Hi guys! I'm baaaack! And better than before, I believe. This posting is strictly a one-shot featuring One Direction's very own Harry Styles! I do not own him, sadly, or anything related to 1D or the song 'Grenade' by Bruno Mars. Please favorite and review if you enjoy it! I really appreciate feedback and constructive criticism. Ciao!
My family vacation to Nashville was turning out to be a drag. I'd always dreamt that I would come here, give out my demo, and get signed; well, that wasn't happening. My dad had forgotten my demos, and there were too many aspiring artists already playing on the streets to even attempt it. So, I just chilled in the hotel lobby, waiting for something spectacular to happen. As I sat in the comfy chair, I played with my phone, trying to check my twitter feed unsuccessfully because something was wrong with that too. "Ugh." I leaned my head against the back of the chair, wondering why nothing was going right.
Instead of torturing myself any longer, I stood, walked to the elevator, and waited after pushing the 'up' button. I softly sang the song that'd been in my head all day, One Direction's "Everything About You". Yes, I was a fan. No, I wasn't a crazy, insane fan that stalked them wherever they went and traveled to tons of concerts. In fact, I hadn't been to one at all. Too many screaming girls for my taste; I probably wouldn't even be able to hear the boys sing, and that's what it was all about: the music. Sure, it didn't hurt that all the boys were good-looking, but I knew that wasn't the only thing that mattered.
"On the other side of the world
It don't matter
I'll be there in two
I'll be there in two
I'll be there in two
I still feel it every time
It's just something that you do
Now ask me why I want to…"
The elevator was taking forever. I tapped my foot impatiently and turned to my left to see a guy standing there, a tall guy. He had brown, super curly hair and was wearing black jeans and a white v-neck tee. "Hello." I'd recognize that voice anywhere.
I did a double take. It was Harry Styles from One Direction! My brain raced with words to say, things to do. I decided to play it cool, act like I didn't know who he was. "Hey, what's up?" Maybe too nonchalant.
He smiled, his green eyes sparkling and his dimples showing. "Nothing much, just headed up to my room." His attention was turned to the elevator as it beeped and the doors opened, several people walking out. Harry motioned for me to go first, and I tried not to blush as I walked in ahead of him. When we got inside, he spoke again. "What floor are you on?"
"I'm on six." I shot him a small smile, running my fingers through my shoulder length brunette hair, which I'd actually taken the time to straighten that day.
Harry pushed the 'six' button and leaned against the railing, half-smiling. "I'm on six as well." He was staying on the same floor as me?! Wow. Just wow.
I nodded, not showing any of the emotion that was going on inside. "Six must be the cool floor."
He chuckled, his eyes meeting mine again. "I'm Harry. Harry Styles."
I shook his outstretched hand, nodding once in greeting. "Alex Stone."
Harry looked as if he was about to say more, but was interrupted by the elevator jolting to a halt, the lights flickering a bit. "Well that's not good."
"Oh no. I've always been scared of getting stuck in an elevator." I started panicking, wondering what to do next.
The handsome pop star held out his hands in a calming gesture. "It's all right, Alex. I'll get us out of here." He got eye-level with the panel of buttons and put a hand to his chin. "Aha." He pressed a red button that said "Emergency only". I expected some kind of noise or sound to indicate he'd hit it, but nothing happened. "Well, this should be fun." He grinned cheekily at me, sitting down on the floor.
I sank down as well, shrugging. Oh well, who better to be stuck in an elevator with than Harry Styles? I pulled out my phone and unlocked the screen, texting my best friend who was back in Alabama. Wait, phone! "I can call my parents and tell them the elevator is stuck, then they can call the front desk!" I dialed first my mom's number, then my dad's cell, only to get voicemail both times.
"Anything?" Harry asked hopefully, scooting closer to me.
I shook my head. "Nope. Neither of them answered."
He sighed. "Too bad. Maybe someone will realize something's wrong…sometime." I felt his green eyes turn to me. "So tell me about yourself, Alex."
I gulped. "Um, I'm seventeen, from Alabama. I sing and play the piano; I hope to one day be a performer, maybe even as famous as Adele."
Harry nodded. "I see. Adele represents the UK well." He paused. "I sing as well, you know."
I raised my eyebrows in fake surprise. "Really? Is that why you're here in Nashville, to get famous?"
He chuckled and flipped his hair to the side. "I'm actually sort of famous already…have you heard of One Direction?"
"Oh, yeah. The British guys that girls go insane over?" I asked, giving him an amused smile.
He laughed. "That's us. In fact, I'm a bit surprised they haven't found us in this hotel yet. They have a sneaky way of knowing things." Pausing, he locked eyes with me again, a cheeky grin on his lips. "Why don't we sing a song to pass the time?"
"Oh no. I'm not singing and epically failing in front of a famous pop star." I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest, clamping my mouth shut.
Harry shrugged. "Then let's pretend for a moment that I'm not a famous pop star, that I'm just Harry Styles, normal boy from Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, England who just so happens to sing." His green eyes pleaded with me silently.
I couldn't resist that adorable face of his. "Fine," I sighed, rolling my eyes while smiling. "But what should we sing?"
He stroked his chin, thinking. "Hmmm…" he mused. "What about 'Grenade' by Bruno Mars? Do you know that one?"
I nodded excitedly. "I do."
"Good. I'll start with the first verse then. You can join in the chorus, yeah?" After I agreed, he began singing a capella, his voice spot on.
"Easy come, easy go
That's just how you live, oh
Take, take, take it all
But 'cha never give
Shoulda known you was trouble
From the first kiss
Had your eyes wide open
Why were they open?
Gave you all I had
And you tossed it in the trash
You tossed it in the trash, you did
To give me all your love
Was all I ever asked
Cause what ya don't
Understand is I'd…"
I came in on the chorus, adding the 'yeahs' after Harry sang each line of the chorus, then higher harmonies to the last bits. He nodded for me to take the second verse, and I did, pumped already from just singing the chorus with him.
"Black, black, black and blue
Beat me till I'm numb
Tell the devil I said hey when
You get back to where you're from
Mad woman, bad woman
That's just what you are, yeah
You'll smile in my face
Then rip the brakes out my car
Gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash
You tossed it in the trash
Yes you did
To give me all your love
Is all I ever asked
Cause what ya don't
Understand is I'd…"
My voice was even stronger on the verse than I thought it normally was, my own improv and runs sounding smooth with what we had going. We sang the chorus together, reverse what we had before, our voices working well together. After the last word, Harry clapped.
"You're really good, Alex. Why don't you audition for American Idol, The Voice, or even X-Factor?" he asked, his face leveling with mine so that those gorgeous green orbs stared into my soul.
I shrugged. "I don't really want to get famous that way. It seems a bit too restricting, to be honest. I want to get noticed by playing gigs, passing my demos around." I blushed when he cocked his head to the side, a grin playing on his lips. "I know, it's silly, right?"
Harry shook his head. "No, no. I think it's admirable. You don't want to be cliché."
"Exactly."
He opened his mouth to reply when my phone started to vibrate in my lap. I looked to see that it was my dad calling. Once I answered, I explained to him our situation and he said he would call the front desk as soon as he got off the phone with me. After I clicked the 'end' button, I sighed. "So it looks like we're gonna be in our rooms soon."
Harry nodded, almost sadly. "I suppose. Unless…" He paused to lock eyes with me once again. "What do you say to a stroll to the nearest Starbucks? I'll buy you a drink." My heart pounded when he winked at me.
"S-sure. But Harry?" I said, needing to get something off of my chest.
"Yeah, babe?"
I took a deep breath. "I am a fan of you guys."
Harry chuckled. "I know. I heard you singing 'Everything About You' as I walked up."
My eyebrows knit together. "Really? I'm sorry I sorta lied; I just didn't want to come off as a crazy stalker fan girl."
Then, his hand was wrapped around mine. "It's all right. I know you're not a crazy stalker fan girl."
After about thirty minutes, the elevator jolted to a start, startling me. I stood up again, Harry almost mimicking my movement. We were going up, as if nothing had ever happened; but something had. I had a date with Harry Styles!