Middle Of The Road
Good Enough
Harry hadn’t thought Lizzie was serious when she said they should travel together but here she is, leaning against his car, two foam cups of coffee in one hand and a smirk on her lips. Her tan skin seems to glow in the summer sun.
“I brought you a little gift, pop star,” she tells Harry as she holds up on the cups. She waits patiently as Harry startles awake from his surprise. Head dazed, he walks up to her and takes the coffee from her.
“Thank you…” Harry trails off as he eyes his new singing buddy. Harry has just decided he’s going to call her that because they’re not really friends. Not yet anyway. “So, you really want to travel with me?”
“Of course. Why else would I be here?” Lizzie has one eyebrow raised but there’s still a smirk on her face. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve probably have had loads of propositions to travel together.”
Harry takes the cup of coffee from Lizzie. The foam cup isn’t too hot to the touch. He smiles at her and her smirk morphs into a smile as well.
“I do get asked from time to time but most of the time their motives aren’t as innocent as yours,” Harry tells Lizzie. He wiggles his eyebrows which results in Lizzie rolling her eyes playfully.
“Who’s to say I don’t have the same intentions,” she teases. The sweet smell of citrus invades Harry’s nostril as she leans closer. The sparkle in her eyes makes Harry’s heart stutter unexpectingly.“Maybe singing with you is just an excuse.”
Of course Harry wouldn’t be opposed to that, Lizzie is very fit and she looks like she’s good in the sack, but at the same time, no. This road trip is not a way for him to get laid, it’s all about the music.
“Well, you’re going to be disappointed then because the only thing we’re going to doing together is sing.”
“Good, we’re on the same page, than,” Lizzie smiles. “Nothing but the music.”
“Well, let’s go than,” Harry goes for the handle of the car door and opens it for Lizzie.
“Well, thank you,” Lizzie eyes grow a little bigger in pleased surprise. She clambers into the car at Harry closes the door behind her.
Harry walks to the other side of the car and clambers into the driver’s seat. He starts the car while Lizzie starts taking sips from her coffee.
“I hope you don’t mind too much, but I’m going to decide which radio station we’re going to listen to,” Lizzie announces without preamble.
“Why’s that,” Harry mumbles as he tries to concentrate on reversing his car. When he’s safely on the road without having damaged any cars on his way out of his parking space he continues. “The last time I checked, this is still my car.”
“Because you’re British,” Lizzie replies. They’re driving now, slowly making their way out of the small village.
“An British don’t know what good music is, or somewhat?” Harry ask, raising one of his eyebrows, pretending to be offended.
“They do, they just don’t know what station it’s played at,” Lizzie replies. “You should start drinking your coffee before it get too cold.”
“Yes, mom,” Harry teases. He takes the cup of coffee from where he’d put it down on the dashboard and puts it against his lips. He takes a sip and a sigh of content escapes him. This coffee is really good. Harry could say it’s the best he’s ever drunk.
Lizzie has started to fiddle with the radio, one song being replaced after another as she zaps between the stations. She starts to mutter under her breath when she doesn’t seem to find what she’s looking for. “How old is your car again?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s older than ten years.” Harry replies. Every few seconds his eyes leave the road and fall on Lizzie’s hunched over figure. If she leant a little bit more to the right, it would look like she was giving road head to people looking into the car. Harry tries to ignore the stab of excitement in his stomach.
“You like vintage things, then?” Lizzie concludes. “Ah,” she exclaims as the Bee Gees suddenly start singing. “Found it.”
“You like the Bee Gees, then?” Harry inquires. He himself likes a few of the songs by the three brothers but he wouldn’t call himself a fan.
“Yeah, I even think they’re just as good as the Beatles,” Lizzie admits. She’s sitting upright again and her eyes are on Harry. He feels scrutinized under her gaze but he finds he doesn’t particular mind. “What do you think of them?”
“Of who, the Beatles or the Bee Gees?” Harry asks.
“Both.”
“Well, The Beatles will always be the best band that ever was.” Harry replies. He begins to shift a little on his seat as he tries to decided if he should say something personal. Lizzie is a breath of fresh air and for some reason it makes him think he may be able to trust her. “But it always made me feel uncomfortable when people compared my band to them.”
“They did that?” Lizzie exclaims, her voice becoming a few octaves higher. Her eyes are big and her mouth his halfway open. “Wow. No offense, but that’s complete bullshit. The Beatles are The Beatles. No band comes even close.”
“I take it you’re not a fan,” Harry concludes, trying his best not to sound offended. Not that he is. He feels the same way about it as Lizzie apparently does, but it would have been nice if she hadn’t dismissed his band so easily.
“No, not really, sorry.” Lizzie gives Harry a lopsided smile. “I like some of your songs, though.”
Harry hasn’t come across someone who’s honest about their opinions on One Direction before. Most of the people he meet either do like the band or pretend they do either to suck up to him or because they rather talk bad about him behind his back.
“Do you like your music?”
The question takes Harry by surprise. Nobody has ever asked him if he likes his own music. Everybody just assumed he did.
“I do,” Harry answers without a second thought but as soon as he’s said it, there’s something nagging at him in the back of his head. He ignores it, instead he turns his head and smiles at Lizzie.
“Good.” Lizzie nods her head at him, her face breaking into a smile. The sun is shining through the window, illuminating her blonde hair. For a minute Harry forgets he’s driving.
“Harry, eyes on the road please,” Lizzie teases him with a grin. She can feel a warmth spread in her chest as she sees Harry blush as he quickly returns his eyes to the road.
“So, are we going to drive all the way to Ohio?”
“Yeah, but I want to make a special pit stop on the way,” Harry tells Lizzie.
“Oh, that sounds exciting,” Lizzie jestes. “Can’t wait to see what you deem special.”
“You’ll see,” Harry teases back.
The rest of the car ride, the two occupants don’t talk. The only sound inside the car is the rumbling of the engine and the music playing on the radio.
When they’re halfway into their journey, Harry stops for gas. They decide to stretch their legs as well, so when he’s filled up his tank, they drive a little bit further and then park the car.
They get out of the car and start walking towards the patch of grass to the side of the parking lot.
“So, what is your favorite group?” Harry asks as he and Lizzie walk between the parked cars. There are a lot of families as well as couples taking a break from driving but luckily for Harry, none of them seem interested in him. He doesn’t really feel like being asked to pose for a photograph right now.
“Well, as you might have guessed, I rather like The Beatles,” Lizzie replies with a teasing tone. Making playful fun of Harry seems to be a favorite past-time of the blonde girl and Harry finds he doesn’t mind too much. “I also like Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. But none of them can hold an candle to Bonnie Raitt.”
Harry has heard about Bonnie Raitt but has never heard any of her songs and he tells Lizzie as much. She stops dead in her tracks and turns to look at Harry with big, shocked eyes.
“You never heard Bonnie Raitt? Man, if you never heard her, you’ve never lived. We’re going to need to fix this as soon as possible. As soon as we’re in Ohio, I’m going to buy you one of her albums.”
“My car can’t play CD’s, though,” Harry reminds the flustered girl.
“Right, I forgot you have a car from the stone age,” Lizzie mutters. She starts walking again. She’s increased her pace but with his long legs, Harry can easily keep up with her. ‘We’re going to buy a portable CD player as well, than.”
Harry is surprised this - him listening to Bonnie Raitt - is so important to Lizzie. She looks like she’s in danger of splitting out of her skin at any moment with badly concealed excitement.
For her part, Lizzie is surprised Harry has never heard the Goddess play before. Surely, he must have come across her when listening to the radio. He seems to listen to the same kind of music as Lizzie if the way he sang along with the radio only a few minutes ago is any indication. How come he’s only heard of her?
They’ve reached the patch of grass and Lizzie walks unto it. She turns around and faces Harry as he does the same. He almost trips over his own lanky legs and Lizzie has to suppress a snort. He looks just like a newly-born giraffe calf.
Harry isn’t necessarily Lizzie’s type but she has to admit he has something about him that attracts her to him. Normally she doesn’t go for the boho look – the pop star is dressed in a dark blue shirt that’s halfway unbuttoned, ripped black skinny jeans and brown Cuban boots - but Harry seems to be able to pull it off. Though she has to admit, if she came across him in the street she wouldn’t have thought much of him. It’s only when he’d started to talk to her in the bar that she’d wanted to get to know him better.
The sun is reflected in the little metal cross dangling in front of Harry’s bare chest and Lizzie has to close her eyes for a few seconds so she isn’t blinded. “Who is your favorite musician?”
“Well, I like the Beatles too. The Who are great as well and I love Bruce Springsteen,” Harry replies. Lizzie can hear him walk passed her which prompts her to open her eyes again. She turns around and this time the sun is behind Harry, surrounding his head full of hair with a halo of white light. Only now does Lizzie see there are strands of auburn as well as strand of milk chocolate brown in his hair. “But mostly I listen to Indie music. Bands like 1975 and Bastille.”
Lizzie has heard of those bands but she’s only heard a song by the second one. She didn’t particularly like their music. She shares this information with Harry and his eyes light up with an idea.
“I will listen to Bonnie Raitt, if you listen to 1975,” Harry suggests. While Lizzie pounders over the proposition he sits down on the grass and stretches his legs out in front of him. She sits down next to him with crossed legs.
“Alright, deal,” Lizzie announces as she puts out her hand so they can shake on the deal. Harry takes her small hand in his large one and shakes it. Lizzie has to suppress the pleasant shudder that threatens to run down her spine at his soft touch.
After Harry has let go of her hand, he lays down on the grass with a groan. He closes his eyes and Lizzie has to look away so she won’t stare at him. She doesn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
Because Lizzie is on this road trip to get away from her ex and make music, not to hook-up with some charming pop star who doesn’t seem to mind her loud mouth. Like she told him, it’s just the music and nothing else.
Lizzie untangles her legs and plants both feet on the ground. She pulls her knees closer until she can wrap her arms around them. She puts her chin down on her curled-up limbs and lets out a sigh. For a moment she wonders how Jean’s doing.
Jean and Lizzie had only met when they started college but there had been in instant connection. Lizzie has never been as close with anyone as she is with Jean. Maybe it’s because she has no siblings or maybe it has another reason.
Suddenly, Lizzie’s overtaken by the need to call her friend. Just to check up on her, just to see how she’s doing. But she doesn’t because Jean is in class right now and she doesn’t want her friend getting into trouble just because she’s missing her.
So instead, she lays back down as well and closes her eyes.
The two of them lay like that for a few minutes, until Harry gets up again and announces they should get going. He helps Lizzie up as she once again tries to ignore his burning touch.
They walk back to the car and clamber back in. Harry starts the car while Lizzie switches the radio back on. Katie Bush filters through the speakers, calling out for Heathcliff to let her in.
It takes them only a few minutes to get back on the highway. Lizzie decides to close her eyes again while she listens to the music. She quite enjoyed resting her eyes for while back on the small field.
Harry eyes Lizzie’s sleeping form from the corner of his eye. He lets his eye wander lower but he abruptly stops himself. His eyes return to the road as he scolds himself. He’s not going there. He’s let his hormones rule him in the past but he’s moved on from that. He can do this, he can control himself.
The rest of the way, Harry’s eyes remain on the road.