FINALLY updated! Thank god right, it's been like a thousand years! I'm so so so so so sorry about that. I will never be able to apologize to you enough. This chapter was really long because I had the date portion of it in this chapter as well but in the end I decided to separate it into two. So that chapter is nearly finished and I hope to get it up by tomorrow. Let me know if there's anything you guys want to see happen in here. Oh, and you can follow on twitter and tumblr if you want! LexiJayLove and try-and-keep-up-with-me & onedirection-or-die Yes, I have two tumblrs. Actually, I have four, but those are my main two. Okay, enjoy! xx

Ella's POV

Meike popped her blonde head into our room's bathroom. "It's 7:15!" she announced.

"Crap!" Melanie hurriedly finished putting mascara on her already long and thick lashes. I mean really, the girl had lashes to die for, but she insisted on putting mascara on always.

"Melanie, we're going to be late for our date!" I groaned, yanking the mascara away from her. We were going on a double date with Zayn and Harry to the dinner and the movies. The boys had warned us to beware of being mobbed by fans, but we weren't worried.

"It's not a date!" she insisted. "Well, for me it's not." She shyly looked away. This girl…

"Melanie, yes it is. Zayn likes you and you like him and you both know it!" Meike backed me up.

"Yeah but he never OFFICIALLY asked me out."

"SO!" Meike and I synchronized, rolling our eyes.

"So! We're just friends." She paused. "For now."

I happened to know, for a fact, that Zayn was going to ask Mel out tonight. After the pool party, me and Harry had been inseparable, which also meant the boys were with us too. It had been extremely awkward with Liam at first, but after a bit we became practically best friends. Now, two weeks later, I am proud to say I am the official girlfriend of Harry Styles and best friends with Liam, Louis, Niall, and Zayn. Especially Niall. He reminded me of Peyton, whom I missed so much. In a way, Niall was my big British brother. We looked alike too. And, like my brother, I tried playing match-maker whenever he was single. And I had found out that Niall was definitely interested in Jess. The boys were shocked. Apparently Niall was looking for 'the perfect girl' and the fact that he had found her stunned them. I guess he was super picky with girls, but in a good way.

"Are you guys ready? You're going to be late!" Meike said.

"Almost!" Melanie was re-brushing her hair for about the twentieth time. She looked nervous, but she didn't need to. Zayn would think she looked perfect no matter what she did.

"Melanie." I sighed, rolling my eyes with Meike.

"I would have started getting ready this morning, but I waited for you to get done with your dance!" I gave her a sheepish grin. I had been spending a lot of time in the dance studio in campus with Jess and the others. Melanie, who was also an amazing dancer, was offered a spot on the dance team. Surprising everyone, especially me, she declined, saying she wanted to focus on her studies this year. So, in the past few weeks, I wasn't around her much. Thankfully she had Meike.

"Come on!" I insistently pulled her arm and dragged her out the door. She continued to brush her hair all the way out of campus. It was only when we reached my car that she finally accepted the fact that her hair looked fine. She through my brush in the backseat and shut the door. Meike gave us a small smile and wave from outside.

"Are you sure you don't wanna come?" I asked half-heartedly. "Maybe you could hang out with Louis, Niall and Liam?"

"Nah! I'm good! I'm just gonna have a movie night of my own. Maybe I'll hang out with Jess and them if I get really bored." She gave us another wave and headed back towards the dorm. Shrugging, I turned the key and drove smoothly out of the parking lot.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Melanie asked, nervously plucking at a stray string of her purple and blue patterned pencil skirt.

"Melanie, you look hot. Zayn will be drooling over you. Calm down!" I looked away from the road for a quick second to give her a comforting look. She looked somewhat pacified and turned away, texting someone on her phone. Probably Zayn, even though they would be seeing each other in like two minutes.

"ELLA!" Niall's booming voice yelled when I pulled up in front of the house. I barely had time to step out of the car before he scooped me up in his arms and twirled around. "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"Oh yeah! Those three days were absolute torture!" I laughed as he set me on my feet.

With his arm still around my shoulder, he pulled me through the yard and into the house with Mel trailing slightly behind us. "So have you talked to Jess lately?" he asked in a casual voice.

"Yeah I have. Do you have plans for tomorrow night?" I grinned as he stopped in his tracks.

"Wha…why?"

"Jess was saying something about wanting to go ice skating with you." I shrugged. "If you don't want to go I could tell her that…"

"No no no!" he interrupted me quickly, a small smile beginning to form on his face while his blue eyes twinkled. "I want to go. I definitely want to go!"

"Okay then! I'll tell her."

"Hey!" a low voice drifted down the hallway, making me look up and smile. "Hands off my girlfriend, Niall! She's all mine!" Harry joked with a lopsided grin, one dimple appearing.

"What happens if I want to stay with Niall tonight?" I teased, wrapping my arms around Niall's torso and squeezing him tightly.

"That's not happening!" he said, pulling me lightly away from Niall and draping his arms around my shoulders.

"You crazy lovers!" Niall chuckled, leaving us alone in the hall. Melanie had wandered off to find Zayn the second we walked in the door.

"Hi," he murmured, his warm cherry smelling breath washing over me.

"Hi." I murmured back, standing on my tiptoes in an attempt to reach his mouth. His smirked in amusement when even on my tiptoes I still couldn't reach.

"Shorty!" he taunted, leaning farther away.

"Fine! I just won't kiss you then!" I made to step out of his arms, but he stopped me. He pulled my feet off the ground and connected his lips to mine. My lips turned up against him as I savored the warmth of Harry's body, tight against mine.

"Happy?" he muttered into my hair, still not placing my feet back on the floor. Not that I minded, I could stay wrapped in his arms forever.

"Extremely."

He let out a soft breath, causing shivers to run through my body. It was kind of funny how even the smallest things he did caused a reaction for me.

"How was your day?" I asked him.

"It was pretty good. Me and Louis had a water gun battle. But now it's so much better." His soft hands gave my waist a gentle squeeze.

Zayn and Melanie came down into the hallway then, Zayn's arm thrown carelessly around Mel's tiny shoulders. "You guys ready?" Zayn asked.

"Yep!" we synchronized. Harry tangled his fingers through mine and led the way to his car.

"Shotgun!" I called, skipping along next to him. We piled into the car and Harry started driving to some Mexican restaurant that was apparently the best. The music was cranked up loud so when one of the boys songs came on, Liam's beautiful voice filled the car, loud and proud. Harry and Zayn laughed awkwardly and Zayn reached up from the back seat to change to a different station.

"No you don't!" Melanie smacked Zayn's arm out of the way as Harry's voice took over.

"Yeah I like this song!" I said. I had downloaded the boys album weeks ago. "Shot me out of the skyyyy!" I sang along.

"You're my kryptonite!" Melanie joined. Soon enough, Zayn and Harry joined as well. We sang it out, belting the lyrics out loud. When the song ended our laughter filled the car.

Harry pulled into an open space in front of a really cute Mexican place. The orange and red sign over the building flashed brightly and people could be see sitting out in the outdoor dining area. I hopped out quickly and leaned against the door, waiting for Harry. I grinned as I imagined what an amazing time this double date would be.