**********
I had just walked out of the conference room through a side door on the right of the tables after briefly conversing with the other members of the band. I still struggled to grasp what happened. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I wandered down a long, brightly lit hallway back towards the seating area in the arena. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I stumbled into a girl in front of me who had stopped to tie her shoe.
"Hey, watch what you're doing!" she exclaimed, immediately snapping herself upright to glare at me.
"Sorry," I responded, sounding dazed. Was this my real life? Had Harry really just asked me to coffee? I didn't feel like it could be true. I was almost certain it was a dream. A wonderful dream that my alarm clock would soon wake me up from. There was simply no way that this could have happened, and to me of all people. I was sure that Harry saw millions of beautiful girls everyday, so why on Earth would he choose me? Just as I was wishing that something would hurry and wake me up, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I slipped it out to see a message from a number I didn't recognize.
From: 07938475167
Hey, gorgeous :) Are we still on for coffee? -Haz x
That was all the confirmation that I needed. This was real. I started to feel light headed, as if there wasn't enough oxygen in the atmosphere. I felt like I was going to suffocate. Quickly, I replied to the message after adding the number to my contacts.
To: Harry
Of course we are! When are you free? x
I hit the send button with a feeling of relief. I could now be sure of what was happening in my life. I didn't get the chance to replace my phone into my pocket before it buzzed again.
From: Harry
I'm just finishing up with the meet and greet, and I'll have a little time before rehearsals start later, so I'm free now if you are :) x
I just stared at the phone in my hand. He wanted to meet up and have coffee right now. Why was he so infatuated with me? I had been so socially awkward. I found it amazing that he'd even made an attempt to talk to me at all, much less to ask me on a date. I struggled to breathe as my fingers hastily clicked on the keyboard of the phone in response. I hit send as I finally found my breath and headed out of the arena.
**********
From: Rae Dawson
I don't have anything planned going on the rest of today, so where do you want to meet up? x
This was an unbelievable feeling. Rae was so cool about everything. She didn't act like she was dying inside to see me again, which intrigued me. I wasn't sure that I'd ever met anyone like her before, especially a fan. The way I saw it, there were generally only two kinds of fans: the ones who wouldn't stop screaming, and the ones that wouldn't say anything at all. I couldn't decide which category Rae would fit into until I decided to completely rethink my evaluation of our fans. Clearly there were three kinds; Rae was in a class all her own. I couldn't think of any way to respond to her. I wasn't sure why I'd asked her to coffee, seeing as how I didn't know any good shops around here. The guys and I had started heading to help set up for rehearsals on the stage when I stopped to ask one of the fans that was lingering around if she knew a place.
"Excuse me," I said, walking up to the girl and her mum. "I was hoping to maybe get some coffee later, and I don't know any good shops around here. Would you mind recommending one for me?" The girl, who looked to be about 12 just turned and stared at me, her brown eyes getting so wide that I thought they would pop out of her head.
"Well, there's a good place by the name of Watson's not too far from here," the girl's mum responded. I quickly pulled out my phone and jotted down the name, thinking of Rae.
"Thanks very much," I said, looking back up at the girl and her mum. The girl looked like she was frozen in place. "Is she okay?" The woman looked down at her daughter a moment.
"Well, she was really upset when she overslept this morning," the girl's mum responded. "We were going to come for the meet and greet, but we got here late, and everyone was pretty much gone. I think she's just in a state of shock from seeing you." This girl, with the blond hair and dark brown eyes was a perfect example of the fans who don't say anything at all. I got down on my knees on the floor so that I was more her height.
"I'm very glad to meet you," I said to her. "Thank you so much for being a dedicated Directioner. You know, we really appreciate it." I put my arm around her and hugged her, rubbing her back trying to make her feel less nervous about the meeting. As soon as I did that, she reanimated, and put her arms around me too.
"You guys are, like, so cool," the girl said to me, after releasing me from the hug. I smiled at her, revealing my two small dimples.
"Do you want to take a picture with the lads and I?" I asked, still smiling. She nodded violently before letting out a squeak of excitement. I turned around and stood up, before grabbing her hand and taking her up onto the mostly empty stage. We walked over to where the boys were still helping set up, and Niall was tuning some of the instruments. "Hey, lads, this young lady wasn't able to meet us earlier at the meet and greet. Would you still be willing to take a photo with her?" Niall looked up from the guitar he was tuning nodding slowly. Zayn, Liam, and Louis set down the chairs they had been carrying and turned to look at me, standing there with the girl.
"Why not?" Liam was the first to speak up. "What's your name?"
"I'm Alex," she replied quietly.
"Alright, Alex," Louis said, a smile warmly lighting up his face. "Let's take a photograph." Alex's mum came up on the stage as we all gathered around Alex for the photo. As soon as we took it, she turned around, hugged as all, and said goodbye before heading out with her mum.
"Oh, Alex," I called to her. "Thanks for the recommendation!" She smiled sweetly before calling back "you're welcome". Louis turned his head to look at me.
"What did you need the recommendation for the coffee for?" He asked confused. "Don't want anybody bringing it to you?" Liam chuckled lightly at his comment. I thought about what I wanted to say. Should I tell them where I was going, and who I was going to meet? I wasn't sure. I didn't like keeping things from my best mates, but I also didn't want to be teased for asking someone I didn't really know on a date at the last moment. I was sure Louis would have something to say about being the queen that he is. I decided not to mention that I was meeting Rae.
"I just wanted to get the authentic American experience while we're in L.A.," I replied smoothly. "I want to be able to say that I had gone to an American coffee shop that was highly recommended just because I could." This got a throaty laugh out of Niall and a snort from Zayn. Clearly they weren't falling for it, but they didn't press me any more.
"When are you going?" Liam asked, an unsettled look on his face.
"Pretty soon, so I'll be back before rehearsals start," I replied. "I'm going to need that caffeine if I am to actually rehearse, knowing how tired I am right now." I tried my best to let my face sink a little bit, to give them the impression that I was actually tired. They must've bought it, since they all turned back to what they were doing, as soon as I said I was going to head out. "I'll be back soon. You guys want anything while I'm out?" After some brief conversation, Louis turned to me.
"A carmel frappaccino for me, hold the whipped cream; I'm a sassy bitch that don't need the extra calories," he explained while snapping his fingers in the shape of the letter 'Z' across his chest. "Niall wants a raisin bagel, Zayn would like an earl gray tea with two sugars, and Liam wants a chocolate shake, if you can find it." I don't know how he did it, but Louis somehow managed to keep an entirely straight face while delivering his monologue of drinks for me to purchase. As he finished, Niall bust out laughing at Louis' impression of a spoiled teenage girl. "Who do you think that you are laughing at, Niall," Louis said, still imitating a spoiled teen. "You don't even know who I am, filthy peasant," Louis finished. Louis turned around and fixed him with a death stare, but this time he wasn't able to hold it together, and bust out laughing as soon as he saw Niall's face.
"Can I get you anything else, sir?" I asked pretending to pull out a pad and pen laughing.
"Yeah," Louis responded. "Make sure you stop at Gucci on your way back, and ask them if my shipment has arrived." He laughed deeply some more, doubling over.
"Yes, sir," I said, as I turned around to walk off the stage to go to Watson's. I pulled out my phone and responded to Rae's message.
To: Rae
How about Watson's coffee shop in fifteen minutes:) I'll see you there. x
I hit send, and smiled to myself as I headed toward the door.
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