The Way Things Work

Chapter Fourteen

"I-Is that Rob?" Harry trembled in legitament fear due to his last encounter with Rob.
Liam slowly slinked down the flight of stairs but intercepted the gaze of Rob.
"Oh look what we have here! It's Liam Payne!" He pretended to fangirl, he was massivly drunk.
"What are you doing here?" Liam said sternly. He moved in front of Harry protectivly.
"Oh you couldn't tell? I paid this girl."
"What?!" Harry shifted out from behind Liam and looked at the blonde with tears in his eyes. "W-Why?"
She opened her mouth as if to defend herself but she was interrupted by Rob. "It's quite simple actually, you got me fired and I'm going to make your reputation coming crashing down even harder."
"I didn't get you fired!" 
"Yes you did. If you didn't stand up for that stupid slut-"
"HER NAME IS SAM!"
"That's it!" Rob darted forward at Harry and threw his throat against the wall. The girl gasped and smirked as she bolted down the stairs. 
"Let him go!" Liam tried with all of his might to pull Rob's hands off of the suffocating Harry but to no prevail.
"I'll get help!" Liam whimpered in fear as he dashed through the stair well door. 
"Liam won't make it back in time though, poor Harry." He spat to the ground that rested to the right of Harry. "Listen up and listen good. I'm not sure when or how but I will make sure your career ends here. And as for this photo? I'll be sending it to all of the magazines, that poor prostitute won't know what hit her. Watch your step Styles." He released Harry's neck as his eyes began rolling backwards. He hit the ground a bent over on his hands struggling to catch his breath. "And just remember this: no girl wants you unless they're getting paid. This was another clear example. I guess you'll never be tru;y loved, it's not like you deserve it anyways" He laughed maliciously and flew down the stairs. Harry remained speechless, he blamed you for it all: The abuse, the hatred and the bruised around his neck, up his torso and on his eye. 
"Harry?!" Louis was the first to come down the stairs and hold his head up. "Let's get you inside."
"WELL FIND HIM THEN! I DON'T CARE!" Paul shouted into a walkie talkie. "They said he already left the building-Oh my God." He caught one glimpse of Harry and realized how important it was to find Rob. "Harry, what did he say?"
"H-He's going to send the picture of me and that girl out and that no one loves me."
"I'll call the press." Simon gestured to bring Harry up, he was too weak so Louis managed to carry him.
"That's not true. We love you, a lot. It's just the way you've been acting."
"I-I'm sorry." Harry's lip seemed to quiver. 
"Why don't you just give Sam a chance?" Louis nudged him, setting him down on the closed toilet whilst grabbing the first aid kit. 
"She isn't right for me, Angle is."
"How can you say that? Especially after the way she treated you and those nasty rumors."
"I still love her and besides I deserved it-"
"Harry I'll be the first to admit that you can be an ass at times, but you never once deserved that."
"Whatever, she's the best I can do."
"No she isn-"
"C'mon Lou, you know where this is going to end." It would just end up another meaningless fight.
"In the bedroom?" He smiled cheekily at Harry. They both shared a laugh as Louis handed Harry an ice pack. "But seriously, give her a chance?"
"Sorry, not going to happen. That girl is trouble. I've stood up for her twice and gotten all of these bruises."
"Well Angle left mor-" Harry shot Louis a glance and ha backed down. "Fine, but just go easy on her?"
"I'll see." He grumbled as he quickly hugged Lou before walking out and calling you.

"Hello?" 
"H-Hi!" Harry said. He would never admit it but your voice made him weak at the knees.
"Oh h-hey." You said weakly.
"Are you okay?" He asked curiously. 
"Um yeah, I'm good."
"Liar." He jested.
"I was just talking to Sarah about-stuff and what not. Honestly I felt bad."
"For what?"
"-You got hurt." There was a dead silence on both ends of the line as Harry's rage began to boil. He had almost forgotten. 
"Whatever." He snapped. "Look I just wanted to say-say that there are going to be some picture floating around of me kissing another girl, shirtless."
"Oh-" You sounded hurt and a twinge of guilt rushed over him relieveing the frustration.
"-but-but they're fake." Another lie tumbled out of his mouth.
"Okay!" You perked up, if only you knew. "Well, I having a night in with the girls."
"Whatever." He grew a little defensive. How could she not want to talk to me? He thought to himself.
"-Okay then, bye." She snapped and hung up on him. It was his fault, right?

You walked briskly into the room where Eleanor and Sarah were sharing a couch. This time you were in El and Louis' flat; you may have had the bigger one but you wanted to be no where that reminded you of him. 
"What's up?" Sarah looked over and softly stroked your arm as you sat down.
"Just a call from Harry."
"What happened this time?" She droned, but it was aimed at Harry.
"To bee honest? I have no idea he just started getting angry."
And with that your phone began to ring. It was Harry. You were swift to press decline and you put it on silent and tossed it across the room. 
"Harry?" El looked from the TV with a sly laugh.
"How'd you know?" You grinned, fighting back the tears. 
"Just a hunch." She smiled and reconcentrated her focus on the television screen.
The movie ended after two hours, to be honest you had no idea what had happened; you didn't even know the title. You were too focused on Harry the entire time. Your train of thought was disrupted by the intercom at the door.
"Miss Eleanor?" Tony joked through it.
"I got it." She rose and pressed the button. "Yes Sir Tony." She rolled her eyes at the two of you giggling on the couch. 
"Your food is here!"
"Great I'll be right down, what's the tab?"
"Okay and it will be 23.50."
"Got it!"
You all coughed up the fair amount and you volunteered to pick it up. You walked out and headed down stairs.

"Check her phone." Sarah pointed to your phone on the ground as she was making her way over to the couch.
"Oh my God." El shrieked as she sat next to Sarah.
"What?"
"There are 23 missed calls." El snickered.
"Wow that kid needs his feelings straightened out for him." 
"Tell me about it."
"El?"
"Yeah babe?" 
"D-Do you know how Harry feels about Sam?"
"Hard to say, but I think he is in love with her!"
"Really? He said that?"
"Not to me, to Lou a while back."
"Can we call him for conformation?" Sarah winked anting all of the information.
"On it!" El shouted already dialing.

"Heya babe!" Louis answered cheerfully.
"Babe and Sarah." She laughed.
"Well hello, babe and Sarah." He mimicked. "What's up?"
"Can't I just call my fit boyfriend to say that I love him?"
"Nice try, no you can't." He laughed. "So what's up?"
"...Did Harry say anything aboout Sam?"
"Actually yes, but he was lying. I think." Louis seemed confused. 
"What did he say?"
"He doesn't like her."
"Then why did he call her 23 times in the past hour."
"Holy-23 times!?" He said in utter shock.
"Yep." Sarah interjected. 
"Told you he ws lying." They could tell he was smiling on the other line. 
"Speaking of the poor girl, here she comes!" Sarah said standing at the door.
"Crap, go babe. I need to call you later anyway and give you a heads up."
"On what?" El said frantically.
"On what Harry pulled today."
"Good lord. Here she is love you!" And with that the line went dead.

"Hey Sam!" Sarah said all too happy. You would have questioned her but you were still in shock from what just happened. 
"Sam? Are you okay?" El asked, rising from the couch.
All you could do was shake your head as Eleanor took the food and Sarah led you to the couch.
"You look like you've seen a ghost. What happened?"
"T-Tony, he-he kissed me."