@4ever1D: IAJFJSKGJD
ELLIE
HE
WHAT?
HOW
OMG
YOU SAID YOU JUST TALKED
@EllieMandM: we did just talk.
I don't know what to think
Em he messaged me.
@4ever1D: HOLY FUCK ELLIE
WHAT DOES IT SAY
@EllieMandM: I haven't read it yet
@4ever1D: WHY NOT?
@EllieMandM: I don't know it's just
kind of crazy I've been trying to convince
myself that this is even real
@4ever1D: well you won't know what's possible until you read it.
Let me know how it goes.
Love you El!
@EllieMandM : love you too Em!
•
I close my messages with Emma and stare at the notification for Harry's. Now that I'm in my messages I can already see the first one. I tap the screen and open the message.
@Harry_Styles: Hi
Sorry this is so weird.
I didn't know how else to reach you.
I'm sorry about all the pap pictures and that my fans bothered you at your job.
@EllieMandM: How did you
even find my account?
@Harry_Styles: I went looking
on the fan pages.
The fans know everything.
It's scary sometimes, tonight it
was quite helpful
@EllieMandM: oh okay
Your fans didn't bother me
They did kind of cause a little chaos at closing,
but they were just hoping to meet you.
Three dots appear letting me know he is typing. Nothing comes through so I add one more message
@EllieMandM: I can't blame them
The bubbles appear again and this time are followed by more messages.
@Harry_Styles: Could you meet me later?
Wait....what? What would he want me to meet him for? Had I missed something? Was our simple conversation somehow, more? My thoughts wander farther into wondering if Harry perhaps thought more of our chat that I suspected.
@Harry_Styles: my manager needs to talk to you about damage control.
Sorry in advance.
@EllieMandM: oh okay.
Yeah, I'll send you my
number. Have your people
call my people.
@Harry_Styles: Haha, Perfect.
Thanks El! x
I reply back with only my number and throw my phone down on my bed. I rub my hands over my face and sigh. Of course I overestimated the impact a simple interaction could have. Still, I just had another full conversation with a boy that, before yesterday, was only known to me through magazines and computer screens.
•
His manager texts me later that night and asks me to meet him Saturday morning. He gives me the name of a local hotel and tells me to meet him in the bar there. I'm 18 so I should be able to get in, I just can't drink. I agree to meet him and end the conversation.
Friday passes with much the same craziness as Thursday. I finally tell Abby that I need to take some time off until everything dies down. She agrees.
At first, I thought it was kind of cool that people were interested in me. Now, I'm losing money because of it and it's pissing me off.
I carry my anger home with me. I slam the door to my house only to jump when I realize I'm not alone.
"Oh, hi mom"
"Hi, sweetie." She replies and I can tell she's tired. "I haven't seen you in a few days, everything been okay?"
"Yeah mom." I mutter "boring as usual"
•
I didn't realize how nervous I was for this meeting until I started the drive to the hotel. My palms are clammy and there's a pit in my stomach. I find a parking space and gaze out my windshield to the hotel across the street. It's only then I see them, the hoards of girls watching, waiting. The boys must be staying at this hotel. I'm surprised I didn't know that, but then again my life has been quite hectic the past few days. I know they'll recognize me and I doubt that's what Harry wants. I reach in my backseat and grab an old baseball hat I always keep in there. I add a pair of sunglasses and throw my hair in a ponytail before placing the hat on my head. My outfit Is casual, just a pair of dark washed, distressed jeans and a white, cross-crossed back, tank top. I hope I've done enough to conceal my identity, but like Harry said, the fans know everything. There isn't anything else I can do though really so I make my way across the street. I keep my head forward and pass the fans. Most are distracted with their phones and I slip into the sliding doors unnoticed. The door man stops me.
"Miss? We have some VIP's staying with us so I need to see a room card to allow you in," He says.
"I'm meeting someone in the bar, he was supposed to leave my name with you I believe" I reply.
"Ahh okay. Do you have your ID?" He questions.
I reach in my bag and pull out my drivers license. He looks down at a piece of paper I assume the expected guest list. He writes something on the paper and seems satisfied before handing me back my license.
"Elevators are around the corner there miss" he remarks as I head off in the direction he indicated. I step on to the elevator and press the button for the top floor.
When the doors open I find myself in the bar. Everything is white, clean and sophisticated. All the walls are floor to ceiling windows which makes for some incredible views of the city. I glance around at the few patrons in the bar trying to find who I'm here to meet. Harry didn't mention his manager's name but I knew from my years of fandom that his name was Mark. I finally spot him at a small table off to the side of the bar. He is lost in his phone screen but glances up as I take a seat across from him.
"You must be Ellie" he states matter of factly. I nod in response. "Right, well Harry sends his apologies. He wanted to come with me to speak to you but unfortunately the boys are behind with recording at the moment so he wasn't able to make it."
I do my best to hide my disappointment.
"This won't take long. I'm sorry that your life has been disrupted." He says in a way that seems like he isn't the least but sorry that my life has been crazy the past few days.
"It's fine." I respond not sure what else to say.
"Where the boys are concerned there are some things best kept from the fans. Harry is convinced we don't need this," He says as he slides a formal looking paper across the table, "but I want to be safe. It's a basic Non-disclosure agreement. I just need your signature here and here" he points to the lines.
"Okay. I can do that."
I take the pen and quickly scribble my name.
"I think he finds it romantic you know."
I stare at him quizzically.
"That he thinks he can share his secrets with you and you'll keep them because you want to, not because you have to"
"I will keep them because I want to"
"Yeah, well now we have it in writing, just in case" he smirks and rises.
I turn to walk away but he remarks "oh, one last thing. I need your contact info in case we need to get in touch with you if this continues to spiral."
"Sure, no problem" I scribble down my number and email before heading back to the elevator.
I wave bye to the doorman and once again pass by the fans, just some girl in a baseball hat.
I return to my car crank it and pull out the parking lot. I return home quickly and head up to my room.
I have a text waiting for me.
It's from Kambrie.
Where have you been?
Who have you been with?
After I send the text I instantly regret it. She's my only friend. She's dating my ex sure but, I didn't want him anymore. I didn't own him, he was allowed to date and so was she. The whole situation was stressing me out and I shoved it to the back of my mind and flipped on my TV.
I flipped through channels for a while before catching sight of Harry on an entertainment station.
"Harry Styles appears to have a new fling only a few short weeks after his last breakup. Sources say Styles was spotted in a small California suburb on a date with a mystery brunette. It has since been revealed the girls name is Elouise Mitchell a local retail worker. Cameras also caught Miss Mitchell visiting the boys hotel attempting to be incognito."
I turn the TV off. I guess my little disguise hadn't worked as well as I thought it had.
My phone buzzes on my bedspread. I flip it over and an unknown number fills my screen with a text notification. I slide the message open
Hope you won't sell this number to the tabloids.
Holy shit.