Kiwi | Harry Styles

Forty-Five

Harry

"Hey, where did you go?" I pouted once I'd found Jess chatting to Nick and Rita.

"Bathroom and then I spotted Nick, and we got talking." She grinned, wrapping her hand around mine. "Rita has been telling me all about that time you got drunk and fell off a table." Jess laughed. Figures. They loved embarrassing me.

"Jess? Could you come help me with something?" Cal yelled. She nodded and turned to me. "I'll be back in a second, yeah?"

"Can I come?" I refused to let go of her hand, holding her in place. I'd been clinging to her all day, the touch of her skin the only thing which seemed to bring me any comfort.

"He's getting set up out front." She shook her head.

"But they'll recognise you too." I protested. These days our fans were just as likely to recognise Jess as they were me.

"Maybe but I'll be back soon. Promise." She squeezed my arm before she disappeared after Cal and I rapidly began to feel adrift in a sea of people, like a ship without an anchor.

"Jesus, Harry she's only gone to help Cal, she hasn't gone off to war." Nick teased, smacking me on the shoulder.

"I know she'll be fine but I'm so fucking nervous about this performance. I feel like I might puke and she helps calm me down." 

"Yeah? Just spare us the details on what she does to calm you down, right Nick?" Rita laughed.

"Yeah and don't you dare puke on me!" Nick added.

"Ha - ha. You guys are so funny!" I pouted and glanced at the door Jessi had left through, maybe I could just quickly see if she needed a hand? I walked towards the door and was about three strides away from my goal when somebody grabbed my arm.

"Harry! There you are!" Niall pulled me in the opposite direction. "Come on, Rochelle wants to say Hi." My eyes stayed glued on the door as Niall dragged me further and further away from where I longed to be.

I'd lost track of how long I'd been standing here. Nial, Lori and Rochelle were laughing at something so I joined in with a chuckle. How long had Jess been gone now? Was it normal to take this long to set up cameras? My teeth were chewing on my knuckles and I shoved my hand in my pocket to stop the nervous habit.

"Look, I said I was fine. Now just drop it!" I heard her voice and my head whipped round to find her. She was with Matt and he didn't look very happy. I smiled once she spotted me and walked towards me but I noticed that Jess didn't look particularly happy either, she looked fed up, like when she got in after a day of dealing with the paparazzi.

"You okay?" I asked as my feet unconsciously carried me to meet her. 

"Don't you start!" She snapped. "Sorry - I didn't mean to - I'm fine. A couple of girls in the audience yelled at me, that's all." All ten of her fingers entwined themselves with mine and I could tell from the tone of her voice that wasn't all. I wanted to know what they said but Lori yelled for us to join their conversation.

"Hi, I'm Jessi." She painted on a smile as she untangled her right hand from mine and held it out towards Rochelle. 

"Rochelle, I love your dress." And this time when Jess smiled it was a genuine smile. Her and Harry had spent ages trying to find her a dress for tonight, his first picks were all far too extravagant and over the top according to Jess, she vetoed florals, puffy skirts, plunge necks and thigh slits and gave him the brief 'it has to be simple, Harry's suit is so pretty and should be the star of the show but I still want to look nice, you know?' Honestly, I don't think I'd seen Harry look more stumped but I think he pulled it off judging by how excited she was when she showed me this Dolce & Gabbana Lace fitted Midi dress. And I have to say she looked amazing, it cradled her peachy butt flawlessly.