Ambition || Harry Styles

*30*

"Alexa?"

The sound of his voice travels down my spine, my body tingling with physical repulsion like the sight of a spider crawling across a wall or touching soggy food gathering in the bottom of the sink.

The last time I heard Adam's voice he was breaking my heart, turning me to stone with his explanation of his affair and subsequent first born child on the way.

He was sorry, but not devastated, not like I was. He didn't try and win me back or beg me to stay. He had explained the facts, his personality similar to mine, told me he had made a decision and that he was apologetic for lying, sneaking around, hurting me. The sorry he felt was more out of pity, than grief.

There were moments he swung the heart shattering conversation back to me and my behaviour, the long nights at work, the inability for me to focus on anything else, the lack of time and attention I gave our relationship.

To be honest, in hindsight he was right, my mind was always elsewhere and I barely gave him the time of day towards the end, however the sickening betrayal of infidelity left a sourness in my mouth that I can still taste and I truly hate him for not just leaving me before he started seeing someone new.

He had tried to persuade me to stay with him, suggesting an open relationship which basically involved him sleeping around and coming home to me every night, of course I was just as permitted to have sex with someone else if I wished to.

This only made me more furious, spiteful that he had turned this around so I was the one having to end things with him, telling him promptly to get the hell out of my life.

The worst part was, I knew without him having to say it, that he didn't initially want to leave me because of the working relationship he had with my father. I was certain for a while the only reason Adam stuck around was for him, they got along so well and Dad had gotten Adam an amazing job with a friend of his. His idea of an open relationship meant he got to keep his status as Alan Patterson's future son-in-law and the freedom to not have to be monogamous and deal with me being less than everything he really wanted. 

He had been keeping an incredibly low profile since we broke up, now coming up to nearly eighteen months ago, no doubt worried he would run into my dad at events like this.

I don't know why he would think my father would care about my wellbeing. Even after the breakup, I had only taken one day off work before he was screaming at me down the phone to stop feeling sorry for myself and to get back to the office.

So, I battened down the hatches, enclosed all of the hurt and emotion with a giant steel padlock and got on with things, not looking back and never allowing anyone close enough for me to make the mistake of unnecessary distraction again.

Well, except the emerald eyed distraction standing to my right.

"Hi Adam," my voice and body language is cold and guarded, my stance suddenly rigid and I feel myself trying to physically repel him.

I feel Harry's attention snap to the man standing with us, his name sparking recognition from what I had told him and I allow myself to finally look at my ex-boyfriend properly.

Adam looks the same as always, albeit a little more tired, probably with a baby keeping him busy. His textured strawberry blonde hair is neither curly not straight, his pale skin and freckles giving him that classic British look and his eyes are the colour of a cloudless sky.

"How have you been?" he asks with an annoyingly false softness in his voice that sounds an awful lot like pity.

Harry picks up a glass of champagne that passes on a waiters tray and hands it to me without a sound, silently supportive and I take a giant gulp of the golden liquid.

"Fantastic," I say sharply not inviting further questioning but he doesn't seem to be put off.

Adam looks at Harry with pursed lips, trying to indicate to the stranger that he wants to have a private conversation but Harry's feet don't budge, instead his arm snakes around my waist, his hand resting comfortably on my hip causing my heart to leap into my throat.

Adam seems surprised and I wonder if it's because I'm not still crying over him or if it's because even he can see Harry is well out of my league.

Harry pulls me closer into his side, his fingers sneaking around my stomach and upwards a little but I slam my hand over his to still them from venturing into dangerous territory.

My gaze, and a fake smile, remains directed at Adam but I can see the cheeky smirk on Harry's face at his own boldness, even in my periphery.

"Are you her boyf-" Adam tries to impatiently ask but Harry interjects while I take another swig of my drink.

"I'm Harry," he says instead of answering what we all know the question was and my hand leaves Harry's momentarily to attempt to twirl my hair from nervousness but realise it's up and off my shoulders.

"Right, I'm Adam. Sorry... how awkward!" Adam chuckles to himself, and I know him well enough to understand he is trying to make Harry squirm.

"Why, is it awkward?" Harry retorts with an equally as forced laugh, not in the least bit phased by Adam and I really wish the walls would just cave in and kill us all.

"Oh, this is well uncomfortable now, I'm Adam... her ex," he makes an awkward grimace as he talks as if I'm not standing a mere foot away.

Harry's eyebrows raise comically, his smirk becoming down right obnoxious as humour dances behind his eyes, his arrogance softened by the dimples in his cheek.

I hold my breath as he looks at me and then back to Adam before responding, "Really? Sorry, Lexi's never mentioned you. Or am I just forgetful, darling?"

I'm sure my cheeks are burning red as I shrug, not wanting to get into this and debating excusing Harry and myself away from the conversation so I can ask him what the fuck he thinks he's doing.

Just as I'm about to tell them I need a cigarette, my genius plan is interrupted by Harry pointing a finger in the air.

"Oh wait, Adam! You're the one who couldn't..." he stops and shakes his head as if he can't say his thoughts out loud.

My eyes just about pop out of my head at the lie he is concocting, my stomach dropping, which only makes Harry have to curl his lips into his mouth to hide the grin threatening to take over.

"What?" Adam exclaims looking at me for clarification and although I almost feel sorry for him, I just bite my lip and let Harry work his magic.

"Never mind, mate, don't worry about it, come to think of it maybe it was a different boyfriend," he says, his eyes twinkling in victory because he clearly remembers Adam has been the only person I've ever dated.

"Shall we go find our seats, love?" Harry continues in the same breath and we leave Adam standing a little red faced and very confused. 

A/N:

That cheeky banana!

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Love Ruby 

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