in which joelle d'amore is completing her final semester of university in the grand city of los angeles, california. when she finds herself in the presence of harry styles, a piercing man with dangerous agendas, she is permeated with fear. she saw s...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
________
I couldn't get him out of my mind. No matter how hard I tried, green eyes were all I could think of. It's like he's determined to prove he can ruin me if he so badly desires to. His capabilities are a mystery to me, but a big part of me believes he isn't bluffing.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Zac!" I say with a quick wave to my boss when my shift is finally over.
"Bye, Jo." He doesn't wave back, but it's because he's counting the cash in the register.
I leave the empty bar and sigh when I remind myself that Matthew isn't coming to pick me up.
It's a rollercoaster with him. Some days, he's the boy I fell in love with. The boy I fell in love with wouldn't leave me without a ride. He'd ask about my day and he'd care if I made it home safely. Other days, Matthew is somebody I hardly know. It's not like him to publicly embarrass me or leave me searching for a ride this late at night.
It's fucking freezing out. I find myself shivering in my white blouse as I stand without a jacket. I've texted August, asking her if she can pick me up. Though, she's not replying. I might just head back in the bar and ask Zac for a ride home. Even though I said I wouldn't cross that line, asking my boss for favors, I don't think I have a choice.
"Don't you know better than to stand out here all alone, angel?"
My head turns as I recognize a distinct tone and accent coming from my left. I take in the sight of Harry slowly pacing towards me in his heavy boots. A cigarette is held in between his lips. My heart begins to race because I thought he had left. I take a step back because a bar countertop does not separate us this time.
"Hey, it's alright... I'm not going to hurt you." He takes in a large drag of his cigarette and holds it in. He drops the butt of his cancerous stick and steps over it. He steps closer. I can smell the strong stench of smoke that seeps out from his pores and mouth. It's making my head hurt already. "At least, not right now," he felt the need to add.
"What do you want from me?" I had to ask, but it took a lot in me to. I'm still so deeply afraid of him. As he stands before me, I could only think this—going out of his way to show up at my job—is so much more than him wanting me to keep my mouth shut. He lives off terrorizing me or others like me. I'm sure of it.
He doesn't say anything. Harry only looks at me as if he's trying to crawl into my thoughts. The longer he stares, the more I think he has somehow learned some, if not all, of my deepest secrets.
"I'm here to give you a ride," he finally speaks.
Immediately, I shake my head. No way. "My ride's already on the way so... no. Thanks, but no." I'd rather freeze to death than die by his hands.
