Crooked Hearts

6. Mobbed

"Aria." I say. My voice so soft, it's barely a whisper. Aria smiles a smile that looks uncertain. She stares at me with her still-beautiful bright blue eyes. I don't know what to say. There are so many questions I want to ask her, but I can't find the energy to say anything. Much less move a muscle.

"Is it really you?" She finally asks.

"In the flesh." I finally say as I try to grin.

Then Aria does something unexpected.

Her face breaks into a wide grin and she wraps her hands around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Christ Harry, you've changed so much, I barely recognized you." She says.

I've changed have I? What about you? And since when do you smoke?

"So have you." I say, glancing at the cigarette which is now between her fingers. I stare at the tattoo that snakes up her right arm. It's a tattoo of a flock of birds flying in a V-formation. I notice an ink mark on her stomach, where her tank top has managed to reveal the slightest bit f her stomach.

She catches me staring and shrugs. "Tattoos seem to be in these days." She says. "You have quite a few yourself." She says, eyeing the ink engraved on my arm.

Aria puts the cigarette back into her mouth and sucks on it for such a long time, that I think it's going to burn out completely. She takes the cigarette out of her mouth and blows smoke rings.

"Since when do you smoke?" I ask, coughing, slightly annoyed.

"Sorry." She mumbles, lowering her eyes. "And to answer your question," she meets my eyes. "Awhile," she says.

"Oh."

is all I can manage to say.

She drops her cigarette on the ground and steps on it.

Aria looks at me, and smirks, "What are you doing in Brazil?"

What am I doing in Brazil? What are you doing Brazil?

"I'm on a stadium tour," I say, "with my band."

"Boyband you mean." She says, cocking her head at me. "There's a difference." Her tone sounds somewhat insulting.

I suddenly feel angry and annoyed.

"Is there something wrong with that?" I ask, as calm as I can manage.

"God no," she says shaking her head at me. "It's just," she shakes her head at me again and laughs softly.

"What?" I insist.

"It's just..... you did it. You're a rockstar Harry." She smiles. "I told you it would happen." She says, hitting me softly on the arm.

I grin at her then, "So you did. Are you like, a fortune teller now?"

"Hell yeah!" she says. "So now let me look into your eyes and see into the very depth of your soul, so I may foresee your destiny."

I try not to laugh as she closes her eyes and fakes a focused face.

"I see..... a bed..... and a Mr. Harry Styles surrounded by naked women."

My jaw drops open, is that really what she sees in me?

She opens her eyes and grins, "C'mon Harry, I'm joking." She says. "Seriously though, you've got literally millions of girls chasing after you, don't tell me you don't get yourself laid at least once a week."

Her eyes are full of mischief, and I know she's still teasing me.

"Well, not all of them all at once." I say, cracking a small smile.