Carrington Hill

London was always busy, full of tourists and exciting. Whenever I visited something was always going on which interested me more than anything although I couldn't really imagine myself living there. It was just a tiny bit too busy. And for someone like me who gets easily irritated and frustrated I knew I wouldn't have been able to handle the people out on the streets on a daily basis.

But nonetheless, I loved going and spending some time in the capital when I had the chance. Maybe that's why it was so special to me and that's why I loved it besides all the people.

When we got to Harry's penthouse I felt at ease. I have been there before once so it wasn't completely new – well, the downstairs part. Because there was a second floor where his bedroom and another spare was. Alongside a smaller living room and whatnot.

Did I already mention how bloody rich he was?

"Can I see your dress now?" Harry asked me once he showed me around and I sort of made myself as if I would've been home.

"No, you'll have to see it tomorrow to get the full effect with the hair and everything."

"That's not fair," he whined. "Why can't you give me a little taste? At least what colour is it?"

"It's a nice colour," I said. Harry looked at me with a knowing look and I gave it back to him. He sighed and then shook his head.

"Okay then what do you want to do?" he asked me as he laid across the bed and I crawled on top of him so my stomach was against his back.

I hummed in response while he went on his phone. He opened up twitter and his feed loaded, my eyes focused on his timeline and when I saw a picture retweeted on there I extended my arm a bit and stopped his scrolling with my index finger.

"Did you dress like a soldier for one of your photoshoots or something?" I asked him when I looked at the picture and paid a little more attention to it.

"Uh, no," he muttered. I turned my head a little so I was fully looking at his side profile. "I'm, um, in a movie? That's coming out next month? Possibly?"

"You what?!" I shrieked as I asked him. How come he never told me that?

"Well, I'm in a movie called Dunkirk. It's written and produced by Christopher Nolan. It's out next month on the twenty first."

"When did you have the time to do all that?"

"It took us around five months to film it all. It wasn't too bad, I enjoyed it so much."

"So you're basically an actor and I only just found out."

"Wouldn't say I'm an actor. This was my first movie role."

"A Nolan movie was your first movie. Okay. Give me a few years to get over that, please."

Harry laughed while I dramatically rolled off his back on to the bed. I was on my back as he looked down on me, he held his head up with his hand as he propped his elbow up. We stared into each other's eyes and I tried to understand how I got so lucky.

This man was not only the sweetest and handsomest but the most talented one too.

"So have you gotten over it yet or do you still need time?"

"I need a life time to process that."

"Personally, I don't think it's that shocking."

"Um?"

"I mean I am quite the actor, I have the skills and all," he said cockily. "I always used to seek attention and wanted to entertain people. So when I was younger and had the chance to act out, you best bloody believe I did. In school we did, like, weird takes on stuff. So like, we did Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this one year but I was Buzz Lightyear in it."

"Does anyone have video proof of that?" I raised my eyebrows at him as the question left my lips.

"My mum probably has tapes somewhere. But you will never see that."

"Never say never."

"I'm not singing along to that."

"Oh my gosh, you know that song?" I asked him totally surprised. "That's a JB song."

"I'm pretty sure everyone knows that song."

"Well you didn't know What Do You Mean and that song was overplayed for the longest time."

"Okay, shut up."

"That's rude."

"You're rude."

"Well, yeah," I agreed. "Anyway, you're in a Nolan movie."

"I am."

"Who's in the cast?" I questioned.

"You don't know?"

"Nope that's why I asked, dipshit."

"Stop calling me names."

"You're such a little prick honestly."

"I'm letting you stay in my home for the weekend, I would be careful with those insults."

"You invited me, sorry, basically guilted me into coming over so shut your mouth."

"Okay, you are actually really rude."

"Finally you realised," I sighed. And then we both laughed, he leaned down and pecked me on the lips. "Now tell me who you worked with."

"There were a few new comers like I was. So like, people who never played in big films before. There is this guy, Fionn Whitehead who plays the main character, there's Tom Glynn-Carney in there, too. Jack Lowden, Aneurin Bernard, Barry Keoghan. Then there were pretty big actors too like Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh and James D'Arcy."

"Shooketh."

"Huh?"

"Shooketh."

"What the fuck does that mean?" he asked me with the most confused expression I have ever seen in my life. "I swear you speak a different language."

"I do speak different languages."

"Do you actually?"

"Yeah," I laughed. "I know Spanish because I learned that in school plus I took it in university for my first year alongside a unit. And then I know the tiniest bit of French because my mum taught me how to speak it when I was little. Like, she would count from one to ten in French so that we knew it and things like that."

"That's something I would love to do when I have kids," he shared. "Will you teach our kids how to speak Spanish and French? I mean only if you'll be their mother."

"I mean, sure?" I chuckled. "Not gonna lie that was a bit random, Harry."

"At this moment and time I can perfectly see a future with you which is totally insane I know but I didn't lie when I said I have strong feelings for you."

"Right. Well, that's sweet."

"Anyway, what does shooketh mean?"

"Exactly what it says."

"Why won't you tell me these slangs?"

"Why aren't you up to date with them?"

"I'm not on social media twenty four seven."

"Was that meant to be an insult?" I asked. "Just letting you know it didn't hurt. I have nothing to do but be on social media all day, every day. It's the truth, pal."

"I swear there's nothing I can say to you that would hurt."

"Because you're not a mean person. I like that. You're pure."

"I've been told I'm smooth when it comes to compliments but in times like these I feel like I'm nothing compared to you."

"They just come naturally, I don't even think about it to be honest."

We stayed in silence after that for a bit. His index finger drew lines on my face and then he suddenly spoke up.

"Your mum makes nice tea."

"It's good," I chuckled. "Don't you think it's funny how we have tea the same way?"

"Two sugars and milk until it's embarrassingly light?" he asked back and I hummed. "But then if it's a bigger cup then three sugars."

My eyes widened as I pushed myself up a bit. I was still lying down but my upper body was a bit higher.

"Same here!"

"I'm hungry, do you want food?" he asked me.

"Can you cook?"

"Yes."

"Can you actually?"

"Yes, I can actually cook."

"Alright Chef Styles, show me what you got," I said as I rolled to the edge of the bed though I went a bit far and I actually fell off.

Literally seconds later I saw Harry's face pop up at the end of the bed and he looked at me with a worried expression. Laughter filled the room when the realisation hit me that my body laid on the floor. It got me by total surprise and the way Harry's hair fell to the front and hung from his head was the funniest yet hottest thing ever.

"Are you ok?" he asked me with slight panic laced through his voice. I was laughing and he asked me if I was good, I swear to god he had to be the greatest person on earth.

"Yeah," I answered a bit later. With a loud sigh I decided to sit up which caused me to feel a bit dizzy. I stood up once I quickly got over it or so I thought because I felt myself almost fall again if Harry wouldn't have put his hands out.

"Do you want to sit down?"

"I'm good just got a bit dizzy. Nothing I can't handle."

"You're stubborn."

"I'm rude and stubborn. Anything else you would like to add to that list?" I asked him with a sarcastic tone. He rolled his eyes at me. "Anyway let's go. You gotta make me food."

As we walked down it was quiet between us though as soon as we reached the kitchen, which by the way still amazed me, Harry spoke up. He really was one to talk all the time.

"You know what I found funny while we were at yours?"

"No but you'll tell me anyway so go on."

"Your brother called me your man," he grinned at me and I swear to god even his eyes lit up. He seemed genuinely pleased and his happiness was almost suffocating me. "Am I your man?"

"Well, are you?" I asked him with a little laugh. That question was so out there I didn't even know how to process it before I could have even given a proper answer.

"I would love to be."

"Alright I'll have a think," I said and sat down on one of the high stool chairs so I was facing the massive windows. "What are you making?"

"What would you like to eat?"

"Scrambled eggs with bacon."

"Is that what you want for lunch?" he laughed.

"Do you have a hearing problem?"

"Fuck me, you are in one weird mood today, aren't you?" he muttered and I just looked at him with a questioning look. "Alright, eggs and bacon coming right up."

"Am I annoying you?" I asked. He didn't answer as he looked through the fridge. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because you can't change who you are."

"So I am annoying you."

"Sometimes."

"How?"

"With your constant sarcasm. I don't know. It's weird. You're too blunt and I know you're being sarcastic, sometimes I can't help but feel like you're just being rude."

"Oh," I mumbled. That clearly changed my mood and made me wonder why I was like that. Or more like was I really that rude? And sarcastic? And blunt?

Maybe that's why I can't have nice things in life such as friends. I wonder why Mia is still my mate. My best friend. Or is she my best friend? Because she has Leyla and she's more like her in certain aspects.

Fuck. What if my whole life has been a lie when it comes to Mia? What if she was paid by someone and she's just my friend for the money? I wonder how much money she gets for being my friend.

"I'll try to take back then," I mumbled and I tried to sound as genuine as I could. What he had said actually got to me a little bit because I liked Harry and considering we were at such an early stage in our relationship it meant that it took everything in him to tell me that so straightforwardly. It also meant that he was honest.

No one ever told me what they actually thought. When I said to Mia and stuff to tell me if I'm too much or if I'm too annoying she just said I'm fine and I shouldn't worry. Then Harry came along and I don't know. He might just not be used to my weird personality or something. But if he had said that he finds me annoying then I probably am. I mean he is the nicest person he wouldn't want to hurt anyone on purpose.

I'm literally such a bloody fuck up.

When I get one nice thing in my life like Harry I go and let my shitty self ruin it all. And all I had to do was open my fucking mouth.

"Carrington I didn't mean it like that. I didn't want to hurt you," he said as he walked over to me. "You're not annoying. It's just unusual for me to be around someone so... someone like you."

"No, you're good," I said as I looked into his eyes. "I am annoying. I know that. I knew that all my life. My friends, pardon me, my only friend always said I was fine but I knew I pissed her off most of the time and possibly made her feel uncomfortable. I'm honestly such a fuck up. No wonder my brother and dad are working in America, as far away from me as possible. I'm sure Harrison will be out of the country as soon as he is able to leave so he doesn't have to breathe the same air as me."

"Woah, woah, woah," he put his hands on my shoulders as he turned me around in my seat. "What the bloody hell are you on about now?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter. Um, I just remembered, I need to give Alex a call about tomorrow. I'll be right back," I rambled on even more as I slipped off the seat and quickly ran up the stairs.

I heard Harry call after me once but thankfully he didn't follow me. I just made an absolute show out of myself what the hell am I going to do once I have to go back down? How am I going to face him? I already feel embarrassed about my sarcasm-,

Wait.

Why am I thinking too much into this? Why am acting like this over Harry's opinion? Apart from the fact that it means a lot to me because I like him.

Goddamn, he even made me doubt Mia's loyalty as a friend to me! How did he get into my head like that?

I should not feel bad about who I am, right? Maybe I could work on how I say certain things and how I act but I most definitely shouldn't be hard on myself for who I am. What Harry had said was also just an opinion not a fact and I should not take it up on myself if the shoe doesn't fit.

But maybe it does and that's why I got so butthurt.

The phone call to Alex was a complete bullshit excuse to get out of the kitchen. The atmosphere in the kitchen was unbearable; the feeling of embarrassment was eating me alive. 

Suddenly, panic rushed over my body when the sound of footsteps became louder by the second and the door to the room opened up with a forceful movement. My heartbeat increased at that and I didn't know what to do. The phone wasn't even in my hand so the situation didn't even look legit.

"Carrington," he said as he walked over to the bed. I was sitting at the edge so he just squatted down in front of me. He placed his hands on my knees which were warm against my skin and he looked up to me with his green eyes. His hair seemed soft and the only thought that lingered in my mind was about how bad I wanted to hug him. "Love, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry; I'm just not used to how you talk which is so silly because I spent a week with you and that should have been enough."

"I said it was fine. Don't worry."

"I am worried though. Your mood shifted quicker than anything and I caused that to happen. Unfortunately, it wasn't in a good way. I apologise for making you feel bad about who you are. I wouldn't have thought you are so sensitive with how tough you act and speak at times."

The only thing that I did was nod.

And then he got up, pulled me up to my feet by my hands and engulfed me in a bone crushing hug. One of his hands was around my back in the middle while the other one held the back of my head as he almost suffocated me. With a deep sigh that left my lips I brought my hands around his middle and let my body relax in his arms.

There was no need for the hug on my part though I enjoyed it. Harry on the other hand however seemed to be genuinely upset.

"Have I really hurt your feelings?" he asked me a few moments later. He pulled away from me but his hands stayed in the same position – one on my waist the other on the nape op my neck.

"It just shocked me. But everyone's entitled to their own opinions, right?"

"You're making me feel like shit for saying what I did before."

"Sorry, I guess. I don't know what to do. You said I annoyed you. What would you do if I told you that you annoy me?"

"I have no idea."

"I don't either."

"Great," he muttered as he dropped his hands from me and they made a noise as he smacked them against the side of his thighs. "Now our whole weekend will have this uncomfortable atmosphere because I messed it up."

"Don't think about it. I don't think about it."

"Well, you clearly do," he forced a laugh. "You literally ran away from me downstairs because once again, I went and done something that I shouldn't have."

"Life is not perfect and neither is the people living on this planet. We are all messed up but I guess that's why every day is so interesting."

"You are not annoying. Please know that."

"Harry-,"

"No, Carrington, listen," he seemed persistent about the whole situation as he kept going on about it. "We agreed to talk stuff out normally when we were in Hawaii. So we are going to do that."

"Alright," I sighed. "Let's talk."

//

i wrote this chapter aGeS ago and i don't really like it anymore. well now that i've read it back i've decided i don't lmao

but i still hope it was alright to read x

as always don't forget to comment and vote as it's nice to see some support on the book! it also lets me know that you guys are enjoying it :)