Paragon // z.m

10. "Are you two getting high?"

It was Friday; the day of the auction. She stood in front of her closet in only her underwear and bra, a cigarette between her teeth, as she almost pulled her hair out in frustration. She was a flipping class A model and she couldn’t find anything in her closet that would be up to standards.

Whose standards exactly?

She told herself the public’s, Harry’s, and her anonymous date’s.

But she could only lie to herself for so long.

“ We’re going to be late, Robin.” She heard Harry’s ever so calm voice coming through the door.

“ I don’t give a fuck, I need something to wear!” Her voice trembled and shook with nerves, as she ran her free hand through her hair, leaving it tangled there.

“ Are you, smoking in there?” He questioned warily, causing her to roll her eyes, releasing a long sigh.

“ I’m nervous, alright? Give me a break.”

“ Alright, Robin. I’ll be waiting out here for you.” She chose to neglect the disappointment lacing his voice, as she heard his distancing steps, walking away from her. She directed her eyes back to her closet, cursing at every single item that just wasn’t good enough, cursing at her own self because she felt like her fashion sense had gone down the drain.

Her phone rang when she was fully sunk in neglected clothing items, and she contemplated ignoring it, but the ringing was too much for her already on edge self, so she put it to her ears, continuing to throw clothes away.

“ Robin, darling, where the fuck are you?” Louis’ already drunken voice echoed through her ears.

“ Tell her we’re waiting for her because there’s this entrance thing that we need to do all together.” Her heart almost dropped to her feet, when she heard the familiar, irritated voice, that didn’t belong to Louis.

“ I’m telling her, Zayn, shut the fuck up.” Louis hissed, and she was about to hang up when he spoke to her again.

“ Yeah, back to you, where are you? You’re late.”

“ I have got nothing to wear, Louis, and I’m freaking the fuck out!” He chuckled a bit too intensely for the nonexistent humor in her statement.

“ Okay, let me think about this, don’t you have like a long, black, dress? You know, the one that has a small black belt? And laces everywhere?”

“ This is one of yours, Louis.” She rolled her eyes, but began searching for that specific item.

“ Is there anything better for you to wear? Plus, it kind of puts the spotlight on your small boobs, so you should be thanking me.”

“ Tell me you didn’t just say that with Zayn next to you.” She groaned, as he fell into another fit of laughter, confirming that he indeed, said that with Zayn right next to him. So without any chance of further embarrassment, she hung up, finding the dress and quickly putting it on. She released her hair from its bun, running a comb through it, while applying lipstick with the hand that still held the cigarette, until it burned out, its ashes falling onto her fingers, burning her.

“ Fucking hell.” She hissed, throwing the cigarette away, and stomping over it, with her bare legs, burning them as well.

“ Jesus, ah!” She screamed, in complete and utter frustration, before Harry was knocking on her door again.

“ What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“ I am so fucking done with this entire thing.”

“ Open the door, Robin, let me in.” He calmly responded, as she obliged, opening the door, and walking back to her mirror, without looking at him at all.