Times - h.s.

The Apple Juice

"She doesn't know you, Styles. All you need to do is make her think you're the most charming person on this planet, you're not hiding any skeletons."

"Hey, I am charming."

"You know what I mean. You want a chance to get back in the game after that stunt you pulled last time? This is it. This girl is your one-way ticket back to the perfect image you need."

Alexa has agreed to meet me once more and I don't know whether or not she was appreciative of that, but I try not to dwell too much on what she may think of me. You have a job to do, Harry.

For some reason, I found myself struggling to press the call button earlier. I felt nervous that I had to talk to her. Luckily it went to voicemail and I didn't have to come up with words to say on the spot, but that only had me thinking about what she might've been doing that could have kept her from answering. Maybe she was with that overemotional pretty boy from earlier. Or maybe she's just ignoring you, my subconscious adds.

I leave a voicemail and I lie down on my bed and stare at the ceiling. I don't know how my life managed to get so fucked up within the last few months.

I'd been dating the perfect girl for my image. But that was the main issue - it was for my image. I'd found myself getting distracted and wanting to seek for more, to have someone with more substance, and the press was tailing on my every step. Every late night out, every phone call made, every picture taken, every conversation... they had it all. They had it all and nobody hesitated to make it public and to twist the stories further in order for them to thrive. It took a beat on my image and afterwards it definitely did not attract as much of an audience as I would have liked. The people who knew me knew that I was battling with more. The people who didn't thought that I was shallow.

Ever since, I've rejected every chance at interviews and invitations to talk shows. I thought it was best for me to stay away from the public eye. However, as my publicity began to dwindle, my manager began to panic. If I didn't start to positively communicate with more people, there would be no more Harry Styles. People loved me, yes, but eventually they would grow tired of me. It's been difficult for me to allow myself to trust someone who's prying into my life. I don't have a choice though. I love my career but if I don't start to make strides towards saving it then there won't be one anymore.

That's where Alexa comes in. Ryan jumped at the first call we've gotten in weeks and immediately agreed to have me see this girl. According to the internet, she's widely known for her entertainment blogging. After reading a few of her published articles, it was clear that she had a knack for doing journalism. I was able to find her social media page as well, and found myself getting deeper than I initially planned, but then I had to stop myself. She was very attractive, which only served to be dangerous to me. I had to keep my mind focused on one thing - saving myself.

I should have tried to tell myself a few times that it would have been easier said than done.

-

Five days pass and as each one goes by I become more and more tense about meeting with Harry again. Although he does seem more polite and I want to believe him, I have an underlying thought that's telling me not to.

This time we're meeting at his house even though I kind of protested the option multiple times. His defense was that he didn't want to be waiting around for me to arrive and then complain about the commute, which was fair enough. I wasn't too sure if this was normal of journalists to do. Question for self: Are journalists normally supposed to show up at their interviewee's houses straight away?

Harry's house was in a more secluded area of Los Angeles like I should have expected from the name "Hidden Hills". They were most definitely hidden because it sent my gps spazzing, and then I had to get cleared by the guard at the gate. When I arrive and step out of my car, I take in the sight before me. "You've got to be kidding me." His house is ridiculously large for one person. The size of my apartment alone fits on his front porch.