petrarch | h.s.

021

ELINOR was ecstatic to meet Starr so much, she let her sat down and have a chat. Thankfully, Elinor was rambling so much, Layton was silent throughout their conversation. She did mind the gazes he gives her though. But not minding that, she was happy that she made a new friend today. They exchange contact information and Starr goes back to work.

After work, she finally came back to the hotel but realize that she didn't have the keycard of his suite. She's now at the lobby, sitting on one large couch and waiting for him to go back. She doesn't have his phone number, she deleted it after they broke up which is irrelevant because he could've change his number already either way.

Why didn't she ask for his number though? Oh, right. Florence. But post-Florence, she should've asked for it when she left the room earlier. Why didn't she realize that she might be getting back sooner than him? Oh, right again. She was too busy swooning over his last statement to her before she left. She smiles as those words repeated in her head again.

"You're not a charity that needs donation or help. You're just a person who needs comfort and care like everyone else. Don't ever think 'bout yourself like that, yeah?"

It might not mean that much to anyone but it was the perfect affirmation she needed to hear. Like he always do, serve perfection.

She could just easily go to the receptionist and claim that she's visiting (or better) staying in the suite of Harry Styles but what good would that bring? She wouldn't take the risk of endangering his privacy or whereabouts. Also, it's not like they'll believe her. Besides, she's always been the scaredy cat in terms of taking risks. What she is good at is waiting. She'll just wait for him to come back.

She plugs in her earphones and clicks the shuffle play music button. She opens the last page she read of the book, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom while Journey's Anyway You Want It is playing. From that, it's safe to say that old habits really do die hard. Although, there's a slight change from it.

She usually doesn't read books that aren't written by female authors but when she was at a café, this was one of the books that can be borrowed to read while you're there so she gave it a try. After all, she does know Mitch Albom is known for writing life inspring books. Being lost in fiction, there's only two people that reminds her of the main character: Elvis Presley, and of course, Harry Styles.

And speaking of, he enters the hotel looking grand and obtaining confidence as he walk based from his posture and all. He was about to pass the receptionist but then walks backwards to ask something that he just remembered.

"Buona sera." He greets the receptionist that instantly looks up from what she's writing.

"Buona sera signore Styles." She greets back and stands up straight from her seat as a sign of courtesy. "Come posso aiutarti?"

"Have ya, by any chance, seen a woman with ginger hair came in, asking for me?" He asks, remembering that he hadn't contacted Vee for the day. He needs to learn Italian, he considers in his mind.

"No one was looking for you, signore Styles..." She shakes his head.

"Va bene, tranquilla. Grazie." As the usual gentleman that he is, he tells her to not worry about it and thanks her before walking away.

"Aspetta, signore Styles!"

She calls him, making him stop from walking to the elevator and comes back in front of her.

"Are you talking about that girl?" She points to the north-west direction where the long and expensive couch is located, bearing one petite body of a woman reading a book. He smiles at the sight of her. "She's been sitting and reading there for an hour, probably waiting for someone."

An hour? He looks away from Vee and to the receptionist once again. "Si. Grazie mille. Buona serata."

He walks up to her and she still haven't notice him. It was pretty obvious that she's in too deep of what she's reading and the volume of her music is way up. He originay stares at the book she's reading but what caught his eyes was the gold chain around her right wrist. The bracelet had one charm and he immediately recognizes it: the star from the necklace he gave her before.

He grabs something inside his shirt and stares at the moon necklace he wears. He might have been wearing a pearl necklace often but the crucifix and the moon charmed ones will never leave his neck. He decides to sit beside her, leaving a few inches between them, the dipping of the couch caught her attention. She looks up from her book and to her right, seeing him greeting him with a smile. She pulls out the earphones and faces her body to him.

"Hi."

"Ciao." He greets back. "D'you mind if we go back together now?"

"Of course not." She shakes her head and places her things back in her bag.

They both stand up from their seats and walks towards the elevator. Her leading the way while his hand stays on her lower back. She could push it away but it's not like there was harm done. They enter the elevator and he pushes the button of their room's floor. The elevator door closes and he thinks this is probably the best opportunity to break the news to her.

"Vee..." Her names rolls off of his tongue normally as he calls her, making her look up to him due to their height difference. "It wasn't a plan of mine to stay here and m'needed back there with me team to work, y'know..."

She nods her head, allowing him to continue.

"Would ya wanna go with me?" He asks her nervously. "I know that you're workin' and all but s'just that you might need a breath of fresh air or like a vacation away from here or somethin'? You can come with me like the old times, wherever I go, you're there. I know s'quite a lot for me to ask ya this since we've had history and we're like acquainted to each other again so I understand if---"

"Yes." She cuts him off.

"Okay but like there--- wait, what?" He fully faces her. "Yes?"

"Yes, si, opo, oui, neh. I would love to come with you." She responds with a smile as she she didn't answer in five different languages. "I just have to talk to my boss since I just asked for being full time but besides that, I'm all set. It's not like I have to pack anyway and it'll be like the old times."

a/n:

Hi! A LOT HAS HAPPENED. Like, H won a Grammy! YAY! But also, sorry for updating so long but I might be MIA for a while... I'm writing a book for school that'll be publish so I'm working on that, not that you care but I'll be gone for a while and this story will be on hold so...