Dreaming Of You // If I'm Still Dreaming

Pat fell fast asleep on the sofa and Jeanne brought a cosy blanket to cover him. He had drunk a bit too much wine. It was surreal having to take care of my own minder. But he is much more than an employee to me, and it means the world he felt so comfortable around Jeanne and Maurice. We lay in bed ourselves, Jeanne resting her head on my chest, and had a light sleep until the time my taxi arrived. I woke up Pat and soon we were at the fence. Jeanne was going to freeze under that light cardigan. I glanced at her with her hair rolled to the side and her eternal smile… I knew I was returning soon but I didn’t want to leave her sleeping by herself.

As Pat and the driver placed our stuff on the boot I held Jeanne tightly by the waist and she ran her arms around my neck. And I couldn’t help myself and asked her to come with me. She laughed and sent me away, giving me a quick kiss, but I didn’t let go and deepened it until I made her moan. I couldn’t go away with at least that.

To make it to freaking Doncaster had been epic, but we succeeded after half an hour by taxi to Orly, a rushed scale in London, and finally a ride to the hotel to get ready. Louis had been bombarding me with text messages since eight in the morning. I hadn’t even seen him and was already tired of him. Luckily my moodiness went away as soon as we got to the venue and found the crew, Louis’ family, and the boys gathered together. Well, all of them except Zayn, as he managed to get out of it, but I just couldn’t. Being here is what needed to be done. Nonetheless I’m starting to fear the teasing, especially after our latest discovery. My hope is they could just tone it down.

“Pat, you actually met the girl–––Niall asks him all excited as we are standing in the garden altogether with Louis, Paul and Cal. What about her?” I suppose that what I already told him isn’t enough.

“The girl?–––Pat says playfully. Jeanne?” At her name they all let out a ‘ah,’ grabbing their chests, and glimpse at me batting their lashes. Very funny. “I wouldn’t call her a girl…–––Pat mumbles directly towards me. Am I allowed to speak about this, boss?” Everybody chuckles. I half shut my eyes. “Come on, Harry! It’s us!” He just says.

“You better watch your words…” I warn him. Niall and Louis rub their palms together in anxiousness.

“Well, let’s say, this fine piece of a young woman…–––he claims courtly. Is that OK?” I slightly bow my head at him. “He loves to hear to speak about her…–––he says as in confidence to the others, pointing at me. Well, Jeanne. Is she beautiful?–––Pat continues dramatically. She surely is easy in the eye… She has that sweet yet sexy voice, a bit husky when she talks coquettishly.” I raise an eyebrow. All the attention is on him. Be careful, Pat. “You should hear her speaking foreign languages–––he muses. Last night over the phone she talked Italian to her mother and it sent chills down my spine…” Yeah, I got that. He couldn’t stop staring at her.

“Did she talk Italian with her mummy?–––Louis snaps turning towards me, impressed. Those continental chicks…” He shakes his head. Everyone laughs.

“I prefer her German though,” I mutter trying to ignore them.

“Even if it’s the language she shares with Manuel Neuer…” Louis observes in a neutral tone. I flash him a preventing glimpse.

“He’s out of the picture,” I state, pulling my hands behind my back, keeping my coolness. Well, I’m working on it.

“Yeah, that’s the reason he called her two days ago…” Niall jokes. Yeah, it is public. Thank you, Tommo. “To return to the picture…” he remarks suggestively to the others as if I weren’t even there. We are starting already.

“Well, she won’t let him in,” I try to skirt the issue.

“You have nothing on that guy, Harry–––Niall taunts me, patting my shoulder. I love you but if he steps in you are out…” I shoot him a lop-sided glare. Louis giggles. “Did you catch a sight on the guy’s arse?” He asks mockingly, turning towards him. Yeah, I already noticed the guy looks like a freaking Greek god. “Even Louis have nothing on that territory!” Niall snorts.

“I don’t feel comfortable at all with you commenting on my arse, mate…” Louis says in a sarcastic tone.

“Knock it off, you two!–––I spit out at them and they snicker, acting innocent. She says she doesn’t care about him and I take her word,” I sentence.

“Hey, lads, don’t harry Harry––– Pat intervenes on my behalf with that painful wordplay. Jeanne speaks her mind.” But that feels nice for a change… “I think he’s right about it instead of in denial–––he says innocently. She means what she says.” I scrunch my face at him. It is almost too good to be true. Niall and Louis nod their heads, pouting. “Well, what else? Oh, yes, you should see her move…–––he shakes his head slowly, clasping his fist. She is like a living sculpture even when she’s alone.” I frown. Someone clears his throat.

“Have you been spying on her?” I blurt to Pat.

“Barely…–––he mumbles, glancing up. For security matters.” I roll my eyes, annoyed. More giggles.

“You’re not coming back,” I assert, lifting my index at him. And even more giggles.

“Hey, she likes me!–––Pat acts hurt. She invited me. I am coming back,” he claims and a general laughter echoes on by back. “Poor boy, he can’t handle her–––he addresses them, avoiding me. I bet you are wondering what they talk about as she’s this intellectual hotness.” I glare but I’m dead curious to know what he is going to say. “Well, be surprised. They speak about everything. She’s clever but doesn’t lecture, and she’s funny.” He is being quite fair in a twisted way… “She likes to drink and have all sorts of alcohol at her house, as well as the finest wines. Those hippie people know how to live!” The boys cheer up. “But mainly, and, Harry, you have to admit this–––he says to me–––she’s the biggest flirt.” Well, yeah, she sort of is. They all look at him with great interest. “It’s kinda strange how people react. The other day she was walking around the market in that tight, short playsuit catching everyone's attention. But it wasn’t only about how good she looked but about the way she behaved–––he explains. She knows how to talk to people. She is seductive and that’s why he’s so mad about her…” Louis pats my back as the rest of the guys keep repeating ‘oh, yes’ to each other. Well, yeah, she is. She definitely is.

“The playsuit’s detail was unnecessary…” I grunt between gritted teeth, but he ignores me.

“Those French peasants literally ignored Harry–––Pat carries on. She's walking class… And Harry is this kind of mixture between a pimp and a chav.” With that he earns another general laughter and claps. “Look at him. Your mother’s best friend’s wedding and you can’t even wear a tie,” he scolds me. What is his problem? I’m looking pretty fine, hoping for Jeanne to be checking social media. “Are you going to the Opera dressed like this?–––he points at me as dejected. They won’t let you in, you know.”

“Are you guys going to the Opera?–––Niall snaps, amused. This is too good!”

“Come on, Niall…” I’m not letting them ruin it for me. She was so thrilled by my surprise when I told her.

“She speaks to you and it is like the sunrise glowing over your face–––Pat insists talking dreamily and gesturing with his hand. Harry speaks to you and you just want to smack him…” Paul laughs loudly. I don’t glare at him.

“We know that,” he says, chuckling. They all follow him. Why me?

“But to me the most amazing thing is that they seem so different but they are pretty much the same…” Pat observes, drastically changing the tone of his voice to a lighter one. I stare.

“Wait–––I interrupt him, placing a hand on his chest. Do you think we are the same?” Now I am truly confused.

“Are you teasing me?–––Pat claims as offended. Jeanne is like an ultra sophisticated female version of you. She loves to hang around light on clothing and do nothing––as she deliciously calls it ‘dolce far niente’…”

“Mmh, I could grab those words and kiss them!” Niall exclaims and receives an acclamation.

“Didn’t you get anything I said, Harry?–––Pat talks to me. She’s a flirt, just like you… But most importantly, she’s kind, a people person; she makes everybody feel important, even a lowly minder as I am, because she listens to you and laughs all the time and she’s always happy as you, Mister Happy Smiles. Worries are not her thing… Does this make you think of someone we know?” He turns to speak to the others, tilting his head at me repeatedly.

“Pat, do you mean it?–––Louis cuts him short. Do you really think they are alike?”

“I honestly do–––Pat states. And I’m not telling this to please you, Harry, because you don't pay me to do so, but because she may be all this sophisticated but she likes simple things and to have a good time… You share something from the soul; you glow in the same light…” I glance at the boys and they seem as puzzled as me.

“He’s drunk,” Niall claims suddenly, flicking his hand at Pat.

“Definitely,” Cal and Paul say in unison.

“I kinda am.”

“Forget everything he said,” Louis remarks mockingly.

“No, you should see them as I saw them last night, laughing at each other, speaking about bread–––he claims almost eagerly. And the way they danced… I haven’t seen him like that before. They have a complicity.” Everybody rolls his eyes. God, I hate them. “They have!”

“Let’s go, guys, before he starts to cry…” Niall says offhandedly, patting his shoulder.

“He’s just working on the Christmas bonus…” Paul ventures with a snicker, passing his side.

“Don’t be like that, poor chap!” Pat complains, turning around as they all are leaving our side.

“If that’s what you think why are you always teasing me?” I inquire, coming closer and quite dejected.

“Harry, four years and you haven’t realised just yet?–––Pat tells me in a bright tone. We tease you because it’s easy! You fall every time–––he puts his hand on my cheek. You should relax, Harry, and just enjoy yourself.”

–.–.–

I went to sit on a bench, exhausted, and the ceremony hadn’t even started. My mum and Robin weren’t there yet, but the imminence of their arrival was starting to make me nervous. I glanced at my mobile, tightly grasped between my hands. Jeanne… I wanted to call her so badly just to know what she was doing, but officially I still didn’t have her number in my power. Neither that nor feelings more than ‘I like you’ had come up yet and then, away from her, I started to worry again. What those words meant? How much she liked me? Enough to get into a relationship with me? And what about what Pat said about us? I had never seen it that way but he made total sense… Was that a wishful thought? I noticed someone had come to sit next to me.

“Your hair looks nice today…” Lou told me blithely, tugging at my curls.

“Thank you. Jeanne washed it with rainwater…” I explained. She raised her eyebrows, amused.

“Are you speaking seriously?”

“Yeah–––I mumbled. Her country house harvests rainwater and she washed my hair yesterday in a tub in the garden…” I knew it was something I could share with her, and for some reason I wanted to share it with someone that could appreciate how special Jeanne was.

“Oh, so that’s why you’re all smitten…–––Lou grinned. Show me some photos. Come on.” I pulled my iPhone from my pocket and started to look for something presentable.

“This is the house and the garden…” I handed her my mobile.

“Oh, really nice…” Lou said watching it closely.

“Her father was going to be an architect but dropped everything to become an artist. And that’s Jeanne,” I muttered and leant in, going through the camera roll to a safe picture of Jeanne reading on a sunlounger. I was proud of that photo. It was pretty good to be stolen and her gesture was spontaneous. She had the little grimace that makes me weak and the book was showing even if it was a close-up. I couldn’t help but beam. Lou glimpsed at me and smiled quite profusely too.

“She’s cute. And she spoils you…–––she elbowed me. Who washes your hair better? I or she?” She joked.

“I don’t want to make you feel bad but she does…–––I replied playfully. She takes a great interest in doing it.” That and shaving my parts. My geisha had startled me there as never before. And I just loved it…

“It is almost logical, isn’t it?–––Lou ironised. Are you happy? Is this a serious thing?” I gulped, glimpsing at her.

“I am happy,” I admitted after a second, and it felt incredibly good. Lou squealed, holding my elbow around her arm. We laughed a little, shaking our heads as two fools. “I haven’t asked her to be my girlfriend but I hope she says yes, because she makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.” I noticed my voice was trembling a bit. What the hell? I was doing it. Lou laughed, standing up.

“Well, I hope she does because it is good to see you with that glow on your face and your hair…” She ironised. I reached for the back of her neck and kissed her forehead beneath her leafs crown. I cared for her so much. We had been through a lot together.

As Lou and I began to make our way to the main area something caught my attention at my right, in the distance. My heart raced inside my chest and my knees went weak in a single second. It was time to face her…

“Mum,” I said, letting go on Lou’s shoulder.

–.–.–

Notes

Can we talk about Pat's perspective on Harry and Jeanne?!?! Because I bet that was unexpected! Well, I really hope you enjoyed our good ol', cheeky boys and clueless Harry! Heavy chapter for him ahead as he's going to face his mummy... xD

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Four chapter left to reveal what happened in London when Harry and Jeanne met! You don't want to miss that!

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