My Lucky Charm

Chapter Fifteen:Astrid-London

“Come on, let’s play a game.” Anne suggested. I knew what she was thinking.”Oh! No! No! No! I’m not playing any games with you. I’ve learned my lesson.” I refused. We were at the locker room dressing up after we finished our classes for the day. Tomorrow it was the first day of practicing with One Direction.

“Come on! Please! The one who loses buys coffee at Starbucks.” She insisted. I sighed. She was my best friend when I couldn’t resist her puppy eyes. “Okay.” I agreed knowing that I will regret afterwards. “Let’s play the questioning game.” She suggested. I knew this game and I really wasn’t good at it. It was a game that Anne had invented to make me give her information. I always lost at the game. “Oh! No! No! I’m not playing this game. I always lose.” I refused. “When you agreed you didn’t asked what game I wanted to play.” She replied mischievously. The game was simple. The one was asked the most questions wins and she always manages to ask me a lot of questions. “Okay.” I agreed knowing that I was going to buy her a coffee later.

“What happened on Saturday with you and Harry?” she asked. I knew she was going to get straight to the point. I hadn’t told her what happened because I hadn’t been given a chance to but I knew she won’t let me go until I answered her all her questions. “Nothing happened.” I lied trying to delay the inevitable. “Don’t ‘nothing me. I know when you try to hide something from me so spill it out.” She said. “I’ve already told you. Nothing happened. He was just drunk.” I said. “Just so you know you’ve already lost. So just answer the question. I’m dying right here. Tell me please.” She pressed. The rules of the game: Anne decided who wins and who loses. That’s why I always lose. “Okay. He sort of kissed me. Happy now?” I said. “What do mean sort of?” she asked. “Well he just leaned in and kissed me” I said. I was really uncomfortable talking about it since I haven’t figure out what to do about it. “I knew it. I knew it. I could see it on your face when you brought him at the coach. And did you do?” she asked expectantly.

“No! No! It’s my turn now. What did you and Harry talk about when I was dancing with John?” I asked. “Mostly about you and R.A.D.” she answered quickly.” What did you do after he kissed you?” she asked abruptly. “I pushed him away. He was too drunk to understand what he was doing.” I explained. “Come on, Astrid, why you did that! I would give up everything to kiss Niall!” She said daydreaming about it probably. Since Saturday she hadn’t stopped talking about Niall. I rolled my eyes. She was so star struck. “Because it was wrong and I didn’t want to get involved with him like that. We are going to work them. I trust me speaking from personal experience don’t confuse personal life with work. Bad things happen when you do.” I said. Trying to convince her to think reasonably. “You’re thinking about Alex, right?” she asked. I just nodded. Alex is her partner and my former one/ ex-boyfriend. 

Even though John and I met at the auditions we didn’t became partners right for the beginning.  My first partner was Alexander or Alex for short. I fell in love with him right from the start and for a while I thought this could actually work out. The whole dating-while-working-together thing. But it didn’t. Our relationship ended pretty badly and I couldn’t work with him anymore that’s why John became my partner. Alex was Anne’s partner now. I missed him though. I wasn’t in love with him anymore but I really missed his company. Unfortunately we can’t be in the same room with each other and now find a reason to fight. We’re better off without each other anyway. “How’s Alex by the way?” I asked. “Same.” She replied indifferently.

“It’s okay if don’t want to date him. I understand that you don’t like him that way. It’s obvious in your face. But answer me one thing: was he a good kisser?” she asked hungry for details. I decided to tell her the truth because if I tried to escape the question she wouldn’t let to rest until I tell her. It’s hard to avoid Anne’s inquisition. “Well. This time wasn’t as good as the previous time. He was really drunk.” I said as honestly as I could. “Wait, is there a previous time? Had he kissed you again? A. when? And B. why is this the first time that I hear about it?” she said a little offended. I realized that I had just put my foot in my mouth. I had forgotten that I hadn’t told her about that kiss at Elena’s party. I took a breath and start explaining:”Well, remember when I crushed Elena’s party?” She nodded. “Like I could ever forget. John told me that you’re very lucky because you didn’t get caught.” She replied. “Well, because that’s what I told him. The truth Elena saw at her part and called the security. As I try to run from them I ended up hiding in men’s restroom. Then Harry came in and he saw me and I don’t know how it happened but we ended up making out in the counter of the restrooms until we were interrupted by Liam, who came looking for him.” I said.

We left the locker room and we headed to the exit of the building.”And I’m asking again. Why am I hearing about this now?” she pressed on. “Because I didn’t think that anyone would believe if I told them about it.” I explained.”That’s explains it then.” she said. “Explained what?” I asked curiously. “The fact that he could take his eyes of off you. He is totally into you.” She said. “He is not.” I disagreed. There is no way Harry Styles would ever like me that way. She was too star stuck and I liked that about her. She is so optimistic all the time. “He is. He just doesn’t know it yet. And he is not the only one.” She said winking at me. I didn’t understand what she was saying when a hand grabbed and gave a twist around myself and then let me go. I turned to see that it was john who winked at me. “See you tomorrow, Star.” He said and walked away. “See you soon.” I said to him. He walked away with Alex heading to the cafeteria. I stared at them for a bit.

Anne cleared her throat. I turned my attention back to her as we walked to exit. Anne opened the door letting me pass first and then turned so she could look at me in the eyes. “He is into you.” She said. “Who?” I asked a little distracted. “John, of course.” she said in a tone like she was stating the odviously. “No.” I said disagreeing. “Yes.” She insisted. “Well, whatever he feels I don’t care because I only see him as my friend. I don’t want to complicate things with him.” I stated. “Well, you can always follow my advice. Or my mother’s advice.” She suggested. “And what’s the advice that your mother gave you?” I asked. I felt that she was going to tell something really funny and she started singing. “Mamma told me not to waste my life/She said spread your wings my little butterfly/Don't let what they say keep you up at night/And if they give you shhhh../Then they can walk on by” I burst out laughing as we walked out towards the parking lot to her car.

“So will we go at Starbucks? I think I lost in the game.” I said. Once we were inside her car. “Oh! My dear Star, you had lost before we even started playing.” She said and laughed at me.”You’re like an open book to me, Astrid. Never forget that.” She said and we laughed because she was so right.

She was right about many things in my life. Things that I didn’t understand how she could be right about. Like the fact that she had warned me about Alex before we even started dating. And that thing she had said about Harry. She couldn’t be possibly be right that.  No one is right about everything, right? Because we all make mistakes, right?