The Adjacent Room [h.s]

Chapter 34

The boys are performing in Rockefeller Plaza this morning. From the airport, cars took everyone to the NBC studios, where we are currently, and where the Today Show is filmed. The boys are on at 7:30 and performing for only 15 minutes, before a quick interview that will last until 8. The boys spent hours last week rehearsing for this performance, and it was almost surreal to watch them sing together after so long. The media storm surrounding today has been insane, because it's the boys's first time performing since the reunion. Liam said that their first U.S. performance was on the Today Show in the same place that they're performing this morning. It's crazy to think how far they've come.

I've suppressed my exhaustion with two black coffees, and it's only 6:30. I managed to sleep for a few hours on the plane, drifting in and out of sleep and semi-conscious thoughts of the day ahead of us. Even still, I found myself only being able to after I knew Harry was asleep. I would methodically spin my head around to see behind my seat, and eventually his eyes were closed and arms crossed over his stomach. He used to look so calm when he slept, but now his face is always tarnished with a frown and he never seems peaceful.

We'll all be spending our time backstage at the Today studio, and the boys will eventually leave to perform and for the interview, and then come back here to leave afterwards.

'Hey, do you know where Niall is?' Tara asks, gently touching my arm and pulling me out of my thoughts. 'He wanted me to bring him a coffee and now I don't know where he is.' She laughs lightheartedly. I don't know how Tara always seems to look so put together, but she does. It's as though she got a full 9 hours last night and is living carefree. Meanwhile, my relationship is crumbling and I can't seem to sleep properly to save my life.

'I don't know, but I can help you find him.' I offer, adding in a small smile to try and match her enthusiasm.

'Thanks. I swear that man is always going walkabout.' She laughs, and we begin to wander down the various corridors of the studio. Like many studios that I've been backstage at, this one is made up of corridors with yellow lights and brown carpets, with doors on either side. While Tara busies herself knocking on a door beside mine, I do the same. I hear a vaguely familiar voice from behind the door responding to my knock and telling me to come in, and so I open it.

Out of all the things I expected to find behind this door, it was not the 2020 version of Harry Styles wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and chelsea boots. I'm so dumbfounded by the sight that I completely forget why I entered the room.

'I found Niall.' Tara says with a smile, snapping me out of my trance and popping her head through the doorframe to give Niall his coffee.

'Great.' Is all I manage to respond with before Tara walks away, thanking me for my help. Both Niall and Harry are in the room, with one of the new stylists for the band. The look on my face is obviously nothing short of pure shock at the sight in front of me, and Niall seems to pick up on it.

'Is everything okay Soph?' He asks. The whole room is looking at me as though I don't belong, and after seeing a 2015 version of Harry with short hair, I'm not sure that I do belong. I didn't meet Harry until 2016.

'Um..yeah, fine. Just looking for you, Tara wanted to give you a coffee. But she's done that now.' I say, putting my minimal acting skills to use and adding a casual tone to my reply. Without waiting for a response, I leave down the hallway. I'm not sure why I'm suddenly so lost for words at the sight of Harry in skinny jeans, but I am. Harry hasn't worn skinny jeans in years, and his style has evolved so much since then. I know him well enough to know that this wardrobe choice was not a choice that he made, and it just feels like this is a physical representation of how the band isn't being allowed to evolve to fit the boys as they currently are. First it was the nailpolish, then it was the album following the themes of their 2012 album, and now it's Harry wearing clothes he hasn't worn in years. Of course it would be fine if Harry still wore skinny jeans, but he doesn't. This styling is yet another example of the band being forced into being their old selves as though nothing has changed. But things have changed, the boys are different and 5 years older now, and I'm so tired of nobody getting that through their heads.