Little Shy Ariel (ft. Harry Styles)

Chapter 10 - Disappointment

Chapter 10 - Disappointment 

After I drop the daily order by the retreat centre, I’m ready to go back home and carry on with my normal routine. However, I wasn’t expecting to run into someone on my way back to the truck, and even less to run into Harry Styles. I immediately freeze, that’s not a surprise, but what surprises me is that Harry is leaning on the track with his arms folded, almost as if he was… waiting for me? But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would he be waiting for me? Maybe he’s waiting for someone else.

“Hello there,” he greets with a wide and heart-warming smile.

The angel of my nightmares, I sing in my head as every time I hear someone saying ‘hello there’. I can’t help it, Miss You is an amazing song.

“I was waiting for you,” he adds next.

Well, so much for believing he was waiting for someone else. I can’t hide my shock at hearing those words and a frown comes to show on my face. He must understand that I’m confused by his actions so he chuckles and stands straight, a bit closer. Such proximity, even if it almost makes no difference, makes my heart race even more in… fear maybe?

“Why do you look so surprised? I’ve been looking for you.” That doesn’t help to ease my shock, my frown grows deeper and I blink quickly, so confused. “C’mon, Ariel; why won’t you talk to me?”

I’m about to sigh and just walk away, ashamed, when I realise he knows my name. I haven’t told him that, how can he know? Who told him?

I look at him so confused and a bit scared to be honest.

“Ho-how do you… how do you know my name?” I stutter. I swear I’m not a stutter by it seems like the only thing I can do when I’m in front of other people. It’s really embarrassing.

“You’re the little mermaid, of course your name is Ariel,” he replies shrugging and gives me another smile. “I’m glad you’re talking now.”

“I-I-I’m not her,” I say shaking my head and frowning. Why would he say that?

“Yes you are,” he insists taking a step closer and I freak out, I want to step back but I’m glued on my spot. I can’t move. “You saved me, you sang to me then you left. You are the little mermaid. Don’t you want to be my friend?”

I stay quiet, thinking, wondering. How can he know I’m the girl who saved him? Who told him I’m not mute? Last time we saw each other that’s what he thought. What’s happening? But above all those questions I want to say yes, I want to be his friend, even though all this is a bit creepy.

“I-I-I,” I begin and I have to take a deep breath to calm down. “I’d like to— to be your friend.”

His smile is so bright and beautiful, his dimples are showing off and it seems like his eyes light up when he smiles like that. It’s so special and I can’t help smile back when I see him like that. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something so welcoming and friendly about Harry, something that invites you to get closer to him. I’m so caught up in his smile that I don’t notice the moment he takes another step closer until we’re face-to-face, closer than I’ve ever been to any other human being.

“Well, this was fun now please, Ariel, wake up,” he instructs and I frown.

“W-what?”

And that’s the moment when my alarm goes off, waking me up with a deep sigh.

Of course it was a dream, there’s no other way I could talk to Harry but in a dream and even there I did a lousy job. Well done, Ariel.

With another deep sigh I leave my bed and try to ignore the dream. I should’ve noticed before that I was actually dreaming, but it felt so normal, so realistic.