Catching Red Eyes

He nuzzled his nose in my hair as I covered my mouth finally letting it sink in the clothes were all for me. I wasn’t a materialistic person but knowing that Harry did this for me made my stomach flip.

“Harry, this is too much, thank you. I…I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything, just stay and don’t leave me.”

I looked up at him and laughed at his comment.

“How could I leave, look at all this! I have this beautiful room, these clothes, and most importantly, I have you, Harry Styles. What else could I want for?”

I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him. He molded his mouth around me as we kissed. I felt the electricity shoot through me again and got a bit dizzy from the hormones racing. Before I could get more lost in the moment, I heard another knock.

“I hate to do this but I have to go, love. I should be back before you leave but if not I will see you after your dinner, ok? Don’t do anything silly, remember people know who you are now and they will watch your every move. I have a couple guys staying back to escort you two around. Have fun, ok? I love you,” he had his hands wrapped around my face and it almost felt like I was being told what I can and cannot do. I felt that strange air again between us but pushed it away as I kissed him again.

The door closed behind him and I was left alone with the racks of clothes and the setting sun. I ventured over to the clothes and unzipped a few. Inside was like finding hidden treasure. Sweaters, t-shirts, dark jeans and so many different styles of boots, sneakers, and sandals. There were scarves, long necklaces, leather jackets, different colors of tank tops, yoga pants, dresses, and light jackets. My eye caught the vintage rock and roll t-shirts and there were even different kinds of big hats that resembled Harry’s. There was also makeup and a ton of toiletries. I brought them into the bathroom and went back to the clothes. It was overwhelming as I looked around again but it was my life now.

I was brought of my clothing haze by my phone going off. It was Charlie.

*Hey!! So, I’ll be over in ten minutes. We have so much to talk about and I figured we could get ready together :)”

I texted her back and realized that there were two huge bodyguards outside my door. I slowly opened the door and saw them.

“Uh, excuse me. Hi.” They both looked back but didn’t say anything. “My friend, Charlie, will be here in ten minutes.Can one of you maybe go get her so she knows where I’m staying?”

They both looked back at each other and the left one nodded to the right one and he was gone. “Um…thank you!”I closed the door again and looked around the suite. My life felt surreal even though I couldn’t shake the weird vibe I got from Harry when he left. I texted my mom and Laurie to tell them I had arrived safely. After exploring the suite more to find an entire kitchen and second bedroom, I heard the door open. I ran back up to the front of the suite and saw Charlie.

“Oh my God!!”

She ran to me and we embraced while the guard shut the door. Her brown eyes and long brown hair were shining as I pulled back and looked at her. She had on black leggings, boots, white V-neck shirt, and a scarf hanging decoratively around her neck. Charlie always looked put together with no effort at all. I forgot how much I truly missed her. It felt nice to have her here.

“Jeez, Row. You look amazing,” she said, looking me up and down. “I mean, like really good. No wonder you’re dating Harry Styles.”

I blushed from her compliment as she looked around the suite. “Damn, I’ve always wanted to see what this suite looked like. To think, all I needed to do was date a celebrity. By the way, the security escort? That was pretty cool.”

“Oh, yea, haha, you get used to it. They actually have to come with us but free rides anywhere we want!”

“Damn, that is insane but so cool, Rowan. So tell me everything,” she said, as she sat down on the couch in front of the long windows.

“Well, I was helping on Harry’s interview and I guess we just kind of fell for each other. It was so crazy because I obviously was attracted to him but I never thought any of this would happen and now I’m on tour with him until July. He met my parents and everything already.
We’ve had some bumps along the way but things have been really great lately.”

“Wow. That is so cool, like really cool. Do you remember in high school when we used to get stoned and talk about our future and I said you would marry a rock star? I totally called it!”

“Oh yea! I totally forgot about that!”

After an hour of catching up with Charlie, we decided to finally get ready. I went into the bathroom and pulled down my hair.

“Rowan!! These clothes are for you? They look brand new! Did he get these all for you??”
I walked back into the front room and nodded. “I didn’t have a thing packed, remember?”

“Shit, this is the life. Oh my God, these boots!”

I laughed as I walked back into the bathroom. I opened the brand new makeup and got ready. Charlie joined me as we went back and forth catching up more before we were finally ready. I checked my reflection and my eye makeup was a bit heavier than usual but I liked it. It made my blue eyes come alive. My hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail. I chose a black blazer, white t shirt, light wash jeans and tan flats. I grabbed a few bracelets and put those on too. I took a step back and liked what I saw.

“You look so good! I am so happy those people took your picture so I knew you were here!”

“Me too!”

We laughed as I grabbed a clutch and threw my phone and wallet inside. I pulled back the door and the two guards turned to close it behind us and led us to the elevator. We got on the elevator and Charlie smirked at me as they stood in front of us. I shrugged my shoulders and we laughed.

“Miss Emerson, Harry wants you to have this for tonight.” The guard slid a metallic black card into my hand and it felt heavy as I looked down at it.

“Woah.” I heard Charlie say over my shoulder. “That’s one of those black card things.”

I looked over at her and my eyes were wide. I safely put the card into my wallet and closed it shut.

The doors slide open and the lobby was crowded with people and their suitcases. Their eyes watched us as the guards moved out of our way to walk alongside us now. I looked over at Charlie as she led the way out of the hotel. The cameras flashed around us but soon stopped when they realized that Harry wasn’t with me.

“That was so weird! I’m glad I didn’t trip. You know how clumsy I am sometimes.” I laughed remembering the walks to school with Charlie and her tripping.

Charlie pointed to different things along the way to the where we were going and showed me her school. The city was alive as we walked around. The bodyguards kept their distance but I could still see them. We got to the restaurant as my phone started ringing.

“It’s Harry. Hold on, sorry. Hello? Yes, thank you, you know you didn’t have to do that. Um, some Irish place. Yea, they are with us too. Harry, stop, I’ll be fine. Yes, love you too.” I hung up the phone, put it on silent and followed my old friend inside.

It was busy inside but we were able to be sat right away after the guards talked to the hostess. I kept my head down as we sat. It felt awkward being sat before everyone else and they all turned their heads as the guards followed us to the table. They proceeded to stand a few feet away which was, I assumed, Harry had told them to do. I brushed it off and turned my attention to Charlie.

“It is still so surreal you are dating him. Like, it’s so crazy because you never wanted to date or get married or anything. Do you think you two will be together for a long time? Isn’t he from England? Do you think you’ll move back with him one day? Sorry, just so curious about this whole thing.”

I listened and absorbed what she was asking. They were things that I hadn’t let myself think about but they were questions I needed to answer for my relationship as well as myself.

“Well, I hope we are together for a while but who knows what will happen. I-I haven’t really thought about it.”

I knew it wasn’t what she wanted to hear but it was also something I wasn’t really sure of yet.
Did I want to marry him? Did I want children? I never slowed down to actually think about it. We had only been together for a few months so I pushed the subject out of my head. We ordered our drinks and I took a sip to calm my anxiety about the previous conversation.

Charlie and I sat in the Irish restaurant for the next hour and talked about her which was a relief. We talked about law school and all the programs and internships she was a part of now. The clarity and knowledge Charlie spoke with always impressed me.

After another two or three rounds of drinks, I felt my cheeks get hot as the alcohol was surging through my veins. My eye caught the quick movement of the bodyguards stepping in front of two men trying to get to our table. Charlie and I watching this, laughed and she ushered them forward. The guards looked over at me and I waved them off.

“Hey, ladies. Want a drink?”

The two men were attractive but they weren’t Harry attractive. They each had dark features and were dressed smartly and smelled expensive. They bought us a couple rounds of cinnamon shots and my tongue was tingling. Charlie was immediately taken and engrossed in full conversation with one of them. I looked at his friend and smiled, awkwardness seeping out of me. I excused myself to find the bathroom while the bar filled more and I bumped shoulders with strangers. I found the bathroom in the back of the bar with a light out above the door. I pushed back the door and was almost ran over by three girls, laughing and joking. I was alone in the small bathroom now and caught my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks were red and my eyes were bright. I wiped off the makeup that was smudged under my eyes and felt my purse buzzing. I opened up my purse and saw that I had four missed calls and six texts all from Harry. I slide my phone open and answered the call.

“Hel-“

“Jesus, Rowan. Why haven’t you answered me? I was about to call Allen to go and track you
down. No one was answering my calls. I should have taken Charlie’s number too. Where are you?”

Woah.

My head was fuzzy now as I tried to comprehend what he was saying. I took my phone off my ear and looked at it. It did say Harry but this was not the Harry I knew.

“Rowan? Are you there?”

“Yea, yea, sorry. I’m here. Sorry, it’s loud in here but I’m fine. Why are you so worried? It’s kind of weird.”

The other end was silent but I heard him breathing so I knew he was there. I waited for him to say something but he didn’t.

“Harry?”

“Fine. Just be safe.” He hung up after saying this and the alcohol took over as I turned off the phone and shoved it under my wallet in my clutch. How dare he think he needs to check up on me?

I walked half stumbled back to the table and was greeted with another round of shots and a new drink. I took the shot and chugged the drink and looked around for another one.

“Woah, there sailor. Those aren’t water,” said a voice next to me. I looked over and saw that it was the other half of the two guys who had walked over earlier. I didn’t realize before that he had bright blue eyes hidden under his shaggy, long hair. I was instantly drawn to him and his Boston accent helped further my interest.

“Oh, I know,” I said, waving to the bartender to bring me another drink.

“So, what are you drinking them like they are?” He asked.

“Why do you ask so many questions?” I started laughing at his confused look.

“So, tell me, mystery girl, are you famous or do you just pay for these bodyguards to follow you around?”

“I am not famous but my boyfriend is but he’s annoying me right so, who cares, right?” I was definitely beyond the point of being buzzed and looked around for Charlie. She was still engrossed in the guy but looked over when she noticed me looking for her. She bee lined it to me and left the guy in a confused state.

“Row, you ok?”

“Yup.”

“Jeez, Row. How much did you just drink?”

“Harry is annoying me.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yup. He’s annoying me. He keeps asking me where I am and what I’m doing. Um, no one checks up on me. Thanks. Bye.”

“Wait, slow down, Row. When did you talk to him?”

I pointed to the bathroom.

“Oh, well I mean, I guess I get it but you’re with me. He really should chill. Come on, let’s go to another bar. Guards!! Come!”

I looked over and Harry’s bodyguards were coming towards us as we walked out of the bar. The air outside was nice compared to the hot, stiff air inside the bar. The next bar was a blur but it was packed with more people and we got sat right away again. I sat down in the chair and a drink was put in front of me. The next hour or so were a complete blur. I remembered dancing, drinking, and sweating. Somewhere in between all that, I had taken off my blazer and was just in my white t-shirt.

My vision was blurry, my hair and makeup were a mess but I couldn’t stop dancing around like an idiot with Charlie. I was having the time of my life when I felt someone come up behind me and put their hands on my hips and the front of my thighs. I looked back and it was the same stranger from the previous bar. I knew a part of me was yelling at me to not dance with him but another part was wondering what the harm in dancing with him was. My drunkenness took over and I pushed my body against his and his lips met my neck. I moved my head away but continued to dance. I didn’t like that he kissed me but the place was packed and I was now beyond drunk.

I started getting dizzy again and pushed the stranger off me. I went to find the bathroom and felt a hand on my shoulder. It was the stranger again.

“Hey, wanna get out of here?” He asked me, while grabbing onto my hips and whispering into my ear.

I pushed him off me and walked in the opposite direction. I lost myself in the crowd but also lost sight of Charlie. I looked around but it was so dark and the alcohol was making it so hard to focus. I laid my head in my hands and waited for the room to stop spinning. For the second time, that night I felt a hand on my shoulder. I pulled away but the hand stayed.

“Dude, I am not leaving with you.”

Notes