Carmen - H.S

Chapter 2

Idk this is probably horrible and makes no sense but the song in the first chapter is basically the summary so you might be confused if you don't listen to it first. I know it seems boring now but I want to set up all the characters first. Harry will appear in the fourth chapter. Ok I talk too much byeeeee.

Ron Howell was a large man with a deep, thunderous voice that he liked to raise for seemingly no reason. Given his size, anyone would assume that he was the biggest presence in the room, the one your eyes were immediately drawn to in a crowd. However, the opposite was true. Ron was resoundingly ignored by everyone, his peers, various love interests, co-workers, family. Something about him came across as pathetic and easily overlookable. To compensate, he often made his already loud voice even louder, something Carmen had always disliked about him.

"Carmen!" he boomed, practically screaming in her ears. She cringed exaggeratedly. Her head was pounding now, her brain beating against the walls of her skull.

"You look great," he said earnestly, although his eyes weren't on her. He stared off into the distance, momentarily distracted. Then he blinked as if awakening from a deep slumber and grinned much too widely at her.

"I knew that break would do you good."

"Two days is hardly a break, Ronnie," she sighed. She kept her gaze ahead of her, making eye contact with everyone that walked past them. They all looked away quickly and nervously. So easy to intimidate. It was almost laughable.

His face hardened at the use of the nickname he detested so much, only for a split second. Then he smiled again, albeit less genuinely. "Well, the work of a star is never done," he said with a slight chuckle.

The glass walls of the building shone with the kind of calculated light that only man can create. One could easily see all the people scurrying below, rushing to their destinations through crowds that were doing the exact same thing. It was maddening. They didn't look at all like ants, Carmen thought, as everyone seemed to compare people from a distance to the irritating little insects. From this height, they looked more like ashes, she decided, tiny specks of black falling from a cigarette and helplessly being swept away by the unpredictable wind.

They reached the door of his office, and he opened it for her, moving his large body aside to make room for her. She sauntered in and sat prettily in the plush armchair that had become her customary spot. He trailed in behind her after closing the door with a quiet click.

"So," he began as soon as he got himself situated. "Your tour was a huge success."

"I'm aware," she said. She seemed more occupied with studying her nails, which were painted a deep plum color and appeared to be chipping.

"Everyone's talking about you."

Silence.

He sighed and shifted his weight, making his slick new, ergonomic chair squeak loudly. He hated that chair. "You're popular now, darling, but it won't last forever. We've got a lot to do to make sure you stay on top."

She finally snapped her gaze up to his and gave him the stare that made hearts flutter anxiously and always put her in control. "And how exactly is that my problem? You're my fucking manager. Take care of it."

He clenched his fists under the table and took a deep breath, once, twice, until his composure was regained. She looked on, amused, and tried to smooth the wrinkles from her cherry red skirt. Amy, the incompetent maid, had forgotten to iron it. There would definitely be sharp words exchanged for that.

"Look, this is a team effort," he said, now relatively calm. "Of course, I'm going to do my job. But you have to do things as well."

"Like what?"