Best Friends Means...

I really didn't feel like going into work today. We just got back from fashion week Sunday and it was already Monday but at least I didn't have to open. The rest of the week was painless, I just wasn't allowed to be seen hanging out too close to Harry so I stuck around Gemma the remainder of the week, and Harry hadn't been around much since we got back, either.

"Hello?" I answered my phone as I was putting my finishing touches on my makeup.

"Hiya, love. Mind if I come over? We need to have a talk." I sighed, without saying anything. "It's good, I promise." Harry let out a chuckle on the end of the phone.

"I guess that's fine, I have to leave for work in a bit though."

"I'll be there soon." We hung up our phones and I rushed around the house to clean up my laundry I had thrown everywhere around my room.

"Hold on!" I yelled to the knocking. Could he already be here? "Hey." I greeted the lanky curly haired boy who stood in front of me with a hug and a kiss. His eyes were bright green today, which was a good sign.

"How are you this lovely afternoon?"

"Could be better. Still exhausted from this weekend." Harry sat down on the bar stool and opened his arms for me to come over to him. I slowly walked over and he turned me around to lean my back against his chest. He grabbed my hands with his and wrapped his arms and hands around my waist. I felt him place his head on my back with a quiet thud. "Ouch, Haz."

"We've got to have a talk, alright?" I heard him let out a sigh.

"Okay. What's wrong? Something with Kendall?"

"No."

"Jake?"

"Not that part, yet. But there is something about him I'd like to address. But we have to talk about something else first."

"Okay then, go ahead and tell me." I turned around to face him and he took both of my hands in his hands again. "You're acting so weird. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, per se. Just trying to figure us out. How do you feel about us? What do you want us to be?"

I grew defensive quickly, "Don't pin all of this on me. What are you allowed to have?"

Harry's face grew red as he furrowed his eyebrows together. "I'm allowed to have whatever I want, I just have to have you meet management to see that you're not a crazy person. I make my own decisions."

"Harry, no offense, but no you don't. They control you and you just don't realize it."

"I do realize it, but I won't let them do that to you."

I decided to change the subject back, not feeling like dealing with Harry's anger. "Alright then. What do you want?"

"I'd like... for you to be my best friend turned girlfriend." A smirk appeared on my face and I felt myself blushing at his words. "That is, if you'll have me?" Harry looked at me through his long eyelashes and I could have puddled at his feet.

"Of course I'll be your girlfriend. It's going to be an adjustment to get used to, but I think I can adjust. You just have to work on charming me a little harder." Heh. Like that's even possible. I felt myself falling more and more for Harry with every quick kiss, every glance in my direction when he thought I wasn't looking, and with the kiss that Harry just placed on my lips to knock me out of my thoughts.

"How's that for charming?"

"Eh. Swoon factor was about a six."

"A six?!" Harry acted horrified for a few seconds before his smirk returned and he grabbed me by the hips and pulled me to standing closer in between his legs. "This one better be a ten." Harry's arm traveled up my body and his hand grasped the back of my neck as he forced us to come even closer to each other. Our needy lips attached, and his tongue was quickly begging for entrance to play with mine and I allowed him to deepen the kiss. Harry stood up and pressed our bodies together, causing me to have to tilt my head upwards towards him. He grabbed my face with his other hand and brushed his cheek with his thumb before he pulled back from the kiss. "How was that?"

In all honesty, every time Harry kissed me it was a ten, if not higher. I shrugged, faking him out. "Eh... probably a..." I hesitated as Harry's face started falling, "fifteen and a half, maybe?"

"Good." Harry pecked a kiss on the top of my forehead. "I have something to show you."

"Hmm?" I checked the time on my phone, seeing that I needed to leave for work in a few minutes.

Harry reached for his phone and showed me a blog article that had been written.

HARRY STYLES: TWO TIMING KENDALL JENNER?

I looked at him after reading the title, all of the color draining out of my face. "I don't want to read this."

"I just thought I'd-"

"Of the fact that somehow people have already gotten pictures of us together?! How? We haven't been seen out in public."

"If you'd stop interrupting me, you'd let me finish my sentence. I was going to say I thought I'd show you this article management sent me about you. Paul knew I was seeing someone already, he just didn't know who. I called him and told him about you, so you'll have to come meet everyone. We're going to have dinner Wednesday night at my place, all of everyone, so they can meet you there instead of some type of a business-type setting." I stood with my arms crossed, waiting for Harry to continue. "They're going to be fine with it, but we just have to wait a little while before we can be seen together in public. Except this article already caught us together. Kissing." He handed his phone back to me and I continued reading.

One Direction heart throb, Harry Styles, was spotted last week with Kendall Jenner at London's fashion week. The two were seen together until Kendall had to leave early to fly back to LA for a photo shoot for her new clothing line. However, this picture has recently surfaced of Harry Styles kissing a mysterious girl out in the wide open on the streets of London! Who does he think he is?! Does he not know the power that the Jenner family holds? Just wait until that blackmail comes out... I know we can't wait.

An inside source says the girl seen in the below picture is a "friend" of Harry's since childhood. She works and co-manages a boutique in the heart of London with her best friend.

I stopped reading. "How would someone know this about me already?"

"You haven't finished yet, have you?" I shook my head and looked back at the article.

We recently chatted with an ex-boyfriend of hers who had the inside scoop. "The two of them have always been heavily involved with each other's lives. No matter who he's been dating, she's been there for him. Emotionally, and I'm sure physically as well. She's had feelings for him ever since they were kids and had a lot to do with Styles breaking up with most of his girlfriends." There you have it! Taylor Swift may not be the only crazy girl Harry has been involved with.

We'll be the first to let you know when more of this story unfolds!

"Harry. This is nauseating. How did this-"

"Look at the name source of the picture and article at the bottom."

Story by: Jack Taylor
Photo credit: Jack Taylor

I all but dropped Harry's phone onto the floor. Thankfully he had quick reflexes and caught it before it fell to the ground. "Oh, my God. That's why he was outside of work that day. This is that day." He had cropped the image so Liam was no longer in the picture. "But that was so long ago?" I questioned Harry.

"That's how they start rumors like this, babe. It'll be okay." Harry tried pulling me in for a hug but I pushed him back.

"I don't care about the rumors, I care about the fact that Jack works for a... a place like this and didn't fucking tell me?"

"Well I'm not too sure that that's the first thing I'd tell someone. Did you know he even wrote?"

I nodded my head, "Yeah, he went to school for Journalism." My mind was having a hard time wrapping around all of this. "How are you so calm?"

"Because... I'm not in trouble. You're not in trouble."

"My ex-boyfriend works for the paps. He knows everywhere I go in town, he'll follow me through my daily life. I don't want to be seen all over these bullshit websites." I nervously paced around the kitchen, running my hands through my wavy hair. "This isn't good news. I don't know why you're so calm about this! He's going to tell them everything horrible about me. Your fans are going to hate me before they even know who I am."

"You know, you don't have to read anything they say about you online. As long as we're happy, that's all that matters. I don't care what the fans have to say about you, or what Jack has to say about you. You're a wonderful person, and I already know that. You don't have to prove yourself to me or to the public. This relationship is about us." Harry wrapped his arms around me from behind, stopping my pacing. "And no one else. I don't give a fuck how many pictures they take of us together. I want to show you off to the world, babe. That you're mine. You're finally my girlfriend. They don't know our story, and they don't have to. This is about us. If the fans don't like you, that's their loss. They don't know the wonderful person that I know. As long as you're nice to them if they approach you, you'll slowly win over all of their hearts."

I was holding back tears as Harry was holding me. I was petrified. I hated people taking pictures of me for them to be seen by everyone. I knew this was coming, but not this soon. I thought I would have been warned, but I wasn't. I felt like my whole life was in danger. "I need to leave for work." I squeaked out, and escaped from Harry's grip to go grab my sunglasses and purse.

"It's not sunny out."

"Doesn't matter." I said, hiding the tears shrink wrapped in my eyes, just waiting to fall out. "I gotta go."

"I'll drive you." Harry said, jingling his keys as I locked the door.

"I can drive." I jingled my keys back.

"But since I'm your boyfriend, I should be the gentleman and drive you." I sighed and gave in. I really didn't feel like driving. My life was about to change forever. I should probably have text my mom sooner than now, but I just now thought to tell her about Harry and I. I sent her a quick text explaining the situation but that I'd call her later on. Harry had already told his mom, I guess he's been planning asking me out for a long time, according to what he was telling me in the car.

"I close, so you can be here at 8:30 and I'll be ready to be picked up."

"Alright, love." Harry leaned over the arm rest to give me a kiss. "Have a good day at work." He winked at me and I hopped out of the car and I walked into the boutique.

"Well, isn't it the celebrity! Future Mrs. Styles!" Kaitlin greeted me at the door. "You could have told us!"

"Ugh. That was a picture from a few weeks ago when Harry picked me up. Jack was creeping across the parking lot watching us."

"That would explain the amount of girls we've had coming in here just this morning asking for your help and only your help." I immediately felt horrible. I knew this was going to cause problem at work. "Come back to the office with me." Shit. I was never in trouble with Kaitlin. Fuck. "Sit."

"What am I supposed to do, Kaitlin?"

"You tell me. I'm your best friend, and boss. I can't have tons of teenagers running around this store looking for Harry Styles girlfriend. I know you can't help who you're falling for but these paps have told all the other paps and fans where you work and its not going to get any better. Chelsea said there were a bunch of people who came by while you were gone last week too. She also told me that you and the reporter spoke outside of the store front the other day. Why would you do that?"

"That REPORTER? Was my ex boyfriend. Jack. He's the one sitting out in the parking lot stalking me to get back with him when really all he wants is the inside scoop on Styles."

"Well all of this isn't doing anything good for the store..." Kaitlin trailed on, not looking at me.

"Are you firing me?"

"Not firing you, babe. Just take a break for a while and let this calm down. We've already had about 100 or so girls coming in here looking for you today. Just today. Things could get stolen... It's just. I'm really sorry this is happening."

"Yeah, me too." I stood up and walked out of the office, then made a B-line for the door passing Chelsea who had an entirely too smug look on her face. I always knew she was a bitch. I walked out of the store and started walking down the streets of London with my sunglasses on. I felt a man tap me on the shoulder and I turned around and he had a pen and piece of paper in his hand.

"Can I have your autograph, miss?"

I stopped my stroll to "Why? I'm not anything special."

"No, you're not. But my daughter is a huge fan of Harry and she would love your autograph." Harry told me to be nice to fans. So I decided to sign my full name. "Anabelle Roberts. I thought your name was Elle? She said something about it this morning."

"Nah, Elle is my nickname that literally... Everyone calls me. Hardly anyone knows me as Anabelle." I smiled and waved at the man. I strolled down the street, smiling on the inside. I knew I'd won over that One Direction fan.

Suddenly, I felt someone bump into me at an alarming pace. "Yeah, yeah. No. Anabelle. B-e-l-l-e. Roberts. I got her name!" It was the same man from earlier, talking on the phone. "No, she didn't say anything about you." I heard his conversation fading when I realized- that man didn't have a daughter. He was getting my full name to write a report on me.

Tears filling my eyes, I walked to my favorite coffee shop and ordered my usual hot chocolate. I sat down in the corner booth, facing away from everyone and called Harry.

"Hey, why are you calling me? Everything okay?"

I sniffled. "No. I just gave a fucking pap my whole name. He said he had a daughter who wanted my autograph."

I heard Harry sigh and laugh, "It's alright, love. There's worse ways to find out your name."

"Can you come pick me up?"

"Why?"

"I got fired."

"You what?!" Harry's voice was raising in loudness. "Why?!"

"Well, I didn't get fired. But I was asked to leave for a while. Until everything calmed down. Over 100 people came in our tiny store this morning looking for me, Harry. It upset Kaitlin, and I'm just. I can't handle this. Please come pick me up." I started crying.

"Babe, calm down, alright? I'll be there in a few minutes. Where are you?"

"The coffee shop down from the boutique. Back corner."

"I'll be there in a second." I hung up the phone before he could say anymore and continued sipping on my hot chocolate. I pulled out my phone to check twitter. I had already gained 2,000 followers. These guys must be live tweeting their information they find out.

@ellebelle_: Don't believe everything you read about me. Please. Having an ex-bf as a pap is no fun. :(

I put my phone down and felt it vibrate a few seconds later, I had a mention on twitter.

@Harry_Styles: @ellebelle_ so they shouldn't believe you're my girlfriend? 'causeeeee that's the truth .xx

And I refreshed my phone every few seconds watching my followers number climb up. I rolled my eyes as I heard the door to the coffee shop open, and the clunking of the boots.

"You okay?" Harry sat down across from me, he was dressed differently. In a short sleeve button up with a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and his brown boots.

I nodded, wiping my face of the tears that had fallen moments before. "I will be." I sighed as I stood up, ready to go but Harry pulled me back down. "What?"

"I don't believe you."

"I'm not but I really don't want to talk about all of this. I got fired from my job that I loved, I have no way of making any income-"

"Move in with me."

"Harry, I can't do that. I'll pay Kaitlin for another month and then I have to find somewhere cheaper to live. I have to look for another job, now."

"And every other place you go to work you're going to get bombarded too. Just let me support you for a few months until all of this calms down, and then you can find a job." I sighed, giving in as usual.

"I just don't know what terms Kaitlin and I are on right now anyway. She's been acting weird lately and I don't know if she's mad at me for what happened, but it's nothing I can help."

"If she's mad at you, then she's the dumb one. You cant let people like that get the best of you, love." Harry reached over and pushed a curl behind my ear. "You look cute after you've cried. Your cheeks are all red and puffy."

I blushed, "They're always red around you because you always make me blush."

"I try, I try."

---

@Louis_Tomlinson: Get to meet the lovely @ellebelle_ tonight!
@Harry_Styles: @Louis_Tomlinson - you already met her, mateeeeee
@Louis_Tomlinson: But not properly. @Harry_Styles
@Harry_Styles: @Louis_Tomlison - I'll make sure she's proper tonight, then.

"Do I look okay?" I asked as I walked around my room, waiting for Harry to get the picture of the outfit I had on.

"Perfect! It's really casual, so you'll be fine. It's not that many people either. Listen, I'm about to hop in the shower. Liam's gonna come pick you up and bring you over here. I sent him your number and address, he should be there soon. I gotta hurry and shower before the food is finished in the oven, bye!" Harry hung up the phone as my phone was vibrating with a text.

I'm at your house, I think.
I'll be out in a minute, just got off the phone with Harry!
Take your time :p

I threw my phone into my bag and looked over the room before I walked out. I had decided over the last few days to move in with Harry, but I was going to wait until after this dinner to do so. I didn't want to mess up his house with all of my boxes being everywhere. It was hard seeing where I had lived for so many years, with someone who I thought was a good friend, all packed up into these boxes.

"Nice top!" Liam said as I hopped into the car. "Nervous?"

"Yeah, just a bit." I fidgeted with my hands in my lap as Liam drove the familiar route to Harry's house. "What if management doesn't like me?"

"You'll be fine. Harry's talked you up like you're an angel sent straight from heaven. They're honestly glad you're not someone famous. Less bullshit to mess with. It's us you should be nervous about. But you've already won me over. It's Louis I'd worry about."

"Why him?"

"I'm only joking. He'll probably love you more than Harry." My air caught in my throat at Liam's words and he noticed. "I mean. I-"

"I know what you meant. It's fine." I looked out the window the rest of the ride in silence.