lola

Dabbling with romance was something I always found enchanting; it was intimate with soft kisses and raw moments, touching the soul and holding it dear with no intentions of letting go. Infidelity never played on my mind, that was until I full grasped the concept of relationships and romance and realised that each one didn't guarantee complete satisfaction.

Louis was more of an obsession, his tongue twisted words that left my mind muddled and his eyes seemed to take me into another world. But when you left that in the dark the only thing left in our relationship was possession, he held a tight grip on me and was reluctant to let go for reasons I wasn't too sure of.

"Try aisle A-C, if you can't find it – come back to me and I'll order it in for you." I direct the customer in front of me, forced smile and direct eyes.

They disappear and I'm left to ponder back on my thoughts, the pen in my hand scribbles nonsense down on the pad below and I wonder back to Harry. How did he articulate such perfect sketches with the freedom of his hands? I focus on the rubbish attempt at a eye below, noticing how rough my fingers were when trying to create something so delicate. Harry's touch was so graceful, so driven with each movement and each stroke.

Voices mumble in the background of the shop and the familiarity of her soft tone makes my head rise. Amber – I think, was her name. Her baby pink lips and gold eyes were something else, she belonged in a model agency rather than a media store. I watch her walk away from a customer with a slight smile, her sun kissed skin and sculpted cheek bones make me ache in envy.

"Lola," Amber chirps, tilting her head to look at me as she moves behind the counter. "How was your weekend?" Her tone was sharp and oblivious, even with the mauve bruise under my eye.

"Eventful, how about yours?" I chuckle dryly.

"Oh you know," she flutters her thick lashes. "Went to visit the boyfriend, he took me to the beach." Her presented smile and stature as she cleaned the counter caused me to feel annoyed, I purse my lips but giggle something incoherent as a response.

"How's the boyfriend?"

"Uh, don't really know," I admit to Amber. "Don't really care." My smile is laced with venom as I stand tall.

"Oh."

Amber was a year older than me but her personality was so innocent, she seemed to be obvious to the cruelties of the world but chose to ignore them unless that knocked on her door.

I envied her innocence.

"Lola?"

I tune into the new voice behind me, twisting around to see the bulging brown eyes of my best friend standing there. Going to school together made Mona and I closer than I'd like to be. She was never placid with me and left everything said rather than unsaid, there wasn't a lying bone inside her body and perhaps that's why I stuck by her. In a sense, the two of us were made of the same materials, romance and vanilla perfume – structured by honesty and a love of strawberry sorbet.

"Why didn't you answer my texts?" She enters the room flushed, her tanned skin and blood stained cheeks come into my vision and her scent overwhelms the area – vanilla and coffee. "I've been so worried." Mona places her bag down and let's her brown eyes focus on Amber, greeting her briefly before letting them settle back on me.

"I've been busy," I shrug. "I'm sorry."

"I go away to see my grandmother and I come back to hear you and Louis broke up?" I cringe at his name. This town wasn't shy of letting everyone know your secrets, especially if they were being played out for everyone to see. "And you and Harry are a thing? I knew that you had something going on with him bu-"

I let my finger linger on her peach lips, eyes wide with annoyance. "Can you at least let me explain?"

"Fine," Mona mumbles. My eyes settle on Amber across the counter, her eyes were roaming around the surface below as she goes over the large book in her hand. I felt uneasy with her presence and decide to take Mona to the CDs to 'organise' them, chatting between each attempt. I spill my weekend in as little detail as I can, briefly explaining my break up with Louis and my newfound romance with Harry. I leave details out but the gossip seems to satisfy her eager mind, and I felt a little lighter spilling to someone other than Harry about my misadventures this weekend.

"So," Mona almost whispers, helping stack away a handful of CDs. "What is going to happen with you and Harry, now?" Her eyes linger for a second and I bite my lip.

"We have a date tomorrow night." I admit and she smiles.

"Oh how exciting!" Mona slaps her hands together in excitement, I scowl at her burst but smile nonetheless.

***

Dusk moulds across the darkening skies and with it a drop in temperature, I praise myself for bringing a jacket as the red dress clung to my body provides little to no warmth. My hair tickles my neck as strands fall down from the up-do, the necklace clung to my neck providing a good distraction as I look outside.

"Are you nervous?" Harry asks after we order our food.

We're sitting at a restaurant called La Casa, which was a rare alternative to the places Louis took me. Mostly we would dine out at crappy coffee shops full of stale pastries, or local pubs where he would drink too much and pass out before hitting the pillow. Harry was always a breath of fresh air but staring at him in his black button down and tousled hair, I realised just how mesmerising he truly was.

"I couldn't be more comfortable," I let my hand glide across the table, finding his. "Thank you."

The patchy bruise under his eye was still prominent, a scabbed up lip and bruised cheek bone going along with it. His chestnut hair cascades with the dark shirt he wore, the crimson print inside a delightful contrast, and under the light of the restaurant he was simply perfect.

"How's your eye?" He asks, taking a sip of the drink served moments before.

"Fine," I shrug. "And yours?"

Harry lets a mischievous grin linger. "They hurt but hey, at least I look badass."

I let a nonchalant smile form against my lips, rolling my eyes at the grinning boy.

Harry leans back, eyeing me. "Have you told your parents yet?" He questions and the words make the wine in my stomach bubble.

"Not yet." My eyes linger on the window. "But I will."

Harry lets his fingers trace along the napkin below, I admire his fingers as the long boney, structure delicately moves against the material.

"Does this feel weird?" Harry asks. "Being on a date with me?"

I smile. "I thought it would, considering what we've already been through." My cheeks flush as I remember our intimate encounters. "But no, it feels right." My words cause a lovely smile to form on his lips. "What's with all the questions, huh?"

Harry eyes linger with an mischievous demeanour. "It's our first date, have to get to know you somehow." He winks.

"You want to play this game? Alright," I lean across the table with a glimmer in my eyes. "Twenty questions?"

Harry smirks. "You're on."

"Out of curiosity, what's your home life like?" I question Harry and his eyes dart back and forth, lingering amusement on his red lips.

"Use to be pretty crap until my father left, now it's just me, my sister and my generous mother so, all-in-all, I'd say it's pretty comfortable." His words were twisted in a way that I found different to any other person I knew, everyone seemed to hate their home life but Harry was obviously grateful – something I found endearing. "How about you?"

My stomach twists with his question but thankfully the waiter arrives with our food, murmuring a few words as our plates are placed down against the table. The aroma is alluring and I'm left with a watering mouth as the waiter walks away, grabbing my fork and digging in straight away without a second thought.

Moment pass, quiet and heavy. "My mother is controlling, my father is a kind man with a much-too large heart and I would love nothing but to go somewhere far away with him, leaving my mother behind." My sudden burst of words leaves Harry wide-eyed, I continue to eat and we both sit in silence.

"What's your favourite colour?" I ask after a full ten minutes of silence.

Harry glimmers. "Blue, and yours?"

"Opal."

"That isn't a colour." Harry chuckles.

"I know," I let my fork and knife fall to the empty plate below, taking my wine and sipping on the velvet taste. "I like how each opal can be different, all beautiful but different."

Harry seems mesmerised as he stares at me, a smile lingering on his lips. The shine from his silverware glimmers against the emerald in his eyes, and for a brief second I feel like I'm on another planet with him.

As the waiter comes to collect our empty plates, Harry hums the tune playing softly in the background before leaning forward with his wine stained lips pursed. "Where would you love to be right now?"

I think for a moment, the temperature was surly too cold for what was on my mind but this was twenty questions, fantasies lingered with these enquiries. I felt a buzz running down my warm veins with the wine in my system, urging forward as I push my body closer to Harry's.

"The beach." I whisper and our lips ghost each other.

Harry smelt like wine and musk, an overwhelming sense to kiss him made its way up my spine and with the world blurring around us we did. Our lips connect in a alcohols infused kiss, moulding together perfectly before he pulls away with a heavy breath.

"Let's go." He whispers.

"Where?"

"The beach of course."

***

Okay can I just say I am still so SHOOK! From Harry's Rolling Stones interview and photoshoot, like he just keeps making this year better and better. I love him.

Also I hope you enjoyed this chapter, keep an eye out for Amber aye ;)

Votes are so welcomed and if you're feeling extra wonderful, add a comment. Thank you guys.

I wanted to give a special shoutout to mileysmuffins because she has been the bestest friend anyone could ask for and I just love her, she's supported all my writing and just me in general these past few weeks (especially with my own dramas) and I love her for that.

Go and check out her stories if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed.

Alright, thanks guys!

-A