Groupie (Harry Styles)

Chapter 6 - June 2015

"Elsa?" 

In that moment, I felt like I was 16 again and was standing in front of a vending machine in a hospital. His jade eyes pierced mine as he waited for some kind of response. He looked surprised, and I couldn't determine if it was in a good or a bad way.

"Hi Harry." Was the only thing I could think of saying. 

I can't believe he remembered me, it had been so long since we last saw each other.

"Wow, it's good to see you! How are you and what are you doing here?" He smiled at me while reaching out for a hug. As his arms tightened around me, I had to remind myself to breathe. 

I had dreaded this moment for so many years, if it was ever going to happen, and now I was short for words. As he let go of me and stepped back I finally responded.

"I'm great, thank you! I'm here with my friend Alice, she's a huge fan." He shifted and broke our eye contact to say hello to Alice who was just standing beside me with her jaw practically down on the floor. "How are you?" I then said trying to sound casual, which I absolutely did not pull off.

"I'm good, been a busy few years."

"Yeah, I've heard." I politely said. What was I supposed to do now? Apologise? My mind went all over the place trying to figure out my next move. 

Should I apologise? For a date that never happened five years ago with me, a girl he had just met? He was one of the most famous people in the world right now and could have any girl he ever wanted, surely he didn't care about being stood up five bloody years ago?

"I was actually gutted when you never called me back." He was now looking down on the floor, shrugging uncomfortably. 

My heart started to race at his words. As I was usually the calm, down to earth girl, I couldn't believe I was actually having this reaction to a boy saying he was upset I never called him back. 

Not just a boy, a voice inside my head reminded me, Harry fucking Styles. Also known as one of four members of the world's biggest band.

"Uhm, I'm sorry about that." I silently said while no longer looking into his eyes. "But uhm... My brother died in december that year so I wasn't really in a good place, and I kind of broke my phone and when I was ready to call you, you were too famous to just look up." I could feel a tear running down my cheek at the thought of Daniel and that awful, horrendous, crappy night in december 2010.

I looked up again and met Harry's gaze. I could see him gulp before taking me into his arms for the second time tonight. He didn't say anything, he just hugged me. The whole situation was just too much for me and I could feel my eyes burning before more tears fell down my cheeks.

There I was, at a concert I didn't even want to attend, backstage, being comforted by one of the most famous people in the entire world. The whole thing was just absurd. 

I caught a glimpse of Alice standing beside me. She looked like she had just seen a ghost.

I broke out of Harry's warm embrace and dried my eyes with the backside of my hand. My makeup soon covered my entire hand and as I feared the worst I saw the black marks on Harry's white shirt.

"I'm so, so sorry! I blurted out and pointed my shaky hand at his, now black, shoulder.

"Oh." He said while trying to rub it off. "Don't worry about it, it's just a shirt. He smiled shyly.

I knew I had put him in a very awkward situation, like the one relatives put other people in when they tell them that their loved ones had passed away, but he didn't look uncomfortable. He just smiled at me, a kind and warm smile, and not one of pity.