Dare To Love

Chapter 3

Harry’s POV

Today is the band’s anniversary! So much has happened these past few years, it seems like just yesterday I was auditioning for The X Factor. So much has happened, it seems like just yesterday I was auditioning for The X Factor. Now I get to travel the world with 4 of my best mates doing what I love to do. This morning I woke up feeling ace, even decided I’d make breakfast. While I’m in the middle of flipping an omelet Niall walks in and sits at the counter and pours himself some juice. See, I’ve been living with him over the past couple of weeks because, well let’s just say my place is under some serious reconstruction.

“Morning! That smells great!” I hear his phone buzz. “Hey, what time is the party again?” He looks up from his phone.

“7 o’clock, why?” I finish up making the omelets and take a seat. Louis and Eleanor are throwing a party tonight to celebrate the band’s anniversary.

“Oh, some friends wanted to know if I wanted to grab a couple of pints later.”

“Oh.”

“You wanna’ come?”

“Umm, nah, after the party I’ll probably just come back home.”

“Sure?”

I answered. “Yeah, I’m good.”

I’ve been getting a generous amount of attention from the media lately, staying out too late isn’t a great idea. PerezHiltion, Hollywood Life, Mirror, and any other site you could come up with really. They all have articles focused on me. Should I be use to this? I mean, after years of dealing with the media, should it still bother me when I hear false stories about myself? Probably not. Maybe I brought this upon myself? Not really though, all I do is go out and have a bit of fun here and there. Then the media makes it out to be way more than what it really is. Everyday there’s something different, something even more ridiculous than the last.

“That was good, thanks.” Niall finished up his omelet.

“No problem.”

“I’m going to go to the petrol station and a couple of other shops, you need anything?” He asked me.

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“All right, I’m gonna' go now, so I’ll be back later to get ready for the party.”

I nodded my head because my mouth was full with apple juice. After Niall left I sat and finished eating my breakfast. When I finished eating I turned on the T.V, ‘Family Guy’ is on. During the commercial break a promo for TMZ came on. Guess who’s going to be a topic on their latest episode, me. Media attention is really something that I guess I’ll never be quite use to. Truth is, I’m grateful for the chance I’ve been given. I’m grateful for our amazing fans, without them we wouldn’t be here, and without them none of this would be worth it. I wake up every morning and think to myself how fortunate I am to be where I’m at.
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I decided staying home in hiding wouldn’t solve anything so I’m going to my Mum’s. She’s absolutely amazing, I can talk to her about anything. She’s my strongest supporter.

“Hi Sweetie.” She hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi Mum, how are you?” I walked in looking around, she’s been decorating.

She answered from the kitchen. “Good, you want some tea?”

“Uh, sure, thanks.” I sat down at the dining table.

She placed a tray with two cups of tea on the table, and then sat next to me. “How have you been?”

“Ok I guess.” I stirred my tea.

“Ok? Just ok, you should be excited, the band’s celebration is tonight. Gemma said she’d be there.”

I took a sip of my tea. “That’s good.”

She chuckled. “What is, your sister coming to the party or the tea?”

I shrugged. “Both.”

She tilted her head to the right and placed her hand on mine. “Harry what’s wrong?”

“Have you been on the internet lately?”

“Yes, I have.”

“There’s your answer.Everyone has something to say about me.I can’t go anywhere without there being something said.”

“Hum, ok, but now are you going to let what they say bring you down?”

I didn’t make eye contact, just kept stirring my tea some more.

“Harry, look at me.” Her voice was stern so I looked up at her. “People are going to talk about you, and they’re going to judge you. Just remember, it’s always those people who know the very least about you. You have two choices; either free yourself from their negativity, or let yourself drown in it. You choose which one you’re going to do.”

She’s right, like always. I shouldn’t let this stuff get to me like this, not like this. It just gets hard sometimes but I’m not the only one who’s gone through this before, and I won’t be the last. “You're right mum, I’m just going to free myself from it all.” Easier said than done, but I’ll find a way.

“Good, that’s my boy.” She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

I stood up. “I’m gonna’ go, but I’ll see you and Robin at the party right?”

She rose to give me a hug and smiled. “You bet.”

We walked towards the door. I opened it, stepped out, and then looked back at my Mum. “Thanks Mum.”

She smiled at me. “For what?”

“Everything, for always being here for me.”

“It’s my job.”
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“Mate, I’m gonna’ take my car.” Niall yelled.

I threw on my coat. “Alright, see you there.”

When I heard the front door slam close, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door as well. I arrive at the party shortly after Niall gets here. I look around and notice the decorations, there’s banners, streamers, the works. Zayn and Perrie are standing next to the bar taking to Liam and Niall, they don’t notice me though. I walk over and say hello to my mum, Robin, and Gemma. Louis and Eleanor walk up behind me and ask if I like how the place looks, they don’t live together, but Eleanor helps Louis with his decorating.

I tell them. “It looks great.”

“Thanks!” Eleanor says before Lou can, she takes pride in her decorating skills.

Niall, Liam, Zayn, and Perrie walk over and say hello. Everyone is here, Tom, Lou, and Lux. Everyone is here, Tom, Lou, and Lux.The lads’ parents, Eleanor’s parents, Paul and his wife. The toast are about to start so everyone grabs a glass of champagne.

Eleanor starts them off standing at the top of the stair case holding up her glass. “Louis and I are both very glad that you all could make it here tonight. Tonight we are celebrating the boys, our boys, One Direction.” The room filled with applauses. “Just think, a few years back, we didn’t even know each other.” She laughed. “Now look where we are, we’re one big family, and I truly couldn’t be happier.” She glanced at Lou. He smiled and blew her a kiss.

As she was continuing, I looked around the room, that’s true. It was just 3 years ago that all of us were strangers to each other, now we’re all here together. That’s crazy, how complete strangers could come together over time and mean so much to one another. It’s not just us though, what about the fans? They’ve become our family as well. Directioners all over the world came together to make everything that has happen to me and the lads possible.

Eleanor looked around. “Does anyone else have anything they want to add?”

I raised my hand. “I do.”

Eleanor walked down the stairs, and I made my way up. “The lads and I have gone through a lot since the X factor.We’ve been a lot of places, seen a lot of people, and sung a lot of songs.” Everyone laughed at this. “We’ve had a lot of laughs, and a few tears. Through it all though, the ups and the downs, one group of people have always been there. The fans. Directioners. We’ve been given’ so much, so much, thanks to them. So instead of this party being something else for One Direction, why don’t this party be for them? Our fans, our Directioners, –”

Niall raised his glass and yelled. “Our crazy mofo’s!” Everyone laughed.

I nodded my head. “Yeah, our crazy mofo’s and our family.” I raised my glass and smiled. “To our family.”

Everyone smiled and repeated. “To our family.”
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Notes