Still the One

V.

Quietly my dad pulled me into a firm embrace squeezing me. 'My little girl.' We sat at the table at first neither one of us saying a word. 'Your mother is at therapy.'

'I remember when she would be gone so I decided to stop by. I couldn't exactly deal with that today.' He nodded his head in response understandingly.

'Its not exactly the easiest thing to do but someone has to do it.' My dad shrugged simply. 'Enough about that. Talk to me. How have you been? How's your school work?'

'I've been good. We took exams last week just waiting to hear back. I feel pretty confident with it all. My math was a little shaky again though.' I replied.

'You've never been the mathematician but are one of the brightest young ladies around.'

'Thanks dad.' I laughed slightly.

'Any boys around?' He wondered curiously. I didn't exactly expect my dad to be in the loop with Harry and I, seeing how he went grocery shopping once every two weeks and doesn't exactly stop at the magazines and he always flips past the gossip stations.

'Nope. Just me, myself, and I.' I answered, 'no guys.'

'That is the way I like it. I'm sorry you're just my little princess.' He chuckled. I cracked a small smile, 'but you will find someone who treats you just as a princess should be treated one of these days.'

'I hope.' I retorted twisting the bracelet on my wrist. Half an hour had passed while we were talking, 'I better get going.' I stood. He sighed somewhat upset but stood as well. He wrapped his arms around me once again this time I embraced him just as much. I breathed in his musky cologne he's worn since I was a baby. 'Daddy,' I inhaled deeply hiding my face in his shirt. 'I miss you.'

'I miss you too pumpkin. I miss you so much. I'm so proud of the beautiful woman you're becoming though. You make your mother and I so proud, I want you to know that. She's always been proud of you. I love you.'

'I love you too.' he kissed the top of my head then released me.

'Come around more often, okay?'

'Okay. Give mom a hug and a kiss for me ' I agreed grabbing my car keys then waved as I walked back to my car. I climbed inside honking twice as I headed back to my flat.

~*~

Before I knew the next day rolled around and I was back at the uni, 'missed you last night.' Eleanor stated sitting next to me.

'Oh sorry. I was out of the city. I visited someone. How was it?'

'It was good. They had a lot of photos from the trip. Liam set up his laptop to the TV so we could see them.'

'That sounds fun.' I began jotting down some notes from the chapter I previously read this morning.

'Maybe you'll actually come along next time. You know just because you guys are broken up doesn't mean we don't want you around. We're all friends.' She reminded me.

'I know.' I didn't bother looking up from my notes. How could I actually admit that I was afraid to hang around them? Because all of the people who would talk about it, all the pictures that would surface, then there's the fans. It was so pathetic to say in my head, I couldn't dare bring myself to say it aloud. After class I scrabbled to gather all my stuff.

'You're in a hurry.' Eleanor laughed tossing her water bottle into the trash as we walked out the room. 'Where are you running off to?'

'I need a place to think.' I called back to her as I was halfway to my car. I climbed inside and drove to my favorite diner then headed inside. For some reason it was more busy than usual in here. Anyway I found a seat in the back and pulled a menu in front of me. I was in the mood for something fried and cheesy.

'Hey there Libby.' One of the waitress knew me as a regular.

'Hey Simone.' I looked up from the menu. 'Can I get some boneless wings extra crispy and mozzarella sticks.'

'I'll be right out.' she walked back towards the kitchen. I pulled out my journal working on a little story I was working on for a while now. The characters names were Livvy and Henry, I wasn't the best with coming up with names and I actually started it while I was with Harry. Livvy and Henry had a complicated relationship. They would scream, get angry, fight but later wrapped up in one another after a heated argument. Henry got attention from every girl he passed, he would flirt just to see how jealous he could get Livvy. When she got jealous it wasnt pretty. She'd run, lock herself into the bathroom crying her eyes out shouting at him through the door. It was a work in progress but I loved to mess around with it when I wanted to get away from what was reality. That's what writing did for me, it sent me into a little make believe world where I controlled what happened and when. There was a distracting chatter from a distance. I looked over to the mass of people gathered a few table down. I directed my eyes back down to my pages and began jotting down some more sentences. The chair across from me skidded out and someone plopped down in front of me. I slowly brought my eyes up to see none other than Harry freaking Styles, again. People were already taking pictures from afar while Harry didn't seem to mind. I took a quick second to admire him. Instead of his usual tousled look his hair was pushed back away from his forehead. He was wearing some retro white kiss tshirt with a necklace peeking out from underneath it.

'What are the odds?' He wondered with an innocent look on his face. I simply shrugged looking around for Simone for my food. 'I promise I am not stalking you.' He chuckled after awhile of silence biting down at his fingernails. His eyes gazed down at the pages trying to decipher what it was. I slowly closed my notebook and slipped it down into my purse.

'I should, uh...' my voice broke off meeting his eyes. 'I s-should really get g-going.' I finished with an embarrassing stutter.

'Howcome?' He inquired cocking his head to the side. I looked around at all the people carefully watching us from the distance. It felt like I was under some kind of microscope and they're scientists waiting for something interesting to happen. Harry's eyes curiously followed mine around the restaurant.

'Lots of studying to do.' Finally Simone was coming out with my food on a tray. 'Could you get me a bag for this?' She nodded and headed back to the back. 'Lots of studying.' I turned back to Harry.

'I heard.' he retorted softly. I gathered up all my belongings and meet Simone halfway to retrieve a bag for my food. She placed it into a styrofoam container and then into the bag.

'Thanks.' Harry sat at the table quietly still chewing away at his finger nails. He stood once I had all of my things and followed me out the door. I looked back as I walking to my car to check if he was following, and he was.

'So I guess you better get back and start your studies.' he towered over me. I had almost forgotten how much taller he was than me. He swung his shoe back and forth looking down.

'Yeah.' I nodded my head leaning against my car, 'how was Ghana?' I felt the need to ask because I didn't go to Liam's party. A small smile danced on Harry's lips.

'It was some of the best few days of my entire life, Libby.' He gushed, 'it was absolutely incredible and so life-changing.' For the first time out of all these times Harry and I were having an actual conversation and it felt, nice. 'I wish everyone could experience what the lads and I did. It certainly gives you a new perspective on things.'

'Sounds amazing.' I replied looking at his eyes light up thinking about it.

'There'll be a special on TV soon, maybe you could watch it?' he suggested.

'I'll be sure to catch it when it does.' I assured him and his smile grew bigger. 'Are you leaving again anytime soon?'

'Not out of the country for a bit. A few shows here and there within the next few weeks.' He responded.

'Hi, Harry. Could I get a picture with you guys?' a girl walked over to us.

'Sure babe.' He agreed happily.

'I'll take the picture for you guys.' She handed me her phone and I took a quick picture. 'There you go.'

'Thanks.' She smiled walking off. I sighed as my vision grew blurry with salty tears thinking off what everyone'll say next. Stop right now. I said to myself turning away from Harry. Stop. Don't be a baby. Stop caring what people think. Just stop. Okay.

'Are you alright Libby?' Harry questioned concerned.

'Yeah I'm fine.' I unlocked my car and went to open the door when Harry's arm pushed the door closed again.

'Whats wrong?' He looked down at me, 'tell me the truth.' Paps flocked around taking pictures. Saved by paparazzi, who would've thought. Harry opened my car door then closed it as I slid inside. He decided to walk to his car where they followed. I went back to my flat and flopped down onto the sofa. An hour or so later there was a knock on the door. I got up and slid over to the door with my slippers on my feet.

'Harry?' I inquired looking up at him.