Moments (Harry Styles) **ON HOLD**

Chapter eight

Hey, loves! Here's an update, but it's kind of short and it sucks :/ sorry about that... I haven't checked my grammar and spelling, so I apologize if there's any mistakes... Enjoy!

-Soph xx

Harry’s POV

It’s been four weeks since Nicole and I made it official. Since then, the media has been on fire. There were comments like Nicole is 401st girl on my list and something like she’s going to use me for my fame and money. I don’t believe in that. I know Nicole. She’s not like that. She loves me for me. She loves that Harry from Holmes Chapel who used to work in a bakery and dreamt to be a singer. I know Nicole doesn’t care what people think of her or how much hate she’s getting, but I’ve acknowledged that all of this has made an impact on her. She prefers to stay inside and don’t go in public if she doesn’t have to ‘cause she knows what will happen if she does.

“C’mon, babe...just stay a bit longer...” I said to Nicole as I held her in my arms.

“I wish I could, but I have to go to work. If I’m late again, it’ll be the third time this week...and they’ll fire me.” She said as she played with my curls. Nicole got back to work at the same time her suspension ended, so since then I didn’t see her that much as the lads and I were busy with promoting the album and the movie and she’s in school or at work most of her time.

“Fine, you can go...but give me a kiss.” I said with a cheeky grin on my face.

Every time we kiss, I don’t want to leave her lips and I just want to stay like that forever.

“Bye...See you later!” she said pecking my lips. She jumped off the bed and made her way out the door running. It’s really hard knowing that I will have to go back to the UK and be thousand miles away from her.

Nicole’s POV

Work is such a buzz kill. If it wasn’t for work, I could spend more time with Will, Harry and the lads. I got through the crowd that was in front of the hotel from day one and ran after the bus which got away. Now I’m going to be even more late. I decided to walk to my work place as I saw how terrible the traffic jam was. The sky was grey and I was wondering if the sun even existed. After a while, I finally got to the bookstore and the first thing I saw was my boss who was tapping his shoe to the floor. I’m in so much trouble right now... that I’m not looking forward to it at all.

“Nicole, what time is it?” he asked as his eyebrows narrowed. I took a look at my phone before I answered him.

“It’s 2:46pm, Mr. Marco.” My voice was trying not to shake, but failed big time. I looked at the floor the same way when a child breaks something and that’s the way it shows that it’s sorry.

“I have been patient with you and two days ago I gave you another chance, but now I’m questioning my decision. What came into you, Nicole? You were always here on time, you were my best seller. Can you explain what happened?” my boss asked me getting frustrated.

“I-I-I don’t know...” I said not looking away from that one dot on the floor.

“The next time you’re late, consider yourself fired!” I nodded before he turned on his heel and left to his office.

I sighed in relief that this lecture is over and got to the cash register and started my shift.

The bookstore where I worked in was in “abandoned” part of the city, so we didn’t have many customers. It was 8:48pm. I just had to wait for whole 12 minutes and then I could finally go home. I was in the middle of reading a book when the bell above the door rang letting me know that the customer has entered. I slowly closed my book and smiled to the customer, but my smile faded away when I saw who it was. Veronica. No matter how much I hate her, I have to be nice or I’m going to lose my job. I’ve put a fake smile on “Hi. How may I help you?” She has raised her eyebrow and from her eyes you could see the reflection of hell.

“I wasn’t finished with you the other day in school.” She said looking at me the way she never did before. A few days earlier she started to humiliate me more than ever in front of the whole school. She called me names, insulted my brother, my parents (on that I could agree with her) and everyone would find it entertaining except for me. The teachers didn’t say anything. It was like nothing happened.

“Veronica, please, not now. I’m working.” I said standing up and walking over to the shelf to put the book away. As I was trying to reach the shelf she had hit me in the face. At first, I felt sharp pain and then everything went numb. I closed my eyes as they started to fill with tears, but I didn’t let them out. I just stayed there, on the ground with my eyes closed waiting for all of this to be over.

The last thing she said to me was “You learned on a harder way not to mess with me and my crush...” Her voice rang through my ears louder and louder every time it’d repeat. I opened my eyes and the tears were blurring my vision. I didn’t know what to do. There were two options. Either to stay with Harry where is a tiny chance to stay alive or to break up with Harry and move on with my life problem-free (if I don’t count my broken heart). I was torn. So torn... Should I follow my heart and accept the consequences or should I suffer for the rest of my life because I let go the one I love so I could stop being the victim of bulling?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I don’t know what to do. Whatever I come up with seems wrong. I can’t think only on myself. There’s Harry, too. I could ruin his career and his reputation. Life is so hard and making the right decision makes it even harder.

While I was walking home, I had one of those moments when you don’t think about anything, when your head is just an empty space, but deep down you know that you have a lot of decisions that need to be made sooner or later. Opening my front door, I saw five silhouettes fighting over a remote and Will was seated up on a couch. I cleared my throat and their heads snapped in my direction.

“Hi lads... Having fun?” I said trying not laugh. No matter how bad my day was, these boys could make me smile and that’s what I loved about them the most. Harry let go of the remote and put his strong arms around my waist as I turned around to face him.

“How was your day at work, babe?” he said leaning in. As his lips touched mine, I flinched because of the pain. Harry lifted my chin up as he examined the cuts on my lips. After a while just looking at them, his eyebrows narrowed with confusion and a worried expression came all over his face. “What happened?” Harry asked concerned.

Should I tell him? One part of me says that I should tell him the truth and the other one disagrees with that.

“Umm...just an accident on work. Not big deal...” I hate the fact that I have to lie to him, but it’s best for both of us until I decide what I’m going to do.

“Nicole, you’re not telling me the truth. What really happened?” his eyes were looking deeply into my soul trying to find out what happened, what is that that I’m hiding...

All the lads were watching us and anxiously waiting for my response. “It’s nothing really!”

“Come here...we have to clean that. You’re still bleeding.” Harry said softly taking my hand. I sat on the sofa not bothering to talk with anyone. I just stared at the floor and waited for Harry to come back with first aid kit. After a discussion about who will disinfect my cuts, Harry finally began to do it. As he touched it with a gaze, I flinched.

“I’m sorry.” He said softly.

“It’s not your fault, Harry.” How can I be so lucky and unlucky at the same time? I tried to smile to my boyfriend who wasn’t being consistent in finding out what happened.

“There...” he said kissing the top of my nose when he had finished with disinfection.

“Thanks, babe... So who is in the mood for comedy night?” I said trying not to think about my day and hoping that tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow is always better.

“I am!” Louis, Niall and Zayn said in sync as Liam and Harry just smiled at me. As soon as I made popcorn we started to watch the film. I was cuddled up with Harry on the floor. His strong arms around my body fitted like a glove. There, I was perfectly safe and sound. No one could hurt me.