If You Would [h.s.] HOLD

Twelve

We arrive at my work, Ramona's, for dinner. Harry stands next to me and Mak is on the other side of me. The boys all follow us and Hans takes the rear. It's a week night so we seat ourselves. I take us back to a round table towards the back so no one would bother us.

"You guys have really good burgers here." Zayne says as we sit down. I smile and nod.

"Thanks. My brother is actually the cook." I take a look at the menu. Even though I know this menu front and back, I still like to be able to see my option.

"I didn't know you had a brother?" Harry nudges me.

"Oh yeah, he's younger than me. His name is Buck. I have an older sister but we don't talk that much anymore." I respond. I'm not upset that I don't talk to Camila much anymore. She has her own fancy family. I would care more but she's such a snob around me and Buck just because she married a rich dentist.

"What about your parents? Do you talk to them?" He asks quieter that before. I look up at him and give a small side smile.

"We can talk about my family later yeah? It's probably not fun dinner talk." I suggest. He nods, understanding, and reaches his hand up to my face. I flinch away at first but catch myself. He gently pushes a piece of my hair behind my ear and smiles. We seem stuck, captivated by one another.

"Do you guys need a room?" Liam asks from the other side of the table, breaking our trance. I shift uncomfortably in my seat and heat rushes to my cheek. I hear Mak laugh under her breath and I hit her leg from under the table, but that only makes her laugh more.

"Oh fuck off Liam." Harry laughs and the whole table smiles.

"I don't think any of you want me to do that right now." He winks at me and Mak and we both roll our eyes at the same time.

"Oh my god are you serious right now Evie?" I look behind me to see Chelsea standing there with her arms crossed. She looks at the rest of the table with intimidated eyes.

"What?" I respond.

"So I take you to a concert and now you're all buddy buddy with the band? Does that seem quite fair to you? How did that even happen? Oh and hi guys." She waves slightly to them.

"Uhm, well, it's complicated. We can talk about it later okay?" I try to simmer her. Her mouth twists into a frown and she grabs her ticket book.

"Can I get you guys something to drink?" She says coldly from behind me.

The boys all shout out their drink orders, and then Mak, and finally me. I just order a sweet tea.

"She doesn't seem very happy." Harry throws out. I shrug my shoulders.

"She kind of hates us." Mak explains. The boys all look at us and place their elbows on the tables as if waiting for us to explain more.

"She overheard Mak saying we don't like her and she kind of threw a fit about it. Not a big deal." I shrug.

"Yeah, she's like, super annoying. You can't tell unless you actually spend time with her outside of work. We all went to high school together. She would follow us around like a dog and never got the social cue to leave us the hell alone." Mak goes on. I nod my head in agreement but don't say anything further. Honestly Chelsea is very nice but her lack of common sense and social awareness drives me insane.

"Gotcha. We didn't really finish high school in like- an actual school so it's hard to relate to that." Niall adds.

Chelsea comes back with our drinks and sets them down. I immediately go to take a drink and realize it's unsweetened tea. I choke on the unexpected taste.

"Hey Chelse? This is unsweetened." I politely point out. She raises her eyebrow and points to the pink sugar packets in the middle of the table.

"There's sweetener."

I sigh at her response and just decide not to fight her on it. I still feel guilty that she heard Mak that one day. I reach for a sweetener.

"Chelsea you have pre-made sweet tea here right?" Harry asks with a smile from beside me. She nods her head reluctantly.

"Well can you bring me one of those please." He raises his eyebrows, still smiling. I can see her internally roll her eyes as she turns around and disappears into the waitress station. A few seconds later she brings out a sweet tea and sets it on the side of him further from me. I groan at her childishness.

"Is there an issue Evie?" She boldly speak up. I take my tongue against my bottom teeth, trying to refrain from hurting her feelings.

"Can we have a different waitress please?" I finally say. Her eyes widen suddenly. I don't think she expected me to ask for a new waitress. But seriously. This is stupid.

"Is there something wrong with me?" She crosses her arms. The nerve of this woman.

"Actually yes. You're being incredibly unprofessional right now. I've never once been mean to you Chelsea, but you take Maks opinion and shove it down my throat too. And you're being ridiculous in front of your favorite band. Do you think being rude to me is going to help you at all? I don't want to pull this card but I'm the one sitting here with them. Not you. So yes. Please. Another waitress." The words spill from my mouth before I really have a chance to catch them. Her mouth gaps open and then snaps shut before stomping off. I feel a hand on my leg and look to see Harry's hand.

"I wasn't trying to be mean." I spit out to the whole table. I feel like I should explain myself. Harry tightens his grip on my knee.

"No we get it." He smiles at me.

"She was kind of being a bitch. I could tell it was going to get worse." Louis comforts.

"Yeah. She deserved it." Mak shrugs next to me. I curl my lips up slightly. Our new waitress, Lily walks up to us with a smile on her face.

"Can I get your guys order?"

___

The rest of dinner went by smoothly. We didn't have anymore run ins with Chelsea.

After we all got out of that place, the boys take me home. Well Hans was driving so I guess it was him but still. He pulls up outside of my apartment and as the boys look at it I suddenly feel incredibly not glorious. Mak gets out of the car first and then me. Harry follows me, just so we can walk us up to my door.

"Can you give us a second Mak?" Harry says to Mak. She winks at him and disappears inside.

"Are you good?" I ask him once she shuts the door. He nods and grabs my hand.

"Yeah. I just wanted to know if you're alright? After the whole Chelsea thing at dinner?" He asks. I smile at his polite gesture and nod.

"Yeah I'm alright. I'm sorry that whole thing had to happen in front of you guys though." I look away but I feel his fingers cupping my chin and moving my face towards his again.

"Hey don't worry about it. You totally told her off and she was being really unprofessional," he pauses, "when I brought up your parents, your face fell. Do you want to... talk about it or something? I know you said later but I just want to make sure you're alright." He tugs on my hand slightly.

"Uhm. Another time. I'm okay for tonight. It's just really complicated." I form my lips into a straight line. Me and my parents aren't on the greatest terms. I'd like to blame Randy for that but I'm the one who pushed them away. Yes it was for Randy but I did it.

Harry opens his mouth to respond but I interrupt him.

"I don't really want to talk about it anymore tonight. I'm okay. Go have fun with your boys." I smile sadly and get on my tip toes and kiss his cheek. When I pull back he looks like he wants to say something. I wait for a moment but all he says is,

"Goodnight."

I'm glad he dropped it because I didn't feel like crying tonight. I smile and open my door.

"Goodnight Harry Styles." We smile at each other and I close the door.