Dive

Chapter 2

The hum of the bar had settled into a comfortable background noise as Olivia and Harry sat in one of the booths by the window, tucked away from the rest of the world. The soft glow from the streetlights outside cast a warm light over the table. Harry had ordered them both drinks—a whiskey for him and a glass of wine for her. Olivia traced her finger around the rim of the glass, her mind buzzing with a strange mix of nerves and curiosity.

Sitting across from Harry Styles felt surreal, but he had a way of making her feel at ease. He wasn't like the larger-than-life figure she'd seen in interviews or on stage; here, he was just Harry, relaxed and casual, like any other guy looking for a moment of peace.

"So," Harry began, leaning back in his seat with a playful smile, "how does someone with your talent end up in a place like St. Ives?"

Olivia laughed softly, though there was a bittersweet edge to it. "I could ask you the same thing," she teased, but then her gaze dropped to the glass in her hand. "But if I'm honest, I guess it's just where I ended up after... everything."

Harry raised an eyebrow, sensing the shift in her mood. "Everything?"

She sighed, feeling the weight of the past year pressing down on her. It wasn't something she wanted to talk about with a stranger—especially not Harry Styles—but there was something disarming about him. Maybe it was the way he listened, really listened, like he cared. Like he saw her as more than just the girl singing in a bar.

"Yeah, everything," she said, her voice soft. "I, uh... I just got out of a long relationship. Six years. Thought he was the one, but..." She trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the next part, unsure if she even wanted to. Her chest tightened at the memory of those last few months, of the lies, the betrayal.

Harry leaned forward slightly, his expression sympathetic but not pitying. He wasn't pushing, just waiting for her to continue if she wanted to. It made it easier somehow.

"He cheated," she said finally, the words coming out with a weight she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "For the last year of our relationship. And I had no idea. None. I thought we were happy, or at least that we were working through things. Turns out, I was the only one trying."

Harry's face softened, his eyes darkening with understanding. "I'm sorry, Olivia. That sounds... awful."

"It was," she admitted, staring down at the wine glass in her hands. "I found out a few months ago. We were supposed to be getting married. He even bought the ring. And all that time, he was with someone else."

She hated how raw it still felt, like an open wound that hadn't quite healed. It had been months since she had walked away, but the pain still clung to her like a shadow. She had given him six years—six years of love, loyalty, and hope. And he had thrown it all away.

"I guess that's why I'm here," Olivia continued, her voice growing quieter. "I needed to get out of that space, to find myself again. Its a quiet town but it has its beauties. It's funny, you think you know someone, but people... they can surprise you in the worst ways."

Harry stayed quiet for a moment, absorbing her words. "People can be pretty terrible sometimes," he agreed softly, his gaze never leaving hers. "But they don't define you. You're more than what he did to you."

Olivia looked up at him, a small, grateful smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks. I'm trying to believe that."

"You should," Harry said with a gentle sincerity that warmed her. "You've got something special. It's his loss, honestly."

The compliment felt genuine, and Olivia found herself smiling a little more, the weight in her chest lifting slightly. But even as the moment lightened, she couldn't help but wonder why she had opened up to him so easily. Maybe it was because Harry had his own ghosts—she could sense that. He wasn't just some famous pop star who had it all together. He had his own reasons for being in a bar in the middle of nowhere, his own need to escape. She just didn't know what those reasons were yet.

"So what about you?" she asked, turning the conversation away from herself. "What's got you wandering into random bars in small towns?"

Harry chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I needed a break from it all. The fame, the noise... it gets to be a lot sometimes. Everyone thinks they know you, but no one really does, you know?"

Olivia nodded, understanding more than he might have realized. "Yeah. I get that."

For a moment, they just sat there in comfortable silence, both of them nursing old wounds, finding solace in each other's company. Olivia had never expected this night to turn out this way—she had just wanted to play her songs and go home, but now, sitting across from Harry, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe it was hope. Maybe it was curiosity. Or maybe it was just the feeling that for the first time in months, she wasn't alone in her pain.

As the conversation continued, it felt natural. They talked about music, about their shared love for writing songs that came from the heart, and about the way fame—whether big or small—had a way of changing how people saw you. Olivia found herself laughing at Harry's stories of tour mishaps and crazy fans, while he seemed genuinely interested in her stories of playing small-town gigs and navigating the local music scene.

When the bartender called last orders, Olivia blinked, surprised at how quickly the night had flown by. She hadn't felt this light, this free, in a long time. And as they stood outside the bar, the cool night air wrapping around them, she realized that maybe tonight was exactly what she needed.

"Thanks for the drink," she said, pulling her coat tighter around herself. "And the conversation. I wasn't expecting this."

"Neither was I," Harry admitted with a soft smile. "But I'm glad it happened."

Olivia hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to end the night. Part of her wanted to ask for his number, to see him again, but another part of her didn't want him to think she was just asking because he was THE Harry Styles. She wasn't ready to jump into anything. Not yet. But there was something undeniable between them, something she couldn't just walk away from.

"Take care of yourself, Harry," she said instead, giving him a small smile as she started to walk away.

"You too, Olivia," he called after her, watching as she disappeared into the night.

As Olivia walked home, the crisp air biting at her cheeks, she couldn't stop thinking about him—about the way he had listened, the way he had made her feel seen. Maybe this was the start of something new. Or maybe it was just a fleeting moment, one night that would fade into memory.

But as she climbed the stairs to her small apartment and closed the door behind her, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Maybe it wasn't love, not yet, but it was the beginning of something—something that felt a lot like a new era for her.