Hard to Love

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

As much as I didn't want to be apart of the plan, I was the key role. The lads and Stella decided to make me the person to initiate the plan, and to do that I had to go to my art class. My job was to somehow get Vicky out of class and to the "hot spot" where Niall, Louis, and Harry would all be. So I plastered on make up to cover my bruise on my jaw, which was still not fully healed due to the yellowing colour, and made my way to class with my Modern Mona Lisa in hand. 

First thing I needed to do was talk to my teacher. I explained to her that I had been ill the last few weeks and she graciously accepted my painting without a fuss. I was very relieved over that one. I made my way to my seat where Vicky was sitting by. I smiled at her and sat down. How am I going to start this? I thought to myself as I fidgeted with my fingers.

"Hey Christina, where have you been? You haven't come to class in awhile." I looked next to me at Vicky who was inquiring...although she already knew.

"Oh, I've been quite ill and so I've stayed home." I muttered.

"So then what is the reason for the bruise on your jaw?" She pointed at the bruise I thought I covered over, and had a trace of a grin on her face.

"Like you don't know." Her eyes glimmered once she heard the challenging words out of my mouth. Here it is, now or never. The moment to ask her. "Vicky, how did you get that story of me that you wrote? How did you catch me at the most impromptu moment?" 

"What are you implying dear?" She folded her arms over her chest and waited innocently.

"You hired those men to hurt me didn't you? Just so you could get a story." I whispered, finding it hard to say it all out loud.

After a beat she spoke up. "Yes, I did. It was for a good reason too. I was running low on One Direction gossip, and needed a good piece to submit or I would loose my job. So I thought, why not use the petty love struck girl to get a juicy piece on Mr. Harry Man whore Styles." 

"He isn't a man whore!" I screamed out at her.

I didn't realise but the whole class was turned looking at us. Vicky ignored them and gave it right back to me. "Yes he is, and you are a little slut for trying to get with a pop star!"

"No, it's not like that!" I immediately felt all the pressure burst, everything that I have felt in the past few days, all of it just hit me like a ton of bricks. Tears started to trickle down my face, because the realization hit me. "How could you do something like that?"

She stopped and pulled out her phone in her jeans pocket, looked at the text and smiled. "It was easy, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Including the paycheck that came out of it." With that, she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the class.

I sat there, everyone now looking at me, with tears still rolling down. I tossed my purse strap over my shoulder and ran out of the room, apologizing to the professor. Once I found the nearest empy classroom, I rushed in and locked the door. Leaning against the wall, I took a deep breath trying to steady my sobs, but it wasn't working. She wanted to hurt me, and she most definitely did. I slid to the ground and pulled out my mobile, a fresh batch of tears bursting out. I pulled up Stella's number and dialed it without a second thought. Waiting for her to pick up felt like ages, and finally I was sent to voice mail. I scrolled down the list and saw Harry's number. I figured he was getting ready to start stage 2 of the plan, but I didn't care. He was with me that night, and he knows what I went through.

He answered on the second ring. "Hi love, how are you?" His cheery tone made me want to cry harder. When he heard my strangled sob his whole demeanor changed. "Christina, what's wrong. Where are you?"