Perspective || Harry Styles

22~ Shopping Trips

"Where are we going?" Harry questioned, pouting over the fact that we were even doing this.

"I don't know. Where would you like to go, sweetheart?"

He rolled his eyes and we clasped our hands together.

When we made the decision to go on a "date day" for publicity's sake, I never knew it would be this difficult. We barely managed the dinner the night before, and surely we were insane for thinking we could pull this off as well.

"You're the New Yorker in this relationship," he pointed out.

"Technically, you are. How about I take you down to Times Square for a little shopping trip babe? We can go into all your favorite stores, and don't you worry about a thing darling. I'll pay!" I smiled.

"Spending all my money," I heard him mumble.

"Oh please, you have plenty. And I need some new clothes."

After a trip on the subway, we found ourselves in my least favorite location among all of New York. Though I have to admit, the stores were massive.

I was stopped numerous times trying to walk down the street, and I watched Harry's smug expression as I took pictures with every fan I could. It made it that much slower for us to reach the four-story Forever 21.

"I can't believe I agreed to this. You're going to make me try all this shit on, aren't you?" he grumbled as I quietly told him what to take off the racks. I figured it would look odd if I did so myself. He already had a large collection of clothes in his arms.

"That's the fun of shopping," I grinned.

"Yeah. Fun."

"Hey, I don't get to do this much. I'm jobless. I promise I won't buy a lot, okay? We'll be here an hour tops, and then we can do something you want to do."

He smiled. "We have a deal."

Harry put on a happy face for the crowds of people until we reached the dressing room. At that point, his facade dissolved and he let his irritation show.

"These jeans are too tight," he complained.

"They can't be tighter than the jeans I have on."

"Shut up."

I bit my lip to suppress my laughter.

"Let me see," I said. He pushed the curtain aside and showed me the jeans. "Those are cute."

"Yeah, if you like having no room to breathe."

I rolled my eyes and closed the curtain.

He came out a moment later wearing a white dress, still complaining.

"It's too thin."

"What? No it's not. I like it," I defended.

"Are you kidding me? It's practically transparent. Any guy could see your business through this thing. And look how short it is."

"That's not true. It looks fine."

"You're not actually buying this thing, are you?"

"I'm planning to, yes."

"Well, I say no."

"Really now?"

"Yes. It's too revealing, and I won't have my fake girlfriend prancing around and drawing in the eyes of every guy on the block."

"That's not your decision to make," I said, my own irritation beginning. Thankfully no one else was in this section of dressing rooms to hear us arguing.

"And you didn't have a problem with the red dress that you defiantly sported around at that party," I continued.

"That was different. It was the only party dress you owned. I had no choice."

"That's bullshit, Harry. I don't even see why you care! You said yourself that this relationship is all for show. We both know that as soon as things go back to normal, it's going to end."

I got an uneasy feeling in my gut as I said the words aloud. I secretly hoped that I would get to see the boys again after all this was over. I'd created great friendships with all of them, even if most of them didn't know it.

"It's my money," he shot back. He had a point I couldn't argue with. I already felt slightly guilty about this shopping trip in the first place.

"I won't get it," I gave in, clearly unhappy.

Without another word, Harry disappeared behind the curtain again.

We spent three hours in Forever 21, but he didn't seem wildly unhappy that I had disregarded our deal. I think he had fun after our little dispute, though he'd never admit it.

We left the store with about three bags of clothes. I was more than satisfied, and Harry didn't even care that I had just basically bought myself a new wardrobe. I couldn't wait to return to my own body so I could actually wear them.

The paparazzi were waiting for us as soon as we exited the exceedingly large store. Harry and I put on our best smiles and acted as happy as a couple could be, though it wasn't nearly as forced as it was before.

We decided that shopping would have to cease for the day, and I offered for him to pick the next location.

"That was exhausting," he said. "I just want to relax."

So, we managed to lose the paparazzi as we found our way to the same cafe I took Louis to on our sightseeing expedition, but we could both assume they would catch up with us again soon.

"This place is nice," he said after I ordered us both some coffee.

"Yeah," I agreed, smiling. "Sometimes I come here with my laptop to write."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I questioned why I said them.

"Yeah?"

"Here," I ignored him, shoving a coffee in his direction.

"Thanks."

We found seats around the same place Louis and I had before. I was sort of glad that Harry wasn't into a tour of the city as Louis was. I didn't have it in me to do it all over again.

"So," he began our conversation. "We never did come up with any theories as to how this happened."

"Honestly, I think it's all a little too weird for me. Thinking about it just gives me the creeps. You do realize this is literally impossible, right?"

"Of course I do. I'm glad to hear we're on the same page. But it has to be something, right? Remember that note with the freaky message we got when all this started?"

"Maybe it's God or some superior being or just the friggin universe conspiring against us."

"Or maybe it's all happening for a decent reason."

"I wonder how long it'll go on for," I said, more to myself than to him.

"What if..."

"What?" I pressed for him to continue. He looked uncomfortable with whatever he was about to say, and I had to know what it was that caused the uneasy expression on his face.

"What if it never ends?"

We sat in pensive silence for a bit while his words played over in my mind, the concept sinking in for us both.

It could've been a logical possibility for all we knew. Nothing was unrealistic to us at that point. We could very well be stuck like this forever, and still we had no idea what was to come.

AUTHORS NOTE

alright so idek how long this chapter is, but its something :) i hope you enjoyed it and sorry if it sucks or i missed a typo (I'm writing on my phone) thanks for reading!!! love you! x