Lennon.
In retrospect I didn’t mind working on a Wednesday, it was the middle of the week and most of the time the bakery was pretty dead. The start of the week rush had ended and the end of the week madness didn’t usually start until tomorrow. Wednesday was just a day I could take it easy. I still had to bake, make and decorate but it was slightly more tolerable than any other day of the week.
I was in a chirpy mood since my day had started off one of my favourite ways. Just as I finished my bowl of cocopops I noticed an editing error in the book I was reading; The Only Sister, by James Craig. It was a weird interest of mine; it always gave me a sense of accomplishment if I found a mistake in a book.
As much as I loved to read, I loved to fix peoples mistakes. I never rang the publisher or anything, but I did correct it in my book. Dom thought I was weird, heck even Nia thought I was slightly crazy. “Why can’t you just enjoy the book instead of nit picking?” She would often say. Everyone enjoys different things, I just happen to enjoy reading and technically proof reading for the already published author. It also helped me with my writing technique. If someone ever found a mistake in my work I’d probably have a meltdown. Maybe not literally, but it would annoy me to hell.
“Lunch break?” Floyd quipped, as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed one of the fresh rolls off the shelf.
“They’ve just come out of-“
“Fuck, hot!”
“The oven.” I cringed, finishing my previous sentence as I watched him rush around to the sink and stuck his bright red fingers underneath it.
“Bloody hell,” he sighed with his hand still under the tap. “Didn’t expect it to be that hot.”
“Sorry, should’ve warned you.”
“Don’t worry, my fault. I shouldn’t be stealing food anyway. The wife says I need to diet,” he laughed, rubbing his rather big stomach with his non-burnt hand. “Don’t see why she would say that though. I’m sure Victoria Secret will be ringing me up any day now, wanting a new top model.”
“Don’t forget about me when you’re rich and famous then,” I jested whilst I wiped the remains of flour from my hands onto the front of my apron.
“Wouldn’t dream of it. I’d hire you as my personal chef anyway. No one, and I mean no one can beat your Belgian buns.”
“They are pretty good aren’t they?” I smirked back.
“Don’t get too big headed missy, or else I leave you to bake another four hundred loaves of bread.”
“Oh God no, last week was enough thanks. I have guns of steel now.”
“Sure you do sweetheart. Now go for your lunch break before I take it for you.”
“Alright, alright, I’m going.” I chuckled before pulling my apron over my head and strolled into the very small staffroom.
I grabbed my bag and switched my work t-shirt for my white blouse, before I walked into the front of the shop.
“Have a nice lunch,” Nia called out as I passed her. I gave her a swift nod and reply.
“Thanks, see you in a hour.” With a small wave I quickly left the shop and breathed a deep, city polluted breath of air.
I didn’t set out to go anywhere in particular, in fact I was looking for a quiet spot to catch up on some writing, but instead I found myself across the street from my old university. The University of East London Town – I have no idea why they put ‘Town’ on the end, for a start London isn’t anything close to a town, it’s a city, a Capital City for that matter.
There was an old building across the road where I leant upon the ten-foot high brick wall. My back pressed firmly to it and my one foot propped up against it too. There were students milling around everywhere. I didn’t recognise anyone, although I barely got to learn any faces in my two months of being there.
Two months was enough for me to know it wasn’t for me. They always say stick out your first year, but it was boring me to death. I love reading and writing, but I hated being told when to do it, what to read and what I should be writing about. No offence to the professors but sci-fi and romance genres weren’t my strong areas - at all.
I bit down on my lip, not enough to make me bleed but enough to make it look like I was concentrating. I was staring through the iron gates, wondering whether dropping out was the right thing to do. I was getting nowhere new in life at the moment, but sitting in a classroom all day felt like a dead end too. I was stuck in labyrinth.
Twenty slow minutes passed by, I remained pressed up against a wall when another figure copied my position several feet away. I wasn’t sure if they were standing that close because that’s just where they happened to stop or whether they wanted something. I slowly turned my head to the left to face the suspect, I was surprised with whom I saw staring away from me.
Harry Styles, I had no idea what he was up to but his body language suggested he was devising something. He stood tall and confidently, he slowly took a drag of a cigarette, which loosely hung in his hand. I’d tell him they were bad for him but I sensed he would just laugh in my face – he gave off that aura.
I was still looking at him curiously when he finally turned his head, blowing the smoke in my direction. I narrowed my eyes at him, closed my mouth tightly and scrunched my nose up. That is one of the rudest things you can do to someone, it’s disgusting. Luckily he was stood far enough away that when the smoke blew out of his mouth it disappeared into thin air before it reached my face.
“If you’re going to tell me it’s bad for my health, that wouldn’t be a wise move.”
“I wasn’t planning to.” I spat at him, looking far from impressed at his smirking features.
He flicked the burnt out butt onto the floor and pressed it into the ground with his foot. Now there was no smoke covering his features I could make out several different wounds and injuries coating his face. I rolled my eyes at his appearance, he couldn’t even deny he had been fighting – it was obvious. Black eye, swollen cheeks and grazed knuckles, you don’t get injuries like that riding a bike or falling down the stairs.
Silence loomed in the air, I concentrated on anything but his face whilst he did the exact opposite. I could feel his penetrating stare burning into the side of my head. I licked my lips in a non-seductive manner before I returned my gaze to his, raising my eyebrows in the process. Now we were both glaring at each other but he refused to break the silence. It wasn’t a completion of who could keep quiet the longest, so I evidently gave in.
“You have a cut under your eye.” I stated out of the blue. I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so the obvious simply rolled of my tongue. I wasn’t the best conversation started one could say.
“Do you make a habit out of pointing out other peoples injuries?”
“No, if I did I would stand here and say; you have a cut under your eye, a purple bruise on your left cheek and grazed knuckles.”
“Funny.” He said with no humour in his voice. “So Lennon, what are you doing here?” He asked in a manner that made it sound like a friendly question, like we were actually companions.
“So Harry do you make a habit out of asking strangers creepy questions?”
“How was it creepy?”
“Well strangers don’t normally ask other strangers what they are doing at a certain place.” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.
“We’re not strangers, I know your name.” His smirk was ever growing as he spoke. However I laughed right at him, to which I think confused him, as I watched his brows furrow together.
“We’re strangers.”
“Well-“
“No.”
“You didn’t know what I was going to say.” He spoke in a low tone, eyes penetrating through mine. I didn’t like the sudden change in his demeanour.
“I don’t wish to know either.”
“Who twisted your tampon today?” He joked but I cringed, that was an absolutely awful insult. I think my facial expression made him realise that too as his laughing suddenly halted.
“Will you just leave me alone?”
“And to think I thought you liked me.” His smug grin was back as he voice ran smoothly away from his mouth. He lifted an eyebrow for a second, scanning my face for any sort of reaction.
“What gave you that ludicrous idea?”
“I saw you checking me out last time we met.”
“Are you serious?” I laughed loudly. “I was not checking you out.”
“Ah, but you were.”
“Over my dead body was I.”
“That can be arranged.” He replied in a very quiet voice, I took a step back at his chosen words. That was no joke, his voice told me he was quite literally serious.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He quickly dismissed my question, but I wouldn’t forget it. “So if you weren’t checking me out, why were you staring?”
“I was not staring!” I half shouted, rolling my eyes at him.
“First stage of lying is always denial.”
“Oh fuck off! I have to get back to work.” I started to turn around when his hand grabbed my arm, halting me in my tracks.
“No you don’t, you still have another half an hour.”
“Who the hell are you?” And why did he know my lunch hours?
I pushed his arm away and turned to face him fully again. Scanning his body for any signs of a psychopath, so far I had come up empty. But that didn’t mean to say he wasn’t dangerous. A blind person could see he was lethal. Nia’s previous warning from last month was embedded deep in my brain, and I was starting to believe her. Talking to him probably wasn’t a wise move.
“I’m Harry Styles, now Lennon, tell me who the hell you are. Are you some sort of psychic? Do you profile people?”
“Oh my God, are you serious?” His blank expression stopped my sudden laughter. “You are serious? Oh my God. Do I look like a psychic to you?”
“I don’t know, do they have a certain look?” He took a careful step forward, his eyes not once leaving mine.
“Am I caring a glass ball, handing you tarot cards or trying to read your palm? No. Now leave me be.” I threw his arm aggressively off mine, which he had only just put back there. What was it with him and grabbing my arm? I was not a kid who needed to be kept on a tight leash.
“I don’t think you know who you’re talking to.”
His voice was suddenly a lot deeper and more threatening. His eyes held an intense glare with mine; his pupils dilated making his eyes almost seem completely black. His body towered inches over mine, when he stepped closer he made me feel even smaller. He was trying to make me surrender, sub come to his supposed authority over me.
“Harry Styles, apparently.” I spat. “Now if you would kindly leave me alone.”
“No,” He snapped, walking a step closer, any closer and his smoke filled breath would be filling my senses.
“I will scream bloody murder if you take one more step forward.” I snarled.
“You will do no such thing.” He warned.
“Is Harry Styles afraid of a little screaming girl?”
“Are you student here?” He asked, his voice suddenly calm again. I shot him a quizzical look as he nodded his head in the direction of the University we were still stood outside of.
“No, why?” I answered cautiously.
“Just wondering.”
“Are you?”
“Do I look like a student?”
“Not really, most of them seem to look quite intelligent. A trait in which you’re missing.”
“You’re a funny one, Lennon.” His face lit up with a hint of a smile but disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “But you look like a student.”
“Was.” He raised his eyebrows. “Not my forte. There is more to life than classrooms.”
“You work in a bakery.”
“Thank you for that, I am fully aware I have a shit job but if you could let me pretend for at least five minutes that I actually enjoy my life, that would be much appreciated.”
“You don’t like baking?”
“Not really, no.”
“Shame, your cake wasn’t half bad.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
“What did you study?”
“Ah, nice try but I think we’ve had enough of a bonding session for one day. Goodbye Harry Styles.” I replied, turning on my heel and speed walking down the street back towards my place of work.
As soon as my legs moved in motion I heard the ringing of a phone, not mine and no one else was around so I assumed it was Harry’s, which also meant our conversation had officially ended – much to my relief.
“I’ll walk with you, I’m heading that way.” I jumped when I heard a voice appear out of nowhere next to me.
Harry’s stride was longer than mine, meaning he barely had to break into a sped walk to catch up with my almost jog. I narrowed my eyes at him, noticing how he was still holding his phone to his ear. Was he seriously on the phone and trying to annoy me?
“No thanks.”
“It wasn’t a question.”
“You’re quite persistent and demanding aren’t you?”
“It comes with the job.”
“And what would that happen to be?”
“I think we’ve had enough of a bonding session for one day.” He mocked my previous statement.
“Jesus Christ you’re annoying.” He laughed at my response. “What? That part of the job to?” I growled to which he let out a howling laugh. I loved making people laugh, expect Harry Styles. He laughed at the wrong times and it irked me.
“Alright Louis, I’ll deal with it later. I’ll be there in a second. ‘Kay. Bye.” It took me a second to register he was communicating with the person on the other end of the phone.
“Ah, the boyfriend?” I jested much to his displeasure apparently.
“What?” He spat with a venomous tone.
“Well, a guy named Louis rang you up, obviously he’s watching right now considering he was questioning you about my presence.” His eyes grew wide at my statement. “What? You need to learn to turn down the volume of your speakers. You never know who is listening.” I quipped before returning to the previous topic. “So, is he worried you’re going to ditch his disco stick and hop back on the other team?”
“That isn’t even remotely funny.”
“Shame, I found it pretty hilarious. And now we’re here. Goodbye Harry Styles.” I spoke evidently quickly as we neared the door of the bakery.
“See you soon Lennon Rae.” He winked, my low blow at his ego suddenly disappeared from his memory.
“No you won’t.” I replied after finding my composure.
I was suddenly a lot more sceptical about him, he knew my last name, something I had never given him the pleasure of knowing. I tried to remain normal, but inside something ticked in my brain. I knew he was no good, I’d heard from Nia, which annoyingly fascinated me and made me somewhat anxious. It’s the same concept if you write ‘danger keep out’ or ‘don’t touch’ on something, it’s only human to do the exact opposite. It’s how we thrive for adrenaline. However I did not want an adrenaline rush from Harry Styles.
“I think I’ll be the one to decide that.” He smirked before disappearing across the road, not even looking beforehand, idiot.
When the bell chimed inside the bakery signalling my presence, Nia was stood at the door, arms crossed against her chest and a scowl on her face. I made some unfathomable noise and winced at her.
“Hi Nia…”
“Lennon, I warned you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“What were you doing with Harry Styles!? I warned you about him!”
“He was bugging me okay? I was just minding my own business and he shows up out of nowhere.”
“Where were you?”
“Outside the Uni why?”
“East Uni?”
“Yes…” I replied, perplexed at her sudden interest in my location.
“Hm,” She pondered oddly. “Strange, Harry Styles in the East, again.” She tapped her fingers on her chin thoughtfully. “Even more reason to stay away.”
“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about but I don’t plan on seeing him again. Don’t worry.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about.”
“What? You’re worried for him now?” I let out an exasperated laugh at her sudden change of heart for the so-called devil.
“Just leave it. Forget I mentioned anything.”
“No, you’re hiding something. What is going on? What don’t I know?”
“There’s a lot you don’t know, but I’m not the one to speak to.”
“Well then who the hell am I supposed to speak to?”
“Girls are you done gossiping? We’ve got cakes to ice!” Floyds voice startled me; he had a habit of popping out of nowhere. Nia stood silently, her eyes shooting back and forth between him and me.
“Okay, be there in a sec!” I called out to him before turning back to Nia. “What? Floyd? What does Floyd know?”
“More than me, that’s all I’m saying. He probably won’t tell you anything, well nothing I haven’t already told you.”
“Oh.”
“It’s not just you Len, no-one around here should really know about things.”
“Things? Can you be a little less vague?”
“It’s for your own safety.”
“Okay, whatever. I’ll just go back to baking cakes and pretending I love my life.”
“Len,” she sighed. “Don’t be like that, please see this from my point of view.” I had to laugh at that, her point of view? I had no idea what she was hiding so I couldn’t exactly see anything from her perspective. “This isn’t something you want to get involved in.”
“I know it probably isn’t, I just hate being left in the dark.”
“It sucks, I know. But it’s for your own good. And hey, baking cakes isn’t that bad. It could be worse, you could be listening to old people complaining about the prices of a bake well tart.”
“They are pretty expensive.” I chuckled, as I reached into the staffroom and pulled on my t-shirt and apron again. Good job I didn’t work in fashion because this was not a good look.
“Shut up, they make up most of our pay checks.” We both laughed before turning towards our selected workstations and got back to what we did best.
Any thoughts of Harry Styles were soon dispersed as I rolled out some fresh dough, only to reappear just as fast as I lazily kneaded together the ingredients. There was just something about him I couldn’t put my finger on. He was undeniably good looking and I could bet you any amount of money he knew that and used it to his advantage. It was also clear he didn’t play clean by the look of his injuries. They weren’t sustained from a legal fight; no doubt it was a pub brawl, backstreet alley beat up or a gang war.
He was also temperamental, hostile, full of himself, cryptic and he seems to think he’s empowering. He was the type of person I had been waiting for to step into my life, not to get know but to create in my mind. He had a back-story and I was going to right a damn good one for him. One he wouldn’t even know about. Harry Styles was my new project without even knowing.