept this from me! I’m quite impressed.” I poke his side and he chuckles. We both watch as Niall and Emma share their first moment together. It’s so cute because you can tell how nervous he is. But Emma is so outgoing that she doesn’t mind making the first move by throwing her arms around the boy. He hugs her close, cheeks flushing pink, and pulls away to kiss her on the cheek.

Once we get Emma’s suitcase, we make our way outside into the mess of paparazzi and fans waiting for the boys. As soon as the electric doors open, a warm, salty breeze hits my face, making me wish I wasn’t wearing a sweatshirt and yoga pants. We finally all make it inside of the shuttle and drive to our hotel.

Emma and I are sharing a room with a huge balcony overlooking the ocean. Like normal kids, we jump up and down on our beds and turn up the iPod stereo sitting on the desk to the highest volume it can go. I still cannot believe that Emma is actually here with me! This was going to be an amazing next few weeks.

I hear a knock on our door and turn the music down before I go answer. My heart flutters as I see Harry leaning against the door jam.

“We all have reservations at the Blue Gator in an hour, will you two be ready by then?” I nod and he winks before leaving.

“So, how are things going with Mr. Can’t-Keep-It-In-His-Pants?” I laugh as I unzip my suitcase, pulling out my shower things.

“Not bad. He’s gotten a lot better. Last night, he took me to a benefit dinner at a museum. It was amazing. He even bought me this!” I lift up my wrist and point to the bracelet. She jumps off the bed and gasps as she peers at the sparkling band.

“Charlie, that’s gorgeous! It must’ve cost him a fortune.” I nod.

“Tiffany’s.” Her mouth falls open.

“Nooo…”

“Yep.” I pop the ‘p’.

“There was something else that happened too.” I start to fidget as she stares at me.

“I may or may not have kissed him.” I look down at my entwined fingers waiting for her answer.

“WOW. So, is this a good thing or a bad thing?” I laugh because that is the real question that needs answered.

“I don’t know! I told him today that it was a mistake. It was just a heat of the moment type of deal. But, when I think about last night, the dinner, the bracelet, the dancing. And then that kiss. It almost feels….right.” I look up at her and she’s smiling.

“What?”

“You’re starting to fall for him, aren’t you?” I stare off into the distance, trying to think of my honest answer.

“I don’t know..maybe? But what can I do? We can’t be together.” She clicks her tongue before crossing her arms.

“Charlie, I know you don’t want to lose this job. But if you’re starting to question your thoughts at all for this guy, he must be worth it. Because I couldn’t see you doing this unless it was completely real.” I look up at her and smile.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Maybe I should see how things go for the next four days and make my decision at the end of the week.” Emma claps her hands together.

“Perfect! Just the right amount of time to make a solid decision. Now, let’s get ready so we don’t keep the boys waiting.” I nod and walk over to the bathroom, turning on the shower.

Me and Emma both get done in record time, both sporting beach-esque outfits. We make our way down to the lobby and walk towards the boys who are lounging on a plush couch and a few chairs next to the front desk. They all stand when we come over and we say our hellos.Niall walks over to Emma and gives her a big hug, whispering in her ear. She pulls back and blushes pink. I can’t get over how cute they are. Zayn comes up to me first and gives me a hug.

“You look great, Charlie, as always.” I laugh as he squeezes me in his hug. My heart stops for a second when I finally notice Harry staring at me from next to Liam. He saunters over and places a hand on my lower back, pulling me in towards his chest before whispering in my ear.

“Stunning, love.” I shudder when I feel his lips graze over my cheek. I have to hold on to the chair next to me for stability as his hand leaves my back.

We make our way outside and into a black limo waiting to take us to the restaurant. Thankfully there was only one pap outside of the restaurant, which made for easy entering and exiting. The food was spectacular. We all stuffed ourselves with various types of seafood and hushpuppies.

After dinner, Niall and Emma run down to the water, Harry, Liam and Louis walk over to a few guys fishing by the tide. That left Zayn and I to walk alone down the pier. The weather was so perfect, windy but warm. I took a deep breath, inhaling the salty air. I closed my eyes as we strolled down the wooden path.

“I think my favorite smell in the world is the ocean at night.” Zayn laughed beside me.

“Why at night?”

“Because the air isn’t contaminated with alcohol and sunscreen smells. It’s almost virgin air.”

“Okay, Charlie.” He chuckled again beside me and threw his arm over my shoulder. We walked in silence until we got to the edge of the pier, looking out into the dark horizon.

“You know, when I was little, my family used to go to the beach every summer. It was my favorite week of the year. I would go out to the beach alone every night and sit at the edge of the water with my eyes closed for hours. My parents would freak out, of course, and send a search party to look for me. I just liked the solitude.” I looked out into the ocean before glancing back at him, surprised that he was staring so intently at me. He bites his lip while he’s contemplating saying something.

“What?”

“Charlie, would it be completely inappropriate if I kissed you right now?” My stomach drops as he looks up at me with burning amber eyes.

“Oh, um…I don’t think that’s the best idea. I mean, we’re friends. I wouldn’t want to ruin what we have.” I can tell that’s not the answer he’s looking for as he drops his head and laughs shakily.

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just…” He picks at a loose splinter of wood on the railing.

“I guess I’ve found myself over the past few weeks growing feelings for you. And I guess I wanted to see if you felt it too.” I put my hand on his back and speak.

“Oh, Zayn. I’m so sorry. You are one of my best friends and like a brother to me. Like I said, I would hate to jeopardize that. And you know I can’t get involved with any of you guys.” He looks up at me and I try to give him a big smile, hoping he won’t hate me forever.

“Nah, I understand. S’okay. I’d hate to lose you as well.” He nudges me and I pull him into a big hug. We walk back down the pier hand in hand and I can’t help but feel extremely guilty. Here I am telling Zayn I can’t be with him because I don’t want to ruin our friendship or lose my job but I’m giving myself four days to figure out whether or not I want to move my relationship with Harry to the next level.

I was such a terrible person.

///

We’re back at the hotel and in our rooms, changing out of our sea salt infused dinner clothes. I tell Emma about what happened with Zayn and she is just as surprised as I am. I’m sitting on the edge of my bed, lathering lotion on my legs after my shower.

“Now I feel even worse about this whole Harry situation! Because if Zayn ever found out about us two, he’d be furious.” I yell to the bathroom where Emma is finishing taking a shower.

“I don’t think you should feel bad! So what, you don’t have feelings for Zayn! It’s not your fault and he can’t hold that against you. Besides, from the way you talk about him, he seems like an understanding guy and a good friend. I bet if you just told him what was happening before it happened, then he wouldn’t take it so bad.”

She did have a point. He had no right to tell me who I could and couldn’t date. And it was Zayn. He was one of my closest friends. He’d understand. Then another thought pops in my head.

“But what if he calls me a hypocrite because I started the tour asking him to keep Harry away from me. And now I’m dating him! I just feel like he won’t understand.”

“Charlie, things change! People change! Harry is not the same guy he was the day you met. He’s a better person now because of you. And if Zayn can’t see that, well then he must be blind as a bat.” I laugh and thank God that Emma is here to help me through this mess. I don’t think I’d be able to do this by myself.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I strip out of my towel and put on a black cami with a pair of comfy shorts. I walk out on our balcony to admire the clear sky. I look up at the bright moon, casting a glow down on the sand.

“Charlie!” I jump and search for the person who just yelled my name. I turn and my heart rate quickens as I see Harry leaning against his balcony railing, shirtless. I smile and wave.

“Fancy meeting you here.” He chuckles.

“I agree. What are you doing right now?”

“Um, nothing that I know of.”

“Okay, hold on, I’m coming over.” He jogs in to his room and I hear him shut the balcony door. I walk into my room and head towards the front door. I open it just as he’s about to knock. My eyes dart down to his bare chest, biting my lip slightly as I look at his toned stomach.

“How would you feel about going crab hunting tonight?” I laugh at his question.

“Wait, are you serious?” He nods excitedly.

“Yeah! I heard going at night is the best time to catch them. And no one else will go with me. Pleeeeeease?” He sticks his pink bottom lip out and gives me his best puppy dog eyes. Both are things I cannot say no to.

“Alright, fine. But we can only go out for a little while.” He jumps up and down like a child. I walk over to the bathroom door and open it to tell Emma I’m going down to the beach for a little while. I call down to one of the rooms where our security is staying and ask for an escort to the beach. Harry and I walk down to the lobby and we meet up with one of the security guards, Bill.

Harry can barely contain his excitement as we make our way to the beach. I turn on the flashlight I picked up from the front desk and we walk along the shore, Bill not far behind us. We come up with a team plan; I would hold the bucket and the flashlight while Harry caught the crabs. I was too freaked out to touch them so I did everything but that.

After about an hour of hunting and a few crabs being thrown at me by Harry, we sit in the sand out in front of our hotel. Bill brings us over towels that I had him carry in case we needed them. I open one of them and put it above our heads so we can lay down and not get sand in our hair. I’d probably have to take another shower in the morning though because I smelled like crab now. I didn’t mind though, it was fun watching Harry chase after the little critters.

I lay next to Harry and we look up at the stars, pointing out the different constellations we see. Times almost seems to stop as we sit and talk on the warm sand. He’s so easy to talk to and there’s never a dull moment between us. Our moment is ended when Bill comes over and informs us that Paul wants us both back in the hotel now. We sit up and shake the sand off our bodies.

“Can you get the sand off my back?” I turn around and scoot towards Harry. It takes him a few seconds but he finally starts to wipe the sand off my shoulders and lower back.

“Thanks” I say when I think he’s done, but I’m surprised when he starts wiping off my butt.

“You still had some sand on your bum.” He says, giving me a few final pats on the butt.

“Okay, I think you got it all.” I say when he continues to touch my rear end. I look at him and he starts to laugh and shrugs his shoulders. I shake off the beach towel before walking up towards the hotel. We say goodbye to Bill and make our way up to our floor. It’s almost like déjà vu when I find myself standing outside my hotel room with Harry. I think he realizes it too and we share a chuckle.

“Thanks for coming with me tonight.” He runs his fingers through his windblown curls as he looks at me.

“Yeah, it was fun.” I played with the hem of my shirt.

“Well, goodnight, Charlie.” He bends down and places a soft kiss on my cheek, lingering for a few seconds before pulling back and walking away. I’m standing there dumbfounded from the little gesture, but I wipe the dazed look off my face when he turns around to look at me again.

“Would you like to go out for dinner sometime this week? Maybe our last night?” I nod my head and he smiles before swiping his key card and going into his room. I let out a huge sigh and swipe my card, entering the suite.

I hear the television on and walk over to see the adorable sight of Niall and Emma cuddled on Emma’s bed sleeping. Niall’s back is against the headboard, his mouth slightly slack and lightly snoring while Emma is resting her head in his lap, her body curled up in one of his sweaters.

I tiptoe over to the television and turn it off before getting into bed. I have a hard time falling asleep because thoughts of Harry keep running through my mind. A dinner on our last night would be perfect because then it will be the final decision on whether or not I’m going to take it any further with him.

Now, I just have to make it through the next few days without jumping him like a tree. I roll over and put a pillow over my head in attempts to drown out the dirty thoughts running through my mind.

Notes

Hello, my lovely readers. This was just a filler chapter. Nothing too exciting happened. Except for maybe Zayn asking Charlie if he could kiss her. What do you think about that? Do you think Charlie is being hypocritical with Zayn or do you agree with Emma and think that the situation with Harry is different?

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-Natalie Xx