You Again [h.s]

31. Christmas Party

Today is Hawk Publishing's annual Christmas party. I am wearing white skinny jeans with black ankle boots with a heel that give me extra height. I am wearing a red christmas jumper with a snowman on it and snowflakes surrounding the snowman. A red lip tops off my look along with my straightened hair that falls halfway down my back. We are all dressed in christmas themed outfits and I cannot stop laughing at Zayn in his jumper. It is the Grinch because Zayn is the christmas grinch.

I walk over to Zayn who is chatting with the new intern. I still don't know his name and I haven't seen much of him apart from a couple of times I walked passed him or shared an elevator with him and we sent one another quick smile.

"Ella." Zayn places his hand on my back. "This is Niall and Niall, this is Ella."

"Hey, how are ya?" He says as he pulls me into a hug. I was just going for a handshake, but hey a simple hug can't hurt. I also notice a hint of an accent in his voice. Irish?

"I'm good thank you. It's nice to meet you." I smile kindly at him.

"It's nice to finally put a name to your face. I must say, that your name does sound awfully familiar and I feel as if I have seen your face before."

"Well we have shared an elevator together a couple of times." I laugh quietly and he does too. He too does look familiar, but I just don't know where. I guess I could have crossed him the street or something. I have been in New York for three years now.

*

A couple of hours and many drinks later I am still sitting with Niall, talking away. Zayn left the Christmas party not long ago to go be with Perrie. I am single and have no where to be, so here I am drinking away. The last time I got drunk was over a week ago with Harry. Speaking of Harry, I haven't heard from him in a week. I sent him a text thanking him again for my amazing birthday, but I never got a reply. I am mad at him. He just used me as his toy. I thought he was being the real Harry to me, but turns out he is back to boxer Harry who is a complete fuckboy. That's the first time I have cussed in a long time. Apart from when I hurt myself, I am allowed to swear but even though I didn't say it out loud it still feels wrong. Harry was beginning to change me, but I guess I probably won't be speaking to him any time soon or if not ever again.

"Ella." I break out of my thoughts when Niall is clicking his fingers infront of my face. "Are you still with me?" He asks and says something else, but I can't hear him as a group of people behind us cheer loudly as they all do shots.

"What?" I ask and Niall tries to repeat himself, but they're so loud that I can't hear him. "I can't hear you, I'm sorry."

"Come with me." I barely him him say, but I read his lips and I grab my purse and follow Niall. We end up downstairs outside the building of Hawk Publishing. It is freezing out here. "How about we go somewhere else?"

"Um" I pause, not sure what Niall means. Is he trying to take me back to his place or something, because if he is I am not in the mood to be played with-

"Not like that." He chuckles, obviously reading my mind or seeing the expression on my face. I am hoping the second option. "I mean to a bar or something."

"Sure, but I don't think I should drink anymore."

"We can have water then if you like. I'm just not ready to go home yet." He steps closer to the road and holds his arm out to hail a taxi. One pulls over and I follow him as we walks towards it.

"Neither am I." I say, but I'm not sure if he hears me as he climbs into the taxi first and I sit next to him in the back seat.

*