The Gambler

The light was brighter than she expected when Elle woke up what seemed like a few minutes later. She glanced over at the alarm clock that was conveniently placed on her side of the bed to see that it was 9AM. She groaned quietly and was about to roll over when she remembered just where she was and that there was something of moderate weight resting around her torso just underneath her chest. Looking down, she noticed a rather pale arm wrapped around her, five fingers entwined with her own resting on her stomach.

She smiled down at the sight of her hand atop Harry’s and looked over her shoulder slowly. Laying directly behind her, cuddle to her backside was the brown haired boy snoring loudly. The blankets were down around his waist revealing his toned chest and she blushed as her eyes gazed down his body. Carefully, she sat up slowly and put his hand back on the sheets after she stood up. She crept into the bathroom, careful to close the door quietly as not to disturb him. She relieved herself, got undressed and decided to hop in the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out and wrapped an oversized white fluffy tower around her body. She peaked at the bed to see Harry, still asleep and smirked at the boy. As quietly as she could, she opened her suitcase to pick out her outfit for the day. She wasn’t sure of what they’d be doing, but after a quick glance of the weather on her phone, she decided that whatever her outfit may be, it was definitely going to include shorts.

“I wouldn’t be mad if I woke up to that sight every morning.” Harry’s groggy voice came from the bed.

Elle glanced over her shoulder to see his arms stretched underneath his head and a cocky grin on his face as he studied her attire. Rolling her eyes she turned back to her suitcase to pick up the clothes, “In your dreams.”

“Yes, my dirtiest dreams.” Harry joked before coughing lightly from laughing at the obscene gesture Elle gave him.

She dropped her clothes down on the duvet and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her wet hair over her shoulder. She picked up her phone to glance at the time and turned to Harry, “So what’s the plan for today?”

“First thing: breakfast with the boys. They miss you. And Louis wants you to meet Eleanor.” Harry said scratching his chin and sitting up.

Elle clapped her hands together, “Yay! I’m excited to see them! Especially Liam. He owes me a pack of skittles.”

“You would be worried about that.” Harry teased before he looked down at his chest and let out a laugh, “If only our fans could see us now.”

Elle laughed and bit her lip. She tapped the camera button on her phone and held it up towards him, “Smile!”

Harry immediately twisted his face up into the biggest smile possible at her as she took the photo. He laughed as she smiled back at him and reached for his own phone. Holding it up he laughed as she held her hand up blocking her face from view, “Hey, it’s only fair.”

“No, not even!” Elle argued and hid her face from him.

He snapped the photo of her anyway and began to tap and swipe the screen wildly, “I’m going to post my photo before you post yours.”

“NO WAY!” Elle squealed with a laugh and jumped forward to grab the phone from his hands. With one hand holding her towel around her, she threw her body forwards and tackled him as he tried to get away from her. He held the phone out of reach and she began to yell at him, “HARRY! NO! IF YOU DO, I’LL KILL YOU!”

Harry laughed and the struggle continued for a few moments before he held up his hands in defense, “Ok, ok, I won’t! I promise!”

Elle glared at him, “I don’t believe you.”

“I won’t, I swear.” Harry said with an honest expression.

It was then that both of them realized just how they were positioned. Harry was pinned down to the bed, Elle lying across his chest with their faces merely inches apart. Before she could pull away, Harry pressed his lips to hers quickly. He was scared she’d pull away from him, but was pleased when she didn’t. Instead she tilted her head to the side, deepening the kiss. His hands moved, one the middle of her back while the other snaked up her neck until it was resting just below her jaw. His thumb ran across her cheek lovingly.

They continued to kiss for a little longer before Elle pulled back from him. She smiled down at him shyly and place a tiny kiss to the tip of his nose before she sat up fully. The warmth of her body left Harry and he groaned in disapproval which she replied with a tiny grin.

He laid there for a few more minutes before he stood up, “I’m going to have a shower now, then breakfast?”

“Breakfast.” Elle replied and reached for her clothes at the end of the bed.

Twenty minutes later, they were both dressed and walking out of their hotel room. Ray was patiently sitting outside of the room talking with Paul who also seemed to be on hotel duty. Elle smiled at the two men and grabbed the Obey hat off of Ray’s head as they passed them.

“Where are you off too?” Ray asked with a squint of his eyes as he glared at Elle putting the hat on her own head.

Elle sighed, “Just breakfast, Raybear. I think the boys are coming too, so it looks like you guys will be given the honor of being allowed to dine with us.”

Ray was over at her before she could realize it, his hand ripping the hat off of her head and instead he began to noogie her head. She squealed and yelled in protest as he began to laugh and it wasn’t until she had stepped hard on his foot that he let go. She laughed and began to smooth down her hair that was suddenly a frizzy mess.

Harry stared at the interaction with a smile on his face. Elle seemed to have the same friendship with Ray that he and the boys had with their security team. He appreciated that, it proved she didn’t think less of people that could be classified as “beneath” her.

“The boys are all in Louis’ room waiting for you.” Paul said with a smile, “Didn’t want to bother you two.”

Harry rolled his eyes and walked the small distance down the hall and knocking on the door. Elle walked behind him and called out in the strangest accent he ever heard, “ROOM SERVICE!”

The door was yanked open and Niall greeted them with an excited expression. His face fell for only a millisecond before he realized who was standing in front of him. He attacked her with a hug that she giggled at before he was pulling her into the room, “AYE! Look who has arrived!”

The room went silent as they walked further into a room and then suddenly all hell broke loose. Liam, Zayn and Louis were suddenly thrusting themselves towards Elle who merely took it all in stride. They dog-piled on top of her despite her laughing protests on the nearest bed. Harry laughed and watched as Niall jumped in and his eyes carried over to the other bed where Eleanor sat. Despite having one of the most famous boyfriend’s and group of friends in the world, she looked completely starstruck.

Harry walked over to her as the boys continued to welcome Elle and he nudged her with his shoulder, “Starstruck are we?”

“Shut up!” She protested and threw a fake glare his way before whispering, “It’s bloody Elle Peters!”

“Yeah and she’s just like us! Or are we suddenly chopped liver to you?” He asked with a hand on his heart.

Eleanor laughed, “You know what I mean, Haz. Besides, you’ve had a month to get used to her.”

They were interrupted by Louis’ voice calling to them, “El, come meet... well, Elle! This is going to be confusing.”

The two girls laughed and Elle was suddenly standing up from the bed where she sat beside Louis. She stretched her hand out to Eleanor, “Hi Eleanor, I’m Elle! Lovely to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too!” Eleanor replied and shook her hand, “I’m a huge fan.”

“Aw, thank you!” Elle replied with a genuine smile, “It’s nice to put a face to all of Louis’ stories. Stories that he never stops telling me.”

Louis poked her in the side and glared at her, “I don’t talk about her all the time.”

“You kind of do, darling.” Elle replied before she moved to sit beside Eleanor on the opposing bed from the boys, “Shall we go get some breakfast then? I’m starving.”

“Work up an appetite after last night?” Zayn asked with a smirk.

Harry blushed and laughed as Elle was suddenly rocketing towards Zayn and began to smack him wherever she could. The group laughed as Zayn began to cry out, “Uncle! Uncle! I’m sorry!”

Elle got off of him and stood up. She straightened out her shirt that fell just above her shorts revealing a tiny strip of midriff and nodded her head, “That’s what I thought.”

“To breakfast!” Niall declared and they all left the room.

Harry, despite his momentary disappoint, was pleased to see that Elle chose to walk beside Eleanor. Eleanor had never really taken to any of the girls Harry brought around, but she seemed to enjoy Elle’s company as the two were already giggling about something.

He carried on a conversation with Liam as they descended in the elevator. It wasn’t until the elevator doors opened that he remembered that they weren’t just a group of friends on vacation, but rather celebrities.

Within seconds, he saw the flashes come from outside of the building, the elevators being only a stones throw away from the all glass doors of the swanky hotel. Paul began to usher them towards the hall where breakfast was being served and Harry looked over at Elle briefly. Her head was down, Ray’s hat was back on her head covering her eyes and face from view. She was also standing beside Eleanor, behind Liam and in front of Zayn. She was hidden from view for now, but Harry knew it was only a matter of time before the press found out where she was.

After a relatively quiet breakfast-or at least as quiet as they could be-they were starting to make plans for the day. Liam, Eleanor and Louis wanted to do some shopping while Niall and Zayn were fine with doing whatever the group wanted. Elle had shrugged when they asked her what she wanted to do and instead looked at Harry. She nodded her head in his direction and asked what he wanted to do.

If he was being honest, he only wanted to spend time with her, but it wouldn’t be fair to the other boys who wanted to spend time with her as well. So instead he shrugged, “Shopping sounds fine with me. We have soundcheck at 3 though.”

So now, they were back in their rooms prepping for the day. Harry was lounging on the bed having his iPhone and wallet be all he needed for the day. Elle had just finished packing a small backpack with things in it before she sat down beside him. She crossed her legs and turned so she was facing him and leaned her chin on her palm, “You okay with shopping?”

“Yeah.” He said and looked up at her, “Maybe we can get dinner before the show alone though?”

Elle nodded before she began to smirk, “Are you asking me on a date, Harry Styles?”

“I think I am definitely asking you on a date, Elle Peters.” He responded and began to play with the sole of her shoes, “Are you ready to face the public today? There will be cameras everywhere once they find out you’re here.”

She was silent for a moment, absentmindedly twirling the paper plane charm of the necklace he had given her between her fingers. She looked back at him and sighed, “They’re bound to find out anyway, right? So it might as well be on our own terms.”

“True.” He agreed and sat up so he was eye level with her. His hand rubbed her smooth leg for a moment before he looked back up at her, “I’m really happy you came.”

She smiled at him and leaned forward with a whisper, “Me too.”

He pressed his lips to hers again, but the kiss was short lived as a series of knocks came from the door followed by Niall and Louis’ incessant calls for the pair. They laughed and stood up, Elle putting the backpack on and opened the door only to have the two boys fall into the doorway after putting their weight against the door.

Harry rolled his eyes at the boys before holding a hand out to Elle to step over them. She placed her hand in his and they began to walk down the hallway behind Liam and Zayn. Eleanor was close behind and soon followed by Niall, Louis, Ray and Paul.

Elle’s fingers were still entwined with Harry’s and he couldn’t help but feel a warm feeling in his stomach as she did so. Her hand was warm against his and fit perfectly in his. The minute the elevator doors opened to the lobby, he feared that she would pull away from him. Instead, he felt overjoyed that her hand remained in his.

They stepped out into the street, two SUVs waiting for them as well as a half dozen paparazzi and a handful of fans. Harry never could figure out how they knew where the boys were staying, but he chose to shake it off. He was half amused as the paparazzi and the fans suddenly began to realize just who was holding hands with Harry. The seemingly quiet questions and calls of his name suddenly turned into loud yells and screams. Elle’s grip on his tightened as they waited for Paul to direct them towards a vehicle.

The flashes of the cameras were brighter and more rapid than Harry had ever experienced, each paparazzo wanting to be the one who captured the best shot of the two. He suddenly became aware of Ray’s body beside his and he felt his hand on his back pushing him towards the second vehicle along with Eleanor and Louis. Harry ushered Elle in first and she climbed in quickly. He then backed away from the door more to allow Eleanor to hop in. Within seconds he and Louis were in the car with Ray in the front. They sped away from the curb and all was silent in the van as Harry waited to hear Elle’s reaction.

“Well that was fun!” She announced and immediately an audible exhale was heard throughout the car making everyone laugh. She swept her hair off of her shoulder and turned to Eleanor with a smile, “I’m jealous of you only having to deal with it when you’re around this lot.”

“You’re jealous of me?” Eleanor asked with a hint of shock in her voice before grinning, “I would like that in writing, please.”

The girls laughed and Harry turned back to look at them with a grin. He wanted to focus on the happy things because he knew that once those photos were posted online, it was a matter of time before shit hit the fan.