She's Not Afraid

(Elena's POV)

"So, I don't get it. If you're dating Zayn, why is Harry always the one picking you up, dropping you off, and telling you all the time how special you are?"

Rachel was bombing me with questions at work the next day.

I had just finished telling her about what all happened last night with my date, also explaining how sweet Harry was being to me the whole time.

I guess it makes sense why Rachel would ask if me or Harry had feelings for each other. We talked about stuff way more than me and Zayn would. Zayn has yet to say something like "you're so beautiful inside and out, and I am so grateful to have someone as amazing as you in my life.". Which Harry has said to me..

Zayn hasn't even bothered to text or call me since last night either.

"Rachel, me and Harry are just friends. He was just trying to cheer me up." I said.

"Well, you might think that you two are just friends, but he sure as hell doesn't want it to be just friends." I didn't say anything. I wasn't used to someone saying such genuin things to me ever, so I couldn't say if Harry did have feelings for me or if he was just being a good friend. Rachel looked to the door as it chimed. "Speak of the devil." She said as she walked away from where we were standing near the counter.

I looked away from the counter to see Harry walking in the store, a magazine in hand.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" I smiled, not expecting to see him here.

"I was, uh..wondering if we could talk...alone?" He looked anxious, nervous even.

"Uh, sure. Be right back Rachel."

"Use condoms!" She yelled from one of the cd racks.

I rolled my eyes and led Harry to the staff area, locking the door behind me. "Everything okay?" I asked as we both sat down on the long couch.

"I'm guessing you haven't seen it yet?" He said, raising the rolled magazine in his hand up.

By instinct, I got nervous. "No.. Harry, what is it?" I asked impatient.

"Well, it's not to much to worry about, but..I was walking to get myself a coffee a few blocks down a bit ago, and you know that little drug store that's right by Starbucks?" I nodded hesitantly, not to sure what he was getting at. "Well, this was on a magazine stand in the front.." He set down the magazine that was rolled in his hand on the table finally, revealing a photo on the cover of me and him at the club last night, smiling and laughing. With a smaller picture of me and Zayn from a previous date that we had went on.

""Harry Styles and Zayn Malik of One Direction dating the same girl? Read more inside on page 55." The same girl? What the hell are they talking about?" I asked Harry as I set the thing down on the coffee table. I didn't know if I wanted to read what was inside of it.

"It's nothing to worry about, really. People make stuff up like this all the time." I gave him a look as to say "just tell what's in the damn article." He sighed. "It pretty much just says about how you and Zayn are supposed to be dating, but 'witness's' say that we were pretty close last night. And that it wasn't the first time someone caught us out together alone."

I couldn't help but laugh at the stupidity of it. "Oh, god. I can't imagine what's all going around about me. Harry, like you said, it's okay. You and I both know what's really going on, and what's in this article doesn't matter. It's a bunch of bull shit. We can be friends, and if no one else likes that, then fuck them."

He smiled as he looked down at his hands folded. "I'm glad you think that." I patted him on the shoulder. "So, the other reason why I'm here is because, I thought to make up for all this, I should take you and Zayn both out to dinner. My treat."

"You don't have to make anything up. Really, I'm not mad, and it's not like Zayn would be either." I declined. I didn't want him to feel guilty over some stupid story some asshole came up with just so he could get money and cause drama for the boys.

"Elena, I'm not taking no for an answer!" He said threatening, pointing his finger at me. "Now, just call Zayn and tell him to come here, or we'll go get him."

I laughed and finally agreed. It would be nice to go out with them both. "Okay! Fine. My phones in the front."

We made our way back to the counter only to see Zayn walking in, taking his sunglasses off.

"Hey! I was just about to call you." I said and made my way to him.

He didn't look to pleased to be here. "What the hell is he doing here?" He pointed his head in Harry's direction. "And what the hell is this all about?" He, like Harry, came in with the magazine in hand.

"Oh, the article?"

"Yeah, the article." He spat back.

Harry had decided to go look at some records away from where me and Zayn stood.

I walked closer to where Zayn was around the front doors. "You know that whatever's in it isn't true right? And that there's nothing going on between me and Harry?"

"Well, these pictures say something completely different. Looks like you two got pretty...comfortable together last night. And other nights."

"You can't seriously be pissed at me right now, Zayn." I said, defending myself.

He scoffed. "Oh? And why's that?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering where this harshness was coming from. "One name for you: Annie!" I said back, causing him to flinch. It was his turned to give me a confused look. "Don't give me that look." I said more calmly now so Rachel or Harry wouldn't eavesdrop.

"What look?"

"Don't look at me like you didn't know that the whole situation between you and her upsets me. You know that I don't like it when you go answer phone calls from her when we're supposed to be on a date and that you'll just leave and spend long periods of time talking with her." It felt good to get that off my chest. "Me and Harry are just friends. We talk. That's it. So don't come in here all pissed off and try to start yelling at me or start bein all pissed at one of your best friends. And Harry is here because he wanted to take me and you out for dinner to make this whole thing up to us."

Now he really didn't know what to say. All he did was turn around and walk out of the store, leaving me behind wondering where this all left us.

"I'm sorry." Harry stood behind me now. "I didn't mean to make your whole relationship with him more of a-"

I turned on my toes. "Don't be sorry Harry. I'm not just gonna stop being friends with you to please him, when he's constantly in contact with his ex-girlfriend."

"Well, maybe it's best we don't go for lunch then. Best not to stir the pot for the press.."

"Okay, but if you don't want to go out in public for it, why don't we just eat here. I can go get us some food quickly?" I offered.

He smiled a big grin. "Allow me. What'll it be?"

I told him of a restaurant that had really good food and that was fast just a few blocks away, told him the food I wanted, and he was off.

(Harry's POV)

When I got back to the store, Rachel told me that Elena was in the back, but when I went back there she was no where in site. I set the bag of food on the coffee table and saw a piece of paper with large hand writing on it.

"Lock the staff room door behind you and come to the top." I read aloud and then looked up to notice the large painting was down.

I smiled and did as she told me. I headed up the stairs after locking the staff door, taking two steps at a time, trying not to spill the drinks in one of my hands. I banged my head on the door at the top so she would know I was here.

She then came to open the door for me, seeing as how my hands were full. She grabbed the bag of food from my hands, grabbing my free arm with hers, leading me to where we were going to eat. There was a couple blankets laid down on the ground for us to sit on.

"You have everything in this place." I noted as we sat down on the blanket.

She giggled and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Everything I need to live at least."

The rest of my day was spent with her at the record store.

After we eat a couple bits from our food, we started throwing it at each other. Just goofing off at her secret hiding place. When we were done throwing food at each other (just because it was all out) we headed back downstairs so we could get cleaned off in the one washroom they had, only to have us splashing each other with the water from the sink.

The day made me wish all my days could be like this. Me and her. Just being stupid with each other, or talking about whatever there was to talk about. That pretty much was the way it was when we were alone together.

Elena went and grabbed her purse from behind the store counter when she was done work. Rachel had been done a few hours ago so it was Elena that had to close the store. Which was at about ten o'clock. I never left here once, I didn't even bother to look at my phone, which I knew would be flooding with texts from the group or management.

"I'll walk you to your truck." I said when she was done looking the record store doors.

"What if someone sees us?" She raised her eyebrows, teasing me.

"I'm willing to risk it for you." I said. Okay, I was flirting with her. It was almost in my nature to do so with girls like her.

We started walking to the parking lot where her truck was usually parked.

"Such a gentleman." She smirked when we made a few steps.

"I have a reputation to maintain."

She laughed loud. "So, when you were in the washroom a bit ago, Zayn tried calling me. I didn't answer it though."

"I'm guessing that means, you two..?"

She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I mean, if he actually wants to try then we'll see. But if he doesn't make some attempt to apologize for trying to make me feel guilty about that damn article, then he can forget about it all. Like, come on, if you're gonna try to apologize then at least do it to my face!"

I couldn't help but feel slightly happy because if that, but then it followed with a tinge of sadness. I just didn't want her to lose touch, with me more specifically.

So I just nodded. "Sounds fair enough."

We were in front of her truck now, and she used her key to unlock it, but she didn't open it right away.

"Look, Harry, about what you said at the club last night.. It was all really sweet. And it meant a lot to me. If me as Zayn don't work out..well, let's just say I don't want to lose someone as great as you in my life either. Your friendship means too much to me." She pulled me into a hug and we stood there in each others embrace for awhile.

When she pulled away, she gave me a kiss on the cheek.

The feel of her lips still lingered on my cheek as she smiled to me. I composed myself and stood upright, and opened her truck door for her to get in. She rolled down the window as soon as she got in and closed the door.

"Thanks for spending the day with me Harry. You're a great friend." She smiled, roared her truck to life and pulled away from where I stood, leaving me standing there like she had that first night we met all those weeks ago.

"Yeah. Friend." I whispered to myself before making my way back to my vehicle.