Dreaming Of You // Harry Styles

“Here. Jeanne’s number,” Louis said placing a white piece of paper on the table in front of me. He had just arrived from England and we were in Madrid, locked inside a hotel room. Fans were hardcore there; they had taken over the place, but the outside was just as the gates of hell.105 degrees, at least. So it was impossible to step a foot on the street. It was so extremely hot we sent them drinks to prevent them to die of dehydration.

“How? When?” I mumbled, confused, grabbing the paper in my hands and looking at it closely. So many numbers, with Jeanne on the other end… My heart raced and I glanced towards Louis. He had his arms folded over his chest.

“Stan got it from the super nice lady secretary, Madeleine, when I was on the airplane–––he explained. He completely won her over.”Stan Lucas… I’d never be able to repay him everything he had done for me. “They’re not on holidays just yet at La Sorbonne–––Louis snickered. Ring her…” He gestured with his hand.

“No, I can’t,” I muttered, my eyes fixed on the piece of paper.

“Why not?” Louis blurted.

“She didn’t give it to me herself. It won’t be right…” He rolled his eyes.

“You are so head over heels for her you just want to play along–––he grinned mischievously. OK, you are meeting her in just a few days. Maybe it’s not the time to act too bold.” I shrugged, the paper tightly gripped between my fingers. “But tell me–––he said cheekily. If we had gotten this brilliant idea the first day, when you arrived to Amsterdam as an absolute madman, would you have called her?” I glanced on the paper again. I wished we had thought about it sooner.

“Yes,” I admitted. Of course I would. It was hard enough to control myself and not to call her right there and then.

“Give me your mobile,” Louis grumbled, coming to sit next to me. I handed him my iPhone. He took the piece of paper and began to add her contact. My heart narrowed. “Done. I’m sure she’ll give it to you soon, so act as if you didn’t have it already,” he claimed, glimpsing at me. He was a hopeless romantic, thinking I would feel her suddenly closer to me as soon as I got her number on my list. He was so right…

“How’s El?” I asked him, shyly smiling. There was harshness in the back of his eyes that hadn’t faded away with his trip to England.

“She’s fine… It was a lovely ceremony, and she was lovely and proud–––he told me, grimacing and playing with my iPhone between his fingers. And I’m very proud of her too.”

“Good,” I said, but I knew he wasn’t OK. Trying to force him to speak was pointless.

“Lads,” Niall mumbled, entering our reserved area in the hotel.

“What’s happening, Horan? You look all hot and bothered…–––Louis scoffed. Have you been jacking off to Jeanne’s smut?”

“Louis!” I snapped, ripping my iPhone out of his hands. He half shut his eyes.

“No–––Niall smirked. Not just now…” He glimpsed at me, grinning devilishly. They were just teasing me as always.

“Suckers,” I mumbled between clenched teeth. They both laughed loudly at me.

“Where is your sense of humour, Harry? Niall complained lightly, shaking my shoulder.

“Under Jeanne’s thumb,” Louis groaned.

“I was at the balcony greeting the girls–––Niall explained. Liam and Zayn are just coming up and we’re heading for the stadium.” Louis and I nodded. Niall turned away to leave the area but changed his mind in the middle of his movement. “Hey, Harry, speaking of Jeanne, anything new on your idea to buy a flat in Paris?”