FLICKER (h.s. au)

15.

Fifteen

Emery Rivera

The first time I walked into Styles Inc. I was quite nervous to meet big bad wolf of the fashion industry. By quite nervous, I mean absolutely terrified. Harry didn't exactly have the best rep in terms of friendliness.

I made sure to arrive 20 minutes early and the receptionist at the time was a blondie with a bob and a staring problem. She basically stared at me the whole 20 minutes I waited in the front area. She made sure to look me up and down several times before leading me to Harry's office. I couldn't tell if she was judging me or warning me away. When we reached the glass door, she knocked on it before pushing it open.

There he was, his tie was loosened, his suit jacket draped over his chair, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up and his expression hard and empty- one that I'd grow very accustom to.

"Emily Rivera, assistant applicant." The blonde introduced me- dryly might I add.

"Emery." I corrected her. She shot me a glare.

Harry didn't say anything, just lifted his hand and waved her off dismissively. The woman turned on her heels and exited the room. My eyes met with Harry and something about him struck me deeply in a way that I couldn't really explain. His hand ran carelessly through his hair and geez, that stare of his.

It was obvious that all the articles were true. Harry seemed utterly powerful and yet so mysterious. I knew that there was more to Harry than he let on from the moment we locked eyes the very first time.

"Hello, Mr.Styles," My voice was shaky as I spoke up first, breaking the silence that fell upon the room. Harry glanced from my white heels all the way up to my hair pulled back in my claw clip.

"Ms.Rivera, is it?" He raises an eyebrow, taking a step closer to me. I gulped and nodded my head. Harry rounded his desk, gesturing towards a leather chair in front of it while he rested against his desk.

I gulped before willing myself to close the distance between us. I stuck my hand out for him to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you." I offered him a smile.

Just be yourself!

Nobody can hate you, you're the epitome of fun and happiness.

Don't take his tone too seriously, maybe he just needs to get laid.

I shook the voices of my friends out of my head, all of their words of encouragement flew out the window once Harry was staring down at me so intently. Harry never shook my hand, he just started talking about the job and what his expectations were for me. Extremely high and stressful expectations, unsurprisingly.

But I needed the job, I needed the money, and I was always up for a challenge.

"Total transparency, if you are to be hired you will be my assistant and nothing more. Don't expect a friend or a mentor or anything of the sort. I take my work very seriously and I don't have time to stop and chat about our personal lives. You'd be working the closest to me and I need to know that you can handle the stress and the grueling hours. Do you think you can handle that, Ms.Rivera?" Harry's voice had bite to it, as if he was trying to convince me not to want this job.

Maybe it was infatuation. Maybe it was my need to want to help everyone that I deemed needed it. Maybe it was just the way Harry was staring at me while I sat in front of him in that chair. I made it a personal mission to break down the hard shell that he's formed around himself.