Inside Out

“Heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian steps out in a daring dress and Jimmy Choo heels.”

“Check out Miley’s raunchy new video, We Can’t Stop!”

“Justin Bieber’s erratic behavior is causing worry for many fans.”

I rolled my eyes and continued to eat my cereal as I listened to the shitty celebrity gossip show. Taking a bite of my Lucky Charms and scrolling through my mobile facebook app, I began to tune out the host.

“One Direction singer, Harry Styles, caught leaving a nightclub in London with a mysterious redhead.”

My head snapped up and stared at the television as I began to choke on my cereal. I managed to catch my breath and stared at the image of Harry and myself. I stopped listening to whatever she was saying and began to analyse my appearance in the picture.

I breathed out a sigh and sat my food down, no longer hungry.

This can’t possibly get any worse.

________________________

“Just tell me the truth, Blake,” my brother, Kit, stated, “I won’t be mad.”

I rolled my eyes and switched the phone from one ear to the other as I stirred the spaghetti sauce on the stove. “I’m not dating a celebrity.”

“But the picture…”

I groaned. “Christ in a miniskirt!” I swore, interrupting him. “He gave me a ride. Evie is the one dating his bandmate.”

“She is?” He questioned.

“Yes, but you can’t tell anyone. They still want to keep it quiet,” I explained.

“Then why is there no picture of them?”

“You’re not a fan of theirs, Kit, so you wouldn’t get it. Everyone, for some dumbass reason, likes Harry more. More paparazzi seem to follow him around than the others,” I said.

My phone began to beep as Kit continued to talk and I rolled my eyes. “Listen, someone is calling. Tell Mama that I’m not dating him and my virginity is intact.”

Quickly pressing the end call, I answered the other call from a number I didn’t recognize. “Hello?”

“Hey, Blake.”

“Harry,” I stated, “how’d you get my number?”

“Evie gave it to me,” he responded.

“Fucking Evie,” I mumbled before speaking louder, “So…? I’m assuming you wanted to talk.”

“Uh, yeah. I just wanted to warn you that pictures of us have gotten to the media.”

I let out a laugh. “I know. My brother called me to ask if I was making bad decisions over here.”

Harry laughed. “And you said?”

“That we had rough bondage sex,” I deadpanned before letting out a laugh, “I told him the truth. That you were just giving me a ride back to my flat.”

“He sounds protective,” he stated.

“He’s the oldest child and only boy. Since my father spent most of his time working, he would always tell Kit to take care of us. He’s just looking out for me,” I explained.

“How many siblings do you have?”

“Kit’s the oldest at twenty-five, Lorena is twenty-two, there is me at eighteen, and then Emily at fifteen. We’re all pretty close, but I guess I’m closer with Kit.”

Harry made a noise of acknowledgement. “Well, I just called to warn you but since you already knew…”

I bit my lip and turned off the stove. I wanted to say that I wouldn’t mind going out with him. That I wouldn’t mind the paparazzi catching us walking to his car. I wanted to say everything I was thinking, but the words stuck in my throat. “Okay.”

“Bye, Blake.”

“Bye, Harry.”