Home H.S

Chapter 4: The Garden

IT WAS 4 PM and I was still wrapped in a towel staring at my closet wondering what I was supposed to wear to a boyband concert.

"Don't know what under or overdressed means in this case tbh," I texted on the group chat.

"What do u mean? Should I lose the Manolos?" Amy joked.

Lena, who was picking us up starting with me, brought us back to reality, "I don't care, but I'll be there in 45 min so hurry up!"

"OK :'(" I answered before leaving my phone on the bed and finding something to wear. I chose a pair of tight black jeans, a loose mint sweater, high-heeled boots, and a leather jacket.

"Could be worse," I said staring at myself in the mirror.

We arrived at the Madison Square Garden an hour before the show started and were led directly backstage sporting colorful badges around our necks meant to distinguish us from the plain 'peasants'. It was like the pop universe caste system. The room was big but crowded, and since they were doing the last show of the tour, the boys' friends and families were there as well. I also spotted a few celebrities and many photographers.

Standing silent we looked around and tried to cope with what was happening around us. That was when I spotted Harry across the room. Black skinny ripped jeans, loose black t-shirt, brown booties, his hair falling over his shoulders, and all of his arm tattoos on display; he looked like an actual rock star. His left arm was tight around the shoulders of a beautiful girl that was about his age, the familiarity between them was evident. For some reason, up until that moment, I haven't thought that he probably had a significant other, but it made perfect sense.

While I was closely studying the scene, my friends' voices made me reluctantly return to reality. I turned to find Niall over-excited by our presence, "You've made it!" He said while kissing and hugging each one of us.

"Sure! Thanks for inviting us!," J had a wide grin stamped on his face, the rest of us giggled silently at the evident courtship we were witnessing.

"Make yourselves at home please, drinks are over there," he pointed at a table where a group was gathered and led us to a sitting area.

We sat on a couch while people were coming and going around us excited and happy. We were chatting and laughing with Niall, who happened to be a really fun guy and was seemingly showing off a little bit to impress J. A few minutes later, I got up and walked across the room to grab some beers.

"I imagine you've been practicing those dance moves?" A husky voice said while I was trying to find an opener.

I flinched and turned around to find Harry laughing, his nose wrinkled and his head thrown back. It was the first time I noticed he had dimples on his cheeks when he smiled.

"Oh my God, you almost killed me!" I yelped softly punching his shoulder.

"Yeah, I have that effect on women," he smirked and shrugged in a mock-casual way, "how are you? It's good to see you again!"

"What a tease! Yeah... good to see you too when you are not scaring me to death," I laughed.

The girl I spotted hugging him earlier suddenly approached us, "H! Paul says that you have to be ready in 10," she said.

"Oh okay. Hey, let me introduce you two," he suggested while a knot sat firmly in my stomach.

"Gemma this is Olivia, my new acting mentor," he chuckled, "and Olivia this is Gemma, my sister."

I smiled with an odd sense of relief, "It's a pleasure to meet you," I leaned and hugged her.

"The pleasure is mine! You made me ugly cry so many times over the past years with your movies," Gemma said giggling; she seemed like a nice girl.