Times - h.s.

The Bad Company

     "If he's not here in 5 minutes, then I'm leaving. I got ready for nothing," I spoke into the phone.

I was supposed to meet Alex at this restaurant at 7 and he was no where to be found. The waiter had passed my table multiple times asking me if I was ready to order, but I had to say no out of proper table manners even though I was starving.

"Have patience, Harry. Traffic's a pain at this hour, you know that." Ryan replied. I huffed in annoyance and ended the call.

I looked up and watched the sun begin to sit, the rooftop allowing me the perfect view. The restaurant we agreed to meet at was one of my personal favorites, a french rooftop bistro. The hostess was kind enough to seat me in the area where the fireplace was so I wouldn't be bothered by other guests.

My fingers clasped the glass of water I held in my hand as I swirled the remnants of the liquid around, peering over my shoulder to see if anyone had arrived. I checked my watch. 2 minutes left. I lifted the glass up to my lips and then heard footsteps approach the back of my head.

"Mr. Styles, your guest has arrived."

I had already prepared myself to meet some bloke who wanted to turn my life story into a scandal, but when I turned around I was not met with who I pictured.

It was a girl. Ryan wasn't joking. She stood before me, hands clutching a folder and hair completely disheveled from the December air. I drank in her appearance, almost about to do a double take, but then she cleared her throat.

"Alexa Grayson," she said, sticking out her hand. I took it in mine, immediately feeling how frozen it felt. Her hand suddenly jerked back from mine.

"Sorry...  your rings are cold." She explained.

I looked down at my fingers and realized what she was talking about. "Well, we're sitting by a fire. Should make use of it?" I questioned, hoping she would take the seat across from me. Instead, she stared back at me with a puzzled look.

She was starting to worry me. "Is something wrong?" I questioned.

"You... well. You didn't introduce yourself, is all." She said, never breaking eye contact once nor faltering with her words. Strange. Almost as strange as her expecting me to introduce myself.

"You're expecting a proper introduction on my behalf? I mean, I understand, but considering you're the one who asked me to be here, do I really need to explain who I am?" My tone was seething with sarcasm, but she showed no signs of being offended. Yet.

"Yes, actually." She simply stated.

"You need me to explain who I am?" I was the one who wore the puzzled expression on my face now.

She ever so slightly rolled her eyes at me. "Do you expect for every single person down to the 7 billionth one to know who you are?"

"Let me get this straight," I held up my hand at her. "I'm just a tad bit fuzzy on this," I spoke, head swimming with complete disbelief.

"You don't know me?"

She shook her head in response.

"I mean I'm curious to know how that even happens. Are you a foreigner?" I raised a brow. 

"Nope."

"And you don't know me?"

"Yup." This explained a lot, actually. There had to be a reason why she wasn't draping herself over me by now.

"At all? Never heard my name on the radio?" I continued, running my fingers through my hair as I tried to wrap my mind around this idea.

"Nope."