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A Part of Your World

Just like dust, we settle in this town.

“Loren, do you remember that concert that your aunt bought your sister tickets for? Well I need you to take your sister and her friend to the concert on Friday.” My momma said as we walked through the grocery store, filling our buggy.

“Momma, please do they have to even go anymore? Since Aunt Peggy can’t take them, don’t make me. You don’t even want them going to see some reckless boy band anyways, right? And... I kind of have plans with Connor.” I pleaded. I was 21 years old and plus I didn’t listen to much of anything other than country music. I was your typical southern belle. Cowboy boots and rodeos were my thing, not high heels and nightclubs.

“She’s been excited about this for so long. Please just take her so she’ll stop talking about it. And you’ll have Saturday to see Connor. Speaking of him, I didn’t know you two were back together.” Momma sighed as she bagged some fresh vegetables.

“Yes ma’am, I’ll take them. And we’re not back together, yet.” I said, helping her.
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“Why do you have to go to this stupid concert again?” Conner asked, running his hand through his blonde hair. Connor and I grew up together. Our daddies were best friends and everyone in our little town expected us to get married, and soon. He was a good boyfriend, but he just liked other girls, too. That had always been our problem and that’s why we were always on and off. He’d cheat, I’d find out and leave him, then he’d beg for me back, I’d realize that there were no other boys for me in this small town and that I still loved him, I’d take him back, and the cycle would repeat. It had for about ten years now. He was my first kiss when we were eleven, and I’d been his girl ever since. But he’d never completely been my boy.

“Because my momma asked me to, okay? You’ll be fine. Go out with the boys or somethin’. I’ll see you on Saturday.” I sighed, realizing my weekend was going to be a stressful one, and not the break that I’d desperately needed. I worked at the only restaurant in town and believe it or not, it stayed pretty busy, but that didn't mean I made much money. I worked almost every day and when I wasn’t working, Momma always had something for me to help with around the house.

“Loren, all the guys will be with their girlfriends. I just wish you weren’t going. Atlanta is forever away, anyways. What time will you be back Saturday?” He asked. That’s how it worked around here. Pretty much everyone was paired up by high school and that was usually who they married, considering our town was so small.

“Hotel check-out is like 10:30 so then give me four hours to get back. Call Landon. He has nothing going on because Callie is out of town visiting her cousin this weekend.” I said as I climbed into my daddy’s old pickup truck. Landon was my older brother and Callie was his fiancé. Landon and Callie were only two years older than me and Connor so we all hung out a lot. “Maybe you can help him and daddy out on the field and then y’all can have a fire and some beers or something. I don’t know. But I gotta go. I’ll see you Saturday!” He kissed me on the cheek as I started the engine and headed for home.
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***Phone Rings***
"Momma? Hello? Can you hear me? Momma, are you there? If you can hear me, I'll call you back as soon as I find a quiet spot!" These screaming girls are too much. Why did I even agree to bring my little sister and her friend to this concert, anyways? There were still 45 minutes until the show began and I felt as if I was already deaf. "Gracie, I'm gonna go call Momma. I'll be right back. Don't leave our seats!" I yelled at my sister, hoping she could make out my words. I headed towards the bathroom but the line had to have been at least three miles long. Then I noticed that there was a single door over to the side, almost hidden from sight so I made a move towards it. It was heavy, but unlocked. There was a quiet hallway on the other side. Perfect!
-------------------------------

"Okay Momma, we'll be careful. Love you too. Okay. Alright. I’ll call you when we get to the hotel. Uh-huh. Okay. Yes ma'am. Love you too. Bye." I hung up.

"Pardon me." I turned around to see a curly headed, handsome boy behind me, smiling cheekily.

"Hi, I'm Loren!" I said, as I smoothed my hands over my dress. I suddenly felt as if my dress and cowboy boots weren’t the proper attire for a pop concert.

"I'm Harry. Pleased to meet you! How'd you get back here? Are you related to management or something? We need to find you a pass, just so security won’t kick you out!" He looked confused.

"Oh no, I just needed a quiet place to talk on the phone and I found this door." I pointed. I was just as confused as he seemed to be. Who was he and why did it matter that I was in this hallway?

"Hmm, that's weird - a random, unlocked door, leading backstage." He scrunched his eyebrows, and smirked at me. "You don't know who I am. Do you?"

"Um, no. Am I supposed to?" I was tired of games and ready to get back to my seat. I needed to check on my sister.

"I'm in One Direction, the band who's about to perform." He laughed, pushing his curly locks out of his face.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I'm just here with my little sister. I've never really seen any of you before. I'm sorry. I'd better head back to my seat." I blushed, still fidgeting with my dress.

"HAARRRRYYY!" a voice called from down the hall. Quickly following the howl was a blonde boy. He had a different accent than Harry, but looked just as unfamiliar. I turned and grabbed the door handle, to head back to my seat, but Harry grabbed my hand.

"Wait! This is Niall, another band mate." Harry's cheeky grin made me weak in the knees every time he flashed it. He’s not even my type! Why was I finding him so attractive?

"Hello! It's wonderful to meet ya!" The blonde was so upbeat. I smiled back at him.

"This is Loren and she's going to be my backstage guest for the night." said Harry. The excitement in his eyes shone and I wanted to grab his hand and follow him wherever he went. I still couldn’t understand why, though. Stop it Loren. This boy is way out of your league and way too different. Get back to your seat and shake it off.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I can't. I brought my little sister and her best friend. I can't leave them." I manage to stutter, sounding a little too disappointed, and extremely nervous.

"Well they can come, too!" Niall exclaimed. "Liam & I don't have backstage guests tonight so there's two more spots open!"

"Let's go surprise them!" Harry grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hallway.
---------------------

"Where did you get all of this, anyways?" I tried to contain my laughter.

"We're a boy band. We're goofy and spontaneous. There's nothing like this that we don't have on hand." Niall joked as he rambled through a box of costume accessories.

"Which one is a better disguise?" Harry modeled two wigs. One was a blonde mullet and the other was a bright red ponytail.

"Definitely the mullet!" I exclaimed. "You look like you fit right in!" In Georgia, there are some who still proudly sport the mullet. "Put these on too!" I handed Harry a pair of thick rimmed glasses while Niall placed a stick-on mole just above Harry's lip. We all three burst into giggles. Harry looked ridiculous! He placed a baseball cap over the mullet and put a denim jacket on to cover over his tattoos. I wrapped my arm in his, and we snuck out from backstage into the crowd to go find Gracie and her friend Katie. No one paid us much attention, but Harry greeted many as we walk by. The young girls were too busy bustling to their seats to realize that Harry was right in front of them, saying hello in his best southern accent.

"Do you think your sister will recognize me?" He whispered while we climbed the stairs to our seats.

"Not at all. She'll be suspicious, but she'll never guess that I bumped into THE Harry Styles." I smirked.
He playfully elbowed me, noticing my dramatic emphasis on "the Harry Styles."

"Gracie! C'mon, let's go! I've landed us some better seats." I spoke loudly into her ear.
She looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?! These are the seats Aunt Peggy got for us. We can't leave."

"Look, I found backstage passes. I'll explain later. Are you in or not?" I had to get serious or else Harry would be late for the beginning of the show.

"Um, I guess we're in!" She shrugged, motioning for Katie to follow. We headed out to the corridor, and down the hall. Harry continued with his hellos. Gracie was so confused. Who could blame her? Her sister was supposedly taking her backstage with a creepy guy with a mullet. I couldn’t help but grin, thinking about how ecstatic she was going to be. As we neared the hidden door I had found earlier, Gracie seemed so nervous. Harry opened the door and ushered us all in. As soon as we were out of sight, he started to remove his disguise.

"Hello Gracie, I'm Harry and it is such a pleasure to meet you! You too, Katie! But for now, the show must go on!" He stuck his finger in the air, spun around, and sprinted off down the hallway. Gracie and Katie stared at me, both with dropped jaws.

"This way, girls. You can thank me later when you're not speechless." I grinned at them both and lead them to the VIP seats on the side of the stage.
------------------

I couldn't help but wonder about Harry while we waited for the show to start. He was obviously handsome and charming. He’d been nothing but good to me since I met him earlier; however, he was a worldwide pop star. He had the world, not to mention tons of girls, at his fingertips. My stomach sank when reality hit and I received a text.

So glad we’re working things out babe. I mean it this time. Love you babe! –Connor

I pushed Harry out of my mind. There was no need let myself get carried away imagining that this boy was actually interested in small town me. Not only were we from two completely different worlds, but I had Connor waiting for me back home. There I was in cowboy boots and a sundress while Harry was rocking on stage in skinny jeans and converse. Those two worlds wouldn’t mix well. I turned my attention towards Gracie and Katie, who were chatting and taking tons of pictures. I nudged Gracie and explained how I met Harry. They thought it was the coolest thing. I smiled while watching them await their idols. I hoped Gracie got to meet Louis, who was apparently her favorite. She'd said his name at least 50 times since we’d been in our new, upgraded seats. The lights went dim, interrupting my thoughts. I focused on the stage and saw five boys pop up from the floor. Blondie's hit, One Way or Another, came on. I sang along, giddy. I actually knew this song and I didn't know that One Direction covered it. Harry had an amazing voice. Listening to him sing only made my thoughts shift back to him. I didn't want to wait until the end of the show to look into his emerald eyes again. But no. I pushed the thought away, reminding myself of how famous he was and how not famous I am. My thoughts went back to Connor and how he was at home waiting for me. I refocused on the show and the other songs that the band performed. I didn't know any words to these songs, but I'd heard my sister blare them all a thousand times at home and in the car. Gracie & Katie were out of their seats, dancing around and screaming lyrics. A familiar beat came through the speakers and the arena busted with screams. I knew this song. Well, sort of. It was Gracie’s favorite. I began to sing along and before I realized it, I was on my feet, dancing with Gracie and Katie.

"THAT"S WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL!" I sang along with Harry on the last line. Gracie and Katie burst into giggles, laughing at how silly I was being.

This band and their music made me feel good. I was an instant fan. "What?" I asked, innocently as the girls continued to laugh at & mimic my previous dance moves. The boys thanked the fans for the wonderful night before jogging off stage. I gathered the girls and my things, heading towards the exit. I knew the boys probably had after-show routine and I wanted to get out of there before being love struck by Harry again.

"Don't tell me you're leaving without saying goodbye?" I heard a rugged, British voice behind me. I turned around to see a pouty Harry Styles.

"We tried to tell her, Harry!" Katie threw me under the bus. "She said we needed to beat traffic."

"The way I see it, you can rush out and spend your evening stuck right in the middle of the traffic, or you all can hang out here with us and leave when the traffic calms down." Harry's eyes pleaded with me, but not so much as to let on to Gracie & Katie.

"I really need to get them back to the hotel. Plus I told my momma I’d call her when it was over and we were safe in the hotel. I don’t want her to worry." I tried to muster up an excuse.

"Give her a call and let her know. I'll take the girls to meet the boys." Before I could protest, Gracie & Katie grabbed Harry's hands and drug him over to where the rest of the band was waiting. Harry glanced back and smiled sweetly at me. The way he made my stomach somersault was not good. Not good at all.
---------------------

"Well how about tomorrow you show me around? I've only been here once and you seem like the perfect tour guide!" As I walked up to the band and Gracie & Katie, I heard the boy in suspenders asking Gracie to show him around Atlanta.

"Hello, love! What'd she say?" Harry greeted me.

"She said it's fine." Did he just call me "love"? Surely not. My cheeks were pink, I knew it.

"Swell! Let me introduce you! Boys, this is Loren. I had the pleasure of bumping into her earlier, when she was in an unauthorized area!" He teased, nudging me with his elbow.

A chorus of "hello's" and "hi's" followed. Harry went down the line. "This is Liam, Zayn, Louis, and you've already met Niall."

"Indeed she has! Hello again, love!" Niall exclaimed. My stomach sank. He had called me "love" too so it must’ve just been a term that the British used. I tried not to let my disappointment show.

"Hey Niall! And it's so nice to meet the rest of you!" I replied. "So, what do y'all usually do after a show?"

“Oh wow! You have the thickest accent I’ve heard here yet!” Louis’ jaw dropped.

“Isn’t it lovely?” Harry smiled as I blushed again.

“It is pretty cool!” Niall exclaimed. “But to answer your question, we usually go out for a drink!" He pumped his fist in the air. "Except we have little ones here who are not 21. Oops." He turned red, obviously embarrassed and disappointed all at the same time. I couldn't help but let out a giggle.

"We get into mischief!" Liam swiped Zayn's hat off of his head and took off running. Zayn followed after.

"That's my favorite hat! Get back here!" Zayn called out. Gracie and Katie giggled. I noticed Louis and Harry silently communicating and before I could catch on, Louis asked Gracie & Katie to go help him & Niall catch Liam & Zayn. The foursome took off and all of the sudden, Harry and I were alone.

"So why did you really try to leave earlier? You can't blame it on traffic and really expect me to believe you, you know?" Harry walked over to the stage and sat down on the edge, letting his feet dangle. I followed him and hoped he understood my answer.

"You're Harry Styles, this is One Direction's big tour. You just played a sold out show. I mean everyone's here for you. I didn't want you to have to worry about taking care of some girls you bumped into when you and the boys had just played an amazing show like you did. I guess I felt like the girls and I were a bother." I sighed. "I just didn't want to annoy you. You've seen how two pre-teenage girls can be. You've done enough by performing a great show, much less letting us sit in the backstage, VIP seating. I didn't want you to feel obligated to do anything else. You've already made this a night that Gracie and Katie will never forget."

"What about you?" He looked deep into my blue eyes.

"What do you mean?" I mumbled, looking away, trying to avoid the question.

"Was this a night that you'll never forget?" He was being so serious. I wanted to laugh it off or for Gracie, Katie and the boys to interrupt, but the whole arena was silent, as if awaiting my answer.

"You have made this night unforgettable for all of us." I smiled. I couldn’t fall for him but it was so hard not to. The chemistry was undeniable and I know he felt it too as he inched his face towards mine. I knew what was coming but instead of pressing my lips against his, I backed away at the last moment. Connor flashed through my mind.

"Harry, I'm sorry." I stammered, trying to explain myself. Loud giggles interrupted the moment and I looked up to see Gracie & Katie running from all four of the boys. They were all obviously having a blast, totally unaware of what was going on just a few feet away.

"I'm going to catch you!" Zayn yelled.

"Not if you don't run any faster!" Katie remarked, forcing Zayn to speed up, grab her and throw her over his shoulder. She erupted with squeals and laughter, obviously pleased with herself, getting Zayn Malik to chase her.

I jumped to my feet and headed over to the girls, leaving Harry sitting on the stage. "Well girls, looks like we've had enough fun for today! Time to tell the boys goodbye."

After receiving dirty looks from both girls they gave in and started to bid their new best friends goodbye. "Loren, here's my number! Shoot me a text. I promised Gracie that she could show me around the big ATL tomorrow. If it's okay with her mum, of course. But uh, keep my number on the down low if you know what I mean." Louis winked at me. "See you tomorrow, lady!" He hugged me and then went over to tell Gracie goodbye.

We said our goodbyes to the boys and headed out to my car. Harry had been very quiet and only half hugged me goodbye. But who could blame him? I felt terrible but I just couldn't let myself fall for him. Our lives were too different. Plus, I had Connor and Harry had millions of girls, even models throwing themselves at him. I couldn't compete with that. It was better off this way. I made my way onto the interstate, trying to persuade myself that I was right about all of this. Gracie clicked on her One Direction playlist on her iPhone and Harry's voice haunted me all the way to the hotel.

Notes

If anyone reading has a mullet, no offense! I'm from southern small town USA and I just wondered what it would be like if Harry actually fell for someone as southern as I am, so I decided to write it! I'm making it a little more dramatic than it really is. Not everyone down here is as strict as this story is going to be. Just to be clear, I love living out here and wouldn't change a thing! Hope you enjoy! :) As always, please comment, rate, and subscribe!

Comments

I came across this story and really like it. Any plans to update it in the future?

THIS STORY IS EPIC. UPDATE SOON!!!!

Laila Haider Laila Haider
3/26/15

This is story is sooo good, and I love where it's going, although I have a feeling I won't be getting any resolution!

Ahh!! love this story so much :)
IrishGirl94 IrishGirl94
10/17/13
i love niall so much. ahhh update this soon! im loving yo stories!!! :D