faking it [h.s. short story]

faking it | part three

I look around uncomfortably as we wait for venue staff to come pick us up.
"Can't believe he's playing in the fucking Madison Square Garden and we're his VIP guests. Like, how? This is gonna be the coolest story to tell my children. He's so young and yet so successful." Aliyah rambles while I check my phone to see if I have any texts from Sarah or Mitch. Instead, a text from Charlie surprises me.

C: "heard you were seeing harry tonight. thought you've broken up."

I sigh, this is the last conversation I want to engage in right now. I lock my phone and put it into my back pocket. It's funny how I'd die if I received a text from Charlie a couple months ago, and now I'm simply ignoring him. But whatever, I'm being ignored too. In fact, I spent two beautiful, healthy and young years of my life loving him platonically just for him to realize he likes me after I start dating Harry. I mean, fake dating Harry.

Two people with ID cards hanging from their necks approaches us, and I notice there was a man behind them walking to us. I quickly realize it's Jeffrey Azoff, Harry's manager and good friend.

"Jeff, oh my god! It's so good to see you," I scream as I hug him tightly. Finally a familiar face, my social anxiety was going to kill me!

"Hey, Layla, what's up? Is this lovely girl your guest?" He asks, pointing his head to Ali.

"Yeah, sir, I'm Aliyah." They smile and shake hands. I love Jeff, he's a great guy and one of the best friends of Harry. They don't just work together, they hang out a lot and go to trips together, they even have some inside jokes that we can't understand. I saw Harry a couple of times in a white t-shirt that says "Who is Jeff Azoff and why is he saying those terrible things about Rob Stringer", Rob Stringer being the CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. They legit took their time to make that shirt. It's fucking hilarious to me.

"Okay, ladies, this way." the blonde girl with staff ID says and we follow her inside. Soon after we found our seats, Jeffrey leaves us to check on Harry and the band.

After waiting for one hour and watching Jenny Lewis' killer performance as opening act, finally Harry appears on the stage, accompanied with the loudest applause I've ever heard. I feel my eyes burn from the bitterness of my tears as soon as I see him in his floral pink, tweedy blazer with sparkles on it. Probably Saint Laurent or Gucci. He looks breathtaking, I slowly wipe my tears with the tip of my pointer finger, my gaze doesn't leave him even for a second. I wonder if he knows I'm here. Maybe he doesn't even want me here but Sarah wanted us to see each other. She could easily arrange two tickets for me without telling Harry, so he probably doesn't know I'm here. But suddenly Harry looks up to the balcony, directly to our seats and our eyes meet. I feel like he's staring into my soul.

"He's looking here!" Ali shouts excitedly.

"Yeah, I saw it," I mumble but she's doesn't hear because of the noise. I don't turn my eyes away, I keep looking at him and he keeps looking at me too until it turns into a fucking staring contest. Then he gives up and turns his head, starts to singing "Golden".

It's one of my favorite songs in the album and I'm surprised at the way my heart drops when I hear him sing it. His voice is deep and smooth, when it intertwines with the gorgeous back vocal of Ny -a lovely girl from his band that I've never had the chance to meet- they create the perfect harmony and it blesses my ears. He looks happy, in general. I don't know him that much to pinpoint his emotions but I can say that he isn't sad, if anything, he looks more joyful each time he opens his eyes and glances over the crowd. Good. I want him to be happy. But why am I even here? A sudden urge to get up and leave the concert takes all over my body, but I don't want to leave Ali alone so I stay, burying myself in my chair.