Jailen
We were running late.
Harry didn't seem to mind as he slowly walked around the room, gathering the things he needed for the night. We were supposed to leave thirty minutes ago and he still wasn't fully dressed.
I fidgeted with my ponytail for the third time as I stared at my reflection. I was nervous. I felt nauseous. And we were late. I hated being late. And considering what Anne had said earlier about Harry's father, I was seconds away from fainting.
Harry walked into the bathroom again and stood behind me. He smiled but before he could talk, I spoke.
"Is there protocol tonight?" I asked quietly.
"Protocol for what, sweetie?" He asked and shrugged on his jacket over his tank top.
"Uh," I rolled my lips to spread my lipgloss, "for the arrangement?"
He paused and I inhaled a shaky breath. Why was I so nervous?
"No kissing, cuddling, shit like that," he tore his eyes away from mine in the mirror and fixed his cufflinks, "Be pretty, sweetie. That isn't too hard for you, obviously. No talking about... this. Whatever you read in the contract."
I nodded and ignored the feeling settling in my stomach. The bathroom fell quiet and I could feel Harry's gaze lingering on me. I grabbed my phone off of the counter and walked out of the bathroom. It took him a few seconds to follow, but when he did, so did the tension.
"Ready?" I asked, avoiding eye contact with him as I pulled my travel size perfume from my purse and sprayed myself.
He didn't seem too excited about going to this event, not like he did earlier when he was around his mom. Granted she didn't give him the opportunity to say much, it was just weird now. His energy felt off.
He put something in his jacket pocket and nodded, walking right by me and out of the room. I frowned as I watched him disappear out into the hallway but decided not to take it personal as I followed after him. He was downstairs before I even got out of the room and by the time I made it to the top of the stairs, he was walking out of the front door.
I bought, well Harry bought, a pair of heels to match the dress and at the shop, they felt great. I fell in love with them immediately. But now that they were echoing against the floors of Harry's house, I hated them. They hurt.
I closed the door behind me and walked down the stone stairs. There was a different car out front. I couldn't name the brand even if I tried to, but the doors opened backwards and that was enough to make me realize I'd never be able to afford this shit; even with Harry paying for anything.
"Miss. Saldana," Jonah nodded to me as I approached the car.
"Hi, Jonah," I smiled, "How are you today?"
"Pretty well, and yourself? Doesn't seem like he's in a good mood." He referred to Harry with a disapproving grunt.
I shrugged, "I'm fine. I'm not sure what's his problem."
"Don't feel so bad, I've known the little bastard since he was a baby and I still can't seem to figure out his problem."
I chuckled and Jonah cracked a smile.
"Are you gonna stand out there and fucking talk all night or are we gonna hit the road? We're already late!" Harry yelled from inside of the car.
I was taken aback by his tone but Jonah simply rolled his eyes. I offered a sympathetic grin and got into the car. The door closed and I held my breath until Jonah rolled up the partition. Then I spoke.
"What's your problem tonight?" I asked quietly, pulling out my phone and scrolling aimlessly.
He didn't answer right away and for a moment, I thought he was just ignoring me.
"I don't have a problem, Jailen. I don't fucking get why you two were dragging your ass," He said with a shrug and reached into his pocket as the car began to move.
I furrowed my eyebrows, "We were talking for two minutes. Two minutes that you didn't seem to give a damn about when you were taking your time in the house." I didn't like his attitude, I didn't like the way he was speaking to Jonah, to me, "We were supposed to leave thirty minutes ago, relax."
He glanced at me briefly and scoffed, "I don't need you to tell me to relax, sweetie. Only thing I need you to do is what I paid you to do. Be quiet and look pretty."
"Wow," I chuckled in disbelief as he brought whatever he pulled out of his pocket up to his mouth, "Okay."
I was ready for this night to be over and it had barely begun. Smoke filled the car and it didn't take me long to realize that he wasn't smoking a cigarette. I turned to look at him as he lifted the joint to his lips and inhaled. His body relaxed into the seat but his face remained twisted in irritation.
"You said you smoked?" Harry asked, rollling the window down and ashing the joint.
I didn't say anything. I didn't want to talk to him right now. I pressed myself further against the door and he sighed, "You're gonna act like a baby the rest of the night?" When I didn't respond, he continued, "Here."
I hesitated, watching as he rested his arm on my lap and waited for me to take the joint. It had been a while since the last time I'd gotten high. I did it a lot with my brother and considering I haven't seen him in a year, I haven't had a reason to get high. Until now, I guess. If I wanted to survive this night, I needed something.
I grabbed it from his fingers and bought it up to my mouth. I inhaled slowly, trying not to choke and embarrass myself. The smoke coated my tongue and I handed it back to him before exhaling.
"Good girl," He said as he grinned, eyeing the lipgloss at the end of the joint and then bringing it back up to his lips.
I declined with a shake of my head when he offered it to me again. I just needed a little to focus. The last thing I wanted was to be a ditz in front of people I didn't know. The car ride was quiet. I had nothing to say to him, I was following his orders. Be quiet and look pretty.
He didn't seem to mind as he finished off the joint. He unclipped his glasses from the front of his shirt and put them on before he grabbed a piece of gum and put it in his mouth. I didn't even see him put all this shit in his pockets.
I looked out the window, my hands clenching and unclenching in my lap as the car slowed. I saw the flashing lights and the many people holding cameras behind the red velvet ropes. I heard the chattering, the yelling of them trying to get the celebrities' attention. When I worked here, we were instructed to go through the back of the plaza just to avoid bumping into any celebrities. We'd be fired if we didn't.
Time seemed to slow and I heard Jonah's door open. Harry opened his own door and with one lingering look in my direction, he stepped out. I heard the cheers and I frowned. He was obviously well known, how come I hadn't heard of him? Sure I wasn't on social media much, but I would've seen something, right? Maybe I did and just simply forgot... after all, I didn't have a reason to invest my time into the life of a celebrity who didn't know I existed. Until now.
My door opened and I sucked in a sharp breath. I was a little higher than I wanted to be due to the secondhand smoke I inhaled from Harry and I closed my eyes. Relax. Just relax.
My ears were starting to ring and my heartbeat picked up. You've gotta be fucking kidding me right now. More cameras flashed in the direction of the car and with the door being opened, they were hitting me directly. I turned my head away and pursed my lips as I fisted the fabric of the dress and sighed. Just get out of the car, Jailen. Don't embarrass Harry. Just go. I repeated to myself multiple times as tears filled my waterline.
"Miss. Saldana," Jonah called out to me but he sounded so far away.
"I'm fine," I tried to assure him but I wasn't even sure he heard me. My hands shook and I felt lightheaded. My veins felt like they were going to explode and I couldn't breathe. My throat was tight and just when I felt like I was going to faint, I heard him.
"Look at me, sweetie," Harry's voice whispered to me and I tried to inhale a shaky breath. His hand was on my thigh and he squeezed, "Hey,"
I opened my eyes and turned my head towards him. He was on my side of the car, kneeling as he stared up at me with furrowed eyebrows. I frowned and shook my head, "I'm sorry."
"Don't fucking apologize. Are you alright?" He leaned closer and his scent invaded me. The familiar cologne, the weed, the gum... I nodded as best as I could. He took his hand off of my thigh and reached up to my face. His thumb brushed away a stray tear and he licked his lips, "You sure? Talk to me, sweetie."
I opened my mouth to talk and it was only then that I realized that I could breathe again. I leaned into his touch without thinking and his lips twitched as I did, "I'm fine. I'm okay. We can go."
"Yeah? You sure?" He asked again.
"I'm sure, I promise."
He grinned, "That's my girl," He stood up and adjusted his pants before he held his hand out, "Miss. Saldana," He mimicked Jonah and I couldn't help but chuckle.
I raised a shaky hand and grabbed ahold of his before I stepped out. He stepped back, giving me room and when the air hit me, I inhaled sharply. I looked up at Harry, blushing when he walked closer to me so that I had no choice but to move.
His other hand grabbed my hip as he walked me backward, "Smile, pretty girl," he whispered before he raised my hand and spun me until my back was against his chest. The cameras flashed rapidly and Harry squeezed my hip, my hand still in his as he dropped it back down.
I cleared my throat and squared my shoulders, fully aware that Harry was breaking yet another rule as he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on my shoulder.
And I smiled.