Hearts Like Ours

Charlie’s eyes scanned the unfamiliar airport as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder. The day here was much like the one she had just left behind in Seattle; gray and drizzling. Her pea coat fit right in with the sea of people bustling about, jostling her slightly as they moved past her, determined to get to their destinations.

“Charlie!” a voice called.

She turned on her heel to face it. A tall blond was making her way over to her, a wide smile on her face. Her hair was braided over one shoulder of her thick brown sweater, two sizes too large for her body. Charlie didn’t have to guess whos sweater it was, realizing with a grin that she wasn’t the only one who would be borrowing from Harry’s wardrobe.

“Gemma,” she answered once the girl was close enough to her. The words no longer escaped her mouth that a pair of arms were wrapped around her. After a moment’s hesitation, Charlie returned the hug.

“Sorry,” Gemma apologized, stepping back. “We’re a family of huggers.”

“No worries,” Charlie replied.

“You look knackered,” Gemma told her, reaching for Charlie’s bag. Charlie didn’t bother to protest, too used to the persistence of Gemma’s brother. She knew it would be to no avail.

“I slept on the plane. I’m good to go,” she replied. Gemma inclined her head in the direction of the exit and Charlie followed, her eyes scanning the crowds around her.

Neither girl said much of anything as they trekked to the car. Gemma had somehow found a prime parking spot, but it was hell to get out of. A solid fifteen minutes later, she’d finally maneuvered her way out of the spot, past the gates and slow-moving traffic, and onto the motorway.

“Thank you for this, by the way,” Charlie said in one of the quiet moments. Gemma’s head turned to her.

“No need. It’s the best gift we could think to give him. And besides, we’ve all been eager to meet you. It’s just as much for our benefit as yours,” she explained.

“Even still, thank you.”

“Our pleasure,” Gemma returned. Half a moment later, she was focused on the road again, honking loudly at a car that cut her off and muttering an obscenity beneath her breath. Charlie bit back a laugh and instead pulled her phone from her pocket as it began vibrating.

“Shit,” she muttered.

“That him?” Gemma inquired.

Charlie nodded before sliding her finger across the screen and lifting it to her ear.

“Hey!” she greeted enthusiastically.

“You sound awfully chipper for someone who spent the last six hours studying for a test you have yet to take,” Harry mused.

“I may have had a coffee or four,” she replied easily. From the corner of her eye, she could see Gemma’s gaze leaving the road for short increments, shifting to her nervously.

“You’re feeling better about it though, yeah?” he asked.

“Happy birthday,” she responded instead, unable to discuss the specifics of an exam she’d made up. He chuckled.

“That bad, huh?”

“What did you do today?” she asked, persistent. She wasn’t particularly fond of lying to him.

When he’d come to visit her in December for a few short days, she’d recieved a phone call just hours before he landed at Sea-Tac. It was the first time she’d ever spoken to Harry’s mother, and it took her off guard when Anne introduced herself on the other line.

“Harry wants to invite you to stay with us for his birthday in February. Unfortunately, we had the same idea and have been planning to book you a ticket as a surprise to him. What else do you get a kid who has everything? Anyway, if you’re free that week, we want to buy your ticket. Just think of an excuse to tell him when he asks you to come, so we can keep it hidden.”

This had proven to be a harder challenge than originally thought when she agreed to do it. There wasn’t much Harry couldn’t talk her out of when it came to plans. If she said she promised Cam to accompany him on a roadtrip to see Tanner as an extra in a musical in New York (where he was currently interning for a theater company under the radar of his frat brothers), Harry would suggest stopping there for a connecting flight to Heathrow. If it was something as dull as a family function she couldn’t weasel out of, he’d ineveitably show up on her doorstep on his own damn birthday. The only thing she could think of that would even deter him was an exam. Her education was something he wouldn’t step in the way of.

Harry sighed from the other end of the line and she didn’t bother to hide her smile. She could practically see him running his hand over his face.

“Dad took me golfing this morning. Went to lunch with some friends who can’t make it to the dinner tonight. I think Niall might be throwing a party, but I don’t really feel like going,” he admitted.

“Why not?”

“Think I’d just rather go home. We can FaceTime, eat cake and pretend we’re on the same continent.”

Gemma had long ago taken an exit. They were in the heart of the city now, in an upscale part of town. Pulling up to a curb, she turned off the car and looked expectantly at Charlie.

“You should at least go to a party thrown in your honor, Harry,” she sighed.

“You don’t want to see me?” he pouted. She snorted.

“You’re not guilting me into anything. Enjoy your birthday, have fun, and quit moping. I’ll see you when I see you.”

“Why do I feel like you’re ending our conversation right now?” he asked.

“Because I am. I have to go, but I’ll talk to you later.”

She rolled her eyes at Gemma as he groaned into the phone. Gemma raised her brows knowingly, used to her brother’s theatrics.

“Good luck on your test,” he told her.

“Enjoy your birthday,” was her reply. A moment later, they hung up. Gemma pushed open her door and Charlie did the same, stepping out onto the sidewalk. Across the street, a man stepped out of his car with a phone to his ear.

“Paparazzi,” Gemma explained.

“They just sit out here?” Charlie questioned, reaching for her bag before Gemma got the chance. She frowned at Charlie’s action, but chose not to comment. Instead, she led her to the building, buzzing a button before gaining access. Holding the door, she began to explain.

“Usually just a few, and only when they’re all in the country. The real chaos doesn’t happen until one makes an appearance out front or if there’s one of those big black SUVs. Niall chose this building because it has a back exit, though. It’s gated, so he usually doesn’t have too much trouble coming and going.”

Charlie nodded as Gemma spoke. They made their way through the front lobby toward an elevator. Stepping on, Gemma hit a button and it was set in motion.

“So from here we’ll go to dinner, then after the party Harry can drop you off at your hotel. The boys all want to meet you and Niall lives closest to the restaurant. You’re okay with getting ready here, right? I just didn’t think we’d have time to go to the hotel...”

“Gemma, I’m fine,” Charlie assured her. It was easy to see who taught Harry how to worry. Gemma didn’t seem to register anything Charlie was saying to her, continuing to chew on her nail absently as they arrived on the right floor. Charlie followed blindly behind her as she led the way down a hall to their right. She stopped in front of a door and knocked loudly.

The door was pulled open to reveal a boy Charlie immediately recognized as Liam. Wearing a black henley and jeans, his bare feet gave him a more casual look. He was holding a pizza slice in his left hand, his right holding onto the doorknob. His face lit up as he took in Gemma, immediately stepping forward to engulf her in a hug. She took this as an opportunity to snatch the piece of pizza from his hand.

“For God’s sake, we’re going to dinner in less than two hours,” she scowled, side-stepping his hug to push her way into the depths of the apartment that lay beyond. Charlie didn’t miss Gemma taking a bite as she disappeared around a corner.

“You must be Charlie,” Liam directed at her with a smile. She awkwardly shifted her weight, accepting his outstretched hand as she stepped forward through the doorway.

“Charlie!” an accented voice called to her a moment later. Her hand was still connected with Liam’s when she turned to face Louis, who wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Liam dropped her hand with a frown while Zayn began to laugh, appearing beside him.

“Maybe give her a little space, mate. You come on a bit strong,” Liam suggested. When Louis stepped away a second later, he swatted dismissively at the air.

“With as much as I’ve heard about you, we’re practically family,” he said with a laugh, throwing his arm around her shoulder. She could only laugh as Zayn introduced himself with a small wave, heeding Liam’s advice.

Charlie let her eyes roam the space before her, curious as to the apartment she was standing in. It had two levels, stairs lying adjacent to a closet on her immediate right. To the left was an open living room with hardwood floors running the expanse. There were a total of two couches and three recliners. Two girls were sitting there, watching Charlie interestedly. They smiled warmly at her, calling out their names though Charlie was already familiar with Perrie and Eleanor’s faces from many a Google search.

Behind the living room was an open doorframe which led to the kitchen. Gemma and Niall were exiting from it in conversation. Charlie smiled at their topic of discussion.

“He’s so damn mopey, I almost told him just to shut him up,” Niall was saying, his eyes on the mobile in his hand. Gemma chose to make no response, only pushing her lips into a disapproving line at her younger brother’s dramatic tendencies. Niall locked his phone and glanced up at Charlie, a grin spreading over his lips.

He crossed the room as if about to hug her, but instead offered his hand. She shook it as he introduced himself. Gemma cut in a moment later.

“Bathroom is upstairs, to the left, second door. I know you’re probably eager to wash up before dinner and I’m hoping to get you out of here before these four scare you off,” she told her, eyes cutting immediately to Louis who held his hands up in mock surrender.

Charlie sheepishly lifted her bag from the floor and began in the direction Gemma had instructed her. She felt uneasy here, in the presence of a plethora of people she had never met but who were key players in Harry’s life. It was her turn to be thrust into a world where she knew nothing and no one.

Well, except Harry.

She flicked on the bathroom switch and shut the door behind her. Examining her reflection in the mirror, she cringed. The nine hour flight hadn’t done her much good. She looked jet-lagged and exhausted, her hair pulled back from her face in a messy bun. In an oversized sweater from Pink and a pair of yoga pants, she was a far cry from the fashionable streets of London she was suddenly standing on. She hadn’t even put on make-up before heading to the airport, and now she was standing in the bathroom of the world’s most popular boyband as she prepared to go to dinner with her popstar boyfriend. Things had changed drastically in the last five months.

Charlie began by scrubbing down her face after finally locating a washcloth in a linen closet beside the shower. Pleased to see some color, she pulled out a straightner and got to work with her hair. It was a gruelling process that lasted twenty minutes, but was well worth it. She was satisfied with the way in which her golden locks fell in a straight curtain down her back. She took it all in her hands and guided it to one shoulder, then began her make-up.

A knocking at the door took her by surprise. She almost dropped her mascara wand from the startle, but regained enough composure to ask who it was.

“Are you decent?” Gemma asked, her voice muffled by the door. Charlie reached over and unlocked the knob, allowing her access.

“He’s gonna lose it,” Gemma commented, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. Charlie was busy applying the rest of her mascara, but she managed a scoff.

“I’m still wearing my airport clothes.”

“I doubt he cares what you’re wearing.”

Charlie rolled her eyes as she screwed the cap back on and took a step back from the mirror. She had to admit, she looked at least ten times better now than she had when she first walked through the door to Niall’s flat.

“We need to leave in ten minutes,” Gemma told her.

“I’ll be changed in five.”

With that, the door was shut. Charlie began to rifle through her duffle for the dress she’d packed. She located it and pulled it on, fixing it on her frame before taking a deep breath and turning to her reflection in the mirror. The white tunic fell from her body in a slouchy silhouette, hitting her mid-thigh. It was sleeveless with a scoop neckline and a crochet trim at the bottom. It wasn’t form-hugging, but it suited her well enough. The dress was simple, but she loved the way it looked on her.

Turning to the door, she pushed it open and stepped out into the hall. She’d located her pair of flats, glad she had chosen them instead of heels, which would have distracted from the dress and made her uncomfortable all evening. Padding softly down the hall, she made her way to the staircase and descended to the rest of the group, all in various states of conversation.

“You look lovely, Charlie.”

Perrie was the first to speak, surprisingly. Zayn’s eyes followed suit, and that was the catalyst for everyone else.

Charlie hated being the center of attention. She was extremely modest and easily embarrassed. Silently, she thanked the heavens she’d put on foundation to hide the beet-red complexion she was sure to have otherwise. As everyone murmured in agreement, she quietly thanked them and uneasily adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. Gemma was the first to move toward the door and Charlie let out a breath of relief as the group migrated to the elevator.

“Are you ready?” Gemma asked as they returned to her car.

Charlie nodded, unable to form a verbal response. She was more than ready to see Harry after two months of nothing but five-minute Skype sessions. There was still this nervous bubble brewing in her stomach, though. She was in unfamiliar territory, in a country where she didn’t understand the monetary system, but now had to live up to the expectations of Harry’s closest friends and family. It was nauseating, to say the least.

The restaurant was fairly close and Gemma parked in the back lot beside the two SUVs that carried the rest of the 1D gang. Harry and his parents were already inside and the thought of this made her stomach turn again.

“Wait here a few minutes for us to settle in,” Gemma advised, unbuckling her seatbelt. When she looked over to Charlie, her hand paused on the door handle. “Are you okay?”

Her expression must have given away her panic. She held tightly to the hem of her dress to keep her hands steady.

“It’s just all a little overwhelming,” she finally admitted after a moment.

Gemma bit down on her lip, a habit she must have passed down to her brother. She looked concerned as she reached over and placed a hand on Charlie’s.

“You’re one of the most important people in Harry’s life now, Charlie. We’re all curious about meeting you, so I apologize if any of us come on too strong, but we mean well. If you’re nervous, just imagine him in there, checking his phone under the table to sneak texts to you. It’s what he usually does whenever we all go out.”

Charlie let out a short breath of a laugh. It sounded like typical Harry.

“Thank you,” she said. Gemma gave her hand a final squeeze before slipping out of the car and heading toward the front entrance.

With nothing to occupy her time now, she pulled out her phone. The background photo was the one taken on the day of the concert, the night that changed everything. It was snapped in an unprepared moment, neither one of them looking at the camera. Instead, they were smiling at one another, eyes connected. Just looking at the photo, she could tell how deeply they had fallen, even then.

The phone buzzed in her hand and she smiled as Harry’s name popped up.

Everyone’s just arrived. Wish you were here. Perrie and Zayn are making me nauseous.

Charlie grinned, typing in a quick response.

You love Perrie and Zayn.

A moment later, her phone lit up again.

They’re always touching.

Her response was immediate.

So are we.

She laughed when his text came as she slid out of the car, locking the door behind her as Gemma instructed.

<i>If you were here, I wouldn’t be bothered.</i>

He was doing that thing where he sulked in the hopes of getting something out of her. Usually it worked, which meant she would stay up until an ungodly hour to FaceTime him or strategically plan her day around a phone call. She knew this time, he was hoping for her to tell him she’d be waiting to video chat with him so he could skip out on Niall’s party, but that wasn’t going to happen. Charlie smiled to herself, positive Harry was confused by her unsual strong will.

With a deep breath, Charlie pushed open the door to the restaurant. It was dimly lit and her eyes took a moment to adjust, but when they did, a hostess was eyeing her curiously. Without a word, she nodded in the direction of their table, having been filled in by either Anne or Gemma. Charlie thanked her before making her way to the private section.

His back was to her, broad shoulders taking up the chair he was sitting in. He was slouching slightly, his mobile in his hand beneath the table cloth, though he wasn’t fooling anyone. It was a good thing he was distracted, because everyone else’s eyes immediately turned to her as she entered the room. Louis pulled out his phone, no doubt taking a video.

As subtly as possible, Anne stood from where she had been sitting beside Harry. The movement caused him to look up at her, watching as she reached over to a nearby table and pulled up another chair on the other side of her husband. Confused, Harry turned.

The moment he caught sight of Charlie, he stood, nearly knocking over his chair. The table erupted into laughter, but he either didn’t register it or didn’t care. His hands were around her so fast it nearly knocked the wind out of her.

“Hi,” she whispered quietly into his neck.

“Hi,” he returned, lips pressed to her hair. When he pulled back, it was only to duck down and kiss her softly.

Her face went red as when he stepped back, guiding her to her seat. All eyes were on them and she was acutely aware of that fact as she kept her eyes trained on the ground.

“Exams my arse,” Harry muttered, shaking his head with a grin. She looked over at him then. “Can’t believe you did that to me.”

“Wasn’t entirely her fault. We had already arranged things when you came up with the idea to ask her. We wanted it to be a surprise,” Anne explained.

“Thank you,” he told her earnestly as his hand slipped into Charlie’s beneath the table. With the contact, she felt braver, less embarrassed as the rest of the table fell into their own conversations.

“You look amazing,” he told her lowly in her ear. The sound of his voice mixed with the soft movements of his thumb as it brushed back and forth over the skin of her hand sent goosebumps up her spine, but she’d be damned if she let him know that. After taking a sip of her water, she turned to meet his gaze.

“You look alright,” she shrugged. He laughed, not tearing his eyes from her as she began to look through the menu.

“Wanna know a secret?” he asked. Charlie shrugged, but she knew he was aware this was one of her favorite games.

In the late hours, when she felt drowsy, they would play this game. One person would offer the other a secret no one else knew in an attempt to shock the other awake. It sometimes worked, but usually was just a way to distract them from how exhausted they were.

With an amused smile, he leaned in close, lips brushing her ear. She shivered at the sensation, which only caused him to chuckle.

“I’m in love with you.”

It was the first time he’d said it aloud, though he had told her in more subtle ways. Sometimes she would catch him watching her with this incredulous expression on his face, as if he’d dreamt her up and she’d suddenly appeared in his arms. Other times, she could just feel it in her bones, like when he kept constant physical contact with her. His leg pressed against hers, or his hand on her knee, or his arm stretched across the back of her seat while his fingers combed through her hair absently. It was these things that energized her, communicated to her exactly how he felt though he hadn’t told her directly.

Still, it felt nice to hear.

She wasted no time in turning into him, lips finding his with ease. In the public setting, she kept it brief, but deep. He was smiling against her as she was into him, and when they broke apart, his eyes had that peculiar light in them she loved so much.

“Wanna hear a secret?”

“Are you in love with me, too?”

“No. I mean, yes, but that’s not the secret.”

He grinned at her, and she was sure his lips were incapable of stretching any wider. He was so undeniably euphoric that she was positive there was nothing she could say to ruin the moment. So instead, she bettered it.

“I’m taking online classes this summer. Just two. I know you were hoping I could join you on tour for a bit, so I made sure it would be possible.”

He made no verbal reply, choosing instead to press his lips to her hair. Charlie’s eyes fell upon the form of his mother, watching them with interest. With red cheeks, she made more of an effort to look into the menu, but when the waiter came by, she ordered the last thing she could remember reading on the menu.

“How long are you here for?” he asked.

“A week,” she replied. After a moment, she added, “I hope that’s enough time to win everyone over.”

“I think you already have.”

She shook her head. Harry raised a brow at her. “I’m jet-lagged,” she explained. “And I’m awful at first impressions. I’m too quiet, especially when overwhelmed.”

“You weren’t quiet with me.”

“That was different. There was only one of you and I had this eerie sensation that you already knew me.”

“That’s because I did.”

Charlie chose not to answer. Instead, she leaned into his shoulder lazily as he let go of her hand in favor of wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Her eyes flickered around to those at the table, watching in each in turn. Everyone who ever mattered to Harry was sitting at this table, and suddenly getting to know them didn’t seem like such an impossible task as she watched them each interact with one another, laughing and telling stories. The idea of integrating into his life wasn’t so difficult to imagine now that she took the time to examine each of them, and with a wink from Gemma, she felt up to the challenge.

It struck her suddenly that being here in Harry’s arms, watching everyone he held close to him, felt like something distinctly new.

This is a beginning.