Public Sphere | H.S. | #Wattys2016

Chapter VII

Author's note: Happy Golden Globes Sunday! Let the award season commence. Enjoy reading, and thank you for your readership, x! Also, another chapter will go up in a few days! 

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According to Cooper, the four were on their best behaviors while he was there. Apparently there wasn't much interaction, but he said it was fine. And the hibernation proved useful as the public moved on from The Sun's article.

"Another case, round up folks," Seth said as he got off the phone with a client. "Nice to have you back, boss."

After Seth explained what we were needed for, it took me a brief moment to figure out if this was a case worth pursuing. After spending the little time with One Direction, I suddenly had a conscience.

"You're pursing your lips, what is it?" Briar asked in the middle of briefing.

"I'm not sure if we should take this case," I said as I rummaged through the files in front of me.

"Are you saying that we should just pass?" Hattie looked at me with her eyes wide.

"I'm not saying that yet, I just don't know," I said as I threw my hands up.

"Those boys changed you, Jess," Seth grumbled under his breath.

"What happened?" Briar demanded as she shut down the projector.

"Nothing," I closed my eyes and sank deeper into my seat.

"Jessica," Hattie was persistent.

How did I start explaining how I felt? I wasn't entirely sure of how I felt, so how was I to explain to them what was going on?

"We have a lot of clients. We've helped and assisted a lot of people over the years," I started off. "We tell these people what to do for the sake of the media, but we have never thought of their..."

"Feelings?" Cooper suggested.

"Yes," I was hesitant because I wasn't sure that was what I wanted to say. "Well, kind of. I don't know. I feel like my job isn't making a difference or improving anyone's life."

"Our jobs allow these high profile people to continue to exist," Briar said firmly. "You've said this before but nobody is perfect. Not one person on this planet is innocent including the people that we represent. But the media needs perfection and in order to give the media what it wants, we need to shape and mold these people. And in case they do mess up, we need to be there to fix it, to fix them. Without us, there is no them. One Direction would not exist if it weren't for us, if it weren't for you. If the world knew what those boys are capable of, what they have done in the past that's been buried, they would not be the same teenage heart throbs that they are today; they would be ruined."

"They're just being boys," I quietly retorted.

"We're not supposed to get personal with our clients," Seth softly scolded.

"I didn't. I just can't help but feel bad about this," I retorted.

"Jess, if we don't do it, someone else will," Briar said as she turned the projector on again.

Thankfully my phone started ringing before I had a chance to argue back.

"I'm going to step out for lunch. Do whatever you want with the case, I'm going to take a breather," I said as I shut the door silently.

I let out a sigh of relief as I walked out of the building. I waited outside in the cold weather for about 15 minutes before a black car stopped in front of me. I got in quickly.