#I decided to do the smooth/rough prompt as two different styles of picture | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

booksonablog · 4 years

Text

A Fresh Start: Harry Styles Imagine

Prompt: You took a break from a rough go of it and decided to take a trip to Paris. Upon going, you meet Harry Styles

The last couple months was a rough one for you. You had broken up with your boyfriend who you were truly in love with, in fact, he had been your first love. He broke your heart, this was the first time you ever dealt with a broken heart from a relationship. You were shattered in every possible way, and while you had broken up with him because his true colors of jealousy, trust issues, short temper and much more started to show very quickly. You tolerated much more than you should have, but in your defense, you thought it was a relationship worth fighting for, and you did exactly that, giving him many chances till the last straw broke. To top it off, within the week, you found out he was already on dating apps and had been supposedly seeing a girl from the gym you shared. You found this information through friends and it crushed everything in you. You knew you made the right decision, for many reasons, however, as much as you wish your last tear for him would be your last, memories of the two of you and the thought of how quickly he moved on broke you down into a fit of depression. Additionally,most of your family met him and after going to a family gathering you had to muster up the courage to answer them when they asked how he was doing But you couldn’t, so you shook your head and gave a half-smile when they left their mouth agape, shocked at the thought of you two not being together. He was an asshole to you now that you knew who he really was, but you remained emotionally because of how much it meant to you and how little it meant to him. Everything would remind you of him in some way. You also lived in a small town, now living in fear of seeing him. And for these reasons, you decided to dig into your travel fund and go on a solo trip to Paris.

***

Here you were walking the streets of Paris looking adorable and feeling refreshed. Of course, those feelings didn’t totally go away, but where you were now compared to before just gave you so much hope. You had just landed a few hours ago and you were already having a sweet time. The air was fresh, the smell of delicious gourmet food wafted over from the local bakeries and cafes. As you were on your stroll you watched the locals around you. Every now and then bikers would pass, zooming by, some glancing towards you and nodding with a smile. People chatting as they shopped or ate their lunch. It was so warm and beautiful.

You had spotted a vintage hole-in-the-wall shop so you walked in, greeted by a nice older french gentleman. You weren’t completely fluent in french but you had taken classes back in high school and you had brought a pocket-sized translation book you studied prior to your trip that now sat cozy in your purse just in case. The shop was cute, like a vintage grunge. The walls were painted pink but most of it was covered with old music posters and records. Fairy lights hung from the ceilings as well as those star lights you had wanted from IKEA. The workers conversed in the corner, all young and very fashionable, each uniquely different aesthetics. You casually skimmed through the racks of clothing and admired the taste of fashion the french had. You had similar styles at home but these were much different, more original.

You turned the corner to look at another rack of beautifully designed vintage jackets. There was a boy in the aisle, you didn’t see his face, though you peered over, admiring his sense of style. Very vintage pastel MacJagger vibes. Kinda like Harry Styles. Your heart skipped a beat, he looked a lot like Harry. You would die if it was him, but he never turned, so you dismissed the thought, determined to check if he would turn around. You continued looking at the jackets, pulling one out and holding it up to admire it.

“Nice jacket.” you heard.

“Thank you.” You smiled, looking over to - Harry Styles.

You froze, Harry kinda froze too, until flashing a sweet smirk that woke you from your trance.

You felt your cheeks turn red and moved the jacket down and close to yourself as a new security blanket. You moved a piece of your hair back nervously before saying “Hi,” shyly.

He chuckled, thinking your reaction was very cute. he would usually ask a fan if they wanted a picture or ask them questions, to be more comfortable but this time he decided to ask out of genuine curiosity, because to him, you seemed like a girl that wasn’t from here, but belonged here. You seemed shy but had this glowing positive aura about you that he genuinely wanted to learn about.

“Are you new here?” He asked, leaning slightly over a vintage table.

You tried to act calmy, after all, he was still human like the rest of us, just...popular. “Is it that obvious?” You smiled, still not making eye contact.

“Not exactly.” He smiled. This time you looked up at him. He was breathtaking yet enlightening. You felt your body take a small step forward, naturally radiating towards him, you stopped yourself. You looked down again, picking at the sleeve of the jacket.

“What brings you to the lovely city?” He asked.

You shrugged, unsure of the short version. “A fresh start.” You gave a small smile, hanging the jacket back.

Harry adored your answer. He wanted more but didn’t know what else to say, being just as taken back as you were.

“How long are you in the city for?” He asked

“Two weeks.” You smiled at him, feeling your cheeks grow red again every time you looked at his gorgeous facial features.

Harry felt a little disappointed - a cue to take action on this new peculiar feeling. He stood up, his figure taller. “I don’t suppose you’d like a tour of the area?” He asked with a smirk, this time looking away from you, nerves kicking in because of his own forward intention.

You were stunned but quickly answered, accepting that you sounded way too eager. “I’d love a tour!” You winced at yourself, looking back at the rack beside you, making him chuckle.

"Wonderful." he smiled.

***

The two of you left the shop and continued walking down the street. Nervous was an understatement of how you were feeling, however, you were keeping your cool very well. He began to tell you about this street and the infamous vintage hole-in-the-walls that he enjoyed shopping at. He sounded calm but enthused about the area, eventually calming your nerves.

"Have you had any macarons yet?" He asked with a bright cheeky smile.

"No, but I love them!" You jumped, earning a cute laugh from him.

"C'mon then," he gestured to this small bakery in between two other buildings. "They have the best in town, you'll absolutely love them!" He exclaimed, practically skipping towards the building.

***

At the shop he had scanned the glass debating on what to get before choosing cookies & cream. He looked over at you peering down at the array of sweets. "What would you like love?" He smiled. "Surprise me." You said quickly as to shield your blushing cheeks. He smirked and stuck his tongue out before ordering, admiring your response.

***

The two of you continued down the street, the macaroon box swinging from his wrist as you both took bites out of your treats.

"Mm," He moaned rolling his eyes dramatically, "Delicious." Making you laugh. "How's yours?" It was sweet and savory, absolutely delicious. But you were bold and wanted to tease him playfully. You looked at him and grimaced, his eyes widened and mouth agape, "What?! You don't like it?" You started laughing. He chuckled with a confused look on his face. "It's fantastic!" You exclaimed. He sighed in relief, "Very well done." He laughed, "I thought I got the shittiest flavor I was gonna give you mine!" The two of you laughed.

***

The town near your hotel was fairly small but you followed Harry's lead. "What are you planning to see during your stay?" He asked. "Museums, the Eiffel Tower, a lot of touristy stuff but also hole-in-the-wall shops and foods." He nodded. "I know it's impossible to do everything in two weeks, but I'd love to soak up as much of Paris as I could." He smiled, looking up at you. "And why's that? Why Paris?" You thought about it, looking at your beautiful surroundings, the color of the sky was starting to grow pink, making the scenery look just like a painting. "Because, as cliche as it may sound, Paris is the city of love and beauty. I wanted to surround myself with lovers, dreamers, and an artistically rich environment in hopes that I can mend myself back together and perhaps discover something new." A smile crept on your face at your own words. You felt this warmth in your heart that brought you hope, reassurance that you would be okay. You looked over at Harry realizing the silence in between you two. "I'm sorry," you apologized sheepishly, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear, "Was that too much information?" You giggled nervously. He shook his head, his expression was sympathetic and intrigued. "Not at all. I think that was a lovely answer." He spoke truthfully. You smiled at the ground and nodded, still a bit embarrassed. "What about you? What brings you to Paris Harry?" You asked, peeking at his reaction. He looked forward and grinned, nodding in recognition. You smiled, "C'mon, one of us had to mention it." You smiled at him politely waiting. He nodded, still smiling at your smooth gesture. "I realized I hadn't taken a trip by myself, even prior to One Direction. So I decided why not now, so I packed my bags and decided I'd stay out here for about a month or so, visit some friends of mine and enjoy this - independence." He gestured with his hands, shrugging at his own words. "How long have you been here so far?" You asked. "About a week I think." "You love the city." You smiled. He smiled, "I do. It's a lovely city. Couldn't have described it any better than yourself." He smirked. He wondered if he should elaborate on "who he is," wondering if she had questions and if it would make a difference, you wondered the same. Neither of you spoke about it afterwards, continuing your walk.

***

He bought the two of you lunch at a pop up fresh market the two of you found. You walked with him through the fresh market pointing at all the different foods and treats, even speaking to the locals, some English and some French speakers. He was shocked when you spoke a bit of French and even understood some. He spoke some as well as understanding the locals, it was smooth, maybe because of his accent but it sounded very elegant and made him even more attractive. Little did you know he thought the same of you.

"You speak french?" He asked before taking a bite of his sandwich. You smiled, pulling the strand of hair back behind your ear again. "A little bit. I studied the language when I was in high school and studied a bit afterwards." "You nearly sound fluent." He smiled, covering his mouth as he continued chewing. You smiled at him, "Thank you. You're pretty fluent yourself." He nodded, "During One Direction, the boys and I had to study languages with professional translators because of frequent travelling." "That's pretty cool." You grinned at him, finishing your food. "It was, we got to learn a hefty amount of the basics for each language, we wanted to communicate with our fans. We each learned more on our own, gradually, as we travelled during tours. It was lovely." He smiled, throwing away his wrapper, offering his hand to throw away yours as well. You smiled at him, placing the wrapper in his hand.

***

The two of you had spent the day casually walking the local town that you didn't realize how dark it was getting till the sky had turned a very dark electric blue. "I should probably head back." You spoke, wanting to cry at your words. Of course you didn't want your dream-like day to end, but reality set in and you figured there wasn't much else to do about it, shutting down the idea of food and dessert simply because the two of you had eaten late and were no longer hungry. Harry offered to walk you back to the hotel, so the two of you walked back and continued your conversation all the way back.

***

The two of you were so wrapped in conversation you didnt even realize that both of you were heading to your room till you were in the elevator. Your laughs dispersed upon the realization as the elevator went up to your floor. The two of you walked all the way to the front of your hotel room door. You untucked your lip from between your teeth and turned to face him. He was already smirking at you, realizing the sad awkwardness between the two of you. His hands were behind his back, he looked like a sweet handsome gentleman and you wanted nothing more than to gently brush your fingers along his jawline and plant a soft kiss on his cheek, but you didn't dare. "I had a lovely time with you Harry. Thank you for the tour and the treats along the way." You smiled. He chuckled. "Of course." The space between the two of you started to diminish the longer you stared at each other's eyes, but Harry was the first to break it. He turned his head before looking back at you.

“Do you mind if I get your number?” he asked, resisting the urge to apologize for being so forward.

You stood stunned before swallowing, "Yeah, of course.” You scrambled for a pen and paper in your purse, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear. He noticed yet again, gathering that it was something you did when you were nervous or embarrassed. You took the pen out and searched for a piece of paper in your bag. Harry turned to see a table in the hotel hallway with a pad and pen on top. He casually leaned over before casually tearing off a piece of paper.

“Shh, we won’t tell.” He smirked at you, making you giggle. He handed it to you. You reached to grab the paper, your fingers lightly brushing against each other. His fingers were painted a vibrant pink and green, yours were a soft yellow.

“I like your polish.” He admired.

You shyly thanked him, “I like yours too.” You smiled, looking down at the piece of paper as you wrote your number neatly, along with your name. You handed it back to him.

“Y/N.” Your name smoothly left his lips, making your name sound sweet like honey. ��Beautiful name.” He looked at you directly with a serious subtle smile. You smiled back, growing red, internally begging him to stop before you throw up and die right in front of him. “It was lovely to meet you y/n.”

Perhaps there will be a part 2...I enjoyed writing this one, hope you guys enjoyed it as well, lmk if you’d like to see a part 2.

#harry styles imagine #one direction imagine #harry styles fanfiction #one direction fanfiction #harry styles x reader

202 notes · View notes

cypher2 · 5 years

Link

It's two days before Jess Fishlock flies back to America. She’s been back home in her native Cardiff for a month: the longest period she has been home for since she moved away to Holland aged 19 to pursue her football dream.

She’s 32 now.

The first thing she did after suffering a horrific anterior cruciate ligament injury was book flights to Cardiff.

Home acts as her stabiliser.

“Coming back to Llanrumney and being around my people, it just makes me feel safe,” she says.

Fishlock is a distinctively cool character. Wearing an almost entirely black outfit, the globally-recognised athlete is rocking ankle-skimming trousers, a black tee and leather jacket, with her trademark short blonde hair styled. In one pierced ear is a stud, in the other a gold cross hoop earring, and she wears a low silver chain around her neck.

Jess and Llanrumney

We’re probably within a 10-minute drive of Jess’ family home; the heart of the city suburb that acted as her playground during her childhood.

“I’m a Llanrumney girl, through and through, born and bred”, she proudly says.

“I have that rough side to me, I have that cheeky side to me, I’m fearless.

“I’m lucky because there was so much grass around so I was always playing loads of sports. I was one of six kids, so I was never alone, I was always getting into trouble with my brothers and sisters.

“The beauty of Llanrumney as well is my dad’s one of seven boys, all named Fishlock, all in Llanrumney. So I couldn’t get into too much trouble before my mum would get a phone call, and then I’d be found."

While at home, Jess admits she forgets that she's 'Jess Fishlock MBE': Wales’ most-capped footballer and one of the most recognisable Welsh athletes.

“I went over to watch one of the girls’ teams play the other day on the field and one of the girls just broke down in tears, just from seeing me. I didn’t even say anything to her.

“Her mum was like, ‘Why are you crying?’ She said, ‘I can’t believe it, Jess Fishlock’.

“When I’m home, I forget that.”

As if it’s what every professional athlete would have done, Jess adds, fairly nonchalantly: “So I took her to my house, actually, and gave her one of my shirts, because that’s what Llanrumney is.”

Back to school in Llanedeyrn, and the children - boys and girls, a mixture of ages - have entered the room.

'School's not for everybody - that's not a myth'

We’re at Jess’ former school, St Teilo's Church in Wales High School, although it's not the same building anymore. When Jess attended, the school was the other side of the hill but it’s now housed in a huge, modern, impressive home.

When telling her friends she was heading back here to speak to pupils, they had joked that she was brave.

In an interview published earlier this year, Jess had described her time at school as “hell on Earth”.

She’s here to set the record straight.

When setting her mind to doing some community work while home, she decided she absolutely wanted to return.

After her saddening comment was published, the school’s headteacher Ian Loynd dug out her email. When it pinged in her inbox, she knew going back was the right thing to do.

“Coming back here after me coming out and saying that school was hard for me, I don’t want this school to think it was because of them. It wasn’t, it was a time of my life and school isn’t for everybody - that’s not a myth.

“But although it was a very hard time in my life, it was still a school that I went to every single day, I got through it and it helped to mould me into who I am, whether that be great or bad experiences.

“You can’t just shut out all the bad stuff, because it’s the bad stuff that actually makes you a better person.”

She elaborates, and clarifies she wasn’t exactly the perfect pupil.

“I could have applied myself a little bit better in school, probably. But if you’re not comfortable somewhere, it’s hard to do that and I think that goes in any part of life.”

'Nothing about school helped me be me'

After the school talk, Jess shares a vivid memory that would make any listener uncomfortable, but if offers an honest insight into her school experience.

“Back then, the stairs wherever you went were segregated – boys only, girls only. And for someone like me at that point, I had short hair as I do now - which is far more acceptable nowadays than it was back then - you could only imagine what was being said in these stairwells.”

She would also go into the girls’ locker room and be told, “You’ve got short hair – you’re a boy”.

“At the time, when you don’t know what is actually going on with your own body, you don’t know, you don’t understand it because back then there was a rule that you couldn’t educate anybody on homosexuality, it was just ‘boy and girl’.

“They’re the most important years of your developmental life and everything that I was, in school I could not be.

“I couldn’t play football, I wasn’t really comfortable going from class to class because I’d have to go through these stairwells where I knew something was going to be said.

“Going into school every day there was nothing about it that helped me be who I am or who I wanted to be from a professional perspective, and who I was as a human. Just try to imagine that as an adult.

“And then try to imagine that as a child.”

Remarkably, she holds no bitterness.

“A generation of people went through the same stuff, it’s just I’m talking about it and I don’t want it to happen to anybody else.”

Jess says she knew she was gay around the age of 12.

“I knew really young. But knowing it and accepting it are two different things.”

She was terrified, not in herself, but of people knowing.

“Knowing it would be hard for my mum and dad, hard for my family, impossible for my grandparents and in a different kind of world, really, to the rest of society, now that is scary, especially for a 12-year-old.”

Sport, and nature-filled surroundings, acted as her respite.

“I was lucky because I would go out in the evening and I would play football.

“And then I would have a terrible day and then I would play football, and everything would be fine, and I’d go back to school. That was just what it was.”

When one of the pupils asks her how many league titles she’s won, she literally has to stop, look down and count.

“One sec,” she says, prompting a few giggles.

“I don’t know, more than 15.”

Every story starts somewhere.

And, for this double Champions League winner who has played in countries from Australia to Germany and France to America, her football story starts aged seven.

Elder sister Kathryn wanted to go to a summer football camp near Heath park. Jess had no interest, but it was either join in or stay in her bedroom.

Jess’ mum still has the picture of Jess that day that was published in the newspaper, where she has a mushroom haircut, ball in arms, looking at the camera.

Jess name-checks Cardiff City Ladies’ club chair Michelle Adams MBE and secretary Karen Jones MBE as pivotal figures who helped her.

She was allowed to train with teenagers at the club when she was seven years old, and then with the adults aged 12 onwards.

“I remember I’d be shouting and crying to my mum if I’d go to training and Karen and Michelle would say ‘you can’t train with them today, you have to train with the youth’. I would just bawl!”

Seattle Reign

Jess is settled in Seattle having played for the city club, Reign FC, for almost seven years.

For an athlete of her profile and success, she is astonishingly grounded.

Frequently acknowledging how others have guided her, she uses the word ‘lucky’ no less than 11 times during an hour-long interview to describe her journey.

But it hasn’t always been a smooth ride.

After dropping out of college to concentrate on making football her career, she got a job - working in customer services for a telecomms provider. She was working 40 hours per week aged 16 to be able to pay her way and afford her football equipment.

“If I went back, I’d probably change my decision, even though it’s worked out.”

A few years later, aged 19, Jess had moved to Holland to play for AZ Alkmaar. It was her first time living outside of Llanrumney, pretty much, and she wasn’t coping well three months in.

“I rang my mum, crying my eyes out, ‘I can’t do this, I hate it, it’s not what I wanted, it’s not what I thought it was going to be, I’m coming home’.

“Her response was, ‘You’re not coming home, but if you do come home, you’re not living here’.”

Her mum Sharon can’t believe she tells this story to other people, Jess comically concedes.

“She said, ‘Give it until after Christmas and if you don’t feel any better, I’ll fly you home’.”

That was another three months away.

“Obviously I got upset and hated my mum at that point in time, which she always says was the hardest thing for her.

“She wanted me to go home, of course she did, but she knew that was selfish of her to want me to come home, because she knew that I wanted my career more than I wanted anything.

“In three months, I was having the time of my life. I just turned a corner, I don’t know what it was, broke through it and signed a two-year deal.”

It’s clear to see how much family means to Jess. She envisages returning to Wales to live permanently at some stage: to be closer to them, and to enjoy being an auntie.

Jess says she learned one of the most important lessons in life from her parents when she told them she was gay.

“Their love for me never faltered and all they needed was education and understanding.

“That’s one of the best lessons of my entire life that my mum and dad have taught me, without knowing, is the ability to understand something and want to learn to understand something for the sake of somebody else, is the most powerful thing."

December 2018 saw the Wales footballer become Jess Fishlock MBE at Buckingham Palace for her services to football and the LGBT community. At the time, she said it meant so much more to receive it for both, and not just football.

In August this year, she was named in our Pinc List as the most influential LGBT+ person in Wales.

“It’s nice to be recognised for being visible and pushing the LGBTQ agenda, but I think I will always do that anyway.

“I think a massive part of LGBTQ ignorance and the darker side of it comes from a lack of understanding. I don’t think it’s genuine hate. I mean, that does exist, but I don’t believe that it is that, I truly believe it is a lack of understanding and visibility of what it means and what you feel and that kind of stuff.”

'Your influence on society won't stop when your career is over'

Jess is adamant that she could not just disregard her platform.

“Sports is at a point right now where so many more sportspeople are coming out and trying to change life things and politics, and that’s not a bad thing at all, but it is up to us to also be a little bit humble with that.”

Referring to her Reign FC teammate and USA World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe - who, along with her team, came in for a lot of negative attention during the Women's World Cup - Jess says: “When you get to that point, like Megan is now, winning games and winning these championships is amazing, but it’ll end at some point.

“What won’t end is your influence on society and your influence on the next generation.”

Jess agrees that the public reaction to the USA team speaks volumes about how sportswomen are generally expected to behave.

“I think they expect women to behave differently. I don’t think they expect women to have the little bit of arrogance to come and do a celebration, although it’s brilliant and it’s funny.

“And yet Ronaldo and Messi can take off their jerseys and hold their shirts up, but [USA star] Alex [Morgan] can’t sip a little bit of tea, which, by the way, was hysterical, and Megan can’t just pose after she’s just knocked out France. What is the problem with a female kicking ass, celebrating it, why does that bring you so much negativity?”

Wales' hopes for Euro 2021 and progress

She has missed the start of Wales’ new campaign as they bid to qualify for Euro 2021, being hosted in England. We won’t see her in a Welsh jersey again probably before April.

“Every day is like, ‘I’m going to retire’ and then, ‘Oh, I’m fine’, and then, ‘Oh no, I’m going to retire’ again. That’s kind of the everyday mental progress of it.

“But, physically, it’s fine. My biggest drive to get back is to put on the Welsh jersey again.

“I think if we were able to qualify for Euro 2021, I think it would change the nation. It would change the dynamic, completely, and ultimately that’s what we want to try to do.

“If we don’t qualify then we can really deem it as failure because we have a good enough squad, we have a good enough group to be qualifying for a major tournament."

Just one poignant sign of progress made in recent years is the surprise that players were given at a friendly against Italy back in January: having their names on the back of their shirts for the very first time.

It had been organised by FAW backroom staff, and how much this meant is not to be underestimated.

“People who we’d worked with for a few years behind the scenes, they were fighting it for us – I think that is more powerful than anything else.

“That means so much more to us than us going into a boardroom and trying to fight with the FAW, which we would never do. We have a great relationship with the FAW and Jonathan Ford.”

Beginning the previous campaign with a couple of hundred supporters per game, The Red Wall flourished as Wales’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup grew over the last campaign, before their final test against the Lionesses saw them miss out. That match was watched by more than 5,000 fans inside Rodney Parade.

Addressing the increased interest, Jess says: “It’s huge.

“It’s what it should be, but ultimately it’s what it should be because of who we are and what we’ve done.

“It’s wrong for us to say this should just happen anyway, because there has to be an element of development and an element of success.

“You don’t just demand stuff because you’ve got a job. You have to work at it.”

There is a long way to go in terms of catching up with the growth, visibility and commercial aspect to the men’s game.

Given the generally inclusive, accepting and welcoming vibe in women’s football - and men’s football not exactly being known for such qualities - I ask if there are aspects of the game and what goes with it that Jess would not want to see inherited from the men’s game.

“A hundred per cent, and that’s one of our biggest fears in women’s football is that we’re going to grow it, and we want to grow it so fast, that we make the wrong decisions and then it becomes exactly like the men’s game. And we don’t want that. Categorically.

“People might read this who are in the women’s game and be like, ‘no’, but I’m telling you now we don’t want that.”

She cites racism, abuse at players and the negative side of social media.

“What is beautiful about the women’s game is that it is inclusive, it is relatively safe and, as we grow it, we have to keep that. It is the most important part of it as far as I’m concerned.”

It’s approaching the end of the school Q&A on a sunny Friday afternoon in September.

“I would love to say I went to all my classes, but I didn’t. Don't listen to Jess Fishlock! But I’m not going to lie to you and say I was the best student in the world, I wasn’t.”

There’s the cue from the FAW’s media officer that it might be a good point to end the visit.

She laughingly agrees.

The headteacher explains there is a ban on mobile phones in the building, but makes an exception for selfies and pictures in honour of their special guest, to which Jess seems delighted and breaks into a cheeky smile.

“Breaking all the rules, I am back in school! Nothing’s changed!”

Let’s hope she carries on breaking every rule she sets her mind to.

Katie Sands | Wales Online Oct 6, 2019

#wales women's football #wales wnt #jess fishlock #woso #women in sport #i love her with all my heart #my baby tiny dragon

24 notes · View notes