My niece is currently in West Hollywood searching for Harry Styles. If she finds him I honestly don't know if I'll be stoked for her or so jealous I'll want to choke her….
xxxxxx
"Everything set?" Julie yells over the swelling screams of the crowd. My heart is in my throat and my pulse is racing. The lights are slowly dimming, teasing the people in the crowd.
I nod my head unable to speak. I'm shaking and sweating and I'm actually really proud of myself because I got Doug's approval and I actually got everything done without a hitch. I feel my phone go off in my pocket and reach for it.
It's Harry. I smile to myself as I open his text.
YHHE: Where are you, doll?
ME: Side stage, waiting for these five rowdy boys to get their asses on stage :p
YHHE: You should come hang out with our rowdy asses for a bit. Niall's still only in his boxers and Paul can't catch him to make him get dressed because he took off on the segway. Zayn's making Louis pull him round the garage behind a golf buggy on his skate board and Liam… well… you should probably just come take a peek for yourself.
I giggle and shake my head as the crowd begins to chant impatiently, "1D! 1D! 1D! 1D!"
I shoot Harry another text.
ME: I probably shouldn't push it. Julie is right here. And you guys better hurry up, this crowd is getting antsy. They're starting to chant your name!
It takes a good minute before Harry responds and when he does, it's a picture. I open it and immediately am in stitches. It's a picture of Liam crouched on TOP of their tour bus in a bat man costume. He's not smiling. He's just crouched there like a gargoyle, his cape is hanging over his shoulders. It's… amazing…
ME: You have got to be kidding me! I can't believe I'm missing this.
YHHE: S'not all you're missin', lovely.
He responds and shortly after I get another picture and it's one he's taken of himself of just his torso between his chest and knees and he's only wearing the freaking thong. I marvel at the way his abs ripple and the deep V that slides down between his hip bones and disappears into his underwear. Then, I blush purple as Julie tries to peek over my shoulder and I quickly click my screen off and shove my phone hastily back into my dress pocket.
"Where's your boyfriend?" Julie asks sort of taunting me. I pretend it doesn't faze me and pull my phone back out, quickly finding the picture of Liam on top of the tour bus and shove the picture into Julie's face. Her eyes nearly bug out of her head as she looks at the screen and then rolls her eyes and turns to walk away.
"By the way, make sure the glasses are full ten minutes to midnight." She spits as she traipses off without another instruction.
ME: Get your thong clad ass out here, Harold. Asap. And stop taunting me with your beauty.
He sends me a kissy face and then a winking emoji and that's the last I hear until the lights fully go down and the opening of their show begins.
I try not to pace but I can't help it. I'm just as anxious as the people who paid to get into the show, I'm pretty sure. I am mentally re-checking my backups when Niall walks by, shoving his ear piece into his ear and reaching an arm around to hug me in passing, flashing his still slightly tipsy grin at me as he goes. Next is Zayn, who ducks his head as he walks by, his eyes lighting up with recognition as he sees me and he winks before he strolls out behind Niall. The crowd is absolutely losing their shit by this point.
Next to walk through is Liam and Louis, side by side. Liam is now properly dressed but he's wearing the t-shirt from the costume, sans cape. As he and Louis pass they wave simultaneously and I wave back as they enter the stage. Lastly, finally, I see Harry's shadow cast across the door way and I think my heart stops.
Will he ever not have this effect on me?
I watch the door anxiously and he finally steps through, looking absolutely gorgeous in a pair of pants so tight they look painted on, a brown belt, a dark chambray shirt with deep brown buttons, and his signature pointy boots. He's jogging as he comes through and nearly passes me without noticing but then he does a double take, skips back a few steps, grabs me around the waist and spins me then plants a kiss to my cheek before running out onto the stage. He sticks his hand out high, waving at the crowd who is now screaming so loud that my ears hurt even with ear plugs. It's insanity.
"Nice dress." I hear at my shoulder and I jump and turn to see Lou standing there, smirking at me playfully. She wraps an arm around my shoulders and I squeeze her around the middle before planting an arm around her waist and smiling out at the boys singing onstage.
"Thank you, again." I say and she smiles back and winks.
"The hell'd you do to your hair?" she asks, her smile faltering as she realizes the messy, wet bun my hair now is.
"It's… a long story… Just know that I loved the do, I would make you dress me up every single day if I could! But… harry was drunk and I had to get him under control." I say, knowing she'll probably understand what I'm getting at.
"By way of what? A squirt gun fight? Water balloon war? Pissing on each other?" she asks and I snort.
"No… I mean… whenever I've been drunk and needed to sober up fast a hot shower always helps me… and Harry was being especially… umm… difficult…." I try to explain without really explaining.
"So, ya snogged the bloak in the shower is what you're telling me?" she quirks an eye brow and I blush.
"Well… yeah. Basically." I laugh because she's right. No real way around that one!
"All that hard work for nothin'" she feigns offense.
"I'm sorry, Lou!" I say pouting my lip out.
"Nah, you're not! I'm sure you quite enjoyed yourself!" she laughs and I shove her side as I try not to look as mortified as I feel.
"HOW WE DOIN' TONIGHT?!" I hear Harry yell and he immediately has both mine and Lou's attention. The crowd erupts and I watch the excitement and adrenaline color his face under the stage lights. It's perfect.
"Ello ello ello everay boday!" Louis chimes in, skipping down one of the ramps on the left side of the stage. He sidles up next to Harry and tosses an arm around his shoulders. Niall is perched up on top of the drum stage with an electric guitar in his hand and Liam and Zayn are chasing each other down the ramp closest to our side of the stage.
It really is like a handful of rowdy kids on a playground. I chuckle to myself as I watch them perform and chum around with one another. The audience is putty in their hands and they are so in love with each and every person who has come out to see them tonight. It's such an amazing relationship to witness. It makes so much sense why they're so popular.
The show rolls on and everything is running smoothly. Lou has to duck out for a bit to use the restroom and I'm standing alone. It's now quarter to twelve so I start to pull the champagne from the cooler and get the boys' glasses filled. I'm just finishing up when Julie returns.
She narrows her eyes as she steps close to me and looks up at the guys.
"Seriously? I told you that while you're on the clock, you are NOT to be drinking. What are you trying to pull? Do you want me to fire your right now?" She has her arms crossed and she's tapping her foot impatiently.
I look up at her not hiding my annoyance as I pick up one of the glasses.
"THIS is for LOUISE. NOT me." I spit in her direction as Lou walks up next to me again. I hand the glass to her without breaking my gaze with Julie. She looks disappointed that she hasn't caught me screwing up again and I want to reach out and slap the pucker of her lips right off.
I snatch a couple more glasses as Liam and Louis jog back toward us. I turn and shake my head, smiling at the boys as they approach and I hand them their glasses.
"Thanks lovely!" Louis quips, planting a swift kiss on my cheek.
"You're a real gem!" Liam grins, dipping his head toward me as he takes a small sip from his glass.
"Oi! Not yet you wanker!" Louis scolds, slapping Liam on the back of the head and causing him to spill some of his drink down the front of himself.
"Hey! Thanks a lot, Tommo. Real nice!"
"Oh, shut it! It'll dry off it's not going to ruin your precious batman shirt. Ya big pansy." I hear Louis teasing as he and Liam jog back on stage. Zayn, Niall and Harry all swoop in quickly for their glasses as the one minute count down begins. Harry is bouncing up on the balls of his feet excitedly, and he winks as he takes his glass from my hand, letting his fingers drag over my wrist lightly as he does.
"Thank, beautiful." He mouths as he skips backwards smiling so wide you can see his dimples even in the dark. As he reaches the stage again he spins and darts out to the front with the rest of the boys.
"ARE YOU READY TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR?!" he screams, shooting the arm that's holding his champagne straight up into the air. Some of it splashes out and pours onto Niall's hair and he screeches and ducks to the side, shaking the champagne off of his head and onto the girls in the front row. They squeal excitedly and I notice one girl even opening her mouth to try to catch some of the droplets.
Weird. Real weird.
The count down begins so I pick up my bottled water and walk forward with Lou, Julie hot on our heels, to watch the count down and see what the guys have in store. My heart is racing with excitement and I uncap my water, waiting for midnight to come.
"10! 9! 8!" they all begin to yell in unison, the crowd cheering along. "7! 6! 5!" Lou, Julie, and I all join them.
On four, Harry quickly spins on his heel and sprints away from the guys and back toward the side stage. "3!" He's at my side pulling me onto the stage and I watch with horror as Julie's jaw drops and the crowd's screams swell.
"2! 1!" and in front of the thousands of people who are in attendance, at the front of the stage, Harry tips his glass back, pulls my water bottle from my fingers, spraying the crowd with it, shucks the bottle and before the ball has even finished dropping his mouth is on mine.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" every one screams and then they're screaming at us because Harry's hands are across my shoulder blades and my lower back and he's got me tipped backward, kissing the life out of me. I open my mouth at his command and feel something cool and bubbly pass over my tongue and into my mouth. It's sweet and delicious and a rather pleasant surprise. I swallow and grin against Harry's lips, knowing that my entire body is shaking with nerves and adrenaline.
"She said you couldn't touch the stuff, not that you couldn't drink it. Technicalities." Harry murmurs against my mouth, kissing me once more and then finally pulling me back up to a proper standing position.
"Say hello to Christina everyone!" Louis cheers into his microphone. More screaming. I need to get off stage before my blush blinds everyone.
I wave tentatively and start to back away but Harry reaches out and catches my hand, a playful grin on his face.
"On the count of three I want everyone to yell 'Happy New Year, Christina!'" he says into his microphone as I shake my head in protest.
"ONE!-TWO!-" I reach up and slap my hand over his mouth but Niall finishes for him.
"TREE!" he screams in his Irish brogue and I can't help but laugh because I wonder if he knows the difference between numbers and plants sometimes.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR, CHRISTINA!" the crowd explodes and I stand there in awe. Time seems to be standing still. I smile and wave and Harry puts his mic to my face and I want to throw up because stage fright is definitely a very real thing. He doesn't seem to care. He simply raises his eyebrows and waits for my response.
"Happy New Year, everyone!" I yell and then I slap Harry as hard as I can on the ass. He squeals and lets go of my hand so he can rub his stinging cheek so I take the opportunity to blow him a kiss and then run back to my post off of the stage.
Lou high fives me as I return to her side, out of breath and completely flushed and full of adrenaline. There'd be no way I would be sleeping tonight.
Julie shakes her head angrily at me and then mouths, "We'll talk later." Before storming off to god-knows-where. I don't really care. She can't ruin my night. I just got kissed in front of thousands of girls by Harry fucking Styles and it was the most exhilarating thing that's ever happened to me.
"So… what was better?" Lou asks in my ear.
I turn and question her with my eyes.
"That little display, or the shower scene?" she asks deviously.
Without missing a beat I quirk my mouth up and say, "A lot more people were able to witness this one. I have physical proof that he wants me now."
I think that I've gotten the upper hand being a smart ass until Lou chuckles, leans down and pulls at the collar of my dress.
"Oh, babe. You've got physical proof of the shower thing, too." She says and I look down to where her fingers are beside my collar bone and see the dark red circle peeking out. How the hell did I not know he'd given me a freaking hickey?!
I drop my forehead into my hand and blush furiously as I jerk the collar away from Lou's fingers while she cackles at me uncontrollably. I hastily button my top button to make sure no one else sees and I feel Lou tap me on the shoulder. As I turn, I see she has a glass extended toward me. I start to protest but she cuts me off.
"Screw that devil bitch woman and her humbug ways of ruining your new years. I won't tell if you won't!" she says, forcing the glass, which is only about a quarter full of champagne, into my hand. I nod and smile and we click our glasses together.
"To a beautiful New Year filled with exciting possibilities." She smiles and we cheers and down our glasses, the bubbles filling me up like the butterflies that have been whizzing around in my stomach since the first time I laid eyes on Harry Styles.