This is a short au imagine! Harry and Lindsay are about fifteen years old. They both live in California. And Harry hasn't auditioned for x-factor, obviously.
She drummed her fingers on the metal railing soaking in the view of California from eighteenth floor. The music from party going on in the flat was quite loud but Lindsay had tuned it out. Her mind was preoccupied by her boyfriend.
She drank the cold fizzy drink from the styrofoam cup in solitude before Harry entered the balcony she had been standing in.
"Not enjoying the party?" He asked her.
"No-I mean yeah-"
"Hey, your mom's calling you. She's making an announcement." They were cut off by Lindsay's friend interrupting but she left as soon as she finished.
Harry sipped on his own drink, crumpled his cup and said, "let's go."
"Uh wait, Harry?"
"What?"
"I have to tell you something before mom does."
Harry wiped the minimal liquid that wet his lips with the back of his hand and looked at her questionably.
"Do you know what this party is for?"
"No," Harry spelled it out slowly.
"It's to," she fumbled. "I-uhh-got accepted at Juliard."
Harry's eyes widened at her words but he kept his silence nonetheless.
"Harry, I-"
"Why didn't you tell me before?" His tone was calm and devoid of any emotion.
"I wanted to tell you but I was scared."
"Scared of what?"
"Of what you'd say."
"Lindsay dear, join us," her mother bellowed from the living room of their flat.
"Yeah, in a minute," she replied. "Harry I got to go."
He pursed his lips and nodded at her.
"Won't you be coming?"
"I need some time," he exhaled a breath.
She left Harry alone and accompanied her mother and the various guests assembled in bliss of her acceptance at the highly renowned school.
"I'm proud to announce that my daughter has been accepted at Juliard, NYC for a junior dance program."
The tiny room erupted in cheers and encouraging shouts but Lindsay was pretty much lost in her own thoughts and Harry, her love.
Her mother went on, acting like a typical one, and listed all her achievements. But she was busy gauging the distance that would come to separate her and him, now.
A few minutes later, she decided to chuck the little party and join Harry.
"I'm sorry. I know I should've told you sooner. I get it that you're mad at me but you know I like dancing-"
"That's the whole problem. I didn't even know you liked dancing," Harry laughed sarcastically.
"Harry I just thought you'd-"
"That I'd stop you?" He blinked in disbelief. "You thought that if you'd tell me about you flying away to NYC , I'd ask you to stay?"
"Are you crazy? No," she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Then what? Tell me."
"It's stupid." She was tired of pretending.
"No it's not. So tell me now."
"I was thinking of rejecting it," she said slowly.
Harry looked perplexed remembering that just a few minutes ago she'd said she liked dancing.
"Didn't you just-"
"I did, Harry. But I can't go to New York. That's four thousand six hundred ninety two kilometres away," she let a tear slip from her moist eyes. "And I don't want to be away from you."
"Are you crazy Lindsay? You can't put your future into risk for our relationship."
She wiped her tears and hugged him.
"But I love you. And I don't wanna go."
"Lindsay look at me," he pulled back and lifted her chin. "Just because a few miles exist between us doesn't mean we'll stop feeling what he have for each other."
"But-"
"No Li, I love you and I'm still mad at for not telling me earlier but I want you to do this."
"Really?" She blinked a few times.
"Yeah, every word. I want you to go to New York and live your dream. And as for us, we can FaceTime each other whenever we want. And I can fly down there to meet you on holidays or you can come home. We'll work it out. I promise we will."
Lindsay beamed at him.
"Thank you, Harry. And yes we will."
He kissed her lightly in return.
"Now let's go attend the party."
She giggled and mumbled her affirmation.
They walked back hand in hand to join the ocean of people swarming her living room and spent the rest of the night making promises and whispering to each other their love. The next week was spent in helping Lindsay pack and finally thirteen days later came the date she'd have to fly to the city that never sleeps, New York.
Harry grabbed an assortment of light yellow and pink flowers for her that looked funny and cute, at the same time and stuffed in it a grey packet, ready to bid his goodbye. He reached the airport just when she was giggling and tearing up, crying, at something that her mother was whispering in her ear. But the moment she saw Harry, she averted her attention to him and skipped forward to reach him faster.
"Do you best," Harry pecked on her forehead, being much taller than her. She simply gazed at him amazement and sadness.
"Thank you."
"And I got you this."
He handed her the funny flowers with a silver packet stuffed. She jostled it out to reveal a CD.
"What's this?"
"Now you're taking something of me with you."
"What do you mean?" She looked at him, still unsure.
"This has your favourite song, sung by me."
"Really?"
"Yeah, now whenever you miss me you can listen to this."
"Wow, Harry."
She jumped on him, literally.
"You'll crush me fatty," Harry giggled and Lindsay hit him, playfully.
"Whatever."
"I love you, Lindsay."
"I love you, Harry."
She inhaled the mesmerising scent of the flowers and thanked him.
The next few minutes went by in teary goodbyes and finally Lindsay left to disappear into the departure aisle of the domestic airport, to start her new life, sure that Harry and she would work it out.
***
