Renleigh Kensington

When he said he will not bother, he meant it. There was no sign of Styles once he dropped me off at my building the morning after our argument. It had been a little over a week – a day over today, actually – and he didn't show up at my work or emailed me or bothered me on social media.

And that actually bothered me a little bit. Which was truly annoying, so in order to get rid of him and all my thoughts in my head that somehow were all about him, I just did what I was best at.

I overworked myself.

I knew it because it happened before. The symptoms, I mean. I missed my period for the third month, I was losing hair a little too fast for someone my age, my appetite was basically non-existent and I began to feel weaker than usual. Although, I fought off the last one with a shit ton of coffee and energy drink.

To top everything off, I had a cold. Somehow, I managed to catch one and it resulted in a blocked nose and blocked ears.

That still didn't stop me, however. I had to attend the fitting with Zayn Malik for this new project we've been working on just to say I was there and sign some papers.

"You look like shit," he told me as a matter of fact, a little laugh out of his mouth as he sipped on his coffee.

"And you're full of it," I sniffled. "Alright. Sign this and then get out of my face."

"That's no way to speak to your client but you know what? I'll be nice, seeing as you are on your death bed," he humoured. "It's sad to see you go so soon."

"Just sign the damn paper," I said as I took my tissue out of my pocket and turned away to blow my nose.

"So, I've heard you ran into Tomlinson," he mumbled and I slowly lowered my arms and stuffed my tissue in my pocket. I raised my eyebrow curiously. How the hell did he know of that. "Don't look so shocked, sweetheart."

"How do you know of that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he smirked.

"Yes, I would. So, speak before I make you work an extra five hours because I didn't like the way your hair was styled," I smiled at him and he rolled his eyes. He knew I would do it. I have done before.

"I've known him forever. Someone I know managed to let it slip how he ran into some girl with an attitude and then Styles appeared," he gave me a smirk and I wanted to slap it off. He knew stuff I didn't and it bothered me. I always wanted to know everything but I hated asking for the gossip. "Didn't know you were hooking up with your rival. But I mean that is one way of getting rid of them."

"I'm not hooking up with anyone, not that it would be any of your concern, anyway. As for that sorry excuse of a human being... baffles me that you and him are friends."

"How come?" he asked in curiosity.

"Let's just say he is not someone I would ever imagine you to hang around with."

"Good thing I'm not his friend, right?"

"You're not?"

"I went to university with him. He always had stuff on him and he was a great dealer. Then some shit went wrong and it made me realise I didn't want to be connected to someone like him. So, no, we're not friends," he explained. "My girl knows his girl and so that's how shit got to me."

"Wait," I laughed then sniffled again. I fucking hated having a cold. "His girl?"

"Oh, I know," he smirked. "I don't know how he's in a relationship. But it's been going on for over two years. Have no idea how she's dealing with him. Louis is the biggest asshole, like you said."

"After he assaulted me in public and spoke to Styles, he said he was just looking for a quick fuck. Now, not to put my nose where it doesn't belong, but if he's in a relationship with someone, why the hell is he looking for hook-ups?" I asked him as if he knew more than me. And in that moment, I thought he probably did. Zayn knew Tomlinson from before and he had connections to him.

"He assaulted you?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows. Now, I really did not make friends with clients because that easily caused the professional act to disappear and then stir up problems when it comes to treating employees and whatnot fairly, but in this case, I kind of wanted to cross that line. Only because I wanted to know the gossip.

And that was bad. I never did that.

"He put his hand on me, yes and he did want more."

"Fucking prick," he shook his head. "I'll ask him about it next time I have the misfortune of running into him."

"Don't," I sighed. "There's no point. Styles talked to him and so did I."

"Styles, eh?"

"What about him?"

"You seem to spend quite a lot of time with him."

"And you would know that, how?" I asked curiously. As far as I knew, everything that happened, went down between us two.

"For one, you just kind of confirmed it. I guessed," he shrugged. "Not that it's my business. Just amusing to see two of the biggest control freaks hang out but still want to get rid of the other."

"We hung out like... a few times in public. Those were all work events. Not that I owe you an explanation of when I hang out with business people."

"You know, I've known and worked with you for a while now, Renleigh, and you don't just hang out with business people. Of course, you attend big events and such but it's not like you stay with the same people at all of them."

"What are you trying to say, Mr Malik?"

"Well, for one, call me by my first name because we're done with work here. As for two, I heard you were in Italy the same time as he was. Rumours say you two hung out and went for a dinner or something," he explained. Suddenly, I felt like I needed to sit down because nothing made sense. How would he have known about Italy? How would have anyone known about Italy? Why did they know about Italy? Sure, it wasn't anything romantic nor did anything happen that shouldn't have but it still bugged me.

"Where did you hear this?"

"Just at the office. People talk, word travels fast. Especially in our industries. You can't really trust anyone these days," he shrugged. His office? He wasn't even fully in the area I was in. He was a model – and an artist so that was another massive industry that may have heard these rumours – and it kind of made me feel unsettled.

"Interesting," I hummed. "Well, not to burst anyone's bubbles but that's all false. I have not seen Styles when I was in Italy."

"Yeah, I mean, I don't exactly care what or who you do," my eyes rolled by themselves at his comment. "Just thought I'd mention how you're a fascinating topic for others."

"Nothing I haven't heard or experienced before," I sighed as I got my things ready to leave. People constantly talked about me even though I had given them nothing to chat about. There was really little to no information out there about who I was so for the most part, it was just rumours.

We parted ways pretty quickly after that and I was glad to be left on my own. I drove to the shoot myself so once I was back at my headquarters, I went right upstairs. I had a Skype meeting with the people from New York. My plans of moving out to the states was massive, put great stress on me but nothing I didn't enjoy. I just hoped to god it wouldn't fall through my hands. This was huge for me. Everything I have ever wanted. Other than being so known in my home country.

An hour and a half later, I was left with no answers. I was frustrated. More than normally. This Skype call was meant to help me move forward with the expansion of my brand yet I felt like someone pushed me back five steps.

A loud grunt mixed with a sigh, erupted from my chest through my throat and right out my mouth. I leaned my head back on my chair and spread my legs under the table, my feet no longer trapped in my heels, hands on either side of the chair arm rest. Things weren't in my favour and that didn't make me happy at all. I didn't like it when the control was not in my hands. It made me feel lost and helpless, like if anything would have happened would have been my fault even though I didn't even do anything.

"Miss Kensington," suddenly, my office door slid open and revealed Danielle. That automatically reminded me of the fact that the new assistant would be starting tomorrow. Well, their training, anyway.

"Yes, Miss Jones?"

"I, um, was put in a pretty difficult situation with this one. Seeing as it wouldn't have been proper of me to send them away, not to mention it wouldn't have worked anyway without bringing security into it, I decided to do what was best," she rambled. And it confused me. I stood up and buckled the button on my blazer. The floor felt warm against my feet as I walked out from behind my desk, my shoes still where I kicked them off to.

"Danielle."

"I understand if this is not something, you're in the mood for after the meeting..."

"Spit it out," I said a bit sterner. She never rambled like this. It made me think she had done something terrible that would lead her to a serious warning, perhaps the termination of her contract. Not that it was something I would've happily done.

"Mr Styles is here. He is under the influence of alcohol. He is in a bad state," she told me. Thank god. I thought something serious happened.

"Well, did you ask him why he's here?"

"I tried. He didn't tell me. All I could get out of him was that he needed to speak to you specifically."

"Of course, he did," I mumbled. "Where is he?"

"I took him in one of the waiting rooms, just after the reception desk, up here. I didn't want anyone to see him in that state whilst I came to speak to you," she informed me.

"If you could please get one of those bagels and a bottle of water for me and bring in the room where he is..."

"Yes, of course," she said right away. She didn't interrupt me, it was more like she knew what I would say anyway and just confirmed she would do it. "Will that be all?"

"That will be all, thank you," I sighed. "He's in room two, right?"

"He is."

I locked the office with my card as I placed it on the scanner then slipped it in my blazer pocket. Without my shoes on, I walked along the carpet and knocked on the door before I entered. Then there he was. All displayed on the couch, his blazer off and shirt unbuttoned to the point where his chest tattoo was on show.

Chest tattoos.

Two birds, he had. Not a single thought like that crossed my mind when I thought of him having tattoos. It was truly unexpected yet it weirdly fit him. It went nicely with the cross necklace that rested around his neck and on chest.

"Renleigh," he called me by my first name. It was weird. He only done it once before. He was pissed off at me then. Well, more so angry. Doubted it was at me, probably at the situation. Then again, it was likely to be because of me because I'm difficult as he would describe me.

"Styles. Get your shit together," I said as I crossed my arms and stood a few steps away from him. He laughed and leaned his head back on the couch, his legs wide apart from each other. "Now."

"Ah, how did I forget in just seven days how damn bossy you are?" he asked rhetorically. "Wanna know something?"

"Yeah. Why are you here?"

"Hah, you see... it's funny, actually," he said with a grin on his lips but eyes dead. There were no emotions behind them. It didn't reflect the usual playful man that I have grown to be even more annoyed by. "Even though you did do my head-in at my uncle's and I said I wouldn't contact you, because honestly, I hate fighting with you, I didn't think it would be this hard. Ignoring you, I mean. I missed not bothering you with feeding you and emailing you and messaging you on Instagram and popping in unannounced. Did you miss it, too? Or am I just too deep into something I shouldn't have ever dipped my toes in?"

His ramble finally came to an end and my head was a mess. I had no idea what he talked about in the moment the words flew out of his mouth and the silence kind of just packed everything in my brain.

"What do you mean by being too deep in something that you shouldn't have dipped your toes in? Are you falling in love with me or something?" I asked him in disbelief. I laughed because it was stupid. I laughed because that was impossible. That wouldn't and couldn't have happened. It was absurd.

Also, why the hell was that the first thing that came to my mind? Perhaps due to the fact that I dreaded love. It was an awful thing. Only left you weak, in constant pain, worry and basically ruined you.

It ruined me.

"Maybe."

"What?" I asked back right away. Why did he say maybe like that? So breathless, so soft, so full of emotion?

"Why are you so emotionally closed off?" he questioned. He was drunk. Why was he asking me such intricate questions? Was he drunk? He could have pretended to be, for all I knew. But then his breath hit my nose and I knew I couldn't compliment him on his acting skills.

He was gone.

"Obviously, there is a reason for it," he mumbled when no answer came from my end. "I just want to know. You're so precious... so clever... so gorgeous... and someone who I want to know so much. B-but you keep rejecting me. You keep pushing me away."

"Styles, you're so going to regret this tomorrow morning," I said as I sat down next to him. He instantly sat up and coughed in his hands. "I would just shut up now if I were you and I'll pretend this never happened."

"I don't want that. You did that with our kiss. I don't like that. I really don't. I loved that kiss a lot. I haven't kissed someone with so much emotion in a while... I don't know. You're so different," he continued and I didn't know what to do. This was too much for me. He opened up way too fast and he developed feelings way too fast. Or so his drunk self seemed to believe.

"I told you our kiss was a drunken mistake. It happens. People kiss all the time when they're drunk. That wasn't any different..."

"Yes, it was! Kensington, it was. I felt it. I still do. I think of your lips on mine and everything in me just... tingles. I feel fucking tingles. How is that normal? From just one kiss? A drunk kiss?"

"I don't know, OK?" I asked him, a bit frustrated. He didn't get that I didn't feel that way in general and I didn't get why he felt that way. He sounded like he was ready to drop everything for me and it made me worried. I didn't want him to drop anything for me. "Just forget it. Somehow. Go find someone to hook up with, sign up on Tinder, get a girlfriend. I don't know."

"I could love you... I know I could. I would. I want to."

"You don't know what you want, Styles," I sighed. "You don't. You don't want me, not really. No one does. You're better off without me."

"Why do you say that? Why do you think that?" he asked me eagerly. "Tell me. Tell me why I should leave you alone. Why I shouldn't want to be with you."

"Haven't you had your experience with me?" I asked back. It shocked me that even after all of the times he clearly realised just how hard it is to get me to do or feel anything is, he was still out here trying to break down my walls. "You constantly call me difficult and you are correct. I am difficult. I'm annoying. I'm a lot to deal with. I don't stop for people. I don't make time for people. I only know what I'm doing and I only do things for myself. I have always been like this – selfish. You'd get nothing out of being with me but countless headaches, stress and literally no attention. I'm not made for a relationship and my ex made that clear."

"How do you know that? How do you know I couldn't deal with you? I just have to get to know you more. I just need to... I just need to know you..." he mumbled. Styles sounded sad and like he got nowhere with his honesty. He was an honest man in general, but it seemed like the alcohol courage made him ten times braver to say whatever was on his mind. "As for your ex... him telling you all that shit... what the fuck does he know? Nothing, probably. If he told you that then he's no good. How can someone say that to another person? That's not fair. It just means that someone wasn't for them. Not that they are not good for anyone."

"I appreciate you trying to make me feel better but nothing and no one will ever be able to change my mind. Bringing my past into my present is not something I do therefore I never mention my ex but with this one... he made his mark on my outlook. For now, at least. Plus, I'm way too busy for anything or anyone else."

"This is so hard..." he sighed. The atmosphere felt intense. The topic itself was a lot to deal with. I didn't enjoy talking about my ex at all. I promised myself I wouldn't draw him into anything from the minute we parted ways. And now, I kind of used my past in my defence. I didn't like that. I wasn't impressed with myself. "I wish you wouldn't invalidate my feelings..."

"I don't. I'm just saying I'm not ready for anything more."

"How do you know, hm?" he asked. This was bad. So bad. "You close yourself off for no damn reason. I know it. You don't let anyone get to know you because you think you are not worth it. That's it, isn't it? It's you who is in the way."

I didn't have time to answer because there was a knock on the door. I knew it was Danielle. I called out and she came in, the water and it seemed like plain biscuits on a tray in her hand.

"The cafeteria didn't have more of the bagels left and they were closing for tonight, so I grabbed what I thought would be best," she let me know and I nodded.

"Thank you, Miss Jones," I said. "You are free to go after you've finished the last of those emails and set up everything for the new assistant."

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said with a professional smile and then she backed out of the room.

As soon as the door behind her closed, I knew I was alone with this drunk man until he decided to leave. Although, for some reason, I had a strong feeling in my tits that he was not going to give up easily.

• • •

a.n.
u all know i can't keep them away from each other for too long hehehe

um actually i have a few questions w regards to the story like what do u guys think overall? is it interesting? does it keep u guessing? are the events not too dragged out? like we're in the 20s now chapter wise and they only just had their first kiss. i feel like that's a bit too long but then it's not cos i feel like waiting was the right thing to do?? like their relationship is building but it's slow and idk

pls let me know your honest thoughts cos i really wanna kno what u lot are thinking! X