Salute » Harry Styles

Chapter 18

∞ Chapter 18 ∞

I play with the 'bracelet' on my wrist. The designing of the item is gorgeous, the diamonds twinkling under the light of the mansion. Who could have sent me this? Who would care so much to pay such valuable money on me? For me?

"Did you hear me?" Gemma asks, snapping me back to reality.

I shake my head and look at her.

"You've been off these past days, are you all right?" she asks in concern and I smile. The only time someone showed concern for me was when the girls and I used to huddle together in our cell and hope to not be Chosen.

"Yeah... I just have been thinking," I say simply.

"About who gave you the bracelet?" Gemma concludes and I nod.

"I mean, who would give it to me? I've been spending all of my time with you and Anne, no one could have known me enough to write a beautiful quote for me," I say, looking down at the 'bracelet' on my wrist.

"May be one of the little boys has a crush on you," she says in a teasing way. "Henry seemed to have a liking towards you."

I roll my eyes. "I'm serious. It's kind of creepy. Is someone watching us or something?"

Gemma sighs. "You're being paranoid, Jade. Just relax, may be someone saw you on the streets and thought you're attractive."

I scoff at her idea. "That's stupid. Why would a man spend money just because they 'find me attractive'?"

She shrugs. "Guys do it all the time. I mean, every man here is so goddamn rich, they would spend millions of dollars on women. This guy must like you."

"Or 'this guy' is like most guys who just want to fuck someone and ended up finding me."

"I'm pretty sure if 'this guy' wanted to fuck someone he would have went to the SI for someone," Gemma says. I raise my brows and she sighs. "You're not apart of the SI anymore, Jade."

"I am. I always will be. I mean, I fucking hate that place but it made me who I am. If I didn't get into fights, if I didn't get beaten, I wouldn't have been how I am now. I can handle every harsh thing thrown at me," I say.

Gemma shakes her head in disagreement. "No you can't. Sure you can handle insults and all but you can't handle emotions. You have these walls built up so high that no human being can climb it. Is it so wrong for you to let someone in? Sooner or later you're going to fall in-"

I snap my head up, holding my hand out for her to not say the 'L' word. "No. Don't say it."

She sighs again. "You need to let someone love you, Jade."

"The girls love me. And I love them," I say with a persistent nod.

"Yes but they are more like your sisters," she says.

"I don't need anyone else but them. They are there for me and I don't have to count on some bitch to love me," I say, my fists hardening at the memory of Perrie.

"I know what happened between you and Perrie didn't go too well but that doesn't mean you have to totally give up on love," Gemma says.

I state at her blankly. Is she serious? "Are you out of your mind?! Why the fuck do I need some bitch? I have everything I need. I don't need a guy. You're being ridiculous."

Her face falls, her slight smile faltering. "I didn't mean to offend you."

I sigh. "No, it's my fault. Sorry for being so defensive."

Gemma smiles. "It's-"

She stops her words once both of our gazes adverts to the Curly Haired Bitch walking down the stairs.

"Come, Slut. We're going somewhere," he says in monotone. His eyes set on the 'bracelet' around my wrist and his jaw clenches.

I nod, not bothering to fight back. I am all ready worn out from the discussion with Gemma, I am not in the mood to fight with this Bitch.

***

"Step on it Carl, you are like a fucking snail," the Curly Haired Bitch snaps at the driver. I recognize the man from the first day I arrived at the mansion and he dropped me off.

"I would like it if you called me Mr. Benning," Carl says curtly and the Curly Haired Bitch bursts out in laughter.

"Like Hell I will. I call you that and you go homeless," he retorts coldly. Bitch...

I look down at my 'bracelet', sliding my finger on the engravement. my finger stops at the initials 'CB'.

What is Carl's full name? Carl Benning. That means his initials are...

The car suddenly jerks to the side, causing my body to fall sideways, towards the Curly Haired Bitch. My hands are at his chest, his hands holding my hips. Our faces are a hair's breadth away.

I push his hands off of me, sitting straight and sliding away from him. He clears his throat, patting his expensive looking suit down.

I look at Carl as the car is parking in front of a huge mansion size house. He exits the car, opening the door for the Curly Haired Bitch and I.

As I step my foot out, Carl extends a helping hand. I take it cautiously and he smiles at me. What the fuck?

His gaze flickers to the 'bracelet' on my wrist. I let go of his hand, catching up with the Curly Haired Bitch as he enters the mansion.

A small, frail woman opens the door. She gulps hard at the sight of us.

"Why hello Candy, how are you?" the Curly Haired Bitch asks rather politely.

The woman looks up at him in fright. "I am good, Master Harry, what about you?"

"Fine. Is he here?" he asks her and she nods. The Curly Haired Bitch strides past her, leaving me with the woman.

She offers me a small smile. "You must be Jade. I'm Candy."

"Nice to meet you uh... Candy," I say as she closes the door behind me. The house is rather large, not as large as the Curly Haired Bitch's but large.

Candy smiles at me. She takes a strand of my hair between her fingers.

"You would look marvelous in blue... or ombre!"

What the hell is an 'ombre'?

"Um..." This is beyond awkward.

"Come," she chides, holding my wrist and pulling me to some place. She seats me in front of a desk with a chair and a mirror.

"You're hair is very beautiful," Candy says, combing my brunette hair.

"Thank you," I say softly as she puts the ends of my hair into a bowl of water.

"How is it with Master Styles?" she asks, applying some liquid to my hair, making my hair seem foamy.

"He's a bitch," I say simply with a shrug.

Candy chuckles. "You are so blunt and nonchalant, love."

She continues to work on my hair, washing the liquid off a while later.

"How does it look?" she asks me. I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

My once long brunette hair is snipped off at the end, leaving a brown and a dark blonde color on my hair.

"It looks... surprisingly good," I say. I had no idea what the hell this woman was doing to my hair but I know now.

She smiles. "You look like a strong woman. You'll go far in life."

"Thank you," I whisper softly. I open my mouth to say something but a girl walks down the stairs. She has blue crystalline eyes and blonde hair. Fucking Hell...

"Jade?" Perrie says.