I step out of my Lamborghini, tilting my hat forward to shield my eyes from the flashing cameras.
"Gosh I can't believe they found us" I say as I wait for Harry to get out of the car, I look at him and notice the discomfort in his expression.
What the hell.
"Are you two an item" A journalist holding a recorder right to my face yells.
Before Harry can say anything I grab the recorder out of her hands and speak into it.
"I don't kiss and tell".
The crowd of photographers and journalists go wild, a huge roar of questions fills the little alley.
"#Tarry" I hear a photographer yell and they all repeat, I smile at myself, this is going to be all over the media.
I grab Harry's arm and pull him into the back doors of the Coffee house, a bunch of photographs are taken and I'm almost blinded by the light.
I giggle as we enter the dimly lit room with jazz music playing.
"Prepare to be the trending topic on every tabloid Harry Styles" I triumphantly announce.
"I really wish you had talked to me before doing that" he says a hint of anger in his voice.
"What do you mean, you used be all for publicity?" I ask taking a seat at our usual table.
"I know but it's different now" he quietly says and I notice his cheeks redden.
"How?" I timidly ask, I know what his answer is going to be, but I don't think I'm ready for it.
"Well like Marie's back now, that changes things......" he trails off.
This can't be happening.
"In fact that's why I invited you hear" he adds.
I guess it is.
"Just spit it out Harry" I snap, disgust evident in my voice.
I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I'd always know he would drop me like a hot rock the second she came back but I couldn't bring myself to accept that.
"I think we should call this whole thing off" he says slowly, taking in my expression. I hate that he's acting like he actually gives a crap about me, he puts up a charming front but no one knows about all the skeleton in his closet. No one but me.
"Hmmm so what exactly was this whole thing that we're calling off Harry, a relationship, a rebound, a fling, a game for you to pass time until she came back?" I ask raising my voice a bit, the couple across from us turn to give us looks of concern.
"Taylor....I'm sorry" he says and his green eyes plead for forgiveness.
"Oh and we're back to Taylor, what happened toTay or babe.......gosh you are such an ass, a self-serving traitorous ass. I was there for you Harry, I picked up the pieces after she shattered you and this is how you repay me, I get tossed to the side like a rag doll the second she returns" my voice becomes muffled and it's only then that I realize I'm sobbing, like hardcore.
I wipe the tears off my cheeks and stand up from my seat across from him.
"Wait Taylor, please just give me a chance to explain" he pleads getting up from his seat too reaching to grab my hand but I angrily pull away.
I pull my rusty pink pencil dress down and brush it, wiping the last bit of tears off my face and I look him dead in the eye.
"Fuck you Harry" I say and elegantly walk out of the coffee house.
****************
"Wait, I don't get it, I thought you were only using him for his fame and connections?" asks Selena in confusion.
"I thought so too" I wail, the tears are pouring faster now. "I....I..didn't think that like...I'd actually like....fall in love with him or whatever......but..but....but then I got to know him....and I'm such an idiot" I say between sniffles. This is what I get for letting my guard down, I'm crying in Harry's Guns and roses tee and $20 spandex shorts eating a bowl of vegan ice-cream.
"Aww sweetie" she says and I hear a faint chuckle.
"Did you just laugh at me?" I ask bewildered. How is this possibly funny?.
At first she shakes her head in denial but she can stifle her laughs any longer and let's it all out.
"I'm so sorry T, I really am, it's just so funny to see you heartbroken like legitimately heartbroken over a guy. You've never let yourself like a guy before, you had that shitty rule your mom told you-"
"Men are only stepping stones to success and nothing more" we say in unison.
"Yeah right now I really wish I held on tightly to that rule with Harry" I quietly say. I hate feeling this way, vulnerability is so foreign to me and I don't plan on getting used to it.
I wipe my tears off yet again and get up from my bed and the confetti of tissues.
"What are you doing" Selena asks immediately taking the ice-cream and eating some.
"I'm going to Nature ball to get Harry back" I announce.
****************
I step into my little walk in closet and browse through the clothing hanger by hanger. I come across my crepe de chine printed Valentino crop top, I cuss myself for spending $700 on it and never finding on occasion to wear. Panic fills my thoughts when I realize most of my clothes are from last seasons collections.
I'm going to have to eBay cleanse this weekend.
eBay cleansing is something I do when I'm low on cash and in need for an updated wardrobe, I basically just auction all my clothes for the same price I bought them and pray they sell.
I choose to go with the crop top and pick out a flowy black chiffon Valentino maxi skirt.
After I'm done getting dressed and applying my makeup I feel so much better, the feeling doesn't last long as I remember that I don't have a date to the Nature ball. Harry and I were supposed to go together but he probably asked Marie right before he dumped me.
Going to the ball alone isn't even an option, there would be nothing more pathetic and if the media got a hold of me dateless at such an intimate gathering, especially after what I said today about Harry and I, I'd be ruined.
I grab my iPhone off my vanity table and quickly dial the number of my plan B.
"Hello?" He says in a voice so raspy and low it sounds like he just woke up, knowing him he probably did.
"Zayn, get dressed your accompanying me to the ball" I command.
"Wait....what ball?" He asks confusion clear in his voice.
"Just wear something nice and pick me up at eight, yeah." I say and hang up on him before he has a chance to protest.
***************
I grab Zayn's hand and he leads me out of his limo, closing the door after me.
"So what's this ball about anyway?" He asks as we pose for a photographer and continue to make our way down the carpeted isle leading to the front steps.
"I don't know, something about the rainforest......or nature.....or whatever" I absentmindedly reply, my eyes scan the elaborately decorated ballroom for Harry immediately as we step inside.
"Hmm...where'd you get that idea" he sarcastically jokes and I chuckle in response and we slowly walk around the room, greeting important people we came across.
"So what do you do at these things?" Zayn asks looking around with boredom I his eyes.
"You're telling me you've never been to a ball?" I ask in disbelief.
"Well this isn't particularly my scene" he states in defence.
"Oh yeah I forgot you prefer getting wasted in the homes of rappers and passing out in their pool" I joke remembering the photo of Zayn blacked out on a floaty in DJ Khalid's pool that went viral.
"Okay that was one time" he says acting offended but I can see a smile playing on his lips. "Plus, rappers are just more down to earth and real than all these poseurs"
I'm a little offended by his statement.
"Oh yeah and you can totally relate to all those rappers who've had tough lives since you grew up with a billionaires as parents, right?" I snap. I'm so sick of all his bull crap, I get if he's tired of going to fancy parties filled with egotistic narcissists, join the club. But for him to act as if he's not one of us is such a load.
"I'm going to get a drink, do you want anything?" He asks, even when he's angry he's still such a gentlemen.
"Glass of champagne please" I respond looking away from him.
As he leaves I spot Isaac and Diana standing together on the right staircase. Diana was wearing a powder pink tile dress I remember seeing at a Fendi fashion show.
Gosh that probably costs like twenty-four grand.
I think to myself as I approach them. Twenty four thousand dollars is a penny in the bucket for Diana, her mom is the founder of the female department store plush and rakes in tens of billions a year.
"Tay!" She exclaims as she sees me coming towards them.
"Di, you look great" I say pretending to observe her appearance.
"Please have you seen yourself today, I'm a troll compared to you" she humbly replies taking in my outfit.
"Are you kidding, your literally the belle of the ball tonight" I say in return.
"No you're-" begins Di before she's cut off by Isaac.
"You're both really hot, can we move on now"
Diana and I giggle at his reaction.
"How's the modelling gig?" She asks with genuine interest.
"Well my agents trying to get me a job for Ralph Lauren's fall collection display in New York" I brag.
"Oh,oh I could get my mom to put in a good word for you, she's pretty tight with Ralph" Diana offers.
"Really?!!!" I scream. I didn't even know she had connections like that, I would've befriended her ages ago.
"Oh yeah totally, it's my pleasure" she responds and I pull her into a hug.
"Thank you so much Di, you have no idea what this means to me" I say pulling back and fixing my hair.
"Is there something else you need?" Isaac rudely interrupts. Why would he care that I'm talking to Diana.
"Yeah I was actually wondering if you've seen Harry?" I casually ask.
"Yeah I think he's out by the garden or something" Diana tells me pointing towards the huge floor to ceiling windows that exposed an Orchard.
Great it's going to take me forever to find him.
"Thanks Di" I say and turn around and walk down the stairs.
I walk out through the front entrance my skirt flying behind me as I run down the black carpeted steps. I feel like Cinderella running from the ball before her secrets were exposed, but in my case I'm the one exposing the secrets.
***************
I sigh in defeat after spending half an hour searching for Harry to no avail.
Just as I begin to give up and go back to the ballroom before the auction starts I hear a loud laugh that can only be described by Harry.
I shove past Jennifer Gates making her spill her drink on Paris Jackson.
"I'm so sorry" I apologize backing away slowly.
Gosh now I've pissed off Bill Gates' and Micheal Jacksons daughters, great.
"Love your hair Paris" I add before turning around and following the sound of Harry's voice.
What has my life turned into, I'm crazily stalking my ex boyfriend, who dumped me in a second for a girl who broke his heart, in hopes that I can persuade him to continue going out with me because I was dumb enough to actually fall I love with the prick.
I come across a wall of flowers and I can now hear both Harry and Marie's voices.
Of course he came to the ball with her.
I walk to the other side of the wall and sure enough there they are standing a foot too close to each other, glasses of champagne in their hands.
I ignore the pain that shoots through my heart.
"Men are only stepping stones to success and nothing more"
My mothers words replay in my head, I hold my head up high and walk towards them, Marie notices me coming and the smile on her face disappears, Harry turns around to see what she's looking at and his face is covered in shock when he sees me standing in front of him.
I muster my signature bitch smile.
"Well aren't you two having fun, I could hear Harry's laughter from a mile away" I joke with fake cheerfulness.
"Taylor," says Harry his eyes still wide with shock "I wasn't expecting you to be here".
"Oh well I never miss charitable events," I say "I actually wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier today".
"Oh yeah of course" he says handing Marie his glass and walking towards me. I can tell he thinks I want an explanation or something. He is in for a surprise all right.
"You don't mind if I steal him for a second?" I ask Marie.
"No go right ahead" she responds motioning her fingers forward while taking a long drink from Harry's glass.
I lead Harry a few yards away and stop by the large fountain of a nude woman who appears to be dancing.
"I'm so glad you're giving me a chance to explain everything because it really had nothing to do with you, I mean your an amazing person Taylor and you deserve-"
he begins to rant but I quickly cut him off before he starts with the whole "it's not you it's me" crap.
"I don't care" I say and his face hardens in confusion and hurt.
"What?" He replies with a fake smile.
"You're not breaking up with me" I announce, a smug smile spreading across my face.
"Taylor" he says pity clear in his eyes as he sits on the edge of the fountain.
My blood boils at the fact that he has the audacity to feel sorry for me, I'll admit I'm broken hearted that he used me like that, but darling there are plenty of other fish in the sea, it's just that most of them aren't famous rockstars.
"So here's how it's going to go," I dictate "We're going to forget the little miscommunication that happened this morning, you're going to break off whatever it is you have with Marie and publicly announce our relationship" I say sitting next to him and lacing my fingers in his.
He looks at me like I lost my mind, maybe I have.
"Oh don't think you won't benefit from this too," I say harshly pinching his cheeks, he jumps from the pain. "So long as you never see Marie again, the cops won't find out about the side hobbies of Scott Styles, and your murderer of a father stays out of jail".
The look on his face is priceless as I stand up and place a kiss on his cheek, leaving a print of red lipstick. He's completely dumbfounded and doesn't move a muscle, I'm not even sure he's breathing.
I turn away from him and walk towards the large hall victorious.
That'll teach him not to mess with Taylor Swift.
********************
AUTHORS NOTE
Hi guys!
I know I said I won't be uploading till next week but I've decided to enter the Wattys2017 contest for fun and experience!!!!!!. So yeah wish me luck I don't think I'm going to win but it's a great opportunity to see what competing is like.
Make sure to vote, comment and follow to show your support if you're liking the book so far.💗💗💜💜💜