extortion || h.s

chapter one:

"Yes ma'am. Thats what I said, six dollars and fifty cents." I said for the sixteenth time in the past minute as her eyes bulged out of her head.

"Thats ludicrous!" She bit at me.

"Well I don't make the rules. So do you want this coffee or am I just going to have to dump it?" I asked, my nerves wearing down.

"Such a scam!" She sounded like a child throwing a fit in the toy store, though she looked to be like 35. Her childish days were far gone.

"You know what?" I said. "I'll get just the person you're looking for." I said, pushing a forced smile onto my face before walking into the back where my boss was talking to Maxine. "Theres a lady out there who is absolutely crazy. I can't handle her, she wont listen. Can you go tell her that we are not going to lower the price just for her!" I exclaimed.

"I'm on it, Carissa." He smiled. My boss was overly nice. Sometimes even too nice. It often scares me.

I smiled back and sat down in the chair closest to the window.

"She really wanted you to lower the price?" Jack chuckles and sits next to me.

"You best believe it." I laugh.

"Hey, isn't that.." His voice trails off as I look out the window and see the one and only, Josh Parker. Also known as my boyfriend. I haven't seen him in two weeks. So out of instinct, I run to the door to meet him. His grin takes up his face, and I grin back as he wraps me up in his arms. Oh gosh how I've missed this.

After that? I'm not sure. Next thing I know, we're standing in a stall in the mens bathroom making out. His hands run up under my shirt. My apron is on the floor, my hands are unbuckling his belt. His pants are soon down. My shirt is unbuttoned all the way down. And just as he's about to take my shirt the rest of the way off, our stall door is pushed open. Apparently in the heat of the moment we only shut the door and hadn't locked it. We never had been very good at locking doors before...well, you know.

But just my luck, there stood Harry. Harry Styles. He was a regular customer, and my mom knew his dad. But thats about it. And after about two seconds, a shit eating grin spread across his face and I cringe. I pull my shirt together and brush out my hair with my fingers.

"Oh, Ralf would love this." He shook his head, going to turn around but I grabbed his arm.

"Wait." I began. "Please don't tell him. I'll do anything!" I exclaimed, petrified I was going to lose my job. The only job I had at the moment. There was no way I could lose this. I wouldn't be able to afford my rent every month.

"Hmm.." He tapped his chin evilly. "Well. My mother is getting married this Saturday and I don't have a date. Though my mom thinks that I'm dating business woman. So.."

"No. Nuh uh. No way. Think of something else." I begged.

"Sorry miss Carissa. But I'm afraid nothing else comes to mind. So I mean, unless you want to get fired–and trust me, I know what kind of financial problems you've got–then you will come with me and act as my decoy date. Deal or no deal, princess." He smirked, and he had a way with words. He always had. This one time when we were a bit younger, he had somehow made me believe that my favorite necklace–which I'd been wearing that night but lost–was at the bottom of my pool. But of course it wasn't, and I got soaked for no reason and had to ride in the car soaked, with my scowling mother.

"How would you even begin to know where I stand financially?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're working at Starbucks for gosh sakes." He laughs. "Its not that hard to figure out."

"You're not going to act like his girlfriend just to save your ass." Josh spoke from behind me, I had almost forgot about him.

"Josh, I have to. This is all I have." I frowned at him.

"Absolutely not." He shook his head.

"Excuse me. But who exactly do you think you are telling me what I can and can't do?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, I don't know. Maybe your boyfriend?" He tilted his head.

I bit my the inside of my lip and turned back to Harry, slowly becoming grateful that I didn't have sex with Josh in the bathroom.

"Sure. Whatever. I'm in." I reached my hand out and he stared at it for a second before smirking and shaking it.

"See ya later, Adams." He said, calling me by my last name.

I turned to Josh who had apparently already pulled his pants back up and buckled his belt, but he just shook his head and straightened his shirt before storming out of the bathroom. What had I just gotten myself into? I had just been blackmailed by Harry Styles.