Pardon any typos, I'm tired and had to get this out for you, enjoy !
This is the third time it's happening in a week and it's beginning to look a little worrisome.
The phone calls, video calls and heated exchange of mails have started looking shady.
Zara leans against the kitchen counter in his kitchen and raises an eyebrow, watching him face the wall as he wraps up what looks like another heated phone conversation.
The shared plate of breakfast has been long abandoned on the dining table and Zara takes another sip from her glass of fresh juice.
The hunger has long worn out and right now she just wants this to be over and done with.
On her is one of Harry's t-shirts he has personally set aside for whenever she chooses to spend the night in his place and it smells like him, something she likes a lot.
Harry angrily slaps his hand against the wall before remembering there's someone watching him and he exhales to calm himself.
"This is exactly why I signed an agreement," his voice is brimming with anger.
Zara scrolls through her phone, checking for new messages or just anything to distract her from his anger.
It has been back and forth. What is it? That's the thing, she has no idea.
Harry does not exactly enjoy sharing a lot with her and it's a little uncomfortable.
There's no label to their relationship but there's a little bit of expectation.
Realising there's nothing new on her phone, she sets it aside and sighs, waiting to return to breakfast with him.
Harry calms down as he wraps up his phone call.
"I'll let you know, when I'm ready," he says.
The call ends and he slowly pockets his phone. He turns around to see Zara with a patient smile on her face and he exhales before walking over to her.
Harry leans down to press a kiss to her waiting lips and she slowly pulls away.
"You good?" Zara hums.
"Sure," he clears his throat. "Back to breakfast."
"Wait," she stares at him.
"What's up?" Harry asks, sitting before her.
"I should be asking you that, what's up?" Zara asks.
"Oh, the call?" he picks up his fork and drags it across the plate of food.
"Come off it, H," she rolls her eyes.
"Just a few protocols about my hiatus and some postponed gigs," he shrugs, shoving some food into his mouth.
"I know but what's making you so angry?" she continues
Harry gradually eats, thinking of ways to avoid sharing the full details with her, and he cracks a small smile at her concern of him.
He reaches to touch her hand and she gently pulls away from his hold. There's a little tension between them these past days.
She asks, he doesn't answer. It is getting annoying.
"Hey, come on," he mumbles.
"These calls have been bothering you," she points out.
"Yeah, I know," he gulps.
"Do you want to maybe share what's going on?" she raises an eyebrow.
"It's nothing. Just work stuff, you know?" Harry shrugs.
"I don't know," she deadpans.
"Come on Zara, it's nothing serious," he winces.
"You get angry, sometimes yell and it's nothing serious?" she asks.
Harry blinks and clears his throat.
"It's not serious enough to disturb our breakfast," he answers.
"It literally just did," Zara frowns a little.
"Fine. I don't want to talk about it," he stresses.
Zara bitterly nods and picks up her phone.
Without another word, she rises and is about to walk away when Harry hurriedly holds her by the wrist.
"Harry, let go," she warns.
"Can you just calm down?" he begs.
"You've been fighting invisible people for three days now but it's nothing?" she stares at him.
"I don't want it bugging us," Harry nearly stutters.
"It's already done that, I just want to know what's bothering you," Zara softens up.
"Okay but why? It shouldn't affect you," he frowns a little.
In anger, Zara tears her hand away from his hold and steps away with a chuckle.
"I'm - look I'm going home," she says.
"Babe, please," Harry sighs.
"I'll text you when I get home," Zara says. "If I remember to."
And with that, she's walking out of the kitchen and he sits down in defeat.
Zara hurriedly changes and gets her bag before leaving the flat. This is not a fight. It is not a fight because they don't fight.
Harry stands up and starts pacing around his flat.
He cannot believe what he's been keeping away has come back to bite him and Zara.
Since the beginning of his issues with work, he has made sure to protect his friends and family from the background noise.
Right now, he has clearly failed because it's already affecting what he has with Zara.
Harry knows it's beyond these calls and it's been this stiff since that day with Chef Annoying Riz.
Something must be done to table this.
-
It's been hours since walking out of Harry's flat and now Zara is currently in Poppy's car, parked in front of a building.
Poppy looks anxious and slightly excited, worrying Zara a little bit. There's normal excitement and there's this one that's making Poppy look like she's vibrating.
Okay, not look like. Poppy is actually vibrating on her driver's seat.
"What is happening to you?" Zara frowns.
"The client is on the roof, they're extra," Poppy nearly sings.
"Why would a client want to meet on a roof?" she asks.
"It's the venue for the event, come on," Poppy groans.
"That makes sense,"
Zara unbuckles her seatbelt and gets her sling purse before Poppy stops her with a hand.
"Look at me," Poppy stares at her. "Okay, you look decent enough."
"Thank you for that, I guess?" Zara rolls her eyes.
Zara gets out of the car and starts walking into the building. It's a mall-like building and she follows Poppy's instructions to get to the top floor.
Entering the lift, she presses on the R button and exhales.
Harry hasn't reached out since she left his place and it's grating her.
The silence is not her kind of communication thing and she might have to call him out on it.
Some seconds past and the doors of the lift open, revealing a brilliant set-up on the roof.
Zara steps out with a frown as her eyes search for her potential client only to be met with Harry waiting for her.
There's a small smile on his face and she pauses, letting it click. Of course, this makes more sense.
It is annoying but it makes sense.
Harry is wearing a red jumper on his flared denim trousers with his hair looking softer than usual.
Right now, he's looking a little extra handsome and it's making it hard to stay angry with him.
"Hi," he softly speaks.
"What are you doing?" she asks.
"Hey, no questions now,"
Harry walks over to her and gently stretches out his hand to her. Zara reluctantly takes his hand as he leads her to the set-up waiting for them.
They take a shared seat. It's a rooftop picnic with candles and a great view of London.
She melts a little at this but still wants him to know overcompensating is never the answer.
"This looks nice," she mutters.
"It's more than nice and you know that," he teases her.
"I'm not sure," Zara shrugs.
"Not sure about what?" Harry asks.
"I'm not sure about anything, Harry," she says.
"Yeah, that's why I'm doing this," he clears his throat.
"So, why are you doing this?" she asks.
"I owe you an explanation," he starts.
Zara shakes her head in the negative.
"I don't want you to think you have to explain things to me," she says.
"But you were upset I didn't," he says.
"Exactly. I don't want you thinking you must. It should be a choice, your choice," she explains.
"Right," he drops his eyes down.
"I was upset not because I want to know every single thing about you. It's more than that," Zara smiles a little.
Harry appreciates the mere sight of her smile and feels a little more relaxed than he was earlier today.
"Tell me," he urges.
"I simply care about you. I cannot fix everything or understand it all, but I just want to be there for you," she says.
"Right. I didn't think about it that way," Harry frowns.
"That's because you're projecting and thinking for me." she scowls.
They share a small laugh and she takes his hand in hers.
"It's been a while since someone that's not family has cared like this," he says.
"I know but still," she shrugs.
"I care about you too," Harry confesses.
"You don't have to say it back, Styles," she rolls her eyes.
"I mean it," he sits up, serious.
Zara smiles at him and slowly nods. This setting is beautiful so maybe this is his own way of showing that.
Maybe he cares about her but only in the platonic way.
Something tells her that she might care for him more than he does but she's not sure yet.
"Thank you," she replies.
"It's been a lot at work and I thought I could protect our little bubble," he says.
"Well, there's no little bubble when you're constantly tensed," she points out.
"That's true. I guess I was fighting reality and didn't want you seeing me as unprofessional," he confesses.
Zara gently brings her fingers to his hair.
"You know, you don't have to tell me every single thing but you can tell me how to be there for you," she reminds him.
"Knowing you want to be there for me is a balm on my heart," he breathes out.
"I like you a lot, Harry Styles," she smiles. "I will always say what's on my mind."
"I know. I like you so much, it's a little scary to know someone like you exists in my world," he leans closer.
"Can you suspend that fear for a second?" Zara asks, bringing a finger to his lips.
"I can try," he nods.
"Because I want you to be my boyfriend and you keep making it so hard," she hums.
Harry groans in anger and rolls his eyes.
"Hey, you're stealing my plan!"
"What plan?" she is amused.
"I brought you here to eat and ask you to be my girlfriend," he blushes.
"Wow, an official asking thing?" she widens her eyes, excited.
"Don't mock my efforts!" he warns.
Zara happily pulls him close and Harry looks away, a little shy.
"It's so cute. I didn't know people still do that. It's like a proposal," she laughs.
"What? I am a romantic at heart," he prides himself in that.
"I can tell," she nods.
"I rented this whole space to ask you to be very official with me," Harry announces.
"You're so dramatic, I like it," Zara smirks at him.
Harry leans in, pressing a passionate kiss to her mouth and she pulls him, accepting his kiss with everything in her.
The moment is intimate and heated. Her palms cup his face and he holds her like he doesn't want to ever let go.
In some seconds, he pulls away and brushes his nose against hers with a cheeky grin.
"I want to be your boyfriend," he whispers.
"I asked first, don't turn this around," she pouts.
"I can do whatever I want," he wiggles his eyebrows.
Zara bites down a smile as she stares into his beautiful large eyes and cannot believe one man has so much power of feelings over her.
"Continue," she eggs him on.
"And I want you to be my girlfriend," he continues.
"Why is that?" she smiles.
"Zara, you're the girl of my dreams." Harry says.
"Look at you melting my heart, Harry," Zara fights her emotions.
"I want to experience life with you right now. I want to try new things with you, I want to share stuff with you, I want to wake up to you, I just want you." he breathes out.
This is a full heart melting moment and she blinks away the tears threatening to cloud her eyes.
Zara shocks him by hurriedly standing up and twirls around with a loud laugh.
"Rooftop! Harry Styles is my boyfriend," she squeals.
Harry smiles watching her happily twirl around and there's a new feeling already sprouting.
This is a new level, a very important level. He gets up and joins her.
"Zara Hughes is my girlfriend!" he announces himself.
Without planning it, she twirls into his waiting arms and he happily lifts her up for another kiss.