philophobia | harry styles ✔️

t w e n t y • f i v e

Cassey frowned at the menu.

"Why don't they have any shrimp scampi? It's like, the pinnacle of seafood."

"Is it though?" I asked from behind my menu.

She shrugged. "I thought so. Apparently I was wrong."

"I think the pinnacle of seafood is lobster."

"And I," a voice from behind me piped up. "Thought the pinnacle of seafood was fish sticks."

I turned around and immediately hugged Steven as soon as I heard his voice. He squeezed into Cassey's side of the booth across from me. After giving Cassey a side hug he picked up the menu.

"Hmm..." he said, glancing through the food options quickly before deciding. "Chicken alfredo it is."

"Same," Cassey sighed, still distraught over the shrimp scampi not being available.

"I think I'm getting the lobster!" I decided.

"Same here," a voice from behind me replied.

I didn't think that Steven had invited anybody else and I was almost positive that Cassey hadn't been seeing anybody since she and her boyfriend, Ben broke up.

I whipped my head around and my jaw dropped as I saw Harry standing there in a white tee, black skinny jeans, and black Chelsea boots. His hair was tousled, just the way I like it.

My body moved faster than my brain and before I knew it I was being picked up and swung around in a circle before my feet hit the ground again.

Harry smiled down at me as I giggled. He moved a strand of hair out of my face.

"You're back," I said quietly, not wanting to make a huge scene, as if we hadn't already.

"I am," he replied before giving me a peck on the cheek. "You didn't really think I had a show tonight, did you?"

A blush crept onto my cheeks, "Well, it didn't correspond with the tour's original schedule, but I thought maybe it was one that was postponed or something."

"You checked the schedule?" He smirked.

"No," I spat, embarrassed. "Maybe..."

"Ahem," Steven cleared his throat from behind us. "Are you going to introduce us to this fine piece of man or are you going to act like we don't even exist?"

Before I could, Steven took the liberty of sliding out of the booth and sticking his hand out toward Harry.

"I'm Steven, nice to see you again," Harry shook his hand. "By the way, you were the best member of One Direction. Zayn has nothing on you."

Harry chuckled, "Well, thank you but I don't know how accurate that is."

"It's very accurate," Cassey piped up from behind me. She stuck her hand out to shake his. "I'm Cassey. I believe we met once. I work at Mega Magazine with Blair!"

"Oh, yes I remember you," Harry nodded. "You're the one that sniffed me, right?"

Cassey's smile faltered and she turned beet red, "Um, yeah, I didn't think you would notice. Sorry if that freaked you out!"

Harry shook his head, "Not at all, love. It was just funny, I didn't mind a bit!"

I looked between the two of them and raised my brows, "Well, let's order food, yeah?" I went to sit back down in the booth and Cassey and Steven followed suit.

"Um," Harry said. "Speaking of Mega Magazine, one of your coworkers wants to meet me here to do some story on me for the next issue."

"Next issue?" I asked, looking at Cassey. "Like the spring issue?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "I'm not exactly sure what all this entails but something about wanting a full, in-depth interview. She mentioned that doing interviews at restaurants are laid-back, casual and relaxed..."

"I bet it's Ashlee," Steven spat. "She'll do anything she can to sink her teeth into every celeb; male or female."

Cassey nodded her head in agreement. "She 100 percent wants to bang Harry."

Harry's eyes went wide. "Me?"

"Yes, but I'm sure she'll handle it in a professional manner," I replied. Although I even knew how untrue that statement was.

"I have to meet her in the," Harry looked down at this phone and pulled up the email. "Corner booth on the right hand side of the restaurant," he looked up from his phone and glanced around. "At 6:30."

My watch read 6:27.

I smiled at him, "Well, good luck with the interview."

"Thank you," he said gently taking my hand in his. "Come by my place around 8? I want to tell you all about the tour!"

I nodded my head in agreement and he squeezed my hand before walking to the other side of the restaurant.

"Jesus Christ," Steven sighed. "You two are perfect, I'm disgusted."

Cassey and I laughed at this and I couldn't fight the feeling in my stomach that something with this Ashlee situation wasn't right.

I decided to ignore it and focus more on what I wanted to eat for dinner.

"Definitely the lobster."