The Only Direction

CH 1 Strangers

CHAPTER 1

I was here to have fun, but I wasn't having any. the club was packed with people I didn't know or didn't care about. The music hurt my ears and the strobe lights hurt my eyes. I sat in a corner holding a cup full of punch I would never drink. People pushed pass me. then one stopped.

In the dark and occasional blinding flash of strobe light, I couldn't focus on the strangers face very well. he was tall and when my eyes managed to adjust I saw that he was drop dead gorgeous.

"Hey, why aren't you dancing?" His voice fit him perfectly: a husky British accent. the guy looked at me, his face concerned. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place him.

"I just don't like all the people and the noise."

"Well come with me. I was planning on going to a pizza place down the street."

"Are you crazy? I don't even know you." he looked shocked when I said it. "What's your problem? Do you think all girls just fall down and do whatever you tell them to? I'm not stupid."

"Oh," he said recovering quickly. "Please come with me. I'm tired of this place and super hungry."

"Sorry, but I don't go out with potential serial killers. I saw this in a movie once. You'll win me over and kill me."

"Look I just want to go to the pizza place down the street. We can walk there if you want to."

"Fine," I didn't really trust this guy, but I didn't really trust most guys after what happened with Ky. Anyway I really needed to get out of there, and home wasn't an option. he offered me his arm, and I took it glad to finally get out of this stupid club. We pushed through the crowds of people. I noticed that the guy was facing the ground trying to avoid people's eyes.

"Hey!" I shouted over the speakers, " you never told me your name."

"It's Harry..." he paused for a moment perhaps to think about it. "Harry Cox." I thought that it was weird he had to think about his last name, but I quickly got over it. We finally broke free of the crowd and pushed through the cramped doorway.

"What's yours?" Harry looked at me expectantly.

"Oh, Leah King."

"That's a cool name."

"Thanks, " I murmured shy all of sudden.

The night was alive with voices and laughter, but as we got farther away from the club the voices faded, and it was just Harry and I.

"So if you didn't want to be at that club, why we're you there?" Harry muttered.

"I have some family problems, and I couldn't stay at home."

"Oh..." he didn't pry or ask more questions, and I was thankful. I didn't feel like talking about my parents tonight.

"Where's this pizza place?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Right up there," he pointed to to a tiny corner place lit up with cheap fluorescent lighting.

"I need to talk to the person real quick." I looked through the glass to see a girl pouring over a celebrity gossip magazine.

"Who's that? Oh... I get it. you want to make her jealous. Why else would a hot British guy ask me out?"

"What? No... No!!!" he blurted.

"Then why do you need to talk to her?"

"I don't. Uh... I just wanted to make sure they had a table open." I raised my eyebrows. The pizza place was empty besides the girl.

"Whatever... come on," I grabbed his hand pulling him through the door. The girl's eye widened, and her jaw dropped. She stared over my shoulder at Harry. She nodded slightly, and I whirled around to glare at Harry. It was obvious he had said something to her.

She led us to out table and handed us some greasy plastic covered menus with shaky hands. "I'm Melissa, and I'll be serving you today." She stood there staring at us.

"Thanks, Melissa," Harry smiled obviously trying to get rid of her.

"Oh, ok" she mumbled turning red and shuffled away. I still hadn't figured out what was going on, but whatever it was I wasn't sure if I wanted to know and ruin this... date.

"What was her problem?"

"I have that kind of effect on girls," he winked at me. I laughed.

"Ok, you're cute, but if you want to go out with me, you have to treat me like a princess." I caught him smirking behind his hand.

"What do you want to eat?"

I picked up the menu, "A large slice of the pepperoni pizza with stuffed crust." There was that smirk again. "What?" I demanded.

"I just love American girls." I stared at him baffled. "In London, most girls I take out eat a bite of a tiny salad."

"Oh, we have girls like that here, too. I'm just not one of them." He laughed and that did it. Right then I fell head over heels in love with him. He was funny and handsome and sweet and I just met him. It was like Romeo and Juliet. I just hope this ended differently.

"Are you ready to order?" Melissa's high pitched voice snappede out of my trance.

"Yes," we answered at the same time. We glanced at each other and smiled.

"Two slices of the large pepperoni pizza with stuffed crust please." She scurried away and came back two minutes later with the pizza saturated in grease. I picked up the pizza and bit into it. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"What's wrong?"

"This pizza sucks," I said sheepishly. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings, but it was horrible.

"Oh, do you want to come back to my apartment. I have room service." Alarms went off in my head. I knew I shouldn't. He probably wanted to get me alone and kill me or something, but I couldn't go home and I didn't have any money or a place to sleep. He saw my face, and his eyes widened, "Leah, no I didn't mean it like that. I just meant as a friend!" he explained. At first I was relieved, jut then I was hurt. As a friend?

"It's ok," I said embarrassed.

"No, it's my fault."

"Let's go. I'm not that hungry."

"Where? My apartment?"

"I guess, but you have to promise that I can leave whenever."

"Of course." He stood up and led me to the door. "We're not hungry sorry." He gave Melissa a twenty dollar bill to pay for our pizza. the girl propped up her magazine and glanced up.

"Ok, bye" She stared at us as we walked towards the door.

Harry opened the door, and I glanced back at the girl and her magazine. on the pink glossy cover was a picture of a boy titled "Harry Styles Teen Heart throb" surrounded by little hearts. the picture was Harry, my Harry.

END OF CHAPTER 1