Mixed Up // Harry Styles

One

Picture of Holly on the side.

                                                  CHAPTER ONE

     “If we could all raise our glasses to the newly engaged couple, Harry and Mia.”

 

     Everything goes by in a blur.

     For once, I’m speechless but my emotions feel like they’re on a continuous loop, disappearing then repeating just moments later; the same scene replaying in my head like a broken record. My eyes feeling as though they will overflow with tears any moment now.

     “Wha – Oh my god,” Mia gasps from beside me, her hands cupping her cheeks as they flash a deep shade of red from both embarrassment and shock, her mouth now forming a perfect oval shape, still sitting in an upright position and as frozen as ever.

 

     “Is that a – “ Eleanor begins, inspecting the glass of champagne from a distance, reaching for it to take a closer look.

 

     “Mia,” Harry lets out a breathy laugh before starting his sentence, a wide grin on his face, delicately taking the glass out of Eleanor’s grasp and removing the white gold ring from the bottom of it with care.

 

     “Will you marry me?”

 

     “Yes!” Mia squeals with delight, reaching across the table to engulf Harry into a hug, her arms wrapping securely around his muscular body, all whilst knocking a full glass of red wine over the once clean white tablecloth in the process.

     Once everyone settles back into their seats after congratulating the new happy couple – showering them with kisses and squeezing them into tight embraces – only Liam remains standing at the opposite end of the table to me, all thirty eyes on him.

     “If we could all raise our glasses to the newly engaged couple, Harry and Mia,” Liam makes the announcement, his arm gracefully rising with a pint of Carlsberg firmly in his grip, everyone – including myself – mimicking his actions and raising our own drinks in honour of the couple who are yet to take their eyes off of one another.

     “We all wish you the best.” Liam concludes, taking his seat again.

     “I, I – Excuse me,” I mutter quietly, earning a few odd looks and scowls from the four members of Modest! Management before I leave the table in a hurry, a few distant cries of celebrations being the last thing I hear before I enter the silence of the crisp winter’s like night.

     I lean against the wall, the pebbles digging into my back, piercing at the skin. Throwing my hands to my face, I let the tears slip down and over my cheeks leaving trace marks, quietly sobbing to myself and silently scolding my stupidity of letting him get away so easily.

     “Holly?” His voice calls out into the complete darkness of the night, his eyes possibly wandering around the deserted back entrance of the restaurant in search of the reckless sight of myself. The steel door creaks shut and slams against the frame, his footsteps fast approaching.

     I remove my hands from my face, quickly swiping away any remaining tears and catching any running makeup left on my skin and adjusting my posture so that I’m standing up straight against the wall.

     “Are you crying?” He asks the question I was hoping he wouldn’t, mostly because I didn’t want to explain myself and confess everything that I’m feeling both towards him and the idea of him getting married.

     “They’re happy tears,” I lie to him, avoiding any eye contact with the boy now he stands directly in front of me, allowing my lips to curl into a fake smile to assure him.

     He sighs, stepping aside and leaning against the wall beside me, sighing once more, not being totally convinced. We remain in silence for a few minutes more, both of us registering the scene that had rapidly unfolded in front of us just a little while before.

     Everyone else comes crashing through the door all at once, bringing a lot of chatter amongst themselves with them and breaking the comfortable silence that once fell between me and the boy I long to be with.

     Harry shifts himself from his position, as do I, everyone else making their way towards us oblivious to anything that may have gone on – not that anything had anyway. Each of them smile in our direction before approaching the pathway to the left of us at a snail pace.

     “We’re heading to the club to celebrate, are you going to join us Hols?” Danielle questions cautiously, being the only one to wait for me as the rest of them make their way towards town.

     “In a bit,” My voice cracks as I answer.

     She smiles sympathetically at me, almost as though she knows and understands.

     “Take your time,” She insists, swiftly scurrying away; heels clonking against the pavement as she tries her best to catch up to the rest that are fast becoming small figures in the distance.

     My eyes latch onto the curly haired boy, trailing not far behind from the rest, his now fiancé gripping to his arm to steady herself after one too many, his arm securely wrapping around her waist in a protective manner or just for an excuse to hold her close as he leans down to give her a loving kiss.

     In that moment and watching that small action of his towards another girl, slowly, a part of me dies.