Cut!

Take 21 - Midnight Memories - Part 5

 A/N: Please comment as you read... <3

When I dropped down on the sand an hour later, I realized that my lies hadn’t crossed my mind while I was in the water. The feeling was definitely pleasant. To top that, I hadn’t thought of the break-in either. I’d been too consumed with just existing, playing and having fun.

I wished every day would be like that.

“What’s up, Cami?” Harry said as he dropped down beside me.

I turned my head to look at him, admiring the way droplets dripped from his curly hair, trickling over his bare chest. I shouldn’t be so taken aback by the sight—after all I’d seen I quite a few times in the last couple of days.

“Not much, just hanging.” I smiled.

“Same, same.” He gestured to the ocean where Diana was still playing ball with Zayn. “What’d you do to her?”

I shrugged. “Oh, you know. A bit of black magic work miracles.”

He snorted. “Funny.”

“Not really, but thank you for trying.” I bent my knees and leaned on top of them. “I don’t know. I guess she’s just a complex woman.”

“You don’t say…” He mimicked my position, and I looked over to admire his biceps.

“What’s next?” I asked. “I mean, after this… What are we supposed to do?”

He shrugged. “Well, at some point we have to go back to the beach house to shower and change—possibly get some food. There’s no rush, though. We still have a few hours before the night comes.”

“And then we shoot the scene, right?”

“Yep.” He picked up a stick, drawing patterns in the sand. It reminded me of the last time we sat on a beach together. The time where he’d given me the lily.

“What about after that?” I asked, trying not to think about the dang flower.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It’s Friday—we can do pretty much anything we want.”

“When are your friends coming?”

“Sunday…” Harry ran a hand through his hair. “Then we have to practice a few times before the concert. You know there’s a signing after that, right?”

I nodded. “I know.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Huh?”

He scratched his head, laughing nervously. “I mean if you could choose anything in the world.”

I sighed. “Honestly, I just want to get hammered, actually.”

Harry widened his eyes. “Hammered as in drunk?”

“Yeah.” I laughed. “I know it’s a poor choice, and it’s not the way to solve any problems. But just for one night, I’d like to get completely wasted—to forget everything.”

“I can fix that,” he said.

I laughed at his joke, but when he didn’t react, I realized he wasn’t kidding.

“Wait—are you serious? I can’t get drunk!”

“Why not?” He leaned back on his elbows, looking up at me. “What’s stopping Cami Hanson from getting her drink on?”

“Everything!”

I didn’t see it coming; he moved so fast. With one arm, he reached out and yanked me back. There was a force behind it, but it didn’t hurt and apart from the surprise, I didn’t feel cornered at all. He leaned above me, his breath tickling my neck.

“Everything?” he whispered.

The sound sent chills over my entire body. Swallowing hard, I nodded.

“I think you meant nothing.” His hand caressed the inner side of my arm. “Besides, I’d be there to take care of you. I’d stop you before it got out of hand.”

“How would you stop me?” I whispered, my mouth feeling dry.

He chuckled. “I can be very persuasive.”

“Okay…”

“Okay, you believe me? Or, okay you’ll have a drink with me?”

“I’ll have a drink with you…”

He smiled and met my eyes. “After the shoot?”

“After the shoot,” I repeated.

He placed a quick kiss on my forehead before rolling away. I was left breathless on the sand as he ran over to Zayn, who finally decided to get out of the water.

My face felt warm. It almost felt like a sunburn, but the rapid rhythm of my heartbeat convinced me that Harry had been close to me. My brain felt like mush, and I didn’t know what to expect.

I sighed and rose from the sand, brushing the dirt of my thighs. I needed another cold shower, and there was no better time than the present. Looking around, I found my bodyguard and gestured to the house. He nodded, and as I began to walk, he followed closely.

The rest of the day was spent in a sort of haze. I was both fearful, but also excited for the night to come. My biggest fear was that the alcohol would make me say something I’d end up regretting. But, on the other hand, Harry’s words kept replaying in my head. He’d take care of me. Somehow, I just knew he wouldn’t let me go too far.

Nothing else occupied my mind. The food tasted bland, and I didn’t really listen to anything the people said. I didn’t complain when make-up prepared me for my shoot, and I didn’t mind the oversized white T-shirt I was going to swim in. I remembered vaguely mentioning to Steven that I didn’t see the use of a skinny dip scene, and apparently he’d listened.

Gosh, it seemed like years ago. So much had happened in so little time. I stared into the reflection as a stylist fixed my hair.

What did it mean when you looked into a mirror without recognizing yourself?

I didn’t know, and part of me, didn’t care either. I liked the place I was at right now, it made me somewhat happy. Of course, the circumstances were far from ideal, but I could live with it.

I smiled at my reflection. I had Diana’s blessing to pursue Harry. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all? Maybe the lies didn’t even mean anything.

Harry knew about contracts, and how there was nothing you could do about them. He’d understand, right?

I shook my head. I didn’t know why my thoughts formed questions. It wasn’t like some Alien from Jupiter was watching me or anything. There was no one to answer my questions here. I was alone.

I looked into my own eyes. It was true: I was alone in every possible way. Overseas, no friends, no family, no one who actually knew who I was.

But one thing I knew was that tonight I’d make some sweet midnight memories.

Because I deserved that.

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