“Robin, come on. I’m bringing you to dad’s,” Ariana said after reluctantly getting ready to meet up with Harry. Robin turned to her from where she was sitting at her desk in their bedroom and knit her eyebrows in confusion.
“But, Mom’s home,” she said, holding her drawing pencil in her hand.
“I don’t— Rob, just get ready,” Ari said, shaking her head.
Ari was about to say she didn’t trust their mother, but she didn’t want Robin to worry. She had enough stuff to deal with in her young life.
“Are you going to work?” She asked.
“Uh, actually I’m— Yeah. Yeah, I am,” Ari said, lying again.
She hated lying to Robin. She was the one person on this earth she would give her life for and being dishonest with her killed Ari. But if it protected her innocence, she would do everything she could, including using little white lies as cover. First of all, Robin didn’t need to know she met a guy she was about to go see. She didn’t need to know how she met him and what they were doing when she met him. And she sure as hell didn’t need to know that he was in One Direction. She just didn’t need to know, because tonight was the only time Ari was planning on seeing Harry. She couldn’t continue this.
“I don’t want to go to dad’s house. His creepy lawyer is always over there,” Robin said, making a disgusted face. Ari knew all too well how creepy their father’s lawyer was.
“Rob, he doesn’t say anything to you, does he?” Ari asked, her eyes narrowing in concern.
“Who? Dad’s lawyer?” She asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
“Yeah. He doesn’t say anything or… or touch you or anything?” Ari choked out. She would murder that mother fucker if he did.
“What? No,” she laughed. Her reaction seemed genuine, like it was the most absurd thing she ever heard.
“Good,” Ari sighed lightly.
“Did he… did he touch you?” Robin asked. Ari’s vision shot to her.
“No,” she told her. Technically it was her touching him.
“Good,” she said with a nod of her head.
“He just… I don’t like the way he… I just get a bad vibe from him,” Ari told her.
“I just stay in my room when he’s there,” Robin shrugged.
“Good. But Rob, if he ever says or does anything to you that makes you uncomfortable in anyway, I want you to immediately get dad and then you tell me, okay. I will take care of it,” Ari told her.
“Okay. But I don’t think—” She started to protest.
“Just get dad and tell me,” Ari told her again, trying to stress her point.
“Okay, okay,” she grumbled, packing up her art supplies.
Ariana drove Robin over to their father’s house. She cringed when she saw his lawyer’s Mercedes parked right in the front row. She knew her father was facing an impending trial and everything, but the amount of time his scumbag lawyer spent at his house was unsettling. Her father would probably murder the guy if he knew the things he said to her or the amount of money he paid her to blow him.
Ariana walked Robin in, finding her father and Mr. Turner sitting at the kitchen table, documents and such sprawled out across the top of it.
“Girls!” Their father cheered when he saw their faces.
“Hi, Daddy!” Robin said, running into their father’s arms.
Ariana looked up at Mr. Turner and watched as he licked his lips as his eyes moved up and down her body. He made her skin crawl.
“What brings my girls here?” Their father asked with a wide smile on his face.
“Robin, can you go to your room so I can talk to dad?” Ari asked her.
“Yeah,” she said, looking between their father and Ari before scampering off with her bag full of art supplies. Ari looked at her father and then at Mr. Turner.
“Hey, listen, John. Why don’t you give us a little privacy,” her father said, catching on to her body language.
“Sure, sure. I’ve got to make a phone call anyway,” he said, clearing his throat as her got up from the table.
He passed by Ari, giving her a wink that luckily went unnoticed by her father. Ari set her jaw and waited for him to completely leave the apartment before she looked up at her father again.
“What’s going on, Ariana?” Her father asked, skeptically.
“Dad, mom’s got a problem,” Ari sighed.
“What kind of problem?” He asked, his eyes narrowing in concern.
“Pills, Dad. She… she’s got a problem,” Ariana stammered and her father sighed.
“I know,” he said, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.
“You know?” Ari choked out.
“She’s… she’s struggled with it for years. But it’s never gotten out of hand,” he told her.
“It’s getting out of hand now,” Ari growled.
Ariana went on to explain how their mother left Robin home alone in the middle of the night and how Ari’s been paying for everything for their family after her mother bounced check after check.
“I’m sorry, Ariana,” her father sighed.
“Dad, I think Robin needs to move in with you,” Ariana suggested. Her father looked up at her, looking almost horrified.
“I-I can’t. Not with everything…” He choked out.
“She’s your daughter!” Ari screamed at him.
“Ariana, I am about to start a trial that is going to break me. I’m guilty, Ari. Let’s face it,” her father said sheepishly. She shook her head, clenching her jaw tightly as the anger boiled inside of her.
“What happens if mom leaves her alone again and something happens to her!?” Ariana yelled at him.
“She has you, Ari. You’re so strong,” her father said, placing all the responsibility on her shoulders so unfairly.
“I have to work!” Ari screamed and her father sighed.
“You’re her parents! And pretty worthless excuses for parents if you ask me!” Ariana spat at him before she headed down to Robin’s room. She took a deep breath, dispelling her anger before she walked in.
“Hey, baby girl. I’m gonna head out,” Ari told her.
“Okay,” she said, giving her a sideways smile.
“Just… just stay in here until dad’s lawyer leaves,” Ari told her.
“I will,” she said.
“Be good,” Ari told her, kissing the top of her head.
“Sure,” she said, rolling her eyes, letting out a small chuckle.
As soon as Ari was walking out the front door of the building, she lit up a cigarette. Fucking irresponsible people need to get their shit together.
“Hey, there,” she heard, startling her out of her thoughts.
“Jesus Christ!” Ariana growled, looking up to see Mr. Turner standing there smirking at her.
“When can I see you again?” He asked, swiping his fingers over what cleavage was exposed over the top of her shirt. She swatted his hand away, glaring at him.
“You have my number,” she growled at him.
“I’m gonna have to use it soon,” he said, giving her a sly smile. She cringed from his words.
“And I’m thinking I want a little more than a hummer in the front seat of my car,” he winked at her. Oh, God.
“You have my number,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“Expect a call soon,” he said. She gave him a nod, feeling disgusted with herself.
“What about now?” He asked on a whim.
“No,” she told him flat out.
“Where are you headed off to, beautiful?” He asked.
“It’s none of your business,” she snapped.
“Just remember who coaxed you into this business,” he said, letting out a laugh.
“I owe you nothing,” she scowled at him.
“We’ll see about that,” he laughed again and she scoffed.
He grabbed her by the back of the neck, pulling her forcefully to his body as she felt his other hand grasp between her legs.
“I’ll see you soon, Ariana. Be prepared,” he said, pressing his lips to the side of her face.
“Get off of me!” She growled, pressing her hands flat against his chest, pushing him away from her. He let out another menacing laugh backing away from her before he walked off toward the entrance of the building.
“Mother fucker,” Ari growled under her breath, shaking off the feeling of him touching her.
She looked down at her half burned cigarette before taking in a long drag, needing the nicotine to sooth her frazzled nerves. Her life was beyond fucked up and it was the biggest reason why she couldn’t get involved with Harry Styles. He had everything going for him, while she had nothing.
Ari stomped out her cigarette and stalked off to her car. It was time to get this over with. She was already going to be late to meet Harry.
Traffic in Los Angeles was crazy no matter the time of day, so it only tacked on the minutes to how late she was to meet Harry. But it wasn’t like it mattered. She was going to let him know straight off the bat that things couldn’t progress further with them and that it was for the best if they just didn’t see each other anymore. Her only problem was that she knew the second she laid eyes on him, her resistance was sure to slip. But she needed to do this – if not for her, for him. Because she was sure to only complicate his perfect world.
Ariana was let into Harry’s apartment building by a doorman, who told her that Mr. Styles was expecting her. She sighed to herself as she rode the elevator to the third floor and followed the directions the doorman gave her to get to Harry’s door. It was now or never. Now or never. Moments after she knocked, the door swung open revealing Harry’s friend and band mate Louis, whom she met and hung out with at the birthday party.
“Uh…” She stammered.
“Hey! Who ordered the stripper?” Louis called back into the apartment.
Every single nerve in Ariana’s body reacted negatively to his words. She never felt more degraded in her life. And that was saying something, since she was a fucking hooker. She expected degrading shit from her regular clients, but not from these guys.
“Wow,” Ari breathed as she felt the prickling of tears in her eyes. Louis turned to look at her, seeing she wasn’t laughing at his stupid comment.
“I’m just kidding, love. I’m kidding, kidding,” he chuckled nervously.
“Yeah,” she breathed.
“Seriously, Tommo. Just shut the fuck up,” Harry scolded, coming into view.
“I was kidding!” Louis laughed.
“Just… go away,” Harry said, shoving him. Louis walked off with a chuckle.
“Hey,” Harry said, his eyes meeting hers.
“I wasn’t aware this was a group date,” she said evenly.
“This is a date?” He asked, smirking widely at her.
“No,” she shook her head.
“Uh, the lads… they stopped by unannounced. They’re leaving soon. I promise,” Harry told her.
“Oh,” she said, avoiding looking at him.
“Hey, Ari,” Harry said, trying to get her attention. She looked up into his beautiful green eyes.
“Are you okay?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“I’m fine,” she told him.
“Do you want to come in?” He asked. No, not really.
“Come on,” he said, smirking at her as he put his hand on the small of her back to coax her inside.
His apartment was huge. It wasn’t really what she expected though. For some reason, she expected a bachelor pad, but it was anything but. It was decorated rather extravagantly with floor to ceiling windows with a picture perfect view of the city.
“Yoooo!” She heard one of his friends call out from the couch. She saw Liam, who she met at the party.
“Hi,” she said, giving him a small wave.
When her eyes roamed the room, she saw Harry’s other friend Niall – the boy her sister went nuts for – sitting in the chair by the couch. But then there was also his jackass friend Jared, sitting at Harry’s desk in the next room, talking on his cell phone. Her annoyance level heightened seeing Mr. Premature Ejaculation. She really did not want to be hanging out with that dude. Not at all. She stood uncomfortably in the middle of the space as Harry started to shoo them out.
“It’s time for you lads to get out,” Harry said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Ari cringed, only because it really looked like Harry wanted to get them out so he could fuck the stripper.
“We see how it is,” Liam laughed, feigning offense as he got up off the couch.
“I had plans. I told you lads,” Harry chuckled.
“It’s Friday, we’re supposed to go out,” Niall said, getting up from the chair.
“So go out. You don’t need me,” Harry said.
“Yeah, we don’t need him,” Louis laughed.
“Whatever,” Harry said, rolling his eyes.
“Yo, Jared. Let’s go,” Liam called over to his friend.
Jared looked up at him and then quickly ended his phone call, getting up off the chair he was in. Ariana watched as he crossed the room, hoping to God he wouldn’t say anything to her. But by the way he was eyeing her with a smug fucking look, she knew he wasn’t going to hold his tongue.
“Oh, Harry. You got yourself a prostitute,” Jared said, smirking wildly. Mother fucker.
“Dude, shut the fuck up,” Louis said, smacking his friend’s chest.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Harry scoffed, rolling his eyes at Jared.
“Did she tell you about our little… tryst?” Jared continued and every part of Ariana’s being wanted to scratch his eyes out. Harry looked over at her and then back at Jared. Her eyes were glaring into Jared’s, wishing for his premature death.
“What are you talking about?” Harry asked his friend.
“How I paid her for her services,” Jared smirked deviously. Harry’s head snapped back at Ari as she took a step back. She just wanted to run – to flee the scene. She really didn’t need this shit.
“Oh, wait. You didn’t know she’s a hooker?” Jared said, letting out a menacing laugh.
“What?” Harry choked out, looking between Ari and Jared.
“Dude, just shut up,” Niall said to Jared. But of course Jared ignored him.
“Yeah. Jude got her number from his older brother, who got it from some dude he works with. She’s an over-priced call girl,” Jared scoffed.
“Let’s go, dude,” Louis said, shoving Jared ahead.
“Have fun with her, dude. Hopefully she can satisfy you better than she did me,” Jared laughed as his friends pushed him out the door.
Ariana’s eyes stared at the floor and her entire body was tingling in the worst way possible. She was so angry, so humiliated.
“Ari…” Harry breathed a few silent moments after the apartment door slammed shut.
“Just, don’t,” she warned.
“Is… is that true?” He choked out. Ari looked up at the ceiling, her mouth dropped open, trying to hold back her tears.
“Is it true?” He asked again.
“I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to do any of this,” she told him as her first tear slipped out of her eye and trailed down her cheek.
“You…” He stammered.
“Your friend… he called me… and… and I said yes. And then… I never stripped like that. I’m not a stripper,” she said, avoiding looking in his direction at all cost as the tears fell from her eyes.
“But you’re a… you’re a…” He stammered, unable to even say the word out loud.
“I won’t judge you if you won’t judge me,” she said, saying his words sarcastically with a small chuckle, finally looking into his horrified eyes. The way he was looking at her, broke her in half.
“I didn’t want this, Harry,” she told him, letting her eyes fall from his again.
“You… you… with Jared?” He choked out.
“No. He finished from the hand job I gave him,” she snapped at him, feeling the anger seeping out of her at the mention of that fucking asshole.
“But you would have?” He asked.
“It’s the name of the game,” she scoffed, feeling like the smallest person on the planet. That’s how he was making her feel.
Harry sighed, running his hands over his face in a stressful movement. She pulled her hands up, wiping at her eyes.
“I’m gonna go,” she said quietly. And he didn’t stop her.

Notes