Broken Things

Chapter 9

SPOV:

"Oh my God, I think that was the best food I have ever eaten," he said, rubbing his stomach as we walked out of the restaurant, well, if we could call it that. Mike had lead us to a hole in the wall and he swore up and down to not let the outside fool us. Harry acted like a kid in a candy shop. When we walked in, no one looked up from their food and we could almost bet that there was no chance that Harry would be recognized. 

We were able to relax and not have to worry about cameras and screaming fans. We laughed until I was dabbing tears from the corners of my eyes.

"Your puns are awful," I had told him. 

"But they made you laugh so I was successful." 

I rolled my eyes and laughed again. We started to walk as I took my camera out of my bag.

"Give me a second." I walked back a took a picture of the front of the building.

"What was that for?" he asked when I walked back over to him.

"So I can remember, you know, when I'm craving this food again." He nodded and took out his phone. He messed around on the screen before holding it up.

"Smile."

"Oh no, I only take pictures, not become the subject."

"Oh come one, please?" He stuck out his lip and pretended to pout.

I shook my head, "I guess but you have to be in it with me."

"Deal."

He stood next to me. My heart fluttered as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Say cheese." The shutter sound came from the phone.

"I think I blinked", he said. I looked up at him and laughed.

"You're wearing sunglasses, Harry." I heard another shutter from the camera and he lowered the phone to see the picture.

"I wasn't ready for that one!" I said, reaching for the phone. He pulled it away before I could grab it. He flashed a grin and put the phone back into his pocket.

"That's okay."

"What was that for?"

"So I can remember." 

I smiled and tried to hide the blushing of my cheeks but looking down at my watch. It was almost 6 o'clock.

"So what's next?" I asked but Harry didn't respond. I looked over and he had removed his glasses. His brow was creased. He had pulled out his phone again and was scrolling over the screen.

"What is it, Harry?"

He turned the phone around to show me the screen. It was a picture of Harry and me running. It must have been taken during out escape from the park.

'Harry Styles flees with new mystery girl' was on the picture in red text. The picture had been shot from a distance. I had already put the scarf on but my hair was sticking out. I looked up at Harry. His green eyes were dim with worry.

"Liam sent this to me to give me a head's up," he said, turning the phone back around. He turned off the screen and shoved it back into the pocket of his jeans. A hand ran through his hair and he let out a sigh of frustration. His eyes found mine. I gave him a small smile but he didn't return it. Instead, he walked over to stand against the wall. I prayed that he wouldn't go into another attack while we were alone in an alley. I didn't mind that he had anxiety, I just didn't want anyone else to see him like that. I tucked my hair behind my ear before I went over to him.

"Harry, my face isn't showing. They're not going to know who I am," I said softly.

"But they're going to try," he said without looking at me. It was strange. I didn't expect him to care this much. Not that I thought he was completely heartless because I knew for a fact that he wasn't, but he was Harry Styles and I was me, Stevie Royal from nowhere, Indiana. We barely knew each other and we were from completely different worlds.

It didn't faze me at first. I always thought of famous people of just that; people. They were just the lucky ones who happened to be in the right place at the right time. I never thought of them being above me or god-like like some people do. They had feelings and problems just like I did. I hated what media and being in the public eye did to them.

I guess it didn't hit me how different we really were until now. He slid down the wall and sat on the ground. I crouched down in front of him like I had just the night before. It had felt like it had been weeks ago. 

"Harry." I waited for him to look at me before I continued.

"If you want this to end, we can go our separate ways and we can write this off as really great day. You only need to tell me." I spoke softly.

"I see what the pressure does to you and I don't like it. I don't want to be another stressor in your life. It hurts me to see you like this." My eyes began to sting with tears. I looked away as tried to pull myself together. It was hard for me to see someone who is seen to be so confident and cool to now be so small and vulnerable. 

"What do you need, Harry?" I said, still looking over my shoulder. When he didn't answer, I turned back to him. His eyes were bright and brimming with tears.

"I need you, Stevie."

HPOV:

I knew what I had said was selfish. I couldn't bear to have her go through this but I couldn't stand the idea of her not being in my life. I tried to blink back the tears but they fell anyway. I wasn't sure if she felt the same way but I needed her to know. I could already hear the complaints from management and the various rumors that would cycle through the tabloids. I knew what would come with her having her with me but I didn't care. I was willing to do anything to make sure she stayed. I looked down and wiped the tears away with my sleeve. 

"I can understand if you say no but, um, I really hope you don't." Her fingers slipped under my chin and she lifted my head so my eyes could meet hers.

"If that's what you need, then I'll stay." Her voice was soft but sure.

"But I don't want you to feel obligated. I don't want you do something you don't want to do."

A corner of her mouth lifted into a half smile.

"That's just it, Harry. I never do anything I don't want to do." Her fingers pushed the hair back from my face.

A feeling in my chest swelled and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. She stood up and offered her hand to me. I took it and lifted myself off of the ground. 

"Let's go. The sun is going down and this alley is shady as hell."

I laughed, "What alley isn't shady as hell?"

"You've got a point. Let's just try and avoid them all together." She kept her hand laced with mine as we walked back onto the main street. Lights from the buildings and billboards were beginning to come on in the distance.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked as she adjusted her bag.

"Well, can we go back to your place?"

"Yes we can. It's not very far actually. We can walk."

"Sounds fantastic," I said. She laughed.

"Wait," I said stopping in my tracks, "Do you think we could take a cab? Just in case." She gave me a smile that let me know she understood. 

When we got back to her place, she put her bag down on the couch and went straight to her music.

"What do you feel like listening to?" she said over her shoulder.

"Surprise me."