Never Give Up: Harry Styles/One Direction Fan Fiction

20

Chapter 20

Eventually Jessica brought our food to the table in a large bag. Harry quickly paid the tab, and we exited the building. We stood in the warm night air in a comfortable silence as we waited for the valet to bring us the car. The black Porsche rounded the corner and came to a stop in front of us with the engine purring. We slid back into the car as the valet held the doors open. Harry tossed the bag of food into the backseat after he shut the car door. 

"So where are we going to go?" I asked after a moment of driving in silence. Harry ruffled his hair with his hands while he drove before answering.

"We could go to the beach," Harry suggested, sending me a sidelong glance. I thought about it for a moment. It would be nice to talk and play in the warm waves, and Harry definitely didn't get to do that back in the UK. Everything was cold there, or so I'd heard.

"That sounds good to me," I said, smiling back at him. I cranked up the music and started jamming out to Kelsey by Metro Station. Harry hit a button on the dash of the small car and the top of the car retracted to reveal the deep night sky as we drove down the highway. I couldn't resist throwing my hands into the air and laugh as I sang along with the song. I looked over at Harry for a brief second, the biggest smile on his face as he bounced along with the music. 

"I don't know the words to this one," he said, catching me looking.

"And I'll swim the ocean for you, the ocean for you. Whoa, Kelsey. I'll swim the ocean for you, the ocean for you. Whoa, Kelsey, oh you, darling," I smiled as I belted out the words, finally getting him to sing along. Harry unleashed his voice, and harmonized with the chorus. I swear I could feel my heart stop as he sang. His deep, raspy voice sounded like an angel was sitting next to me. I just bounced along to the rhythm, the happy tune making me instantly forget everything that had happened in the last couple of days. The accident, the hate, and Jessica, all disappeared, like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. I could finally be happy and just enjoy the moment, and that was all I'd ever really wanted. 

The car ride to the beach seemed to go by much faster than I expected it to. One moment we were at Hatfield's and the next we were getting out of the car and unloading onto the warm sands. Every moment with Harry seemed to be a blur. Nothing ever slowed down or stopped, and I liked it. A lot more than I thought I should've. I hadn't known him that long, but the way he made me feel when we were together made up for that. I ran down onto the beach and dug my toes into the warm sand while I waited for Harry to come down from the car. 

"Where do you want to sit, Rae?" Harry said, carrying literally everything from the car in one hand. My god, I thought to myself. His hands are massive. I looked around for a moment, surveying all the possible places until I saw a large sandbar that went out a few hundred feet into the middle of the ocean.

"The sandbar," I said, turning back to look at Harry over my shoulder pointing. "Race you!" I kicked off my shoes and picked them up and Harry smiled widely, accepting the challenge. A warm breeze blew my hair back over my shoulders and revealed my scar as I started to run, but this time I didn't try to cover it back up. I didn't feel like I needed to hide myself when I was with Harry. I trusted him with my secrets. I could hear feet squishing in the sand close behind me. I tried to push harder, but I slid in the sand and lost the lead. "Not today, Styles!" I yelled, laughing as I picked myself back up and surged forward, and caught up to him.

"I beat you, and you know it," Harry said, laughing as we finally reached the end of the sandbar. I skidded to a halt in the sand smiling.

"I wouldn't want to give you the satisfaction," I said laughing. Harry set down the bag of food, and pulled me close to him, kissing me softly.

"A kiss is good enough," he whispered, his lips still brushing mine. I smiled giving him another small peck before sitting down on the sand. The moon began to rise on the water, its white glow reflecting iridescently to the sand. Harry and I sat side by side, watching the moon rise quietly. I had been pretty hungry, so I finished my food first. I put my head into the crook of his neck where it fit perfectly and just watched the restless waves. After a moment, Harry started to hum a slow, sweet tune. I said nothing, but wondered why he didn't just openly sing. What was stopping him?

"Harry, do I make you nervous?" I felt stupid to ask, but I had to know. The curiosity was killing me. Harry started fidgeting with his fingers for a moment before he answered.

"How'd you guess?" He gave me a weak half smile. I sat up for a moment and he looked at me, his green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. I smiled, because truthfully, he made me nervous too. I didn't have a lot of experience with guys, and I was constantly afraid that I was going to do something wrong.

"If it makes you feel any better," I started to say, "I am like a nervous wreck when I'm with you." I straightened out my legs in the sand, burying my toes again.

"You do a good job of hiding it," Harry said, nudging me on the shoulder. "I never would've guessed." 

"That's just because I'm really good at pretending," I laughed. "I used to love pretending that I was a princess in the backyard when I was a kid. My parents played along, and so naturally I was convinced that I really was royalty until I was about nine." Harry threw his head back in a hearty laugh. 

"That reminds me of the games my sister made my play when I was little," Harry said looking over at me and smiling. "Gemma would make me pretend to come and save her from the 'dragon' all the time." He made air quotes around the word dragon. Harry looked at the moon, smiling at the memories.

"What was the dragon?" I asked curiously.

"Gemma had doodled this thing on an old refrigerator box," he said, waving his hands in the shape of a box. "It didn't really look like a dragon at all. It looked more like an angry dog." I threw my head back in laughter.

"I guess being a princess is a girl's dream," I said, still smiling at Harry, who was laughing at the memories.

"Sure," Harry said, standing up. "But sometimes, if you get lucky, it could be real." He held his hand down to me as he tussled his hair again. "Would you have this dance, m'lady?" I took his hand and a wide smile lit up his face in the darkness. 

"I would be honored," I said as Harry pulled me up off the sand. He twirled me in the darkness, and I spun before resting my casted arm on his shoulder. We rocked back and forth on the beach, the ocean playing the only song we needed to hear. Harry twirled me again, and I put my arms out to pantomime a dress waving in the wind. I glanced up at the sky. The moon was nearly overhead. 

"What is it?"

"It's almost midnight, Harry," I said, a little dejected. Harry shook his head, clearly dismayed at this discovery as well. 

"Well, Cinderella, we'd better get you home before you lose your glass slipper," Harry smiled. I laughed as I picked up my shoes, and helped him carry our trash back to the main beach. We wandered hand in hand up the beach. I hadn't realized how chilly it had gotten outside until we were inside the warm car and were ready to leave. As hard as I tried to stay awake, the warmth and quiet of the car lulled me to sleep, my fingers still intertwined with Harry's.