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Chapter 24 – Valerie’s P.O.V.

            “I can’t believe I’m missing school for you guys again,” I said as I shimmied on my jacket.

            Harry smirked. “We’re worth it, right?”

            I smiled. “One hundred percent,” I replied, giggling as he kissed my cheek.

            Harry Styles’ girlfriend.

            Who the hell would’ve thought it’d be me? The funniest thing? No part of this situation makes a sliver of sense. Harry is supposed to be dating Kendall, yet he’s really dating me and I’m supposed to be dating Niall. This world is seriously fucked up, if you ask me. I’ve done my best not to squeal in front of Harry about being “official” and so far it’s worked out. I did have to “go to the bathroom” last night after I agreed, though. Much fangirling took place in that small bathroom while I tried to keep my noise level down.

            I didn’t need people getting suspicious.

            Still, Harry and I both know that it was kind of stupid for him to ask me. It’s going to be twice as hard now to maintain a relationship since he can’t be seen with me in public. He’s the moron that asked me, but I’m the psycho fangirl that couldn’t say no. The two are idiots together.

            “Did you call your mum, love?” Harry asked as he buttoned up his shirt.

            I nodded. “Sure did.”

            “What exactly did you tell her?” he chuckled, digging in his drawer for his jeans.

            I pursed my lips, merely shrugging. “I maybe sort of told her that I stayed over at Stevie’s house because Stevie wasn’t feeling good. Thus, ending me to miss school to take care of her since her parents are at work.”

            Harry quirked a brow. “That worked?”

            “Like a charm,” I smirked. “Stevie has this thing where she can get a really high fever to the point where it’s dangerous if she’s home alone sick. It’s weird, but she has to have someone by when she gets sick in case they need to take her to the ER.”

            “Is it the same with you?” he asked softly and I knew exactly what he was talking about.

            I pursed my lips, inhaling sharply through my nose before I curtly nodded. “Yeah,” I said quietly. “It’s the same for me.”

            “So does she have the same illness?”

            “No, hers is just a fever. Mine is the heart and everything. Twice as dangerous.”

            Harry slowly nodded, chewing on his lower lip. I know he didn’t like the fact that I could randomly get sick like that. Hell, I didn’t like it either. And it sucked when you were the one getting put through the shit.

            I went to walk out the bedroom when two large arms wrapped around my waist. I giggled as Harry spun me around to face him, his lips planting on mine for a brief second. “Promise me something,” he whispered, his forehead pressed into mine.

            “That would be…?”

            Harry closed his eyes, lacing our fingers together. “Promise me you won’t leave me for Niall,” he said quietly, as if ashamed of saying it at all.

            I frowned at him. “Why would I?”

            Harry merely shrugged. “I just… since you like all of us so much and—“

            “Harry,” I chuckled, my arms circling around his neck. “I do remember telling you a little secret…” I trailed off.

            Harry smirked. “I’m your favorite,” he stated the memory.

            “More like soft spot. Favorites are discrimination,” I said, earning a light-hearted laugh out of Harry.

            “I think I can live with that,” he smiled, right before he pressed his lips on mine again. I felt him smirk into the kiss, thus causing me to grin back.

            After he pulled away, he kept our hands entwined as we walked out to meet the boys. They were already dressed, waiting around for us. Niall smiled genuinely at me, his eyes screaming empathy. I knew he felt bad for this, but it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault except management’s.

            “The paps are out there, Harry,” Liam said as he peeked out the window.

            Harry sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. He kissed my cheek before motioning me to Niall. “Sorry, lad,” Niall told him, his eyes dulling in true sympathy.

            “Don’t worry about it, mate,” Harry said quietly, turning his gaze to the floor.

            Niall let out a breath, his hand brushing mine before locking. Holding hands with Niall was still enough to make my fangirl side go insane, but my sane side knew it didn’t feel right. Harry’s hand always fit mine perfectly.

            Walking out of the lobby, flashes immediately blinded us. I looked to the ground as Niall instructed, holding back the urge to turn around and check on Harry. I knew he was used to this kind of bombardment, but I still hated to see any of them being attacked. But Niall still kept a firm grip on my hand so he wouldn’t lose me in the mass of people. Of course, questions were thrown at us, but we ignored them all as we tumbled into the SUV. Life is about to get complicated.

***

            “I’m scared,” I whispered to Niall as we took our seats in the waiting room.

            Niall chuckled. “Don’t be scared, Valerie. I promise, they’re not that intimidating. If it weren’t for threats, we wouldn’t even be in this situation.”

            I merely nodded, my eyes flickering to Harry who was sitting across the room. The damn windows in this building give paparazzi perfect access of us. So, naturally, Harry had to sit as far away from me as possible.

            “He really likes you, Valerie,” Niall leaned over and said to me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Harry this stressed and tensed before.”

            My cheeks heated up at the thought of the Harry Styles truly liking me. “Really?” I asked dumbly as my eyes locked on the familiar emeralds. Harry gave me a faint smile before pulling his gaze away.

            “Course,” Niall said, shrugging. “The lad talks about you nonstop, always wants to call you, always wants to see you… He’s like a lovesick puppy, he just won’t admit it.”

            “You should stop before I have a fangirl attack and expose us all,” I told him, laughing slightly.

            Niall laughed, smiling genuinely at me as he patted my knee for comfort. I sucked in a sharp breath when the lady in the pencil skirt called for us to follow her back.

***

            “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Valerie.” My eyes skimmed the man as he held out his hand for me to shake. I took it, mustering my best smile as his professional attire truly did make me nervous. I never likes confrontation with adults or professionals. It gives me anxiety and that is not a good thing for my heart issue.

            “You too, Mr. Watkins—“

            “Please, call me Jeff,” he smiled, taking a seat in a large chair. I nodded, then took my seat between Niall and Zayn on the couch. Jeff looked from each of us in order; Harry, Liam, Zayn, Me, Niall, and then Louis. “We have quite a few things to discuss.”

            “Waste of time,” Zayn grumbled beside me, rolling his eyes as he slouched into the couch.

            “So, first things first,” Jeff said, situating his tie, “Valerie and Harry.”

            I chewed my lower lip as Harry licked his lips, pressing them into a thin line as he averted his eyes from meeting mine.

            “Harry, you know that the contract with Kendall doesn’t expire for another month,” he said firmly.

            “I know,” Harry murmured, keeping his eyes on the floor.

            “So why would you threaten the contract?” Jeff pressed, his glare hardening on the curly haired boy. I truly felt sorry for Harry being put on the spot like that, especially with me sitting only a few feet away.

            Harry opened his mouth to say something, hesitating on the words. Causing a frown to etch onto my face, he shrugged.

            Jeff rolled his eyes. “Styles, you and girls are going to be the death of me. Because of your… infatuation with this girl, we now have to have two fake couple roaming around.”

            Harry’s hands clenched into fists.

            “We have to continue to lie to the public, continue to do things discreetly, and you still keep making the same mistakes,” Jeff growled.

            Harry stood to his feet, making us all look at him wide eyed as he stuck a finger in Jeff’s face. “I didn’t do any fucking thing wrong. You don’t have to have two fake fucking couples. You don’t have to keep a fucking contract with a girl I don’t want to be with. You don’t have to do any of this shit you keep talking about, but you’re doing it anyway because it means there’s more money in return. Guess what, Jeff? I don’t give a shit about the fucking money. I don’t want to be with Kendall. The girl is lovely, but she’s not my type.” Harry eyes flickered to me, then they immediately tore away as his jaw tightened. “I want to be with Valerie,” he whispered, then spun on his heel and barged out the door, leaving us all completely bewildered at his outbreak.