You Have Me

H.P.O.V

"Harry I'm not even hungry and this place looks like it cost more than six cars, and I'm talking about those state of the art, new cars that make people look like pretentious assholes." Beth rambling is endearing and all I want to do is watch.

"I told you not to eat all of that ice cream," I mumbled holding the door open. Beth rolled her eyes, a pout on her lips. "Why don't you ever listen to me?"

"S'not who I am," she muttered. I took her hand and led her down the hallway. The restaurant was buzzing with low conversation, and no one seem to notice us as we were lead to a back room. "Baby, I'm seriously not hungry."

"Doesn't mean you won't eat," Beth giggles quietly and her head shakes. Beth is happy, and Beth being happy means I'm doing something right. It's something I haven't felt in a long time. The hostess stops and smiles suggestively at....Beth?

What?

Her eyes do a lingering once over, that Beth is oblivious to, as she grins with raised eyebrows, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"I hope you have a nice evening. Feel free to ask me for anything," Beth's eyes connect with hers, Beth's widening in understanding. "Anything." She repeats before walking away.

"I knew this bow tie was a good idea," Beth mutters. She laughs at my frown and squeezes my hand. Her hand runs through her hair as she bites her lip, eye brows wiggling.

"That wasn't funny."

"Oh come on Harry." Her fingers played with my hair an easy smile on her lips. It'd be a lot funnier if it was the other way around. "I'm sure it meant nothing. She was probably looking at you."

"No she wasn't. We'd be having another conversation if she was." Beth shrugs and brushes the wrinkles out of her blouse. "Let's go inside." I mumble.

"Why did you book a whole room for just us?"

"More privacy. Less chances of photos being leaked." With a shrug I turn to face her as she watches me with a lazy grin. "You saw how it got outside." I know it had frightened her as she clung to my arm, her face down, hair fanning over her shoulders.

"Your fans are rabid. Like I will bet a million dollars that they'd eat me, just to touch your hair." I sling my arm around her waist, bringing her close and tight.

"You'd be delicious," her cheeks flushing with specks of red, had to be the best thing. "You're good?"

Beth sighs, chest moving up and down against me. "Yes Harry. I'm fine. Can't we have one night where we can pretend nothing shitty has happened? Please?"

"My lady asks--my lady receives." And there's the blush I love to see.

I move away and open the door. I take Beth's hand and lead her inside. It's dark and Beth's hand is squeezing mine, letting me know I should probably turn on the lights if I don't want Beth to run out.

I don't need to though, because Louis seems to have the same idea, as the room brightens and a loud mix of 'Happy birthday!' And 'Yay!' Are being screamed. Beth jumped, her hand leaving mine as she places it against her chest and looks around, eyes wide and curious. The room itself was...well it was pretty and pink. Balloons were everywhere, attached to every chair and table end. Ribbon and streamers were hung and Beth's name was spelled out in giant silver balloon letters, that went nicely with the dozen other balloons in various shades of pink. A table was in the back full of various foods and deserts. Drinks were stationed by the DJ booth. Sunflowers were everywhere. On the cake. The center of every tabel, on the walls. It was all very Beth. It screamed Beth.

"Fuck!" She whispers. Louis reaches her first, placing a tiara on her head. It was thin and discreet--and Liam still had his head connected to his body. Louis hugged her tightly, lifting her off of the ground. "Louis! Oh my fuck, Louis!" Beth mutters against Louis' neck as he laughs. Everyone else slowly gathers around, Niall patting my back.

"Happy birthday sweetheart! I hope you know how much I fucking love you!" Louis' holding on tightly as Beth laughs and pats his back.

Everyone's here.

Liam and his girlfriend. Zayn and Niall. Eleanor, my mum, Paul, a few members of the the crew. It's small, maybe ten or fourteen people. It's nice and everyone here trust everyone. Even if Beth can't remember.

"Aye quit hogging her!" And I can tell there's still something bothering Louis about Niall and Beth's sudden closeness. He doesn't say anything. Instead he drops her, with a smaller smile, than he usually has and walks away, as Niall wastes no time and envelopes her in his grasp. "Beth!!!" The last thing I hear is Beth's giggle as I walk over to interrogate Louis.

When I get there Eleanor's got her hands on his shoulders explaining something, as Louis listens with his head down.

"It really brothers you, doesn't it?" Louis jumps slightly and turns with wide eyes. "Beth and Niall. It bothers you. Why?"

"It doesn't-" Eleanor kisses his cheek and mumbles something about getting a drink and whatnot. Louis doesn't pay her any attention as she walks away and leaves us alone.

"Yes it does. You tense and you get this annoyed, disturbed look. Why?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Except he does. I can tell he does, because he has his 'I'm not comfortable' face on and his hands are fidgeting. "Now out of my way. I need to do....something not stupid."

I grip his arm and stop him before he can leave. "Don't be a baby. Why are you being weird--weirder than usual?"

"I'm no-"

"You are."

"No, I'm being me."

"Even you aren't this weird." When Louis' uncomfortable he will do anything just so he won't have to deal with it. Something him and Beth have incomon. "What's wrong Lou."

"I don't like it." He almost whispers. He turns and it's like someone said they didn't like his shoes.

"Don't like what?" I feel like I'm speaking to a child, trying to get them to tell me who pushed them.

"Niall wanting to be best friends with my best friend. He has you and the other two. Why does he need Beth too?"

"Lou you're not making any sense. " I'm trying to understand him, so that I can understand what's bothering him, but right now it sounds like he just wants something and he's being annoying because he can't have it.

"You don't get it. You've always had friends. I didn't. And now that I do and I see Niall trying to worm his way inside it feels like I'm about to go back to how it used to be."

"You have me, the other lads. Eleanor. You have a lot of people. Why do you feel like you're losing everyone?"

"You don't get it." He sighs. "I'm going to get the cake ready." Louis walks away his head down. Whatever it is, I know it'll end badly if it doesn't get taken care of soon.

"What was that?" Zayn says while standing next to me. I look over at him and shrug. "Okay then. Let's have a good night, yeah?"

"S'what I was hoping."

"Good. Now I have to go see the birthday girl."

"I'll come with you." As we walk back Liam's talking with his hands as Beth and Sophia seem to find it amusing.

"Happy birthday babe." Zayn cheers as he walks over and picks her up. And usually anyone else doing that would bother me, but tonight I'll let it slide. Just tonight. She thanks him, mouth against his shoulder. When Zayn lets go Beth turns to me and smiles.

"Where's Louis? I want to know what's bothering him."

"How did you--did Eleanor tell you?"

Beth pulls back confused, both brows furrowing. "What? No?"

"How did you know Louis' upset?" Beth shrugs and cuddles against my side.

"He's my best friend--just because I can't remember two years of said friendship--doesn't mean I don't know the signs of when something's upsetting him."

I wish I would've been smart enough to record this and show it to Louis. I feel like Louis needs to be reminded, because just because I don't understand what's bothering him, it doesn't mean it's not important.

"What about me? Can you read me?"

Beth smirks nonchalantly. "You're my favorite book," she muses. One of her arms wraps around my neck, her fingers playing with the short hairs. "I know when you're upset, or when you're annoyed. My favorite is when you're happy and relaxed. You walk around with a small grin and lazy eyes. Cutest thing I've ever seen."

"You and your bow tie are my criptonoight," that could not be more true. Beth is absolutely the cutest girl I have ever seen and her glittering bow tie only add to my affection. "And this skirt. Fuck Beth, no wonder that hostess was eye fucking you. We should have just gotten naked."

"We've still got tonight." She dismisses and looks around looking for Louis. "I'm going to find Louis." With a final kiss she untangles herself from me and walks towards Eleanor, most likely, so that she could find out where Louis ran off to.

Maybe Beth will do a better job at understanding Louis.

****

When I find Beth and Louis (after twenty minutes of looking) they're holding on to each other, Louis eyes tinted pink, his cheeks flushed and puffy.

He's holding on tightly and Beth doesn't look ready to let go either. She's whispering in his ear, and I'd pay a million dollars to find out what had just happened.

"Everything okay?" I approach slowly. Louis pulls away, unsure of all his movements. He manages a small nod. I don't know what I'm supposed to say. It's obvious Beth and Louis had a moment and it's obvious it had reached a point where it had made them both emotional. "Are you sure?" It doesn't matter who I'm asking. They both look ready to breakdown.

"Everything's fine Harry," Louis says with no heat. He rubs his face and peers down at Beth with a happy smile. A genuine smile. "Let's go cut the cake." He grabs Beth arm and takes her with him. I don't know if it was so that I wouldn't be able to ask questions but Beth doesn't seem to mind as she follows him quietly.

They don't speak and when they get close enough, Beth gasps and covers her mouth with her hands.

It wasn't the cake. It was a nice cake, but it wasn't the cake she was admiring. It was my mum. My mum who had her arms open wide, Beth running into them. "Momma Styles, thank you for my lucky hat! It's the best present I've ever been given!"

My mum laughs and begins rubbing large circles on Beth's back. "I'm so happy you like it, love. Now when you're traveling with my boy, you'll know that someone loves you."

That right there is like Christmas, where your insides begin to warm up and you feel a child like glee.
It's amazing.

****

It took approximately twenty minuets to cut the cake. Not because it was a big cake, but because both Louis and Niall had both decided that it would be a good idea to out sing each other.
And it wasn't. It really wasn't.

After five declared ties and two (six) debates on who had won, I managed to sit Beth on my lap as everyone demanded she open her gifts.

Beth laughed and shrugged, always saying she didn't need anything. That we should have stopped at this party, because this party was amazing and even though she couldn't remember how she had spent her eighteenth and nineteenth birthday-she was sure this one had been the best one, hands down.
But we're a stubborn group of people.

And that is how Beth has been sitting on me, opening every glittering and color box and bag. So far she's received three new knit sweaters (courtesy of Liam and Sophia, because apparently Beth loves knit sweaters and they knew she had to have three more, in cream, baby blue, and black), customized vans that were personalized with a hand drawing of a house attached with a hundred colorful balloons, and the old man and rotund Boy Scout from the movie UP that always makes Beth cry because she hates it when the old woman dies and leaves the old man alone and bitter (apparently they were very special because Zayn had drawn on them himself, and it took hours perfecting the chubby boys' face and a million hand cramps drawing every balloon) there were a dozen gift cards, a special Starbucks one from Eleanor (that she had customized for Beth personally) and a mug that looked like a candy cane that--according to Eleanor--could be used at any time of the year, because candy canes never get old.

And when we thought she was finished (the floor looking like a recycled bin of pink and more pink) Niall and Louis began fighting on who got to go last--because the person who goes last is the one with the best gift--even though I would be giving her the best gift.

"I'll go," Niall groaned as Louis smirked. "I've always been the more mature one anyway." Louis gaped at Niall but didn't bother to say anything as Niall walked over and grabbed the box from Tim (a member of security) he placed it down gently and dropped a kiss on Beth's cheek. "Happy birthday, love!" Beth grinned and went to open the box, stopping abruptly when it began moving on the floor.

"Niall what is it?" Beth questioned nervous. We all stared at the box, my arm wrapping tighter around her waist, ready to pull her back. "Is it going to eat me? Niall?"

Niall laughed heartedly, placing his hands on his stomach, looking oddly like Santa clause. "It's not gonna eat you," he tuts, "just open it."

Beth bends forward slightly and flicks the lid off quickly. She moves back, waiting for something to attack her, and when nothing does she bends to look inside when suddenly a big ball of Carmel fur jumps up and lands on a squealing Beth. "What the--a bear? Oh my god, Niall, you got me a bear?!"

Niall looks down and back up, "no, I didn't get you a bear! It's a dog!" He picks it up from Beth's lap and holds it close to her face. "It's some weird, rare breed or something. He's only a puppy." Beth looks at it and stands.

"Oh my goodness," she coos at the small, fluffy animal. "It's the cutest fucking thing I've ever seen. Oh my god, hi." She coos and pets it's fluffy head before turning and showing Louis. "Louis look." He does look, but it's evident he's slightly perturbed.

"Yeah cute. Whatever. " he mumbles holding a small box in his hand.

"Niall this is lovely! Thank you!" She moves in to hug him, careful not to suffocate the small, nameless animal. "But where am I going to leave him when we go on tour? I don't want him to get used to us and then have us not be there."

"Don't worry," Niall reaches over and ruffles it's small head. "It's all been taken care of. Mushu is-"

"Mushu?" Beth asked excitedly and confused.

"It suites him don't you think?" Beth looks down and back up. She nods quickly and holds Mushu against her chest. "Mushu is coming with us, right Paul?"

We all look over at the man in question, he's got an annoyed expression. "Yeah. Sure, whatever." He grumbles, eating away at his piece of cake.

"We'll just hide him in our bags when we stay at a hotel." Niall shrugs carelessly. Beth squeals and hugs Niall tightly as I wonder how Niall pulled it off.

"Thank you, Niall! Thank you, thank you!"

"Okay, okay. Give me Mushu. It's Louis turn." Beth hands him without any argument and faces Louis. Her face softens when she sees the look on his face. She moves in close and whispers something in his ear, Louis relaxing and nodding.

I really want to know what that means.

They pull away and Louis hands her a small pink box. "When Beth came home from the hospital we didn't exactly get along," Louis tells everyone.

Beth laughs, "more like you hated me and I had no idea who you were." Small giggles are heard.

"Details," he dismisses. "After me yelling and doing one of my famous walk outs--Beth came over and we talked." Beth tilts her head, her mouth parting when she remembers what story he's telling. "I know Beth," Louis promises, "and because I know her so well, I knew she was nervous. She sat down and said 'I heard we were close--like friendship bracelet close' so I thought what better gift than an actual friendship bracelet." He motions for Beth to open the box. She carefully lifts the lid and pulls out a multicolor-braided bracelet. Louis holds his wrist up, an identical bracelet already tied on. "I made them." He admits softly.

Beth looks up. Her eyes are glistening and her hand is shaking slightly. "Lou," she breathes out, "this...oh my god, I can't believe you remembered."

Louis smiles softly, "we became friends again after that. How could I not?"

"You made this?" She asks. Louis nods and it's quite hard to believe Louis out everyone had enough patience to make something so intricate.

"He did," Eleanor calls out happily, "took him days to get that pattern down. You should've seen him when he had to pick the colors." Eleanor giggles.

"I love this," Beth gushes and holds her wrist out. Louis takes the hint and wraps the silk around and ties it. Once he's finished she jumps into his arms and hugs him tightly. "Thank you Lou. Thank you for being my best friend."

"Someone's got to deal with your shit." Louis teases, hugging her middle.

"M'glad it's you."

Everyone's smiling and my mum, being the Mum she is coos. Niall is watching with a happy grin, oblivious that he has lost the gift competition they had somehow created. Although I don't think Niall knew they were competing. I think his pride wouldn't let him quit when Louis began poking at him.

"Group hug!" Niall yells out. Everyone huddles together as best we can, and it's difficult when there are almost fourteen people, including a small puppy that resembles a tiny bear, running around, sniffing and barking happily.

A minuet later everyone pulls away and Beth (somehow managing to get through everyone) reaches me and wraps her arms around me.

"Thank you Harry. This has been the best birthday I've ever had. It's actually been the first good day I've had in a while. Thank you."

I hum, kissing her cheek. "It's almost midnight and I still have one gift left."

Beth pulls back surprised. "Harry no more. This was enough. It was enough to get me through ten birthdays. I have you, the guys, Mushu and everyone else. I don't need anything else."

"It's small." In size that is.

"Small?" She asks quietly. "You promise?"

"Tiny, I swear." She sighs and nods.

"Okay."

It's happening and I'm nervous. Nervous to the point where I could start shaking.

This was it and it was happening.

It was actually going to happen.

Notes

You are all bae. #vote #imsocloseonly #onlyneed22morevotes