“Hello, welcome to The Baker Hotel. Do you have a reservation?” The receptionist at the front desk asked politely after tapping a few keys on her keyboard.

Penelope looked back at Gemma who was in the roped off line behind her then back at the receptionist. “Actually, I’m not really sure.” Thankfully, Gemma came to the rescue.

“Yes, her reservation should be under the surname ‘Day’.” Penelope mouthed thank you to her and she replied with a smile, wrapping her arm around her.

“Okay, Ms. Penelope Day. You’re in room 726. Here’s your key,” she slid a card and a few pamphlets across the desk. “If you need anything, there’s a phone in your room with a list of extension numbers or we’d also be happy to help you here at the front desk. Do you have any questions?”

“No, I think you covered everything.” Penelope said kindly, slightly speechless.

“Well we’re going to have someone take your things to your room.” At that moment, a man in uniform appeared with a trolley. “If you’re looking for something to do, all of our events and attractions are listed in the pamphlets. Thank you for choosing The Baker Hotel. Have a lovely day.” She turned to look at Gemma. “Hello, welcome to The Baker Hotel. Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, under ‘Styles’. Gemma Styles.”

The receptionist typed on her keyboard. “Alrighty, Ms. Gemma Styles. You’re in room 720, right across the hall from Ms. Penelope, a few doors down.” She slid Gemma an identical stack of pamphlets and a key card. “Do you have any questions?”

“Um, do you know what the temperatures of the rooms are in Celsius?”

“The rooms are kept at 74 degrees Fahrenheit and I’m pretty sure that’s around 23 degrees Celsius. Also, there’s a blue button on the thermostat and if you press it, it converts to Celsius.”

“Okay, that’s awesome. Thanks.” Gemma said. Penelope was jealous of how confident she was.

“Well if that’s all, we’ll have someone take your things to your room. Thank you for choosing The Baker Hotel. Have a lovely day.”

“How do you just talk to people?” Penelope asked Gemma as they waited on an elevator.

“Nell, what on earth do you mean?”

Penelope sighed, “I can barely order pizza without having a panic attack. You just talk to people so easily.”

They stepped into an elevator and Gemma pressed the button with 7 on it. “I mean we’re all just people, right? Nobody is going to be mad just because you talk to them. ”

“Yeah, I guess.”

When they got to their floor, at first they walked in the complete opposite direction of their rooms. They turned around giggling as they walked back the other way. Gemma got into her room before Penelope. Penelope fumbled around with her pamphlets for a moment before pulling out her key card. As she stepped over the threshold she saw her bags in the corner. After walking into the room, she was consumed by a stunning abundance of flowers and probably a hundred colorful notes scattered over her bed.

Penelope, with her mouth hanging open in astonishment, put her purse down on a table. Flowers were everywhere, not just one type of flower. There were at least two dozen different vases each with a bouquet of a different type of flower. She walked over to the vase of tulips smiling. One thing her brother always told her was that their mom loved tulips. They were her favorite too. She turned around to face the bed. The notes had lots of different handwriting. Penelope began picking them up and reading them.

“Your hair is really pretty.”

“You are really nice and fun and it’s cool that you make Harry so happy.”

Then she noticed that certain notes were written in red. She started picking up only red notes.

“We’re going to the beach today. I really wish you could go with us. I miss you lots, Nell.”

The red notes are Harry’s. Her eyes watered up as she continued reading.

“I keep finding your hair in my things! Stop brushing your hair with my things, you donut!” Penelope laughed and brushed her hair behind her ear as she picked up another note.

“Nell, I really, really miss you right now. I want to talk to you, but you’re working. I can’t wait for you to get here. I wish you were lying next to me.”

Penelope was seconds from full on crying, but then she found a note that only said, “Remember when Charlotte said that my hair looked like the chocolate froyo? She must’ve got that from you. You’re turning her into a weirdo.” He drew a silly smiley face in the corner.

She smiled and was about to pick up another note when she heard Harry’s voice coming from the hallway. “Gemma!”

Penelope wiped her eyes and put her key card in her back pocket before she walked out into the hallway. She didn’t even realize she could be any happier before she saw him. He was hugging his sister and his smile was so unbelievably wide. When he stood back up to his full height, he saw her.

“Nell!” Harry ran over to her, immediately lifting her up and spinning her around. He repeatedly kissed whichever parts of her face he could get his lips on. “Did you see your room yet?”

“Yes, I saw it!” she said grabbing his face and pressing her lips against his. “The notes made me cry!”

“They weren’t supposed to, ya muppet!” he shook his head.

“Sorry, I’m a big baby! And you didn’t need to get me all of the flowers! I liked the notes!”

Harry laughed victoriously, “I didn’t get the flowers for you! I got the flowers for the band and crew and they gave them to you. So you can’t get mad at me!” He teased, sticking out his tongue. “They helped write notes too.”

“Oh, you think you’re so brilliant.”

“What’s this about flowers and notes?” Gemma interjected in fake jealousy. “All I got was a picture of Harry giving me the finger.”

Harry put Penelope down and turned to his sister, “And I meant that,” he wrapped his arms around Gemma, “from the very bottom of my heart.”

“You’re pretty shallow, so ‘the bottom’ must not be too deep.” She replied with a sassy grin.

He grasped onto his chest as if he were in pain, “That hurt!”

“Suck it up, Styles.” She said patting him on the back. “I’m going to go change.”

“I’m going to change too,” Penelope agreed.

“Yeah, me too,” Harry said following Penelope.

She put her hand against Harry’s chest, “Where do you think you’re going?”

He grabbed her arm and pulled her so their faces were nearly touching, “We’re going to go change.” Harry said in a flirtatious, low voice. His smirk was hard to argue with.

Penelope pursed her lips, “If you find my key… we can ‘change’ together.” His smile grew as he slid both his hands into her back pockets. She felt him grab the card, but he left his hands in her pockets. She tilted her head, “How did you know where it was?”

“Do you really not notice how much I look at your ass?” He laughed.

“No!” Penelope giggled. She honestly had no idea.

“Yeah,” Harry replied casually. “It’s really nice, and soft too.” He wiggled an eyebrow as he squeezed her bum.

Penelope jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. “You know… your lips are really nice and soft.” She said running her thumb across his bottom lip.

“Alright, that’s it!” Harry pulled the key card out and hiked Penelope higher up on his waist. He began shoving the key into random doors. She thought his franticness was hilarious. “Shit! Which one is it? I can’t remember!” He yelled, becoming extremely impatient, but still laughing.

“726!” She managed to get out in between her giggling.

Harry walked down a little ways and finally got the right door, “Sweet victory!”

He was about to throw her on the bed when Penelope gasped, “Don’t mess up the notes!”

“Are you serious, right now?” He asked throwing his head back.

“Yes, I want to keep them! I haven’t even got to read them all yet.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Fine,” He sat Penelope down on a nightstand and then proceeded to wrap the notes up in the comforter before throwing it onto the floor. “Better?” He asked and then pulled her legs around him and moved her onto the bed. He propped himself up with his elbows on either side of her head so his body hovered over hers. “I’m really happy you’re here.”

Penelope blushed because he was looking into her eyes so intensely. “I missed you so much,” she said sliding her arms up and hooking her hands around his arms. Her fingers brushed lightly over his tattoos.

He leaned his head down until their lips met, “Happy anniversary, Nell.”

Penelope moved her hands down to Harry’s rib cage and kissed his neck. Smiling, she whispered, “Happy anniversary, Harry.”

There was no place either of them would rather be.

**

Even though One Direction didn’t have a show until the next day, they were all allowed to go visit the venue that night because the arena would be empty. Harry wanted to take Penelope out, but once again management intervened. She wasn’t even upset about it anymore. Penelope was just excited to be in America with Harry and she always loved hanging out with the rest of the boys and Gemma as well. A van transported the seven of them from the hotel to the venue, both of which they had to use the back door to.

Louis got really excited once they got backstage. “Yes!” He shouted after spotting the forklifts. “These are the coolest things.” The keys were in the ignition so he started it up and spun in circles a few times with a huge grin on his face.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Harry said standing in front of the small vehicle. He then promptly sat on one of the prongs. “Okay, now go!”

“Wait, I’m getting on too!” Liam yelled sliding onto the other prong.

Louis took off again, this time playing with a lever that made the “fork” on the forklift move up and down as he drove recklessly through the area. He dodged boxes, pillars, and equipment cases. Occasionally, Liam or Harry would reach down ah hit things that were on the ground, sending them flying across the room. This gave Penelope a brilliant idea.

“Liam,” she called for him because she knew he was much more coordinated than Harry. “Try to pick up that little box off the floor and shoot it into the bin!”

“Hold on, I’ve got to grab it!” He lied, stomach down, across the metal plank and swiped it up as Louis drove past it. Liam sat back up, but didn’t shoot immediately. Niall had everyone start chanting his name, but he looked like he seriously wanted to make this shot. “Lou, try to go to the left!”

He turned the wheel hard to the left and Liam underhanded the box toward the bin. It nearly made it, but instead it bounced off the edge. Everyone groaned in disappointment.

“Try again!” Harry shouted, excited about this new game. He leaned over to pick up the box as Louis drove past it and handed it over to Liam.

“I’m gonna get it this time!” Liam announced to the small audience.

Louis was determined as well, “I’m gonna circle the bin from back here you just need to time the shot!” Harry sat on his side hitting the prong to the rhythm of Niall’s chant.

Liam scrunched his face up in concentration. He took his time, but after one and a half revolutions he tossed the box and it landed neatly in the waste bin. His hands flew up in the air in celebration. “Okay so you don’t have to bow down, but you probably should.” He joked.

“We have to play one on one now!” Niall said, extremely thrilled. He climbed onto one of the metal prongs of the other forklift.

“Oh, that’s brilliant!” Harry exclaimed, just as enthusiastic.

“That would be so dangerous,” Gemma said laughing at the absurdity. “What if you get hit in the face with the metal thing?”

“Don’t worry, I’m a good driver,” Zayn said cheekily as he started the forklift up. “One of you has to be on our team.” He said to Gemma and Penelope.

Gemma scoffed, “You can count me out of this one. Maybe next round if there is a next round.”

“Are you sure?” Penelope asked, giddy and excited. “Because I really do want to try.”

“Go for it,” Gemma said gesturing to the forklift.

As they were playing their invented game of forklift basketball, they quickly found out that trying to steal the “ball” from one another was not an option. Getting that close together was really difficult and very dangerous so they decided that the rule was simply, if you get something into the basket, your team gets a point. Zayn and Louis sped across the floor trying to reach items for their teammates to retrieve. In the beginning Gemma would carefully tip toe her way to the middle to clear out the waste bin because it was overflowing with different things they’d thrown in there, but eventually she caved in and sat in the seat next to Zayn as he drove. The game went on for so long that they lost count of points. They were just having fun racing around the room. They stopped playing after Harry threw something at Zayn’s head which resulted in him getting distracted and knocking over a bunch of equipment cases. Harry maintained that he was trying to hit Gemma. Nevertheless, the group decided that was a sign that they needed to quit or at least make it half time.

They walked around to see where the boy’s dressing rooms would be. Sometimes they would come across a piece of equipment that was part of their set up. Eventually, they made it to the stage entrance.

“Holy shit,” Penelope gasped in awe when she looked out at the sea of seats. Harry laced his fingers between hers. “This is pure insanity.”

“Just imagine when it’s filled with people,” Liam said walking up next to her. “It always looks like there’s a tide of fans about to crash into you.”

It was so overwhelming looking out into the large space. At the moment it looked intimidating, but she thought about what it would be like tomorrow. This arena would be full of people who are united by one thing that they all loved so unconditionally. It was beautiful. In that moment, Penelope felt completely overcome with happiness that her boyfriend gets to be part of this amazing experience. She felt lucky and proud to be with Harry. She felt that all of the time they spent away from one another was for something bigger than just them and it was more than made up for in the time they spent together. It was like feeling pure joy.


**

Penelope and Gemma got to go to the concert the next night. It was unbelievable. Like nothing Penelope had ever experienced. The girls got to stand within the barricade to watch the show and just the sheer volume of the screaming was mind blowing. However, there were moments when all of the screaming turned into singing. Those were the best parts. At one point, Gemma turned to Penelope as Harry sang and asked, “He’s actually quite a good little singer isn’t he?” She meant it in sort of a teasing way of course. His voice was magnificent and it rang out clearly over the crowd.

There were also the funny moments such as Harry stumbling into almost every prop onstage. A lot of the time Louis and Niall were off doing silly dances together, especially when one of the other boys was talking to the crowd. Toward the middle of the show, Penelope and Gemma decided to heckle them after a song.

“What is that irritating noise?” Louis complained.

“I think it’s those tossers over there!” Liam replied, pointing at the girls. The crowd laughed.

Zayn walked over to where they were, “Everyone, these are our friends Gemma and Penelope!”

“Say ‘hi’ to them!” Niall shouted. The audience began screaming.

Harry chimed in, “And I think if they have something to say, they can say it to my face!”

The boys started bickering back and forth with them until they had to start the next song for the sake of time. They ended the concert like they always did, with What Makes You Beautiful, but after the show, it was time for Penelope to leave. Gemma was able to stay a few days longer, but Penelope unfortunately had to work. Therefore, she would be flying back to England by herself.

She only brought a few things so it wasn’t difficult to repack. The only new things she packed were all of the notes that were on her bed when she arrived. Penelope also took one flower from each vase. She walked out of her room with her two bags and saw Gemma and Harry waiting for her.

“It was lovely meeting you and hanging out with you!” Gemma said as she hugged Penelope in the hall of their floor of the hotel. “We have to get together after I fly back.”

“Definitely,” Penelope agreed, squeezing her tightly. “Call me as soon as you get home!”

“I will,” She smiled. “I have to get my things together cause we’re leaving soon, but have a safe flight!” Gemma waved as she walked back into her hotel room.

Penelope turned to look at Harry. He was leaning with his back against a wall looking awfully upset. She felt as sad as he looked, but she put on a small smile and took his hands in hers.

“No need to look so sad,” Penelope cooed.

Still looking at the ground he simply said, “I don’t want you to go.”

He was making it really difficult for her to pretend she was okay. Still smiling, she craned her neck into Harry’s line of vision, “I don’t want to. You’ll be back soon though right?” He nodded. “And we had fun while I was here, didn’t we? Like, we had those really good tacos.”

Harry smiled, but she could tell it wasn’t because he was reliving the memory of them eating tacos. It was because he thought it was adorable that she was trying so hard to make him happy. He didn’t say anything, he just took her face into his hands and pressed his lips softly against hers. He kissed her forehead and then wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on top of hers. They just stood there quietly holding each other until Harry finally broke the silence.

“Those tacos were really good, weren’t they?”

Penelope giggled, “They were really good.”

“How do you say ‘I’ll miss you’ in French?”

“Tu vas me manquer.”

“Are you sure? Because it sounded like you said something about ‘my monkey’.” They both laughed. “Are you trying to make me say something stupid?”

“No,” Penelope said shaking her head. “It’s not ‘monkey’, it’s ‘manquer’ you sort of have to put your tongue up in the back when you do the N.”

He tried it out, “Man-quer.” He said making a silly face.

She laughed. “Pretty good.”

“What’s the whole thing again?” She repeated it for him slowly and he could hardly stop smiling long enough to attempt saying it again. “Tu vas… me manquer… Right?”

Penelope though it was funny, the way he moved his lips to get the words out, but she nodded, “You got it.” She looked at the time on her phone and sighed. “I think I have to go. You do too.”

Harry looked at her, less sad than before, “Nell, would you pick me up from the airport when I come home? I want to see you when I get back.”

“Yeah, of course,” she said smiling. “I’ll see you then.” She got on her toes so she would be able to kiss him.

“See you.” Harry said quietly.

Penelope picked up her bags and got onto the elevator, “Oh, and tell the boys that they were lovely and I’ll miss them too!”

“I will.” Harry smiled. “Hold on a second,” he put his hand on the elevator door to hold it open and pecked her lips. “I just wanted to kiss you one more time before you go.”

He stepped back and the doors began to close. Penelope waved goodbye and Harry waved back just before the doors shut.

Notes

Thanks for being so patient with me guys!
My friend needed me so I've been hanging out with her a lot
BUT THANKS FOR READING!
I know this chapter is sort of all over the place, but I wanted it to be fun and happy
Also, its going to get more dramatic in the next couple chapters
Prepare yourselves, my beautiful readers! haha
I hope you like everything so far and please leave a comment and subscribe if you do :D