You - A Harry Styles Fanfic/Novel

chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Ivy's POV:

Ivy arrived at the 'BC joint'- her workplace- at 4 in the afternoon on Friday to start her 5 hour shift as the dishwasher and cleaner. That was her ideal job at the moment since it consisted of very minimal human interaction. At times Billy- her boss- would want her to help out as a waitress and she didn't decline since it was higher pay. The BC joint was located in the city so even though it's called 'Beef and Chips- BC for short- joint'- which really doesn't sound appealing- tourists usually visit wanting to experience every part of Australia. They're never disappointed either since the place really lives up to its motto- 'the best beef in Sydney'. The far location and weekday night work hour's meant no one from KH will visit her and she can keep her low profile. Her co-workers also knew her as shy and conservative. Yet consisting of mostly adults- most seemed to have passed the ignorant adolescent stage- they try to engage in conversation with her. The subjects usually were about work and occasionally a joke or two.

"Ah Ivy your finally here, we have many customers today so waiter for me darling?" Billy asked as she walked through the door into the outback looking restaurant. "Sure, I'll just go put on an apron," she replied and passed him at the bar and the crowd of people around it. Her boss was very friendly and sometimes too content with the world; meaning that 2 months ago another restaurant opened on the other side of the road and people flocked to it leaving the BC joint empty. The whole staff thought that they'd finally see Billy's cracking point but he didn't even say one awful thing about the restaurant over powering him. Billy only had an eye for the positive side of people. He was really observant and last week the restaurant closed down because they breached the health regulations for restaurants. He really knew how to score good karma.

"Why are you so excluded Ivy? You're wonderful with the customers," Billy had told her after the second time she'd taken the waitress job. He asked if she'd like to be hired as a waitress full time since the customers said they loved her service and that she always understood. What did they mean by a waitress understanding? Well a woman had a crying baby with her in the restaurant and that disturbed others. The baby didn't like the cold milk the mother tried to feed him to settle him down, or at least that's what she overheard the mother say- She was no expert on babies believe me. So she offered to warm up the milk for her and the mother was very grateful. Ivy declined the offer because she really didn't want to worry about having to cater for people all the time. She just couldn't get rid of the anxiety.

The room was filled with people tonight so she knew she'd walk a lot. She hadn't done much exercise the past weeks so she guessed this benefitted her somehow. She almost fell asleep though on the bus ride home. She was exhausted when she arrived that she almost forgot to say goodnight to her parents. That would've gone down pretty badly because that act was considered disrespectful. "Ivy honey, are you alright?" her traditional mother asked from her position on the couch in her gentle voice already ready for bed.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a really busy day at work today. Goodnight mum," she said in a rush up the stairs. As soon as she opened her door she flopped off her sneakers and readied to take a shower. "You know honey if you're really struggling to keep up with work and school right now you could quit your job, it would be for the best," her mum encouraged at the door of her room. Yes it would be the best for her mother, because then Ivy wouldn't waste the money on a tour around the world. Wouldn't be influenced by people other than her mother. The only reason her parents had let her have a job in the first place was because they had listened to a long lecture on how having jobs now could help you with university payment and would look good on your résumé. "No mum I'm fine I swear. I'm just really tired right now so I'm going to go shower and go to bed. See you in the morning," she replied unfazed.

"Ok then, Goodnight," her mother responded and walked to her room on the other side of the corridor.

Harry's POV:

Yesterday was a quiet day as the band prepared for tonight's concert. Harry stayed under the radar as they rehearsed but time with the boys was always interesting and never as controlled as Paul would like it to be. They had half an hour till the start of the concert and Louise was touching them all up in their dressing room.... or at least trying too. The half hour went by in the blink of an eye like things usually did when he was excited and the boys stood backstage adrenaline pumping ready to go out onto the stage in front of the inexplicably loud and dedicated fans. They stood in a circle and did our traditional pre-show handshakes. "Try not having that much of a suckish attitude this time," Louis said punching him playfully on the shoulder. "Then I won't be doing my second job properly now will I?"He said with a wry smile getting into character. How he wished he could smile and wave and dance to the beat of the songs; maybe even crack a joke (He's told they're really funny- by no one) with the guys sometimes. But instead he had to look like he wasn't enjoying anything and wink at girls in the crowd, the exact kind of suckish attitude the boys hated.

The countdown for them to run on stage started. "In 5, 4,3,2,1 and Go!" the stage director said pointing his finger to the ramp leading to the stage. "ONE DIRECTION WOOOOO" the many girls in the arena erupted into a fit of cheering and screaming. He was fond of the rush that came with being on stage as they sang their songs or at least the songs of theirs they were allowed to sing and release. Harry did his little 'cool' dance, winked and pointed at a girl who scram her head off. The acting became all worth it.