Change My Mind

HARRY

As the fourth show was coming to a close I made my way back stage still feeling the high that comes from performing and knowing that the excess energy was going to make it hard for me to go to sleep any time soon. Niall and I were talking as we headed towards to dressing room when Louis approached us.
“Hey lads I was thinking, we haven’t gone bowling in a long time…you guys want to go? I just don’t think I’m ready to go back to the empty hotel room yet.”
“Sure sounds fun, just let me get a quick shower in.” Niall said as he ran off to get ready.
“Yeah that sounds fun, why not?” I said smiling as a thought entered my mind.
Louis rolled his eyes when he saw it, “You’re going to invite Erin aren’t you?”
“Was thinking about it…why?”
“Do you have to invite her? If she comes she’ll probably bring Stefanie along too.”
“Since when is that a problem?”
“It’s not.” He said defensively, “Well it wouldn’t be if I hadn’t snapped at her last night.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was here last night, trying to clear my mind, and figure some stuff out as far as this whole situation with Stefanie and Eleanor are concerned when Stefanie came in. I kind of told her that even though I know I should avoid her altogether I didn’t want to then when she went to comfort me I freaked out. I knew if I let her touch me I was going to lose control again and it almost got me into more trouble at the tattoo parlor. I need to figure out how to not let her get to me like that.”
“Okay and I get that but she and Erin are sort of a package deal and if you hadn’t let yourself explore your urges in Pennsylvania you wouldn’t be in this situation now. I tried to warn you and I really like Erin so can you please find a way to be around her tonight? Maybe start by apologizing for being rude last night?”
“I guess…”
“Just think of it this way, you will eventually have to talk to her. I mean you work together so you can’t avoid her forever. Why not do it now so that it’s all out in the open?”
“Okay okay, fine. I’ll apologize for the way I acted last night.”
“Good. Now, let’s go and have a good time.”
We continued into the dressing room where I saw Erin packing up the wardrobe and making sure everything was accounted for. I walked up behind her and nervously started to speak, “Erin? What do you and Stefanie have planned for tonight?”
I waited for her to answer me but she didn’t even turn around, as she busied herself folding the last of the shirts from Zayn’s pile. “Erin?” I said again, not sure why she wasn’t answering until she turned her head slightly and I caught a flash of white trailing from her ear. She had ear buds in and couldn’t hear me.
I leaned in closer with my hands out ready to tickle her when I stopped short of touching her waist. Don’t. I thought to myself. She may think of that as flirting. I took a small step backwards so there was a larger gap between the two of us and tapped her on the shoulder. I couldn’t help let out a chuckle when she jumped at the touch of my finger, and suddenly I was glad I didn’t go for the tickle.
She looked at me and I could see a faint blush rise in her cheeks as she took her earbuds out, “Oh! Sorry I didn’t see you.” She said as she tucked her ear buds into the back pocket of her jeans, “What’s up?”
“I was wondering what you were doing tonight?” I asked again.
“Umm, I know Stef said something about going out but we haven’t decided what we are doing yet. Why?”
“I wanted to know if you would like to go bowling with me Niall and Louis?” I asked suddenly feeling a little more anxious as I took in the hesitant look on her face.
“I don’t know, I have to check to see if Stefanie wants to go…”
I needed to prove to Erin that I can be patient enough to wait for her to be ready for a relationship, but in order to do that I needed to spend some actual time with her in a friendly setting so she could see I was serious about her. I needed to convince her to come out tonight.
“I’m sure she’d love to go! Come on, you know you want to show Niall a thing or two in real life bowling.”
I hadn’t seen Niall walking past at that moment and when he overheard me asking Erin to join us he stopped and said, “Oh you’re going too? I swear I’ll lose it if you beat us at that too.” He said with a laugh.
We started to laugh along with Niall until we heard a rumbling noise and his face change in an instant. He grabbed for his stomach and said, “Excuse me guys.”
“Are you alright Niall?” Erin said concerned watching as he ran for the bathroom.
“Nope!” he said as he closed the door behind him. We looked at the door for another second concerned about his well-being as Niall moaned from inside the bathroom.
I turned to Erin and said, “Guess he’s not going…so are you in? Now we need you to come otherwise it’s just me and Lou.”
Erin smiled at me before sighing, “I guess… but I really should see if Stefanie wants to go before saying we will definitely be there.”
She smiled up at me once more and as I looked into her hazel eyes I admired how beautiful they were. It wasn’t until Erin furrowed her eyebrows that I realized I was taking too long to respond, “Okay!” I shouted a little too loudly. I tried to recover quickly by lowering my voice and starting over, “I mean, that’s fair. Text me when you’ve decided?”
“I will, I promise.” She said, giggling again as she turned to go find Stefanie.


ERIN

It didn’t take long for me to find Stef, she was just finishing up with the stage crew and helping put the last of the equipment on the trucks.
“How’s it going?”
“Good,” she said, seriously lacking in enthusiasm, “We should be done in about fifteen minutes. Faster if you wanna help,” she added, as she tossed a bag to me. I laughed and started to help load the last truck.
“What do you want to do when we get out of here?” Stefanie asked.
“Well, funny you should mention that…I was actually coming over here to see how you felt about bowling?”
“Sounds great! After the day I’ve had I seriously need to unwind,” Stefanie admitted, “Some quality bestie time is just what I need.”
“Um…well, actually we were invited by Harry,” I did my best to stop the smile from forming on my face, but failed miserably. Stefanie stopped in her tracks and looked up at me skeptically, “Really?” she asked. Apparently she wasn’t fooled at the face I was making to cover up the fact that I was excited to spend time with Harry.
“So what happened? I thought you didn’t like him?” she asked, trying to get information out of me.
“I don’t know, something happened when we got the tattoos and then earlier he came to hang out with me on the bus and….We are just better as friends. He’s actually a really great guy when he isn’t trying to force his tongue down my throat all the time,” I said, giving her what I hoped was an innocent looking smile, “I like the new Harry.”
Stefanie smiled knowingly, “I’m just glad you are finally seeing what I’ve been seeing, even if it means you two are just friends for now.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed, “Ugh! Not for now, for good,” I said as I grabbed Stefanie by the arm and started dragging her to the door, “Come on crazy, let’s get ready to bowl!”
“Whatever you say,” she replied sarcastically, but then pulled back on her arm, stopping me.
“Wait it is just Harry going, right?” she asked and I couldn’t figure out why she was asking.
“No, Louis is coming too. Niall was supposed to come but he wasn’t feeling so hot.”
“I’m not going,” she said abruptly.
What the hell?
“Am I missing something?”
Stefanie looked down at her feet, hesitating slightly before answering, “I don’t know. I just don’t think Louis would want me there. You guys go…have fun.”
“Why wouldn’t he want you there? He loves hanging out with you,” I said encouraging her. I had no idea why she would think Louis wouldn’t want to be around her. This morning she was completely blissed out over a kiss they shared and now…Well hell, I was just confused.
“I saw him earlier, and I don’t know something was just off. He kind of snapped at me and said some random shit. I just think it’s better if I don’t go.”
“But I need you to go!” I said without thinking, “I want to spend time with Harry and if Louis’ there it might make that difficult. Maybe he was just in a bad mood.”
Stefanie ran her hand roughly over her face, clearly thinking about her answer, “Fine. But I’m only doing this for you and if Louis makes it clear he doesn’t want me there…I’m leaving.”
“Fair enough,” I replied, trying to contain my excitement, linking my arm with hers as we headed out of the arena. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to text Harry:

Hey, it’s Erin. We are in for bowling :) Where do you want to meet – E
Hi! Meet us by the dressing rooms in about 5 minutes –H
Okay…see you soon – E


LOUIS

My stomach was in knots as we waited outside for the girls to show up. I still couldn’t believe the way I had acted towards Stefanie. She didn’t deserve that. Even if I was faced with an impossible decision, even if everything about her just drives me to a breaking point with my self-control…she didn’t deserve it. When she wasn’t around me, I could remember all the reasons that I should be with Eleanor, I could remember our past and how much I cared about her, but the second Stefanie was anywhere around me, all I could see or think about was her.
“Erin just texted me, they are out front,” Harry called out, throwing me the keys to the Range Rover we had rented for the night. We both got in and I pulled around to the front of the arena. Sure enough, Stefanie and Erin were standing outside.
“Hey guys!” Erin cheered as she climbed into the backseat behind Harry, and as I answered back I couldn’t help but notice as Stefanie climbed in behind me, wordlessly. She saw me looking at her in the rearview mirror and flashed me a small uneasy smile, she was so beautiful. I wanted more than anything in that moment to tell her how sorry I was, that I acted like an idiot but I knew that now was not the time or the place. I needed to speak with her in private.
“Hello? Are you going to pull away from the curb?” Harry asked, bring me back into reality and before he could say anything to further embarrass me, I put the car in gear and drove off in the direction of Meikleriggs Bowling Club.
“So, are you a skilled bowler in real life or just on the Wii?” Harry asked, turning around in his seat to look at Erin.
“You’ll just have to wait and see,” Erin replied and I heard the soft sound of Stefanie chuckling in the seat behind me. I couldn’t wait until we got there, so I could try to make right all of the wrongs I’d done.
The drive had only taken about twenty minutes, and somehow I’d managed to get myself completely worked up over talking Stefanie. My stomach was in knots and I actually felt nauseous. Once we’d hopped out of the SUV, Harry walked right over to me.
“Are you okay, mate? You look a little queasy,” he pointed out and immediately I turned to Stefanie, hoping that she hadn’t heard him. Her eyes met mine immediately and the only thing I saw in them was genuine concern. Even with as horrible as I was to her, she still cared and in some small way that made me feel a little better about everything.
“Yeah, my stomach is just a little upset,” I admitted weakly, unable to ignore the fact that the nausea I’d been feeling was getting increasingly worse. Stefanie walked right up to where Harry and I were standing and placed her hand across my forehead, “You’re burning up,” she said quietly, “Do you want me to take you back to the hotel?”
Once again I felt the pang of guilt at how I’d treated her.
“No, I’ll be fine,” I promised, “But thank you.”
Reaching up I pulled her hand from my forehead, squeezing it lightly before placing a quick kiss on her palm.
“I don’t deserve you worrying about me,” I said, looking into her eyes and at that moment it hit me just how true that statement was.

HARRY

“Okay Flynn, you’re up!” I teased, raising my eyebrows at Erin, “Show us what you’ve got!”
I allowed myself to admire the view as Erin walked up to the lane and lined up her shot. Her body really was the epitome of perfection. It was only in rare moments like this, moments when I knew she wasn’t paying attention that I could truly appreciate her. Dreading the moment when she turned around and I had to take everything back into friend mode.
She brought the ball back and when she released the ball forward it landed right in the middle of the lane. Damn, maybe she was just as good at this. But right as I thought the words, the ball began to curve…right into the gutter. I couldn’t stop the laughter that escaped from my lips and I wasn’t the only one both Stefanie and Louis were laughing too.
“What was that?” Stefanie asked though her laughter.
“That was me just warming up!” Erin said in a huffy tone, placing her hands on her hips and placing a pouty look on her face. Those pouty lips were just begging to be kissed and I had to literally restrain myself from walking over and doing just that.
“Oh, no. Are we going to have another incident?” Stefanie asked and the sound of her voice, pulled my attention away from my inappropriate thoughts. I couldn’t help but notice the sarcasm and slight hesitation at which she asked her.
“What do you mean incident?” Louis asked before I got a chance to.
“Erin had thi—“ Stefanie began before Erin ran over to her and covered her mouth, silencing her.
“Don’t you dare!”
“Oh no, we need to hear this story,” I said, more curious than ever.
“Stefanie, if you are truly my best friend you won’t tell the story,” Erin pleaded, begging Stefanie with her eyes not to tell.
“Okay fine, I won’t tell,” Stefanie conceded and I watched Erin let out a huge sigh of relief before turning back to the lane to take her second shot. Just as she took aim with the ball Stefanie shouted, “Erin once got so competitive that she ended up sending her brother to the hospital!”
My head snapped back to where Erin was standing just in time to see her send the ball flying into the gutter once again. She turned and faced Stefanie with a very angry expression.
“I’m sorry!” Stefanie yelled, holding her hands out in defense, “I couldn’t help it and these poor guys needed to be warned that you get violent when you compete!”
Louis and I looked at each other and then burst into simultaneous laughter, well at least until I turned and looked at Erin and saw the murderous gleam in her eyes. That shut me up real quick.
“It was one time! And it was an accident! Why. Would. You. Say. Something. Like. That!” she yelled, impishly smacking Stefanie’s arm with each word she spoke. The two girls started play fighting to which, Louis and I sat back and watched, completely entertained.
Once they settled, Erin filled Louis and I in on the story of how she and Stefanie were playing chicken in the pool and her brother, Matt, kept on knocking her down. She got so frustrated that the last time he tried to push her over she threw her foot up and kicked him in the nose breaking it and sending him to the hospital. I was hysterical as Erin spent the entire time saying it was an accident but Stef kept throwing in sarcastic comments about how when Erin came up from under the water she had an evil smile on her face.
“It really was an accident!” Erin said one last time, sounding completely defeated. I walked over to her and put my arm around her shoulders, “It’s okay, I believe you! But just to be safe, remind me never to get on your bad side,” I laughed and Erin smacked me lightly on my chest. I felt her hand slide slightly up my and as I looked down to see what she was doing a faint blush began to spread on her cheeks. I couldn’t help but wonder what that was all about.
As the rest of the night went on Erin’s bowling improved, but Louis’ health did not. And by the time we were talking about starting a second game I had to at least offer to call in a night for his sake. Even though if it were up to me I would spend the rest of the night with Erin instead of sending the girls home early.
“Louis, why don’t we head out so you can get some rest,” I offered and Louis began shaking his head immediately.
“I’ll take a cab back, no reason to ruin anyone else’s night,” Louis said and from beside him Stefanie spoke up, “I’ll ride back in a cab with him. That way you two can stay and hang out. I was starting to get a little tired anyway. It’s been a long day,” she said and Louis looked for a moment like he was going to fight her about it, but then changed his mind.
“You guys should take the car, though. With Louis not feeling well. Harry and I will catch a cab,” Erin offered and the thought of her wanting to stay with me feel like the happiest man in the world.

STEFANIE

Louis and I arrived back at the hotel about ten minutes after our departure from the bowling alley. I drove because he just didn’t seem well enough to do so. He was pale as a ghost and visibly clammy. It was like I was watching him fall apart in front of me.
“I’m going to bring you to your room and then run back to mine really quick just to grab my cell phone charger. My phones about to die. I’ll be right back though, I promise,” I assured him, sliding the key card into the lock and opening the door.
“You don’t have to come back. I’m fine. Thank you for riding back with me,” Louis replied and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
Typical tough guy move…always thinking they are tougher than they actually are.
I stood in the doorway long enough to watch Louis throw himself on the bed and then silently I turned and walked out of the room, making sure to hold onto the key card that Louis had given me in the elevator.
It had only taken me about fifteen minutes to ride the elevator down to my room, grab my charger and run back to Louis’ suite. In an attempt at being polite I knocked as I slid the key in to open the door.
“Who’s there?” Louis called out.
“Stefanie.”
A groan sounded as I pushed open the door and was greeted with the sight of Louis, laying in the bed with the sheets all crumpled around him. He was shirtless and wearing a pair of plaid pajama bottoms.
“You look terrible,” I blurted out, shocked at how much worse he’d gotten in the short time I was gone.
“I’m dying, to be more specific,” Louis croaked, as he flung his arm over his face, hiding all but his pale lips, “Please just go.”
“What’s wrong exactly? Besides the fact that you’re dying?” I asked, attempting to get to the bottom of his illness.
“Let’s just say that the loo and I have become good friends since you left.”
“How many times have you gotten sick?”
“I don’t know…It all kind of blurred together,” Louis admitted sheepishly.
Without replying, I walked over to the suites mini fridge and looked inside. Pulling out a small bottle of Gatorade, I poured him a small glass and dropped two ice cubes inside and then walked back to the bedroom and lowered myself onto the edge of the bed beside him. When the bed shifted, Louis moved his arms and gazed up at me. His eyes were red-rimmed and the whites of his eyes were completely bloodshot, making his blue irises stick out in contrast.
“Please go away,” he wined and I ignored him holding the glass of Gatorade out to him, “Here. Just take a sip. You don’t want to get dehydrated,” I said and he shook his head and pushed it away.
“I can’t keep anything down.”
“Maybe you have food poisoning.”
“I ate the same thing you did at the bowling alley and you’re not sick,” Louis pointed out. I set the glass down on the nightstand and touched his forehead, wincing at the burn of his skin, “You have a fever, too.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” he whispered, his voice not sounding nearly as harsh as it had before, “You don’t need to see me like this and you’ll get yourself sick too.”
“I’ll be fine,” I promised and as the words left my lips his eyes drifted closed. I there for a moment just staring at him, waiting to move until I knew that he was asleep. Very softly I placed my hand on his head again and I knew I needed to get him something to bring that fever down. He was going to get my help whether he wanted or not.


HARRY

Erin and I had decided to play one more game before heading back to the hotel. At the start of the ninth frame I was winning and even though she was doing her best to hide her frustration I could tell that it was really starting to bother her that she was going to lose again.
“Do you want me to show you my secret?” I offered, knowing in the back of my mind that showing her would give me an opportunity to get a little closer to her and to her it would seem completely platonic.
“No, I’m just having an off night, I’ll be fine,” Erin said and I could hear the frustration in her voice.
“If you let me show you my secret, you’ll always get strikes,” I said, in what I hoped was an enticing tone, “And it’ll help you beat Niall the next time we go out.”
“Okay, you win,” she sighed, “Show me your secret.”
“Come here young grasshopper,” I joked, leading her up to the alley. When she was standing in front of it, I rested one of my hands on her arm that was holding the bowling ball and then used my other hand to point, leaving her leaning back against me, “Okay, you see that lane marker?” I asked, and she nodded her head slightly, “When you approach that one you are going to bring your hand back just a bit and then you take two more steps and bring the back forward, releasing it when your arm is perpendicular with the lane…and…”
I held onto Erin as we watched the ball until it reached the end of the lane. The ball hit the pins at just the right angle knocking them all down.
“Strike!” We both shouted as Erin turned to face me. I picked her up into my arms and twirled her around and when I set her back down I couldn’t help but gaze down into her beautiful eyes. She smiled up at me and instantly I cleared my throat as I took my hands off of her and looked away. It was easily the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. As I walked away from the lane I mentally scolded myself for getting so carried away. I needed to be on my best behavior but when she was close to me like that all I seemed to be able to think about was how beautiful she was and how much I wanted her to be mine.
As we finished the game both of us agreed that we weren’t ready to go back to hotel just yet. It was a beautiful night, so I suggested that we go for a walk which Erin agreed to immediately. We talked for hours, just wandering around the city, sharing stories and getting to know one another. The more I learned about this girl the more I found myself falling for her. She had this quality about her that brought her leaps and bounds above any other girl I’d known. Her beauty radiated from the inside out. She was so much more than just a pretty face, she was funny and caring, a little stubborn but completely compassionate at the same time. She had a passion for life and for the things she loved that was incomparable to anyone I’d ever known. She was perfect and as we talked I couldn’t help but notice that every time our hands accidentally brushed together, she never pulled away, almost as if she wanted me to take her delicate hand in mine. But I shoved the thought behind me, not wanting to get carried away thinking she had changed her mind.


STEFANIE

I stood up quietly, slipping out of the hotel room and heading for the drug store that was around the corner from the hotel. I’d seen it earlier when we left to go bowling and I knew it should have everything that I needed. I bought a thermometer, Tylenol, some more Gatorade, a little 6 pack of Jell-O cups and a can of chicken noodle soup in the hopes that eventually Louis would be able to keep something down.
Ten minutes later, I was sliding back into Louis’ suite. When I reentered the bedroom I was surprised to find the bed empty. Before I could even begin to wonder where he had gone I heard him in the bathroom.
“You okay?” I called out and got absolutely no answer. Several moments passed before he came out, wiping his mouth with a tissue, “So the Gatorade….not such a good idea,” he mumbled and I winced, “I’m sorry.”
Louis’s bloodshot eyes looked over at me and then down to the white plastic bags that I was carrying. I watched as he flung the towel back into the bathroom and I was unable to tear my eyes away from the flex and definition of his muscles…even sick I found him completely sexy, which was so not fair.
I watched as he took several dragging steps toward the bed, “You went to the store?” he asked and I nodded my head in response, “Just to grab a couple things you might need.”
I set the bag on the dresser and began to tear open the packaging on the thermometer’s package.
“You bought a thermometer?”
“Yeah,” I replied, sitting on the edge of the bed once again. I held the thermometer towards him and Louis opened his mouth, placing it under his tongue. A moment later it beeped signaling it was done.
“A hundred and two point four. We should get some Tylenol in you.”
Louis motioned to the now empty cup that I had filled earlier, “I can’t keep anything down yet.”
I nodded, “Okay,” rising up from the bed I walked into the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth, running it under ice cold water before returning back to Louis side. I laid the washcloth across his forehead and was about to move away when Louis grabbed my wrist.
“Why are you doing this for me?” he asked, his blue eyes peering up at me. I shrugged my shoulders, in my mind the answer was obvious, “Because you’re sick.”
He shook his head as soon as the words left my mouth, “But…why? You could have just dropped me off at my suite and left.”
I didn’t answer right away, internally struggling with how much I should give away. After the way he’d acted towards me I didn’t want to push him.
“Because you needed me,” I whispered. I knew it was the simple truth, but as the words hung between us, I began to realize that they sounded like so much more than I had intended them to. His fingers slid from my wrist, and expelled a heavy breath. I watched as his eyes drifted closed again and almost instantly he was asleep.


ERIN

Harry and I walked for about an hour aimlessly while laughing and sharing stories from when we were kids.
“No, really!” I said emphatically, “I used to have actual nightmares about Stefanie growing up and falling in love with my brother!” I said with a laugh, “I wanted us to be sisters, but not if it meant she had to marry Matt.”
“I get it! Sometimes I wish the guys were my brothers but not through marrying Gemma,” he said and then started to laugh again, “Sorry but I can’t let this one go…Do you really think that a snake bite would lead to a major transformation, though?” he asked referring to a conversation we had had earlier.
“Of course, I don’t believe it but, I really hate snakes so it would be my luck that there is one that could do that!” I said through bouts of laughter.
As we both caught our breath from laughing so hard, Harry looked down at me, “I’m really glad we could be friends after everything that happened. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you the last few days.”
“Even if it’s just as friends,” I teased, smiling up at him, “Even if it’s only ever going to be as friends.”
Harry smiled shaking his head, “Yes I have absolutely enjoyed hanging out as friends but that second statement well let’s just say I’m not so sure I agree with that.”
I started to protest but Harry held up his hands stopping me, “I’m not pushing the issue, trust me. I’m a patient man, Erin and let’s just say you are the type of girl who’s worth waiting for.”
I rolled my eyes at him, trying to ignore the butterflies that were swarming in my stomach.
“I liked getting to see this side of you,” I said and ever so slightly let my fingertips graze the back of his hand, pulling it back before he could grab it.
Stop! It’s not fair to tease him like that, we are just friends!
I knew if I spent just a little more time with him I might do something I was afraid I would regret. Just as I was about to suggest we start looking for a cab, a flash of lightning broke through the darkness and the sound of thunder that followed was enough to make me jump out of my boots. I looked up in time just in time to see the huge drops of rain start to pour down.
Harry and I tried to hail a cab for the next ten minutes with no luck. Harry grabbed a hold of my hand, pulling me with him as we ran half a block just to discover what we thought was cab was actually someone’s personal car but luckily right next to it was a small bus stop terminal. Harry and I hid underneath it hoping for a bus or a cab to come to our rescue.
“Well this night has definitely taken a turn,” Harry laughed. He was standing in front of me, his dark curly hair wet from the rain and as he looked down at me I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by his gorgeous green eyes.
“You’re shivering,” he pointed out, breaking me from my trance, “Come here.”
He took a step closer to me and began rubbing the top of my arms, “I’m sure a cab will come along soon,” he assured me, “Until then, this will have to work.”

Notes

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Erin and Stef