I forgot how boring it was to have a normal eight hour day job.
Working at Shark Bait has brought me back to my high school days, working at American Eagle and wanting to ram my head through a wall. This ticket sales job is agonizing and so very boring, I just stand here all day giving out tickets to families with wailing children or loved up couples. Luckily after years of practice I've got my customer service face and voice down pat but internally, I'm dying.
I'm not cut out for this stuff, I put it all behind me when I started this job but I forget that sometimes in order to fit in the way I need to, going back to the roots is necessary. I can't say I miss it though.
My routine is the same, wake up early in the morning at the ass crack of dawn and trudge all the way to downtown Toronto, with the traffic being the absolute worst. Being crammed on the subway that early in the morning is the last thing I want to do. I have to get up even earlier than I usually do and hell, I am not a morning person.
At all.
By the time I get to Shark Bait I always make it about five minutes before my shift starts. I should probably get there a bit earlier than that but me even being awake that early in the morning is a feat all on its own — they should consider themselves lucky.
It's always dead silent when I enter Shark Bait in the mornings. I don't know who unlocks the doors and shit when I get there but I'm thankful that I'm not the one who has to go around turning on all the lights and everything. As soon as I scan the bracelet and log into the computer, I always race into the back to quickly make a cup of coffee. The pot is always warm and freshly brewed which saves me some time.
Waiting for the first customer of the day is always the worst but at least I have some pretty flowers to look at. Zayn always brings in a bouquet of them every few days and they're always so pretty. "Just a little something nice," he said this afternoon as he brought in a gorgeous bundle of daisies and daffodils. He handed them to me and left me in charge of grabbing a vase from the back for them before setting them up on the ticket counter. They're always wrapped so nicely too, I keep meaning to ask him where he gets them cause I'd love to bring some home to Jesse, he's a sucker for flowers.
My co-workers Bina and Dan are nice too. They've instantly made me feel welcome during my first week here but I can't help but to think that they're a part of all the illegal business going on in the back. That doesn't seem to be the case though much to my relief, they're both just kids in college working a summer job. Spending all my days with them has forced us to make small talk which helps make the time pass by.
I've seen Zayn a bit too, he helped me get settled in on my first day and introduced me to my co-workers. I've seen him pretty much every single day but I can't say the same about Harry, I haven't seen him at all yet. I know he's around because I've heard Zayn say his name over the phone when I've walked by his office but that's about it.
It doesn't help that these security bracelets are making it damn near impossible to snoop around the place. This past week I've pretty much just been coming into Shark Bait, doing my ticket sales job, and then going home. On my lunch breaks, I tend to walk around the place to see if I can spot any new employees I've yet to take note of but I always fall short.
It seems like everyone just has the same routine, going over the same few things everyday and I'm hoping that if it stays like that then it'll eventually make it easier to snoop around. I know this case is going to take a while, but I'm already getting antsy. It's been a week of no new information, not even something small, and it's frustrating me. A lot.
I know I can't expect information to just be thrown at me like that, I'm new here and there's absolutely no way anyone here even remotely trusts me. It's evident in the way Zayn is always somehow lingering around wherever I am and I know he's the first person I have to gain the trust of.
Princess probably wants to burn her ears off with her heat lamp given I've been ranting to her every night about my "stupid little job at the stupid little aquarium." Jesse's been booked solid this week at the shop too which leaves her to be my sound board. I've given her extra crickets every night to make up for it.
Every night I come home from work and have nothing to do, no plans to get ready for. I've not only finished knitting the beanie I was in the process of completing, but I've also knitted a cardigan and three scarves out of complete boredom. I'm burning through all my yarn faster than ever before.
I almost even called my mother out of desperation, not that she would have answered anyways. I had to talk myself out of doing it, I knew I'd just hang up the phone feeling more lonely than I already was, never mind disappointed. Jesse would have slapped my phone out of my hand if he was there. Rightfully so though, it was a momentary slip on my part but I'm glad I caught myself.
I'm well aware that I'm a clingy person but as much as I sometimes hate it, I can't help it. I do like having my alone time to cook and knit but I don't like having it too often. And although Princess can be the greatest of company at times, she ultimately isn't human. I don't need someone to be talking or giving me attention 24/7, I just like having the presence of them around me, it's comforting in a sense. It makes up for all the nights I spent home alone when I was a kid.
I think this is also a deeper reason as to why I chose this profession. No matter the case, it's almost guaranteed that I'll be surrounded by people — good or bad. It's why I'm not terribly mad about having a job at Shark Bait, I'm always surrounded by people.
I'm lucky that Jesse understands me, I know that's why he comes over to my place so often. Most people I've dated or such have made fun of me for my need for their presence or were very vocal about their annoyance towards it. I laugh it off to their faces but their words definitely burn on the inside. I try not to be overbearing and a lot for someone to handle but I guess I fail every time.
It's also why I hardly had any friends growing up. After meeting Jesse and learning that he was the one person who never got tired of my company, I just never found it in me to go out and meet new people. I hated introducing myself and feeling like I was a burden in people's company so it just made sense to keep to myself instead. One can only handle rejection a certain amount of times, we all have our limits.
If Jesse ever got annoyed by me though he has never made me feel like it. He's the most supportive person in my life and has ultimately seen me at my highest and lowest points no matter what the situation is. I vividly remember the first breakup I went through, he was the first person I called. It was then that he showed up to my house with a shit load of movies, chocolate and all my knitting stuff I had left at his place — all the things he knew would make me feel better.
I remember how that whole week I spent it lounging around my house, refusing to do anything or eat anything, and the only person who actually cared about me was Jesse. I owe a lot to him and our friendship, he's helped me in more ways than one and I couldn't be more grateful for him.
Even when he annoys me to the max, like this morning when he waltzed into my apartment unannounced with a blueberry muffin in one hand and live worms in the other for Princess, I still love him regardless. He knew I had the night shift tonight, so he made sure to see me before I went in.
Just like that, I've been with him through all of his life problems too. He lost his dad when he was super young, and I vividly remember that time in fifth grade when he didn't come to school for a week. I didn't understand why my only friend suddenly just disappeared like he did but it was when he showed up the next week that I realized what had happened.
He didn't have anyone except me and I remember when he saw me in our cubby before class, he walked straight into my arms, hugging me to him and pinky promising he would never leave me hanging like that again.
He's kept that promise.
Tonight's my first closing shift, which I hope allows me to uncover some new things. Derek texted me this morning asking what I've got so far, and it's safe to say I've gotten pretty much nothing. I sent him what I've noted down in my journal and all I received back was a 'K.'
Nice.
He's called me a few times earlier this week too and every time it was always the same thing, nothing. I could tell he was already getting frustrated with me and it was pissing me off to say the least. It's not like this was child's play and even Derek himself told me that this case was going to be a lot of work, I'm not gonna uncover the whole thing overnight.
I'm already upset at myself for not having more information so I didn't need Derek breathing down my neck as well. But he's always been like this, eager for information and annoying me to the max. I can't say anything though really since he's my boss, but I snapped at him the other day slamming the phone down on him, and I'm sure the next time he sees me he's bound to be mad. I can't lie and say I'm not a little nervous, but I'm praying I have some information to give him by then in hopes of keeping his mind away from my behaviour.
I don't want to lose this case, it's been so long since I've really felt this excited about something but I never realized just how hard it was actually going to be. I'm always up for a challenge, I just forgot how patient I need to be. I haven't even gotten the chance to meet Harry yet let alone do anything remotely close to helping me with the case.
Hopefully tonight changes that.
It's just Bina and I here right now, she showed me the ropes yesterday on how to close and tonight was going to be the first time I was doing it solo. It's time to prove my worth. I know Zayn's still here though, he went into his office an hour ago and hasn't come out. Regardless of him being here, Bina says to still lock up the place like usual since Zayn obviously has his own set of keys.
My interaction with him today was short but sweet. He greeted me with the new flowers as he walked into work with his gorgeous eyes staring at me like he was giving me all the attention in the world, and I swear I swooned over him just a little bit. He's really so attractive it's hard not to keep staring at him and I bet he knows it too from the way his lips always have a lingering subtle smirk on them as he looks at me.
"Indigo." He nodded at me and I could only muster up a small smile as I swallowed tightly, staring at him as I grabbed the flowers from his hands. He waited for a minute before I realized that I hadn't said anything and I quickly shook my head squeaking out a "hello" which made him laugh.
"How are you settling in so far?" He asked me, peering at me from between his long lashes and I grinned, immediately feeling relaxed around him. I hate how much I let my guard down around him but there's just something about him that makes me do it without regard for anything else. It's dangerous. "Good I guess," I shrugged as I looked around, unable to keep my eyes on him for too long, "I'll slowly learn everything right?"
He smiled in response, this time with his teeth, and I watched as his eyes crinkled in the corners as he let out a soft laugh. "You definitely will Indigo. You seem like a smart girl."
I felt uneasiness rise up in my stomach as he said those words, fearful that he had a feeling about what I was actually here for, but I know that wasn't true. There was no way for him to know why I was here, I never made it noticeable and it was really just me overthinking.
Something I really needed to stop doing so much.
That was the end of our conversation and I was secretly grateful for it. While I loved talking to him and needed to do it more often to get more on his good side, I had a hard time trusting myself around him and really anyone here.
The rest of my day went by tauntingly slow with dead crowds at some points throughout, especially during the evening. Since it is an aquarium, I'm not surprised that it isn't always busy. I can only imagine how dead it'll become as the days become colder later in the year.
Before I know it, it's finally time to close up and head home and truthfully, I couldn't be happier. I always seem to forget how draining socializing can be and especially when I'm trying to make a good impression, it's even worse.
I am definitely not a social butterfly.
I bid Bina a goodbye as she walks out the door before going through the motions of locking up the aquarium, doing exactly what she taught me. It's a stupid thought but I feel bad for the fish having to be here by themselves overnight. I doubt they even have feelings, or at least the mental capacity to feel the emotion of loneliness but it still saddens me. It's dark in here but I guess that's probably preferable for them. "Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow," I whisper to the tank of king crabs, running my hand over the glass.
I've come to grow fond of the fish over this past week. When I'm on my lunch break I aimlessly walk around the aquarium as I eat, hoping to find something of interest, but each time I find myself getting sucked into watching the fish swim around and go about their business. It's kind of peaceful to watch them glide through the water or munch on their lunch. I just stay away from the eel tanks though, they creep me the fuck out.
I've even named some of them in my head. Spencer the pufferfish, Katie the sea turtle, and Keith the seahorse are just some of my newfound sea friends. They fill the gap in my heart that's caused from missing Princess.
I feel like I know this place like the back of my hand now with how many times I've walked through it already. I think my favourite part of the aquarium is The Overlook. It looks down at the Dangerous Lagoon exhibit, and it's the one Katie the sea turtle is in. I like the bird's eye view from up above and it allows me to see all the sharks and fish together in one big tank, it's pretty cool.
Usually it's pretty packed with people when I venture up there on my lunch break, but I don't mind, the more the merrier. I always just stick to my little corner as I eat my lunch, my eyes transfixed on the open tank. People come and go as I stand there, but sometimes I'll catch one person on the opposite side, leaning against the wall and looking down at the tank as well. I never see any of their features but it's clear that they enjoy The Overlook as much as I do, they're there before I arrive and remain standing there when I leave.
As I reach The Overlook now to turn the lights off, I can't help but to pause for a minute and look down at the tank, smiling to myself as I see Katie swim near the surface, almost as if she knows I'm up here and is saying goodbye.
With a smile on my face, I flick the lights off and make my way back down to the ticket counter, finishing my duties of locking up for the night. I know Zayn still has to be here, he's not dumb enough to leave me alone completely, but even being at the counter by myself gives me the chills. The atmosphere is completely different now when the people are gone and the lights are low. It's eerie, quiet, and just downright bone-chilling.
Usually as the sun begins to set and it gets dark outside, the neon lights in here seem a lot brighter making us not feel the eeriness of the late night but it's definitely more noticeable now with the colourful hues being dimmed down, leaving only the sounds of splashing water to hit my ears.
It's so weird to see a place that's usually full of laughter, chatter, and people suddenly be so dead and empty. As I stand here behind the counter, logging out of the system, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight. I feel like I'm being watched.
I whip my head around trying to spot a lone shadow in the darkness, but my eyes make out nothing of the sort. It's so quiet in here you could hear a pin drop and the sound of my own increased breaths are beginning to get to me.
Get it together.
I feel stupid. I'm not one to be scared so easily unless I'm forced into watching horror movies with Jesse. I'm an investigative journalist for Christ's sake, I've seen things from afar that would give people nightmares for weeks. So why is an empty aquarium suddenly the scariest place I've ever been in? I need to snap out of it, and fast.
I quickly shut the computers off, wanting to head back into the break room, grab my shit and go. I wasn't prepared to feel like this once the place shut down and I don't want to be here any longer than necessary, I can't shake my nerves. Something feels off and for once in my life, I don't want to stick around to find out why.
As I turn the corner, I see Zayn slip out from his office which makes me halt. I press my back against the wall around the corner from Zayn's view and peer my head around it, eager to see what he's doing. He moves quietly down the hallway before stopping in front of one the doors, one I don't have access to. My heart pounds in my chest as I watch him scan his bracelet, the scanner turning green in approval.
I just told myself that I was going to get the hell out of here and go home, but how can I consciously do that now that I've seen Zayn? I need to follow him. I need to shake my nerves off and do my job, my real one.
Be a shark, Indigo.
I take a deep breath and as soon as he slips past the door, I race out from around the corner. I slide my foot out to wedge it between the door, successfully getting it in there before it closes shut. Nice. I still for a moment, listening for any sounds. My heart is still pounding in my chest but my adrenaline is at an all time high now. I've missed this feeling.
I give it a few more seconds before I nudge the door open wider with my foot and slip inside, my eyes furiously scanning for Zayn or anything potentially dangerous. I gently close the door and my eyes widen upon seeing the massive water tanks I'm suddenly surrounded by.
There's tanks upon tanks in this room that's filled with a low buzzing sound as the pipes work their magic, filling the aquarium with the water the fish so desperately need. This area is massive. I guess I just never truly realized how much water is needed to run the aquarium. I quickly duck behind one of the tanks, my ears straining to hear Zayn's voice or any movement he makes.
It's kinda eerie back here too, the lights are low and the sound of the tanks echo in this huge room. I've never been in a room like this before and if I weren't on a mission right now I'd probably actually take the time to look around — this place looks kind of neat.
I move my way through the room, keeping my eyes sharp and ears open. A slight scuffle to my right catches my attention and as I peer around the water tank I'm perched behind, I catch sight of Zayn and someone else. Zayn's facing me but I'm too far back for him to spot me, hidden in the dark behind a tank. I can make out the movement of his lips but I'm too far away to hear him over the rumbling of the tanks. I need to get closer.
I slink back behind the tank and crouch down as I move towards the adjoining tank, stealthily and quietly. I successfully reach it and let out a deep sigh of relief, but I still can't hear anything. My heart pounds against my chest and my hands begin to sweat as I repeat my movements once again, moving to stand behind the tank that's closer to the back of the person Zayn is with. Only now can I begin to hear their faint whispers.
"What's his fuckin' deal?" The man groans, frustration woven into his tone of voice. I can barely hear him over the sound of the pipes running in here but I can tell that his voice is naturally husky. His posture looks tense as he paces in front of Zayn, eventually swivelling around which allows me to catch a glimpse of his side profile. The dark scar running along his upper jaw immediately has me sucking in a harsh breath, it doesn't take me long to recognize who this man is.
Harry Styles.
"I don't know man, he seems hellbent on getting 'em though." Zayn whispers, his teeth nervously gnawing on his bottom lip. That's a look I've yet to see on Zayn's face, one of nervousness. Harry walks over to one of the tanks they stand near, running his palm over it. I take this opportunity to move closer and stand behind another tank as I listen to them speak.
"I wish he'd just drop dead, this is the last thing we need right now." Harry mutters as his hands run through his hair, his pacing coming to a stop as he stands in front of Zayn again, his back to me. "He's asking for trouble if he keeps trying to poke his nose in our business. I mean, sending Alina here? He's fuckin' delusional."
Zayn lets out a low chuckle, his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his jeans. "We know he's got no limits. Gotta admire the lengths he'll go to though, he doesn't give a fuck." Zayn's words seem to upset Harry based on how rigid Zayn goes, his eyes wide as he stares at what I assume to be a pissed off Harry. "Are you serious? I don't admire anything about that sick bastard. He's a coward for sending someone to do his dirty work for him. Remember what he did to Benny?"
Zayn's head immediately drops, his stare now fixated on his dirty converse. "I know Harry, I was there," he says so quietly I have to strain to hear, "You know what I mean though. He's so reckless he's bound to fuck up soon. We just need to remain level headed. We aren't getting anything else for at least two weeks, let's just go about our business as usual, yeah? Fuck Pearl Heart."
Pearl Heart?
Harry mumbles something under his breath which forces me to lean in closer but what I don't realize is that my feet are already pressed up flush against the metal tank. The shuffling of my feet causes them to clang against the tank but in a room this big it only echoes.
Harry goes quiet and rigid and Zayn's head immediately snaps up at the sound. His eyes look towards where I'm standing and it doesn't take his pretty brown eyes long to find my own. I feel my heart drop down into my stomach as our gazes lock, my body beginning to sweat in a panic. His eyes quickly settle into a harsh glare as they find me behind the tank.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I barely have time to process the fact that Zayn's spotted me before Harry suddenly turns around too to see what Zayn is staring at, or who. As soon as Harry's eyes land on mine I immediately go rigid, a shiver running through my entire body at his harsh gaze. Even from this far away his stare feels like it could slice me in half, or kill me on the spot, both painful.
My eyes quickly drop down to the scar on his face, darker in colour compared to the rest of his skin, it stands out like a sore thumb. There's short perpendicular lines across the length of the scar which only make him look all the more intimidating. It's thick and long and prominent on his face, you couldn't miss it.
He's tall too, at least a few inches taller than Zayn. He's got on baby blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black knitted cardigan thrown on that's bunched up at his elbows. The cardigan throws me off for a second, but I guess it works with the whole 'I'm the innocent boss of a family-friendly facility' look he wants to portray. I can make out tattoos covering the expanse of his arms all the way up to the base of his neck. Jesse would be all over him too.
My eyes trail up his neck and I notice a hoop earring in his left ear, making my body heat. His hair sits in brown tousled waves on his head, the ends of them curling around his neck. He's also got a pair of what look to be reading glasses tucked into the collar of his shirt, his blue painted nails fiddling with it as he stares at me. He's attractive, just as attractive as Zayn.
I'm in trouble.
Despite how innocent his whole look is, his eyes are completely different. They seem cold, hard and definitely not as soft and welcoming as Zayn's are. I don't feel that warmth that I did when I looked at Zayn and it's evident that he's definitely a hard ass, a tough exterior to break open.
"Who the hell are you?" He snaps, eyes hooded as he stares at me with a look that can only be described as hatred. I see Zayn behind him, his own eyes narrowed at me which makes my stomach churn. "I'm- I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask Zayn something about my schedule and I saw him come in here I didn't mean to—"
"Do you know who I am?" He asks me, making me shake my head. Play innocent Indigo. His hand comes up in front of his face and I watch in a trance as his fingers begin to move. It takes me a second to realize his index finger is curling in a 'come hither' motion, his face serious.
I timidly walk over to him and Zayn, head bowed in shame. I nervously chew on my bottom lip as I approach the two of them, not too sure what to expect. "Look at me, girl." Harry speaks up. His finger which was previously curling in the air is now under my chin as he tilts my head up, forcing our eyes to lock.
He's got pretty green eyes with hints of brown around the inner circle. Despite the brightness of them, they're hard and cold as they stare me down. He's intimidating and he knows it. His knuckle stays pressed up under my chin as he scans my face, my heart thumping at the close proximity.
"You don't seem to be so smart, so I'll let you in on a little secret." His head moves closer to mine, the side of his face brushing against my own. "I'm the boss around here," he whispers lowly, his voice raspy and hoarse. I shiver at the feeling of his lips against my ear. If this were anyone else I'd be a puddle on the floor for them. "This is my aquarium. You're here to do your job as the perky little sales girl and I know for a fact that your bracelet doesn't grant you access into here, so wanna tell me what that's all about? Got a crush on Zayn? 'Cause I'll tell you right now sweet cheeks, he ain't fucking you."
Oh, he's a right fucking asshole.
I go to step back but Harry's thumb grasps my chin, causing him to grip my jaw in a tight hold. I feel my face flush at Harry's implication and it pisses me off that he'd even say something like that. He doesn't even know me and he thinks he has the right to say something as vile as that.
His head moves back to take in my pissed off facial expression — too bad he can't see me giving him the finger in my mind.
I shift my gaze over to look at Zayn, seeing him already staring at us but making no move to do anything about the situation I've gotten myself into. "Don't look at him, he's not gonna help you." Harry spits as his fingers dig into my skin to force my head back to look at him. I hate the fact that my skin heats at his unwarranted touch, I hate it so fucking much.
"You the new girl? Blue?" Harry asks with a smirk, dragging his finger down my neck before cupping my chin again.
I've been caught like this before in other cases but it's been easier to lie my way out of them. Harry intimidates me more than I thought he would and I hate that I'm showing him just how much. His poke at my name was intentional, I know he can clearly read the nametag pinned to my shirt. I raise my hand to wrap around his wrist, feeling his pulse under my fingertips. It's a steady and calm beat against them, telling me he's completely calm and at ease.
"It's Indigo actually," I speak up, putting on a brave front. I already don't like him but I can't show that, I can't fuck this up. It was wishful thinking to believe that Harry would be just as pleasant as Zayn was to me. "Same fuckin' colour," Harry mutters, making my brows furrow.
His eyes scan my face, darting all around it. I don't know what he's looking for but I know he won't find whatever it is. I keep my face passive as he stares at me down, his eyes hard and serious. My cheeks betray me and begin to heat at his searing gaze and I catch the faintest curl of his lips. His thumb lightly rubs against my chin as I peer back at him, fixating on his scar. It makes the skin of his cheek a bit tight, tugging at it, which makes it wrinkle a bit around the edges.
The clearing of his throat brings my eyes back to his and I know my cheeks burn hotter than the sun at being caught in the act, my hand dropping from around his wrist. "You gonna say something or just stare at me like a fuckin' freak?" He spits out as his fingers dig into the side of my jaw. If this is the way he treats employees—new ones at that—I'm surprised he still even has any. This could easily be filed as harassment. "Speak up, Blue."
"You're the one with a grip on my face," I mutter, "And don't fucking call me that." I can't help but to snap and I watch as Zayn lightly grimaces behind Harry at the words I just spat out, even he knows that was a dumb move. At this very moment though, I stupidly don't care that he's my boss. I don't like being talked to like that. By anyone.
He scans my face with a subtle smirk on his lips and lets go of my chin. I'm quick to take a step back from him, wanting to put as much distance between us as possible. I can finally breathe now.
Harry stares at me for a hard moment with a tilted head and furrowed brows before the corner of his lips fully tug into a smirk, and I'm confused by the way his expression just flipped a switch in just a few seconds. "We're going to get along just great aren't we, Blue?" His fingers move up to pinch his bottom lip between them as he continues to look at me with an amused look and I can feel my heart pounding so loudly in my chest it feels like it'll burst out any second.
"What did you hear?" Zayn asks me, forcing my eyes to move over to him once again. He looks pensive and weary which kind of stings. I dig the tips of my shoes into the cement floor below me as I mumble out a "nothing," keeping my eyes locked on Zayn in hopes that he believes me.
A scoff escapes past Harry's lips but I make no move to look over at him. My gaze bores into Zayn's as he scans my face. "You sure? You can tell me."
No I can't.
I quickly nod my head, "I swear, I only just walked in when you saw me. I only heard the word 'heart' Zayn, I promise." I figure they aren't going to believe me if I continue to say I heard nothing. I was behind the water tank so they'd be stupid to think I was deaf to their entire conversation.
"Ah, yes." Harry chides, "We're getting some parrot cichlids in soon, they're heart-shaped. They might be something right up your alley, yeah?" His eyes move up to my hair and he notices the pink clips I've got in to keep my fly-aways in place. "You seem like the type to be obsessed with love and all that fluffy shit, standing behind the counter thinking about some romantic fuck sweeping you up off your feet while you're on the clock."
Damn, someone sounds bitter.
I slowly turn my head to face Harry, seeing a sick grin on his lips. I don't like the way he looks at me, almost as if I'm merely a joke to him. He probably thinks I'm some weak pathetic girl who he can push around and have his way with, but I'm the complete opposite. I know how to protect myself, I know that I won't get pushed around even by someone like Harry.
For acting purposes though, I can't show him my strengths, at least not yet. I need him to think that I'm everything he expects from me. Weak and scared, a fragile girl who gets spooked easily and frightened by small things.
I can't lie and say that he isn't intimidating though because he is, it's the way he doesn't falter his gaze when I look at him, or the way that he exudes so much confidence. It's evident that he prides himself in the way he spits out words so quickly and effortlessly, it definitely takes me back because I've never experienced someone like him before.
My thoughts about Harry are broken when I see him snapping his fingers in front of my face, a scowl on his lips again. I really need to stop doing that. "Is there a reason you're still standing here?" He asks with irritation laced in his voice and I take another step back, looking at him again.
"Um, no I-" I begin to stammer out and Harry cuts me off before I can go any further. He takes a step closer to me and I flinch slightly, my hands fiddling with the hem of my shirt.
"Get the fuck out of here before I fire you." He demands lowly, his hands flexing into fists as if to calm himself down. I kick my ass into gear and turn around to scurry away, not giving him or Zayn a second glance. I race towards the door and yank it open, slamming it shut behind me as I rest my back up against it, my chest heaving.
Jesus Christ.
I shouldn't be surprised that he was that big of an ass, but for some reason I am. I think seeing the way Zayn was with me just made me automatically assume Harry would be like him: friendly, warm, endearing....the list goes on but the further down I go, the further away it strays from everything that describes Harry.
Harry. Harry. Harry.
This man is so different from everything I imagined him to be. I don't know what I was expecting when I started working here but it was definitely not a complete asshole of a boss who thinks he's better than everyone else. He's just like all the other men I've had the pleasure of unravelling. He's cold and rude and downright terrible, I don't know how Zayn puts up with that. He treats his employees terribly and doesn't seem to be apologetic about it in the slightest.
He makes me nervous but he also makes me....excited? I'm eager to get to know him more, and I want to see what he hides behind this mysterious exterior of his. I know he has a story he's hiding, parts of him that he's unwilling to show people because there's no way someone can just be the way he is for no reason.
If I thought that Zayn was going to be a problem person to get close to, then Harry is about to be an impossible challenge. Luckily for me though, I love challenges and I especially love difficult puzzles.
Harry is all of that. He's a challenge, he's a puzzle, and he's a hard exterior.
Harry Styles.
What a piece of work he is, and I can't wait to crack him wide open.
Author's Note: And there you have it.....sharkrry has made his appearance!
We know.....he's an ass but let's give him a chance, okay? I mean, look at him!!
We love you guys, see you next week!
A & S