This Thing Upon Me [Order The eBook] [Harry Styles]

Chapter 29

(DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. It's important to remember this is all totally fabricated, embellished, and exaggerated for entertainment purposes.)

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Time, she says, "there's no turning back, keep your eyes on the tracks."

Gregory Alan Isakov | Time Will Tell

At around 2pm I felt considerably improved and became living proof that "when you drink, you borrow happiness from tomorrow." Here I was, half the day wasted because of a horrible mistake from last night, and only now able to shower and leave my room. Jeff and I rode back to his house and picked Glenne up for lunch and somehow ended up shopping downtown. I bought a watch and a pair of shoes, and got stopped for pics by so many fans I couldn't remember whether I was going or coming; but was grateful I could make so many people's day with the simplest of gestures.

When the paps began to tail us, we booked it back up town and finally ended up at a low-key café in their neck of the woods, where I ordered more breakfast food (eggs, hash-browns, French toast, and lots of bacon.) Halfway through lunch, I pulled out my phone and felt a pit in my stomach when the notifications weren't the ones I wanted. I had told my mom and a few friends I had gotten the role, even though I had been forbidden to, and the only texts I saw were their well wishes and demands for me to call them back.

"That's like the sixth time you've checked your phone since we got here. And that's not counting how much you looked at it downtown," Glenne said through a mouthful of corned beef.

"Mind your business," I drawled with a grin.

"I know what he's looking for," Jeff piped up.

"Ugh, here we go..."

"Then tell her, unless you want me to."

"Alright, alright," I forfeited. Glenne perked up, all ears. "I saw him," I said vaguely, then left it at that.

"Oh, c'mon! You can't just leave me hanging like that?! When? Where? How?"

"You didn't even tell me, by the way. I've been dying to know too," Jeff added, facetiously. He was full of sh-t. He couldn't care less and was only feigning interest to ally with Glenne and annoy me. I cleaned my mouth with a napkin and cleared my throat, then took a sip of water with my pinky up. Glenne threw a handful of salt at me.

"Heyyyy...." I said, blowing it off what remained of my toast with a frown. She snickered and took the shaker and sprinkled a heavier dose directly onto it.

"Alright, children, cut it out before I take your phones," Jeff demanded, grabbing her wrist to stop her and brushing salt off his arm. He bit her hand before letting go.

"It was great honestly," I smirked and shrugged. "I ended up at his place—"

"Really?" she asked, eyes like saucers. "What's it like? He any different?"

"Sooo different," I said. "But then...so similar as well? A lot hadn't changed, yet a lot had, y'know?"

"Right, right, okay..." she pressed. I looked over into both their eyes for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. I needed to steer clear of spilling where things had ended up, he and I in his garden, making out beneath Gigi's nose. Or above her head....whatever. I pivoted in the best way I knew how.

"So I met Gigi!"

"Hadid?" Jeff balked.

"Mm-hm."