Beautifully Flawed | Harry Styles [One Direction]

Chapter 10

After Harry walked out of the pub, I did as he indicated and only left when I got his text. It felt completely unnatural to organize how or when to leave the pub because we had to avoid being mobbed by a horde of paparazzi who had mounted a guard outside. I wondered how it felt to be photographed whenever you were out and if Harry liked it. It sure could be interesting at first, with all the flashes and people wanting to talk to you as you rise to fame but was having your life exposed really as fun as the media made it look like?

My phone vibrated in my hand. I slid my finger across the screen and read Harry’s text. He was waiting for me outside The Goring Hotel, two blocks away from where I was. I gathered my belongings and had a deep breath before I made my way towards the door, hoping no-one outside knew it was me who had been spending time with Harry inside the pub.

When I opened the door and stepped onto the pavement, I quickly looked around and saw some people having a smoke and fortunately, no paparazzi in sight. I breathed relieved and headed up Buckingham Palace Road towards Grosvenor Gardens Road. That’s when I noticed some photographers talking about Harry and looking at the pictures in their cameras. I walked straight ahead, as if nothing connected me with him.

When I was reaching the corner, I overheard a guy telling the paparazzi that I was ‘the girl who was with the kid in One Direction’. I guessed it was the guy who had asked for a picture inside the pub and saw Harry with me but I didn’t think it was safe to turn around to check.

I cleared my throat and started to hurry my step, trying to get to Grosvenor Gardens Road as soon as I could. It was less than a block from where I was, but somehow it felt as if it was further away.

To my surprise, the two photographers started taking some pictures of me, asking me if it was true that I had shared a few drinks with Harry. My heart was beating hurriedly as they kept bombarding me with questions: they wanted to know my name, my age, what I did for a living, where I was from, if I was dating Harry or not. I simply looked down and kept a steady pace but it seemed they weren’t satisfied with my silence.

My phone started vibrating in my hand and I looked at the screen before taking the call. It was Harry. “Hey,” I answered, trying not to show uneasiness. The last thing I wanted was to worry Harry or give the paps a reason to keep following me. I honestly hoped they would get tired of not getting any answer from me.

“You okay?” he asked. “Where are you?”

“First answer: no. Second answer: I’m walking.”

“Why, why aren’t you okay? What happened?” he sounded anxious.

“Hmmm… they’re taking pics of me?” I whispered onto the phone.

“Are you talking to Harry?” one of the paps shouted.

“Shit, I’m so sorry.” I heard Harry say. “Stay where you are, I’ll go get you.”

“I’m almost there, just stay on the line.” I covered my mouth while I talked – I didn’t want the photographers to hear what I was telling Harry. “Beeston Place,” I told him as I turned around the corner.

“I can see you from where I am, just hurry.” He instructed.

“Sure,” I replied hesitantly, trying to calm myself down. It had been some time since I had last had a panic attack and I knew I wasn’t going to have one right then, but I was close. “You there?”

“Yes. I’m really sorry for making you go through this Leah.” His voice sounded sincere on the other side of the line. “I swear I thought they’d left---”