Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 1

If you haven't read No Control AND No Control | Holding Me Ransom please read those first! This is Harry's POV and contains massive spoilers!!

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(No Control - 1. Girl Almighty)

March 2015

I stare out of the window of our private jet, watching the shadow of the plane move across the ground. Behind me, Niall is telling me about his plans for the coming week - he's going home to see his family in Ireland. I briefly wonder what Nadine is doing right now. I have no idea what time it is in LA, mostly because I can barely remember what time zone I'm currently in. Is she even in LA, or has she flown back to New York?

I shouldn't even be thinking about her anyway. I'm pretty sure she isn't thinking about me. All I want right now is a comfy bed at my mum's house and a hearty roast dinner, but unfortunately that will have to wait until tomorrow.

The descent into Heathrow airport is a smooth one. We taxi to the gate and Niall gives me a slap on the back as we stand up and wait by the door to be allowed off the plane into the terminal, and through passport control.

I give him a tired grin and we are escorted through the building, past the excited paparazzi and to our waiting cars. We exchange brief goodbyes and I slide into the back seat of the black BMW that will take me to my place in north London for the night.

I switch my phone on and lean my head back, closing my eyes. As soon as it registers on the network it begins to beep with texts and emails. I open my eyes again and scan through my messages. My mum wants to know when I land, Lou Teasdale's got a new hair product she wants to try out on me, Nick Grimshaw wants me to go to some house party in Primrose Hill and my sister Gemma wants her fairy costume back... wait, what?

I re-read the message from Gemma, and realise she's taking the piss and clearly finds her own jokes hilarious. I send one back.

To: Gemma: Muppet. I'll be back at mum's tomorrow, clear your shit out of my room.

I contemplate the invitation from Grimmy. It's been months since I last saw him. He didn't even make it over to LA for my 21st birthday party in February because he couldn't get the time off work, and if I don't catch up with him tonight I won't see him until the next leg of the tour is complete, which will be April.

I glance at my watch but it's still on Japanese time. The clock on the car's dashboard says 6.13pm and the flight wasn't even due to land until 6.45, but thanks to a tail wind or something we arrived early.

I stare at Grimmy's text. I could grab a quick shower and show my face at this party for an hour or so, then go home and crash. I'm driving to my mum's house in Holmes Chapel in the morning so I don't really want a late one tonight.

I quickly text Grimmy back and tell him to send me the address, and catch 20 minutes' sleep in the back of the car before we arrive at my house.

Once inside I sit at the kitchen table for a minute and pull out my phone to see Grimmy has sent me the address of this house party, and that apparently Zayn is there too. (He, Liam and Louis took an earlier flight out of Tokyo and landed early this morning.) My phone battery is getting low - I need to charge it before I go out.

I open up Twitter and send a quick tweet:

@Harry_Styles: Excited to be back on British soil for a couple of weeks. Australia and Japan, you were amazing. x

Getting up from the table, I go and root in the drawers by the fridge for a spare iPhone charger. I really need to have a clear out, there's so much crap in here. Receipts, pens, random cables, a condom - what the hell is that doing there? - a bottle opener... aha! IPhone charger!

I pull it out and plug it in by the kettle and stick my phone on charge. I dump my holdall in my bedroom and get straight in the shower, pondering what clothes I have here that won't need ironing. I settle on a pale blue shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans that were lurking at the back of a drawer, and quickly blast my hair with a hairdryer. I'm ready to go by 7.15, and I grab a banana out of the fruit bowl, feeling thankful I'd remembered to ask my assistant to make sure I had a few food basics here for tonight.

I unplug my phone and it's on 73% - that'll have to do. I saunter out to the car waiting outside for me and jump in the back seat.

"No rest for the wicked?" Paul, my driver, teases me.

"Just a short stop tonight to show my face," I tell him. "Would you be on standby to pick me up in a couple of hours?"

"No worries," Paul replies, and punches the address into the sat nav.

I eat my banana in the back of the car and quickly call my mum.

"Hello, love," she says warmly when she answers.

"Hi, Mum," I say. "Just letting you know I'm in London."

"Yes, Gemma said she'd had a text from you," my mum replies. "How was the flight?"

"Alright," I tell her. "Looking forward to a proper bed tonight though."

"Are you sure you're going to be alright driving up here tomorrow?" she asks, her voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, I'll leave mid morning and I'll be with you after lunch."

"Make sure you get plenty of rest tonight. It's a long drive up here," she reminds me.

"I will."

"Ok darling. I'll call you in the morning, ok?"

"Ok Mum. Bye."

"Bye, love."

I text Grimmy, telling him I'm almost there, and slide my phone into my pocket as we turn into a tree-lined street with expensive cars parked in the driveways. Paul slows down and pulls up outside a big house with a beautifully tended front garden and a large white front door.

"Have a good evening," he says as I unbuckle my seatbelt and get out of the car.

"Thanks," I call back, and make my way up the path to the front door and ring the bell.