the girls of the boys

flash from the past: coming home

Kirsten's hand dived greedily into the Doritos's bag as the orange nacho cheese stained her finger and the corners of her mouth. She rolled her eyes as she flipped past Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She nearly fell off her arm chair as she flipped her phone over with such speed as it buzzed, she almost missed the call.

"Hello?" She asked as she tried to quietly recover from nearly throwing herself from her perch.

"Hey bitch, what are you doing?" I asked bubbling into the phone.

"Sitting on my chair," she said surveying her surroundings since she wanted to give and accurate report, "eating Doritos, and watching . . . Kardashians?" She said with hesitance as she paused her channel surf.

"Well stop, we need to see you, and wear something decent" I rolled my eyes and promptly hung up before she could protest. Becca gave me a huge smile and stepped on the gas a bit more. I thumbed a message to Kirsten.

Me: Be at yours in 10, BE READY AND LOOK NICE.

I switched off my phone and looked at the road with a grin on my face. I turned around and smiled at Harry. He gave me an eyebrow raise and a sheepish grin. He scratched his curls and tightened his grip on the pink peonies in his hand.

"Think she'll say yes?" He asked, sounding like a lost child looking for his mother.

"Uh yes?" Becca said with annoyance, suppressing her urge to flick him off for his hesitance. Of course she would say yes to Harry, he was her idol and she had been crushing hardcore after they finally met at surprise drawing for backstage passes at her fourth concert.

Harry nervously tugged at his collar and sat back against the seats. He wiped his hands on his jeans alternating hands for holding the flowers.

We pulled into her studio flat and Becca shut off her truck. Harry hopped out of the side and continually wiped his hands on his jeans in alternating fashion as he walked up to her door. His hand lingered before knocking and he turned to Becca and I.

"JUST FUCKING DO IT" Becca yelled impatiently. Harry gave her a crooked grin and turned around to face the door. His hand made three hollow knocks on the door and waited with his flowers outstretched.

"Hell- Oh my god" Kirsten said, blushing a deep shade of pink.

"Will you let me take you to your homecoming?" Harry asked offering a smile that featured his bottom teeth.

"Yes! Oh my god" She smiled and threw her arms around his neck from the pirch. He caught her and hugged her tightly. He turned his head so he faced the side of her face. He planted a kiss on her cheek and gave her another squeeze.

---

"Can we watch something else?" Kirsten complained from the love seat where her legs were lazily draped over Harry's sweatpants that hung loosely from his hips.

"Yeah mate, this is a snooze fest" Harry said dropping his head back on the couch as he watched down his nose at the soccer match.

"No" Louis said adamantly giving Harry a cutting glare. Harry drew his hands up in surrender as he turned his head towards Kirsten.

"Are you at least watching?" Louis asked, turning to me. I guiltily put down my phone and looked him in the eyes, nodding. "Can you please, just watch this match?" He asked with a strained voice. I touched his cheek with my hand and gave a deep sigh. I turned my attention to the screen where Doncaster was beating their opponents pretty bad.

"Wait, watch!" Louis said urgently, repeatedly hitting my arm.

"Oh my lanta, calm dow-" I stopped mid sentence as they news camera was brought over the Doncaster bench and Louis' former teammates were holding up signs.

"What the fuck?" Harry asked slowly sitting up as they assembled the signs.

LOUIS WANTS TO KNOW, the first read in big block font

IF HE CAN TAKE YOU, the second said.

TO HOMECOMING? The third yelled and I felt my hands coming up to cover my gaping mouth. Louis was beaming and Harry was even impressed while looking at the screen, Kirsten smiled at me and nodded enthusiastically.

"So?" He asked biting his lower lip slightly.

"Definitely," I said, my heart felt like it could burst . . . in the best way possible.

---

"So I don't show very many people this . . ." Zayn faltered slightly and looked at Becca who kept her gaze locked on him, "and you can only look at the ones I show you, is that okay?" Zayn asked vaguely.

"Yes of course," Becca said sincerely as she followed him by hand into the small but comfortable room filled with paints and sheets to catch dripping paint. The walls were bursting with color and pictures of all shapes and sizes.

"So," Zayn said, interrupting her thoughts, "This was the dog that we saw in the park when we were taking a walk the other week." Zayn pointed to a black figure that had ears, eyes, and a red tongue hanging from his mouth.

"This was a mural I did after we first hungout, well, went on our first date," He blushed and gestured towards a piece that had many yellows, reds, and pinks. The shapes were abstract but she could make out two people like shapes that were walking into the painting.

"And this was you as a Marvel superhero," He said pointing just above her head at a busty, skinny, tall, dressed in red superhero who's hair was curly and piled on top of her head with a bandana as her headgear.

"Zayn, I . . . it's beautiful, I love her," she smiled at him and he grinned, satisfied with his work.

"I have one more to show you . . . but you have to close your eyes." Zayn said steadily as he held her hands in his large warm ones. He brought them to her eyes and gently kept them covered as he lead her by her back to a part of the room where she hadn't noticed.

"Open your eyes" Zayn whispered into her ear and kept his head near hers as he watched her react.

WILL YOU DO ME THE HONOR OF TAKING MY SUPERHERO TO HER HOMECOMING?

It was written in black spray paint and the can lay discarded next to it. A few brightly colored flowers burst from the proposal. Zayn turned his head to look at her. She smiled and bit her lower lip before turning her head to face Zayn and made the connection to her lips. She smiled into the kiss and Zayn pulled her towards him in warm embrace all while their lips stayed locked.