The Things You Mean to Me // Harry Styles Series #1 - Holmes Chapel

Let's Make This Night Last Forever

Dad took me out of school that Friday for a long weekend in London, so I missed my weekly trip to Mandeville's. Harry forgave me, even though he was jealous because he'd never been to his country's Capitol. We took the train, which was cool. You can get just about anywhere in England by train or bus, and they aren't creepy like subways or buses at home.

It rained and sleeted the entire weekend, but I didn't care. Dad splurged big time on our hotel, the Chesterfield Mayfair. The rooms were small, but super posh. Mine was all butter yellow and soft green, with silk curtains and pretty watercolor flower paintings. Mom would have loved it.

London was awesome. I especially liked the combination of very old and very new. We had tickets for the Eye, and the view from the top was incredible, even in the bad weather. We did all the cheesiest tourist stuff, and loved it. A double decker bus tour, the Tower of London, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. We hadn't enjoyed ourselves that much since Mom died. It was so good.

Dad took pictures of me everywhere we went, and I sent all of them to Emma and Harry. Some of their replies were hysterical. I think the word they used the most in their replies was muppet, which means dork in a sweet way, not a Kermit way. I liked it.

Being a sixteen year old girl, I wanted to visit the most famous department store in London, Harrod's. Dad and I both got comfy winter boots. Our regular shoes were suffering from the wet and dirty city streets and back in Holmes Chapel.

Then Dad went way above and beyond and bought me a really nice red dress for the Valentine's Day dance the next weekend. He looked a little uncomfortable when I came out of the fitting room to show him.

"Your mother wouldn't like that kind of dress... it's showing off everything you have."

But I guess he saw how much I loved it since I left the store with it in a garment bag over my arm.

We got home around five o'clock Sunday evening, heated up some lasagna from the freezer, and retreated to our rooms after a big hug and a thank you from me to Dad for such a great weekend.

I unpacked, hanging my new dress carefully in the wardrobe and filling my hamper with laundry from the weekend. When I was tucked in bed I snapped a quick selfie and sent it to Emma and Harry, with the text 'Home safe and sound and SLEEPY! See you tomorrow.'

Just as I was drifting off my phone beeped. It was Harry.

"Your hair's down. I'll be there in the morning."

The things that boy noticed sometimes... what a muppet.

~

On Thursday morning Harry asked if I'd like to come watch the band practice after school. They were getting together every night that week, getting ready for the Valentine's Day dance on Saturday.

"No thank you."

His face fell. "Why not?" He wore his emotions and thoughts for all to see, but I wasn't sure he knew it.

"I'd rather wait and hear you for the first time at the dance, doing whole songs and stuff. After that it would be cool to hang out while you practiced."

He nodded "I get that."

"I can't wait to hear you sing."

"I didn't want to at first, didn't think I was any good, but evidently I am. I like it, performing. I'm working on something even bigger than the band, but I'm not going to tell you what because I don't want to jinx it."

"Then I won't ask. But that would be cool. I could say 'I knew Harry Styles way back when he was starting out. We walked to school together for a few months.' Do you play any instruments?"