Chapter 29 ~ Harry

“Oh my gods, may I hug you?” Moni asks, and the shock is not only on Hannah’s face, but also on mine. Savannah on the other hand seems amused, but it’s clear the ginger girl doesn’t know what to do in a situation like this. I’m sure Moni remembers that Hannah is not good with people, she doesn’t have any friends besides Savannah! 

What is she doing?!

“I’m sorry, it’s just that… I’ve heard so much about you and I love how you sing. You’re so talented! And you,” she looks at Savannah, “you’re just plain amazing and hilarious. Favourite youtuber without a doubt.” Savannah smiles flattered and that helps Hannah recover from the surprise the brunette caused her.

“Uh… I– I guess it’s okay,” Hannah mumbles looking at me, as if she needs my approval to say that. I’m more surprised now when I hear her response and I don’t know if Moni did this on purpose or she just couldn’t control herself, but she has made Hannah accept a hug from a complete stranger.

Moni squeals and steps closer to hug Hannah, but I notice she doesn’t crush her like she would’ve done in another situation, she is tender and careful and the embrace is short. Hannah still looks awkward but she smiles at the brunette and from the spark in her brown eyes I know she had this planned, she was just testing Hannah.

“You’re great and really talented,” Moni repeats, calmly this time. “But be careful with this one,” she motions to me and my eyes shoot wide open. I hear Ed chuckling and I glare at him. “He seems nice and innocent with those dimples, but he’s an idiot. But don’t worry, I’ll protect you, Hannah.” I gasp, not believing what Moni is doing.

“Oi! You’re not helping!” I protest but Hannah is giggling and Moni grins proud of herself. She is just trying to make the ginger girl feel more comfortable in her presence and she knows she can do it by making her laugh. Shame she can only do that at my expense.

In that moment Ed approaches, still chuckling at how Moni can’t talk nicely about me, even to Hannah. “So you sing, uh?” Ed asks passing his arm over Moni’s shoulder and looking at Hannah. She loses her smile and looks down, her cheeks burning.

She looks cute when she’s embarrassed.

“Yeah, a bit.” Savannah, Moni and I snort and she looks at us shocked, especially at me.

“She’s amazing. She could be a great singer but she wants to be a teacher,” I tell Ed and he nods. Hannah looks at me with a little smile that I know is because I don’t push her, I accept what she wants to be.

“That’s great. It’s a good way to share, helping others. I like it.” Hannah’s smile due to Ed’s words is so beautiful it makes me feel something inside, like my heart skipping a beat or something. Like something’s moved inside of me. “Oh, we’re going to the arcade with Moni. Would you like to come with us?”

Savannah is in immediately, looking really excited and Hannah glances at me, not seeming quite sure about it. I step closer to her and take her hand, squeezing it gently, trying to persuade her to go with us. I want her to be with more people, to have fun. That will help her.

She takes a deep sigh before nodding and squeezing my hand back before letting go. I don’t take her hand again because I know she won’t be comfortable with that in front of Savannah, Ed and Moni as well. I notice the brunette is looking at me, a curious and understanding look in her eyes. I know she is not only reading Hannah, trying to get as much information from her as possible but she’s also reading me.

We go to the arcade and it feels so different and new. Moni is with Ed, I’m with Hannah and Savannah looks completely fine. I… I don’t feel like a third wheel anymore, I feel like I have someone with me this time, someone that looks at me when things get uncomfortable for her. I’m not exactly on a date with Hannah, but it feels almost as if we were.

I realise there, how much I like to have her next to me, playing against Ed and Moni, having fun with us. By the end of the night, I don’t want to say goodbye, but it’s already late, Ed is more than tired after the gig and the girls are exhausted as well. I know nothing lasts forever, even a great night like this one.

“Thank you so much for this,” Savannah tells me when I’m hugging her goodbye. “I can’t believe I just hung out with Ed Sheeran! Thank you!”

I chuckle and just nod as she steps aside and I can see Hannah now, looking at me with a shy smile as she steps closer. I approach too and we meet halfway, my smile growing with every centimetre we kill between each other.

“I had a great night. Thank you so much, Harry,” she tells me with her hands in her pockets. “This has been the best Christmas present I’ve ever had.”

“I thought you liked the target better,” I tease and she giggles in that way I love.

“That’s a close second place,” she answers joking along, and my smile grows wider. “But really, thank you. I’ll see you around.”

“Most definitely. I’ll call you. Good luck in Uni, maybe one day I can even come and see you practice. I’d really love to see you playing, not just in a video.”

She seems a bit reluctant, but I know she fights back her first answer. “Maybe one day you’ll see me.”

“And you can even teach me to play the piano!” I add gleefully, just trying and seeing how far I can get.

“That’s nice. I could see how good of a teacher I really am, right?” I smile like crazy, too damn happy that she agreed so easily to that.

“Then it’s a deal. I’ll see you, Hannah.” I put my hand on her waist and lean in to kiss her cheek the way I like, slowly and tenderly. Again, she shivers under my touch and I can’t help myself from grinning like a fool when I pull back. Her cheeks are burning and she must see that, because she turns away to say goodbye to Moni and Ed, as well.

She and Savannah leave and I stay there with the newest couple in my circle of friends. They seem so happy all the time and I wonder if one day I’ll get what they have as well. I always envied my friends somehow, for having long and serious relationships. Alex and Niall, Mila and Zayn, Eleanor and Louis, Danielle and Liam when they were still together, and now Ed and Moni. They all have what I want and now that things seem to be going so great between Hannah and I, the possibility seems so close, so real, which makes me want it so badly it hurts. I want what the lads have, but with Hannah. Just and only with her.

“You’re crazy about her, aren’t you?” I hear Moni breaking through my thoughts and just then I realise I’ve been staring at the direction that Savannah’s car disappeared.

“Yeah,” is my answer as I turn around and put my hands in my pockets. “Thank you for inviting her along,” I add looking at the couple and they both smile nodding.

“She’s really nice and so shy. She really has trouble getting along with people. She only seems comfortable around Savannah and you,” Moni comments and I nod.

“But she’s working on that. The fact that she accepted to go out with all of us is a huge step for her.”

“It is. I don’t think the Hannah you met months ago would’ve done this.” I nod in agreement. “Nor would she have accepted my hug.”

I smile. I knew she was testing her. Moni doesn’t do just things at random when it’s about something important.

“She looked at you the whole time, making sure you were nearby. She trusts you already.”

I feel so relieved at her words that confirm something that I’ve fought for long and hard. Hannah has not only opened up to me and let me in her life, she is now leaning on me as well, trusting me and I know we’ve progressed a lot. I just have to make her accept what she feels for me. I just need her to need me.

“But she seems so fragile,” the brunette carries on and Ed smiles in agreement. He also saw that.

“How come?”

“It seems like in any moment she will break down and run away. She’s working really hard and I admire her for that and I hope she doesn’t collapse. I’m telling you to be careful. She trusts in you already, but it seems like she could accept any excuse that would make her break that trust. Something that will make her say: ‘I shouldn’t have trusted him’. That’s why I’m telling you to be careful.”

I try to understand what my friend is telling me and I think I get her. It seems like Hannah will use anything, no matter how lame it is, that will allow herself to go back to her comfort zone.

“Hopefully, that won’t happen,” I say, really praying something like that won’t happen.

“Let’s hope so,” she agrees with a smile. “And I wish you luck, Harry. I see the way you look at her. It even makes me like you and not only for your cars. Plus, she got you to buy the Lexus. She is the perfect girl for you.” Ed laughs at his girlfriend’s words and I sigh, shaking my head.

It’s hopeless, even if Moni likes me, she will always find a way to mock me. I don’t think she will ever acknowledge that she really likes me. But I really consider her an important friend of mine. A weird friend, but one nonetheless. I’m happy she’s with Ed.

I honestly never thought they were going to end up together when we took Ed to help Zayn and I a long time ago. That only proves how things sometimes work in the most unexpected ways. I certainly never thought I was going to fall for the recovery girl. The girl that makes me work harder than I’ve ever worked for anything. I never thought that the day my Range Rover failed me, it was going to bring me to Hannah.

I think my Range Rover is now my favourite car.

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Dedication to the birthday girls! @1DxxNarryxx, @fantastically, @bowties_rock and @CeliaMiddleton. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Bel, xx