Love and Fame (Harry Styles)

Chapter 16

"I swear, you must have restless sleep syndrome or something," I grumbled and pushed Harry off of me. "It's like sleeping with a tornado."

Harry and I had had the best date ever the night before, and had found our way back to our hotel in the middle of the night. We had been slightly tipsy, but whether it was just because of the Italian beers or because of the rush of emotions too, I did not know.

Zayn had been smart enough to bunk in my bed with Niall, so Harry's bed were left alone for us to use in whatever way we wanted.

Harry had been hesitant at first, as if we hadn't already had sex and he was about to do something he wasn't sure if I wanted to do too, but I had encouraged him and we had had an amazing night together.

And then he had been sleeping on top of me the entire night. Thought it had been nice to be that close to him in the beginning, it had started to annoy me when it came to the point when I didn't get to sleep at all.

"Sorry," Harry said in his extremely sexy morning-voice, and shifted to pull me closer to spoon. "Did you have a good time last night?"

"The best," I said honestly and shifted in Harry's arms so that I could kiss him gently.

"So... where does that leave us?"

"I don't know, certainty in a more serious relationship than before," I said and Harry smiled lazily at me and nuzzled my hair. Apparently he liked my answer and was satisfied with it, but I was looking for more. "Where do you want it to leave us?"

"I want you, Talia," he said seriously and happy chills ran through my body as his hot breath made a few strands of my hair shift. "I want us."

"I want us too," I admitted and Harry's smile widened again. "But... do you think it's a good idea?"

I had, after all, told myself not to date Harry for a very specific reason. I knew that I wanted him and I knew that he wanted me, so it would be silly to push him away again, but I just needed him to tell me that we would be okay.

"If we both want it, I don't see a reason not to try," Harry said and tried to shrug, but he only shifted into a position that was less comfortable for both of us.

"I guess not," I said and looked into his beautiful eyes. "But I'm a little scared..."

"I'm not," Harry said bluntly and cupped my chin with his big hand, making me feel like I'd disappear behind it. "I'm not scared at all. The only thing I'm afraid of is that you'll push me away again."

"I won't," I said quickly and Harry looked relieved. "I'll never push you away. Never again."

"Good," Harry said and pressed his lips against mine. We had kissed quite a few times by now, but I wasn't sure I would ever be able to get used to the overwhelming emotions that appeared when his lips touched mine. "Then I guess it's settled."

"What's settled?" I said, momentarily confused from the kiss, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"We're settled," he said and when it still didn't dawn on me, he exhaled deeply. "Come on, Tals, what do you think we've been talking about this whole time?"

"Us? Our relationship?" I offered and Harry nodded. "So... we're in a relationship now?"

"If you want?" Harry said and suddenly he seemed nervous. "You want that, right?"

"What, being exclusive with you?" I said and Harry nodded, anxiously awaiting my answer. "So you would be mine to kiss and cuddle with whenever I want?" I said and Harry nodded again as a smile spread across my face. "There's nothing I want more, babe."

Harry's face split into a wide smile and he kissed me again. First he pressed his lips gently against mine, but when I invited him to deepen the kiss, he did.

I had learned by now that there weren't really any secrets among the crew on the road. So naturally everyone knew that Harry and I had spent the night together.

And when we entered the evening's arena together and seemingly happy, it was pretty clear to everyone that we had really hit it off.

Zayn, Liam and Louis instantly flocked around us the second we entered the room, as if we were the cool kids on the block. I kind of just wanted to hide behind Harry because all the attention made me uneasy.

"Way to go, mate," Louis said as he handed us a sandwich each. "You got one of the good ones."

"I'm standing right here, Tommo," I commented dryly as I took a bite of the tomato and mozzarella sandwich he had gotten me since we had missed breakfast.

For some reason I had been very nervous for the boys to know about Harry and I, but they weren't a pain in the ass at all. They were actually surprisingly supporting about it all.

"Good for you, man," Niall said and patted Harry on the back when he joined us a few minutes after the rest. I rolled my eyes again because everyone acted as if I wasn't around. But then Niall announced something that took me by surprise and made me forget about everything else. "We have a live version set up, by the way. You'll go on stage with us tonight, T."

It was such big news that I was speechless for a full ten minutes. I just blinked and focused on breathing as to not pass out from the lack of oxygen. The boys looked at me the entire time, expecting my reaction.

I had known that I eventually had to go on stage with the boys to perform our single, but I had expected a fair notice to mentally prepare myself.

How could management finish the live version without even letting me know that it would be time soon? I hadn't practiced at all. The boys and I had barely had a run-through of the single a couple of times.

I was freaking out.

"Are you okay, darling?" Liam offered when I didn't say anything.

"I think I'm gonna throw up," I said and just as I announced it, I realized that I was actually feeling a bit queasy.

"Why?" Harry said with a worried face expression as Louis and Zayn looked around in distress for something I could throw up in if it were to come to that point.

Zayn found a dustbin in the corner of the room and brought it over just in case. To my disappointment, I needed it.

I hated being sick. It was pretty much the worst thing that could happen to me. And it didn't help that the boys were witnesses.

I wanted to cry, but that would just make everything worse. Especially considering how worried the boys already were.

"Did you knock her up?" Louis said and I knew that the joke about the morning sickness thing was him just trying to defuse the tension, but it didn't really help at all.

"Love, do you wanna go lie down?" Harry offered after giving Louis a piercing glance for the untimely joke.

I was in too much shock to even respond, so in the end Harry just took me by the hand and walked me back to his hotel room.

The boys took good care of me and I loved them for that. And when the momentarily shock had subdued, I was able to explain to the boys why I had freaked out and how I didn't feel ready at all.

"You don't have to worry one bit, love" Liam said quickly as Harry wrapped his arms around me. "You'll do just fine."

Louis and Zayn nodded reassuringly from their chairs in the corner of the room, but I wasn't convinced at all.

"But what if I don't?" I insisted as Niall brought me a refilled glass of cold water from the bathroom.

"Listen, we still have hours until the show starts," he said as he flopped down on the bed next to me. "Why don't you wash up and we'll practice all day?"

"Yeah, we'll make you feel ready even if you don't right now," Harry said softly and I sighed.

"I guess that's the better option to this situation," I said and rubbed my hands over my face. "Fine, let's do this. Let's prep me for my first show."