Best Friends Means...

"Another glass of wine?" Louis offered me, but Harry shot me a look and I politely declined. Harry walked across the circle of people we were standing with and put an arm around me, and placed a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm proud of you." he whispered in my ear only loud enough for me to hear and I nodded quietly at his words. "So, are you ready to eat?"

We all nodded and made our way to the table Niall and I had set for the dinner tonight. In attendance were all of One Direction, Perrie, Eleanor and too many staff members to even begin to name. I recognized Paul by his accent and his larger stature, and a few other people were familiar but just by name. So far everyone seemed to like me, but there was still some doubt in my mind that they weren't too crazy about me dating Harry.

I followed behind Harry into the kitchen to help him carry out food. "Do you need help?"

"No, you go sit down! I can get it all." He turned around to face me and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Stop being so nervous."

"I can't help it." I spoke with a quiet voice as I watched Harry rummage for serving utensils. "What if they don't like me?"

"Then fuck 'em. You shouldn't be concerned about them, you're not dating them. You're dating me." Harry stopped searching after he found a big spoon and smiled at me, sending me back into the dining room.

I took my place beside the last empty chair which was reserved for Harry.

"So, what do you do, again?" Perrie asked me as she smoothed out her skirt she had on. I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to sound like someone who did nothing.

"Well, I-"

"She used to co-own a store with one of her best friends. But she's taking a few months off to sort out a few things." I could have sworn I caught the butt-end of Harry winking at everyone, because no one said anymore about it and they all just nodded and muttered "oh, that's nice."

"Harry says you're going to move in with him?" Paul looked at me as he sipped his drink.

"Erm, we'll see about that. He only mentioned it recently, and I haven't talked to my house mate about it yet. I don't wanna throw her under the bus with the rent or anything." I looked down and picked at my food as Harry sat down beside me. Everyone's questions were making me feel so small, and I hated it. I know they didn't mean them like that, but I felt like everyone else had such a huge job and here I was, jobless, and dating a popstar.

"How long have you known Harry for, again?" A guy from management asked from down the table.

"Erm..." I hesitated, looking at Harry. "My entire life, I guess?"

"You guess?! Our mums were in birthing classes together." A bunch of ooh's and ahh's went around the table as I blushed. Harry placed his hand on my leg and squeezed it, giving me a reassuring look. I was still nervous, and my nerves were growing with every minute that passed. I felt like everyone was sizing me up to his past girlfriends. I mean... Kendall Jenner, Taylor Swift, and here I am, his best friend from Holmes Chapel who just got fired from her job. "Stop thinking so much and eat, alright?"

I took a few mouth fulls of my food before they all engaged in a different conversation, talking about funny moments on tour, catching up on events that had happened in each others life, and then the scariest thing happened.

"Elle, can I see you in here for a second?" Paul asked me, placing his fork down on his empty plate and nodding to the hallway of Harry's dining room. I shot Harry a look and he nodded, telling me to go, so I followed. "You realize what you're getting into, don't you? I only ask because I look after these boys like they're my own."

"I realize, I've heard about everything Harry has gone through with his other girlfriends. We've hardly ever gone days without talking."

"Yeah, but hearing about it and living it are two completely different things, love. Are you able to come on tour with them when they leave?"

I shrugged, "He hasn't asked me and that's two months away. I could have a job by then."

"I doubt it. Harry told me why you left your other job. Their fans are relentless. They won't quit coming in there for months looking for you." I looked down at my feet, and started playing with my hands. "He cares about you. Even before you two decided to start trying to date, he talked about you all the time to me and the boys. You make him happier than anyone I've seen him with. Real or fake girlfriends."

I giggled at his choice of words, "Yeah, well. He makes me happy. We'll be fine on tour, even if I can't come for the entire duration, I know I could come for a few days or weeks, even. And I've been three years without seeing him until now, so I know we can survive a few months of tour."

"Well, just keep that attitude and you'll be fine. I'm glad he's finally found someone who makes him so happy." Paul patted me on the shoulder and I blushed. "You're a good girl. We all like you and look forward to seeing more of you around." I smiled and gave Paul a hug and he returned it.

I walked back into the dining room and everyone stopped talking as I walked in. "Wow, I wonder what you were all talking about." I said, resuming my spot beside Harry.

"You and how wonderful you are. I'm going to go bring the pie in." Harry kissed the top of my head and disappeared into the kitchen.

"I think you've gotten the approval from everyone." Niall leaned in and told me as everyone else was lost in their own conversations around the table. "We were just trying to make Harry blush, all anyone has to do is bring your name up and he blushes. Its so cute."

"Stop, Niall." Harry said as he sat down with a pie. He cut and sliced it, passing pieces around the table but I refused a piece. I was never a fan of sweets, especially pies. "You want some?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't really care for pies."

"Oh that's right, second grade-"

"Not that reason, I just don't like sweets.

"Did you get enough to eat? There's more food left." He had quickly grown to be annoying. He knew I didn't like sweets- I never ate desserts.

"I got plenty to eat, Harry." I snapped back as he raised his eyebrows and started eating his food. Most everyone else had one hand with a fork and the other was checking their cell phones, so I decided to pull out my phone and check Twitter. Ever since the other day, my mentions were blowing up all the time so I rarely browsed through them, knowing what they'd say. Most were that I was too ugly for Harry, that I didn't deserve someone as famous as Harry, and of course the comments about my weight. I had always struggled with my weight- never skinny, but never fat. I'd gain a few pounds, then lose a few pounds but thankfully I wasn't too short so it didn't show on me as much as it would on other girls. I was not the most confident girl in the world, but I knew how to dress myself properly and I didn't really have too low of a self esteem.

"You should stop reading those. They don't know what they're talking about. They don't know how amazing you are. They're just little 15 year old girls who are jealous." Harry was peeping over my shoulder. He grabbed my phone from me and locked the screen, placing it face down on the table. "Is that why you're not eating a piece of my pie?"

"Haz, I'm not eating your pie because I don't like sweets, and you know that. The occasional cupcake or brownie is about all I like."

"Well I just don't want the 'fans'... Influencing you in a negative way. Perrie has a bit of a rough time with fans saying things about her, too."

"But she's perfect! How could anyone say anything negative about her?"

"You're more perfect." Harry stood up and smiled at me, and took his plate to the kitchen. I grabbed mine and Niall's multiple plates and followed him in the kitchen.

"Thanks for this tonight. I'm glad I got to meet everyone without it feeling... Too awkward." I wrapped my arms around Harry, tucking my arms beneath his blazer. His warmth was seeping through his button up black shirt and I cuddled into his chest. "I feel so much more at ease about everything."

"You really have nothing to worry about. They all love you." Harry returned my hug and wrapped his arms around me. "Promise me if you're upset about the fans, you'll tell me?"

I nodded into his chest and let out a yawn, "I promise. I really should be getting back, I'm tired and I need to talk to Kaitlin since she'll be home tonight."

"I was hoping you'd stay with me. But I can see if Liam will take you back, I think everyone else is growing tired too." Harry placed a kiss on the top of my head, and I craned my neck to look at him, kissing him on the lips. He brought his hands to the sides of my face and pulled me closer to him.

"Oi! Wait till we all leave, won't you?!" Louis walked in with his hands full of empty plates. "I'm only joking, I'll be out in a minute."

"It's fine, really. I think I'm about to head home." I stepped back from Harry and Louis stepped over to me for a hug as Harry left the kitchen to go get more plates.

"You're good for him, babe." He said quiet enough in my ear so no one could hear. "He's been mad about you for a while now. We're all really glad you're together now."

"Thanks, Lou. That means a lot, especially coming from you." We both let out a chuckle at how I had accidentally rhymed and walked back into the dining room where everyone was hugging and exchanging goodbyes. I said my goodbye to everyone, including Harry as I left with Liam.

---

"So, because I fired you, you're moving out? I'm not mad at you, you don't have to leave. You can't help that your boyfriend's fans are absolutely insane."

"That's not why I'm moving out, Kaitlin. I'm not going to be able to afford rent for too much longer and Harry said I could just move in with him."

"Move in!? You've barely been seeing him-"

"I've only known him my whole life, it's not like I'm like you and moving in with one of my one night stand boyfriends." I said it before I thought, and I instantly regretted it.

Kaitlin let out a gasp and stormed off to her room. "Fine. Be out by tomorrow night."

"Kaitlin, I'm sorry. It's just, all of this is going on and the last thing I wanted was judgement from anyone. Especially you. But I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less." I followed her, basically begging. "I didn't want to end our friendship over this."

"Well then, you shouldn't have been such a bitch. You can leave your key on the counter top. You have until 8 PM."

"I'll still pay for the next month's rent until you can find someone else..." I said to her right before she slammed the door in my face.

I walked into my room, feeling the tears fall silently down my face as I looked at all that I had to pack before tomorrow. "Hello?" I picked up my ringing phone on the second ring. It was Harry.

"Hey, love. You alright? You sound like you're crying." I sniffed in an attempt to stop myself, but it only made it worse. "Hey, hey. I'll come over if you want me to?"

"No, its fine. I have to be out of the house by tomorrow night. She's so mad at me, Harry. And I said some things I shouldn't have said without thinking and I don't want her hating me but I'm pretty sure she does and--"

"Breathe, princess. I'll bring Liam and Niall over tomorrow and we'll have you out of there before lunchtime. Just go to sleep and I'll be there in the morning with some boxes." I nodded and sniffed once more.

"Are you sure you don't mind me coming to live with you? I mean we've only been dating a little while..." I trailed off, starting to gather some clothes together into piles.

"And I've only known you my whole life. Even if we weren't dating, I'd be fine with you moving in with me. It's a shame Kaitlin's treating you like this after the friendship you thought you two had."

"Yeah, I know. I've always done so much for her for the business, and covering for her when she's too hungover, and saving her from creepy guys. And then she's going to repay me like this?"

"Some people don't realize what they have right in front of them." I could hear him smiling through the phone, and I let myself smile. "Go to sleep. Big day tomorrow! I'll call you on our way over. Sleep well, love!"

"Night, Haz."

---

The next morning, I woke up at 6 AM. Harry had come over early to help me box my belongings up, and Liam and Niall would come over later with their cars so we could be sure to have enough room to transport it over to Harry's place in one trip. Around 7, I had heard a door shut which must have been Kaitlin leaving, we were being as quiet as possible but I guess we weren't quiet enough for her. Oh, well.

"Harry, have you seen my phone?" I asked as I looked around the entire kitchen. "I know I had it last night. I couldn't find it this morning."

"I thought you had found it by now?" He asked as I shook my head, "Maybe you just packed it up."

"Ah! I found it." It was on the kitchen counter, plugged up to the charger. Hm. Strange. I never leave my phone out here to charge...

"That the last box?" Niall asked as he bit into a pastry that he found in the kitchen.

"Yes, it was. I would thank you for your help, but all you did was manage to eat all the food!" I fussed at him, slapping his arm as I walked by.

"Less to pack up!"

"That was Kaitlin's pastry, not mine. So you can take that up with her."

"What was mine?" Kaitlin barged into the house while we were all standing in the living room. "Wow, you got your shit out of here fast." Gavin walked in, following her like a lost puppy.

"Well, figured I might as well get out of your hair as soon as I could. They offered to come over and help me out."

"How nice of them. I didn't know screwing members of a boy band also meant you got a moving company to come help you too."

"I'm not screwing any of them. I'm dating Harry, and I've known him my whole life. Why in the hell are you acting like this all of the sudden, Kaitlin? I've known you for years and we've not once ever fought and then all of the sudden you're treating me like shit. I'm doing the right thing by moving out because I won't be able to afford rent."

"You could just get your internationally famous boyfriend to support you and you wouldn't have to move out."

"I would NEVER ask him to do something like that." I felt Harry wrap an arm around me to pull me back from Kaitlin. "Harry, back off." Immediately his hand fell to his side and he walked out of the house, Liam and Niall following.

"So you'd rather mooch off of him and live in his house instead, leaving me to find someone who can afford to pay the rent?"

"Why don't you get Chelsea to be your little bitch? She follows you around like a shadow. She seems like she'd do anything you asked her to do. Like I did. Like I was sick of doing. I did so much for you, Kaitlin. So much. And you hardly ever thanked me unless you were paying for me getting drunk, knowing I had a fucking problem. You just kept allowing me to drink myself into oblivion because you wanted someone else to get as fucked up as you. I always had to go in for you when you were too hungover, you didn't give two shits about how hungover I was. I did all of your paperwork, everything you didn't even have to ASK me to do, I did. Good luck running your own store by yourself." I slammed the key down on the counter as Kaitlin stood in the kitchen just staring at me. "Oh, and good luck with the One Direction fans. I'll tell them your store is the best in London." I winked as I slammed the door to the half empty house behind me, quickly trying to think if there was anything I left. I left the couch that was mine and I wouldn't be needing it anytime soon.

"Everything alright?" Harry wrapped an arm around me from the side, testing the waters. I nodded and leaned into him for a second before walking over to my car that had also been packed up.

"I'm just ready to get out of here."

"Follow me!" Liam poked out of the side of his silver Range Rover with Niall in the passenger seat and we all followed.

Halfway through unpacking all of the boxes, I got hit with a wave of exhaustion. My eyes were growing heavy, and my body felt like it couldn't move another inch. I sat down on the floor in front of the shelves in Harry's empty extra bedroom and rested my head on my knees. He must have stayed up all night clearing out this room, unless it was always empty, which would have been a little depressing. After we ate lunch, I had told Harry I wanted to be left alone while I unpacked, and he happily agreed. I really didn't have much stuff, but he did tell me to bring my mattress into this room. Along with all of my books, records, movies, and clothes, I had almost filled up the small-ish room. I didn't feel the need to hang up any decorations just yet, but I brought all of them with me. I sat with my head on my knees for a few minutes thinking of everything that was happening so quick, and what was to happen soon. Eventually, fans and paparazzi would find out that I've moved in with Harry, the thought of what they'd say about me then was enough to give me an almost panic attack. My phone started ringing across the room and I bounded across my empty bed to grab my phone. I landed with a plop as I answered.

"How's everything?" My mum asked on the other line.

I sighed, "Just about as good as it can, I guess?"

"You got everything unpacked?"

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "Yeah, he's got an extra bedroom I can keep all of my clothes, books, and my mattress in. He's got several extra bedrooms but I told him I'd take the smallest."

"How nice of him to take you in for a while... He's so kind." I nodded and muttered a "yeah..." as my mum continued. "How long do you think you'll stay there?"

"I don't know, really. I mean, we are dating... So if that lasts a long time, I guess it'll be that long. It's been brought up by management if I could come on tour and I probably could a few weeks, but not the whole time. That's too long to tag along."

"Why, Elle?! You'd love doing that. You'd get to travel and see so many sights you'd never be able to see."

"Yeah, I'll think about it."

"Well, I was just calling to see how everything was and to make sure you're alright. Keep me posted if anything else happens with crazy Kaitlin."

I giggled, "Will do. I love you, mum!"

"Love you too, Annabelle!" She hung up the phone first and I closed my eyes as I rested on my empty, cool bed.

"Looks like you got a lot of unpacking done." Harry woke me up by gently lying on the bed beside me. "You alright?"

I nodded, yawning. "I'm just really sleepy."

"I can see that. Go back to sleep. I'll stay in here." Harry tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and I smiled up at him.

"I'll stay up another minute. What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock. You had been in here about six hours so I figured I should come check on you."

I groaned, "Ugh. Now I won't sleep tonight." I cuddled into his side. "You're warm."

"And you're freezing cold." I felt him shiver as I wrapped my arms around him, under his t-shirt.

"Cold hands, warm heart?" I suggested and he laughed.

"The warmest heart of all. Listen, about tour. Would you like to come along with us? You totally can. If you don't want to, I understand. But I can fly you back home, er, here, anytime you want to leave. It won't be a problem. You're mine now, and I want to take care of you. So you tell me what you want to do. No rush, just think about it."

I nodded, and started drawing circles on Harry's lower back as I closed my eyes, really thinking about this. My mind started to wander off, wondering if Harry had ever asked another girl that he had dated if she could come on tour with him. That was such a huge commitment, along with asking me to move in. I know he said if we wouldn't have been dating he would have done the same, but I still can't help but wonder.

"Have you ever asked a girl to move in with you?" I asked, keeping my lazy eyes shut.

"Yeah, I have." His answer was quick, but he didn't sound irritated.

"Who?" I really didn't want to know. I didn't want to know who else got to lie in his bed with him.

"You."

"Come on, Haz. I'm being serious."

"So am I." I looked up at him in silence, and the look on his face proved to me that he wasn't lying or trying to cover up his answer. "You're the only girl I've ever even thought about moving in with me. And I didn't even have to think about asking you. You would have been miserable with Kaitlin. At least here, if you get annoyed with me or mad at me, you can come to this room and it's all yours. I won't bother you when you're in here. I want you to have your time to yourself, I don't want to become so wrapped up in each other that you feel like you're being smothered. I understand this is early for us to be living together, but I think we can handle it." I nodded as Harry kept on with his slow words drawling out, meaning he was getting sleepier. "What I can't handle, is you- here, halfway on top of me- without kissing you."

I leaned my neck up to look at Harry smiling as he leaned down to meet my lips. I hadn't kissed Harry in what felt like ages. My lips had missed his, and I felt the relief as soon as they reunited. I removed my hands from underneath Harry's shirt and snaked them around his neck, pulling him closer to me. Harry repositioned his hands to my waist as he maneuvered me to straddle him. My hair created a curtain on either side of our faces as I bent down to keep our lips connected. Harry reached up and pulled my hair over to one side so it wouldn't get in the way, then placed his hands back on my hips, grabbing at them as hard as he could without leaving a bruise. I started grinding my hips against his slowly growing crotch. Harry broke the kiss for a second.

"I thought you were tired, princess?" He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear again.

"I am exhausted, but I'd rather finish what we started."

"What we started?!" Harry sat up, our clothed chests touching. "What you started. The way you draped yourself over my body like you were some fancy throw on the back of a couch. Just begging me to grab you." I rolled my eyes. Harry leaned up and kissed my forehead. "If you're exhausted, let's just go to bed."

"You sure?" I asked, entangling my fingers in the curls of his head.

He nodded, "I'm pretty tired myself. Plus, we have every day the next two months to spend doing that." He winked and stood up, keeping me attached to his hip. I rested my head on his shoulder and clung to him like I'd imagine a koala would. He turned around and let me plop onto his plush bed, and I quickly buried myself under the covers.

"I hear my phone ringing. Will you bring it to me?" I asked, and he quickly ran into the other room. I didn't hear him coming back for a few minutes. "Haz? Harry?" I waited and waited, debating whether I should go get my phone. What could he have found? I heard his slow, heavy footsteps before I saw his slumped over, tired looking body appear in the doorway. "Find it?"

"Yeah, yeah. I found it, alright."

"What happened?"

"Jack called. He wants you to call him back. Then I saw all of these-" Harry showed me my phone as I stood up from the bed. "What the fuck Annabelle? You're still talking to him?" I scrolled through the texts. Someone had text Jack from my phone. Tons of details. About my life, what I was doing, about my relationship with Harry.

"No, I'm not. Why would I tell him all of this?! You're being ridiculous, Harry. I bet Kaitlin stole my phone and that's why it was in the kitchen this morning."

"You really expect me to believe that? Did you get drunk and just forget that you talked to him last night? This is going to be all over everywhere in the morning, you do know that?"

I sighed, wanting to cry. "I thought you trusted me, Harry. I'd never say any of this to him. Look, she doesn't spell as well as I text. I promise that's what happened, I wouldn't do that. Maybe he offered her money? I don't know. I don't even want to think about it." I felt Harry's arms wrap around me.

"I don't know what happened, but we'll get it figured out in the morning. Let's just go to sleep."

"Yeah." I crawled back into bed and covered myself with the covers, and Harry followed suit. "Night, Haz."

"Night." And with that, Harry shut off the bedside table without even turning his back from me.