Different
Chapter 6
6
Work was slow today. Sitting on a stool in the back room, I flipped through a magazine, not really bothering to read the words. My mind kept wandering back to Dylan's text. No matter how much I tried to forget about it, his words just kept creeping back. I could find a small amount of relief in the fact that he had no clue where I was living now. I hadn't wanted to worry Harry about it and ruin a perfectly good night.
Hanging out with the boys was more than enough to make me forget about Dylan. We joked around until about 1 AM until Liam announced it was time to go to bed; they had an interview early the next morning and needed to get a few hours of shut eye. Harry insisted on taking me home, making sure I made it there safely.
"I'll be fine, Harry," I had insisted. "Plus if you try and walk out of this apartment, we will both be mobbed by thousands of screaming girls."
He frowned, looking upset. "I'm not going to let you just walk home at night, Kirby. It isn't safe."
Rolling my eyes, I said, "I live two subway stops away; it'll be fine."
Louis walked over to me and Harry. "I donno, Big K," he started, using my newly assigned nickname, "Hazza might have a point. You shouldn't be walking around New York City at night. Something might happen to you and, after last time, I just can't do that paperwork again."
"Shut up, Lou," I laughed, smacking his arm. Louis and I had been fast friends. Sharing the same humor and quick wit helped bring us closer together. I'd always wanted siblings and now I had three brothers.
"I'm serious, though."
I finally talked Harry into just letting one of their security guards escort me home, which I still thought was over the top but it seemed to appease Harry. He made me promise to text him as soon as I made it inside. With a quick peck on the cheek, I wished Harry goodnight. Then I pulled Louis into a hug.
"I'm glad Harry found you," he whispered as I started to end the hug.
I nodded in agreement,a smile unable to stay off my face.
Just like I promised, I texted Harry as soon as I made it home.
To Curly:
Home safe and sound. Thank Marcus again for taking me all the way here. Had a great night with the guys! Give them my love. xx
Two minutes later my phone buzzed.
From Curly:
Can't wait to see you again. The lads loved you, especially Louis! Won't stop going on about 'Big K'. Eleanor is about to kick him out of the apartment. (She can't talk, though, becuase she keeps bragging about her 'new best friend'). Goodnight, love xx.
Thinking about histext now brought a smile to my face. I was about to throw the magazine I was reading into the trash when I came across something alarming. It was a picture of me, well some of me, but it was defintely me. My back was toward the camera, and I was talking to Harry. It was the first day we metafter I had replaced his coffee. I was disgusted. Someone had been watching us and photographed us. The article was titled "New Girl in Harry's Life?" There was no distigusting characteristics that showed it was me, I noticed relieved, letting out a sigh of relief. The knot in the pit of my stomach loosened a bit knowing Dylan wouldn't be able to identify me. Grabbing my phone out my discarded bag, I dialed Harry's number.
Straight to voicemail. Calm down, I demanded. This isn't Harry's fault; you cannot get mad at him. Taking a deep breath to control my breathing, I punched in Louis number. He answered on the second ring.
"What's up, Big K?"
"Hey, Lou. Do you know where Harry is? He didn't answer his phone."
Louis sighed dramatically. "And here I thought you called becasue you wanted to talk to me. No, no, I understand." I laughed at his antics, calming my uneasiness.
"Louis, you know you're my favorite guy. Just don't tell Harry."
I heard Niall's voice in the background yelled. "Kirby, how could you say that! I thought what we had was special!"
"Shut up, Niall," Harry voice scowlded. "Hello, love. Sorry I didn't answer, I was finishing up an interview."
"No problem," I dismissed nonchalantly as I could. "I need to talk to you about something. Think we can meet up during my lunch break?"
Static noise filled the phone. "Sure, of course. Is something wrong?"
I shook my head, forgetting for a second I was talking on the phone. "No! Nothing to be worried about, Curly. Just something I saw today that I need to ask about."
After we hung up with plans for lunch, I immediately dialed Eleanor's number. She had programmed it in last night "just in case" with a knowing smirk.
"How's it going, Kirby?" Eleanor's accent filled my ear.
"Hey, do you a second to talk?" I asked nervously.
I heard some shuffling through the phone before she said, "Of course. What's up?"
I explained everything that happened, starting with Dylan and the real reason I moved to New York. She was horrified to learn I'd been in an abusive relationship. But she didn't criticize me, actually quite the opposite, she empathized with me. I told her how everytime I tried to get away from him he'd find me, dragging me home. She understood why I had waited so long to say anything, "Anyone would have trust issues after that" she had said. After I told her about the magazine and my fears of Dylan see it, she promised me that everything was going to be ok, but that I definetely needed to tell Harry at our lunch date today.
"He really likes you, Kirby," Eleanor told me. "You've got to trust me. He's a good guy."
I hung up with Eleanor feeling a hundred pounds lighter. She was the first person I had ever told that stuff, too. And she didn't judge me or make me feel like a victim. She made me feel strong and confident like someone who could fight this. Telling Derek I was taking my break - ("If you aren't back by 1 I'm giving you're shift away") - I headed toward Harry.
Work was slow today. Sitting on a stool in the back room, I flipped through a magazine, not really bothering to read the words. My mind kept wandering back to Dylan's text. No matter how much I tried to forget about it, his words just kept creeping back. I could find a small amount of relief in the fact that he had no clue where I was living now. I hadn't wanted to worry Harry about it and ruin a perfectly good night.
Hanging out with the boys was more than enough to make me forget about Dylan. We joked around until about 1 AM until Liam announced it was time to go to bed; they had an interview early the next morning and needed to get a few hours of shut eye. Harry insisted on taking me home, making sure I made it there safely.
"I'll be fine, Harry," I had insisted. "Plus if you try and walk out of this apartment, we will both be mobbed by thousands of screaming girls."
He frowned, looking upset. "I'm not going to let you just walk home at night, Kirby. It isn't safe."
Rolling my eyes, I said, "I live two subway stops away; it'll be fine."
Louis walked over to me and Harry. "I donno, Big K," he started, using my newly assigned nickname, "Hazza might have a point. You shouldn't be walking around New York City at night. Something might happen to you and, after last time, I just can't do that paperwork again."
"Shut up, Lou," I laughed, smacking his arm. Louis and I had been fast friends. Sharing the same humor and quick wit helped bring us closer together. I'd always wanted siblings and now I had three brothers.
"I'm serious, though."
I finally talked Harry into just letting one of their security guards escort me home, which I still thought was over the top but it seemed to appease Harry. He made me promise to text him as soon as I made it inside. With a quick peck on the cheek, I wished Harry goodnight. Then I pulled Louis into a hug.
"I'm glad Harry found you," he whispered as I started to end the hug.
I nodded in agreement,a smile unable to stay off my face.
Just like I promised, I texted Harry as soon as I made it home.
To Curly:
Home safe and sound. Thank Marcus again for taking me all the way here. Had a great night with the guys! Give them my love. xx
Two minutes later my phone buzzed.
From Curly:
Can't wait to see you again. The lads loved you, especially Louis! Won't stop going on about 'Big K'. Eleanor is about to kick him out of the apartment. (She can't talk, though, becuase she keeps bragging about her 'new best friend'). Goodnight, love xx.
Thinking about histext now brought a smile to my face. I was about to throw the magazine I was reading into the trash when I came across something alarming. It was a picture of me, well some of me, but it was defintely me. My back was toward the camera, and I was talking to Harry. It was the first day we metafter I had replaced his coffee. I was disgusted. Someone had been watching us and photographed us. The article was titled "New Girl in Harry's Life?" There was no distigusting characteristics that showed it was me, I noticed relieved, letting out a sigh of relief. The knot in the pit of my stomach loosened a bit knowing Dylan wouldn't be able to identify me. Grabbing my phone out my discarded bag, I dialed Harry's number.
Straight to voicemail. Calm down, I demanded. This isn't Harry's fault; you cannot get mad at him. Taking a deep breath to control my breathing, I punched in Louis number. He answered on the second ring.
"What's up, Big K?"
"Hey, Lou. Do you know where Harry is? He didn't answer his phone."
Louis sighed dramatically. "And here I thought you called becasue you wanted to talk to me. No, no, I understand." I laughed at his antics, calming my uneasiness.
"Louis, you know you're my favorite guy. Just don't tell Harry."
I heard Niall's voice in the background yelled. "Kirby, how could you say that! I thought what we had was special!"
"Shut up, Niall," Harry voice scowlded. "Hello, love. Sorry I didn't answer, I was finishing up an interview."
"No problem," I dismissed nonchalantly as I could. "I need to talk to you about something. Think we can meet up during my lunch break?"
Static noise filled the phone. "Sure, of course. Is something wrong?"
I shook my head, forgetting for a second I was talking on the phone. "No! Nothing to be worried about, Curly. Just something I saw today that I need to ask about."
After we hung up with plans for lunch, I immediately dialed Eleanor's number. She had programmed it in last night "just in case" with a knowing smirk.
"How's it going, Kirby?" Eleanor's accent filled my ear.
"Hey, do you a second to talk?" I asked nervously.
I heard some shuffling through the phone before she said, "Of course. What's up?"
I explained everything that happened, starting with Dylan and the real reason I moved to New York. She was horrified to learn I'd been in an abusive relationship. But she didn't criticize me, actually quite the opposite, she empathized with me. I told her how everytime I tried to get away from him he'd find me, dragging me home. She understood why I had waited so long to say anything, "Anyone would have trust issues after that" she had said. After I told her about the magazine and my fears of Dylan see it, she promised me that everything was going to be ok, but that I definetely needed to tell Harry at our lunch date today.
"He really likes you, Kirby," Eleanor told me. "You've got to trust me. He's a good guy."
I hung up with Eleanor feeling a hundred pounds lighter. She was the first person I had ever told that stuff, too. And she didn't judge me or make me feel like a victim. She made me feel strong and confident like someone who could fight this. Telling Derek I was taking my break - ("If you aren't back by 1 I'm giving you're shift away") - I headed toward Harry.
Please update. I really love this story. <3
9/6/14