sugar baby [h.s]

eighteen

John doesn't ask questions when I get into the car alone, he simply drives in silence back to my apartment. It's a rather long drive, and it feels that much longer when I'm in the backseat alone. What's been made clear to me over the course of this evening is that Harry has gotten under my skin. He can knock down my confidence in a matter of seconds without even really trying. I thought I could push my feelings for him aside and be what he wants me to be, but I don't think that I can.

I can't be so hot then cold all the time. I don't want to be constricted by rules and terms in a contract. I get it, I signed the damn thing, but I didn't know what this would become when I signed. This was such a stupid idea in the first place, I have no business agreeing to be in this sort of relationship. This is my first relationship after all, jumping into a situation like this was only going to end bad.

"Have a nice night Miss Graham" John breaks me out of my own head as he opens my door and helps me out of the car. I hadn't realised how tired I am. I guess emotional conflict can be exhausting, I've had quite the day.

"Goodnight John" I manage a smile as I head up the stairs into my building. It's not too late as I finally make my way into my apartment and dismantle my alarm. However I can barely keep my eyes open as I scrub off the make up from my face. It takes three rounds of cleaning to finally get rid of it all, my face feels rough and looks red from all the scrubbing I've done.

I collapse into bed after I shake and comb out the majority of the gold flakes in my hair, vowing to wake myself up with enough time in the morning to have a shower before my shift at the cafe. I'm asleep within minutes, dreams filled by the man with brown curls kissing my neck and telling me he wants more, when I have no more to give.

Work is slammed, we definitely don't have enough waitresses to be covering these weekend shifts. I hope they are looking to hire more people when I leave, or else this place is going to go under. Ryan is having to be both in the kitchen and on floor serving customers as Beth and I are struggling to keep everything running smoothly on our own.

"So I see you had a fun date last night?" Ryan says in a brief moment of calm as I drop off orders into the kitchen. His comment confuses me, and I haven't been able to talk to him yet after his and Harry's confrontation. I hadn't been looking forward to it at all.

"Sorry?" I ask him as he walks back around out of the kitchen to the counter and places down a section of the newspaper in front of me.

Oh god, it's me

A picture of Harry and I entering the ballroom last night is plastered across the page amongst a collage of other people who were also in attendance. I didn't even realise they were taking the photos, I guess maybe I was too focused on not falling over on the way in to notice. There is a small bit of writing underneath the picture.

Hotelier Harry Styles attended the ball with a mystery brunette by his side.

Mystery brunette huh? I guess they could have called me worse so I'll take it.

"This is in the paper?" My eyes widen as I ask Ryan, picking it up to examine it more closely. I have to say it's not a bad photo of us at all. We are both smiling as Harry holds my arm to help my climb the stairs.

"Yeah, society pages. Didn't realise he was such a big deal" Ryan mumbles. A loud clatter from the kitchen brings me back into reality and I turn around to pick up some plates and deliver them to the correct tables. My mind is swimming, I hadn't been prepared to see myself in the society pages. I knew it was probably going to happen at some point, Heather had told me that it was going to happen, but I wasn't ready. At least they hadn't printed my name, maybe a lot of the people wouldn't recognise me.