Samantha Anderson
Getting back into my apartment was difficult after having the taste of Harry's lips on my own. He was warm. And beautiful.
Yes, I had just referred to Harry Styles as beautiful.
There were no other words to describe him. He was perfection in a human body. Regardless of his shitty and annoying personality, he was growing on me. Slowly and steadily. He was becoming less of a menace and more of a comfort to me.
But there was Luke. My boyfriend and, I hope, the love of my life. Even so, it was becoming more and more difficult for me to feel that way when I had this developing friendship and relationship with Harry.
I'm not saying he was husband material, or even boyfriend material, but I couldn't let my emotions waiver between two people. That was difficult and exhausting and I definitely wasn't that kind of girl.
I opened up my apartment door easily, sliding it open quickly. Luke was still seated on the couch with Riley sitting next to him. They were watching some movie.
"Hello," I said, shutting the door behind me. Luke turned around, his face red. He was angry at me, that was clear.
I could only imagine what Riley had said to him.
"Hey sis," Riley said, standing up and wrapping her thin arms around me. She was dressed in tight spandex shorts and a crop top. "Glad to see you made it home safe. I assume Harry drove you."
"You'd be correct. Thanks for leaving me alone by the way," I snapped, setting my purse down and taking my heels off.
"Yeah, sorry, Aria got there and she said she wasn't feeling well, so I took her home. I assumed that you'd be fine," Riley smiled, a not-so-innocent smile if I were being honest.
I ignored her and went over to the couch, sitting next to Luke, "You okay?"
"I'd really like to talk to you in private," Luke muttered, not ripping his eyes from the TV.
"Of course, let's go into our room," I said, standing up. "Riley, we're going to bed."
"Night you two," she called, looking at us with a smirk.
We both got undressed silently, me pulling on shorts and a t-shirt, him wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, "What's up?"
"What the hell is going on with you and Styles? Riley showed me the internet posts and don't even get me started on the fact that practically every nights ends with you with him or you staying at his house. I need answers, Samantha," he said, his voice raised in the beginning, but slowly getting quieter. He sounded tired and exhausted.
"Luke, it's nothing. He's my boss and that's it," I lied, wishing the confidentiality agreement didn't exist. I wanted to tell Luke everything, so I didn't feel like I was a liar and a horrible person.
But even if I did tell him I would still be a bad person. I still had betrayed any trust he had ever had in me. I still had cheated.
And I hated myself for it.
"Samantha, every single person on the internet thinks you're his girlfriend. That's not exactly easy on me," he said, crossing his arms and looking at me. "I didn't think this job would result in a new boyfriend for you."
"Luke, it's not, it's not like," I begged. "Please, I'm so sorry."
"I just, I can't do this one sided relationship. And that's what it feels like. I shouldn't have to hear about this shit from Riley," he said, shaking his head and sitting down on the dressed that sat at the end of our bed. The way he pinched his nose made me think of Harry.
Harry. Why was I thinking about him as my relationship was being torn from me?
Oh yeah, because he's beginning to rule my mind and it's horrible.
But also incredible.
"I'll be better," I promised, sitting down and holding his hand. "Work is just stressful especially with me maybe going to Paris next weekend, and I just, ugh."
"Paris?" Luke croaked out. His eyes were watery and he looked annoyed. "You really think right now would be a good time to go to Paris with your fake boyfriend?"
"Luke, this would be a huge opportunity for me. Besides, I might not even get asked to," I said, sighing and feeling my chest tighten. Paris could be life changing for me and Luke needed to realize that.
"If you do, will you go?" he asked me. "Because if you go, we're done. That's just too much distance and too much I don't know about."
"Are you serious? You're gonna make me choose between my career and you? You're gonna be that guy?" I said, raising my eyebrows. "We've been together for nearly four years and this is what's gonna break us?"
"It doesn't have to," Luke said, his eyes following my movements.
"I can't do that, Luke. You can't hold me back," I told him, my eyes filling with tears. "I'm not gonna let you control this part of me."
"Then you need to leave," he said, pursing his lips and standing up. My jaw dropped and the tears began to spill. "Go somewhere else, I need time."
"What about Riley?" I spit out, glaring at him.
"She can stay here, you go though, I can't look at you," Luke said, walking out of the bedroom.
I began to sob. Tears falling all over me. What just happened? Why the hell was I the one getting kicked out?
I hated Luke in this moment.
I started stuffing clothes in my suitcase, unsure of where I was going and what I'd need.
My thoughts were interrupted by Riley entering the room.
"Where are you going?" she asked, her eyes filling with concern.
"Don't talk to me," I said to her, hate dripping from my voice. It was not her place to say anything about my relationship with Harry. But, being Riley, she decided her life was too boring.
So why not mess with mine?
"Sammy, please, what happened? Did he talk to you about the articles? Someone had to tell him," she said, looking at me. "You have no right to be mad."
"Yes I do!" I screamed, turning to face her. "You have no right, Riley. You can't just waltz in here and ruin everything. I invited you to New York to be my sister, not a sneaky bitch. You're staying here, I'm not. So will you just leave me alone to pack, for God's sake."
She looked taken aback, "Fine."
My chest heaved up and down. Where was I to stay? Aria couldn't take me, as her apartment is the size of my bathroom. I couldn't call Louis, he was my boss and that would be weird.
But so was Harry and he was my best option right now. He would at least let me stay and have room for me. Plus, things seemed to be going better between us.
I pulled my phone out and dialed the God forsaken number.
His warm voice answered, "Samantha?"
"I need you," was all I could spit out as my tears began to fall faster and faster.
"I'll be there in ten."
~
Harry arrived exactly ten minutes later. Within that time, I had gotten all of my luggage downstairs and had cried even more. Riley and Luke had just watched me, neither of them saying anything.
The sight of Bruno getting out of the car to open the door was comforting.
The true comfort though, was Harry beating him to the door and jumping out. His hair was messy and his clothes were the most casual I had seen him in. Jeans and a sweater.
"What happened?" he said, grabbing my arms and pulling me to him.
Harry just hugged me.
What the fuck.
"Luke kicked me out," I said, biting my lip. At the look of his face, he thought I had told him. "No I didn't tell him. We fought about work."
"You're staying with me, then," he said, helping and grabbing my luggage. He handed it to Bruno who packed it into the car. Harry helped me into the familiar limo. "Do you need something? Food?"
"I'm good," I answered, breathing deeply. Looking down I realized I hadn't changed and I was still in my shorts and t-shirt. Wonderful.
We sat in silence, neither of us wanting to say anything. It was amazing how much our relationship had changed in just a few weeks. If not, days. He was the one person, shockingly, that I could count on.
And it scared me.
Author's Note: Hello my readers (: We're going to start like a chapter/question thing...mostly because they're fun
Q: Favorite part of the book so far and favorite character. GO.
A: My favorite part is Harry & Samantha's name thing with each other. Like I literally just started writing that and I thought it would be a cute little thing for them. MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS ABSOLUTELY NIALL. He get's even better you guys. omg.
xx.