Live While We're Young

We stood outside my hotel room, his hands cupped around mine. I looked up to meet his eyes. He smiled.

'Thank you,' I blushed. He nodded and gestured towards the door. I took out my room card and swiped it. The door clicked and I opened the door I turned to give Harry a sweeping kiss in the cheek. He looked slightly taken-aback at first until his expression relaxed into an easy smile. For the first time, he was the one blushing as I shut the door. I made my way to the bed and flopped down on it, feeling happier than I had in a long time.

***

Throughout the concert the following night, Harry kept turning to face me and pulling stupid faces, getting caught far too much, making everything seem so obvious that I began to worry. After the last song they ran off stage followed by us dancers. As I found my way to the dressing room where no one was to be seen, a huge pair of arms wrapped around me. I squeaked and tensed, wriggling before I heard a soft voice say: 'Guess who?' I immediately relaxed and turned to face him.

'You scared me!' I giggled.

'Your giggle's so cute,' he grinned.

'Oh, you think I'm cute?' I winked. He cheekily shrugged and whispered 'Guess I do!'

'Harry!' came a call.

'It's Louis!' he hissed. He ushered me into the dressing room with the other dancers. Not drawing any attention to myself, I pressed my ear against the wall, listening in.

'There you are!' I heard Louis say.

'Yup, here I am!' Harry cheered like a small child, making me smile.

'What you doing near the dancers dressing room?' Louis enquired.

'Just walking. I wasn't aiming to be anywhere,' he replied.

'Oh right, well, c'mon mate. After you've changed and freshened up we have an interview. Hurry up or Paul'll blow his top!' Chuckling, their footsteps faded.

I pulled away from the wall and walked over to wash and change. Once I'd pulled on my shirts and hoodie and untied my hair, letting fall around my face, I scooped up my bag and left. I went to leave through the main enterance in the concert hall until I saw the boys, a man, a woman, a camera man and Paul in one of the front row seats watching it all. They were doing the interview. I stepped out onto the stage to walk across and get through the seats to the door at the back unnoticed. Of course, my plan didn't go accordingly.

'Anna!' a voice called. I stopped in my tracks. So much for no one will know, Harry! I thought. I turned and slapped a fake smile on my face. I saw the camera had turned to me and saw that Harry was walking towards me.

'Hey, Harry,' I smiled stiffly. By then he realised what he had done and went to cover it up.

'Um, this is one of our dancers. The only one I've actually seen tonight, actually,' he smiled, taking my arm and pulling me over to the boys sitting on the edge of the stage.

'Harry, no. I'm a dancer and a trainee makeup artist. I'm not to be in interviews!' I hissed.

'Oh yeah! She also helps our stylist Louise Teasdale with the makeup and costumes and stuff,' he added. I mentally facepalmed myself with a brick and sat awkwardly at the edge of the stage. I saw Paul watching me and mouthed 'Help me!'. He merely laughed at me and shook his head.

'What you laughing at, Paul?' Liam asked. Paul shook his head and looked down, calming himself. I honestly couldn't see what was so funny.

'So boys, are there any ladies in your life?' the male interviewer asked. He couldn't have asked a more awkward question at a more awkward time. Harry sighed. This was number one most asked question.

'Google it,' I heard Niall breathe as Louis and Zayn chanted a yes. I smirked at his comment and looked around.

'It's kind of complicated really,' I heard Harry say. A knot tightened in my stomach. No, Harry! Shut up, shut up, shut up! I thought.

'How do you mean?' the woman asked.

'Well, there's this girl who I get along well with and I like a bit. She's really pretty and her eyes are amazing. I think it's just one of those crushes that's just like 'Oh there's Cheryl! She's nice and quite good looking' but if it's more than a crush then she's ... she's special,' he finished. I knew he was hiding that he was actually in a relationship. I dropped my gaze to my hands in my lap and thought for a moment. He had just called me pretty and said that my eyes were amazing. He had just said that I was special. Aww, I mentally said.

'That's sweet, Harry! Would you hook up with her?' the woman asked.

'I'd be up for it but I think she might have her own things to get on with,' he lied.

'Anna, seeing as you're here, anyone special in your life?' the man asked. I looked up, startled at being addressed, and then realised what was going on.

'Oh! Well, yeah, guess you could say that there's someone. I've not been with them for very long but they're lovely. Quite cute,' I smiled.

'You gonna give us a name?' enquired the woman.

'Oh...no. I don't think that, um, I don't think that they'd like all the attention. As I've said, I've not been with them for that long.'

The woman turned to the camera to say that that was the end of the interview. I leaned over to Harry slightly.

'Can I go yet?' I said quietly.

'No, not yet. I'll walk you back to the hotel,' he replied, equally as quietly. A few minutes later the interviewers had left and it was just the boys, Paul and me.

'So, Harry! Who's this girl?' Niall called. Discreetly, Harry gave me a look, asking if he could tell them. I gave a reluctant nod without making it obvious.

'Well, I kind of lied in that interview,' he admitted.

'How?' puzzled Liam.

'Well...I do get along really well with this girl, and I do like her. It's not just a crush like the stupid example I gave...and she is really pretty. I do think she's quite special...but the thing is...I am actually in a relationship with the girl,' he slowly explained in his ever-so-slow accent.

'So who's the girl?' Niall repeated, looking more agitated yet intrigued at the thing Harry hadn't told them. Harry reached out and took my hand. At first the boys didn't realise anything, until he held my hand up to show them, grinning.

'Anna?' they all sounded in union.

'You sound quite disgusted,' I joked.

'So he's the cute boy you haven't been with for long?' Zayn questioned.

'I didn't lie. I haven't been with him for long. It's since...last night actually. And...well...the rest speaks for itself,' I trailed off, embarrassed at the realisation that I had just called Harry cute. I was suddenly being hugged but by an unfamiliar pair of arms. It was Louis.

'You make our Harry happy. He's waited a long time to actually get with a girl rather than just go on one or two dates with her. I know if you make him happy, he'll do the same for you, twice as well,' he whispered. I hugged him back.

'I will and I know.' I was soon receiving hugs from all of the other boys before Harry placed his arm around me, holding me close to him.

'We don't want anyone else to know, though. Okay?' Harry said sternly.

'We get it Harry, just don't go pulling her into any more interviews or get seen in public like that or everyone will figure it out for themselves without anyone saying anything,' Paul warned. We nodded and I ducked out from Harry's arm as we got near to exit. The others walked in front of us and we dropped back for conversation.

'You think I'm pretty and my eyes are amazing?' I asked, smiling.

'You think I'm cute?'

'Yeah, well, I had to say that to act as if I did have a boyfriend who wasn't you,' I blushed. I looked back up to him and sighed. 'But, yes, I do think you're kind of cute.'

'Well, thank you. Lots of girls say that, you know. But it only really matters when you say it,' he cheesily grinned.

'Yeah...suurree...as if you don't like all of those girls calling you the names they do.'

'Never said I didn't like it. Just said the only opinion I think matters is yours.'

'Thank you.'

'Remember to pack all of your cases and stuff tonight. Tomorrow morning were catching the flight to New York,' he reminded me.

'Oh, God! I completely forgot about that! My room is a mess, I need to tidy that up, I need to pack everything, I need to go to bed early to wake up early to pack everything I'll need then! I need to sort out work stuff and it's already getting late! So much for going to bed early!' I rambled, clearly entertaining Harry with my worried and confused thoughts. He chuckled. 'It's not funny!' I exclaimed, patting him hard on the arm.

'No, of course not!' he smirked, trying to suppress his laughter. 'Hey, don't worry so much. I'll come and help you.'

'But then you'll have loads to do!'

'Trust me, it's easy. I left most of if until the morning the last tour. I'm a man, it's easier for me to pack. I know how women are with their packing,' he shrugged. I burst out laughing and he gave me an inquisitive look.

'You're a man, are you? Man! Oh...that's funny...' after trying to regain breath, I started doubling over with laughter again. Harry watched me but I couldn't tell if it was amusement or annoyance. Niall turned around and gave Harry the same look Harry had given me. I had just started to calm down when Harry said 'I called myself a man and she started...well...doing that...'. Niall had smirked and tried to hide a laugh after the first part, but he turned away when Harry finished his sentence. I started laughing again until my sides ached.

'It really wasn't that funny,' Harry raised an eyebrow at me.

'Yeah, but you only just turned nineteen and you've only been in the band just under three years. Medically, you may be classed as a man, but mentally...let's face it Harry, mentally, you're not a man,' I grinned. He nodded in defeat. We made our way to my hotel room. I opened the door to reveal the room.

'This is not a mess!' Harry exclaimed.

'Are you kidding? The sofa's a mess, the kitchen needs wiping down and glasses need washing, I haven't made the bed-'

'Ever heard of cleaners?'

'Their job is to hoover and dust a bit. Not fix the bombshell we make. Anyway, I have lots of little things scattered around the place that I need to collect!'

'Okay. I'll sort in here out, you go and clean those glasses in the kitchen bit. After that we can both help make the bed and then stuff everything into the cases. Sound good?' he looked at me and I nodded my head. I walked over to the sink and ran some water to wash the glasses and any cutlery in. I heard Harry sorting out the living room afew metres away. As I reached for a towel, the wet glass slipped from my hand and crashed to the floor shattering.

'Shit,' I cursed, kneeling down to pick it up. I reached out to pick up the larger pieces before a particularly sharp edge sliced down te back of my hand. 'Oh for five fucking minutes!' I blindedly swore rather loudly.

'You alright?' Harry called, swiftly appearing in the doorway. My blood was dripping from the deep gash in the back of my hand onto the towel and tiles on the floor. 'Anna!' he swooped down and held my hand in his. He looked around. I could tell he was looking for something to wrap my hand in.

'I'm fine Harry. Come on, let me sort this out,' I insisted, but he didn't listen. He stood me up and ran the cold tap in the sink to wash away and clean the cut. It was then I realised just how deep and grotesque it was. You could see all if the layers of skin that had been sliced through as the blood washed away. Through the force of the water, the layers of skin actually moved, showing how far it went it. Harry looked at it in disgust at the moving skin but I was in wonder. I found it disgusting but interesting all at the same time. The cut had started to bleed more and more. He carried in looking round for something to wrap the cut in that was clean and would absorb some of the blood. The towel on the floor had dishwater on and all if the other towels were dirty. He looked down before removing his shirt and wrapping it tightly and securely around my hand.

I couldn't help but stare. His tanned torso perfectly chiseled into manly sections. From his collarbone, the further down my eyes travelled, the more muscular it got. My eyes wondered over his biceps and his tattoos before making their way over his strong abs. His hips were muscular and lined his hard stomach perfectly. I felt him pull at my arm, leading me somewhere with something in his other hand that wasn't holding the shirt around me. I found myself still staring at him as we say down in the bed in the bedroom. He opened a little green case and pulled out a tube.

'Good, antiseptic cream. This'll make sure it won't get infected,' came a voice from a long way away. I tire my eyes away from Harry's body and rested them on my injured hand. Blood had stored to surface the shirt, making faint red blotches on the white. He unwrapped the shirt and presented himself my cut. He gently rubber some cream on and around it. I drew a sharp breath at the stinging. He had blood on his fingers. I felt him pause and look up to check I was okay before returning to applying the cream.

'Any deeper I reckon you would've needed stitches,' he said. He took our a white material from the little green box which I realised was a first aid kit - every room was supplied with one. He wrapped a bandage all the way around my hand firmly so it gave enough pressure to suppress the flow. 'I'll come and help you change that tomorrow before we go.' he got up as I sat on the bed examining my hand. He said he was going to finish in the living room and then clear up the kitchen. I nodded as he left. I tried my best to fix the bed. Within ten minutes, Harry was back in seeing my struggle. He came over and helped me sort out the bed. The sheets got a little tangled, and trying to sort them out with one hand wasn't great. I tugged at the sheet to hard causing Harry to collapse on the bed and me to over balance, resulting in me landing ontop of Harry.

'Sorry-' I began, but stopped. I was looking into his eyes again, my hands resting on his bare chest, my one leg draped over his. I looked down and traced my finger along his stomach. Harry watched me intently. After a few minutes I came back to earth, couged awkwardly, and sat up. I pushed my Gaye behind my ear and stood. Harry followed. We finished the bed and tidying up within the next twenty minutes, as well as packing everything as well as possible. We were soon done.

'Thank you,' I thanked a still-topless Harry next to the door.

'Irs fine. Just remember, I'll be round in the morning before we leave to change that dressing. You need to keep it clean.'

'Alright.'

'Night.'

'Night.' I smiled at him. As I though he was going to leave, he turned and gave me a kiss on the forehead, making my nose brush against his chest. He smiled and turned, walking to his room. It was lucky for him his room was only down the hall.