fight for control ↠ harry styles [b1] ✓

CHAPTER 50

Renleigh Kensington

The party ahead of me was one that I greatly dreaded.

People often say, time helps. Time heals. Well, that's a fat load of bullshit. With each year going by, it all just becomes tougher and more unbearable. It is like the world – the time, more specifically – is working against me and it is trying to push me past my limits. That is not something I am not familiar with; I push my own limits on a daily basis. So, when outer forces pile some more pressure on me, it all becomes too much.

I can handle a lot, but sometimes even I realise I need to tone it down a bit.

But back to the party. The one I am forced to attend every year as if I don't show my face, I get bitched about. It doesn't seem to bother anyone, they all think it's friendly banter, but the eyes they give me and the tricky tone they use, gives it all away.

Or maybe I think too much into it.

I am an overthinker, after all.

My dads' suits arrived with them. When they came home, they already had the bags with them that hid their outfits. It was going to be a somewhat fancy party, so formal outfits were required. And me being the 'fashion person' I was to my parents, I was in charge of making sure they looked acceptable.

Styles had to make a phone call which I didn't mind. It gave me the space to mind my own business whilst I straightened my hair in my bedroom. Since it was a dress-up party, it obviously meant having to paint a face on and I was not the most talented in that area. I fucked up my makeup at least twice if not three times, before I managed to make myself look presentable.

I needed all the extra time I could get.

My choice of colour for the night was nude mixed with a bit of dusty pink. It was a tube dress, went under my knees and didn't have straps. I brought a trench coat for it, too, which was the pink addition to my fit. Paired with high heels and a bag that had a chain handle.

"Hey," I turned around in my room to find Styles in the doorway, dressed in black from head to toe. He had jeans on and they showed off his thighs rather well. Many thoughts of making use of them ran through my mind which caused me to smirk as my eyes gradually swam up his body to meet his green ones. "Wow. You look... stunning."

"Thanks," I nodded. "What is it that you need?"

"You," he blurted. I chuckled under my breath at the shock on his face and he shyly looked away as he cleared his throat. "Everyone's ready."

"Right," I sighed as I put my coat on. "Hold on. Come, take a photo of me."

"Now?"

"No, tomorrow," I rolled my eyes. "Now."

I posed for the photo and I noticed he had taken more than one. I only really needed it for my Instagram and since he was around, thought he could be of use. Once he was done, he walked over to me and passed me my phone so I placed it in my bag.

"You not gonna look at them?" he questioned as he stood right in front of me. His cologne stuffed my nose up, it was literally the only scent I could smell and it made my head spin.

He was so fucking hot, dammit.

"I'll just end up hating them," I replied.

"You shouldn't. You look amazing, Ren. Truly."

"Look at you, trying to gain brownie points," I smirked up at him. His black shirt was left open and revealed a bit of the birds on his chest, along with his necklace. Then again, I stood pretty close to him which was why I saw the tattoos.