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

The Things You Mean To Me

"It's a lovely night, and we can put the top down."

We took his Jaguar E-type. As he started the engine I looked over at his hand on the ignition, and saw the keychain. The red was faded and worn, and the 16 barely legible.

"Harry, that's not?"

"It is. It's always with me; It moves from car to car. It's been my keychain for eleven years. My first car."

"Holy shit." I really didn't have any other words.

~

We cruised the city, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about family; the loss of Robin, Anne's philanthropy, Gemma's sunglasses. I told him about Dad's new job, teaching science at Weston High, and his devotion to Kate, who was named after my mother.

We were on our way back, at a stoplight not far from Harry's house, when he was spotted. The rear window of the car next to us opened and a young woman leaned out, screaming.

"Harry! Harry! Over here!"

He was smiling a wicked smile as the light turned green and he peeled out, actually burning rubber. As we streaked ahead Harry pressed a button under the dashboard.

We rounded the corner onto his street to find the gate was opening, just enough for us to slip in. It closed quickly behind us, but not quickly enough to dull the screams that came from the other car as it passed by.

Harry suddenly looked haggard and worn as we went inside. Older than his years. I took his hand and squeezed.

"It's hard, isn't it? It makes me sad to see you look like you do right now. How can I cheer you up?"

~

We put on our pyjamas and climbed on his bed. It was a lot bigger than any other bed the two of us had shared. Curled on our sides, facing each other, we were silent as he ran my hair through his fingers and wrapped it around his hands. My fingertips moved over his face, smoothing the worry lines across his bow, tracing his profile.

I could see him relax. It was as if years of living hard and fast were falling away, and I was face to face with a more youthful and innocent Harry. 

I broke the silence.

"Harry, this is so strange. Good, but strange. I feel like I have to ask... are you going to tell your Olivia about what's happening here tonight?"

"No." Zero hesitation, and absolute. "And you, are you going to tell Daniel?"

"I don't know. I love Daniel, he's my future. But Harry, I do want something to happen here. Do you?"

"Of course I do. More than anything."

"But what if I'd been dumpy and dull?"

"We would have had a lovely dinner and then I would have suddenly remembered a midnight flight to Timbuktu."

He looked positively boyish as we both laughed, until he was suddenly serious again.

"Are you going to tell Emma?"

"Yes. I mean, she knows you invited me for the night. Emma has kept our secret for eleven years. She's not going to let us down now." He nodded, understanding.

I thought for a minute.

"Do you have anyone you can tell? Anyone who knows about us in Holmes Chapel?"

"Gemma. She nursed me though the weeks after you left, and she knows you're here tonight. I called her after you accepted my invitation. She says hello."