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

In The Snow Covered Hills

The clock read 7:23 am when my phone rang, waking me from a sound sleep. What the hell did Harry need to talk to me about that early on a Sunday?

"What?" I wasn't even trying to sound cheerful.

"Have you looked outside?"

"I haven't gotten out of bed. You woke me up."

"Get up and open your curtains."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Groaning loud enough for him to hear, I got up and padded across the room, pulling the curtain to one side.

"Oh wow! It's beautiful!"

It had snowed all night, and I guessed there were a good six inches on the ground and more coming down. It was one of those perfect winter wonderland scenes.

"I want to take you somewhere. Do you have snow boots?"

"I do. Take me where?"

"It's my favorite place, and it's a bit of a secret, just the other side of Middlewich Road. But we'll be going through a field and some woods, so you need your boots and hat and gloves. I'll get you at eleven."

It seemed as though my day had been planned for me. That was fine, as long as I'd be with Harry. I was starting to wonder if wherever he was was the place I belonged.

~

Dad was a little skeptical at first, mumbling about trespassing and not the best weather to be out and about in.

"Well at least you'll get to meet Harry. And I've got the gear for this weather. We'll be fine." He grumbled a bit, but didn't say I couldn't go.

I jumped up at the knock on the door, inviting Harry in. He pulled a slightly banged up rose from inside his coat.

"Happy Valentine's Day. I nicked this out of Mum's bouquet from Robin."

I had completely forgotten. I found something in the kitchen to use as a bud vase and set it on the counter before I took him in to meet Dad.

His handshake looked solid and he said all the right things. We would be going to a farm on the north side of town. The owner was his mom's friend, and Harry had permission to be there. He planned to make a spectacular snowman; we'd take photos to show Dad.

Bundled up in our parkas and boots, warm hats and gloves and scarves, we walked out of the neighborhood and across the main road, where Harry entered a code on a pad by a wide gate. It swung open slowly and closed silently behind us as we started up a long farm lane.

When we reached the stable yard, our path headed off-road along a hedgerow and into some woods. A thick blanket of white lay over the fields and hills, along with the peace and hush that comes with a snowfall.

Once we were under the trees, Harry stopped.

"Close your eyes." He stood behind me, holding one mittened hand over my face and placing the other on my waist. "I want you to see it all at once. I'll guide you. Walk slowly."

He helped me along for a minute, then took his hand away as he said, "Open your eyes."

It was a magical little clearing in a bend of the River Dane, which winds its way around Holmes Chapel, water flowing like black silk between the crisp snowy riverbanks. A bench big enough for two had been placed under a large tree facing the river. We brushed the snow off and sat.

"I made this bench. Well, Mum's boyfriend Robin helped. Well, I helped him. This is my place. I come here to sit and think, to sing, sometimes even to study. I've never brought anyone else here, not even Haydn."

"Why did you bring me, then?"

"Because I know it'll be safe with you. And it's no fun making a snowman alone."

~

At almost five feet tall, with sculpted features instead of vegetables and coal, he was magnificent. We named him Charlie, for no particular reason, and took a picture of the three of us and sent it to Dad. After Charlie came snow angels and a low-key snowball fight ending in a gentle tackle that left me flat on my back, Harry on top of me, only an inch or two between our noses.

He was right there. I could've taken the chance myself but I really thought he was going to kiss me.

He didn't.

~

Two weeks later I sat in Kiki's bedroom on a Friday night, hearing more details than we really needed from Emma about her and Haydn. I didn't stop her, though, because she was so happy. She was back to using visual aides and sound effects as well, which were hysterical. And even though the couple were pretty much inseparable, she still made plenty of time for us. I really felt like me, her, and Kiki were a tight little squad. It was pretty cool.

After Emma had exhausted her update, I decided to ask a question that had been running around my mind a lot.

"So, um, do either of you have any clue why none of the boys at school seem to like me? I've never been super popular or anything, but at home boys would at least show some interest now and then. The only guys who really talk to me here are the band and Doulaye. I mean, I get stares. They always stare. But no smiles or hellos or want to go outs. Is there something about me that repels English boys?"

They stared at me, shaking their heads.

"Seriously?" Kiki asked like I had made some ludicrous pronouncement.

"You really are a muppet," was Emma's response.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not making this up, or fishing for compliments. It's kind of making me feel insecure, and you two aren't helping." I felt tears prickling in my eyes.

"Olivia, I would have thought it was obvious," Emma's tone had softened, "it's because you're with Harry." Kiki nodded in agreement.

Since the snow day by the river, Harry and I had been pretty inseparable, but not in a romantic way. He had come to do homework after school a few times, and I'd noticed that he sat closer in class and at lunch, sometimes leaning against me. That was nice. He was also always stealing food from my plate. That was a little annoying.

After the kiss that didn't happen in the snow, I just figured he didn't see me that way. I admit I was a little disappointed, but I wanted him around too much to let it be a problem. And Dad liked him; he was the one who had invited Harry to dinner the weekend before.

But he was just a friend.

So it was a surprise when the girls told me that the school thought we were a couple.

"Oh," was my first response to Emma and Kiki's announcement.

Then, "Well, they're wrong."

"You've got to be kidding." Kiki was shaking her head again. "We've all seen the way you look at each other. If you're not together, then you're both in denial."

"The way we look at each other? He's the only guy at school who I haven't caught ogling my boobs, and that includes a couple of the gay ones. I certainly don't look at him in some weird way, and I told you, he had a perfect opportunity to kiss me and it didn't happen."

"Olivia Talbot, I have seen you staring at him when he's not looking at you, with my own eyes. And it was definitely a more than a friend stare. 'Fess up. You fancy him. You have from the beginning. You even told me so."

"I might have said he was cute... Ok, he's really cute, but anyone can see that. And the hair is great. And the dimples. And he's a really sweet guy, and super talented. But it's not like I have a crush on him." As soon as I said it I found myself questioning the honesty of that last bit.

"Mmm..." Emma looked as though she were questioning it as well. "I'm not convinced, but we won't pester you anymore. Kiki, do you have any sweets in your kitchen? I need some chocolate."