A/N: I am the best. This is a double update. You're mother freaking welcome!!!!!
SCARLETT'S POV:
I wake up with every bit of energy coursing through my veins, not sure exactly what woke me up until I hear a phone ringing. I lift it up, and answer it right away.
"Hello?" I ask, knowing I sound like I just woke up.
"Well hello... Not who I was expecting." I hear Birdie's voice, and look at the phone I just answered, realizing right away it's not mine, and also seeing the time, and also noticing Harry laying on his stomach, his face pressed to the bed. It's late, we're late, I mean I'm fucking late.
"Shit." I whisper.
"Yeah, I was wondering why he wasn't here yet... Now I realize he must have had a... a long night." She insinuates, and I roll my eyes, taking the pillow I slept on. I hit Harry with all my might, and he lifts his head up, his movements slow.
"We're coming. I mean.. Fuck." I hang up, throw the phone, and hear a groan.
"Ow." He groans, and I look, realizing I threw it straight at him, I cringe, and cover my mouth.
"I'm so sorry.." I cover my mouth.
"Forgiven.." He speaks in a sleepy voice, and it registers that he's not wearing the shirt he wore last night, just the shorts. I look down, and notice the shirt on my body, and the lack of pants on my lower half and I panic.
"Ew, ew, ew, ew.. Harry ew!" I yell and he sighs, rolling over.
"What is it now?" He asks, pressing his hand to his forehead, obviously feeling the bottle we drank."Oh. That." He notices the shirt I'm wearing, and he smirks. "Looks good on you darling." He moves his eyes up to mine, and wipes the smirk off of his face. "Sorry.. You're right, gross." He fakes it, and I shake my head. "Wait... What time is it, aren't we-"
"Late! Fuck, we're both late, and I don't have clothes, and I don't have time to go back to my place, and I have makeup in my bag, but I can't go into work smelling like you, and-"
"Go into my closet, and make something work I know you can. As for smelling like me I have endless amounts of cologne, so pick your poison. We'll leave at twenty, now go." He nods his head, and I run, moving straight from his bed, and falling flat on my face with a groan. I hear a sigh, and then I hear feet hitting the floor. Harry leans down, and lends a hand to me, lifting me up as I take it. "If you're going to fall for me, at least make sure I catch you next time darling." The first thing I see is a smirk, and I can't do anything but push his chest back as I make my way into the bathroom. I can feel the breeze on my ass, but I don't have enough time to care.
"Closet? Where is your-" He turns me by my shoulders, and pushes a door open, and I stop in the doorway as soon as the lights are on. Why does a man need a big closet.. I feel like this much closet space should be reserved for someone like me, and only me... I can't help but stare for a second.
"I know it's beautiful darling, but I think we both need to get a move on." He whispers in my ear from behind me, and I want to flip him a bird as I hear the smirk in his tone. He knows... He obviously knows, but I don't even care. I start flipping through his endless amounts of clothes, and at first I thought it might be a bit of a challenge to find something to wear, but seeing as though he has such a small waist I don't think it will be a problem. Especially since he's got such a wide range of choices.
I steel a pink button up, and reach for the navy pin striped pants as well as a belt, and start pulling them on haphazardly. They are a bit big on me, especially considering how long they are. I pull them up a bit higher than normal, and pull off my tshirt. I notice Harry walking around calmly, as I move as quickly as I can and I would ask, but I have no time. I start to button the shirt, and feel my hands shaking, and missing, and failing me, and they're covered with larger, ring cover hands.
"I'm going to need you to take a deep breath, it's going to be fine, we'll be there soon." He tells me, and starts buttoning the shirt for me.
"You don't understand the wrath of Candice... She's already fuming, I know it." I tell him.
"Then why hasn't she called you to make sure you're alright?" He asks me, and I laugh as his hands travel up my torso.
"It would be her best day if she found out I had mysteriously disappeared... When she sees me walk through the doors she's not going to be happy Harry she-"
"She will be fine, and she will treat you fine, and you need to stop worrying about her, and do what I say alright?" He asks calmly, and I start to tuck the shirt in with shaking hands. His hands softly move my face to look at him, and I shake my head, but he refuses to lose my focus. "Hey, she can't hurt you.. I mean that, and I think you need to listen when I say that... She is nothing at the end of the day." I listen to his words.
"She's nothing but my boss, and the only thing standing between me and my future right now." I wish I wasn't being such a pessimist but there's no explanation to why I was late. I have no reason to be running into my internship like this, but I will be. Yeah I fucking hate it, but not because I don't want it. I hate it because of her, and I don't need her to make it worse for me.
"And I'm her boss." He reminds me.
"I thought you just wrote for Vogue? Can you explain to me why you're everyone's boss? Didn't you interview for this job just the same as everyone else?" I ask and he nods.
"Yes I interviewed my way into this position because I wanted to be able to work for the company I invest in. I do own certain floors, and branches of Vogue, and I do have power over people there, and I need you to understand that when I say she is nothing it is because you are everything, not only to me, but the new age of fashion. She can go to hell." He tells me, and I look into the large bathroom mirror as he buttons up his own shirt. I take in his words, almost feeling a little bit of fear as he speaks them.. He's kind of scary..
"Okay." I just agree, knowing he wont understand my worries, and he doesn't have to because it's not his job right now. I do my makeup quickly, and throw my hair into the tightest, sleekest top knot that I can, knowing it doesn't look perfect, but decent enough to flow with the outfit. The pants drag the floor a bit so I lift them higher, belting them there. Once my shoes from yesterday are on, the pants are a perfect fit.
"Wow, slow down.. Look." He holds me in front of the mirror, showing me myself. "Looks like your normal self. This is something you would wear, your makeup looks good, you look beautiful." He tells me, and I do look pretty good for throwing myself together in someone else's clothes, but it doesn't mean I feel normal. I feel all types of discombobulation right now.
"I look hot, now let's go." I tell him, and he follows me out, both of us dressed to the nines, and ready to get this show on the road. We both walk as quickly as possible to the elevator, and then to the car. He pulls out in the Audi which I assume is his favorite considering this is the main car he drives out of the three of them. He makes it so we don't waste any time, cutting every corner, and scaring the absolute shit out of me as he drives. How the fuck did he get a license?
"Okay, we're here, can you calm down now?" Harry asks, and I can't tell if he's joking or not.
"I was only slightly panicking because I thought I would die before we arrived." I speak under my breath, grabbing my things. I pull myself out of the car, and he follows, both of us, looking more ready than we feel.
"I was rushing so you would be here sooner, a thank you would be nice." He's joking, I can tell now, and I don't pay any mind to it.
"Thank you." I speak quickly as we both walk to the elevator. He picks his floor that's far lower than mine, and I press mine, reaching farther to the top.
"I'll be checking on you later. Play fair, treat her with kindness, and she'll be fine." He tells me, and it seems like he wants to hug me goodbye but he doesn't. He just straightens himself, and leaves right as soon as the doors open. For fuck sake I'm screwed. As soon as the elevator doors open I walk into the office space, and move straight towards my desk. I look through the glass that separates me from Candice, but she's got her eyes focused on her laptop, and I'm shocked she's actually doing something besides harassing everyone in the office. I sit down and sigh, opening up my own laptop to see her itinerary for today.
"Don't bother looking at it." I turn to see her walking out of her office, and crossing her arms over her chest.
"I am so sorry Candice, I-"
"Uh! Don't even bother to make any excuses because I don't want to hear them. You're late. You are bad at your job, and now you're late." She speaks like a child who just learned how to, but I don't have anything I can say. I just sit silently, and she stares down. "Stand up.." She insists, and I do. "What in god's name are you wearing?" She asks, and scoffs. "Please don't tell me you made it?" She asks, and I shake my head.
"Not this time no.. It's mine." I tell her, and she shakes her head.
"You're telling me you willingly purchased things this oversized? First thing you can't write, or design to save your life. Second thing ,you come in late at least once a month. Third, you still, after all this time of seeing me, and working with me, don't know how to dress." She insults me over and over again, and I stare at her, wishing I could say something.
"I'm sorry my outfit isn't up to your standard. Can you tell me what exactly would be up to your standard?" I ask her, and she stares at me, basically glaring in my face. "Is it the fact that I wore it? That's why it's not okay?" I ask her, and she grows angrier and angrier with every word I speak.
"I've worked with countless interns, and all of them have been far more pleasant and talented than you are, and even they haven't made it in this world. If you think for one second you'll be anything once you leave here, just know that I will be sure that doesn't happen." She starts to turn, and I try to hold it but I can't.
"Doesn't that say more about you?" I ask her, and watch as she stops.
"Excuse me?" She asks, and turns back around, standing in front of me.. Well there's no turning back now.
"I said... Doesn't that say more about you... That someone as polished and well known as you can't even train an intern correctly. How is it any of our faults that we can't make it when it's your job to help us?" I ask her, and feel a sting and hear the smack before I realize what just happened. I know, and by the look on her face she knows how much she just fucked up... She knows how out of line that was, and I refuse to stand by and pretend like it didn't happen.
"Know your place Skyler." She speaks just above a whisper before walking back and into her office, and I look at my desk, and then the elevator, debating on what to do next. I can't sit here, I cannot work under her and pretend she didn't just assault me in my work space, like she verbally does every single day. I need this job, I need the money.. I need this on my resume, but I need to do it the right way, and this can't be it. I pick up my things, and walk away with tears in my eyes, mostly from the burn on my cheek. She might be a bitch, but she has bony fucking hands.
I hear her voice calling after me but I decide to tone it out completely as I turn the corner, and press the down button on the elevator. I don't have enough money for an uber right now, and I sure as hell don't want to call Sierra and explain what happened. I don't want to tell Harry either but I feel like right now I have to. He's going to go up there, and check on me later, and what is he going to say when I'm not there? I get inside, and press his floor, knowing damn well I just left sketchbooks of designs, and half of my personal things in that desk.. No turning back now. Once I'm to his floor, and out of his elevator, I take the first right, moving straight towards his desk. He's up within seconds of seeing me, and his hands are on my face.
"What happened... Scarlett, your face is burning hot." I flinch as his hand moves over where she slapped me and once my eyes are open I notice Birdie standing with me too.
"I think I just quit my internship.." I tell both of them.
"Tell me what happened right now." He speaks, still holding my face. He's not looking into my eyes, but looking over my entire face, checking for any other marks besides my cheek.
"It wasn't really anything I'm just fed up with-"
"Your cheek is bleeding, so you either tell me why or I'll pull the footage from the cameras which I feel like I might do anyway." He speaks calmly, and I sigh, going back over the events of the past twenty minutes which has been all the time I've even been in the office today.
"Basically I felt like I couldn't work under her anymore, especially after that so I just left... She yelled after me but-"
"Scarlett, please follow me." Harry speaks, and I watch him as he picks up his suit jacket.
"Why? Where are you going?" I ask.
"We, are going back upstairs so you can get your things." He tells me, and I'm surprised at how calm he looks and sounds right now. It's a facade though, I know that inside if I could see, it would be raging. He's good at covering this kind of stuff up, mostly because I've told him he's scary when he's mad.
"Just go Scarlett.. Get your things, and let him deal with this." Birdie sides with Harry, and I nod, standing up and following behind him. He would have gone up here with or without me. I stand beside him awkwardly, like a lost puppy dog, and I can basically feel him fume beside me.
"I'm sorry." He tells me, breaking the silence.
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything?" I ask him.
"Yeah, but I'm about to." He speaks in a low tone as the elevator door opens, and I panic for only a second, but realize wholeheartedly there's nothing I can do right now. I am powerless here. He walks with purpose in front of me, and I stand behind him, walking at the same pace. I can see her face as she sees him approach, she looks confused, and once she sees me it finally sets in what's about to happen. I follow him, and he doesn't knock, he walks straight into her office, and I do the same, following the two of them.
"Mr. Styles.. Scarlett." She nods her head, acknowledging us, and finally using the right name.
"I would treat you with respect right now, but seeing as you lack respect in every area unless I'm present I don't think that's possible for me. Scarlett, please go collect your things. I need to speak with Candice for a few moments." He speaks calmly still, and I don't argue, I turn, and reach for the office door once more.
"Why would she collect her things? She is my intern, she needs me." Candice speaks, and I freeze.
"She is collecting her things because the only thing Scarlett needs and ever will need is free reign from someone as immoral as you. She doesn't need you Candice, in fact no one here within this entire building needs you." He speaks and I stay frozen where I am still, kind of enjoying this. "Scarlett, please step out." He speaks over his shoulder, and I go, leaving the glass office, and going to my shitty desk in front of it. I start packing my things away, and hear certain shouts behind me. I turn over my shoulder, taking a quick peek and I can see him pacing as he speaks, and I see Candice, completely mortified at her desk. He's livid right now, and I watch as he presses his hands to her desk, leaning over the front of it.. I don't think I've ever seen him this upset about anything at all... He turns towards the door, and I turn back around too.
"Don't contact her, do not contact me. If I hear a thing from you, you're done." I hear his voice behind me, and I grab the last of my things, feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety gather in my chest, covering me like a scratchy blanket.. What does this mean for me? It means I'm fucking done... I walk behind him quickly, feeling like I just got fired, not like I just quit, and this should be a good thing. I should be jumping for joy, but I'm not. I feel like I want to throw up. Harry walks in the elevator, and I follow, and neither of us speak. I stand quietly, feeling my body sweat, and shake, and feeling like I can't move. We walk out onto his floor once more, and he walks around his desk.
"Birdie, I'm sorry to leave early again, but you're more than welcome to join the two of us for an out of office day. I'm done with this place right now, and I don't feel like seeing its walls." He speaks forward as she stands behind him.
"Where are you two going? Scarlett, are you okay?" She asks me, and I don't even try to speak, I know I can't right now.
"We're going back to my place." He tells her.
"I'll be alright here... I have some photos to edit, and go through, but I-"
"Alright then, come here." He tells her. She stands up, and he hugs her, and I feel like crying as I watch their relationship. Why was mine the way it was and not like this? Why? Because no one is like him. "I'll call you later tonight to make sure everything is okay. As always if you need me please reach out.." He tells her, and she nods. " I appreciate you, and everything you do here, please remember that." He tells her quickly, and grabs his things.
"Thank you.. Call me later, okay Scar?" She asks, and all I can do is nod. I follow Harry again, and before I can realize it we're back in his car. I'm not sure how I got here. I don't remember getting back in the elevator, or walking to it, or to his car. I must have been thinking too hard.. Focused on everything else.. I don't understand why this shit keeps happening to me. I don't understand why something can't go right for once. He drives with the same force he did this morning, and for some reason it feels worse, but I barely react. I should focus on anything else, but all I can think about is how fucked I am.. I know I have a place to live, but this isn't forever... and I have a degree, but.. I guess I can work in retail for shitty pay, but-
"Scarlett." I snap my head to Harry who is sitting in the driver's side.
"I'm.. I'm sorry I was just-"
"Panicking.. I know, let's go upstairs, and calm you down okay?" He asks, and he's more calm now than he was ten minutes ago. He reaches forward, and takes the things out of my hands. He gets out of the car smoothly, and walks towards the elevator once more. I watch him in front of me, and wonder how he can go from stern, and angry to calm so quickly. Part of me wonders if he's faking it, but the other part of me remembers how he used to be and knows he's truly one of the most level headed people I've ever met. I can't say the same for myself. I can't keep my mind straight, and normally I can't keep my mouth shut.. That is unless I feel like I do right now.. Unless it feels like the weight of the world is crushing me, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.
Sierra is dying.
We have no money.
I lost my job.
I can't trust my best friend.
I'm fucking failing.
I feel my chest pick up slowly, and then quickly, and I feel like I can't breathe. Anxiety attack, far different than a panic attack. Anxiety attacks aren't as bad for me, but all in all I wish for anything else. I wish this wasn't a circumstance of everything that's happened to me.
"Scarlett, it's going to be okay.." Harry speaks as he looks next to him, right at me. I walk forward into his apartment, and drop my things on the floor in front of me.
"How is it going to be okay Harry? How is this okay? This is the only thing that was barely keeping me afloat, this was the only thing that motivated me somewhat, this is the only thing that-"
"Listen to yourself, actually listen.." He tells me, walking around me calmly. He sits down on the couch in front of me, and pulls me towards him with my hand. He looks up at me, really looks at me as I stand above him, and he keeps hold of my hand.
"I am listening to myself, this is the worst thing that could have happened, and the last thing I wanted to happen. I hated her, of course I did, but I needed this for my future, and Sierra's future too. We can't live off of someone else for the rest of our lives, and I need my parents to see us, to see what they gave up on, to.. To... To.." My words start to fizzle out, and I realize he's still holding my hand. I take it away, and wipe off the sweat that's gathered now. All I do is pace, right in front of him, back and forth, and back and forth.
"Can I say something without you interrupting?" He asks, and I wave him on, knowing he's going to say it anyways.
"I've hurt you once in your life, only once, and it was a big deal, but I've done everything in my power to make it up to you darling... She's hurt you countless times, diminished your worth, insulted you, assaulted you, and treated you like dirt, yet you still want her... Treat her with the same respect please? Hold her as accountable as you hold me.. You're worth far more than me, and you know that. You are worth far more than that woman and you need to know that.." He tells me, and I shake my head.
"That's the thing, in this world I'm not worth more than her. I'm the dirt on the bottom of her shoe, and without hereI have nothing Harry, this is nothing for me. You're calm, you can handle things like this, I can't handle things like this. This isn't... I wasn't prepared for this today, if I hadn't been late I-"
"You would have continued to let someone abuse their power and walk all over you when they have no right to. You don't need her." He tells me, and I'm speechless. He stands, and sits me down. "I wish more than anything in the world you would understand how much you take yourself for granted Scarlett, you always have, and I will make sure that you don't always do this because you don't deserve it. I'm going to go upstairs, and run you a bath. I'm going to call Sierra, and pick her up so she can stay with you tonight." He tells me.
"Why don't I just go back to my place then?" I ask him.
"Because the only reason you have from here moving forward to go back to that apartment is to pack your things, same for her." He explains, taking his phone out of his pocket.
"You said the guest rooms weren't-"
"I finished them both after that day in hopes you'd be here more often. Stop arguing, turn on the TV, just relax please." He puts the phone to his ear, and his hand on his hip as he disappears upstairs, and he's a control freak. That's part of this, but another part of it is the fact that the care he already had for me has now amplified over the past two years. I didn't want to believe that he had actually thought about me or actually cared when he was gone. I told myself he didn't but I was lying...
The only thing left is letting go of that.. Letting go of what happened with my parents. Letting go of the blame I hold on him for things he didn't even do.. Letting go of the harsh way I react to everyone and everything.. I need to take every bit of it off, and just exist here, and let it happen the way it's supposed to... Wednesday's were his days, but now it seems like every day will be his day.. He always did like to be the center of attention..
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A/N: ARE YOU READY FOR THE MOVE IN CHAPTER BC I CABNOT WAIT TO WRITE IT EEEK!!!
Also, this is a double update!! Please read the next chapter too(: