Remembering Love

Chapter 4

The limo ride over to the place where the after party is, didn't take long. There was quite a bit of traffic due to the concert, but it wasn't all that bad.

"So Madelyn, are you single?" Niall asks me in front of everyone in the car. I feel my cheeks heat up at his question.

"Umm... Yes I am. Why do you ask?" I ask politely, trying to conceal the blush making it's way into my cheeks.

He shrugs, "Just asking." He looks to Harry and they share a long glance before Harry turns away and stares out the window.

I'm completely confused at this point. What was with him asking me weird questions? And what is up with people exchanging odd looks?

"Actually, Madelyn, would you like to go somewhere with me instead of the party?" I hear a voice that I've only heard once tonight and I immediately know who it is.

"What?" Annie and I ask at the same time.

"Yeah, that's okay right?" The boy with the curly hair asks me, looking at Annie. At least I think he asked me. I didn't know how I was supposed to answer anyone who asked me to go somewhere. Let alone, Harry freaking Styles.

"Umm... I don't really-"

"Yes Harry. That would be fine. She would love that." Annie says, answering for me, and giving me a reassuring smile. I look at her in bewilderment. Why would I want to go anywhere with someone who seems to be so rude, and hasn't given me the time of day?!

The limo comes to a stop, and everyone piled out. I was the last one to get out of the limo, and Harry held out his hand for me. Everyone but us went inside.

"So uh... where are we going?" I ask while hugging my arms across my chest to keep me warm from the chilly English air. I don't think wearing a dress and heals was a good idea if I was going to walk. That just made it a bigger possibility to humiliate myself with my graceful skills. I'm lucky I haven't fell straight on my butt once tonight.

"Well, this way first. I'm not quite sure." He says while walking ahead of me about four steps. Damn he has long legs. "Are you cold?" he turns to ask me.

"No, I'm fine actually. But than-" before I could finish my sentence, Harry stopped and placed his jacket across my shoulders and held it there until I grabbed it with my hands to hold it securely to my body. "Thank you," I said. Why the hell is he being so nice now? Letting me use his jacket when it is down right freezing outside.

"No problem," he smiles at me with a prominent dimple on his right cheek. Oh my lord he is gorgeous... Ok stop staring now. I tell myself, hopping he didn't notice. We walk in comfortable silence for a while until it's broken off by Harry's voice. "Umm... So Madelyn is it?"

"Yes, and did you say your name was Harry Styles? I'm sorry but I can't remember." I say with sarcasm pure in my voice and look up to the boy with breathtaking green eyes.

"Yes actually. I'm surprised you remembered." He says with an equal amount of sarcasm in his words and looks down at me with a smile. There's another look in his eyes that show honesty. But that would make no sense.

After we walk for a few more minutes, there's a huge mob coming out of an alley way with cameras, and I'm immediately shocked and I feel like a deer in headlights. Harry stops right in front of me, grabs my hand and turns down another alley to get away. But before I know it I'm getting blinded and closed in by the flashes of the cameras.

"Harry Styles! Are you dating again?"

"Is this your ex?"

What? His ex?

I look at Harry, and he looks at me with his jaw clenched and he takes my hand in his and we walk the opposite way down the alley. "I'm sorry about that." Harry says while giving me a small smile.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure I won't have to get used to it. I feel more sorry for you." I say.

"No, don't be. I'm actually used to it. But it is still startling since they find me everywhere." He stops walking and looks down at me with a smile. "Come on," he leads us to a street that is lined with small shops, but sadly, they are all closed, but the small Christmas lights are still on at this late at night. Right now, I feel comfortable with Harry. Well, almost. I let my eyes wander to our intertwined hands and I jerk my hand out of his. "Oh... Sorry," He says while tucking his hands into his coat pocket as we continue down the street.

We stay in the awkward silence for a little while longer until Harry clears his throat.

"So, how do you know Annie?" He asks.

"Well we're roommates and we've been best friends since the first day of college." I answer. I'm glad he decided to ask questions. I don't do well in awkward silences. And I'm terrible at asking questions.

"So you've known that she's been friends with me since before I became 'Harry Styles'?"

"Actually she told me yesterday." I answer dryly.

"Really? I thought everyone would know by now. She really hasn't told anyone?" he asks me, looking surprised.

"Yep. Really." He nods as we continue to walk down the sidewalk, and share another few moments of thick silence.

"I'm sorry that this is uhh... Kind of awkward, Madelyn. I just felt like being with you." He paused. "Away from everyone else."

"It's not all that bad. We just don't know each other yet." I say shyly while looking down to my hands and clasping them together while we walk. I look at Harry, who has his hands in his coat pockets with a sad expression on his face.

"Yeah... Right." He says while looking down the dim lit street.

"So...," He says while drawing out the so. "What are you in school for?" He asks, changing the subject.

"Well I'm thinking about going into music." I answer back confidently.

"You got your degree in business last year right?" He asks me.

"Umm... Yeah, how did you know that?" I don't talk to many people and Annie is the only one who knows about my other degree.

"Oh, Annie uhh, told me..." He says while looking down as if he's said something wrong.

Well okay...?

"Oh... Well, yeah." I say.

We continue down the street for a while and end up making a few turns down other streets until coming back around to the place where the others are at. We go inside and spend the rest of the night with everyone else.

I hang around Annie and Niall the whole night. I think Niall and Annie may be a thing since he was acting really sweet to her. I catch Harry sneak a few glances at me through the rest of the night, but I acted like he wasn't there. He was acting so strange around me earlier.

"Whew, I'm ready to go home. Are you ready Mads?" Annie asks me while we all make our way to the door to leave.

"Yeah sure," I answer but I am surprised when I get outside and someone grabs my arm.

When I turn around to see who it is, it's Harry with a hesitant look on his face. "Would you like to come home? I mean come to my house?" He pauses and takes a breath. "For tonight?" He adds and waits for my reply. But I really don't know what to say. Well what am I supposed to say to someone who asks you this when you've known them for eight hours? "I mean you don't have to I was just asking..." He says as the hope in his eyes slowly dissipate.

"You can go Madelyn if you want, it's fine by me. You're almost 20. Go live a little. Do something crazy for once." Annie wiggles her eyebrows at me, trying to be funny I suppose as she hops into the limo with the rest of the boys and their dates as I'm left on the sidewalk, standing awkwardly with Harry Styles.

"Well I guess I'm coming with you?" I ask and I laugh a little to try and make the awkward tension disappear.

"I guess you are." He smiles widely at me and pulls out his phone and presses it to his ear.

Harry had someone take us home. All I remember is falling asleep in the back of the car on Harry's shoulder, and falling into a peaceful slumber.