Beautiful Stranger

The holidays were here, right around the corner, just about a week away. Every storefront and business was filled with endless holiday decorations, from Christmas wreaths to other nice things. I step out of my apartment door into the chilly London air, and stuff my glove-covered hands into the pockets of the coat I was wearing. I walk to the edge of the street so I could hail a cab to take me where I was headed; to the store to pick up a few things, since I’m due at my parents house in a few hours, for an early Christmas dinner.

A cab soon pulls up and I climb in the back seat and buckle my seatbelt. I tell the driver where to go and he is soon on his way heading down the busy London streets. I pull out my phone and tap on the most recent app I was using, to keep myself busy on the drive.

“Uh, miss, we’re here,” the driver tells me. I look up to find the driver staring at me in the rearview mirror. I manage to pull my wallet out so I could pay the fare.

“Thanks,” I mutter in a quiet tone as I pay what I owe him and I climb out the cab, shutting the door as I step onto the pavement. Next thing I know, he soon zooms off in a rush. Okay then. I think to myself as I begin to head to the entrance of the store. All I needed was a few things, so it shouldn’t take me too terribly long. My mum needed a few items for some dessert she decided that she wanted to make last minute.

The place was crowded, too crowded. It was always crowded around this time of year, but this was a little much, with some people with cameras standing near the entrance, most likely scoping out for some famous person, whoever was here, I guess. I give a friendly smile and nod as I pass by them so I can get to where I need to. I grab a basket since I didn’t need much, a few small items.

It takes me a few minutes but I finally find what I’m looking for, marshmallow cream, along with a few boxes of graham crackers. I soon begin to make my way to the cash register so I can pay for my things, but I am pushed slightly and fall to the cold tile.

“I’m sorry love, wasn’t watching where I was going,” a guy says in a deep voice.

Just as I’m about to open my mouth to say something, I look up to find the most hypnotizing beautiful pair of green eyes staring into my blue ones. A blush creeps up on my cheeks as I have to turn my eyes away to keep myself from staring at him. He reaches his hand out, for me to take so he can help me up. I slowly reach for his hand, a bit cautious, since he was a stranger, a beautiful one, at that.

He pulls me up to my feet so I was standing again. I can’t help but get a better glimpse of his tall figure as he stands before me. He looks oddly familiar and I know I’ve seen him before. It’s when he turns to face me and smiles when I finally realize who he is; he’s Harry Styles, my most favourite person in the whole world. How did I just so happen to run – literally – into my favourite person ever, who happens to be the one and only Harry Styles – the Harry Styles I have on posters that cover the walls in my bedroom.

“I…I’m Harry,” he says with that beautiful smile of his. His hair was short with random curled pieces a mess here and there.

I stay silent as I stand there and try to process what just happened. How is this even happening right now? To keep myself busy instead of just standing here like an idiot, I lean down so I could pick up the box near his feet he must have dropped when he ran into me. I stand up to my full stature and hand him the box, a small smile on my face. My hands begin to tingle when he reaches for the box and his fingers touch mine.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” he asks. He thinks I’m beautiful? No way, he just barely met me, plus, he doesn’t even know me.

“A-Alex,” I mutter in a quiet tone.

“What a pretty name for such a pretty girl,” he replies with a genuine smile, his dimples on show.

I can’t help but smile and keep my eyes on the floor tiles at my feet as I bend down so I could grab the now warped boxes of graham crackers and newly busted jar of marshmallow cream. He stands there staring at me for a few minutes before he walks away. I’m too lost in my thoughts and I don’t even notice him walk back up to me, a couple boxes in his arms along with a jar of marshmallow cream in his right hand.

“Here,” he motions to the items he was holding. “My treat, since I’m the one who knocked you down in the first place,” he says as I stand there, in front of him.

“You sure?” I question as I look at the tall guy who stood before me.

“What can I do to repay you for this?” I say as I look at him.

“I don’t know, maybe we can grab a coffee together some time, because I’d like to get to know you better,” he replies with a smile as he gets in line at one of the checkout lanes. I give him a small nod along with a smile as I follow behind him and set the basket down with the items that I dropped when I fell. He is soon next in line so I just stand there next to him, quietly.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s in that box?” I ask curious as to why he’s carrying that around for.

“It’s a gift for my sister,” he smiles.

“Awe, that’s sweet,” I reply with a smile.

I shift my eyes back to the floor, because I didn’t want to look dumb for staring at him. I’m sure he gets it a lot, being in the spotlight like he’s been in for the last 5, almost 6 years now from being known as Harry Styles, part of the world’s biggest boy band, One Direction, and now, an actor. I bet it gets tiring, with all the attention on him 24/7. I don’t blame him though; I’d want time to myself too, if I were in his place.

I hear someone’s name being called but pay no mind to it. I am too lost in my thoughts when I suddenly feel a tap on my shoulder.

“Alex? You alright, love? You were zoned out there for a few minutes,” I look up to find Harry staring at me, a look of concern visible on his face as he stared at me.

“Y-yeah, oh, I’m fine! Sorry,” I say and laugh a bit at my awkward moment before I walk over to where he stood, holding two bags, one for him and the other with my items.

“It’s alright, no worries,”

I push my bag up further on my shoulder as I stand there. My phone begins to go off and I begin to reach for it in my bag. That’s when I remember, I was going over to visit my parents for an early Christmas dinner. My grandparents were coming from Surrey, which wasn’t too far from London.

I pull out my phone to see a missed call, and a voicemail from my mum. She’s probably wondering where I was and beginning to worry, like always. I was beginning to worry, myself, because I always like to be places on time when I say I’ll be there. I’ve never liked being late.

“I-I have t-to go, there’s…uh, there’s somewhere I need to be,” I say as I look at Harry who was staring at his phone in his hands.

“Where are you off to? I could take you, and drop you off, if you’d like,” he tells me. Was he serious? The Harry Styles was asking me if I’d like a ride to the place I needed to be.

“My parents’ house. Uh…are you s-sure?” I question, my voice a bit shaky.

“O’ course, I don’t mind,” he replies as the two of us begin to make our way to the front entrance of the store.

We are soon being hoarded by numerous amounts of people with cameras going off left and right. Questions were booming from their mouths about anything and everything, regarding Harry. I look at Harry with a worried expression. With his empty hand, he takes mine in his and takes off running, to get away from the crazy paparazzi. Before too long, we make our way out the back entrance and walk up to a black Range Rover, which I’m guessing had to be his.

“Where to?” Harry questions as we sit there in his car.

I tell him the address and he plugs it into his GPS before he begins to drive. I soon shift my eyes to stare out the window as Harry keeps his eyes on the road in front of him. There was a silence, but it wasn’t awkward; it was surprisingly comforting. On the drive, my mind is in overdrive, with so many thoughts about what was going on. I couldn’t believe I was actually sitting next to him; someone I’ve been a huge fan of for the last 5 years.

I look up to see familiar surroundings I’m so used to seeing when I come over here. “Which one is it?” Harry asks, glancing at me from the corner of his eye as he slows to a stop. As I turn to look over, I notice we were right in front of my parents’ house.

“U-um, i-it’s this one; we’re right in front of it, actually,” I tell him with a small smile and point to the house we were in front of.

It still looked the same as it’s always been, with a nice array of flowers along the pathway that led to the front door. I undo my seat belt and reach back so I could grab the bag in the back seat with the things I got at the store earlier.

“Thanks for the lift home,” I mutter and reach for the door handle so I can open the door.

“No problem, love,” he says with a smile, his eyes on me. I smile as I push open the door and get out. I move my purse further up on my shoulder as I begin to walk up the walk way to the front door, grocery bag in hand. I turn to see him wave toward me along with a smile before he drives off, leaving me standing there, a smile on my face.

I make my way inside and shut the door behind me. After I walk inside, I set the bag down so I could remove my shoes. As I untie my remaining boot, I notice something in the bag that stood out to me. It had something written on it. Curious as to what it was, I grab for it so I could take a look at it. I pull out the small piece of paper, the receipt, and notice a note scrawled across it in semi-neat handwriting. I set my shoes off to the side and stand there, staring at the paper in the palm of my hand.

‘Let me know when you want to get that coffee. I’d love to see you again. – H x’ was written in a legible script. A phone number was also at the bottom.

I stare at it for the next few minutes and gasp when I realize his number on the page, my mouth dropping open in surprise. I have to cover my mouth with my hand to keep myself from freaking out. No way – am I dreaming? I think to myself.

I hear the sound of footsteps making their way into the front entry way where I was. “Alex? Is that you? Everything alright?!” I glance over to see her standing there.

“All good mum,” I tell her with a smile.

I put the receipt in my pocket and hand the bag over to her. She takes it with a smile and walks back into the other room. I sit there for the next few minutes and try to wrap my mind around what happened today. For one thing, today was definitely something, one I wasn’t going to forget anytime soon, since I met my most favorite person in the entire world; Harry Styles. He actually knows I exist. I can’t wait to tell my friend about this; she’s going to freak when I tell her.

The whole rest of the evening seems to go by ever so slowly. I can’t seem to get today’s events out of my head, along with his smile. I enjoyed the time with my grandparents, and parents. We laughed and shared stories. It was nice and I enjoyed it a lot.

Later that night, as I lie there about to go to sleep, I can’t shake the thought of how Harry wants to get a coffee with me. I couldn’t wait for that day, which I hope is soon, because I wanted to see him again.