Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 19

(No Control - 19. Does He Know)

Disappointingly, it's neither Nadine nor Jess. It's from my ex, Taylor Swift. Hey sexy, how are things? When are you next in LA? I bet I can take your mind off your ex ;) xx

I really don't need this. Usually I'd be keen to rekindle our little arrangement, but I feel like I've got enough going on in my life right now without this added to the mix. I told her last week I'm not going to be in the US for a while.

Not until April at the earliest x, I reply quickly, and she doesn't respond.

I hope I haven't pissed her off. I'm just not up for arranging a hook up that might never happen. A lot can change between now and then.

Mum and I sit talking for about an hour before I feel tiredness creeping over me and she sends me upstairs for a nap. I take my bag of clean clothes upstairs and leave the bag of washing at the bottom of the stairs. I take a pair of soft grey joggers out, remove my jeans and pull the joggers on. I lay down on the bed and pull my phone out. I've obviously got full signal as Taylor has just texted me. So either Jess hasn't seen my number or she has decided not to text me.

I go on Twitter and into my Following. Jess is at the top of my list, being the last person I followed. I quickly add her to my Friends list, and then decide to have a proper look at her profile. There are only 27 tweets, so it won't take long. I scroll down them seeing mostly my own tweets that she has retweeted, along with a few of Louis's too, one of Liam's and one of Niall's. No Zayn, though. Hmmm.

Wait a minute, what have we here? A tweet to me? On the 2nd February, the day after my birthday,

@jessie_braddy: @Harry_Styles Happy belated birthday! We got you a cake to celebrate xx

I tap on the picture and laugh out loud. It's a picture of Jess and another blonde girl, holding up a birthday cake with candles on it. There's a One Direction calendar in the background, and I can just make out a mug on a desk behind them with my face on.

Jeez, she wasn't kidding when she said she was a fan, was she?! I wonder what else she's tweeted to me.

@jessie_braddy: @Harry_Styles if you're gonna post a selfie don't cut your face off, we need to see it. It's beautiful x

I chuckle out loud and carry on scrolling. Wait - there's another one!

@jessie_braddy: @Harry_Styles stop posting pictures of yourself on instagram with cute puppies, you are killing me <3 xxx

That one was over a year ago - she really doesn't tweet much, does she?

I search for her username to see what people are tweeting to her. As I suspected, everyone is going crazy, asking how she got a Harry follow, does she know me, please can she retweet their request for me to follow them... but so far she hasn't responded to any of her - (I quickly go and check) - 22037 followers.

I stare at her profile for a minute and then open up a DM to her. My palms begin to sweat as I try and think of something to say to her. After about ten seconds I decide this is a bad idea.

I should not be thinking about getting involved with a fan. I need to stop this stupidity right now. I am purely on the rebound from Nadine anyway. I need to sort my head out before I start messing around with someone else.

I exit Twitter and switch my phone onto silent. I leave it on the pillow next to me and close my eyes.

-----

The sun is streaming in through my window when I wake up. I sit up quickly and look at the clock. 7.38am! Bloody hell, I've slept all night. I must have needed it.