If I Lay Here

Ally’s POV

“My feet hurt.” I mumbled into Harry’s ear as we drove back home. Louis offered to drive, so Harry and I occupied the very back seat, taking attention away from us.

“Do you want a nice foot massage when we get back? I happen to be an expert!” Harry boasted as he rested his large hand on my thigh and began to trace little circles on my knee caps.

“You’re a masseuse now are you?” I questioned, leaning my head on his shoulder.

“I’m brilliant.” He whispered while resting his head on mine. Not long after, Louis pulled into the drive. Eleanor was already there, waiting outside her car with her phone pressed to her ear. She seemed anxious as she talked to whoever was on the other end. As we stepped out of the car, Eleanor mumbled a good bye to the caller, shut her phone, and put on her best smile.

“Is everything okay babe?” Louis asked cautiously as he approached her.

“Yeah, Dani just called to tell me a certain couple was in a magazine again. She said this article was different from the other ones, so she made me go buy it.” El explained, pulling a teen magazine from her purse.

“Was that her just now?” Liam wondered. Eleanor nodded. Something about her seemed off from the way she had been acting at the mall. She seemed nervous…upset even. Louis swiped the magazine from her hands and began looking for the article Dani mentioned as we made our way inside.

“I’m going to go make lunch.” Harry announced. While the other boys huddled around the magazine he headed in the direction of the kitchen. Part of me wanted to follow, but the other part was gravitating to whatever was printed on the page.

“Eleanor, have you read it? What is it about?” I questioned, nudging her in the side. Eleanor shifted awkwardly where she stood. Her lips faltered slightly from the smile she kept on. There was something wrong about this article. Suddenly, Zayn and Niall erupted in laughter as they read whatever was on the page.

“Harry! Oh god, lad, you’ve got to see this!” Niall called. Louis had a smirk plastered on his face as he read. I glanced over to Eleanor to see if her stature had changed any, but she only looked more nervous.

"What? What is it?" Harry asked from the kitchen. No one answered. he was able to step away from dinner-lunch for a moment to join us. I felt his warm hand slide into place on my hips as he rested his chin on my shoulder. Finally, Lou handed him the magazine.

It was covered in pictures of Harry and I on our dates. The title read 'GO ON A DATE WITH HALLY!' There was the time we played soccer, pictures from the airport, us going on the London Eye, Harry's picture of us dressed up with Marissa, the club, and our movie day. A full page dedicated to us. Harry scanned through before flipping to the next page.

“Harry don-” Eleanor began as the page turned. It was too late though, Harry’s eyes were already scanning the next article.

"What's this?" He mumbled. Taking up half of the page was a picture of Harry and I cuddling goodbye at the airport. My eyes drifted to the headline. ‘NOT GOOD FOR HIM: BOYFRIENDS OVER BEST FRIENDS.’ Oh no.

"We held a conversation over the phone recently with Chloe Greene. Don't know her? Well, you know her best friend...or ex-best friend...Ally Striker. If you don’t know who Ally Striker is, then you have clearly been living under a rock! Striker is currently in a relationship with One Direction's Harry Styles, but did one relationship ruin another? When we spoke to Miss Greene only a few days ago, she could not express her emotions enough! Greene, when questioned about Striker, responded with, ‘Ally and I were best friends. We told each other everything, but for seven months she chose to keep the biggest secret possible from me. She ended our friendship. She ruined it.’ Styles had mentioned in an interview with Los Angeles’ Dave Joseky he and Striker talked privately for seven months before he asked her to be his girlfriend- now the two are inseparable. It seems Striker had not told Greene about any of the meetings or talks with Harry, nor did she even mention she had met him! ‘The part that bothered me was that she wasn't being truthful. I can't have a best friend that does these kind of things behind my back.’ Greene remarks. Is Harry making a mistake being with Ally? A boy is no reason to break off a friendship! Seems like Miss Striker has a side to her Harry should stay away from!”

The interview went on for a bit more, but I didn't have time to finish reading it. Harry crumpled the magazine as small as it could go before tossing it to the other side of the room. It smacked into the wall, almost knocking down a picture frame as it fell.

“Who the hell does she think she is!” Harry shouted as he stared where the magazine had fallen. All of the boys remained quiet as did I. “Who gave her the right…no….who had the audacity to publish such utter….Bullshit!”

“Harry-” Louis tried, stepping closer to the seething Harry. He placed a reassuring hand on Harry’s arm, but Harry only tore it away. He turned to face us, the veins in his neck straining against his rage. I’ve never seen him this angry.

“No Louis! Don’t try to tell me this will be okay! This is NOT okay under any circumstances! DOES NOBODY REALIZE THIS CAN RUIN SOMEBODY ELSES FUCKING LIFE?!” Harry’s hands came down hard against the little mail table the boys kept near the couch. I was almost surprised the legs didn’t snap from the amount of force. “SHE NEEDS TO GET HER HEAD…HER EGO OUT OF HER FREAKING ASS!”

Harry’s fingers ran feverishly through his curls in frustration, tugging at the roots every so often. His breathing was ragged. His chest heaved up and down with every intake. I wanted to wrap him up in my arms. I wanted him to know nothing she can say about me can hurt me. I already know where he stands. Instead of doing anything I want, I stood beside Eleanor, tears threatening to spill at how badly he was taking this.

“CAN’T ANYBODY ELSE SEE THIS ISN’T A FUCKING MISAKE?!” His voice boomed through the house. Both of his hands moved to cover his eyes before spreading apart and back into his hair. Then he spoke in a much softer tone, the anger still rippling through his body. “Can’t people just be god damn happy I am in love?”

Without another word he stormed out the back door and collapsed on the grass with his head in his hands. I was about to go after him, but Zayn grabbed me in his arms.

"Let him cool down." He advised. “It takes a lot to get him that angry.”

“For Harry to drop the ‘f-bomb’ numerous times is rare. He gets angry when any of us even use it!” Niall added. Liam slowly made his way to where the magazine lie open and crumpled on the ground. His eyes began scanning the page that set Harry off. A deep from spread across his features.

“Repulsive.” He muttered, taking the booklet to the kitchen to hopefully be thrown out or torn to shreds. Still, held together in Zayn’s arms, I peeked outside where Harry was crouched down, his hands covering the sides of his face.

“Please,” I whispered to Zayn, “he needs me.” Zayn released me, allowing me to move towards the one person who wants to do everything in his power to protects me. I can se it in his eyes, every time something like this happens, I can see the blame filling his the color that usually shines bright with such care. He shouldn’t blame himself. I certainly don’t. He has done more than enough for me as far as protecting me. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Before I knew it, my feet were padding along the crisp grass to where my protector was curled up in anguish. Nothing I could say right now could make this any better. Instead of speaking, I crouched down next to him, taking him in my arms. Harry instantly buried his face in the crook of my neck, swallowing me up in his arms as if he were afraid I was going to disappear at any moment.

“I love you,” he mumbled against my skin, “I love you so much. I’m sorry I can’t do anything.”

“I love you.” I responded as I brushed his curls with one of my hands. Harry pulled back to look me straight in the eye. His face was still a lovely shade of pink from his yelling. It looked like he had been rubbing his eyes too, because the area around them were red and puffy.

“I am going to keep trying Ally. They cannot treat you like this. I’m going to call the magazine company, tell them to fix that shit excuse for reporting, and then I’m going to get in contact with that inconsiderate little-” I cut him off by linking my lips to his in haste. He needed to see that none of this mattered to me. I was having a good time away from the drama with Chloe back home and, even if it followed me across an ocean, I have new people to lean on. Harry’s lips were cautious against mine. I could still feel his breathing was shaky. He was so upset. When I pulled away Harry’s eyes avoided mine. I lifted his chin with my pointer finger and thumb to force his gaze.

“Look at me, “ I prompted before releasing my fingers from his chin, “we know the truth. As long as we know the truth there is no way they can hurt us.”

After a long time Harry finally whispered, “Stay with me out here tonight? I don’t want to be treated with caution after my outburst. I just want to be alone with you."

Notes