The walk back to the hotel was quiet but nice, the sun was setting over the river and the beautiful lights hidden amongst the trees illuminated the stone pathway.
"You hungry?" Harper asked, "I know this cute little restaurant just around the corner from here, they do THE best spaghetti, you've gotta try it!" How do you say no to somebody whose just spent over $1800 on you? You don't.
"Yeah a little, that sounds perfect". I'm glad I decided on bringing my coat, the temperature had dropped at least another twelve degrees since leaving the store and the wind had almost become unbearable. We arrived at a small italian restaurant called "Portobella", it was quaint and old but had the most beautiful structure about it. The walls were braided with carvings of plaster and the detail amongst the windows was implausable. The waiters were authentic Italian and you could tell they had been working amongst this business for a long time.
We were seated right next to the small fire and I couldn't have been happier with that decision, Harper ordered us both a glass of the chefs special wine and a serving of bruschetta, ensuring me that I wouldn't be dissapointed in her decision.
"So Luca, why did you decide to take this job in London? I'm assuming you would've had the option on staying or going, why did you decide to pick up and move across the globe? The delivery of her question was unavoidable and I began thinking about my response.
"Well, I sort of figured it was time for a change, I had been stuck in the same place for over seventeen years and for me personally I knew exactly what I wanted in life and I knew I couldn't achieve that staying in Australia, so I decided to give London ago. That was the first time I had actually stopped to think about the whole decision to move, it happened so quickly that I hadn't really given why, much thought. Our meals came out and the rest of the night was involved in conversation. I found out that Harper was the managing director and writer of the incredibly popular column Ask H and that she moved here when she was seventeen. She initially wanted to work as an actress and thought she could catch her big break over here, however that didn't work out, so she became a journalist instead. She laid herself out like a book in front of me, letting me pick and choose from different chapters that ultimately made her who she is today.
I decided to cover the bill in a small step to repaying Harper for the dress.
"I definitely believe you now, that was the best spaghetii I have ever tried, very impressed with your judgement on Italian foods", I playfully said.
The mixture between the food coma we were both about to fall into and the minus twenty-five degree temperature had us both on the side of the curb reeling for a cab, although the walk was short, it was not something we both intended on doing. The time difference and lack of sleep began to set in and I couldn't be more excited to finally get into bed. Harper and I exchanged phone numbers at dinner and I decided to send her a quick text thanking her once again for today. I propped my phone up on the side dresser and almost fell asleep instantly.
The next day consisted of sleeping and catching up on my emails.
I decided to do my own hair and make-up for the event as I didn't really see the point in spending a huge amount of money when chances are I would come home and re-do it myself anyways. I went with a black smokey eye and a red lip with my hair just straightened and pinned to the side. The black gown looked even better on then I remembered and I was actually quite excited for what the night had in stall. Harper told me to meet her down in the lobby of the hotel at eight fifteen, where our chaparoned car would await to take us to the venue.
Harper had an elegant royal blue dress, which sat immaculatly on her figure, her hair was similar to mine however she had lose curls intertwining her blonde locks and a dark purple lip. I commented on her outfit and recieved very little response back. The atmosphere on the way to the Palace seemed thick and awkward, sort of like we weren't comfortable with each others company, Harper seemed to have held back on the personality that I had gotten to know over the past 24 hours and I wasn't really sure why?
"Champagne ladies?" A man dressed in a well fitted tux marveled. I grabbed a glass and continued through to the large doors.
By the time I stepped foot through the doors into the venue, Harper had dissapeared. I assumed to the bathroom or to get something to drink, nevertheless gone.
I looked around, everybody was dressed to the nines, all with glasses of expensive chardonay and a date on their hip, I walked around the entirety of the floor searching for Harper, she was now know were to be found, as I searched, I had the chance to look at the callibre of people attending the event, it felt like high school, each group associated with just themselves, just in the short five minutes I was able to establish who was who amongst the food chain that was confession.
I decided to take a seat at the bar and ring her mobile.
"I'm sorry the number you are trying to reach is not available right now", the repetition of the monotone answering machine made me increasingly angry and the fact that I had spent over fourty-five minutes looking for this girl, made me even aggrier. I decided it was time I got out of here. Not one executive had attempted to approach me since I had walked in so I figured my presence wasn't going to be missed.
As I hopped off the chair and took my purse I was startled by a familiar face, someone who I never in a million years thought I would see again. We made eye contact from opposite sides of the room and before I could look away he was walking towards me. I'll admit he looked impeccable, even better then the last time. His hair pushed right off his forehead and his body tightly fitted into a dark pair of black skinny jeans, a white collared shirt and a black blazer jacket. I had no idea why he was headed towards me, in fact I'm surprised he even remembered who I was.
"Hey your the girl who stole my phone?" His accent laced with charm and satisfaction.
My response was delayed, shocked almost.
"Stole? Please, you're the one who left it sitting on the basin of a plane cubical, I thought it belonged to some 15 year old teeny bopper." I tried to keep my cool, not letting his high status persona phase me.
"I'm Harry, I saw you stalking me from across the room". He held his hand out to introduce himself and the same smug grin as earlier was plastered across his face.
"Your so full of yourself, I was actually getting ready to leave and I saw you standing by the door, you approached me remember?" I knew there was no point even bothering reminding him because it would do nothing, but he needed to know that whatever act his was putting on was not working, although I was incredibly nervous around this man, he couldn't know it.
"Funny that, I was waiting for the right time to slip out the door as well, parties not really your thing either?" He confessed.
"I wouldn't call this a party, but no not really, I had come with someone but I haven't seen her since we walked through the door so I figured nobody would notice if I snuck out."
"I noticed", his smug grin had now turned into a smile and it was quite infectious, I could feel my cheeks turning a rosy pink colour from embarrassment. "You still haven't told me your name."
"Luca" I held my hand out to shake his, slightly mocking the way Harry introduced himself.
"Can I buy you a drink? Maybe convince you that these kinds of events aren't as bad as you think they are?" I decided to take him up on the offer, I figured there was no point leaving yet, I still hadn't found Harper and I knew that the chaffeur wouldn't make two seperate trips back to the hotel, unpayed.
Harry ordered two lemonades and then asked me what I would like.
"Why did you order two of the same drink for yourself?"
"Well ones never enough and I hate waiting for the bar tenders to come back round so if I order two at the same time it ends up being easier, plus the second one always tastes better" he explained. I decided to test his theory and ordered two of the same drink aswell.
Listening to Harry speak about mindless topics was actually far more intriguing then I expected. The way his accent pronounced impossed words and how he would pull his lips into his bottom teeth when trying to understand something, this man had me absolutely facinated. I wasn't one to be overly friendly towards people I don't know, actually towards really anyone but I figured surely after this time I'll never see him again, so I may as well be nice enough. I found myself so caught up in conversation I hadn't even noticed that the number of people at the event had noticeably gotten smaller and out of the corner of my eye I saw a royal blue dress.
"Excuse me, just one minute", I assured Harry.
I started swiftly walking over towards the door, ensuring I got Harpers attention before she walked out. Why was she leaving without me?
"Harper...Harper" I bellowed, slightly embarrassed as people around me stared. She payed no attention and continued down to the car. I stood there completley unsure of what was going on. I decided to leave it and head back into the foyer, whatever her problem was i'm sure i'd sort it out later. To my surprise Harry was still waiting at the bar when i came back, something that I had not expected.
"Sorry my "friend" literally just left without me", his lips pouted up and his eyebrows harshened, "why would she do that? Isn't she your friend?" His question seemed so innocent and decent that It had me questioning the exact same thing.
Why did Harper leave without me, in fact why did she avoid me all night after being the one that made sure I came to this stupid thing?
"Well I can drive you home? I'm getting pretty tired anyways so let me drop you back", I took Harry up on the offer and tried not to act too eager. How often does Harry Styles offer to drop you home.
We stepped outside only to be greeted hundreds of unwelcoming flashes from cameras and paparazzi, once again how did they find out he was here? Harry put his hand on the small of my back and led me down the stairs, trying his best to disguise me from the flashes. We finally reached his car and weaved our way out of the mob of people.
"Sorry about that, gets pretty crazy sometimes", he said apologetically.
"You don't have to say sorry, that's not your fault, I'm sorry that you have to deal with that day in and day out, that couldn't possibly be legal?"
He gave me a compassionate smile and before I knew it we were pulling up at the hotel.
"Thanks so much for the lift, I really do appreciate it"
"Not a problem, when am I going to see you again stalker?" Harry Styles wanted to see me again, was I hearing him right?
"Thanks again Harry", I replied, his dark green eyes once again meeting mine, I looked away, shutting the door and headed back up onto the side walk. This boy obviously being too good to be true, I convinced myself that I had made the right decision not to see Harry again and headed for the elevator.
I couldn't wait to take my dress off, the beaded sequins had begun digging into the sides of my arms causing hundreds of little patterened dots just under my armpits. I unlocked the door and threw my shoes and purse onto the bed, as I began unzipping the corsaged dress I noticed a piece of paper had been slipped underneath the door. I unfolded the edges to find it had written:
Lucy Sky Summary Receipt:
- Black Bella Monte embroided gown (size UK 8, 164cms)
$1600.00
- Black Louis Vuitton wedges heels (size UK 6)
$399.00
- Silver embroided sequined clutch
$112.00
"The best bitch ALWAYS wins"
Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was super tired and didn't want to write a shitty chapter! Hopefully this longer one makes up for it, I spent quite a while writing and re-writing this out so I really hope you enjoy it and please vote, I also would love to hear your opinions on the story so far! :)
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