Gotta Be You

Hope's POV

After Lilly left I don’t know what to do. Should I go and hang out with Liam and Harry? Or should I just stay home? In the long run I feel pretty confused about last night. What exactly happened when Harry and I kissed? I grin to myself thinking about the fact that I kissed not one but TWO guys from one direction.

Finally I decide just to go and tan on the patio but Mary has other ideas, “So what was this party like?” She asks.

“Please don’t tell my dad!” I burst out running up to her, “You know he would kill me if he found out.”

“Relax Hope, it’s cool.”

I sigh in relief, “Thanks Mary, I owe you.”

She laughs, “So which one is your favorite?”

I look at her, “I don’t know, I mean I thought I liked Liam but Harry is really cute but I just…” I take a deep breath, “I just don’t know.”

She nods understandingly, “Well, we have groceries so if you want to make anything you can, I’m going to go upstairs and unpack all my things, I left so quickly yesterday I completely forgot to unpack.” She says as she walks upstairs.

“Have fun!” I holler after her, glad that I finally get to go outside.

I stretch out on the comfy lawn chair and plug in my earphones. As soon as I press play I realize that I’m listening to Harry singing ‘I Want’.

It’s my favorite One Direction song and I can’t help but to hum along.

“HOPE!” Harry’s familiar voice calls. I unplug my earphones and sit up.

“Hey,” I say quietly staring at his bare feet, not noticing that he was only wearing swimming trunks.

“Do you want to go swimming?” He simply asks.

On the outside I stay very quiet and just say, “Sure.”

We walked inside silently and then I left him in the kitchen to go and get changed. When I made it into my room I had half of a mind to just stay there. I don’t want a relationship. Sure, I’ve never had a boyfriend but I’ve watched enough chickflicks to know that they don’t last. Last night… I don’t even know, and I don’t know what to say or what to do.

Finally I decide that we’re going to just be friends and I put on my Navy Blue bikini and grab a towel. I walk back downstairs wrapping my self up in the towel. I grab my brown rainbows by the front door and slide them on as I reach Harry in the kitchen.

We walk back to his house, “Where is everybody?” I ask because it was so quiet.

“Louis and Niall are with Lilly and Liam and Zayn went to town, they asked me if I wanted to come but I told them I had other plans.” He looked directly at me when he said that last bit and I blushed. “Friends!” I reminded myself quietly as we walked through the house to the patio with the pool.

One Direction’s One Thing playing quietly in the background, they’re kinda obsessed with their own music but I don’t blame them, I like their music too.

I sit down on one of the lounge chairs, refusing to remove my towel. He looks at me funny and then sits down beside me.

We sit there silently before he says, “So tell me about yourself.”

“Um, I live in The U.S. and I just graduated high school,” I answer honestly.

“So you’re eighteen?” He guesses.

I shake my head, “Seventeen until July.”

He nodds, “Continue.”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend,” I felt compelled to say, and only after I said it that I realized it made me sound desperate…

“Never?” He asked, surprised.

I grinned and shook my head with pride, “Never.” I just don’t know why I was so proud of that, then I answered myself, “I’m not the kind of girl who’s just going to date guys without looking towards the future, I find it pointless, because all you get is your heartbroken.”

He thought for a second before responding, “That’s true.” He answered simply.

“Of course,” I added, “You’ve probably never thought like that.”

He looks at me offensively, “What do you mean?”

I shrug, “Well, if you never broke a heart, how would you be able to sing about it? Plus, Lilly told me about that girl you dated last year…” I admit.

Harry groans, “You know about Caroline?”

I grin, “Harry let’s face it, everyone knows about Caroline.”

“I know I was crazy, but I had a thing for older women and I don’t know…”

I feel the sun heating my skin so I modestly remove my towel and walk over to the pool steps. I take the first step and stop, letting my feet soak in the cool water. I sigh happily and then take another step deeper. I finally allow myself to look at Harry who was staring at me.

“You coming?” I ask, oblivious.

He nods and stands up. He smiles at me cheekily as he steps in right next to me. I look at him oddly and then go down another step he automatically follows me. I finally walk down the last two steps and wad through the water, slowly going deeper and deeper. When it hits my ribcage I stop and look at Harry who is still on the steps.

He smiles at me and walks in as deep as I am. Then he gently grabs my wrist and plays with my bracelets.

“What’s this?” He asks.

“A bracelet?” I answer.

He glares at me, “I know but what does it mean?”

“Uh, my friend made it for me.” I guess.

He nods and continues to play with it. I awkwardly pull my hand away and plung under. When I get back up I splash him.

“Hey!” He complains.

I smile and splash him again. “You’ll regret that.” He jokes as he dives under and grabs my waist.

As he stands up, he slings me over his shoulder, “Harry!” I scream pounding on his back, “Let me go!”

“Not until you apologize.” I couldn’t see his face but I imagine he was grinning.

“Fine, I’m sorry.” I yell.

He shakes his head, his wet hair tickling my stomach; I jerk and laugh, “That tickles!” I complain.

“Really?” He asks, doing it again.

“Harry Styles! Let me go!”

“Okay.” He says removing his arms, letting me fall off his shoulder and go face first into the water.

When I come up I discreetly keep a mouthful of water then I slowly move towards him until his face was right in front of mine, then I spit it all on his face.

He grimaces at me and I smile. “Your welcome.” I joke before going back under.

The next hour or so went just like that, we joked and splashed each other. I decided that I was glad that we’re just going to be friends, this would only end badly if we decided to date and I refuse to do that.

Finally, after we were both out of breath and our stomachs were so sore from laughing, we got out.

“Want a drink?” He asks after we dry off.

I think about it and I realize that I’m really thirsty. “Yes please,” I say still out of breath.

“What do you want?” He asks.

“What do you got?” I mimic.

“Soda.” He answers.

“What kind?” I ask.

“I’m not you waiter.” He jokes walking over to me.

“Why not?” I play along.

He opens his mouth but nothing comes out, I smirk and walk past him to the fridge. I grab a purple Fanta and open it.

“Thirsty?” He teases after I’ve chugged about half of it.

I laugh sheepishly, “Yeah.” I set the can down on the counter as he walks up to me. He sets both of his hands on both sides of the counter around me, trapping me.

“What do you want to do now?” He asks seductively, bringing his face closer to mine.

“Um,” I say awkwardly, trying to stretch my neck out and pull my head away.

I guess I’ve realized that as long as he’s my friend, I’m cool but as soon at he plays that flirty card I act crazy and don’t know what to do.

Thankfully, he realizes my discomfort and walks away. I smile and sigh with relief, “You look pale,” I tease, “Maybe we should go tan.”

He laughs walking back out to the patio. He is really cute but… I can’t, I just don’t want to get hurt, and summer romances never last.

I grab my soda and walk back out to join him on the patio. More One Direction was now blasting through the speakers and I looked at Harry laying down on one of the lounge chairs. I set my drink down and lay down on the chair next to him.

“Well,” I start.

“Well what?” He mumbles, his eyes still closed.

“Well,” I start again, “Tell me about you.”

“Not now I like this song.” He says as the edges of his mouth curled up into a smile.

“Harry Styles!” I yell, making him jump.

He sits up and looks at me. I smile and cross my arms with satisfaction.

“You know what I’ve realized?” He asks.

“What?”

“I don’t know your last name.” He confesses.

I nod, “Oh yeah. Well, hello nice to meet you, my name is Hope Edwards.”