Love Always,

Chapter 5

SYDNEY'S POV:

"So, where do you work?" Harry struggled cracking his crab legs. I motioned for him to hand it over to me. "At the bakery down the street. It's actually really cool cause it's beach themed and everything comes out so cute" I said cracking it and giving it back to Harry. "I used to work in a bakery back in Cheshire, but only the early afternoon shifts." "I work from 5:30 to 4:30 so it gets pretty brutal, but I love it." I took a bite of my salad and a sip of my water.

Throughout our dinner only a few fans came up to Harry to take a picture with him.

"What do you want for dessert?" "Um, I don't know. I don't really eat dessert." "You work at a bakery. You have to like desserts, it's in your job description." I looked at the menu and sighed. "I'll have a cannoli please" I told the waitress.

It was really weird to me that a sea food restaurant would have cannoli s , but whatever.

Harry got the same thing. We were having a nice conversation when all of a sudden it was ruined. I put down my dessert and looked down. Then at Harry. "What's the matter Sydney?" "Um, nothing" I fixed the napkin on my lap. I scratched my head and felt my body get tense. "I'm ready to go now," I started getting up. "You haven't finished your dessert though and I have to pay the bill." "I'll, I'll just meet you outside" I hurried out making sure not to make eye contact with anybody.

Then I ran into somebody. Shit.

"Oh, hi syd. What is your fat ass doing here?" I hated his voice. "Leave me alone, Alex." I tried to get through the door. "Don't you belong somewhere else, whore?" I was silent. "It's no surprise you're here alone. Who would wanna be with your sorry ass?" "I sure as hell would" I heard his thick British accent that I was growing used to.

I could feel everybody in the restaurant looking at us.

"Ha! Who are you?" "Her boyfriend. And she isn't fat, she's beautiful." "Stop lying, you know she's fat but you're a whore like her, so you'll do anything to get laid." "Prick." "Son of a bitch," Alex shoved Harry. Harry didn't react. "Look, I don't want to start anything. But you better stay the fuck away from her or else." "Or else what?" Alex spit in his face. "A motherfuckers gonna get fucked up" Harry silently said as we left the restaurant. I was in awe of what just happened.

"Thank you" I said to him. "You're welcome, that cannoli was pretty great." "You know what I'm talking about."

We got into the car.

"I can't stand to hear anybody talk to someone else that way. Especially somebody that I care about-" "Is it true?" I blurted out.

Harry started the car.

"What?" "Nothing." We pulled out of the parking lot. "Please tell me what you were gonna say."

Red light.

"Why'd you say that you're my boyfriend?" "It just kinda came out. It felt right to say in the moment." I hesitated. I didn't know what I was doing. "Well what about in this moment?" I blurted it out.

Blood rushed to my cheeks.

He was silent, it was really scaring me.

"Well-" "I know, that was really dumb of me to say. I'm sorry" the words fell out of my mouth.

Green light.

"Don't be sorry," he chuckled, "I was just thinking of how to word this. Asking you to go out with me sounds really childish but asking you to be my girlfriend sounds really weird." "I'm still a kid inside so give it a shot" I smiled at him and he smiled also. "Sydney, will you go out with me?" "I have to think about it." "What? Are you kidding me?" "No. I'm serious. Take me home, now." Harry looked so disappointed.

We got to my house and he walked me inside.

"Excuse the mess and shitty floors." "It's alright, it's alright." I could hear the disappointment in his voice. "Harry." "Mmhmmm" "I was just kidding before, in the car. I just wanted to mess with you. I'd like to go out with you and hang out with you and stuff." "Oh Jesus, thank you. Don't ever do that again." "No promises."

He gave me a hug and I hugged him back.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?" "No, I still didn't find a hotel. I just might camp out in my car since everybody already left earlier." "You can stay here. If you want, but you get the couch." "Thanks, the couch will do." "Then welcome to my home, Harry!"