(Guys don't be afraid to comment! Cause I love reading them and I'll gladly reply in you ask questions! I'd love to hear some ideas, theories or conspiracies ye have? I'm also trying to update more often btw, we'll see how well that goes lol xx)
My breathing is rapid, my lungs burning and screaming for more air. I'm running. But I can't get my body to run quick enough. I hear the man behind me, I can feel his breath on my shoulder as if he was right behind me.
Just as I reach the end of the road, it lengthens and I have to run more. He grabs me, flings me to the ground. I'm screaming. I'm crying. I'm dreaming.
I wake up in a cold sweat with tears streaming down my face. I choke on my breath as I sit upright in my bed. It's only 4am. That was horrible.
The bathroom tiles are cold under my feet when I go to wash my face. I splash the cool water on my skin, hoping it with take the bad dream away with it.
I walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water. My throat feels dry and hoarse but the water doesn't soothe it the way I'd hoped.
I entertain the thought of calling Harry. Seeing him, even having him here seems to calm me. But no. He wouldn't have been so nice to me had I not been running from a mad man. I put my phone down and crawl back under the sheets. Anyway, I can't call him. It's 4am.
I don't know how, or when, but sometime within the next half hour, I drift off into a dreamless sleep.
Harry's POV
"Bye bye Harry." Lucy slurs, giving me a wink. She adjusts her bra and pulls down her skirt, as if another half inch will make a difference. I roll my eyes and shut the door behind her.
Christ, it's 4am. I wonder how Ellen is. She must've been so scared today. I guess it's her own stupid fault though, telling a complete stranger where she lives. Stupid.
And the weirdest shit yet is that I hugged her. I don't hug people. But I guess she was a special case, giving she just ran two blocks away from a pycsho. I took care of him though. I haven't let myself dwell on the thought of what he would've done to her if I hadn't been home, or hadn't opened the door. I psychically shake my head to rid the thought. I wouldn't like her to get hurt.
I still hate her though.
Ellen's POV
Sunday was spent watching bad movies, calling my mom and calling Scott. I told them about my new friends, my new... not so friendly acquataince Chloe, and Harry. And lastly I told them about yesterday. Of course they both freaked out.
Scott insisted on taking two days off and coming to see me. I insisted I was perfectly alright.
But now it's Monday, I'm back at work and I'm glad of it. My mind is kept distracted as I calculate salaries and wages. Harry hasn't spoken, apart from a nod when I said hello.
"You can go have lunch now." He says, not looking up from where he's sketching.
"Ok thanks." I say, tidying my affairs away. "Harry I really mean it, thank you." I say, hoping he knows that I don't mean letting me go on my lunch break.
"Anyone would've done it so stop thinking you're special or that you owe me, cause you're not and you don't." He says flatly. I frown. That wasn't the answer I was hoping but I nod and leave anyway. I actually thought he could be nice, nope. He's still a very mean, hurtful man. I decide not to feel sad about his harsh words, also deciding not to go out for lunch today, but to stay in the gallery in the staff room.
I walk in and immediately recognise Zayns face, he waves me over and I sit beside him. There's another blonde girl sitting to his right, a very pretty girl.
"Hi! I'm Perrie!" She smiles cheerfully, I immediately like her.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ellen!" I shake her hand.
"Yes I know, Zayns told me a lot about you. Apparently you're quite the artist!"
I laugh and blush. "Apparently." I look at Zayn who's watching Perrie intently. Perrie....Perrie. Oh my god, this is Zayns girlfriend!
"Oh, you're his girlfriend aren't you!" I'm the dumbest person ever.
"Sure am." She leans into him and smiles. "So... you're working for Harry?"
"Yeah I am. I mean I'm basically a secretary but the dream is to be an actual artist." I tell her.
"Aren't you eating anything?" Zayn frowns.
"No I forgot lunch." I sigh. "I'm not hungry though." I assure him.
"We should all go out tomorrow for lunch!" Perrie giggles. She's actually adorable.
"Great idea!" Harry pulls over a seat, sitting on it backwards so his legs are out the end where his back should be.
"Harry." Zayn nods a greeting and Harry returns it.
"Funny I don't remember you being part of the equation." My tone is mirroring his in the office earlier, flat and clipped.
"Well I don't remember you having any friends but there you go." He snaps.
"Harry you're such an asshole."
"Speaking of assholes, Zayn." He smirks and Zayn rolls his eyes in a banterous way. They seem to have an ok friendship... If you could even call it that. "You still up for the conference in the Regency on Wednesday?"
I see Zayns face drop. "I uhm... I can't Harry, shit I completely forgot to tell you. Perrie and I are going away that day... For our anniversary. So I can't... but Ellen will go with you." I snap my eyes over to Zayn who looks like a rabbit caught in headlights.
"What?" Harry and I say in unison. Way to throw me in at the deep end Zayn!?
"You'll go... won't you Ellen?" I can tell Zayns pleading with me 43 say yes and I can see the pre disappointment in Perrie eyes, waiting to come through if I saw no.
"Yeah. Sure." I say for the benefit of my friend and his very sweet girlfriends anniversary.
"Fine." Harry growls and stomps away.
I narrow my eyes at Zayn and he gulps. "Sorry?"
When I'm finished my lunch break, without the lunch, I go back up to Harrys studio. This gallery is very well thought out. Every artist here has their own studio, and then all the finished products are either displayed here or sold at an auction by the benefactor. Clever.
"So." I say as soon as I walk in the door. "What kind of conference is this anyway?"
"One I have to attend." He scoffs.
"Are you capable of giving a straight answer?" I snap, putting my hands on my hips.
"Why in fucks name haven't I fired you yet? Jesus Christ!?" He stands up, flinging his arms up.
"Because you need me!" I shout back at him with just as much venom, hoping it is toxic.
He strides over towards me, taking three of my steps in one of his. He pushes me against the wall, pressing his body against me, making me feel exhilarated and wild.
"I don't need you, sweetie." He growls, creating an angry yet heated atmosphere around us. I move one of my legs and he thrusts against me, pinning me back into place. His lip is between his teeth as he edges towards me, and I him. Inches away from ki-
"Here's the files you wanted- oh god, sorry." A guy I've never seen before looks wide eyed at us. Harry immediately gets as far away from me as possible, leaving my chest heaving and my knees weak.
"You didn't see shit, you hear me?" He threatens and the guy nods his head rapidly and practically runs out.
Harry's face has gone from... Well, lustfull to angry and pissed off very quickly.
"Harry I-"
"You can go." He snaps at me.
"But I-"
"Goddamit go!" He shouts at me.
"Stop shouting at everyone!" I shout at him, contradicting my own point. "Why did you do that?" I ask in a much softer tone.
"Do what?"
"That!? Pin me against the wall and nearly... kiss me." I feel the heat rise in my cheeks.
He laughs bitterly and I can tell this isn't going to end well for me. "First off, I wasn't going to kiss you, don't flatter yourself. Secondly, I just wanted to see if I could and for someone who has a boyfriend, you sure as hell do get pretty flustered pretty easily." He says with such conviction and poison laced through his voice. "Now go."
My mouth is open and there are tears pooling in my eyes.
"If you want to fire me so bad Harry, why don't you do it? Because I fucking hate working for you and even more than that, I fucking hate you!" I shout, a few tears splashing on my cheek.
He seems almost at a loss but I don't care, I storm out of that wretched studio and down the stairs to the door.
"And Ellen?" I hear him call after me, I turn on my heel to see hi hanging over the balcony. "Don't ask for directions on your way home. Cause I won't be there to save your stupid ass again."
The girl at reception looks on at the saga, obviously amused. I can't believe him. He is disgusting. How can he be so cruel? I mean there's a line, and he stepped way over it. Multiple times. I lied when I said he needs me more than I need him. If I don't have this job, I can't pay the rent and then I'll be right back living with my momma. I need that job, but I don't need the unnecessary tears and stress that comes with it.
When I turn the key in the door and open it, I'm greeted with a familiar face sitting at the breakfast table.
"Hey Ellen." Scott stands up smiling, but his smile soon fades when he sees my face, "Oh my, what's wrong? What's happened?"
I run into his arms and hug him hard. It doesn't feel as safe as when I hugged Harry although I know that's only because of the situation I was in last night. I hate him, I hate Harry Styles so so much.
"Ellen what's wrong?" Scott asks when I start to cry. He brushes my hair out of my face and frowns.
"Work is horrible." I breathe in between sobs. "My boss, Harry he's so cruel." I cry and lay my face on his shoulder. He's so much smaller in comparison with Harry. Scott's only my height, where was Harry towers above me.
"Come on, sit down I'll make you a cup of hot chocolate? Like I used to, ok?" He guides me to my small brown sofa and sits me down. "Tell me everything, start from yesterday. God Ellen, when you told me what happened I was so scared." He says and I heard him put the milk into the microwave.
"I was lost, I asked for directions. The guy chased me, followed me here. I thought it wouldn't be smart to try and unlock my door and then show him exactly where I live, and that I live alone. So I screamed for Harry-"
"Your boss Harry? He lives here?" He asks, dropping a spoon.
"Yeah a few doors over. So I screamed for him and he opened the door and let me inside. He basically saved my life, who knows what that guy would've done if-"
"Don't." Scott says, handing me a mug of warm brown liquid. He sits beside me and puts his arm around me.
"And the he went outside, and beat the guy up. And he threatened him not to come near me ever again or he'd kill him." I replay the story in my mind as I recite it to Scott.
"And he's now the reason you're crying?" He asks, it does look a bit weird. I decide not to tell him about almost kissing Harry. Because I didn't kiss him. So it doesn't matter.
"He's just so rude and mean to me Scott, he threw last night back up in my face today when we were... bickering"
"He sounds like a dickhead. Ellen I don't like the thought of you being treated like that. I think I'm going to go talk to him later." Scott sighs.
"No don't! I don't want him hurting you. And it'll make things worse." He smiles at me and squeezes my shoulders.
"Fine. Ok. If you don't want me to, I won't." He smiles. He really is too sweet.
"Thank you. So, how have you been?" I sigh and sip my drink.
"Good, your mom sends her best, so does Derek. We really miss you. All of us that's why I came down here today, to surprise you." He kisses my forehead.
I listen to Scott talk about his work and his family until I fall asleep on his lap.
I wake up needing to pee. Scott's not beside me anymore. Probably in my room or the bathroom.
"Scott?" I call. "Scott?"
I have no idea where Scott is. He must've left.
I'm just finished drying my hands when I put two and two together. I know exactly where Scott is...