Songshots

Drive By

One Direction have officially finished their Take Me Home tour, and are finally getting a decent well earned break after what seems like a long time. I'm proud of us. We've gotten so far within two years. Two years ago, I would never have thought I'd be in an internationally famous boy band. Two years ago, I would never have thought I'd have four new best friends who are like my brothers. Two years ago, I would never have thought... well, you get the point.

Now, the boys and I had decided to visit our families separately for the first week or so. I'd gone back home, of course, to see my mum, Robin and Gemma.

Today, Gem and I had decided to spend the day driving around and revisiting Holmes Chapel. Apparently there was a little cafe that one of Gem's friends had introduced her which was really nice. (Rather, Genma wanted me to follow her around and carry her shopping bags. Or mayb she genuinely wanted to spend time with her little brother. Though personally, I think the first option is more likely.)

As we pulled up into a parking lot, the first chords of 'Drive By' started to play.

My sister smiled at me after turning the engine off, cutting off Pat's voice. I smiled back at Gemma, before my eyes travelled past her to fall onto a familiar figure I didn't think I'd ever see again.

"Is-Isn't that...?" I stuttered out, pointing beyond her.

She tilted her head to look at the person outside the window. "Oh, you mean Joy? She's been back for a while. Didn't she tell you?"

That's when the carefully bottled up feelings I'd so tidily kept away started to shake from an internal quake before crashing down onto me - like a tsunami wave of feelings from so long ago. From so long ago, I'd thought they didn't exist anymore, but they do. Exist, I mean.

I choked back a dry sob, trying to cover it up with a smile. "Nah, she didn't. Maybe we can go visit her later."

"Forget about later, just go say hi to her now!" Gemma urged, and it seemed as though she'd forgotten she was the one who wanted a day for just the two of us. "You two used to be so close!"

"Were close," I grouched, though I let her drag me out of the car and push me towards Joy.

"Joy!" Gemma exclaimed, reaching out to embrace her, "Ohmigod it's been too long!"

The two of them had been close friends, despite the three year age gap.

"Gemma!" Joy replied with the equal enthusiasm, returning the hug.

I hung back, waiting for her to notice me.

And then she did.

Awkward silence reigned between us as we stared each other down. I studied her face. It doesn't seem to have changed much, she was just like the Joy from when I was sixteen. I think Gemma didn't notice the tension because she piped up. "Aren't you going to say hi, Harry?"

"Hi... Joy," I said dully, still slightly lost in her blue-green eyes, reliving the 'good old times', and that night. The night she left without any notice. It'd been a while since I said her name. And it felt like a stranger to my tongue, yet so at home.

"Hey Harry," she tried on a smile. It was unnatural though, I could tell she was forcing it by the way her eyes crinkled a little bit and her fingers were rubbing against each other.

I fought the itch to grab her hand and say everything was alright, even though it wasn't. "How've you been?" I asked awkwardly.

She smiled more naturally now, and I heard her say, "I'm pretty good, Haz. What about yourself?"

What am I supposed to say? Oh no, I've been just great, losing sleep over you, wondering why you never told me you were moving to halfway across the world, wondering what you were doing, wondering if you really meant those three words you said before we fell asleep and before you left on a plane, when I didn't even say my goodbyes...

"I've been fine."

She giggled, "You're only fine with so many girls across the world drooling over you?"

Yes, because they're not you.

And suddenly, it wasn't so awkward anymore.

"It gets kinda stressful sometimes, you know," I half-smiled.

"But hey, I'll see you around, right, Mister Famous Boybander? I'll still get to see my Hazbear sometime?" She asked with a sense of seriousness.

I spread my arms wide open. "Of course, Joy."

When she hugged me, I could smell the scent of strawberry shampoo that she always used, and I had an urge. An urge to tell her what I had meant to say that night, which I didn't. I needed to tell her what I should have said three years ago.

"Joy, please believe me when I say I love you," I whispered. "You'll never be just a drive by."

She looked slightly lost and confused before a grin played at the corner of her lips. "Is that your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Why, maybe it is, Miss Lay," I smirked.

She stood on her tiptoes and whispered, "Then Harry Styles, please believe me when I swear I'll be there for you."

I pulled away from her and kissed her. I hate to gush, because it makes me sound like a girl, but it was just as magical as the movies and books say. Fireworks went off and butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I was on cloud ten.

Gemma coughed. "I hate to interrupt the moment, but-"

"Shush Gemma," I waved her off, "Not now."

"- I think I'll leave you two alone."

I didn't hear her because I was too caught up in my beautiful girlfriend. It was nice to call her that, after three years. My beautiful girlfriend, Joy Lay, who will never be just a drive by.

A/N: This is for crazy_girl16's songfic challenge! It feels quite short, so very sorry. >_< I also don't have an editor (if you couldn't tell).

Unfortunately, I do not own One Direction nor Anne, Robin or Gemma. So that was a really short, not so fab disclaimer.

Hey, you just read my story, and this is crazy, but vote or comment, and fan me maybe?