The Artist

Chapter Three

I sigh while throwing myself down on my bed after eating my takeout dinner. Today was a mixed bag of emotions for me. I was excited for work, nervous too. Then I met my lovely boss...

He seems so angry, and annoyed all the time. Perhaps he was having a bad day? That's probably it. When I go back tomorrow he'll apologise for being so rude and give me a valid reason for being so unpleasant.

Somehow, I can tell that what I'm thinking will not come true. Something tells me that Harry is always like that.

I was going to ask him what last night was about, but I got the feeling I'd be fired for bringing it up. I have nothing else to do so I decide to call Scott.

"Hey Ellen! How are you?" His familiar voice makes eases my tenseness.

"I'm ok, I guess." I reply a little to sadly.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Oh honestly Scott, it's nothing. My boss just isn't very friendly." I shouldn't be worrying him like this so I change the subject. "How's things going at the pool?"

Scott is a lifeguard at my local pool, well my ex local pool.

"Good! It was really quiet today so they let me leave early."

"Oh? Harry let me leave early today too." I laugh.

"Harry?" He questions, there's no conviction in his voice, just curiosity.

"Oh, Harrys my boss." I explain.

Scott and I talk more about Harry, although I tell him I don't know that much about him. He tells me that his mum is sending me her regards and that he stopped by to see my momma today. He tells me that his little sister finally got a puppy, and she's besotted with it. We get off the phone at five, so we talked for a good two hours.

I'm beginning to get comfortable when I hear a knock at my door. Harrys voice rings in my mind, he did say he'd see me later. Is this later?

I pad to the door. Oh I look a state, yoga pants and my brothers way oversized Harvard sweatshirt. Completing the 'I don't care' look with the worlds messiest bun.

I open the door and sure enough it's Harry. I panic about how he knows where I live but then remember it was on my application.

"Hi Harry." I'm not calling him 'Mr. Styles' now. Whatever about the workplace, there will be no formalities at my front door.

"Ellen." He greets me emotionlessly. "Put out your arms, I've got you a gift." He smiles. I do as he says, having no clue as to what he may give me.

A large, thick folder of papers land in my arms. "To be done for tomorrow." he winks and walks off down the hall. What the hell?!

"Harry?!" I call after him. His response is sticking his hand in the air and giving me a sort of backwards wave.

I feel anger boiling inside of me and I shut my door with a bang before slamming the paperwork on the kitchen counter. That was not at all what I was expecting. Then again, has this marvellous new life of mine been what I expected at all so far? No it has not.

I open the first page of the files and scan over the page, trying to get the jist of what I have to do. They seem to all be invoices, bills and receipts I have to tally up and take from the company funds. Lovely...

"That's everything." I place the files on Harrys desk when he comes in, two hours late, and smile. He's dressed in the same way he was yesterday, black T-shirt and dark blue jeans. His unruly curls are messy and untamed, and it suits him. It's a rough look but he pulls it off so well.

"I trust everything is up to standard, Ellen." He says, not bothering to actually look up from his phone to talk to me.

"Why were you outside my apartment the other night?" I bite the bullet, might as well ask now, it doesn't seem like he could dislike me any more so than now.

"I was giving you paperwork?" He still doesn't look up from his phone.

"I mean the night before that. Remember when you got beat up and I tried to help and you were your usual rude self." Crap. I said way too much.

"Keep your little mouth shut about that." He snarls, finally looking up from his phone and giving me an almighty death stare.

"Excuse me?" I snap at him. Who the hell does he think he is? Your boss, my brain reminds me.

"No excuse me! You've worked with me two days now and you have the nerve to assume I'm rude." He crosses his arms and sits back in his cushy leather chair.

"Well you've given me no reason to assume otherwise!" He is unbelievable.

"Get out." He rolls his eyes.

"What?" I ask, get out and go where? I work for him?

"Are you deaf? Get out, take an early lunch and when you come back we need to talk business arrangements." he speaks slowly and, I can't believe I haven't really processed this before but with an English accent.

I always knew he had an accent, but I never really dwelled on it. This is after all the most we've spoken.

I scoff and slam the door. I hate that room. It makes me uneasy, the seemingly dry air and the white plastic looking walls, and him. I don't like it at all.

"Well well well Ellen, you've been given an early lunch! Harry only gives that to people he really really likes!" Zayn says in an obvious sarcastic tone. I laugh and he pats my shoulder. "Don't worry about him. He's not a friendly guy."

"You don't say." I mock and he smiles a very cute smile.

"Honestly he's not that bad. Once you get to know him. But then again, no one really does..." Zayn seems as though he's almost talking to himself. "Know him, that is." He clarifies.

"Yeah, well maybe that's a good thing." I smile. "I'll see you later Zayn!" I wave and walk out of the building.