Harry’s POV

“Hey how are you,” I said politely, not really interested in making conversation with the girl in front of me. My experience has taught me that I should be polite to strangers because you never know what they’re going to say about you. Sure I didn’t know the girl in front of me, but I assumed she was a fan or some aspiring singer if she was in Sven’s office.

I was about to continue on when I heard Sven talk.

“Alice, if you could escort Jess to my office and give her some refreshments, we’ll be with you shortly.”

We?

From my peripheral vision, I could see Alice and the girl walk off quietly. Once I heard the door close, I turned to Sven.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“What?” he asked almost too innocently.

“Her? Really, Sven?”

Sven moved me away from the door so that the girl wouldn’t be able to hear our conversation. I was not impressed.

“What’s wrong with her?”

Well, I don’t really know to be honest. I didn’t get a chance to properly look at her and the only recollection I had was that she was slightly tanned with black hair, glasses, and just a bit big. I didn’t want to say it and sound like such a judgmental asshole, but I was just surprised at Sven’s choice. I mean the last person he set me up with was Taylor Swift for crying out loud.

“Nothing. I just thought you’d pick someone hotter. . . I mean, someone more my type.”

“If I picked someone your type then this would never work. Besides, Jess is a lovely girl.”

“You’re going to give her a makeover though, right? Like maybe change the hair, lose the glasses, and new clothes?”

“What’s wrong with how she looks?”

“Nothing! God, Sven, you’re making me sound like a real arse here. She’s just not my type at all. Too indie. Too goth.”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t focus too much on how she looks like then if you don’t want to sound like an arse,” he said suggestively, “and no we’re not going to give her a makeover. Her look is the reason we picked her.”

I was not following where Sven was going with this at all. He wants to raise my image and profile, but picks someone unknown to do that? I was expecting a model, actress, aspiring singer type that the media would just lap up. Not this – and I mean no offense at all – boring ordinary girl.

“I don’t get it, Sven. I thought she was gonna be a model or someone famous at least. I thought you hired someone to make me look good?”

“And she will, Haz, trust me on this.”

“But how?”

“The fans will either love her or hate her. She’s likeable because she’s just like them. It will get your fans to be more on your side and they’d think that they totally stand a chance with you because you go for normal girls.”

“But I do go for normal girls,” I argued, “They just happen to be in the limelight too. That doesn’t make them any less normal.”

“Jess is perfect for you, Harry. She will be the best accessory for your even bigger success. I assure you.”

“I still can’t see why.”

“Haz,” Sven sighed, “she’s the average boring girl next door. She’s so normal and normality is what you need in your life as far as the media is concerned. Besides she’s got a blog. She’ll be such a hit especially with the young fans.”

“But why would having a blog matter? How can we be a “normal” couple if she keeps blogging about it? Wouldn’t she want the media out of our life?”

“Oh Harry,” Sven sighed again, “Stop worrying about it. I told you I’ve got this all planned out. Now will you please come back to the office so I can brief you both?”

It was my turn to sigh. There was really no point in arguing or walking out. The contracts been signed and even if it weren’t, I was still tied to the management either way. I’m pissed off about this still, and even more annoyed that I don’t get to go out with at least someone hot. I had no choice but to obey Sven and follow him back to the office.

Once inside, I noticed the girl sitting quietly in one of Sven’s couches. She had her head down and was looking at her phone. Probably tweeting about me already. I found myself instantly disliking her right there and then. It’s wrong to presume things about someone, I know that, but who would willingly accept a job to basically lie?

Well okay, that was a bit hypocrital of me being in the entertainment industry but to be fair, I do it for the love of music. Unlike this girl who is just doing it to be famous and to get people know her blog or something.

“Alright so you guys have met briefly, but let me just introduce you again. Harry this is Jess. Jessica Montgomery, your new girlfriend.”

Our eyes met again for the second time that day. I took that opportunity to look at her more closely. I was right the first time. She was ordinary – from the way her black hair fell just a little bit past her shoulders to her dark eyes under the glasses – nothing about this girl screamed out “special”.

Yet even with all that boringness, I was curious. There was something about her that made me want to know more. I cannot accurately explain it, but I had a feeling that there was more to her than she was letting on.

That doesn’t mean I like her, though. Rather, I’m seeing her as someone quite distant that I won’t really form a friendship with. All we are ever going to be are distant colleagues just doing our end of the bargain and acting our way to the year.

Jess’s POV

“Hi, I’m Harry,” he said in that deep raspy voice of his, slowly saying the words. It was a voice I’d gotten to know just by watching Youtube videos of him. I’m not saying I’m a stalker and that I stayed up late searching Harry Styles and One Direction online, but I was curious as to who he was.

His voice was even sexier in person. The way he said his name and enunciated every vowel was irresistible. He reached out his hand and I shook it, his eyes meeting mine briefly yet again. I could feel electric current in my veins as my hand touched his. Oh boy have I got it bad.

But he did not look at me again after that. He was sitting away from me but from my peripheral view, I could see him move. He crossed his arms just as Sven started talking.

“Now back to business,” he said tearing me away from my wandering my mind.

Right of course. I shouldn’t forget that this is just a business deal. A job. Harry isn’t here because he wanted to or even because he liked me. He didn’t even seem happy to be here at all. I didn’t quite get what him and Sven were talking about outside but the tension in the room was so palpable that it’s safe to assume that Harry is against this.

But that’s okay with me. I mean, I only took this job because I wanted revenge and I wanted to maybe get my blog out there more, right? I think, the sooner I get this clear, the better this whole year would be for me. I need to stop whatever crush this is I am harbouring for him right now and tell myself that this is just a job. He doesn’t care about me. He doesn’t feel anything towards me. We’re just acting. We’re just doing our jobs. Once the feelings are out of the way then hopefully I won’t have to start sweating and blushing whenever I’m around him.

“So, here’s what the plan is. . .” Sven trailed off.

An hour later, I could see Harry getting crosser and crosser by the minute. If earlier today I assumed that he was totally against this idea, now I am 200% positive. Sven laid out a vague structure and framework of the plan for us.

“I want the relationship to form naturally,” he said.

“Right Sven, because natural is the best way to describe this relationship. No contracts involved whatsoever.”

Sven, ignoring him, said “Just think of it as being in a reality show. There’s no script, but there’s a plot. You still get freedom with your actions, but you just have to make sure that what you’re doing is in line with the theme or the plot.”

Harry rolled his eyes. Sven was only on part one of the plan because he didn’t want to reveal it all straight away. He told us the story of how Harry and I will meet for the first time. He was going to come to my work for a cup of coffee, casually chat me up at first.

Then in a few weeks he will be more of a regular face in the café so that people will just be familiar with this part. Then he’ll start “hanging out” with me. See? That’s a vague plan.

As a girl who is a bit of a control freak about everything, the specifics of our “hanging out” and when he’ll be coming to my work was scaring me. Again I felt butterflies in my stomach as the thought crosses my mind. He was going to come see me at work and everyone will think that he really is interested in me. Good grief what have I gotten myself into?

“Alright so that’s the plan, and I trust that we could get stage one up and running immediately?”

I nodded quietly while Harry just sat there motionless.

“I’m heading off to a meeting now but ring me if you’ve got any more questions,” Sven said, “alright kids now it’s time for you to get to know each other!”

I watched him walk out into the hallway before looking at Harry again. I was prepared to follow instructions and maybe have a chat to him for a while but before I could even get a chance to do so, he was already standing up and making his way to the door.

Umm.

“This is ridiculous,” he said before banging the door as he left.

The anger in his voice startled me and I sat there not quite knowing what to do. So it seems like Harry Styles hates me already and it hasn’t even been day one of our relationship yet. How is this ever going to work?

Notes

Literally wrote this in about an hour because I was so excited reading your comments/seeing you like the story. I also did a little something something which is volume one of my mixtape for this story! I'm also thinking of adding outfit photos, photos of Haz, and all that jazz if you guys are keen? Anyway, here's the link to the tracks: The Cafe Girl Mixtape - Volume One

Would really love to hear what you think of the story/chapter/mixtape!xx