What Are You So Afraid Of? [Harry Styles]

Chapter 7

“C’mon, Jez, it isn’t that bad,” Haz said and put her hand on her hip.

“Actually, it is that bad.” Alex said and chuckled.

A week later, they were in London getting ready for their first performance, which was the next day. Jez was standing on stage with the mic in her hand and was still finding it hard to get through the stupid Katy Perry song. It wasn’t like she didn’t know the lyrics, because she did; she knew them inside out, she was just having trouble actually singing them.

“I’m sorry, but have you heard what I’m singing about!” Jez said, flailing her arms around her.

“Of course,” Haz said from the bottom of the stage, “You’re singing about what every other pop star in the world is singing about. I’m pretty sure The Beatles made a few sexual references in their day, too.”

“Yes, but they understood the use of euphemisms, they never just put things out there!” Jez said sounding a little like a whining child. “I mean, my poor innocent mind!”

Haz rolled her eyes, “You’re not innocent and we all know it.”

Alex cleared his throat awkwardly, “Um, I’m gonna go… let you guys have some one on one time. I think I’ve had enough Katy Perry for one day.”

Haz nodded at Alex and then turned back to Jez, who didn’t seem to notice.

“Oh please! I only did it once and it barely even happened! One minute it was there and the next it wasn’t. It’s not like I even enjoyed it, I’d rather just forget it happened at all.” Jez said and then covered her face with her free hand as she realized she’d just told everyone that was in the vicinity that she wasn’t a virgin.

Haz burst out laughing and Jez uncovered her eyes to give her friend a death-stare. “Okay, but my point is, you know how things work. Just pretend like you’re singing it to a really cute guy.”

Jez closed her eyes and sighed. She tried to think of the person that she’d comfortable singing this to. The answer was no one, because she was sure that she would never ever feel comfortable singing this song ever.

“I will never be comfortable singing this, no matter how amazing the guy is,” Jez told Haz with her eyes still closed.

“Okay, plan B, just think about a really cute guy and try and feel what Katy Perry is saying,” Haz said.

“I don’t understand how that’s any different to plan A,” Jez said and opened her eyes.

“It is different, in plan B just pretend you’re all alone in your room and you’re singing into your hair brush,” Haz said and folded her arms.

Jez groaned, “I guess I could try.”

The music started after a moment of silence and Jez closed her eyes, picturing her room back home. She imagined staring into her mirror and holding her hair brush then singing the words while attempting to be flirty and directing her words at Aaron Johnson.

The only problem was that in reality there were no words coming out of her mouth; she had hit a mental wall and somehow she didn’t know how to get around it.

Instead of trying to explain herself any further to her friend, she simply opened her eyes and said, “It’s really not that easy.”

Haz groaned, “But it is that easy! They’re just words, you don’t have to agree with them.”

Jez scoffed, “I’d like to see you come up here and sing it like they meant nothing.”

“I’m telling you, anyone can sing it.” Haz said and started walking up the stage, “Go sit down there and I’ll show you. Give me five minutes.”