What Makes You Beautiful
'Cause you make my heart race
So get out, get out, get out of my mind
And come on, come into my life
I don't, I don't, don't know what it is
But I need that one thing
And you've got that one thing
‘One Thing’ – One Direction
Bella was pleased the next day was a Sunday. She could rest. She was so tired from the excitement from the concert the night before that she didn’t get out of bed until 10:22 the next morning. It would have been even later but her sister barged into her room, gasping about something that Bella couldn’t quite understand because she was still groggy.
“Bells! Bells! Wake up!”
Ugh, so annoying!
“Leave me alone, Ash. Let me sleep.” Bella groaned, burying her face in her pillows, folding her arms underneath it. She was nice and warm in her bed, her legs tangled together beneath the sheets. But Ashley persisted just like any little sister and grabbed one of Bella’s arms, attempting to drag her out of bed.
“No, you have to wake up!”
“Mmmm, why?” Bella murmured.
“You have to see what Harry Styles tweeted last night! He mentioned us!”
Her sister’s statement made her eyes snap open. She lifted her body up onto her forearms, her messy bed hair falling in tangles over her shoulders. She rubbed one of her eyes and her vision finally became vivid. Ashley stood next to her bed, wide awake, wearing a floral dress and her feet were bare. Bella was about to ask Ashley why she was still full of adrenaline but then, another question entered her mind.
“You don’t have Twitter. How do you know about his tweet?”
“Mum’s got Twitter, remember? I was on her phone when I saw it. Bells, Harry Styles remembered us!” Ashley grinned like a five-year-old, not one that had just turned twelve. Bella wasn’t big on social media. She only had a Facebook account which she didn’t use much and she would like to keep it that way. No Instagram. No Twitter. No Tumblr. Bella liked her privacy. She didn’t brag about things that happened in her life. She hadn’t gone on Facebook the night before and posted 'Went to 1D concert tonight. Harry blew me a kiss and I died'. What would be the point in doing that? No-one had to know. It was her business. A memory she only wanted to share with family and friends, not random people on the Internet.
Bella sat up and the sheets fell to her waist. The night was warm so she only had a singlet and boy shorts on. She moved the sheets off her and set her feet down on the carpet that embellished her bedroom floor.
“Right, show me this tweet, then.” She said, running her hand through her hair, attempting to untangle some of her locks. Ashley beamed widely and walked quickly out of the bedroom, Bella following her.
The sun was out, steaming in through the large glass sliding door that led out onto the balcony. Their apartment was located in Newtown, not far from Sydney’s CBD. They were on the third floor and had a nice view, the Centre Point Tower standing tall in the distance. Their mother was awake and having a coffee, watching a morning show on the HD TV. The living room was spacious with a soft brown couch and two separate armchairs, gentle cushions positioned here and there. The whole apartment was connected with an open kitchen and the dining table just by the kitchen counter so talks could be had if someone was cooking.
“Morning, Mum.” Bella croaked.
“Good morning, Bella. Tired from last night?” Jo smiled.
“Yeah, didn’t realise I was so deadbeat.” Bella responded, opening her mouth to have a little yawn.
“Mum, can I borrow your phone again? I want to show Bells Harry’s tweet.” Ashley said.
Their mother nodded and unlocked her phone, handing it to her youngest daughter. Bella waited about a half a minute before Ashley shoved the phone screen in her face.
“Look! Read that!”
Bella dropped into a seat by the kitchen counter, taking the phone from her sister. She blinked to adjust her eyes after sleeping for about ten hours. The words on the screen suddenly became clear and Bella fought the urge to gasp.
Harry’s profile picture was him holding a camera, covering his face. He looked like he was about to take a photo. Didn’t know he liked photography. She thought. His tweet, which he had posted at 10pm, read ‘Kicked off our On The Road Again tonight in Sydney. It was great to see everyone out there supporting us. And once again, a very Happy Birthday to Ashley. Hope she and her sister had a great night. Looking forward to performing again tomorrow night!’
So he really did mention us… It shocked Bella that she had even remembered hem. There were thousands of people in the stadium last night and they were the two people he tweeted about. Bella also noticed the tweet had 130,000 retweets and 220,000 favourites. Holy shit! She suddenly felt wide awake. She was so surprised that she didn’t even remember what she had dreamt about. It had been a good dream, that was the only she remembered. I feel so lazy…Those boys performed up there on stage and I’m tired. And they’re performing again tonight...How do they even have the energy? That was one of the many things Bella had enjoyed about the concert. The band hardly stopped. They had short breaks and talked to the crowd to catch their breath but they hardly even slowed down. They had so much enthusiasm for what they were doing and they looked like they had enjoyed themselves, performing for their many fans in Sydney. A slight smile came across her face. Harry remembered us…
“How awesome is that, Bells?! Harry Styles wished me a ‘Happy Birthday’ again! He mentioned you too, he must like you.” Ashley smirked cheekily. Bella hated it when she did that. It infuriated her. She chose to ignore the latter statement and turned to smile at her sister.
“It is awesome. It was very sweet of him to mention you in his tweet.”
“Us. He mentioned us.” Ashley emphasised the word “us”, drawing it out for longer than necessary. Bella rolled her eyes and slid off the seat, giving her mother her phone back.
“Are you still going to meet up with your father today?” Her mother asked her. Oh, I almost forgot about that! Bella gasped in her head. Jo wasn’t stupid and saw the look of apology on her daughter’s face. She got off Twitter and placed her phone on the coffee table, raising her cup to her lips to take a sip.
“Yeah, yeah, I am.” Bella said. Her father didn’t live with them because he and their mother were divorced. They had been for three years already and Bella still remembered the day her parents had broken the news to her and her sister. She had been 16 at the time and Ashley had only been nine. Too young for something as huge as this to happen. But it did happen. Their parents still remained on good terms which made the two sisters feel better. They met up with their father once every fortnight, sometimes individually and sometimes together. Both Ashley and Bella loved their father. They held nothing against him or their mother because they knew the divorce was the best thing for the family. Today, Bella was due to going Valentine’s Day shopping with her father for his girlfriend of a year. She knew he was crap at shopping so she had just suggested they go together. Her mother was still unattached and didn’t plan on getting a partner any time soon so it just the three females in the apartment. A girl’s world.
“When are you going to meet up with him?” Her mother asked.
“Uh, we decided on noon. We’ll get some lunch first.” Bella answered. At the sudden mention of food, her stomach began to grumble. It was asking for food and her mouth began to salivate. She left her mother’s presence and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. She decided on two buttered pieces of toast and one hard-boiled egg. When her food was ready, she sat at the kitchen counter and dug in. Ashley stood on the other side of the counter, resting her chin on her hands, resting her forearms on the cool white marble. She just stared at her older sister, a smug smile brightening her young face. Bella ignored for about a minute before sighing and looking at Ashley.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ashley shrugged her shoulders and continued to stare at her sister. Bella chewed her toast as her fork dangled from her slender fingers. She shook her head and closed her eyes, exhaling as the taste of egg lingered in her mouth.
“No, answer me. Why are you looking at me like that?” She repeated. Her sister’s smile widened and her eyes shone with realisation, a cheeky glint that annoyed Bella greatly.
“I think Harry likes you.”
Ashley’s reply wasn’t something Bella expected. She choked on her piece of toast and coughed. Ashley giggled as her older sister patted her chest and took a long gulp of water to get the food down the correct way. Once Bella had her breath back, she stared at her sister in shock.
“What?!” She gasped in a whisper. This wasn’t a conversation their mother needed to hear.
“I think Harry likes you.”
“You don’t need to repeat the sentence, Ashley. What do you mean he likes me? We just went to his concert, that’s all.”
“Exactly. You weren’t the only one to see him blow you a kiss after they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. And…he could’ve just mentioned me in his tweet. But no, he mentioned you too.” Ashley said. Oh… Bella hadn’t thought about it that way. Her sister spoke the truth. Harry could’ve just said ‘Happy Birthday’ to Ashley and that’s it. But he also said he hoped Ashley and I had a great night. She wished she could tell him that she did have a good night. But that would never happen. She had seen him once and would probably never see him again. Bella didn’t come back with anything to say to her sister so she put her dirty plate and cutlery in the dishwasher and going back to her bedroom to get changed.
0*0
Bella sat at the Wynyard bus station, waiting for her father. He lived on the Northern Beaches, Balgowlah Heights to be exact. His girlfriend, Amanda, lived with him and Bella was happy for her father. He seemed happy. That was all she wanted for him. To be happy. It was a little cool in the city but the sun provided warmth, the sky blue with wispy clouds appearing every now and then. The dark jeans kept her legs warm and open-toed sandals sat on her feet. She had put a beige cardigan on just a few minutes ago to shield her bare arms from the chill, as she only wore a sleeveless blue blouse underneath.
Earphones were in her ears, the amazing voice of Sia playing. Bella had bought the entire 1000 Forms of Fear album off iTunes last year and immediately fell in love with it. Chandelier was the first song and Bella moved her foot to the beat of the music. She had thrown her mid-length hair back into a low ponytail, the strands turning red in the sunlight. After about ten minutes of waiting, she saw her father get off the E70 bus. Bella paused the song, which was Eye of the Needle, and took her earphones out, wrapping them around her iPhone before placing it in her black leather shoulder bag. She stood up and walked down the steps to see her father.
“Dad!” Bella waved, successfully getting his attention. Her father was a tall man, about 185cm, but he wasn’t Australian like her mother. He was born in England and had moved to Australia after he had met her mother while she went on holiday to England. David was his name and he was the one Bella had inherited her hazel eyes from.
“Bells!” Her father cried back and the two embraced by the side of the road. Her father always gave the best hugs. Bella felt safe every time she hugged him. His muscular physique also was a bonus but it did end up being a consequence in terms of having a boyfriend. David had scared the living shit out of the first boy Bella introduced to him when she was 16. They didn’t end go out on a date because he was so frightened of her father. However, the second boy her father met was better. His name was Jacob and he had a good relationship with both of her parents. Bella had loved Jacob but she never fell in love with him. He was attractive, kind, caring with a sense of humour, everything she looked for in a guy. But her heart broke when she discovered Jacob had been two-timing her after about 8 months together. Bella broke up with him the minute she found out, which was six months ago. After that, she hadn’t gone out on a date and had ignored any advances boys made on her. Now, 19, going on 20, she had her life ahead of her.
“How are you?” Her father asked once he let go of the hug. He still had his English accent and Bella hoped he’d never lose it.
“I’m good, Dad. What about you? How’s Amanda?”
“Amanda’s great. We’re both doing well.”
“That’s so wonderful, Dad! Now, do you want to go shopping now or have lunch?” Bella asked. Her father said lunch so that’s what they decided on first. The two of them walked down the main street to get to Westfield Shopping Centre. Opposite was the food court and they descended the steps. The area was busy because it was lunch time but luckily, there were still some seats and tables available. David got fried rice and some meat from a Thai restaurant while Bella opted for a sandwich from Subway. They found a table with seats and they sat opposite each other, digging into their lunch.
“Oh, I almost forgot to ask, how was the concert?” David asked. I knew he’d bring it up. Bella said in her head, taking a bite of her sandwich. The bread was soft in her mouth and the ham was absolutely delicious. She swallowed before answering.
“It was great. Ash and I had a wonderful time.”
“What’s the name of the band again? One…Dictation?”
Bella chuckled. Way off, Dad.
“One Direction.”
“That’s it. They’re English like me, right?”
“The blonde one, Niall, is Irish but the other four are English, yes.” Bella nodded.
“Ashley must have had a great birthday then, seeing them live.” David smiled. He knew how much his youngest daughter loved One Direction. She spend 95% of her time dedicating her time to them, whether it be ranting on about how hot they were or singing their songs at the top of her voice in her room.
“Yeah, she did. The boys sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. I’ve never seen her so ecstatic.” Bella said, chewing her sandwich so she could swallow it.
“Really? Wow, she’s a lucky girl.”
“Harry even mentioned us in a tweet he posted last night. That made Ash even happier.”
“Which one’s Harry?” Her father asked.
“He’s got the long curly hair and….” Bella stopped herself before she could go any further. God, what else was I going to say? How he has dimples and a perfect smile with beautiful green eyes? David nodded, acknowledging that he understood which one she was referring to.
“He mentioned you two in his tweet?”
“Yeah, Ash showed me. He wished her a ‘Happy Birthday’ again and said he hoped she and I had a great night.” Bella said. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks. I’m blushing just by talking about him! What is wrong with me? David cleared his throat and finished off the remains of his food, waiting for his daughter to finish her sandwich. He decided to change the subject.
“I’m glad you did, Bells. You still working at the bakery?”
“Yes, I am. I love it.”
Bella worked at a local bakery in Newtown called Black Star Pastry. It was a casual work because she didn’t go every day, she only went three or four days, depending if she was needed. And she got free food sometimes and discounts so that was a big plus. Bella liked having a job because she grew independence in doing things on her own. Because I have a job, I have something to do with my time. She thought. Otherwise, she’d be bored shitless.
“Maybe you could spend more time with me. You could stay over with Amanda and I for a night soon.” David suggested. Bella liked the sound of that and to let her father know that, she nodded.
“That’ll be good, Dad.”
0*0
“Does Amanda like perfume?” Bella asked.
She and her father were now in Myer, going to the different make-up, jewellery and cosmetic sections on the first level. Lots of items had been stocked up for Valentine’s Day and the first floor smelt of many different perfumes, as many women were trying them out to see what they were like.
“I’m pretty sure she does.” David answered.
“Well, does she wear any?”
“She does.”
“I’m guessing you don’t know what brand it is.” Bella smirked. David shook his head. Typical. She smiled to herself. She turned around and saw three bottles of women’s Hilfiger on a stand. The box was blue and the bows on the bottle were black and white. Cute… Bella thought. She picked up the tester and sprayed it onto a card. She raised the card to her nose and the fragrance of grapefruit and Italian bergamot invaded her nostrils. It smelt so good. Bella sprayed the perfume on both of her wrists and rubbed it in.
“Dad, this one’s really good. I think Amanda will like it.” She said. She made her father smelt it from the card and he wholeheartedly agreed with her judgment. They bought the perfume and thanked the woman behind the counter before heading off to another store.
Bella remembered that Amanda liked to wear jewellery so she dragged her father to an area where some Pandora items were. If she had the luxury, Bella would stay there for hours, just staring at the beautiful rings and bracelets, necklaces and earrings. She was mesmerised and the sparkle of the jewellery reflected in her eyes. One of the women behind the counter asked if they needed any help and Bella explained what she and her father were doing. In the end, after fifteen minutes, Bella and her father agreed on a stunning silver necklace with a couple of interlocking hearts as the pendant. Bella thought they had finished so she began to walk away but her father made her stop in her tracks with a question.
“Would you like something as well?”
Her lips parted in surprise. Her hazel eyes widened a little.
“But…uh…why…?” She didn’t know what to say. All she could ask was why.
“Because you’re my daughter. Come here, what would you like? A ring? A bracelet?” David said, beckoning Bella over with his hand. The woman behind the counter, probably in her late forties, smiled as Bella looked down at the jewellery in the glass cabinet. It didn’t take her long to pick out a silver bracelet with two Pandora charms: a flower and a love heart. David payed for the items and Bella took the small bag from the woman, saying goodbye and leaving the area.
“Thank you so much, Dad.” She grinned, walking through Myer, holding onto her father’s arm tightly.
“It was my pleasure, sweetheart.”
“You do realise Ashley going to be so jealous?” Bella chuckled.
“It was just her birthday yesterday. You deserve this because you helped me today and you went with your sister to the concert, even though you aren’t a huge fan of One…Direction like she is.” Her father stated, kissing her head sweetly. Bella smiled and linked her arm through her father’s. Two fantastic days in a row. Will tomorrow be this great as well? She asked herself, not knowing that today wasn’t over yet.
0*0
Bella had taken her mother’s Hyundai to drive into the city so after she said goodbye to her father before he got on the bus back home, she went to where she parked the car, which was near Pitt Street. She decided to take the shortcut she had walked on her way to the Wynyard bus stop.
The alleyway she walked through was completely deserted apart from a couple of people that passed her. Just as Bella turned the corner, she bumped into someone’s chest, her hands becoming fists so they took the brunt of the impact.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s alright, love. I just didn’t see you.”
I know that voice…No, it can’t be… Bella looked up at the person and found herself looking into those perfect green eyes that stared at her the night before. Impossible. But no, it wasn’t impossible. The one and only Harry Styles stood before her, a slight smile of recognition on his face.
“Don’t I know you?”
Bella couldn’t speak. She wished she could but her voice had disappeared. She kept her mouth closed because if she opened it, a squeal would come out. There’s no way I’m squealing in front of Harry Styles! She took her fists off his chest and took a step back. The proximity between them was electric. I’m too close to him… That’s why she stepped back.
“Your face is familiar. Have we met?”
Lord, his voice…Shoot me now… She thought she’d never see him in concert again and yet, here he was, standing less than a metre away from her. His hair had been pulled back away from his face in a loose bun which made his facial features more prominent, especially his eyes. He was dressed in casual clothes like any average person. Bella was so used to seeing him with a microphone in his hand so seeing him in the flesh just by bumping into him (literally) was something different. Great way to meet an attractive guy. Knock yourself into his chest. She stared at Harry like he was some kind of angel. She watched as another smile spread across his lips and those dimples of his appeared in his cheeks, making something squeeze her heart.
“You’re Ashley’s sister. I remember you from last night. It’s Bella, right?”
Holy fuck! He remembers my name! No, this can’t be real! Bella wanted to touch him again, just to see if he was actually real. Instead, she took another step back. Harry was a huge megastar, loved by millions of girls around the globe. And she was standing with him in an alleyway near the busy Sydney CBD. Harry’s smile faded and she blinked in shock.
“Why are you stepping back? I don’t bite, love.” The English singer pressed his lips together. It wasn’t Bella’s intention to make him feel uncomfortable but she could tell that he was. She was too. Her heart drummed against her ribcage so hard that she was afraid it would explode out of her chest. She opened her mouth to say “Sorry” again but another phrase took its place. And it was one she regretted as soon as it left her lips.
“Are you real?”
Bella wanted to die right then and there. Did I just ask that? Oh, no…He’s going to think I’m an absolute weirdo… She felt her face turn bright red and she wished she had left her hair out so she could cover her face with it. She felt so terrible, so uncomfortable, so ridiculous. To Bella’s surprise, Harry’s lips formed into a small smile.
“Yes, I’m real. You never said if I got your name right.” He said. Bella swallowed and nodded. She finally found her voice and answered with a “Yes, Bella is my name”. Harry said her name again and she felt exactly the way she felt when he had said her name at the concert. She managed to stay on her feet, even with her legs which felt like jelly.
“Well, what do you know? What was the possibility of us meeting?” Harry asked, still smiling. His green eyes glistened as he looked at her and in that moment, Bella wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. But she also didn’t want to leave Harry. This was a once in a lifetime experience. So many girls would wish for this to happen to them. Bella didn’t want to stuff it up even more than she already had. She nodded at him and rubbed her sweaty hands on the sides of her jeans.
“Did your sister have a good time last night?”
Bella nodded again, accompanied by a verbal answer this time.
“Yes, she did.”
“Did you?” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Bella was still in shock that he was just standing right in front of her. How many times had she heard his singing voice coming from her little sister’s room? How many times had she listened to his songs? How many girls would give up everything to be in her position? How many times did she walk into her sister’s room and see his youthful face on her wall?
“I did. You guys were amazing. You sure know how to put on a show.” Bella, to her own surprise, managed to remain calm. In reality, she wanted to say “You were freaking incredible! I had such an amazing time! Best night of my life!” That seems too forward, too fangirlish…Don’t want to scare him off…Don’t want to embarrass myself further.
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to tell the lads that.” Harry said, tucking his right hand into the pocket of his signature black jeans, moving a loose strand of hair behind his ear. When he did that, Bella saw the rings on his fingers, shining silver in the light that filled the alleyway. The shirt he wore covered all of his tattoos but she knew what they looked like, seeing as part of his arms were bare last night. Tattoos weren’t a turn-off to Bella. She’d probably never get one herself but dating a guy with tattoos wouldn’t bother her. It might bother my parents though…Hang on, am I thinking about dating Harry? Why? His previous relationships were something known to the public and all of them had been high-profile women, tall and strikingly beautiful. Bella didn’t fit that category at all. She didn’t even know why she was thinking about the subject so she shoved it out of her mind. She did wonder about one thing though. So she decided to ask him.
“What are you doing out? Aren’t you, like, afraid you’ll be harassed by fans and paparazzi?”
The way Harry answered her question was something she’d never forget. He came back with a great answer.
“Why do you think I decided to walk through this quiet alleyway, Bella?” He smirked. Does he even know what’s he doing to me by smirking like that? Of course he does, the cheeky man! She still couldn’t get over the way he said her name. It was a simple name to say but the way the letters rolled off his tongue did something to her heart.
“It was a good idea you had then.” She said. How will we part ways? I mean, I can’t just leave after talking to him. I have to make a memory of this, and not just in my mind. Something that would make people believe me when I tell them I met Harry Styles.
“Uh…can I ask you for a favour?” Her voice was apprehensive but Harry made her feel better when he nodded and smiled.
“Yes, of course.”
“Could I have a picture with you? It’s just…my sister’s not going to believe me when I tell her I met you. I’ll need solid proof.”
“Absolutely, love. How can I say no?” Harry said. Bella was pleasantly surprised but she quickly took her iPhone out of her bag and went onto the camera. Harry suggested he take the picture and Bella decided not to argue with him. Holding her phone in one hand, Bella felt his other arm circle her shoulders. His touch sent a shiver down her spine and over her arms. Should I put my arm around him too? Or is that too weird? Bella went with the latter and simply smiled softly as Harry took two pictures in quick succession.
“There you go.” He said, giving her the phone back.
“Thank you. Oh, before we, uh, part ways, I want to say another thank you for that tweet of yours you posted last night. My sister went nuts when you mentioned us. I didn’t believe her until I actually saw the tweet. It was so nice of you to do that and also, to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. You made her day and I know she’ll be forever grateful.”
Bella hadn’t meant to say that much but the words just came out naturally. Harry’s face showed no emotion so she had no clue what he was thinking. Oh, no, did I say too much? To her confusion, Harry took her phone from her, which was unlocked, and tapped his fingers on the screen. Bella watched him curiously. What is he doing? She waited for a few moments before he gave her phone back to her. Bella looked at the screen to see a new contact in her phone. She couldn’t think and she simply looked up at him with shocked and perplexed eyes.
“Why did you give me your number?” She asked.
“Because I want to. And you’re very sweet. I don’t think I need another reason.” Harry said like what he had just done was the most normal thing in the world. To Bella, it wasn’t. Harry Styles’ number was now in her phone but why would she ever need to contact him?
“There’s something about you, Bella. You’re not a regular fan. You didn’t faint when you saw me. You didn’t scream when I spoke to you. You kept very calm. Not many fans do that. And…I’d like to see you again.”
“But…you’re on tour! Next month, you’ll be in another country.”
“You’ve got my number now. We can talk.” Harry stated, placing his hand on her wrist. His long fingers were gentle against her skin, warm and soft. She was about to say something but Harry hugged her, enveloping her in his arms. He smells so good… Bella closed her eyes and hesitantly put her left arm around his back. His embrace was kind and not forced. She could feel his breath in her hair and she buried her face in his chest.
“What luck I met you. I look forward to our next meeting, Bella. And give my love to your sister.” Harry whispered, letting her go. Bella nodded, promising she would let her sister know. And just like that, he disappeared around the corner she had walked around. Did that just happen? Bella stood there on her own, the slight breeze blowing her ponytail around her back. She looked down at her phone to see his name and his number there on the screen. I can call him. I can text him. What? It was extremely hard to believe this was reality.
It wasn’t a surprise that the car ride home was just Bella thinking about the unexpected meeting with one of the members of the biggest boy band in the world.
Bella's charms:
And come on, come into my life
I don't, I don't, don't know what it is
But I need that one thing
And you've got that one thing
‘One Thing’ – One Direction
Bella was pleased the next day was a Sunday. She could rest. She was so tired from the excitement from the concert the night before that she didn’t get out of bed until 10:22 the next morning. It would have been even later but her sister barged into her room, gasping about something that Bella couldn’t quite understand because she was still groggy.
“Bells! Bells! Wake up!”
Ugh, so annoying!
“Leave me alone, Ash. Let me sleep.” Bella groaned, burying her face in her pillows, folding her arms underneath it. She was nice and warm in her bed, her legs tangled together beneath the sheets. But Ashley persisted just like any little sister and grabbed one of Bella’s arms, attempting to drag her out of bed.
“No, you have to wake up!”
“Mmmm, why?” Bella murmured.
“You have to see what Harry Styles tweeted last night! He mentioned us!”
Her sister’s statement made her eyes snap open. She lifted her body up onto her forearms, her messy bed hair falling in tangles over her shoulders. She rubbed one of her eyes and her vision finally became vivid. Ashley stood next to her bed, wide awake, wearing a floral dress and her feet were bare. Bella was about to ask Ashley why she was still full of adrenaline but then, another question entered her mind.
“You don’t have Twitter. How do you know about his tweet?”
“Mum’s got Twitter, remember? I was on her phone when I saw it. Bells, Harry Styles remembered us!” Ashley grinned like a five-year-old, not one that had just turned twelve. Bella wasn’t big on social media. She only had a Facebook account which she didn’t use much and she would like to keep it that way. No Instagram. No Twitter. No Tumblr. Bella liked her privacy. She didn’t brag about things that happened in her life. She hadn’t gone on Facebook the night before and posted 'Went to 1D concert tonight. Harry blew me a kiss and I died'. What would be the point in doing that? No-one had to know. It was her business. A memory she only wanted to share with family and friends, not random people on the Internet.
Bella sat up and the sheets fell to her waist. The night was warm so she only had a singlet and boy shorts on. She moved the sheets off her and set her feet down on the carpet that embellished her bedroom floor.
“Right, show me this tweet, then.” She said, running her hand through her hair, attempting to untangle some of her locks. Ashley beamed widely and walked quickly out of the bedroom, Bella following her.
The sun was out, steaming in through the large glass sliding door that led out onto the balcony. Their apartment was located in Newtown, not far from Sydney’s CBD. They were on the third floor and had a nice view, the Centre Point Tower standing tall in the distance. Their mother was awake and having a coffee, watching a morning show on the HD TV. The living room was spacious with a soft brown couch and two separate armchairs, gentle cushions positioned here and there. The whole apartment was connected with an open kitchen and the dining table just by the kitchen counter so talks could be had if someone was cooking.
“Morning, Mum.” Bella croaked.
“Good morning, Bella. Tired from last night?” Jo smiled.
“Yeah, didn’t realise I was so deadbeat.” Bella responded, opening her mouth to have a little yawn.
“Mum, can I borrow your phone again? I want to show Bells Harry’s tweet.” Ashley said.
Their mother nodded and unlocked her phone, handing it to her youngest daughter. Bella waited about a half a minute before Ashley shoved the phone screen in her face.
“Look! Read that!”
Bella dropped into a seat by the kitchen counter, taking the phone from her sister. She blinked to adjust her eyes after sleeping for about ten hours. The words on the screen suddenly became clear and Bella fought the urge to gasp.
Harry’s profile picture was him holding a camera, covering his face. He looked like he was about to take a photo. Didn’t know he liked photography. She thought. His tweet, which he had posted at 10pm, read ‘Kicked off our On The Road Again tonight in Sydney. It was great to see everyone out there supporting us. And once again, a very Happy Birthday to Ashley. Hope she and her sister had a great night. Looking forward to performing again tomorrow night!’
So he really did mention us… It shocked Bella that she had even remembered hem. There were thousands of people in the stadium last night and they were the two people he tweeted about. Bella also noticed the tweet had 130,000 retweets and 220,000 favourites. Holy shit! She suddenly felt wide awake. She was so surprised that she didn’t even remember what she had dreamt about. It had been a good dream, that was the only she remembered. I feel so lazy…Those boys performed up there on stage and I’m tired. And they’re performing again tonight...How do they even have the energy? That was one of the many things Bella had enjoyed about the concert. The band hardly stopped. They had short breaks and talked to the crowd to catch their breath but they hardly even slowed down. They had so much enthusiasm for what they were doing and they looked like they had enjoyed themselves, performing for their many fans in Sydney. A slight smile came across her face. Harry remembered us…
“How awesome is that, Bells?! Harry Styles wished me a ‘Happy Birthday’ again! He mentioned you too, he must like you.” Ashley smirked cheekily. Bella hated it when she did that. It infuriated her. She chose to ignore the latter statement and turned to smile at her sister.
“It is awesome. It was very sweet of him to mention you in his tweet.”
“Us. He mentioned us.” Ashley emphasised the word “us”, drawing it out for longer than necessary. Bella rolled her eyes and slid off the seat, giving her mother her phone back.
“Are you still going to meet up with your father today?” Her mother asked her. Oh, I almost forgot about that! Bella gasped in her head. Jo wasn’t stupid and saw the look of apology on her daughter’s face. She got off Twitter and placed her phone on the coffee table, raising her cup to her lips to take a sip.
“Yeah, yeah, I am.” Bella said. Her father didn’t live with them because he and their mother were divorced. They had been for three years already and Bella still remembered the day her parents had broken the news to her and her sister. She had been 16 at the time and Ashley had only been nine. Too young for something as huge as this to happen. But it did happen. Their parents still remained on good terms which made the two sisters feel better. They met up with their father once every fortnight, sometimes individually and sometimes together. Both Ashley and Bella loved their father. They held nothing against him or their mother because they knew the divorce was the best thing for the family. Today, Bella was due to going Valentine’s Day shopping with her father for his girlfriend of a year. She knew he was crap at shopping so she had just suggested they go together. Her mother was still unattached and didn’t plan on getting a partner any time soon so it just the three females in the apartment. A girl’s world.
“When are you going to meet up with him?” Her mother asked.
“Uh, we decided on noon. We’ll get some lunch first.” Bella answered. At the sudden mention of food, her stomach began to grumble. It was asking for food and her mouth began to salivate. She left her mother’s presence and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. She decided on two buttered pieces of toast and one hard-boiled egg. When her food was ready, she sat at the kitchen counter and dug in. Ashley stood on the other side of the counter, resting her chin on her hands, resting her forearms on the cool white marble. She just stared at her older sister, a smug smile brightening her young face. Bella ignored for about a minute before sighing and looking at Ashley.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ashley shrugged her shoulders and continued to stare at her sister. Bella chewed her toast as her fork dangled from her slender fingers. She shook her head and closed her eyes, exhaling as the taste of egg lingered in her mouth.
“No, answer me. Why are you looking at me like that?” She repeated. Her sister’s smile widened and her eyes shone with realisation, a cheeky glint that annoyed Bella greatly.
“I think Harry likes you.”
Ashley’s reply wasn’t something Bella expected. She choked on her piece of toast and coughed. Ashley giggled as her older sister patted her chest and took a long gulp of water to get the food down the correct way. Once Bella had her breath back, she stared at her sister in shock.
“What?!” She gasped in a whisper. This wasn’t a conversation their mother needed to hear.
“I think Harry likes you.”
“You don’t need to repeat the sentence, Ashley. What do you mean he likes me? We just went to his concert, that’s all.”
“Exactly. You weren’t the only one to see him blow you a kiss after they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. And…he could’ve just mentioned me in his tweet. But no, he mentioned you too.” Ashley said. Oh… Bella hadn’t thought about it that way. Her sister spoke the truth. Harry could’ve just said ‘Happy Birthday’ to Ashley and that’s it. But he also said he hoped Ashley and I had a great night. She wished she could tell him that she did have a good night. But that would never happen. She had seen him once and would probably never see him again. Bella didn’t come back with anything to say to her sister so she put her dirty plate and cutlery in the dishwasher and going back to her bedroom to get changed.
0*0
Bella sat at the Wynyard bus station, waiting for her father. He lived on the Northern Beaches, Balgowlah Heights to be exact. His girlfriend, Amanda, lived with him and Bella was happy for her father. He seemed happy. That was all she wanted for him. To be happy. It was a little cool in the city but the sun provided warmth, the sky blue with wispy clouds appearing every now and then. The dark jeans kept her legs warm and open-toed sandals sat on her feet. She had put a beige cardigan on just a few minutes ago to shield her bare arms from the chill, as she only wore a sleeveless blue blouse underneath.
Earphones were in her ears, the amazing voice of Sia playing. Bella had bought the entire 1000 Forms of Fear album off iTunes last year and immediately fell in love with it. Chandelier was the first song and Bella moved her foot to the beat of the music. She had thrown her mid-length hair back into a low ponytail, the strands turning red in the sunlight. After about ten minutes of waiting, she saw her father get off the E70 bus. Bella paused the song, which was Eye of the Needle, and took her earphones out, wrapping them around her iPhone before placing it in her black leather shoulder bag. She stood up and walked down the steps to see her father.
“Dad!” Bella waved, successfully getting his attention. Her father was a tall man, about 185cm, but he wasn’t Australian like her mother. He was born in England and had moved to Australia after he had met her mother while she went on holiday to England. David was his name and he was the one Bella had inherited her hazel eyes from.
“Bells!” Her father cried back and the two embraced by the side of the road. Her father always gave the best hugs. Bella felt safe every time she hugged him. His muscular physique also was a bonus but it did end up being a consequence in terms of having a boyfriend. David had scared the living shit out of the first boy Bella introduced to him when she was 16. They didn’t end go out on a date because he was so frightened of her father. However, the second boy her father met was better. His name was Jacob and he had a good relationship with both of her parents. Bella had loved Jacob but she never fell in love with him. He was attractive, kind, caring with a sense of humour, everything she looked for in a guy. But her heart broke when she discovered Jacob had been two-timing her after about 8 months together. Bella broke up with him the minute she found out, which was six months ago. After that, she hadn’t gone out on a date and had ignored any advances boys made on her. Now, 19, going on 20, she had her life ahead of her.
“How are you?” Her father asked once he let go of the hug. He still had his English accent and Bella hoped he’d never lose it.
“I’m good, Dad. What about you? How’s Amanda?”
“Amanda’s great. We’re both doing well.”
“That’s so wonderful, Dad! Now, do you want to go shopping now or have lunch?” Bella asked. Her father said lunch so that’s what they decided on first. The two of them walked down the main street to get to Westfield Shopping Centre. Opposite was the food court and they descended the steps. The area was busy because it was lunch time but luckily, there were still some seats and tables available. David got fried rice and some meat from a Thai restaurant while Bella opted for a sandwich from Subway. They found a table with seats and they sat opposite each other, digging into their lunch.
“Oh, I almost forgot to ask, how was the concert?” David asked. I knew he’d bring it up. Bella said in her head, taking a bite of her sandwich. The bread was soft in her mouth and the ham was absolutely delicious. She swallowed before answering.
“It was great. Ash and I had a wonderful time.”
“What’s the name of the band again? One…Dictation?”
Bella chuckled. Way off, Dad.
“One Direction.”
“That’s it. They’re English like me, right?”
“The blonde one, Niall, is Irish but the other four are English, yes.” Bella nodded.
“Ashley must have had a great birthday then, seeing them live.” David smiled. He knew how much his youngest daughter loved One Direction. She spend 95% of her time dedicating her time to them, whether it be ranting on about how hot they were or singing their songs at the top of her voice in her room.
“Yeah, she did. The boys sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. I’ve never seen her so ecstatic.” Bella said, chewing her sandwich so she could swallow it.
“Really? Wow, she’s a lucky girl.”
“Harry even mentioned us in a tweet he posted last night. That made Ash even happier.”
“Which one’s Harry?” Her father asked.
“He’s got the long curly hair and….” Bella stopped herself before she could go any further. God, what else was I going to say? How he has dimples and a perfect smile with beautiful green eyes? David nodded, acknowledging that he understood which one she was referring to.
“He mentioned you two in his tweet?”
“Yeah, Ash showed me. He wished her a ‘Happy Birthday’ again and said he hoped she and I had a great night.” Bella said. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks. I’m blushing just by talking about him! What is wrong with me? David cleared his throat and finished off the remains of his food, waiting for his daughter to finish her sandwich. He decided to change the subject.
“I’m glad you did, Bells. You still working at the bakery?”
“Yes, I am. I love it.”
Bella worked at a local bakery in Newtown called Black Star Pastry. It was a casual work because she didn’t go every day, she only went three or four days, depending if she was needed. And she got free food sometimes and discounts so that was a big plus. Bella liked having a job because she grew independence in doing things on her own. Because I have a job, I have something to do with my time. She thought. Otherwise, she’d be bored shitless.
“Maybe you could spend more time with me. You could stay over with Amanda and I for a night soon.” David suggested. Bella liked the sound of that and to let her father know that, she nodded.
“That’ll be good, Dad.”
0*0
“Does Amanda like perfume?” Bella asked.
She and her father were now in Myer, going to the different make-up, jewellery and cosmetic sections on the first level. Lots of items had been stocked up for Valentine’s Day and the first floor smelt of many different perfumes, as many women were trying them out to see what they were like.
“I’m pretty sure she does.” David answered.
“Well, does she wear any?”
“She does.”
“I’m guessing you don’t know what brand it is.” Bella smirked. David shook his head. Typical. She smiled to herself. She turned around and saw three bottles of women’s Hilfiger on a stand. The box was blue and the bows on the bottle were black and white. Cute… Bella thought. She picked up the tester and sprayed it onto a card. She raised the card to her nose and the fragrance of grapefruit and Italian bergamot invaded her nostrils. It smelt so good. Bella sprayed the perfume on both of her wrists and rubbed it in.
“Dad, this one’s really good. I think Amanda will like it.” She said. She made her father smelt it from the card and he wholeheartedly agreed with her judgment. They bought the perfume and thanked the woman behind the counter before heading off to another store.
Bella remembered that Amanda liked to wear jewellery so she dragged her father to an area where some Pandora items were. If she had the luxury, Bella would stay there for hours, just staring at the beautiful rings and bracelets, necklaces and earrings. She was mesmerised and the sparkle of the jewellery reflected in her eyes. One of the women behind the counter asked if they needed any help and Bella explained what she and her father were doing. In the end, after fifteen minutes, Bella and her father agreed on a stunning silver necklace with a couple of interlocking hearts as the pendant. Bella thought they had finished so she began to walk away but her father made her stop in her tracks with a question.
“Would you like something as well?”
Her lips parted in surprise. Her hazel eyes widened a little.
“But…uh…why…?” She didn’t know what to say. All she could ask was why.
“Because you’re my daughter. Come here, what would you like? A ring? A bracelet?” David said, beckoning Bella over with his hand. The woman behind the counter, probably in her late forties, smiled as Bella looked down at the jewellery in the glass cabinet. It didn’t take her long to pick out a silver bracelet with two Pandora charms: a flower and a love heart. David payed for the items and Bella took the small bag from the woman, saying goodbye and leaving the area.
“Thank you so much, Dad.” She grinned, walking through Myer, holding onto her father’s arm tightly.
“It was my pleasure, sweetheart.”
“You do realise Ashley going to be so jealous?” Bella chuckled.
“It was just her birthday yesterday. You deserve this because you helped me today and you went with your sister to the concert, even though you aren’t a huge fan of One…Direction like she is.” Her father stated, kissing her head sweetly. Bella smiled and linked her arm through her father’s. Two fantastic days in a row. Will tomorrow be this great as well? She asked herself, not knowing that today wasn’t over yet.
0*0
Bella had taken her mother’s Hyundai to drive into the city so after she said goodbye to her father before he got on the bus back home, she went to where she parked the car, which was near Pitt Street. She decided to take the shortcut she had walked on her way to the Wynyard bus stop.
The alleyway she walked through was completely deserted apart from a couple of people that passed her. Just as Bella turned the corner, she bumped into someone’s chest, her hands becoming fists so they took the brunt of the impact.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s alright, love. I just didn’t see you.”
I know that voice…No, it can’t be… Bella looked up at the person and found herself looking into those perfect green eyes that stared at her the night before. Impossible. But no, it wasn’t impossible. The one and only Harry Styles stood before her, a slight smile of recognition on his face.
“Don’t I know you?”
Bella couldn’t speak. She wished she could but her voice had disappeared. She kept her mouth closed because if she opened it, a squeal would come out. There’s no way I’m squealing in front of Harry Styles! She took her fists off his chest and took a step back. The proximity between them was electric. I’m too close to him… That’s why she stepped back.
“Your face is familiar. Have we met?”
Lord, his voice…Shoot me now… She thought she’d never see him in concert again and yet, here he was, standing less than a metre away from her. His hair had been pulled back away from his face in a loose bun which made his facial features more prominent, especially his eyes. He was dressed in casual clothes like any average person. Bella was so used to seeing him with a microphone in his hand so seeing him in the flesh just by bumping into him (literally) was something different. Great way to meet an attractive guy. Knock yourself into his chest. She stared at Harry like he was some kind of angel. She watched as another smile spread across his lips and those dimples of his appeared in his cheeks, making something squeeze her heart.
“You’re Ashley’s sister. I remember you from last night. It’s Bella, right?”
Holy fuck! He remembers my name! No, this can’t be real! Bella wanted to touch him again, just to see if he was actually real. Instead, she took another step back. Harry was a huge megastar, loved by millions of girls around the globe. And she was standing with him in an alleyway near the busy Sydney CBD. Harry’s smile faded and she blinked in shock.
“Why are you stepping back? I don’t bite, love.” The English singer pressed his lips together. It wasn’t Bella’s intention to make him feel uncomfortable but she could tell that he was. She was too. Her heart drummed against her ribcage so hard that she was afraid it would explode out of her chest. She opened her mouth to say “Sorry” again but another phrase took its place. And it was one she regretted as soon as it left her lips.
“Are you real?”
Bella wanted to die right then and there. Did I just ask that? Oh, no…He’s going to think I’m an absolute weirdo… She felt her face turn bright red and she wished she had left her hair out so she could cover her face with it. She felt so terrible, so uncomfortable, so ridiculous. To Bella’s surprise, Harry’s lips formed into a small smile.
“Yes, I’m real. You never said if I got your name right.” He said. Bella swallowed and nodded. She finally found her voice and answered with a “Yes, Bella is my name”. Harry said her name again and she felt exactly the way she felt when he had said her name at the concert. She managed to stay on her feet, even with her legs which felt like jelly.
“Well, what do you know? What was the possibility of us meeting?” Harry asked, still smiling. His green eyes glistened as he looked at her and in that moment, Bella wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. But she also didn’t want to leave Harry. This was a once in a lifetime experience. So many girls would wish for this to happen to them. Bella didn’t want to stuff it up even more than she already had. She nodded at him and rubbed her sweaty hands on the sides of her jeans.
“Did your sister have a good time last night?”
Bella nodded again, accompanied by a verbal answer this time.
“Yes, she did.”
“Did you?” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Bella was still in shock that he was just standing right in front of her. How many times had she heard his singing voice coming from her little sister’s room? How many times had she listened to his songs? How many girls would give up everything to be in her position? How many times did she walk into her sister’s room and see his youthful face on her wall?
“I did. You guys were amazing. You sure know how to put on a show.” Bella, to her own surprise, managed to remain calm. In reality, she wanted to say “You were freaking incredible! I had such an amazing time! Best night of my life!” That seems too forward, too fangirlish…Don’t want to scare him off…Don’t want to embarrass myself further.
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to tell the lads that.” Harry said, tucking his right hand into the pocket of his signature black jeans, moving a loose strand of hair behind his ear. When he did that, Bella saw the rings on his fingers, shining silver in the light that filled the alleyway. The shirt he wore covered all of his tattoos but she knew what they looked like, seeing as part of his arms were bare last night. Tattoos weren’t a turn-off to Bella. She’d probably never get one herself but dating a guy with tattoos wouldn’t bother her. It might bother my parents though…Hang on, am I thinking about dating Harry? Why? His previous relationships were something known to the public and all of them had been high-profile women, tall and strikingly beautiful. Bella didn’t fit that category at all. She didn’t even know why she was thinking about the subject so she shoved it out of her mind. She did wonder about one thing though. So she decided to ask him.
“What are you doing out? Aren’t you, like, afraid you’ll be harassed by fans and paparazzi?”
The way Harry answered her question was something she’d never forget. He came back with a great answer.
“Why do you think I decided to walk through this quiet alleyway, Bella?” He smirked. Does he even know what’s he doing to me by smirking like that? Of course he does, the cheeky man! She still couldn’t get over the way he said her name. It was a simple name to say but the way the letters rolled off his tongue did something to her heart.
“It was a good idea you had then.” She said. How will we part ways? I mean, I can’t just leave after talking to him. I have to make a memory of this, and not just in my mind. Something that would make people believe me when I tell them I met Harry Styles.
“Uh…can I ask you for a favour?” Her voice was apprehensive but Harry made her feel better when he nodded and smiled.
“Yes, of course.”
“Could I have a picture with you? It’s just…my sister’s not going to believe me when I tell her I met you. I’ll need solid proof.”
“Absolutely, love. How can I say no?” Harry said. Bella was pleasantly surprised but she quickly took her iPhone out of her bag and went onto the camera. Harry suggested he take the picture and Bella decided not to argue with him. Holding her phone in one hand, Bella felt his other arm circle her shoulders. His touch sent a shiver down her spine and over her arms. Should I put my arm around him too? Or is that too weird? Bella went with the latter and simply smiled softly as Harry took two pictures in quick succession.
“There you go.” He said, giving her the phone back.
“Thank you. Oh, before we, uh, part ways, I want to say another thank you for that tweet of yours you posted last night. My sister went nuts when you mentioned us. I didn’t believe her until I actually saw the tweet. It was so nice of you to do that and also, to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. You made her day and I know she’ll be forever grateful.”
Bella hadn’t meant to say that much but the words just came out naturally. Harry’s face showed no emotion so she had no clue what he was thinking. Oh, no, did I say too much? To her confusion, Harry took her phone from her, which was unlocked, and tapped his fingers on the screen. Bella watched him curiously. What is he doing? She waited for a few moments before he gave her phone back to her. Bella looked at the screen to see a new contact in her phone. She couldn’t think and she simply looked up at him with shocked and perplexed eyes.
“Why did you give me your number?” She asked.
“Because I want to. And you’re very sweet. I don’t think I need another reason.” Harry said like what he had just done was the most normal thing in the world. To Bella, it wasn’t. Harry Styles’ number was now in her phone but why would she ever need to contact him?
“There’s something about you, Bella. You’re not a regular fan. You didn’t faint when you saw me. You didn’t scream when I spoke to you. You kept very calm. Not many fans do that. And…I’d like to see you again.”
“But…you’re on tour! Next month, you’ll be in another country.”
“You’ve got my number now. We can talk.” Harry stated, placing his hand on her wrist. His long fingers were gentle against her skin, warm and soft. She was about to say something but Harry hugged her, enveloping her in his arms. He smells so good… Bella closed her eyes and hesitantly put her left arm around his back. His embrace was kind and not forced. She could feel his breath in her hair and she buried her face in his chest.
“What luck I met you. I look forward to our next meeting, Bella. And give my love to your sister.” Harry whispered, letting her go. Bella nodded, promising she would let her sister know. And just like that, he disappeared around the corner she had walked around. Did that just happen? Bella stood there on her own, the slight breeze blowing her ponytail around her back. She looked down at her phone to see his name and his number there on the screen. I can call him. I can text him. What? It was extremely hard to believe this was reality.
It wasn’t a surprise that the car ride home was just Bella thinking about the unexpected meeting with one of the members of the biggest boy band in the world.
Bella's charms:
Notes
Thank you so much for a 10.0 rating and four votes already! You have no idea how happy that makes me :D I’ve decided I’m going to update twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. What’s going to happen next? Rate, comment and subscribe, I would love to hear from you guys!
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@Kammy
Good on you! Keep up the great work! xx
12/6/16