Gotta Be You

Hope's POV

“AHHH!” Carly yells falling off Zayn’s shoulders for the fifth time in a row.

“Had enough yet?” Louis jokes.

I crack a smile as I hear them in the background but I patiently try to focus on Natalie. She’s pretty and nice but the girl has like no personality. I caught myself zoning out on many occasions. Liam and McKenna were standing very closely in the corner and talking. Shoot, I did it again.

“I love to bake.” I faintly hear Natalie say.

“Me too. I’ve always wanted to open a bakery.” I confess glad to finally find something that we had in common.

“Oh really?” She asks, “You know Harry worked in a bakery.”

“Really?” I ask glancing at him; it takes me awhile to realize that he was staring right at me. I blush and I see Natalie smile.

“You guys are really cute together.” She admits. “Oh look he’s coming over here.” Sure enough, he’s smiling at me criminally as he walks over to us.

“Hey babe.” He says, roughly grabbing me and faking a kiss. I sit there for a moment in a daze. He takes that time to flip over my floatie and I land in the cool water.

“Harry!” I yell, coming up spluttering and spitting out chlorine.

“Uh Oh.” He says with a smile on his face. I lunge forward but he’s too fast. He dives under the water and quickly swims to the other side of the pool. I dive after him, finally catching him in a corner.

His look of worry turns into a grin again as he asks, “What are you going to do now?”

“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do know.” I say seductively wrapping my arms around his neck, tricking him. He closes his eyes and waits for me to kiss him. Instead I put both of my hands on his shoulders and push him under. I quickly swim away, triumphant.

“Well, now that you drowned my partner.” Niall jokes, “Will you play?”

“Sure.” I answer with a smile, walking over to him but Harry isn’t finished. He comes up from behind me and picks me up bridal style.

“Sorry Niall.” Harry says with a smirk, “But she’s not playing anything but Colors.”

“Alright.” I say gently, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I’m waiting,” He answers.

“Orange?” I guess. He dunks me. “Purple?” He dunks me again. “Blue.” He kisses me, and then flips me.

“Harry!” I scream, coming back up. He smiles at me, “Ugh, I’m getting out.”

“No Hope!” He calls, “Come back here.”

I smirk and turn around, “Only if you’ll help me beat Louis and Lilly.”

“It’s on!” Lilly calls.

“Oh Hope.” Harry jokes as I climb onto his shoulders.

“Shut up!” I answer. I grab Lilly’s arms as we awkwardly teeter on our boyfriend’s shoulders. Finally I pulled off her but she takes me down with her. We come up coughing and laughing, “Tie.” We agree and decide to get out. After wrapping myself up in a towel I look around and take in my surroundings. Zayn and Carly were making out in a corner of the pool; Liam and McKenna were doing the exact opposite, taking it slow and just talking as they dipped their feet in the water. Niall was softly splashing Natalie as she laughed, making Niall smile. They’re so cute.

“This is so surreal.” I tell Lilly but she isn’t sitting beside me anymore. In fact, I can see her through the kitchen window with Louis doing the same thing as Carly and Zayn.

“What is?” Harry asks from behind me.

“Um,” I pause acknowledging the fact that he’s shirtless for the first time, “Can we go back to sitting on the blanket?” I ask, changing the subject.

He smiles. “Sure.”

Soon enough we were all sitting on the blanket and Niall brought out his guitar again. We sat there and sang for a bit but then Louis got up with a smirk on his face and ran inside.

“Ohhhhhh.” We all mocked as Louis brought out the soccer ball.

“Wanna play?” He tempted Harry. He looked at me as if he were asking for permission.

I shrugged, “Go ahead.”

For the next hour or so the boys had an all out game of soccer. Louis and Harry started out but Liam and Zayn were soon to follow. Finally Niall put down his guitar and decided he wanted to play too so McKenna being the soccer star joined Liam and Harry’s team to make it even. I smiled and tried to stay cheerful but I was seriously worried about what was going to happen next. I have a problem with overthinking things when they get too serious, maybe that’s why I’ve never had a boyfriend. I mentally shake my head, no I’ve never had a boyfriend because no guy has ever liked me before. No guy that is, before Harry.

“Yeah babe!” Lilly called to Louis who just made a miraculous save. I was staring at the ground but in the corner of my eye I saw Harry looking at me as if I should do the same. Finally, someone scored. McKenna got the ball past the infamous Louis and Harry cheered, picked her up and spun her around. Much like what he did to me --I checked my watch-- almost two hours ago. I pang of guilt ran through my mind and I rolled my eyes. Then I looked at McKenna who was wrapped in Liam’s arms. Zayn was kissing Carly again and Louis and Lilly were smiling at each other.

“I’m such a loser.” I muttered. Realizing that I’m sitting on a blanket alone as my friends are flirting with --in my opinion-- the hottest guys in the world.

The next ten minutes went by so swiftly that it was mostly a blur. All I remember that Niall and Natalie went back inside. Liam and McKenna, holding hands, walked over to the porch swing and sat and talked, obviously taking things slow. Comically, Zayn and Carly were doing the exact opposite, making out in the woods where they think I couldn’t see them. Louis and Lilly, --who no doubt have chemistry-- were laughing about something and then kissing, then laughing again. After going over everyone in my head I realized someone was missing...

“Hey love.” He said from behind me. I jumped and I heard him chuckle.

I took a deep breath, and tried to think of what to say. Should I tell him what’s on my mind? Should I try to act cool? Should I be honest? Is it too soon? I just sighed, this is what I get for getting wrapped up with an international superstar. I guess I was too late to answer because he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Um,” I paused.

“Are you okay?” He asked, feeling my forehead. “You seem warm.”

No, I feel fine, how are you? I had enough answers running through my head but all that came out is, “Uh.”

He smiled and took my hand gently pulling me up, “C’mon.” He said.

“You guys!” He called, making my head pulse. I pressed my fingers to my temple and groaned. He kissed my forehead, “Sorry.” He whispered into my ear.

“It’s okay. I’m okay.” I mumbled, he didn’t hear me.

“Hey Zayn!” Louis called walking past them. They pulled apart quickly from the make out session and walked over. Carly’s face was flushed pink and Zayn had a crazy smile on his face.

“You okay?” McKenna asked, worried. She’s always so caring.

I keep my head down and just nod. Like Harry, McKenna felt my forehead and nods, “Yup, she has a fever.”

“We should take her home.” Lilly says, seriously disappointed.

“No.” I mumble. They all move forward trying to hear me. My eyesight gets fuzzy and I groan, blacking out. I wake up two inches from Harry’s face. “How long?” I automatically asked.

Apparently it was a mere whisper because no one else heard it. “Just a few seconds love.” He whispered back.

“I’m sorry.” I groan talking louder and trying to stand up on my own. I walk forward a few inches to check my balance; it seems okay so I say, “I’m going to bed. See you guys later.” Then I turn, walk off the patio and into the house. Lilly and Harry both follow behind quietly arguing.

“No I’ll take her.” Lilly’s unmistakable voice argues.

“It’s fine.” Harry said.

Lilly sighs, defeated, “You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” He answers strongly. I sigh and stop at the door, waiting for him to catch up with me. He slides his soft hand into mine and we quietly walk back to my house.

I trudge up the stairs, walk into my room and clumsily fling myself onto the bed. Harry silently comes in after with a glass of water and some pills. “For your fever.” He tells me handing them to me. I drink them quietly and lay down. “Hot or Cold?” He whispers into my ear. His cool hand on my shoulder makes me shiver and I hear him laugh a little. “That’s what I was hoping.” He says as he lies down in the bed next to me wrapping his arms around my chest. Even though I felt sickly and tired, I was in the bed with the cutest guy in the world. I smiled to myself as I realized how bad that sounds. But before I could think more about it I was asleep.

The next morning came a lot harder than I thought. Wrapped up in Harry’s hot arms I felt like I was going to die of heat stroke. I wanted to get up and stick my head in the freezer but he looked too peaceful to be awoken.

I looked at the --expected to be closed-- door to find it be wide open with four faces poking in and staring at me. I smiled and as gently as I could, slid out of Harry’s arms. Luckily I didn’t wake him and met my friends at the door.

“Hope...” Mary warns.

“She has a fever.” Lilly explains feeling my forehead. Mary does the same and nods.

“Alright I trust you… so tell me what happened last night?” She said turning from a responsible chaperon to just one of the girls.

I shook my head, “Water.” I whispered, my throat dry. We walked downstairs, the kitchen radio playing quietly. I grabbed a cup out of the cupboard and filled it with tap water. Then I chugged it back. “So what happened?” Carly broke the silence by asking.

“Not much.” I answered, “We got home. I went to bed. He gave me drugs, and joined me.”

I laughed tiredly at Mary’s astonished expression, “For the fever.” I explained, then I turned to Carly, “So what happened with you guys? You and Zayn seemed to be having a pretty good time.” I smirked.

She giggled, “He is the most amazing guy I have ever met.”

Lilly sighed, “Aren’t they all?”

“Sure but Liam’s the best.” McKenna says crossing her arms.

I smile, “I was falling for him at first too.” I confessed, “But then I realized that Harry is so much better.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. “Hope!” Harry calls from upstairs.

“He’s coming!” Carly squeals.

“What do we do?” McKenna asks.

“Hide!” Lilly whispers running into the computer room, they all follow. I don’t want to be alone with him.

“You guys!” I complain, “Come back!”

It was too late. They were gone and Harry was walking down the stairs. “You had me worried there, I thought you ran out on me.”

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion, “Why would I do that?”

“That is what happened with my old girlfriend.”

“Ah,” I say looking away.

He groans, “No I didn’t mean it like that,” He begins.

I smile, “It’s okay.” He kisses my forehead,

“You’re still warm.” He decides, “So what do you want to do today?”

I think about it for a second, “Explore.” I decide. He smiles,

“Okay, but first...” He traps me in the corner of the counter. I smiled as his nose brushes mine. I was ready, I wanted him to kiss me. My blood pressure rose and I waited but nothing happened.

“You’re too sick.” He decides, “Go get ready.”

I walked in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I had massive bedhead. I sighed and turned on the shower. I had a fast shower and got out changing into some khakis and a black shirt. I brushed my hair wet and let it dry. Then I brushed my teeth and grabbed my cellphone and shoes from my room. I heard someone playing the piano downstairs and just as I hoped, it was Harry.

“You ready?” he asked, stopping.

“Don’t stop.” I smile. “I like it.”