If I Could Fly // h.s.

Chapter 2

Two double gin and tonics in.... This flight is definitely shaping up.

"You slammed his head in the door? Really?!" Harry cackles again as I continue telling him the story of my first kiss.

"I was huge chicken! It was terrible. I felt so bad." I smile as he continues to laugh at me. "Thank you, by the way. You've made me forget about how absolutely terrified I am right now."

He looks over at me, "The pleasure is all mine, I assure you." His smile is so genuine. "So, are you excited about seeing London? It really is a lovely city."

"I'm much more excited than I've let on. I've always been drawn to that city; the whole culture in general, actually."

"Is your boyfriend coming to visit you soon?" He is smirking at me again!

"Is that your attempt to smoothly find out if I am single?" I say laughing between words.

"I honestly just assumed you had someone. You sort of carry yourself like you do," he says.

"I did have someone... But then it got... complicated," I exhale, looking down at my hands.

"Define 'complicated'," he urges.

"I'm not very good at talking about this sort of stuff," I say, surely blushing. "My boyfriend proposed to me." I wait, gaging his response.

After a moment, he looks at me thoughtfully. I can tell he's trying to find a polite way to ask what everyone has asked since the day Zack proposed. "And proposing was...bad? How long were you two together?"

Letting out the breath I didn't realise I had been holding, I reply, "We dated for about two years. It was a good relationship. Zack is a good man. He's incredibly kind. He was always patient with me... Good to my friends and family. I just... I don't know that I ever fell in love with him. I was comfortable..." I stop and look up at Harry.

"Go on.." He says.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that I'm really meant to settle down with anyone. I enjoy being alone. Zack was good about that, but I could tell it stressed him out. Don't get me wrong... I'm an incredibly affectionate person. I have so many people in my life that I love, and I know in some way I do love Zack. I just... I couldn't say yes." I take another deep breath.

"Is that why you're moving to London?"

"Partly. Like I said before, my aunt and uncle contacted me. It seemed like perfect timing. I've always wanted to live somewhere different, but I couldn't just leave my family. I feel like I've got them all sorted back home, so it was kind of ''now or never', you know?"

"I get it. Really. This hiatus me and the lads are taking was a huge decision. We are leaving the life we've known now for five years... All to take the chance of having a bit of normalcy. To just be us. We need that. People don't seem to want to understand, though. Our decision is crushing the fans." Harry looks at me, his face so serious. "So I suppose you could say that we are both running away."

"We are sort of like outlaws," I say, laughing and winking up at Harry.

He laughs and smiles at me.

Right about the time he goes to say something, Betty shows up. "Are we ready for some refills?" She looks at me first this time. Harry must have seriously crushed her ego.

"Maybe one more for me, please. Then I'll swap to tea," I reply to her.

"What she said." Harry smirks up at the busty blonde.