Annie

The door chimed signaling a customer. I looked up from my book to see him walk in. It was the visitor I looked forward to every day. He was tall with curly brown hair, beautiful green eyes and dimples that made my knees go weak the first time he flashed them at me. I knew instantly who he was the first time he walked in the shop almost six months ago. His face was on magazine covers and name a trending topic on Twitter. He was Harry Styles, one of the most well known faces in the world. That didn't make a difference with me though, he was sweet, kind, generous, told terrible jokes but always had me laughing at them. On the rare occasion we had more than one customer in the store he'd offer to buy them a cup of tea.
His visits were never short. He was usually here at least fifteen minutes, often times spending hours sitting in here keeping me company while I worked. I knew he was getting texts, likely asking where he was because surely he had somewhere better he could and probably should be. There had even been a few times he'd been here long enough that I'd left him in charge so I could run to the back.
"Good afternoon, Dimples. Your usual?" I asked. I knew my smile was huge, I could never hide it around him. I was sure I just looked like this smiling, blushing idiot. But there it was on his face, a giant smile with the Grand Canyon of all dimples shining back at me. He pulled his beanie off and shook the raindrops out of his hair and made the smallest noise as he did it.
"Yes, how are you today, love?"
"Good. Enjoying a bit of mint tea, a book, and thinking of starting a fire."
"And some Led Zeppelin. Nice choice." He walked over to the wall and flipped the light switch that started the fireplace. Everything in here was vintage and full of charm except the fireplace. My boss Lizzy converted it to gas because she hated the idea of carrying firewood.
"Of course. I may have to go home and listen to this when I get there. Sounds better on vinyl but this will do for now." I turned to the coffee machine behind me and mindlessly started to make the coffee he ordered every day he came in.
"So what are you reading today?" he asked sitting in the empty chair he always filled right by the fire. I'd been sitting at the counter most of the day but when he came in typically we sat in the chairs by the fireplace.
"Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs. It's been a while since I read it. Decided to bring it to work with me today."
"Never read it. Any good?"
"Yes, he's funny. The first chapter talks about John Cusack ruining his life because every woman wants Lloyd Dobler."
"Lloyd Dobler?" he asked.
"Say Anything." He shrugged. "High Fidelity? Gross Pointe Blank? The Sure Thing? Better Off Dead? Sixteen Candles?"
"I've seen Sixteen Candles."
"He's one of the nerds that shows the girls panties in the bathroom at the dance."
"Oh. And you think every woman wants John Cusack?"
"Oh my god yes. His characters are sweet, emotional, neurotica, and," I sighed. "Perfect. I'm gonna bring High Fidelity in for you on Monday. You're watching it. You'll love it. Promise." I handed him his coffee in a to-go cup. I always did this. There was the chance today's visit would be short lived and he'd need to go. Today's must not be planned to be short because he pulled his coat off and hung it on the back of the chair. I curled up in to mine and faced him.
"What do I get if you're wrong?" he asked raising his eyebrows and shooting me another dimple filled smile. My stomach did a triple salchow followed by a double axel. It's like he knew that was my weakness and that if he asked me to jump off the top of Big Ben that I'd do it in a heartbeat. "Will you finally grab that drink with me I've been asking for?"
"Maybe," I said taking a sip of my tea. He had been asking me to grab a drink with him for awhile. If he was in here at close there was usually a good chance he'd ask me if I wanted to grab a glass of wine next door at this cute little wine bar. I always declined. It felt weird. I was older than him, which I knew was his thing, but still it felt a bit strange. And he was a customer. And he was on the walls of millions of bedrooms of teenage girls.
"I'm lying then. I hate it. Don't need to see it. Where are we going for our drink tonight?" I laughed a nervous laugh. I knew it sounded that way to everyone not just me.
"I have plans tonight."
"A date?" he asked. If only it was a date, then maybe he'd stop asking and I'd stop wanting to say yes.
"No, Kim and I have reservations at an Italian restaurant down the street from our flat. We are coming up on six months in London. We decided to celebrate. So we are doing dinner and then probably drinks. Maybe at The World's End since I could hit it with a baseball from my bedroom window if I wanted to."
"Maybe I'll just have to get drinks at The World's End if you're there."
"I wouldn't be opposed to that. Just don't come by yourself. That'd be weird. I don't want to make you feel like the third wheel with Kim." In reality I didn't want Kim to feel like the third wheel. When Harry was around it's like the world went out of focus. Lizzy frequently would throw things at me to get my attention. She was the best and worst boss because she knew I had a crush on our number one customer and let me gush about it but she also tried to embarrass me every chance she got.
"Niall and I have plans tonight. If there's beer he's not likely to complain about where we are. Plus I've met Kim a few times in here. They'll get along wonderfully. I can text you to make sure it's okay that we join. If you're having a girls night I don't want to invade."
"I don't think she'll mind. She's usually up for a good time and Niall seems charming." He'd come in with Harry once. It was the shortest of any of his visits. He looked embarrassed the whole time as Niall said things to him quietly and then laughed loud enough that I'm sure the people at the bar next door could hear. After that Harry came in alone.
We got lost in our normal conversations. We talked a lot about our families, our favorite music and honestly anything else that came to mind. If someone sat listening to us they'd get confused, we changed topic so easily I often had no clue how the hell we ended up talking about what we were. Today we were talking about Coldplay and what I was planning to bake this weekend. I baked a lot and he loved when I'd bring them in to the shop so he could have some of the results. I glanced at my phone and saw I had 3 texts from Kim, a missed call and that it was 6:15. "Fuck. Shit."
"What?" Harry asked seeming shocked by my outburst.
"I lost track of time. I was supposed to leave already. Kim and I have reservations at 7:30 and need to get things cleaned up."
"Let me help," he said grabbing our drinks, going to the area of our counter that was set up as our coffee area. He rinsed the cups as I closed the register down. I took the money back to the office and locked it in the safe. When I walked back out Harry had put his coat and beanie back on. He had two large to-go cups sitting on the counter next to my bag that had been packed while I was gone. He was holding my coat in his hands. He helped me slide it on before I turned to look at him. He pulled my beanie down securing it over ears. "I made you tea for the road. Half pound of sugar, just like you like it, Sugar."
"I hate you," I said through laughter. He watched me make tea shortly after we met and made fun of me for how much sugar I put in it, so did everyone else. Lyla, Lizzy's younger sister that worked with me, had been with us and she fueled the fire and told him about how I took my coffee. Ever since he'd called me Sugar. "But thanks. For the tea and for helping me clean up. I'm cutting it close getting back to Camden in time to change and get out for our reservations."
"Let me give you a lift home."
"No, that's not necessary. You've done enough already, thank you."
"It's not a big deal. Let me drive you. It's not that far. And if you try to walk to the station I'm just gonna pick you up and put you in the car while you're kicking and screaming."
"That's called kidnapping, Dimples."
"It is and you don't want to see me getting arrested do you?" I shook my head. "Alright, get in my car," he said. I locked the door to the shop behind us and followed him to where his car was on the street. He opened the passenger door for me and and I climbed in putting my bag between my feet. He started the car and pulled in to traffic. I grabbed my phone from my bag to check the texts as Harry's started to ring through the car.

Message: Annie and Kim
How's work going?
You leaving right at 6:00?
Are you almost home? I'm starving.
You're always starving.
That doesn't matter. I'm starving and we've got reservations at 7:30. You aren't home yet. Have you even left work or did Dimple boy come in today?
He did but yes I've left. Didn't get out until late though.
UGH. By the time you take the tube, change clothes and get ready we will be late.
We won't and I'm not taking the tube. Dimples offered me a ride home.
Don't come home then. Bang the poor boy in his backseat.
KIMBERLY ANN!
What you just said last night that you needed laid? He's hot. He's in the car with you. He comes and drinks coffee and eats your baked goods every day. He texts you random pictures when he's on the other side of the fucking planet.
BANG HIM IN THE BACKSEAT.
Hate you.
You lie.
Do not.
Do too. You're a terrible liar. I can see it all the way at home.
Shut it. Ooo he just got a call from Niall.
He's hot. I'd bang him.
You'd bang anything with legs and a penis.
Not true. That creepy dude last weekend. Wouldn't bang him. And even so...one of us should be getting laid and currently neither of us are. I've hit a dry spell.
A week?
No. It was the drunk Christmas Eve Experience.
Oh my god. Don't remind me. Santa hats are not meant to be worn over private parts. I'll be scarred for life.
Get home. Tell Dimples to hurry it up.
We are almost home. BTW. I'm baking pumpkin cupcakes on Sunday. Dimples likes them.
Bitch I've been asking for pumpkin for weeks. He smiles and BOOM pumpkin cupcakes. You suck. Invite him out this weekend.
He might come meet up with us tonight.
Good now bang him.
Stop! I'm ending this conversation.

"Hello," he had answered the phone.
"Hey mate. You on your way?" Niall asked.
"Yeah, just running Annie home and then I'll be over."
"Nice job. You finally get her to agree to go out on a date with you?"
"Sort of. She's going out for drinks with her flatmate tonight in Camden, I said we'd try to meet up with them. Is that okay?"
"Absolutely. You've been arse over tits for this girl for months."
"She is in the car and can hear you," he said shaking his head.
"Hi Niall," I replied laughing.
"Hey Annie. So Camden, huh?"
"Yeah, my flat is right across from The World's End so we will likely end up there. Maybe at the pub I work at that's a few blocks away."
"Fun, then we will probably see you tonight. I'm glad you finally put him out of his misery and said you'd meet him for drinks."
"Me too," I said. He smiled and there it was again. The Olympic skating routine in my stomach. My nerves were like judges holding up perfect tens at this performance because he was in close proximity and smelled amazing. I loved the way he smelled. Before Christmas he had come in with a present for me. I was shocked, he was a customer. Yes, we'd developed a friendship but not one where I expected gifts from him. I'd mentioned that with the cold weather I missed the giant warm quilts that I had growing up at Mom's. He came in with a giant bag containing the most giant, beautiful quilt I'd ever seen. It looked like one that Mom had, shades of soft colors in plaid and flower print. It smelled like him for the first week and then sadly it started to smell like me.
"I'll head straight to yours after I drop her off Niall. Maybe 20 minutes."
"Good, because I'm starving."
"You're always starving." I laughed quietly at how their conversation was so similar to the one I'd just had with Kim. He ended the call and I directed him to my flat. "You really could hit The World's End with a baseball."
"Yeah, it's nice. Thanks for bringing me home. I owe you a drink now. So you'll just have to come out tonight."
"Hey! I'm the one that has been asking you out for a drink for at least two months. Drinks are on me tonight." I quickly said goodbye and headed upstairs to the flat. I went in to my room and dropped my bag on the floor and kicked my shoes off. I headed upstairs to find Kim walking out of the kitchen in to the living room.
"About time you got home." She took a sip of her beer and handed me one. I took a long pull from the bottle. "I'm starving."
"Yeah, I know. I just need to change clothes and we can go."
"Fine. I'm disappointed. You don't look like you banged Dimples."
"I didn't," I replied. "But he is coming out or at least that's his plan. He and Niall were headed to dinner."
"The Irish kid should give me some food recommendations while you two go off and bang in the bathroom. You look like you need it." I laughed at her as we headed down to the first floor and our bedrooms so we could get dressed. I pulled on black leggings and a white t-shirt that was oversized. I quickly touched up my makeup, switched purses and threw on my black leather jacket and a large scarf.
"You ready?" I yelled.
"Yeah," Kim replied. I slid my knee high leather boots on and walked in to the space between our rooms. Kim had on dark skinny jeans, a chambray shirt and bright blue sweater with her riding boots. She always wore blue. It was her entire wardrobe. It was rare she wasn't in it unless she let me pick out what she was wearing. She missed Kentucky so she wore blue all the time to show her pride. We headed down the block to the Italian restaurant I'd made reservations at just in time to be seated.

Notes

Thank you for reading the first two chapters! The next chapter will be in Harry's point of view and I hope to have it up soon. Please let me know what you think! xx