Red String [h.s] (Completed)

Chapter 39

"You've been writing novels
I'm the inbox to your problems every weekday
We don't talk much in real life
We fake fight and that's all we do, do
But if it's over then it's over
Doesn't have to be a TV drama
If it's over then it's over"

The writer from the magazine, who Amy has already forgotten his name, is looking between Harry and Amy and waiting for someone to introduce him. When he realizes that Amy isn't going to talk, he reaches his hand towards Harry.

"Hi, I'm Brad Dover. It's nice to meet you." 

"Harry Styles"

Harry shakes his hand but maintains eye contact with Amy.

"Sorry Brad—" his voice heavy with sarcasm, "—didn't mean to interrupt your date."

"Oh no, it's not a date. I'm interviewing Amy for a piece I'm writing for LA magazine."

"Is that right?" Harry says, looking between the two of them. He can't stop staring at Amy and how good she looks in that dress. He is glad to know this is work related, although he doesn't like the way this guy is looking at Amy. He's looking at her like he wishes this was more than an interview.

"Yeah, we were actually just finishing up," Brad says. "How do you two know each other?"

Amy looks at Harry worriedly, wondering how he is going to respond. She feels like she has, again, lost the ability to speak in front of Harry so she has to rely on him to answer.

"Amy and I?" and Harry looks at her mischievously and she worries about what the next words out of his mouth are going to be. "We met at her art show this past summer, isn't that right Amy?"

Amy nods without saying anything. She is relieved that he chose to answer like this. She's not sure what would have happened if he had said something more closer to the truth. Harry can see Amy's face relax a bit after he chose not to out them. He likes that she is forced to stand still at the moment in order to maintain appearances. He suspects she probably won't yell at him in front of all these people either so he stands awkwardly at the table, wanting to be in Amy's presence for as long as he can.

"Oh, okay," Brad replies nodding still looking back and forth between Amy and Harry, wondering why Amy has suddenly become incredibly silent in his presence. He senses some tension between the two of them, like he is missing some part of the story.

"Have you seen her paintings? She has a real gift," Harry brags, looking at Amy's shell-shocked face.

"No. I didn't even know that you painted," he says, directing it at her.

"I haven't painted in three months. My inspiration sort of just up and left one day," Amy says not being shy about how she feels now.

Harry's eyebrows raise for a split second and then go back to neutral again. It's the only sign he gives Amy that he understood her words.

"Maybe it'll come back," Brad offers, smiling, not understanding the coded language that Harry and Amy are speaking to one another.

"Maybe I don't want it to. Maybe I'd rather it would stay gone," Amy says glaring at Harry, the tension palpable. Harry is just glad that she is showing some emotion other than indifference. He thinks it means she still isn't over him, which makes him happy because he isn't over her. He's not sure if he ever will be. She's left her mark on him.

"Umm, I'm going to go pay the bill. Excuse me," Brad says, eager to not be in the middle anymore.

As soon as he's out of earshot, Harry speaks.