All Again

CHASE

There’s something about the honey brown eyes of Vanessa Sims. Something magnetic and something that gets me to do whatever the hell she requests.
That first day this all began she looked back at me from the doorway of my office, and had that sad pathetic look and I already knew she wanted a favor.
“What is it?” I asked the minute she appeared. She had been driving me crazy all day so I knew it was coming.
She smiled instantly. Her grin was wide and the eyes were reminiscent of Shrek’s Puss in Boots.
The suggestion IneedChasetodosomethingforme, shined through her eyes.
Here it comes…
“Now…hear me out first.” she cautioned softly, her long curls sashaying behind her.
“No,” I said quickly.
She smirked and came further in the room.
“Oh come on. You haven‘t even heard me yet.”
“No.” I repeated simply. The Vanessa favors infamous for being later regrets.
“But this one you’ll want.” she said.
“No Vanessa,” I said again. Lifting the sleeves of my shirt, I turned back to my computer, avoiding her eyes.
“Chase Collins…” she began, coming into the room.
Her tone had that hint of pleading, and her eyes were already breaking me down.
I shook her off.
I quickly gestured to my desk, not letting my eyes leave the screen.
“Ness, I’ve got a full palate here. Please don‘t start.”
“But this one is different. You’ll want to meet her.”
“No I won’t.”
Then it dawned on me what she actually said.
“Meet her?” I asked, finally glancing at her. “A new client?”
She nodded yes, tentatively.
“Absolutely not.” I said. “I‘m not taking any new clients. You know that Vanessa. My schedule is packed already.”
“But she’s different.“
“She? She doesn’t have a name?”
“She does. And a recommendation.”
I looked back at her in curiosity.
“Jeffery Azoff just sent her this way.”
I glanced at my cell phone. It hadn’t rang, and surely I hadn’t received any emails. Where was the recommendation?
And more importantly, why had he recommended her?
Me and Jeff didn’t have that type of friendship.
It wasn’t like him to ask for favors too.
“Who is it?” I asked curiously.
“Becca Johnson.”
It immediately didn’t ring any bells.
“Never heard of her.”
She smiled and nodded yes.
“You have. She’s Harry Styles ex. Hecca remember?”
Unfortunately I did.
Must have been a slow news day the day the story came out. Their ‘secret relationship’ had made headline news.
I rolled my eyes.
Suddenly it made sense…the recommendation… Jeff was still Harry’s manager.
However I wasn’t interested.
I had never met Harry, and me and Jeff weren’t that close. We only hung out every now and then yet our families were closer than we were.
“No thanks.” I said. “Tell her to call and make an appointment with Jeremy. I’m sure he would love to help out.”
“Can’t do that.”
I looked up at her.
“She’s already here, and she’s asking for you. I’ll give you five minutes, then I’ll send her in.”
“No you won’t.”
“Yes I will.”
I sighed.
“Vanessa.”
She sighed.
“Chase.”
“Hey, whose the boss here?” I said.
She scoffed, growing more serious.
“Look just hear her out. She seems on the verge of tears and Jeff says she really needs help.”
That almost made me roll my eyes.
Great, that was just what I needed.
An emotional woman in my office on a Tuesday morning…
I turned back to my document.
“You actually talked to Jeff? Confirmed she knows him?”
She nodded yes. “Says its important.”
“What is?”
“He wouldn’t say. Just that it’s important.”
I shrugged. “Look I’m not interested. Get Jeremy.” I warned one final time.
“I’m too busy.”
I pierced my eyes to intimidate her, but it fell short.
“Five minutes.” she warned back before leaving the room, not taking no for an answer.
I sighed loudly.
Typical Vanessa.
The angel secretary who helped everybody.
Why had I figured she would do anything different?
She could send her in, but I wasn’t going to give in so easily.
I continued working until five minutes later, Vanessa knocked on my office door.
I didn’t even glance up.
“Chase, this is Becca Johnson.”
With my hand, I gestured for her to sit, but I didn’t look at her.
Not yet.
I wanted her to get a cold first impression. Maybe, just maybe, it would make her leave faster.
I had way too much shit to do today and I didn’t care what Vanessa said, I wasn‘t taking any new clients.
Not today.
I heard the girl come in the room, but I still didn’t look at her.
I finished up my email and then pulled up my scheduling screen.
Different hues of yellows, greens, and reds stared back at me, all highlighting the importance of my next couple meetings today.
As I assumed, I really really didn’t have time for this.
I grabbed my mouse shifting some things around.
My office was eerily quiet and this Becca stayed silent as she waited for me to acknowledge her and finish up. I took three full minutes then looked at her.
Her brown greenish eyes were locked on me.
She was still waiting patiently. I cleared my throat and shuffled some papers.
“Hi.” I said adjusting my tie. “I’m Chase Collins.”
I kept my voice as stoic and uninterested as possible.
“Hi.” she said meekly. “I’m Becca.”
I took her in.
This girl’s face was completely bare-and blank and her attitude...neutral.
Where was the tears that Vanessa said she was near spilling?
Where was the desperation?
I scanned her appearance.
The pale face, the pulled up brunette hair, the Columbia fleece jacket... Nothing special until the distinguishing hazel eyes.
They were striking.
If she put her hair down and wiped away that bored, blank face, she could actually be a pretty hot girl.
At least worth a second glance.
Still this couldn’t be Harry’s ex. The girl he had been photographed with in the past was way hotter and I didn‘t think Ms. Dull was his type.
I quickly reached for my phone.
“So what can I do for you?“ I asked turning away from her. “I‘m sure Vanessa told you I‘m on a limited schedule today.”
“Jeff Azoff sent me.” she said and I looked back at her. “He said you could maybe help.”
I didn’t respond. Not right away.
I was too busy pulling her up on Google.
I had to confirm this wasn’t a fraud.
“How do you know Jeff?” I asked stalling.
“Harry.” she said. “Styles.”
I was about to question ‘your ex’, when the page loaded showing me the photographic evidence.
It was her all right, just much more…something…
Wow.
What had happened to her…
This girl couldn’t have been anymore than twenty-five, but she looked like she had the world on her shoulders and the smiley bright eyed girl in the Google picture was gone. The new Becca looked worn.
I looked back at her.
She was still looking at me and waiting on me--patiently.
I had to admit there was a innocent quality to her.
She didn’t appear to belong in this office.
She seemed much too innocent to have landed here.
This girl didn’t look like she could have any secrets.
I turned away from her, tossing the phone on my desk.
I quickly got back to the task at hand.
“So what’s going on?” I asked, now curious about her.
She looked around the room then, studying my office.
“Is everything private?”
Her eyes scanned…
“That I would tell you?”
“Of course. May not look it but I’m backed by the bar.”
She brought her eyes back to mine.
“You’re a lawyer?” she asked in disbelief.
“I don’t call myself one, but yeah.”
This time she studied me. Those clear, curious eyes eyed me up and down, and then when they met mine, they almost halted me.
Her eyes were extraordinary and the rest of her slender face could grow on me.
It obviously had for Harry Styles. I was well aware they had dated a few years, and let the papers tell it, they were practically walking down the aisle.
Suddenly a few questions popped in my mind; the one at the forefront was still- why is she in my office?
The Becca girl kept her eyes on me.
“You seem so young though.” she said after a moment and for a second, I forgot what we were talking about.
“I can’t believe you’re a lawyer.” she said.
Oh yeah…
My profession.
I got that a lot. Most people in my profession with my success were much older. However, I had started all this very young, and now I was the go-to guy amongst public figures. The young male Olivia Pope. Though my life was not as glamorous as that of an ABC sitcom.
It was actually very stressful. Like today.
Again, I needed to speed this up.
“I’m thirty one.” I argued looking back at her.
Suddenly dimples gathered on her face.
“That’s young.” she emphasized with a smile and I found myself smiling back.
The face was growing…
“How old are you?” I asked suddenly.
“Twenty-five.” she answered.
Ding, ding.
Did I call it or what?
I settled back in my seat.
Again my screen taunted me and reminded me that I only had a couple minutes.
“So…am I too assume this all involves Harry Styles someway?” I asked.
The dimples quickly faded, and her eyes seemed to dim when I mentioned his name, and she turned away.
“Yeah.” she said quietly, then looked down at her fingers.
Her withdrawal was interesting to me.
Oh boy…there was a story there.
I didn’t keep up too much with the gossip on young Harry and especially not with this girl, but last thing I had read, they were no longer together.
Funny that now she was in my office, though I still couldn’t imagine for what.
“Okay?” I questioned. I was still waiting on the gaps to fill, but she was quiet.
“He can’t know I was here.”
Then she looked up at me, sincere, yet worried.
“Harry.” she clarified. “Promise me?”
“I’d be more worried about Jeff than myself.” I said honestly. He was the one who was best buddies with him.
I could truly and honestly care less.
“No.” She argued gently. “He’s not going to tell him anything. He’s been one of the ones helping to keep this quiet.”
I shrugged, non-committal either way.
“Well then sure.” I said though I wasn’t even sure if that was a promise I could keep.
I still had no idea why she was there and like I said, I didn‘t need any new clients.
But,
I was starting to guess what this was about.
A sex tape.
Pictures.
Some nasty rumor about their relationship Jeff didn’t want getting out.
Maybe he used to hit her.
Maybe he used to do obscene things to her in the bedroom.
Maybe Mr. Harry had a drug problem.
Whatever it was, it was serious enough for Jeffery to send her, BUT, not serious enough for Harry to know. It was well within reason to assume that if Jeff had sent her, she was here on Harry’s behalf too, but this…her reaction, showed otherwise.
Why wouldn’t she want Harry to know she was sitting in my office?
Unless…she had did something. Maybe I was covering up her demons.
I sat forward, crossing my fingers in front of me.
Curiosity piqued.
“So what shouldn’t Harry know?” I asked.
She sighed patiently.
Her eyes focused on the picture behind me, some picture Vanessa had picked up to ’warm’ up the room.
“I’m being blackmailed.” she said almost robotic. Her voice held no emotion.
“Blackmailed? By who?”
“A fan. Or not…I don’t know.” she sighed, “I don’t think a real fan would do this.”
“Why would she be blackmailing you?”
She sighed again and brought her eyes back to me.
“Because for some reason, she has this idea that me and Harry are still involved and by getting to me, she can get to him.”
“And you’re not? Together I mean?”
She shook her head no. Though it was quite obvious.
“We haven’t spoke in months.” she said.
“Well…What is she blackmailing you with?”
“A baby.”
Then she turned away.
“A baby?” I questioned.
It took almost a full minute for her to respond, and when she looked back at me, her eyes were glossy.
“Our baby. Me and Harry’s.” she said in an almost whisper.
I looked at her in confusion.
I didn’t remember hearing anything about a child- and that surely would have made news.
She had been out of the public eye for a while, and if she had carried a child to full term during that time, then I really had a scandal to keep under wraps.
This one might even be too big for me.
A Harry Styles baby would be big news.
News that someone would pay big money for.
“You two had a child?” I asked in disbelief.
“No.” she said. “It died early. I miscarried.”
“Oh.”
The glossy eyes quickly reflected tears, and she wiped one away quickly and turned away from me.
Oh jeez.
I didn’t know how to handle this.
I wasn’t good at comforting women.
“I’m…uh…sorry.” I said and she looked up at me.
“It’s fine.” she said.
I nodded okay.
I needed to move past those wide, almost broken eyes.
I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck.
“So…I’m still confused. Why shouldn’t Harry know you were here?”
She continued to look at me like a deer in headlights and with that look, and the way she was reacting, I put it all together very quickly.
“Harry doesn’t know.” I estimated.
She bit her lip.
No he doesn’t.
“At all?” I asked to clarify.
“No.” she said. “And that’s why I’m here. This fan is probably going to tell the world, and I’m here, because I need you to make sure that doesn’t happen. Harry can’t ever know. ”
“Wow.” I said, and she wiped away another tear.
I inwardly cursed Vanessa for sending her in here.
She definitely had the wrong guy for all of this.
I was better on the other side of this.
If this had been a guy that got his mistress knocked up, I would have no problem jumping in, but this…this was delicate.
Whatever that baby meant to her, was still heavy on her mind and I didn’t handle the emotional side of this business well.
I didn’t like to help the women.
And yes, I was well aware that made me an asshole, but I never said I was an angel.
“Umm…” I tried to think of my next statement.
It was lost.
And she needed to get out of my office.
I couldn’t handle this, nor did I want it.
“Can you help me?” she asked me suddenly.
Absolutely not.
“I don’t know.“ I said honestly. “Why doesn’t Harry know?” I asked.
“About the baby?” she questioned.
I nodded yes.
“Because he doesn’t need too.”
This confused me.
“But you just said it was his child?”
“It was.”
“So-”
“It doesn’t matter.” she said. “He never needed to know.”
“He does. Its his child.” I argued. I didn‘t have any children or even a steady girlfriend for that matter, but that was common sense.
“Unless you’re Mother Mary, you both had sex to create it, and you don’t think he deserves to know?” I asked her.
Her eyes suddenly narrowed.
“No. It’s my body and it’s my decision.” she said.
Oh great, a feminist-
“And our business.” she also emphasized.
“Well that’s kind of shitty don’t you think?”
“Excuse me?” she asked, her eyes pierced.
“Well you didn’t tell him.” I reminded her.
“I didn’t need too.” she reminded me. “It was my decision.”
“Yeah.” I said, nodding. “Shitty.”
She scoffed and crossed her arms.
“Look you weren‘t there, nor do you know me and Harry’s relationship, what we went through, so who are you to pass judgment?
“And yet, you’re in my office.” I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
“The only reason I’m here is because you were recommended, and so far, I can’t see why.” she said smugly.
I nodded fine.
“Hmm.” I said.
This would make all of this extremely easy then.
I stood.
That was all I needed to hear.
“Well then…I’m sorry…I don’t think I can help you.”
This time she rolled her eyes.
“Let me guess, because I didn’t tell Harry about our child?” she said sarcastically.
“No.” I said. “I just have way too much on my plate right now, and this…you just need someone who can give this more time.”
Plus, she screamed drama and she was a bitch.
“Of course I do.”
She stood.
“You know, all you young rich assholes are the same.” she said.
“I‘m sorry?” I immediately asked.
She had known me for two seconds, so I must have misheard.
“You heard me. You’re an asshole. And you’re all the same. Only concerned about your damn self and your jobs—” she paused. “Why am I even wasting my time?”
Surprisingly her comment actually irritated me.
“You don’t even know me.” I reminded her.
“And I don’t want too.”
She didn’t say another word before she stormed out of the office.
What a bitch.

Notes