Effortless (h.s.)

Chapter THIRTEEN - logging

Harry had given me the job of organizing all of his different files. There were thousands of files that had been sitting in a back room of his in file cabinets, some were as old as two or three years. Record label deals, contracts, businesses reaching out to him via mail, the files were countless. I found myself making new categories constantly, trying to make it as easy as possible for him to find something if he needed it.

I don't know how long I was back here for because there was no clock or windows, the door was open but the only light shinning in was from the hallway chandelier.

So far I had gone through about a tenth of all the files, sorting them into piles all across the floor. I had slipped my shoes off and was casually sitting on the ground, sprawled out to reach each of the piles that I had created.

I bit my nail in concentration.

There was a big chance that I would have to combine pending record deals with confirmed record deals, the idea made me nervous but there was so few of both that it wouldn't be a big deal. I knew he would be able to find them.

My hands covered my face and wiped away at my eyes, clearing my mind from the thoughts sweeping my brain.

"Looks like this is treatin' you pretty well, eh?" My hands fell as Harry waltzed into the small back room, observing my body language closely. I stretched my back and gave him a smug smile and nodded a bit.

"It's okay, just condensing it all down is... is a little draining, I'll get there though," I assured him confidently, picking up a stack of business emails that were apparently so important that his management had printed them out. I licked my lips and put the stack of papers behind me and out of the way.

Harry hummed lowly, "You've been back here for four hours, love. I think it's time you at least take a break, or call it a day," I redirected my attention towards him again, who was now sitting in the desk chair watching me down on the ground.

I let out a little puff of air and dropped my head, laughing, "You're right, I should head home. I'll leave you to your evening, Mr. Styles."

My bones cracked and popped as I stood up and stretched, letting out a few groans. I turned and looked to see Harry smiling at me with a cheeky grin, "You don't have to leave, I made dinner for you. I know you don't have a ton of money to buy groceries, it could be part of the deal."

The muscles in my neck relaxed and it fell backwards as I sighed, "You have already done so much for me, no, you don't have to..." I picked my head back up and studied him standing up and approaching me, "cook for me too, god Harry."

Harry made a clicking noise with his mouth and lightly shrugged before reaching out for me to take his hand, I looked around me and noticed at this point I was completely surrounded by all of his paperwork and files. It was a literal barrier around me.

Carefully, I held my hand out and before I could reach his, he had a grip on mine.

I gasped quietly but it was short lived, neither of us paid any attention to it. Harry was holding my hand and it was so hard to not blush. Then I bit my tongue because I felt the heat rising in my cheeks, god damn it.

It might have been my imagination, or my Harry Styles fan crazed mind, but I had never felt more comfortable and safe before. His hand wrapped in mine was a simple friend gesture that sent my heart on a roller coaster ride. I glanced down at our hands as he pulled me out of the dimly lit room and back into the bright hallway, his hand squeezed mine slightly before completely letting go.

My arm returned to my side and the empty and cold feeling returned.

I felt the pressure of being around him rising in my body as I followed him down the hallway into the kitchen, it didn't take long for the smell of something amazing to hit my nose.