stand here with me || h.s

19.

Nineteen : Hallie

My beige dress didn't block out the late night coastal chill that was blowing through a dingy Santa Monica side street, but Harry's hand was grasping mine securely and my bare arm was warm against his. "Where are we going exactly?" He just shrugged, a knowing smirk growing ever so apparently on his dimpled cheeks. "Harry..." I was suddenly tugged into a dim alley and before I could ask him another question, we were ducking inside a grimy looking biker bar. "Um...?" He lead us over to a small corner booth and then left me there. I sat down feeling confused and slightly uncomfortable. When he came back, he placed a bottle of Coors Light in front of me and then kept one for himself.

"You good?"

"This is...different?" He glanced around and took a short swig.

"I feel-dunno, thought it'd be nice to go out and not be followed and bothered, y'know? Just want to kind of, like, enjoy tonight. S'our first time out together...don't want anyone spoilin' it." I found myself smiling at my handsome man. "And this place has great tunes...well, sometimes."

"You've been here before?"

"Cal and I've come a few times. No one's ever recognized me-knock on wood." His fist rapped against the old mahogany table top and I laughed.

"Watch everyone recognize you now."

"If anyone is gonna recognize anyone, they'll recognize you. My baby just made quite a lovely film."

"It's not out yet."

"So? M'sure they've heard about it."

"Doubt it. They seem more like Nascar people." I let my eyes graze over the menu, swallowing my silent fears.

"They've got yummy bison burgers. You'd like the Vermont cheddar one." I found the burger he was talking about and looked over the ingredients just in time for the waitress to come over.

"What can I get ya?"

"I'll have the Vermont Bison burger with no onions, please?"

"Of course, darlin'. And for you, handsome?"

"Make that two, please."

"Same as her? No onions?"

"No onions."

"First date or somethin'?" He shook his head, another dimpled smile appearing.

"Hundredth somethin'."

"Well, that's sweet." She cut the conversation short and closed her ratty notepad. "Food'll be up in five."

"Thank you!" Harry called after her, though she was already out of ear's reach.

"M'hopin' the music'll be good tonight...maybe some classics."

"I'm scared that the movie isn't going to do well." He zeroed in on my face, clearly taken aback by my sudden confession.

"Hallie, baby..."

"I'm terrified." He scooted out from his side of the booth and joined me on my squished side. An arm made it's way around my body and I rested my cheek against his chest. The soothing feeling of his ringed fingers petting down my hair was helping only slightly.

"You're so good, baby. That script was beyond incredible. Just bloody faultless, yeah? Don't want you worryin' about how it'll do. You should be proud regardless. I know I'm proud of you-christ, I'm so proud of you...always, Hallie."

"That doesn't make me any less worried though...you're my-your opinion is biased."

"It's absolutely not biased, Hallie. I wouldn't ever lie to you. I wouldn't ever encourage you to do something I didn't think you were talented enough to handle. You're so bloody talented, okay? Nothing in the world could make me think you're not." I cuddled closer into him and he held me tighter. "Love you, y'know. So fucking much."

"If it's not good, you'd tell me?"

"Probably not, no." I couldn't help the laugh that pushed past my lips.

"Harry..."

"I wouldn't. I really wouldn't. But I'm not saying it's bad, because it's absolutely not. This movie is going to be something amazing. I just know that."

"Well, why didn't you just lie to me and say that you would tell me if it was bad?"

"Because, dunno...guess that's kind of an unspoken thing. You ask me if your bum looks too big in pants, I won't tell you that it does. I'll tell you that you look perfect." We were both laughing now.

"This relationship is based on a lie!" Lips met my neck and I shuddered.

"S'not..."

"Do you know how many times I've asked you questions like that?!" His smile was so wonderful.

"Plenty of times, I reckon." I kissed him hard before pinching his thigh. "But I never lied about how good you look. S'why I'm lucky. Don't have to lie to you cause you're already too perfect."

"You're lying right now."

"M'not. M'in love with you-madly, bloody obsessed with you but I'm saying simply that if, say years from now, if you're a bit heavy, I'd always want you to feel good."

"You're logic is fucking weird, you idiot."

"Heeey."

"And your jeans are too tight."

"Now you're just bein' cruel." A cover of Silver Springs began playing and just as I was comfortable in his arms, he pulled me up and onto the dance floor. Older couples danced strangely all around us, but he guided my arms up and over his shoulders and we began swaying to the decent rendition of Fleetwood Mac's ballad that I loved way too much and it was all just better than perfect.

"I love your too-tight jeans."

"I know you do, Hallie. I know."

"And I love you, so much. I fucking love you-I'm obsessed with you too." His smile seemed to light up the entire place and when he kissed me hard, I allowed it. No one paid any attention to us and that was one of the nicest, most peaceful changes I'd ever experienced. Being able to dance around and not worry about people snapping pictures or tweeting anything...I smiled more on our first date back together than I had in very long time and I just hoped that things would continue to go as smoothly as they were currently going. I figured that after everything, we deserved it.