Unrequited

Chapter 9 (Part 2)

We walked towards the pier through the gorgeous Brighton streets. It was freezing but I was too in awe to notice. We passed many little arty shops and the boys stopped to buy a few bits and pieces - mainly clothes. I went into a gorgeous store filled with frilly fabrics and costume jewelry. Zayn and Harry followed, looking utterly overjoyed. “Morning! How are we all?” called a woman from behind the counter. She was wearing a fluffy jacket and a leopard print beret. “Fine thanks!” Zayn replied. “Anything I can do for you dears?” she asked. She was sitting down, drowned in masses of white tulle and fiddling around with various sewing equipment. “Just looking thank you,” I replied. Harry and Zayn looked politely disinterested in the contents of the shop while I scrambled around, looking for something my Mum might like. Harry helped me go through a ton of hair accessories and jewelry and shook his head laughing at me when I couldn’t choose between two bracelets that he said ‘looked exactly the same’. Zayn, to no surprise got bored and left while me and Harry continued looking. My heart stuttered a little when he cupped a hand under my chin and turned my face to his. Using his free hand, he fiddled with something in my hair and then spun me around to face a mirror. He’d put the most gorgeous hair slide in my hair, adorned with silver roses and intricate little leaves. “I knew it,” he said.

“What did you know, Harry?” 

“That that hair thingy would look lovely on you.” I looked down, hoping I wasn’t turning red. “He’s right you know!” called the woman behind the counter, a few pins between her teeth. “Thanks,” I said, directing it at both of them but looking up at Harry. 

“We’ll take it,” Harry said to the woman, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. 

“What? Harry, no,”

“Don’t be silly,” he said, handing over the money. “You absolutely cannot walk out of this shop without it. You look too gorgeous with it.” I could hardly form words. I preoccupied myself with taking out the hair slide and putting it in the bag the lady was holding out to me. I finally choked out a “Thanks, Harry. You really didn’t need to do that,” to which he replied, “Don’t even mention it madam!” Harry freaking Styles bought me a hair slide. I was following Harry out the door when the lady with the leopard print beret called me back. “Sweetheart,” she said with a warm smile. “He’s a keeper that one,” she said, pointing in the direction of Harry who had met the other boys across the street. “Oh he’s not my...we’re not...” 

She raised her eyebrows. “Really? Could’ve fooled me honey!” 

By the time we reached the pier, I was a bit warmer from all the walking. It was like something out of a picture. The pebble covered beach, the dark water, the grey sky and the pier covered in rides and little white shelters with lace-like trimmings. “Bet you’ve never seen a beach with pebbles before, eh Char?” said Niall. 

“Never! Its so weird!” We walked along the pier past all the little stalls and through the games arcade. We reached the end of the pier where all the rides were. “I want to ride on that,” said Louis, looking upwards, apparently in love. It was exactly the kind of ride I would usually avoid; a gigantic tower with a row of seats on the outside that were hoisted up to the top and dropped at any random moment. Joy. And then, suddenly, I was being dragged towards the horrible contraption by Louis. “LOUIS! GET OFF ME! There is no WAY I am getting on that thing!” I squealed, digging my heels into the ground so that he had no choice but to stop. We were a little distance form the other boys and Louis spun around, one eyebrow raised and a cheeky look on his face. “Do you want me to announce to all the boys what I saw this morning?” 

“Louis!” I protested, knowing they’d all find out eventually anyway. Niall as usual was keeled over, laughing - it wasn’t funny, I had a phobia! I pulled away from Louis and whacked Niall on the arm. “Stop it you! I have a fear of heights!” Niall bit his lip. “Sorry...”