Chapter Seven: Impatience

I tossed and turned the night after. The look in her eyes haunting my thoughts. I couldn’t figure out why she had reacted the way she did. If she no longer felt the way she had said in that first email, how come she ran out the she had. She even remembered my quirks. How could someone remember those things if they still didn’t feel something for that person. I, myself, could still remember when she was stressed out she would bounce her legs and chew on the inside of her bottom lip. When she was concerned her brow would furrow and she’d rub her right earlobe with her thumb and forefinger. I could still remember the way her eyes lit up every time she saw me or the way her voice sounded on the phone and I would immediately recognize the smile in her voice; the way her melodic rang in my ears and echoed throughout a room. It didn’t matter how much time had passed, I still remember her as if three years ago had happened yesterday. I knew she was still in love with her, as much now as then. The hair on my arms and the back of my neck would stand on end, just when I would think about her. As I started to feel my eyes droop that night, my alarm blared. It was time to get up already and go to rehearsals. Crap! I haven’t received a wink of sleep. I was definitely going to be a space cadet today, I thought.

I quickly got dressed and raced down to where we all got in the car and headed to the arena to rehearse. On the way we grabbed some McDonald’s and ate in the car. When we arrived, we were rushed in and got all set up and plugged in so we could properly rehearse. Niall was joking and laughing around with Josh and the other band members, while I was getting hooked up with my in ears.  We got in position and then my mind just wandered. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dani and all the things I probably missed out on with her and if she still even loved me. I couldn’t get her out of my mind and it was trying to figure out how to get her back, but I just didn’t know how.

Someone slugged me in the arm and I jumped coming out of my thoughts. I’d been in the midst of remembering what I’d been thinking about last night and with that slug in the arm, I finally came to a conclusion. She was still in love with me! My heart soared and my stomach leapt. I felt like jumping in the air and running around in circles while singing the sappiest love songs to the boys. There was nothing that could stop me now. I knew she loved me that was the only answer, nothing else fit. Suddenly, I was hit in the arm again and Louis said, “Oi! Harry! Earth to Harry! C’mon man, we’re trying to rehearse for the concert and you keep missing all your ques!”

“Sorry,” I mumbled. We’d been rehearsing all morning and we were about to take a break for lunch. I couldn’t believe how fast the time had passed and how I hadn’t been here mentally all morning long. I couldn’t even quite remember getting here. I’d been so absorbed with my thoughts of Dani that I’d completely tuned out everyone else.

“Are you alright, mate?” Niall asked concerned as he stood by me. I nodded and then he added, “I ask because you just don’t seem all here today.”

“Yeah, I am stuck in my head,” I agreed. He went to say something else but the music started and I made sure I focused on what I was supposed to do this time. An hour or two later, a bunch of pizza boxes were delivered and as they came in the doors we could hear the fans outside.

When it reached us, Niall exclaimed, “Awesome!!! I’m absolutely starving!” Before eating, I went to Paul and got Dani’s number from him. As I was walking away, I finally thought it odd that he would have Dani’s number. I decided to ask him later because right then I was just as hungry as everyone else. Also, if I wanted some pizza, I needed to get it now. I could see from where I was that Niall was going to eat until he was bursting.

After we finished eating, we did a couple more hours of rehearsal and then we had the rest of the day off. In the car heading back to the hotel, I sent a text to Dani. It simply read: “Hey, it’s Harry. Paul gave me your number. Idk how he got it but he does… To keep this short… We need to talk. I am free for the rest of the day. Plz get back to me. X J”  I hovered over the send button, taking in a deep breath I tapped on it.

Shortly after, we arrived at the hotel. We entered through the back door. All the boys wanted to spend some time swimming then. I’d agreed, knowing that going for a swim would be loads of fun. We snuck our way to the elevators and headed up. We were walking down the hall when Paul said, “Get ready to go to the pool but wait until we have cleared it out before you come down. You’ll know when.” We all nodded, showing we understood. It was normal procedure and after five years, we were all used to it.

We all separated to go into our separate suites. I entered mine with a sigh then tried to search through my mess of a bag for my swimming trunks. Once I found them, I quickly changed into them, grabbed a towel, threw on a tank top and headed out to the living room. I put my work phone on the hutch and my iPod while I kept my personal phone on my person. I was hoping Dani would reply soon and I wanted to keep it close just in case she did. My work phone buzzed and I checked it to see an “all clear” from Paul.

As I exited, I met up with the boys and we made our way, along with our security guys to the pool. We had to pass by a bunch of fans. They were all screaming or hollering for us to sign something or take a picture with them. I was feeling gracious, so I signed a few things and took several pictures. All the other guys were doing the same. You could tell a lot of the fans were freaking out because we were all in our swim wear. I found that amusing. We tore ourselves away and waved goodbye as we entered the pool area.

As I placed my towel on a lounge chair and proceeded to take off my tank top, my phone buzzed. My heart began to pound as I brought it up so I could see who it was from. I felt disappointed that it wasn’t from Dani but happy to hear from my sister, Gemma. Since I knew she didn’t expect a reply from me for a while, I placed my phone on my towel and proceeded to go to the pool. I tossed my tank top on the chair as well and turned to get in the pool. Niall and Louis were already rough housing and the pool area echoed with their laughter.

Once in the pool, I joined in on the messing around. Before we knew it, all of our stomachs were growling with hunger pains. Only when it became unbearable did we decide to get out and get something to eat. Drying off my torso and hair, I heard Niall laughing over the fact that Liam had slipped and fell back in the pool. The rest of us were chuckling and I put my tank top back on after I’d wrapped my towel around my waist.

I picked up my phone and began to check it. There were two new messages, one from my mum and another from Gemma. I felt my heart sink just a bit more when there wasn’t anything from Dani. I replied back to both my mum and Gemma as we left the pool. Niall and Louis were trying to decide what we should eat. Niall usually had to think of all his options when we were in LA because there wasn’t a Nandos in America.

When we reached our floor, I excused myself from their decision making to go shower. While in the shower, I felt anxious. Why wasn’t she answering my text? Was she ignoring me like I did to her for all those years? I really needed to speak with her before I headed back to London. I finished my shower and quickly got dressed. I felt jittery like I needed to constantly keep myself occupied. I headed to Niall’s room, which was where we had decided on meeting to eat.

On my way there, my personal phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and when I read who it was from, my heart constricted and my stomach flipped. I stopped walking and opened the message from Dani. It read: “You’re right. We do need to talk. I’m free in about thirty minutes. Do you want to meet somewhere or you come here or I there?”

I looked up to see Paul heading my way, “Hey Paul,” I said. He acknowledged me by looking at me and I continued, “Is there any way I can go out tonight?”

Paul nodded, “Yes, just as long as Andy goes with you.”

“Oh… uh… well I was hoping to go lone wolf because I am going to be seeing Dani,” I said.

His eyebrows rose in understanding. “I see… Well it’s just we don’t want you to get mauled by fans or the paps.”

“What if I were to pick up some take out and go to her place?” I countered.

Paul nodded and smiled, “Yes that should work. Should I have your car pulled up?”

I nodded and thanked him. For a split second I thought it strange to have one of my cars here but then again it was known that I would want to use one. Normally when we were in America, I liked to go off on my own. I continued on to Niall’s room to let the boys know I wouldn’t be joining them for dinner. On my way there I sent a reply to Dani. It said: “How about we do it at your place? That way we won’t be bothered. How do you feel about Chinese?”

As I entered Niall’s room, my phone buzzed with her answer. “Alright, I live in Apartment 2 of the Glendhill complex. You can GPS it ;) also make sure you get take out from Pei Wei (it’s Thai but it works) and I love the Kung Pao chicken with broccoli ;)” I laughed at how specific she had to be. I was more than happy to oblige her though.

“What are you chuckling, Haz?” Louis asked.

“Dani,” I simply answered. The all gave me curious looks and I added, “Oh also, I won’t be eating with you guys tonight. I am going over to her place. We need to have a chat. She was telling me what she wanted and from where for dinner.”

Louis raised his eyebrows up and down teasing me. I ignored him and replied to Dani’s text. I said: “Alright lol, so I’ll show up around 6 then?” I looked back up at Louis and the other who were mocking what I’d just been doing. “Ha ha, very funny,” I said with sarcasm.

“So, I have a question,” Zayn said. I nodded and he continued, “Do you still have like feelings for her?”

I paused to seem like I was thinking even though every fiber of my being was screaming, YES! “Yes, I believe I am still very much in love with her,” I replied. The boys then wolf whistled and teased me to no end. I just shook my head and said, “I have to get going. She’s waiting for me.” They teased even more, I just shook my head and walked out the door. I was on my way to Dani. I’d promised myself years ago that if I ever found her, there was no way I was ever going to let her go again. That was a promise I intended to keep and bring to pass somehow that day.