Forever Roses {Harry Styles AU}

Chapter 11: Work

Chapter 11: Work – March 8, 2017

“And then, and then–” April wheezes from laughter, unable to finish the story. She’s just about toppled over from giggling so hard and so am I.

I give her a few seconds to recoup.

“He asked me if I needed a kids’ menu,” April continues, although barely managing to do so. “I told him I’m 22, and he just hobbled away and asked another waiter how old I looked. But the old guy never came back, so I guess the other waiter broke the news to him that I actually look like an adult to people who can actually see.”

I’m still laughing. I’m 23, and April is 22; we’ve grown up a lot, and we both look like adults. April isn’t even that short.

“I hope I’m not that blind when I’m old,” I say, chuckling.

“Or confused,” April adds.

I grin at her before filling up my cup with some coffee from the machine. They’ve got a really nice lounge at work.

April plops a mini donut into her mouth and swallows before talking. “I felt kind of bad for him though.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.”

“Harry, hey! How’s it been going? I haven’t seen you in a while,” a voice pops up behind me. I feel a large shadow over me.

I flinch from surprise before turning to face him.  “Adrian, hello. I’ve been swell, actually. And you?”

“Great. Who’s this?” he asks, nodding towards April.

She smiles, clutching her cup with one hand and waving with the other.

“This is April,” I introduce her to him. “April, this is Adrian. He works on the floor above us.”

The higher the floor, the higher the ranking.

“Nice to meet you,” April says cheerfully, extending her free hand to shake his.

“So how long have you been working here? I’ve known Harry since about November, but I’ve never seen you around,” Adrian tells April to make some small talk.

“Actually, Harry and I,” April begins, motioning to the both of us, “got jobs at the same time.”

We did. In October, we both had interviews. In November, we both got jobs. In December, we both moved to a flat complex just 20 minutes away in a busy part of London. It’s been absolutely amazing so far. I love my job a lot, my co-workers are all fantastic, I see my family every so often, and April is right by my side the whole time.

“Really,” Adrian says. “That’s wonderful. Did you two know each other before?”

“Yes, we actually went to primary and secondary school together in Cheshire,” I answer.

April smiles. “And then to Sheffield as well.”

Adrian raises his eyebrows. “Wow, quite a journey.”

“If you’ll excuse me,” April says, pausing the conversation, “I’m going to get a bit more instant coffee.”

Adrian stares after her as she walks back to the small counter. “Are you dating her, Harry?”

Immediately I feel my face get hot. “Oh, no.”

“She seems quite the catch, doesn’t she?”

“I suppose.” I don’t know what else to say.

“I might ask her out on a date in that case then,” Adrian says thoughtfully.

No. No no no. That can’t happen! Adrian’s been dating a whole slew of women. I don’t want April with him. Sure, he’s nice enough, but not as April’s boyfriend!

When I began to work and move around, I became so busy that I hardly even thought about my feelings for April. I kind of thought they were gone. Now, however, they have most certainly returned if they ever did indeed disappear.

“Good luck with that one,” I say with a fake chuckle, trying to scare him off, but I don’t want to lie.

He tilts his head, finally breaking his eyes away from April. “What do you mean?”

“In high school, she went out with zero guys. And it’s not because nobody liked her. She turned every single one down.”

Adrian’s face grows a bit still. “Well, what about in college?”

“She had some flings here and there.”

Adrian shrugs. “I’m not ready to settle down yet anyway. I don’t mind some hook-ups. She’s quite fit in any case.”

So he wouldn’t mind a sex escapade for a night, and then he’d be done.

But I can’t talk him out of it because April’s on her way back and in earshot again.

Stepping forward, Adrian begins to talk. “April, I’m free tonight. Would you like to go for some dinner?”

“Oh, that would be lovely,” April agrees, a radiant smile spreading across her face.

Well.

No, Harry, no. Stop. It’s fine. Let it go.

Yes. It’s fine. I’ll just wait for their first date to pass until they aren’t involved anymore. Because April and I have been on the same journey since 2011. It can’t be just coincidence that we went to secondary school together, we went to uni together, and then we went to BBC News together.

I’m starting to get the feeling that April and I? Are meant to be together.

~.~

A/N: 

*Not edited*

Adrian is in da external link yeyyy

I've written the epilogue, guys. I've already written the epilogue, and I'm SO EMOTIONAL *sigh* this is such a weird story lol but anyway that's the reason for the celebratory extra update because I already finished writing the story and it made me happy!

Somebody should do something dedication-worthy hehe -Stephanie.