Meant For You

Mall Talk

Chapter 11: Mall Talks

--- Hope POV ---

I love malls.

There’s no denying it. Malls are just fun.

Well, at least I always thought so. Then come 5 teenage guys; not so much fun.

You know when you’re in a group and you’re the only girl there, so the guys think that they will over-rule you, but then you are all like ‘yeah right’ and do whatever the hell you want to do with the guys complaining behind you? It applies with everything.

Five complaining guys. It’s the best day of my life!

Not!

They’ve made so much of a racket I’m surprised no one’s noticed us yet. Every time Louis shouts for something and Harry soon after, I cringe away from them. At least I try to, Harry just holds my hand tighter and pulls me into his side while I try to escape and continue on unnoticed.

“Lighten up Hope.” Niall says gently to me from my other side as I try for the fifth time to escape to a nice dark corner.

“But they’re going to see us, and then you’re going to get swarmed and then I’ll be trampled by some bat shit crazy fans!” I whisper scream with wide eyes just to emphasise my point.

“You’ve been watching our YouTube videos haven’t you.” He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

“No.” I say innocently but really I’m lying through my teeth. Before I had my meltdown I’d looked through some of One Directions various videos, the Year in the Making one? I don’t know. Anyway, I saw all these girls running after the boys and I thought it was really cute, but in saying that it gave rise to a very serious question in my mind. What if I get trampled by these girls?

“You won’t get trampled baby.” Another smooth voice says from beside me. I felt Harry squeeze my hand and I looked up at him to see a smirk plastered on his face, as well as amusement sparkling in his eyes.

“You don’t know that. I saw the video, they are dedicated! They’d murder me!” I say. I only realise once I’ve finished that I just revealed that I actually did watch the videos. Well shit. I look to Niall for support to see him smirking too and Harry was no different. I smirk on the inside as I decide to really freak them out. What have I said before? Oh yeah. Nobody laughs at Hope Cameno.

“But what if I die? I don’t want to die. They’ll hate me too, because I’m with you and they’ll come after me!” I question hysterically as tears start to well in my eyes. I let my bottom lip quiver. I’ve had a lot of practice in summoning tears to my eyes due to the modelling stuff. Not very often, but occasionally, the will ask you to cry or rather “Give us some water works darling!”

I watch Harry’s face as the smile drops and suddenly his face looks panicked. Pfft, guys. Also, Harry should know by now that I don’t care if people hate me, shame on him. Still, the trampling is a serious problem.

“Babe, look at me. You’re gonna be fine. They won’t hate you and I won’t let them touch you.” He says and the sincerity in his voice and his eyes suddenly makes me feel bad for my trick. I push the thought away though; I’m going to have my revenge.

“Are you sure?” I say, gazing up into his eyes while he holds my face in his hands and wipes away one of my escaping tears. I let myself sniffle as Harry leans down and gently presses his lips to mine, mumbling a ‘really’ against them. I smirk under his lips, my imaginary tears drying up. I bite his lip lightly as I pull back laughing.

“And you really think that I care if those girls hate me. You delusional boy. But it’s nice to know I have you whipped though.” I say as I giggle manically. I look at Harry’s face and he looks kind of annoyed. “Don’t be sad curls.” I patronise. “I have that effect on many dudes.” I say before skipping away from him, humming ‘Rule The World’ by Take That under my breath.

It’s only when I hear the sounds of gasping fish that I realise the rest of the guys are in hysterics. Niall is bent over clutching his stomach while Zayn and Louis are trying to support each other from falling to the ground. Harry, however, is different, He has a shocked look on his face and I let a small smile slip.

Then, I notice Liam, lingering not too far behind, staring at his phone in awe. I frown while making my way over to him.

“I don’t think any person has ever stared at a phone so hard. What’s up?” I joke but I let my light voice be tainted by a serious undertone.

“You.” He says, looking from me to the phone, and then me again.

“I what…?” I prompt as Liam falls silent again. Zayn had snuck up behind him while he was staring blankly and now Zayn had the same face on. Although, he recovered far faster.

“That’s brilliant Hope. Bloody brilliant!” He shouts and I just stare at him blankly. What the hell is he talking about?

“Care to fill me in on my brilliance?” I ask, the impatience starting to seep into my voice.

“Twitter.” Is all Liam says as he continues his awed staring at his phone screen. I finally understand what he’s talking about. The twitter trends.

“Yesss…” I prompt, feigning ignorance. I turn around and I notice that all the boys are scrolling on their phones; Tweeting no doubt. Most of them are just staring but Louis has burst into hysterics. God I love him.

I feel an arm wrapping round my waist from behind me and his breath washing over my ear.

“You’re so brilliantly perfect Hope.” Harry breathes, kissing my neck slightly as he chuckles into my throat.

“Because I made plans with a girl if I ever turned lesbian?” I ask teasingly. Harry’s laughter vibrates through me and I let myself shiver at the feeling.

“You’d have to get rid of me first babe.” He says earnestly and I stop short, turning around in his grasp so that I can look into his eyes.

I flick my eyes over his face as I lean forwards lightly brushing his nose with mine.

“What if I don’t want to get rid of you just yet?” I stare intently into his green eyes; gauging his reaction.

“That’s fine by me.” He says lightly before closing the millimetres between us and presses his lips to mine.

I react before my brain has even processed what’s happening. I let his touch consume me. I let the feel of his mouth moving with mine make my heart race and dance in my chest. I let the fire spread through my body and I let my fingers wind tightly into his curls. I shut out the world around us and loose myself to him. I shut out the fact that Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn are probably standing around awkwardly. All I could think and breathe was him.

…Harry.

……Harry.

……...Harry. The mantra in time with the beating of my heart.

To some our relationship on the outside may seem purely physical. For those I can’t tell them how wrong they are. At first sure, you always notice the outside; the looks that stop you in your tracks and the only word your mind can form is ‘Whoa.’ For some people, that’s all you need for a relationship; “you’re hot, I’m hot, let’s date.”

For me, Harry isn’t just a look anymore. He isn’t and never was Harry Styles, one fifth of One Direction for me. Harry isn’t just a body. Sure, he has a face that I can think about and I’ll smile for no reason, has eyes that I can lose myself in, has a smile that makes you melt and he is just the right height. But, he also has a soul that I feel drawn to. Something inside of him calls to me and I can’t explain it. There’s something in the way that we can talk endlessly about nothing and never get bored. We can spend an hour or more in complete silence, just enjoying the peace that surrounds us when we’re together. He makes me feel more alive than I have in five years, possibly even before my dad died. Harry just makes me feel. I get breathless around him and I always feel as though the very core of my being is always reaching out towards his.

I know I’m only 18 but, for what it’s worth, I think this is what love feels like.

I think I’m falling in love with him.