Redamancy

The day, unlike yesterdays, was rather hectic for Joey. She had been on the phone all morning with one of her brides who had insisted that they change the catering company on such short notice. The other half of her morning was juggling other brides, and trying to find the new catering company for the aforementioned bride. Days like this rarely ever left her without headaches - and todays headache was especially worse. Ever since the night before, through all her conversations, the back of her mind was screaming Adams name in full volume, making her head pound to the rhythm.

As she held her head in her hands at home, Scooby decided to lick right up her nose in an attempt to comfort her. After she looked up at her best friend, he sat directly on Joeys feet, his back facing her. She let out a small sigh before reaching a hand out to pet Scoobys back.

Joey hadn’t seen Adam at all today - he had left before her alarm even went off and the entire situation had ended up with her feeling quite crummy. She had missed the affection the two shared, which was coming less and less frequently - I mean, wasn’t it only a week or so ago when they couldn’t even get through a movie without stolen kisses? She shook her head to herself to get the thoughts to scatter so that her head wasn’t quite as heavy. She kept her long, soft strokes to Scoobys fur, feeling a sense of calm wash over her for the first time today. She closed her eyes and felt is was only for a moment, but she woke up a few hours later to a door slamming, and shot up, alarmed.

It was then she had realized it was approaching dinner time, and she had been asleep for around three hours. She had left her phone on do not disturb for those hours and as Adam came into view she frantically reached for her device, and sure enough there were missed calls. Most of them were unknown numbers that she made a mental note to call back as soon as she had finished dinner with Adam. Joey stood up and smiled at her boyfriend, setting her phone on the couch.

Was it awful that she was a little bit surprised when Adam pulled her into a tight, warm hug that nearly lifted her off the ground?

She smiled widely into his shoulder, giving the side of his neck a quick kiss before resting her cheek on his shoulder.

“I missed you,” she whispered - almost scared that he had heard it. He might tell her that she was being dramatic. They lived together, after all. Instead, Adam said nothing, which was infinitely worse to Joey. However, he was still hugging her and that was something, right?

Joey pulled away from him first, and very quickly attached her lips to his. It was short-lived, however, because Adams stomach roared with hunger. For a second, Joey wanted to punch him because she had cooked a great meal the day before - surely a meal that would have filled him, too. A meal she had ended up wrapping up into containers and tucked into the fridge. Along with the one-slice eaten cheesecake. She pushed her negative feelings down, though and smiled up at him.

“I’ve got left overs?” She said, beginning to walk to the kitchen, “Where were you yesterday? I called.”

From behind her, Adam rolled his eyes as he followed Joey into the kitchen, Scooby quickly trailing behind. He couldn’t really stand being questioned - it wasn’t anyones business but his. Couldn’t she just trust him? Things would be much easier for Adam if Joey could just keep her mouth shut sometimes, you know?

“I was out,” he simply stated, finally closing in on her. He snaked his arms around her waist from behind her and Joey blushed furiously as his hands began roaming. Almost all other questions were hushed by his gliding fingers. So, Okay. If the physical stuff was all Adam wanted from her right now, she could do that. I mean, maybe they didn’t need to have as many conversations, anyways. Surely, there couldn't be much to talk about anymore after three years together. Maybe he was all talked out? Anyways, Adam was the first person Joey had ever slept with and the only person, at that. For her, it wasn’t just an act - she wouldn’t have done these things with just anyone. So, she just hoped he had the sense to realize how important it was to her - just how much it meant. This was her giving him everything she had.

She had made the excuse before he even thought to offer her one: he’s stressed, and this can help. He was never a man of many words, and communication was never his strong point. And it was fine, she thought. It was just fine - if this was all he wanted from her for a while, she could handle that. After all, it was something, wasn’t it?

Besides, Joey was never one to give up easily - especially with those she loved. And she absolutely loved Adam. She had always been patient with him, she thought, so this cannot be any different. For now, she would settle. She would settle because he needed it. And at least he wasn’t going with other girls. Adam may have been a lot of things, but the word ‘cheater’ was never something to describe him with.

Joey turned around to face Adam, grinning as he placed his hands on her back and pushed her farther into him. She absolutely loved when Adam was this affectionate - it had made her feel more secure. It made her feel that he still felt something for her, and while she knew it wasn’t the right way to go about it, she also took into consideration that this was just how Adam was. She placed her own hands on his chest as his wandered up her shirt, sliding the material up her skin. There were no words spoken as he took her shirt off completely, Joey lifting her arms slightly to make it easier. Before she knew it, they had ended up in their bedroom and he was kissing her and kissing her, and unbuttoning her jeans when Joey heard her phone ring.

Immediately she sat up, “wait - Adam, stop,” she said, gently pushing him off. He rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

“What?” He almost snarled, “Can’t you call them back?” Joey hesitated. She had already missed so many calls today and it wasn’t as if she could mess up just any day. Her job revolved around brides and the brides revolved around a single day, one they considered the most important day of their life. Joey thought she shouldn’t take any more chances today and shook her head.



“I’m sorry,” she said, though she shouldn’t have had to. In the next instant, Adam was turning his back to her and letting out a childish groan. It was Joeys turn to roll her eyes as she fled from the room and answered the phone just on time.

“Hello?” She said polietly. And thus, launched her in to a conversation with the first bride that had called that morning, telling her that the initial vendor was absolutely fine and she wanted it back. She had been on the phone for about ten minutes before she heard the shower running and another ten passed before she heard three sharp knocks to her door, a huge rustle following. She kindly dismissed herself from the phone as she ran to the kitchen to search for her shirt.

“Just a minute,” she called. When Joey finally opened the door, she was still struggling to get her shirt over her body in the way it was meant to sit. And, grew incredibly embarrassed when a frantic looking Harry Styles, holding his sisters wrist and telling her to just breathe, was stood outside her door. Which she wasn’t doing incredibly well. Completely ignoring that one arm was definitely not in the sleeve of her shirt, Joey jumped toward Gemma, grabbing her shoulders, completely forgetting the way she must have looked to them.

“Hey,” She soothed, “Gem, it’s okay, come in. I’ll get you water.” And so the shaky pair sauntered through the door and Joey adjusted her shirt before she had realized she stupidly forgot to tell them she had a dog. A huge dog, who, upon hearing new visitors, bounded and stumbled right toward Harry.

Harry, who stopped dead in his tracks and shouted “Jo? What - oh my-“ But it was Scooby who cut him off as he placed his large paws upon Harrys shoulder and licked Harry right on the mouth. Soon, instead of hyperventilating, Gemma was laughing at her brother. Her brother, who had fallen upon impact and was now laying under a very large, very friendly dog. And Harry decided he was definitely more of a cat person.

“Scooby!” Joey called, making the giant dog snap his head up and look behind him to his owner. “No, I said no. Come here.” Scooby hung his head at her scolding voice and followed her into the kitchen. Just as Joey was getting the water, she heard the front door slam (maybe more than it needed to). She quickly walked into the television room where Harry and Gemma were sitting on opposite sofas, the siblings gave her an awkward smile.

“He seems very nice,” Harry said, if only to cut the tension. Gemma gave him a look that said she would have kicked him had she been close enough. It was Joeys turn to hang her head, and she did so with embarrassment.

“I’m sorry about him,” she sighed, handing the cup of water to Gemma.

“Its okay,” Gemma was quick to respond, “you guys weren’t exactly expecting visitors.”

“You’ve got that right,” Harry whispered to himself, not being able to un-notice her flustered face when she opened the door - or, for instance, her jeans which were still unbuttoned. The two snapped their eyes to Harry, having heard him say something.

“Sorry?” Joey scrunched her brows. Harry blushed a deep shade of red at the thought of having to point it out. He cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping the room quickly before looking her in the eye.

“You look disheveled, is all,” he started, “and - you know - um - your - your trousers are…” He trailed off but even without him finishing the sentence, Joeys eyes grew wide and she turned herself around where she buttoned her jeans back up and took a moment to herself to breathe.

“Right, okay,” She said, “Anyways, Gemma what happened?” Joey had listened to Gemma the best she could as she multi-tasked by watching Harry from her peripherals. She wasn’t sure if he was zoned out or what, but she did notice he was staring right at her. For at least a full minute before Scooby went over to him and laid his giant head on Harrys lap, begging for a head scratch. And then she watched as Harry sat on the floor instead of the sofa to sit with Scooby and it was definitely an endearing thing to see.

Meanwhile, Harry was thinking about how rotten Adam had seemed and the awful vibe he had given off. Not to mention the boy had no manners - Adam hadn’t even said a word to Harry or Gemma as he stormed out of the door. Harry found himself wondering what Joey was doing with such an awful partner, but then he figured he hadn’t known Adam at all. And, if he was honest, he might have been the slightest bit jealous. Growing up with Gemma and his Mum, Harry was the type of person who loved love, but he hadn’t ever experienced it before. But Joey seemed so lovely, and he couldn’t imagine her being with someone who seemed so opposite.

The next time he looked at his sister, she was curled in a ball on the sofa sleeping, and Joey was giving Harry a small smile. And as he went to smile back, Scooby happened to let some wind pass and the two struggled to keep their laughter to themselves. Joey was nearly floored when that dimple of Harrys appeared. Though she knew it was there, it made no difference in the world. It was as though she was seeing his smile for the first time all over, except this time, she noted how beautiful it really was. Which was absolutely fine to say - Harry Styles had an incredible smile. There was no harm in thinking it. Joey shook her head at herself before she stood up, walking toward Harry.

“Would you want to come on a walk with us?” Harry swore it was the way those jeans had fit her or maybe the fact that he knew she was wearing lace underwear because of the incident beforehand, but at that point he thought he might have went anywhere with her. So he nodded and stood up, noticing she was about a head and a bit shorter than he was.

As she walked away to get Scooby’s leash, he couldn’t help but thinking she was a perfect height for him. And Adam had looked a bit too short to fit her properly.