The Girl Next Door

Not Really Friday the 13th, But...

"Do you want to do something today?" Chessie asked when we were getting out of the school on Friday afternoon. She and I were becoming good friends, since she was one of the rare people in school who didn't hate my guts.

I had nothing better to do, so I said yes. Until I remembered Harry and mine's 'big date' is tonight.

"Sorry, Chessie, I can't..." I looked away from her, towards Ariana and a group of girls gossiping on the stairs. Ariana was looking directly at me, smiling and whispering stuff. I guess somehow the topic of their conversation was again- me. And if it wasn't me, it was either Harry or some other fifth of the boyband.

"Oh, ok." she smiled. "You're going out with H-" I shushed her. "-arry." a few girls looked at us. I nervously smiled.

"You know, I'm not sure everyone needs to know." I said trough my clenched teeth.

"Sorry. But it's exciting." she whispered.

"What? The fact that I'm dating probbably one of the stupidest people in the world for money to go home because he asked me to? Or the fact that I actually said yes when he did?" I thought.

"Yippie!" I twirled my finger trough the air, trying to be as honest as I possibly could.

"You make an adorable couple." I chuckled, almost falling down.

"We'd make an adorable couple if one of us was dead."

"Whatever you say." I sighed. "I've gotta go."

"Right, for your date with H-" I raised my eyebrow at her. "-im. Bye, Car."

"This was in front of the door for you." mom threw a big package at me when I came home.

"Human body parts?" I shook it, listening to what's inside. "Rat poison? A skull?"

"You need a Happy Meal." I left her words behind me and went to my room. I threw the package on the bed, unwrapping it. I threw cardboard and wrapping bubbles all across my room to find a studded, strapless purple dress looking at me. I took it out, carefully so it wouldn't bite me. I found a black leather clutch and a pair of 4 inch heels and a handwritten note.

I already called your boss and told him you were sick.

Wear this for me. Please.
I'll pick you up at 8. :)

                                      -Harry.

I scrunched up the note, throwing it in the bin. Dress? Makeup? And he expects me to walk in heels without falling?

Oh hell no, Brit Boy. If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it my way.

The best part of the packet were the wrapping bubbles.

I threw everything- except the bubbles- in a dark corner of my room. I won't be needing that in ever.

Instead of a dress I put on a random shirt and jeans. If he wants a girl to wear all that poo, he better buy a Barbie.

I looked at the clock on my phone; 7:30. If I go now, I'd actually make this date interesting.

I got out of the house, telling my mom I'm going to work. I'd have to be that lucky.

I ringed the bell, nothing. Again, nothing.

"Styles, open up. I know you're in there!"

"Carter?" he seemed suprised. "I though I'd be picking you-" a bright female voice cut him off.

"Harry, baby, who is it?" he frowned. A tall girl, woman even appeared next to his shoulder. I could say, without a doubt, that she's perfect. If I did anything for beauty, it would be tying my hair in a braid at night so it'd curl up a bit. On the other hand, she was absolutely gorgeous. "Harr-" the blond looked at me, suprise in her eyes. "Who's this?"

"Uhm... Victoria, this is Carter. Carter, this is Victoria."

"Ah, Victoria. The cougar actress."

She gripped Harry's hand, offering her other one to me. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi." I smiled. We stood in silence for a good minute, everyone hoping someone would say anything. "So, Popstar, isn't our big 'date' tonight?"

"The date, right!" he hit his forehead with his palm.

"I'll just go." Victoria The Actress kissed him, who was still looking at me. "Bye." she squeezed trough the door. I didn't even bother to move.

"She seems nice." I told him once we reached his car.

"Yeah, she is... You just need to get to know her." we sat in his giant Range Rover for the second time this week. "Hey, why aren't you wearing the dress? I thought the date's supposed to be fancy and romantic."

"Seriously, you think I'd actually do that?"

"Well..."

"I thought so."

"So, what do you want to do?" the car stopped at a red light. Harry looked at me. My stomach growled.

"Food."

"Nando's?"

"Is that food?" he nodded. "Then Nando's it is!" I pointed my finger up like a superhero.

He drove trough the curved streets untill we reached a building with a bright neon 'Nando's' sign flashing above the entrance. I smelled the chicken in the air when we got in, instantly feeling happy. We sat at a table in the very end of the place. It took the waitress good 15 minutes to come. She took our orders, mine lasting forever.

"I think you've ordered the entire menu."

"Now, don't overreact. Only half of it." the waitress came back with hands stuffed with our food, my face lighting up as I saw it.

"This is the happiest I've ever seen you."

"Take notes." I said, munching on my chicken.

"I dare to say you eat more than Niall."

"That blonde dude?"

"The Irish one, yeah. He's Nando's most common costumer." the chicken was so delicious that it was hard to keep up with the conversation.

"We'll see about that." I saw a few people whispering something over his shoulder, one of them taking a picture with their phone. Harry sighed, smiling down at the table. "How do you live with this?"

"What?"

"Constantly being under the spotlight? Not being able to live a normal life? People knowing where you are in every second of every day? It must be fun."

"It is. But then I remember that I'd have nothing if it weren't for the fans. This is the way of giving something back to them."

"I give you cred for that. But I sometimes feel those fangirls wanna rip you open." he smiled even more, his dimple getting more and more obvious.

This was probbably the most 'mature' conversation we yet had. "So, I bet it's great living your dreams."

"It is. But there are still things that I want."

"Like what?- And if you answer with 'get married and have kids' I will smack you in the face with this plate." I gripped the red plate with both of my hands.

"Then, I'm gonna pass on the answer."

Harry, the 'gentleman' he is, paid the bill and opened the door for me on the way out. I hoped it would slam his precious little perfect face.