~ There is a special type of joy that looms over the air during the holidays. The kind that has strangers passing each other with smiles on their faces. The kind that has people giving out of the kindness of their hearts instead of expecting something in return.
But sometimes... these joyous times bring out the worst in people. The ones who see all the good around them and make them more miserable than ever before. Whether it's the jealousy they have clawing its way out, or the incredible sadness that they had been masking finally becoming too strong to bury inside.
Enter Harry Styles.
CEO of Styles Enterprise. They are the biggest fashion empire in the country with the finest employees money can buy. But with such power comes terrible responsibility, with that responsibility comes incredible burden.
It was no surprise that the man is the way he is. With an upbringing of two power tycoons like his parents there wasn't a shock that Harry was cold, ruthless, and manipulative. He got what he wanted when he wanted it... no matter who he hurt in the process.
His jade green eyes could kill and his deep, powerful voice commands every room he walks into without even trying. His strong build never seems to fit right in his clothes, his biceps practically ripping through the material of his hundred dollar dress shirt and jacket at any given moment. He is the type of person who makes heads turn, who gets people talking without needing to even say a word.
They say his heart is made of stone and maybe it's true. But come on, everyone knows what breaks only the coldest of hearts... or maybe I should say who.
Forgive me, for I am getting ahead of myself. Perhaps in order to tell this story, I need to go back a little.
Just before Christmas to be exact. For that, my dear beautiful angels, is where our story begins. ~
*****
Harry Styles
"Move," I said as I pushed through the crowded streets of the city. "Oh Jesus christ, get the fuck out of my way!"
My blood began to run cold at the mindless imbeciles standing before me at the entrance to the building. My building to be exact. A place where nobody should be unless they have a reason for being there.
"What on earth are you looking at?" I snapped, finally making my way through the crowd as I saw the mayhem they were looking at.
My jaw clenched and my hand tightened in a fist as I saw Richard, my window washer, hanging lights on the windowsills. I could practically see the smudging of my usually spotless glass from where I was standing. I turned in the small heel of my dress shoes and stormed my way into the building, slamming my badge onto the scanner and allowing the gate to let me pass.
I don't even bother waiting for the elevator, with all of the red anger flooding my veins I make it up the five flights of stairs in no time at all. I see the slightly parted window along with Richard's cord attached and quickly make my way over to it. I grab him by the sleeve and drag him back the same way he left. I could tell my presence surprised him, his eyes practically came shooting out of his head before he let out a sigh of relief.
"You scared me," he exhaled deeply, chuckling a bit as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Something wrong boss?"
He had to have been joking, there was no way the man who has worked for me for over ten years would think this scenario is okay in the slightest.
"Richard," I said slowly, closing my eyes for a moment before I asked. "Mind telling me what the hell you're doing right now?"
He was hesitant, his eyes quickly scanned over my body as they shifted from one eye to the next.
"I-uh-" he stuttered. "Sloane told me to put them up."
I had never felt such a quick, intense burning sensation in my body then at that very moment her name left his mouth. It was as if I was shocked completely out of words because I stood there as my blood ran hot through my body.
"She did," I breathed. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to calm my breathing as I quickly turned on my heels. I began to pace back and forth, trying with everything inside of me to calm down before I spoke again. "That is my mistake Richard, I hadn't realized that her name was on the damn building!"
~ Hello again, I feel as though I should jump in here.
You see when you look at the facts you can't really blame Mr. Styles for his reaction. He had owned the company now for almost three years, and in all of those years... they had never decorated once. While that story isn't mine to tell, it is important to note that Harry's relationship with the holiday season is one that is quite tragic. While I won't excuse his behavior – because lord knows this is not the way to speak to people – I urge you to remember that there is always more to the story than what meets the eye. And between you and me, I think everyone at the company knew that considering they had all known Styles since he was just a little boy.
And they all knew better than to test him around this time of year... well... all but one. ~
"And if I'm remembering correctly that isn't your name on the building either, that is unless your name is Christopher Styles. But it's not, is it Harold?"
Her hair was slicked back into a ponytail, the brown curls straightened to fall effortlessly down her back as her ruby red lips held back a smirk. Her dress was tight, black that hit right above her knee and red heels making her legs look long and muscular.
And my blood boiled simply by looking at her.
"Red isn't a good color on you honey," she mocked, slowly walking closer to me as she dragged her finger on the desk beside her. "You need to relax, tough guy, they're lights."
"Don't tell me what to do," I spat, range filling inside of me as she held her lips tighter together to try to keep from smiling.
She just loved to fucking irritate me.
"It's fine," Richard said quickly, knowing that Sloane and I cannot be in the same room without starting a fight. "Honest, I'll just take them down."
"Don't let him intimidate you Rick," Sloane said softly, dropping any ounce of aggravation as she met him with kind eyes. "They look lovely."
"Really Sloane, it's fine."
She turned to look at me, her eyes narrowing with anger as she shook her head. She turned back at Richard once more before shoving past me, knocking my shoulder purposely with hers, with a scoff leaving her lips as she rushed out of the room and into her office.
"Take them down," was all I said before following her.
Sloane started working at the company three years ago before my father passed away. He was struggling pretty badly and decided the best thing for the company was a merger. One that included the biggest name in fashion to team up with the fastest growing couture magazine in New York that had been wanting to collaborate with him for years. It was always a dream of my mother's to work hand in hand with a magazine, but I'm sure that dream would've turned into a nightmare if she knew that Sloane Jackson was editor and chief of said magazine.
She is a spoiled, selfish, entitled brat that believes the world revolves around her.
I stalked into her office, my eyes sharp as I stared at her sitting at her desk. Her feet crossed, hair thrown over her shoulder as she read what I assumed to be her emails.
I went to open my mouth to speak when I'm cut off by the sound of her voice, "I will never understand why you think having your employees afraid of you is the only way to gain their respect."
"AndI will never understand why you think your opinion matters to me."
"Cute," she quipped with a straight face. "They're lights Harry, why are you acting like I put up a campaign for a porno?"
"Don't speak to me that way. I am your superior, Sloane—"
She stood quickly, cutting me off as she walked towards me. "That's the thing," she snapped. "You're not my superior. You are actually the furthest thing from my superior... you are my equal. I'm done with being treated as your personal doormat thinking you can say and do whatever you want to me without any repercussions. I'm done playing your games, Harry. So if you want to fight fire with fire, get ready to go up in flames."
She was inches away from me, her eyes growing darker with each step she took. Her chin was tilted up, allowing our eyes to meet with venom as we looked at one another with pure hatred.
"You know if I had it my way... you would have never walked the face of this earth. Let alone be my equal, Sloane."
Her name sliced through the air as I turned on the heels of my feet and walked out of her office with anger boiling inside me. When I made it to the door to my office, I turned to look back in her office only to find her back at her desk.
Only to find her with her eyes glossy, along with any ounce of confidence she had just moments ago completely vanished.
*****
~ That day had passed just like any other. Harry and Sloane going about their lives without so much as an eye roll between the two of them. Harry was confused, usually it was a constant back and forth between them. Someone always had something to say... and usually it was Sloane that would start the fights.
I won't lie to you, she loved instigating Harry. It was almost as if she saw it as a talent, being able to piss him off with just a simple twirl of her hair. It made her feel powerful, that he had felt so threatened by her presence that anything she could do would set him spiraling. She knew what she was doing when she told Richard to hang the Christmas lights up, but it was something about his reaction that hurt her.
He could tell her until the day's end that she wasn't talented, or that the company would be better off without her because she knew that wasn't true.
But you see our little Sloane wasn't always this way.
When she was just a young girl she was always told that she wasn't enough. That the world would be better off without her. In fact, only one person in the entire world ever made her feel like she was important, that she mattered.
Growing up in the foster care system took its toll on her from the time she was 4 until 16 when she finally emancipated herself and was thrown into the world all on her own. For the first year of her new freedom she lived out of her car until she finally saved up money to live on her own. She worked as hard as she could in her studies so she could go anywhere in the world and be whoever she wanted to be.
While she ended up staying in the city, she was happy because she got accepted to the school of her dreams on a full scholarship. Her first year she had gotten a job at a small magazine that had just launched as an intern, throughout the next five years of her life she grew with the company. Promotion after promotion she made it all the way to the top, only for the magazine to merge with Styles Enterprise.
It made sense, the fastest growing women's magazine to come together and work exclusively with one of the largest fashion companies in the country. She understood, she really did... but what she didn't understand was the fact that she and Harry had to work hand in hand on almost everything.
While they both hated to admit it, they made each other better. They pushed each other to be the best and constantly tried to be better than the other. The company grew almost double once their businesses merged together. They were a powerhouse... unstoppable.
But they completely and utterly hated each other... or did they? ~
*****
Sloane Jackson
"Fuck him," I huffed as I threw my body on to the couch, cradling my bottle of wine. "Who the fuck does he think he is?"
I'd been mumbling to myself all day, hating the way Harry always seemed to get under my skin. He was simply a dick. No other way around it other than calling him a jackass if I feel the need to add dramatic effect.
I unscrewed the bottle of wine, not even bothering to pour it into a glass as I chugged straight from the bottle. The cheap wine burned perfectly, reminding me of my college days when I lived off of five dollar Barefoot like it was my job.
Even now that I can afford the nice wine — the kind that people would awe if they walked passed it in a wine cooler — there is something so beautiful about slipping into a pair of pajama pants, fuzzy socks, an oversized sweatshirt with a face mask on drowning your sorrows away with a cheap bottle of wine. It's very therapeutic.
But the deeper I got into the bottle and the further I got into "The Devil Wears Prada" the angrier I got at none other than Harry Edward Styles.
No matter how hard I tried to not allow his evil words and painful remarks hurt, they always seemed to cut me the deepest when I least expected it.
But what he said today crossed the line. I don't care how much you hate someone, how much you despise every part of their being... you never say that to someone.
One second I was on top of the world —feeling like I was finally putting him in his place — the next it was as if I was a little girl again, hearing every day that I am never enough and was simply a waste of space.
My anger had gotten the better of me, or more so should I say my wine. Because as the final scene of my movie ended, I jumped up from my couch, tears burning in my eyes as I held the bottle to my lips and announced what I wished I found the courage to say to him nine hours ago.
"I wish that Harry Styles was no one in the world, a powerless fool left to fend for himself."
~As you wish my poor, beautiful Sloane.~
*****
I woke up that morning with a pounding headache. My hair was flying everywhere as I stared at the clock on my bedside table. And of fucking course... I was late.
I ran as fast as I could down the spiral stairs of my small loft. Practically jumping down and skipping the last steps as I leaped around my apartment desperately trying to find some clean clothes to throw on. My eyes strained from the light, head feeling as though I was being hit with a hammer constantly.
I managed to get my teeth brushed, half my hair pulled back in a clip with a small twist, an old pair of dress pants with the nicest shirt I could find along with my pumps from yesterday.
I looked like a mess... but a hot mess.
The office from my loft is only about a ten minute walk, so I quickly went out the door without a second thought and hoped that my day was even just the slightest bit better than the day before.
My cheeks were rosy as I got to the front of the building. My hands buried safely in my pockets as I sighed deeply. But that was when something else caught my eye. All along the roof of the building and down the side of the windows were the Christmas lights that Harry demanded were taken down the day before. Not only that, there were decorations all along the inside of the office. I could see them through the windows, big ornaments and a large tree in the middle of the office. Red, green and gold scattered around the office with greenery wrapped around the pools of the stairs.
My eyes widened with surprise as I cocked my head up, taking in the view that yesterday would've sent Harry to his grave. A small smile formed on my face as I wondered if he had seen it yet.
We must have gotten there at the same time because I could see Harry standing behind the revolving door, shaking his head forcefully as the poor security guard, William, stared at him in confusion. I rolled my eyes as I ventured through, only hearing the back half of Harry's rant.
"You're an idiot," he badgered, slamming his hand down onto the badge scanner in front of him.
I laughed as I pushed through the doors... I guess he wasn't a fan of the decorations then.
Harry must have heard me because as soon as the small laugh left my lips he whipped his head around, his eyes narrowing with anger as he gave me an accusing look.
"I get it now," he said as he looked back at the security guard. "She put you up to this."
The poor man still had no idea what was going on so he turned to me with confusion, almost as if he was begging me to get him out of this.
"As much as I would've loved to have been the one behind all this," I said as I motioned my hand to the decor. "I unfortunately cannot take credit for this."
"I don't care about this," Harry snapped, catching me off guard as he pointed at William. "While I applaud your extremes you went to. From removing the sign to our office, to making my badge not work and making the guard play dumb, but I have too much work to do. Tell him that the joke is over and let me up to my office now."
To say I was shocked was a complete understatement, I had no idea what he was talking about. William knows Harry, he had seen him every single day for at least three years. Why wouldn't he let him in his office?
"I've already told you Mr..." William said, looking at me once more before Harry slammed his hand back down.
"Styles!"
"Right Styles. But I've already told you, there is no one at this company by that name."
My jaw dropped, my palms began to sweat, and my knees had left weak. What the fuck was going on?
~It's always sad when a person doesn't see themselves the way that we do. When we wish with our entire heart that they could see just how amazing they truly are. That was what it felt like being around Sloane. She always had such a kind and giving heart, but she never could see past the hateful words she had heard growing up.
I for one love a good underdog story, and that is exactly what Sloane was. So I couldn't not help her after hearing her wish, especially not one as perfect as that~
****
I was sitting at my desk while Harry paced around the room. He was mumbling to himself, shaking his head as I desperately tried to stay calm.
We had been up there for hours, asking everyone we knew stupid questions like who the CEO was or what did the S stood for in S. Enterprise it wasn't Styles. It's safe to say that Harry wasn't pleased when he found out the answer to both of those questions were the same... me.
"So where were you when you woke up this morning?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around all that was going on.
"I don't remember," he whispered, stopping all of his movements entirely. "The first thing I remember is walking outside of my apartment building and getting coffee."
"Did they remember you there? At the coffee shop?"
He shook his head, "I thought it was weird when the barista asked for my name... she never does. She didn't know my order this morning either."
"Okay," I said slowly, nodding my head as if I had any idea what the hell was going on.
Just as I was about to ask him about his badge, my assistant walked in with a cup of coffee along with any mail that was there for me. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Harry in my office, her eyes scanned him quickly as she did a double take. She mounted a small "oh my god" to me before putting the coffee and mail down onto my desk.
She hurried out of my office, practically running back to her desk as I heard her nails type vigorously along the keyboard. When the whoosh came through my computer I knew it had to be her emailing me. My expression must've given away that something was wrong because suddenly Harry was at my side, reading over my shoulder.
"OH MY GOD Sloane, who is that beautiful man? And what is he doing in your office?"
"No," Harry said harshly, towering over my body as he read the email over and over again. "She works for me, how does she not know who I am?"
"Abigail works for me Harry," I quipped, the patience and sympathy I was trying to have vanishing by the second. "And it's rude to read other people's emails."
Just as the words left my lips, I looked down at the mail that Abigail bought to me. I wouldn't have thought anything of it, until I noticed a red envelope sticking out. I'm not sure what made me grab it, but all that was on the front was my name. No return address, no sender, nothing. Just a red envelope with my name written in cursive.
I opened it carefully, my nerves getting the best of me as I pulled out a small card stock folded in two. There was nothing written on the front, but when I opened the cars my heart almost fell out of my ass.
"Now he's simply a powerless fool left to fend for himself."
"No," I whispered, my hands shaking as I read the eleven words over and over again.
Harry grabbed the note from my hands quickly, not even giving me time to react as he read the note aloud. "What the hell does this mean," he asked, looking at me with anger as I shrugged my shoulders. "Clearly you do or else you wouldn't have reacted like this. So tell me Sloane, what the hell did you do?"
"I don't know, okay!" I shouted, standing up as quickly as I could to grab the note back from him. "I have no idea what I did, it was just a stupid wish I made over a bottle of wine. These things don't come true, a stupid dumb wish you make when your drunk aren't supposed to become true in the morning."
"Well fix it!" He yelled.
"Don't yell at me," I said as I matched his voice. "I can't think with you breathing down my neck like this!"
I grabbed my coat off of the rack and wrapped it around me quickly, "I'll figure this out, Harry. I promise."
I sent a message to Abigail to cancel the rest of my day. We already had Monday and Tuesday off — given the fact that the holidays fell on a Monday this year — so I had a few days to get this all figured out. To make sure that whatever the fuck I did was able to be undone... and sooner rather than later.
*****
I kept my word. I spent the rest of that day searching on the internet for anything that could help me out. Granted, most of the time when I finally thought I might have found an answer, the site I clicked on would open a link to some weird, creepy porn and I would have to start my search completely from the beginning.
Some people had an explanation that I had somehow entered into a butterfly effect reality where one minor action I did caused a whole chain of events to spark. I was going to run it off as that, then just go to sleep because I was certain I was dreaming. That this was all just some sick weird dream I had conjured up in my head.
By the time I finally had an answer that I seemed to be okay with... there was a knock at my apartment door.
I should have known it was Harry, he was the only person that could really come to mind when I thought about who would be aggressively banging on my door at 9pm on a Friday night.
"Hi," I said, but it came out like a question as he pushed his way through the doorway as I sarcastically muttered. "Please, do come in."
He shrugged his coat off and placed it on the island beside him as he looked around my apartment. His eyes fluttered around in complete disbelief and he turned to look at me. "I uh-" he said at a loss for words. "I was not expecting this at all."
I followed his eyes around the room, understanding what he meant. I was not naïve to the fact that I had a lot of money. I was lucky enough to have found a career that I love and am passionate about, that has also allowed me to live a very lavish lifestyle if I wanted to. But that wasn't me.
I was never the girl with a big house, the best clothes, or even a good pair of tennis shoes. I was the one who was always just happy when I had what I needed. And at the moment all I needed was my beautiful one bedroom loft with the most comfortable couch, my bookshelf with all of my favorite books piled around any space that they could fit, and my bed. Really, all I need is my bed.
But I was happy. So unbelievably happy because I worked hard to get to this place. I worked hard to be able to give to those who are in the same situation I used to be in. I get to be the reason they have heat in the winter, or the reason they have food on the table every night.
So I simply nodded my head as I walked back to the couch with my laptop opened and continued reading what I was hoping to be the answer to all of our problems.
But then suddenly I remembered who was in my apartment, and I carefully looked back to see him still standing there as if he was waiting for direction.
"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked.
He scoffed and he unwrapped the scarf from around his neck, small flakes of snow now melted into water sticking to the material. "I tried to get into my apartment today," he said, narrowing his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But seeing as there is no record of my existence at all I wasn't allowed passed the fucking doorman."
I flinched a little at his words, my teeth pulling at my lower lip as I closed my eyes for a moment. "I'm really sorry about all this, Harry."
"I was hoping you would say that," he quipped before turning around to head back out the door. He appeared moments later with two black garbage bags filled to the brim. He dropped them on the floor with a bang before he said. "These were behind my building, it has a small portion of my clothes. Apparently that's all that is left of my life so I need a place to stay."
"And you want to stay here because...?"
"What do you mean because," he asked as he strolled over to the couch I was sitting on beside me and kicking his feet on the coffee table. "You're the only person this fucking planet who knows me, Sloane. You're my only option."
"Fine," I replied as I turned to the side and kicked my feet onto the couch. "But you have to follow my rules."
He chuckled deeply before bringing his hand to his face and pinching the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger and thumb, "And what are the rules to this shoe box, Sloane."
"Number 1," I continued, choosing to ignore his comment. "You have to be nice—"
He scoffed loudly, shaking his head without turning to look at me as he asked, "Be nice? What are you, Slone? Five?"
"Well it is five degrees outside so you're more than welcome to wait out for this whole thing to pass out there, yeah?" I suggested, waiting for him to respond as he simply rolled his eyes. "Right," I answered, rolling my own eyes as I kicked underneath his knees, causing him to move his feet off my table. "No shoes on the furniture, this is an apartment not a barn."
He flipped me off as he leaned his head back onto the sofa, sinking into the plush material as my eyes softened before I said, "Lastly, you have to keep an open mind."
He opened his eyes slowly and turned to look at me as I pushed my laptop in the space between us. I could see the exhaustion running through him. His eyes looked weak and his movements were slow. He looked like he had been through hell and back.
The longer he read the slower his blinks became, until they stopped all together and his breathing heavied. I took it upon myself to grab an extra large fuzzy blanket from my bed, softly wrapping it around his body as I took the laptop from his hands gently.
I hadn't realized he placed his feet back up onto the coffee table until I almost tripped over them. I rolled my eyes before leaning down to untie his dress shoe.
"Lord help me," I mumbled to myself, trying to lift his leg seamlessly as possible but failing miserably when I smacked his foot on the table.
He opened his eyes slowly before looking at me and a shy smile appeared on his face. Who would've thought this man would have dimples?
~ See how sweet it is when they think they found the answers on their own? Poor Sloane had looked for hours, and I mean hours trying to figure how her stupid, little, drunken wish was the reason as to why the world had no idea who Harry Styles was. Finally enough was enough and I had to give her the answer. Whether or not they listen... that's not up to me. ~
*****
"Do you really believe this is going to work?" Harry huffed as we walked down the city sidewalk.
"At this point is all we have going for us," I shrugged, trying to keep up his pace. "Besides, even if it doesn't work it will be fun. The kids will love to have someone new there this year."
He crossed his arms over his chest as he mumbled out, "But I hate kids."
That morning I was as quiet as I could be while trying to get ready for the day. I made sure to shower the night before so that way I wouldn't wake Harry up with my blow dryer. I made sure to put my headphones in while listening to music, making sure that Taylor Swift blaring through the loft wasn't an option. Unfortunately for me, Harry seemed to be his own personal alarm clock because at 9 am just as I was leaving the bathroom, he was getting ready to walk into it.
His nose was red, a blue beanie on his head with a black hoodie on. He had a pair of white shorts pulled over a pair of leggings with tennis shoes on. His hair was sticking out of his hat, his breath slightly uneven as he jumped back a bit when we both saw each other on the other side.
"Fuck," he said as he placed his hand over his chest. "You scared the hell out of me."
I nodded my head as I exhaled deeply, "Yeah, me too."
His eyes scanned my body as he looked at my outfit. It was nothing too crazy, it was literally a pair of black leggings and a sweater that I found at the thrift store a few years back when I was a freshman in college. It was a simple maroon sweater that reached around mid thigh and I thought it was fine until he looked at me as if I was wearing a trash bag.
"Why are you up," I said as I rolled my eyes, shoving past him as I threw on a pair of boots. "It's Saturday and you can't access the office without me... sleep in for a bit, would ya?"
"I don't like to sleep late," he shrugged as he walked into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him before he called out. "I made coffee if you want some!"
My eyes narrowed in confusion as I walked into the kitchen, surprised to see that he actually made a pot of coffee this morning. Since I was running ahead of schedule, I poured myself a cup along with grabbing the book I was almost finished with and curled up onto the couch. I grabbed the first blanket I saw and wrapped myself in it, a shock spreading through me as the smell of a man's cologne filled my senses.
It caught me off guard until I remembered why it was there and wondered if Harry was able to get any sleep at all last night. The guilt that was running through my body was practically eating me alive, I could not sleep at all. I was up until about 3 am just tossing and turning wondering what the hell we were going to do.
In my research the night before, I found this old legend about the men and women hundreds of years ago believing that a "Christmas Angel" would come and grant a wish to someone who was 'deserving'. But sometimes, they would take the words of those to literal, and end up creating a bigger mess.
They said that a Christmas Carol was a true story, that Dickens accidentally wished for his neighbor to die because he would do everything he could to ruin the happiness of those around him. That it was because of him learning the true meaning of life and kindness, that he was forgiven.Apparently these people believe that Dickens rewrote some of the story to make it into the holiday classic we all know and love... with the meaning still there.
As full of shit as it sounded, it was our only hope.
That's why Harry found himself walking with me through the city streets and to the children's hospital to give them their presents. I've been volunteering at the hospital since I was 16, and ever since I started working... this had been one of my favorite days of the year.
"I promise these kids are just the best," I said as I pulled the door open to the hospital. "I'll show you where you can put the gifts."
*****
Harry Styles
Sloane had the most obnoxious smile on her face as we walked in the hospital, waving at the staff as she maneuvered us through the halls. Her hair was the same as she had it yesterday, with some weird clip holding some of her hair back as the rest fell down her shoulders.
I will say that it was weird seeing her like this. All smiles and in clothes other than a dress shirt, pants or a dress. She seemed to almost glow as she led me to the children's wing along with the huge box of gifts she made me bring.
When I asked her what she was planning on doing if I wasn't with her to carry them she simply shrugged her shoulders and said she would have figured it out. That seemed to be her attitude outside of the office, so carefree.
Everyone greeted her instantly when we walked in, the room almost seemingly lighting up when she said hello. Around ten kids came running at her legs, wrapping themselves around her as she laughed loudly and greeted each one with a smile.
She knew all of their names and seemed so genuinely interested in what they all had to say. She was patient with them, compassionate, and spoke to them as if they were her friend.
"She's never brought a boyfriend before," a voice called from next to me.
I turned around to see a boy around the age of sixteen in a wheelchair. He had a pink beanie on, his nails painted black along with charms edged around the chair.
"Oh I'm not her boyfriend," I said quickly, scoffing slightly at the boy as he smirked.
"Well then it's creepy as hell the way you're looking at her man, it looks like you're about to beat Kade up for the way he's all over her."
He nodded his head to the small boy on Sloane's lap, he had to have been no more than five years old. He was wrapping his hand around her curly hair and playing with it, telling a story a million miles an hour as Sloane sat with a smile so wide on her face I'm surprised her cheeks weren't hurting.
"Shut up," I said, rolling my eyes playfully as I held out my hand to shake his.
It was then I realized I had never introduced myself before, anyone who has ever been in my presence had known me. It was weird, hearing my name come out of my mouth felt almost foreign in this context.
"I'm Harry," I finally said, a smile growing on my face as the boy took my hand in his for a firm handshake.
"Riley," he answered. "So how long have you guys been not dating for?"
"You're a cheeky thing aren't you," I quipped, hiding my smile as he laughed. "I've known her for about three years."
"Weird," Riley said as he looked over at Sloane. "I've known her for almost ten years and she's never mentioned you before."
A part of me wondered if that was true or if he just simply didn't remember. But I didn't have much time to think about it because I was pulled out of my thoughts by Sloane standing in the middle of the room with a wide smile on her face.
"Okay everyone!" She yelled, rocking on the balls of her feet as she clapped her hands. "Let's begin, yeah?"
Suddenly the staff came into the main room with everyone, their hands all filled with more boxes and bags full of gifts. I looked around to see if there were more people that came in since I had been there to drop off gifts, but no one else had walked in.
"Now, who wants to go first?"
All hell had broken loose at that moment. Laughter filled the air as staff members tried to calm them down, parents had tears in their eyes as their children smiled and giggled with excitement. All while Sloane explained to them that Santa had brought their presents early and he wasn't able to bring them himself.
I must have looked confused because one of the nurses came over with a smile on her face and placed her arm on my shoulder. "She says they're from Santa every year," she explained. "She doesn't want the kids thinking she is here just to give them presents, she wants to know that she's their friend too. I think she likes them believing in the magic of it all."
"She does this every year?" I found myself asking, turning to look at the nurse as she nodded her head.
"For the past five years she's been bringing all of these," she explained as she gestured to the gifts. "She only started buying them like this though once she got her new job. When she was younger she would bring each one a handmade gift."
"How long has she been doing this for?"
"She started volunteering when she was around 15 or 16, I can't quite remember exactly though. All the years are starting to blend together."
I nodded my head at her as I watched Sloane hand out the gifts one by one. I had never seen someone purely as happy to give as she was. With each one it was obvious they had meant a lot to her. She would hug them tight, and whisper something into their ear and they would nod with excitement before returning back to their spots.
It was then I noticed that she would never give the present to the child it was for, she would have another kid give it to them. The whole group was one big gift exchange filled with love.
When she was finished with the children in the common room, she came back over and explained to me that some of them weren't well enough to leave their room and be with the other kids. So she told me she would be back in a while, that she was going to go to those rooms and make sure they get their presents as well. It was cute, watching her carry all of the gifts down the hall with a smile on her face.
That was another thing I noticed too, she smiled a lot when she wasn't working.
*****
Sloane Jackson
My arms were sore by the time we got back to my apartment, My body was stiff and my feet were killing me. But it was worth it, the look on their faces when they opened their presents made it all worth it.
I quickly ran in the shower as soon as I got home, making sure the water was boiling as I went through my routine. I stayed in a little bit longer, letting the water run over me as I closed my eyes for a moment as I sighed deeply.
No one knew who Harry was at the hospital, meaning that it hadn't worked. I was almost certain that it would, that at some point during our trip someone would recognize him. I mean hell, I talked shit about him on almost a daily basis to the head nurse Betty. I even saw them talking to each other when I was handing out gifts.
Same with Riley. I have complained about Harry to Riley since the minute I got the job. He would keep tabs on everything Harry did so I was always one step ahead of him... how could he not know him.
When I left the bathroom I had felt defeated, how the fuck is giving sick kids gift on Christmas not enough for this stupid "Christmas Angel" see that Harry is trying to be better.
I could see it from a mile away. He was genuinely trying to connect with the kids. He listened to them talk for hours, played tea parties with the little girls who begged him to wear a tiara. He played legos with the boys and pretended to be hurt when they would knock down his creation. The whole way home he was talking about how much fun he had, and how he hoped that next time I went if I could take him along.
When I made it to the living area I saw Harry sitting on the couch like he had the night before, his shoes kicked off as his feet propped up onto the coffee table. He had his arms crossed over his chest, but in the cold, scary way he usually had them. It was almost as if he was relaxed, aimlessly watching an episode of Real Housewives with his eyes glued to the screen.
"Today was a bust," I sighed as I slumped onto the couch, copying his posture as I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm sorry about today. I don't know why I believed that stupid wise tale."
"What are you talking about," he said, turning his attention completely to me as he smiled. "Today wasn't a bust."
"Harry, you're still stuck in this weird limbo where no one knows who you are," I practically whined, simply from exhaustion.
He shrugged his shoulders as hummed, "Well you know me."
"But you hate me," I laughed, nudging him in the shoulder as he stared at me for a moment.
His eyes were searching mine, flickering from one to the other before he licked his lips slightly. "How come you told me we were going to a toy drive today?"
His question caught me off guard, my eyes narrowed in confusion as I answered, "Because that's where we were."
"Sloane," he said softly. "A toy drive means that a number of people donate their toys, not just one person."
"Oh," I cringed, hating the fact that I felt embarrassed for being caught in a lie. "It's not a big deal, what's the difference if twenty people donate or if it's just me."
"Don't be embarrassed," he said softly, placing his arm on the back of the couch so it fell behind us. "You should tell the company, imagine how many more toys we could pull together. We could even branch out and give to the orphanage too."
"I mean that would be great," I mumbled. "But you already told me no."
"What?" He asked, his body going stiff as I nodded my head.
"Right when the companies merged, I brought it up to you and tried to explain how important it was to me. But you shook me off and told me that you make all financial decisions. So I backed off and never brought it up again."
"Fuck," he swore, hanging his head down as he inhaled deeply. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay," I smiled softly, looking back at the TV to see it's a commercial break. "We can change it if you want, we don't have to watch housewives."
"No it's alright," he hummed. "I like it."
I smiled once more as I leaned into the couch, letting sleep take over as I drifted off into darkness.
*****
~ Harry and Sloane made it all of about 20 minutes before they were wrapped in each other's arms. While to this day they argue about who made the first move... I was there. And it was most certainly, without a doubt, our very own Mr. Harry Edward Styles. ~
Harry Styles
I woke to the feeling of a weight pressed against my chest, and a piece of brown curly hair tickling under my nose. I narrowed my eyes before I remembered where I was and who I was with. Her arm was wrapped around my waist and her head tucked safely into my chest.
It had been about five years since I'd let myself cuddle a woman like this, and I had to admit... I liked it quite a lot.
But unfortunately for me; I had to piss like no other so I carefully peeled myself away from her body, grabbing one of her throw pillows as a replacement before sneaking off into the bathroom. As I looked at myself in the mirror I almost didn't recognize myself. I looked different, and although I wasn't exactly sure what it was I was almost certain it was all because of her.
I made my way into the kitchen after I walked out of the bathroom, being as quiet as I could to sneak a glass of water. I didn't want to wake Sloane up, but she had already beaten me there. I yelped loudly as she gasped, both of us panting as we stared at one another.
"Okay we really need to stop doing that," she laughed, placing her hand over her heart as she ran her fingers through her hair.
I smiled as I nodded my head, walking around the counter to grab a glass. I nodded to offer her one as well, but she shook her head and glance down at the cup she had already placed on the counter top. She took a seat on the bar stool across from where I stood, watching me in silence as I strolled through the kitchen to get some ice.
"Why are you up?" I found myself asking, leaning across the counter one I filled my cup with water.
"It's kinda hard not to when you're tossed around like a rag doll," she teased.
I faked being hurt, my jaw dropping dramatically as I placed my hand in my chest. "I did not!" I protested. "I was so careful not to wake you."
"I know, I know," she giggled. "I'm a very light sleeper, I was awake when you first started moving."
"Sorry then," I chuckled with a shrug, watching her for a moment before I asked. "So what did you wish for?"
I could tell she was thrown off guard, her lips formed into a cute pout as she tilted her head to the side slightly. "What do you mean?" She hummed, "Wished for when?"
"The legend said that the only person to remember the forgotten was the one who wished for it themselves," I said, suddenly feeling very vulnerable with her deep, wide honey brown eyes staring at me. "So what did you wish for to make everyone forget me."
"Oh," she whispered. "It's really not that important—"
"Please," I begged, not even caring if I sounded pathetic.
She took a deep breath before she nodded. "It was what you said on Friday. I have a lot of shit that I've gone through in my life, and hearing you tell me that if you had it your way I wouldn't be here really fucking hurt."
I tried to cut her off but she continued, "I always tried so hard to be nice to you, to let you take control when on projects that I was involved in. But no matter what I did, I could never make you seem to like me. So when I started fighting back, I pretended like your words didn't hurt me. That I was fine with fighting fire with fire. But that isn't me."
"Sloane—"
"So on Friday I came home and felt like I was six years old again, having the people in my life tell me that I wasn't enough. That I didn't matter. So I got drunk and I wished that you were no one in the world, a powerless fool left to fend for himself."
"A powerless fool," I muttered, remembering the note that Sloane had gotten the other day. "Woah."
"Yeah," she whispered, looking down at her lap. "I really am sorry, if I would've known—"
"No," I said as I shook my head. I walked over to her, placing the pad of my finger under her chin and allowing her eyes to lock on mine. "I'm so fucking sorry, Sloane. For everything."
"What did I do to make you hate me so much?" She whimpered, tucking her face into my chest as my heart left as though it broke in two.
I picked her up, allowing her legs to wrap around my waist as I sat her down onto the couch. "Look at me," I pleaded. "Sloane, honey. Please look at me."
She tilted her chin up, her brown eyes meeting mine as I smiled softly. "I don't hate you love," I sighed, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I hated how much you reminded me of her."
"Who?" She asked, letting the last of her tears fall.
I cupped her cheek, taking the pad of my thumb and swiping underneath her eye to dry her tears. My eyes flickered between hers before I whispered, "My mother."
~ Harry's mother was everything that Sloane was. She was brilliant, compassionate, driven, talented, beautiful but above all... her heart was filled with nothing other than kindness. She passed away when Harry was only 14, taking away all the light he ever saw until almost ten years later when Sloane Jackson walked into his office.
He told Sloane all of the stories about his mother. The way she loved morning more than the holiday season. The way it was all about love and giving to others when you have the means. She never believed she was better than those around her, she was simply always filled with love.
She loved decorating the office and their home with beautiful lights and signs, she loved making people feel at home when they walked into their spaces. He explained that was why he hated when the employees at the company would try to decorate the office. It didn't feel right to have her decorations up when she wouldn't be there to see them. The office shouldn't be filled with love and laughter if she wasn't there to laugh the loudest and love the hardest. If she wasn't there, then nothing good could be in his life.~
Sloane's tears were long gone as she smiled at the memories of my mother. She leaned closer to me as she asked questions, allowing me to talk about her for the first time in almost 15 years. It felt good, like a burden was being lifted off of me with each word that left my lips.
"Do you think she would want you living like this," she asked softly. "Hiding from her memory instead of embracing it."
"I don't know," I mumbled. "I think I'm scared of it."
"Scared of what H?"
I had to hide a smile at the nickname, a warm feeling spreading through me as she looked at me caringly. "The pain that will come with knowing she's not going to be there to celebrate it all with me."
"She will be," she promised, moving impossibly closer to me. "Life is best spent remembering the ones we lost and cherishing the ones we have still with us. You can't keep shutting people out Harry. You deserve that, you deserve to be happy."
"I am happy," I said honestly. "I swear to god Sloane I haven't been this happy in a long fucking time."
"Why's that?" She whispered, a small smile growing on her face as she moved even closer.
I wrapped my hand around her waist, bringing our lips inches apart as I rested my hand on her cheek. I waited for a moment, moving my thumb on the outer part of her hip bone as I felt the chill run down her spine. She exhaled as I inhaled, the two of us breathing each other in before I whispered
"Because I finally get to kiss you."
*****
Sloane Jackson
My head went fuzzy and my lips burned a passion I had never felt before. I pulled him into me with so much force I couldn't believe I had gathered up that strength.
He chuckled softly, running his hand under my shirt and hand up and down my back. The kiss was something I had never felt before, like my body had been igniting with a spark and he was all I needed. Kissing him felt like breathing after struggling for so long to catch your breath. This was it, this was the moment I had heard about in the movies I had watched or read about when I was a kid. The one where the lonely, sad girl gets the boy. I was finally her. I was finally the girl who was going to get the boy instead of Cinderella before the ball.
I fell backwards into the couch, the weight of Harry's entire body pressed against me as he smiled into the kiss.
"I think I could kiss you forever," he hummed, slowing his movements down to turn the kiss innocent.
"I could too," I whispered, giving his lips another peck before letting him fall on me.
His head rested on my chest, his breathing matched my own as I ran my fingers through his hair. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling myself closer than humanly possible to me as he pressed kisses to my neck.
"Sloane;" he whispered softly, his breath hitting my neck as I smiled.
"Yeah," I hummed, massaging his scalp.
I could feel his smile on my neck, the dimples popping out as he wrapped his arms around me tighter than before. Sleep began taking over, the silence looming over the two of us before Harry finally whispered so softly... I almost thought I dreamt it.
"I've loved you for a long time."
*****
~Now here comes the point in the story where my work is done. You see Harry finally allowed the wall he had built for so long to come tumbling down. He faced his fears and remembered what mattered most... love.
But while my time here is done. Harry and Sloane are far from over.
Because you see my beautiful angels, Harry learned his lesson but now comes the toughest of them all. Going back to the world that remembered him. That remembered all the mean and cruel things he had done to others..~
Harry Styles
The car horn honking is what broke me out of my gaze, causing me to snap my eyes open to see that I was standing in the middle of the city.
Where was Sloane?
I looked around to see that I was standing in front of the office. My name platersed along the top as Richard swung from the window with a string of lights attached to him. I reached my hand up to block the sun when I realized I was in the same outfit I was in on Friday.
Beside me was a man with a folded newspaper tucked under his arm. He had it positioned in a way where I could see the date perfectly, and my eyes just about snapped out of my head.
But how is it possible, am I reliving the day over again?
I quickly made my way up to my office, praying that my badge worked and to my surprise it did. I went to the elevator as quickly as I could, slapping the buttons hoping that for some reason it would make me get there faster.
When I got to my floor I ran out of the elevator, my heart racing quickly as I glanced around the room. "Sloane!" I called out, not even caring that everyone was staring at me. "Sloane!"
"Jesus Harry," she snapped, coming out of her office wearing that same black dress and pumps with her lips ruby red. She stared at me, not saying a word before she finally crossed her arms over her chest. "What?"
My heart dropped into my stomach and my eyes burned with tears.
She didn't remember.
"Harry," she said softly, walking over to me slowly when she noticed my state. "Are you okay?"
I didn't give her time to answer as I grabbed her hand and pulled her into her office. To my shock she didn't protest, just simply let me lead the way as I closed her door and turned my back to her. I needed to work myself up to what I was about to do.
"I have a lot of work to do," she said, not harsh but not patient either. "If this is about the lights then frankly I don't really care if you want them or not, so if this could wait until after work I would really appreciate it—"
"Tell me about your toy drive," I announced, turning around to face her to see that she was completely off guard.
"My what?"
"Your toy drive," I repeated. "The one that you wanted to talk to me about years ago but I turned you down because I was being a dick. The one at the children's hospital, tell me about it."
"Harry what is going on? Are you okay?"
"No!" I yelled, shaking my head as I began to pace back and forth in her office. "No I'm not okay because you don't remember. And the way you're looking at me with such hurt and hatred is going to kill me if you don't remember, Sloane."
"Harry—"
"If you can't remember then you might as well hate me for this too."
I didn't give her a chance to answer because before she could get the words out I walked over to her and kissed her.
She was still for a moment, before everything feel right into place. I could feel it... she remembered.
I kissed her with everything I had inside of me. All the pain, all the hurt didn't matter because I was so madly and completely in love with Sloane.
She pulled away from me as she whispered against my lips. "I think I've loved you for a long time too."
- The End -
About the Author: Hey everyone! My name is Lizzy (findyourboatxx here on wattpad), you may know me from my book Strawberries and Cigarettes! Everyone thank Olive, she has pulled me out of my retirement and got me back into my writing kick. Be on the look out for my newest book along with updates soon on "Love, Birdie". Thank you guys for all your love, can't wait to see what you think of Sloane and Harry's story <3