SHE (bk 1)

FORTY-THREE

CLEMENTINE 

Christmas was quickly approaching and Clementine could not hold her excitement in any longer. Her gray eyes peering lovingly at the shiny pearl necklace staring back at her, the matte black box making the white color pop. She had the wrapping paper sat beside her on the tile floor, with a large red bow all ready to put on it. But something was stopping her.

"He will like it Clem."

Her eyes turned to the voice quickly, a small smile turning up at the corner of her lips as Mitch waltzed in. His long hair was pulled back into a low bun and a onesie that was decorated like a Christmas tree was adorning his body. There was something different in the way he looked at the blonde, a new found...respect he felt toward her.

She grinned, "I know he will like it I just..," Clementine bit the inside of her cheek as he handed her a cup of coffee. She had escaped to Mitch's apartment to wrap all of the Styles' family presents since they always seemed to be around every corner in Harry's apartment. "It's not a one of kind or extremely expensive necklace so I just I feel like it's not what he deserves."

Mitch tilted his head as he thought about her statement, she hadn't known Harry that long so she wouldn't understand he loved thoughtful gifts. She could have drawn him a stick figure portrait and Harry would act like you just gave him a Picasso.

"He will love it, don't second guess yourself Clem it will only make these next couple of days unbearable," She knew he had a point but she couldn't help but think about all of the Gucci suits in his closet or the thousand dollar rings adorning his hands. Everything around him was laced with luxury except her.

Clementine frowns as she continues to wrap, "Uh um so...does-does he talk to Camille still?," the question took Mitch by surprise and Clementine immediately regretted asking it. "I'm sorry that's none of my business and I shouldn't be asking you that."

Mitch once again looked at her with a large smile, he liked her a little too much.

"He doesn't talk to her a lot but every once in a while they chat," the words she heard made the beat in her chest become irregular. How was she to compete with a model who had everything and could give him what he wanted?

The blonde bites down on her bottom lip and looks up to Mitch, "I have nothing to worry about right?"

Mitch wanted to tell her Harry was only thinking of her and spoke endlessly about how in love he was but something stopped him. Perhaps it was his jealousy or maybe it was the way the blonde was looking innocently up at him...he stayed silent. She looked away quickly as she derived what she could from the silence, so he was still thinking about her in that way.

Clementine swallowed heavily and smiled up at Mitch, "Thank you for letting me wrap here and the coffee," her kindness was something that drew him in and kept him intrigued about her. In Hollywood he had encountered a lot of stuck up and spoiled people, the girls he dated in the past were the exact opposite of Clementine. Maybe that was what was drawing him into her, the fact that she was everything he ever wanted and he couldn't ever have her. 

Harry hadn't gone into much detail about their heated exchange on the first date but he could tell it was amazing. His eyes scanned her body as she sat on her knees completely unaware of his invasive gaze. She only ever saw Mitch as Harry's devoted friend and becoming one of hers as well. Clementine would never guess he would be crushing on her, not in a million years.

He bit his lip as she leaned further forward to grab the roll of tape and her shirt creased to show the top of her breasts, "So Mitch what are you doing for Christmas I forgot to ask," his eyes quickly diverted from her as she looked up with a bright smile. 

Why did she have to be so nice?

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HARRY

"Where the hell is Clementine?," Gemma looks up as Harry storms into the living room, eyes searching every corner to find her. She scoffs and looks back down at the book sat between her fingers, he was acting as if she couldn't have her own life away from him. "Gem.."

The brunette continued to ignore her brother until the book left her vision, plucked from her hands and thrown down onto the coffee table. "Okay prick i'll bite, she went to Mitch's apartment to wrap our presents because she can't find a peaceful spot away from you," the smile on her lips was enough to bite at his patience but could tell she was telling the truth. 

Sighing with a large breath he sat down, "I got Clementine a gift."

Gemma furrowed her eyebrows and scoffed, "Well I would surely hope so you idiot," her comment made Harry glare, his eyes throwing daggers in her direction. "Okay Harry what is this present?"

He sighs, "I um I did something...I think she is really going to like it and um here come with me," he stands to his feet anxiously and hops on his heels. His sister slowly rising to follow him out of the apartment and into the elevator where he once again is jittery. 

"What's wrong?"

Harry shoves his hands into his pockets as they walk down the cold streets, "I'm nervous...Camille and I never celebrated Christmas so I want this to be perfect," he looks up at her when she says nothing. 

"This isn't about you and Camille...you should be thinking about this completely different," she stops walking to slap his arm hard and hit the back of his head, "This is Clementine's first Christmas without her mother, the only family she has. That is what you should be thinking about, not how you and your ex celebrated it," his eyes widen slightly as she looks up at him angrily. 

He knew this was her first Christmas without her mother but he completely let that slip away, his gift now seeming completely wrong. "Gem I think I might have fucked up."