Mrs. Kalder decided to let me go home an hour early. I got a taxi and headed back to my apartment. I was so nervous for tonight. I’m still not sure if I should be doing this… This could end badly. Harry had texted me back asking for my address and saying that there will be a car to pick me up at 7 o’clock. Oh and he also told me to “wear something sexy.” I rolled my eyes at the thought. This guy was seriously full of himself. I paid the cab driver and entered my apartment. Waiting for me by the door was Lizzie. I picked her up and flopped on the couch. I slowly stroked her head and she began to purr and fall asleep,

“You have it so easy,” I muttered to the sleeping cat.

I got up and decided to start the laundry, since I had a few hours to kill before my “date” with Harry. I got it all in the dryer, when my phone began to buzz in my pocket. I took it out to see my mother calling. My mother and I haven’t had a very good relationship and it’s only gotten worse since I moved to New York and left her and my father in Florida. I love my mom, truly, but she just didn’t understand me living so far away.

I answered the phone reluctantly, “Hello?”

I heard my mother’s voice come out of the phone a little too loudly, “Hi, Aria. I just called to check in. I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to check and see if you were coming home for Christmas?”

I face-palmed and sighed. Christmas was in two weeks and I had planned to just spend it here at the apartment watching old Christmas movies and eating ice-cream. Pathetic, right? “Umm… Mom, I don’t think that’s gonna happen… I don’t have a ticket and considering how close it is to Christmas, I don’t think

I would be able to get one…”

My mom cleared her throat, clearly annoyed, “Well. That’s too bad. Your father was hoping to see you.

Have a good Christmas, Aria”, and she ended the call. I stared at my phone with guilt. If she wanted me to come home so badly, then she should have called me sooner.

I looked at my phone to see it was already 5:30 and decided I should get ready. I decided to take a nice, hot shower to try and calm my nerves. I got out and blew dry my hair and decided to curl it in big ringlets again. I put on my make-up, this time going for a sexy, smokey-eye look. I went to my closet and just stared. What the hell am I going to wear? I pulled out a yellow knee-length dress that I wore with leggings. I decided to wear my brown heels. I put a rhinestone flower in my hair for the finishing touch and grabbed my rhinestone hand bag.

I looked in the mirror, pleased. The color of the dress went pretty well with my skin tone and hair color. I heard a buzz from my intercom. I walked to the door and pressed the talk button on the little, black box,

“Yes?”

A gruff voice rang through from the other side, “Is this a Ms. Franks residence?” I replied, “Yes it is.” The man’s voice came through again, “The car is here.” I replied with a thank you and put my phone and my keys in my purse and left the apartment, locking the door behind me. When I got out of the apartment, I saw a man holding open a door to the black car with tinted windows. The man smiled at me and told me his name was Robert? Or was it Rupert?

I got into the back of the car and he lightly shut the door behind me. When we arrived to the restaurant, it had a huge line. How the hell are we going to get in there? Robert, or Rupert, opened my door and I thanked him. I looked at the long line of people again, “How am I supposed to get in there?”

He smiled at me slightly, “Go up to the man and tell him your name. Mr. Styles let them know you were coming.” I nodded my head and made my way to the man standing in front of the door. He looked up at me, “Sorry but we are full.” I shook my head, “I am Aria Franks. I am meeting someone.”
His eyes lit up, realizing who I was, “Follow me, Ms. Franks.” I followed the man through the restaurant. It was dimly lit and decorated with cobble stone and vines. I am guessing it was an Italian restaurant by the way it was decorated. The man led me to a booth in the back, where the one and only Harry Styles sat.

He looked up at me, looking at me up and down and a smirk came across his lips, “Ello, beautiful. Glad you came. I was beginning to think you were going to stand me up,” he winked.

Once again I tried not to roll my eyes. I had to act interested and lure him in. Which mean I had to flirt, a lot. Great. I smiled at him as I sat down across from him, “I would never stand you up.”

His smile grew bigger, “I see you followed my advice about wearing something sexy. That dress…,” he paused lightly licking his bottom lip, “that dress does all the right things.”

I felt my face begin to get hot. Stop having a reaction to his words, Aria! I cleared my throat slightly,

“Thank you.”

The waiter came to take our drink order. I ordered water and so did Harry. We looked at the menu, trying to decide what we would like. I realized I was right, it was an Italian restaurant. We were silent while we tried to decide what we want. I could feel his eyes on me. I looked up to see him gazing at me and smiling, “You’re so beautiful.”

I blushed again, “Thanks.” The waiter came back with our drinks and we ordered. I ordered the chicken fettuccine and Harry ordered chicken ravioli. When the waiter left, an awkward silence lingered. I quickly tried to make conversation after sipping my water, “So… How long are you guys in New York?”

Harry looked at me and slightly shook his head, like he was in deep thought, “A week and a half. Then we go home for Christmas for a few days.”

I raised an eyebrow, “What are you gonna do after?”

Harry looked me in the eye for once (shocker), “We go back on tour. Do whatever we are told.”

I looked down at the table. This is really awkward… I need to kick it up a bit, “Well that’s too bad,” I slightly stuck out my lower lip, “I was hoping we could get to know each other more.”
Harry smirked, “Don’t worry, love. There will be plenty of time for that,” he winked. I felt his foot lightly rub across my leg. I looked up at him. He was staring at me, with a hungry look on his face. He lightly licked his lower lip and ginned. My stomach did flips. No. No. No. Aria. You can’t get feelings. This is your job.

The waiter came back with our food, interrupting the moment, thank God.

We ate our food, making small talk the whole time. He continued eating after I was done. He looked up,

“So, how many boyfriends have you had, love?”

I looked away. I really didn’t want to talk about that. I’ve had a rocky past with boyfriends… I got my first boyfriend when I was 16 and it lasted for a few months. We claimed we were in love but we grew apart.

My next boyfriend came last year… He gave me everything I could ever need. I thought he was the one, until he came over to my house, drunk. He tried to force me into sex and I told him he needed to go home, and he hit me. He forced himself on me and left… Now I have a hard time trusting men. It’s like I have a grudge against them all for what one guy did to me.

Harry cleared his throat, trying to catch my attention, “You okay?”

I tried to clear my head, “Um, yeah. Sorry. Just two.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Really? Someone as beautiful as you, I figured you would have had loads.”

I shook my head, wanting to change the subject, “Are you ready?”

Harry nodded, flagging the waiter down. He gave him a $100 bill and told him to keep the change. We got up from the booth and he walked behind me. I could practically feel his eyes staring at my bum.

We exited the restaurant to see paparazzi and screaming girls gathered around. I tried to lower my head and ignore all the questions: Who is she? Is that your girlfriend?

I slid into the back seat of the car, with Harry sliding in behind me. He looked at me, “Sorry about that…”

I smiled slightly, “It’s alright.”

Harry grinned, “Do you wanna come back to my hotel for drinks,” he raised an eyebrow.

It didn’t take much to get me drunk and when I get drunk… I talk nonstop. If I go, I am taking a HUGE chance. I don’t need this guy to know my past… I looked at him. He was smiling at me. His dimples showing. Why did he have to be so damn fucking hot?

I nodded, “Sounds like fun.” He ginned bigger and told the driver to take us to his hotel. It’s okay, Aria.

Just remember the bonus. Just remember the bonus… This is a part of your job.

But is it really about my job anymore? Or was I attracted to Harry Styles?

Notes

Hello Directioners!

How do you all like or dislike some of the quotes on this chapter?

It sure does fascinate me!