No Control (Book 1)

32. Strong

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I avoided Twitter the whole weekend as I had a feeling more people would have sussed who I was, and I just wanted to stick my head in the sand and not think about it all. I went round to Callie's on Friday night as planned and told her everything. She had guessed from my silence that something like this had gone on, and once again listened intently while I told her the story in all its glorious detail.

"There's just one thing I don't get, Jess," she said, after I had finished. "Why on earth would you brush him off? It sounds like he was going to ask you to meet up again when he's back! Don't you want to?"

"Of course I do," I sighed. "But I refuse to spend the next month counting down the days until he's back, in the vain hope he might still be interested. He's Harry Styles for God's sake. He's not exactly short of offers is he? By tonight there'll be someone prettier, sexier and more exciting than me just waiting to jump into his bed. I'm not stupid. He may not have been deliberately using me, but he's not going to keep it in his pants on tour is he? He's only human. And if I let myself get my hopes up that he genuinely likes me, I'll just be disappointed when the next story breaks on Twitter with the latest lucky fan."

Callie hadn't fully agreed, but she was impressed that I was able to be so calm and level headed about it. Sarah had texted me over the weekend demanding an explanation for Friday, but I had fobbed her off. So by the time Monday morning rolled around, I was feeling at peace with myself over Harry, but dreading the questions I was bound to face when I got into work.

On my way in I stopped at Costa for a Gingerbread Latte, and happened to catch sight of the magazine stand outside the newsagent by the tube station. On the front cover of Heat magazine was the story HARRY'S NEW GIRL in huge letters, along with a picture of us walking along the pavement looking at each other and smiling. I grabbed it in horror and thumbed to the right page. It was an entire double spread, with loads of pictures. I snapped it shut and hurried to the counter with it to pay. Once I was on the tube I squeezed myself into a corner and opened the magazine again.

LOVE INTEREST FOR HARRY STYLES?

Harry Styles, member of boyband pop sensation One Direction, has been breaking hearts left, right and centre this week by stepping out in public with his new lady friend. He spent the week relaxing with his family after being dumped by Victoria's Secret model Nadine Leopold in February, but headed back to London a day early to spend some time with new squeeze Jessica Bradshaw. The pair were spotted dining out at trendy C London, where according to fellow diners, they had eyes for no one but each other. "They were talking and laughing and gazing into each other's eyes, and were holding hands across the table," an insider told us.

They were photographed leaving together in Harry's black Range Rover Sport, and it is believed they spent the night at Jessica's home, before Harry dropped Jessica off in North London first thing in the morning.

They were spotted again later that day having coffee, looking extremely cosy, with Jessica appearing to reach across the table and lovingly stroke Harry's lips. Harry chatted to a few fans and posed for pictures, before they headed outside where a car was waiting to take Harry to the airport to begin the next leg of One Direction's world tour. He couldn't resist grabbing his latest love interest for a cheeky picture before he left, and while he didn't treat the audience to a full on PDA, the smile on his face tells us he's pretty loved up this time.

The couple were first pictured together last week leaving Harry's house early one morning after spending the night cosying up together at London nightspot Lagoon, and Jessica already boasts over 30,000 Twitter followers. Never underestimate the 1D fandom when it comes to solving the mysteries of the boys' dalliances with the ladies....