opia [h.s au]

Chapter 3

"f**k, f**k, f**k f**k f**k!" I mumble in a frantic pace as I enter the studio for today's shooting, late as f**k, my bag hanging in my shoulder, both my hands occupied with a lot of charts, three briefcases, an eco bag full of different types of gums and a thermos with iced coffee I bought in my way up here.

I didn't listen to my alarm this morning, waking up like three minutes ago, already full aware of how late I am today. The working day would start at eight so it's expected for me to be here around six but it's almost seven thirty when I finally arrive.

Luckily Athena, today's fashion blogger, is well known for always being late so she hadn't arrived either but all the staff is ready and set when I step inside of the studio, still wearing my sunglasses and full aware that my hair probably looks like a mess around my head.

"Billie, hey!" Gem greets me, a huge smile cracking up her face as she runs towards me "Is everything ok? I already made the set up for today."

"I overslept" I mumble under my breath, still too rushed to be able to calm down my accelerating heart "Jesus, of all days I could do it..."

"Relax, everything is fine" She rolls her eyes "Come here, I want you to meet my brother!"

Oh, that's right. Her brother will be the one photographing today. I was so excited yesterday I completely forgot to ask Gem to show me some of his work. I mean, she is twenty six and two years older than him so now that I'm thinking about, he may not be as experienced as one would need to be in order to deal with Athena all day. She is really exhausting to work with.

I follow Gem towards the side of the studio, where there's a tall, fit guy leaning over a camera. He is wearing black tight jeans and a black t-shirt that is rolled up to his shoulders, showing an arm covered with tattoos. His curly hair is light brown under the bright lightening of the studio, and he is holding a cup of coffee that mimics mine. His sharp jawline and pink pouty lips are everything I can see of his face right now, but I already enjoyed the view.

My eyes travels to his hands again and oh my f*****g f**k.

Motherfucker.

I'm hallucinating. I'm definitely hallucinating, completely drunk in sleep, maybe am I still sleeping and this is all just a dream?

Because I would recognized those big hands with fingers covered in rings from anywhere. Of course I would, those were the only hands that cupped my breasts after Sam dumped me one year ago.

This can't be f*****g happening.

Is he Edward?

"So Billie, this is Harry, my brother" Gem smiles at me and he stands up with the sound of her voice and I pray to every god or saint that I don't believe in that he won't recognize me.

I'll give my first born child, I'll gladly sacrifice my own blood so he won't recognize me, please, please, please God that's all I'm aski-

"Oh hey" Harry says, a smirk playing on his lips while he gives me a shameless once over before laying his eyes on mine and for a split second I see the spark of recognition behind his emerald green eyes "Sorry, didn't catch your name."

Jesus his voice is as deep and raspy as I remember. It doesn't sound so hoarse though, now that he is talking to me like a normal human being not whispering profanities in my ear.

Billie!!!

"I-It's Elizabeth, but please call me Billie" I mutter, not being capable of looking him in the eye as I feel my cheek turning to a dark shade of red. Maybe I am mistaken? I mean, he said his name was Edward back then, maybe I am hallucinating.

"She is my partner in crime" Gemma happily says, completely unaware of how uncomfortable I am right now "We do everything together at work."

"Oh do you now?" Harry's smirk goes bigger and he winks at me "Pleasure to meet you, Billie. Why am I under the impression we've already met?" He raises his eyebrows with innocence, but I can see the malice in his eyes.

He remembers. As much as I do, he remembers from where and, more important, how we met.

"Don't know!" My voice sounds strangely high pitched "Probably you saw my picture on your sister's i********:, hahaha, I don't know. Excuse me, nice to meet you" I nod at him, saluting him with my hand in my forehead before turning on my heels and walking away from him and Gemma follows me close.

Did I actually just salute him?

Like seriously, Billie?

"Hey, are you ok?" Gem asks me, widening her eyes "You seem weird, is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong, I'm just a little overwhelmed by my rushing this morning, no biggy" I smile at her but I know my voice is trembling and still awkwardly high pitched "I'm gonna go freshen up at the bathroom, be back in a minute!"

Leaving my things over a desk at the corner, I almost run away from the studio, locking myself inside one of the bathroom cubicles and leaning over the sink to look in the mirror.

Of course I would see that guy again on a day I haven't even brushed my f*****g hair. That's so typical. I look pale as f**k, my already too pale skin looking even lighter without make up and my eyes are still bloodshot red and a little swollen under the sunglasses.

At least I'm wearing my "uniform" for days like this - black leggings and a black tank top. Although I suddenly feel exposed by how the fabric hugs my body tightly.

What the f**k is wrong with the universe?

The only guy I kissed after Sam, the guy I almost f****d drunk in a VIP room at a random club, my one and only "one night stand", the guy whose green eyes and dirty mouth never left my memories and haunted my dreams every once in a while. The one now I discovered gave me a fake name... What are the f*****g chances of him being Gemma's brothers, for f**k's sake?

Seriously, I'm hyperventilating. How did that happened?

All the stories that Gem has told me about her brother, how dirty and wild he is, all the illegal s**t he has done just for kicks... and the fact that he is like five years younger than me! I'm about to turn twenty nine while he is twenty four, f***s sake! He is a kid and I'm an old lady and even though that's true, he seems to be way more experienced than me.

And he f*****g remembers me!

Why, why, why?

I mean, for all the things Gem told me, he must be used to have one night stands with all kinds of girls - and boys, sometimes - around the globe, why would he remember me, specifically? We didn't even go through with the whole thing, after being interrupted by that crazy girl I fell from the face of the Earth for him...

Maybe he remembers me because I was the one he was busted with? Who were that girl, his girlfriend? I don't think he is the type who dates, I mean, he never stays more than six months in a city, always moving and running after new experiences.

And why the f**k does he have to be so freaking handsome? My memories did no justice for him and at the morning light he looks even prettier than under the dim red lights of that night club six months ago. His face is almost statuesque, it doesn't even seem real, it's like someone carved the traces carefully, paying attention to every little detail there to make sure it would end up perfect.

I hear a light knock in the bathroom door before Gem's worried voice fills over the place "Billie, are you ok? Athena just arrived and she is asking for you."

"M'fine!" I mumble "Tell her I'm coming, just need to wash my face first."

I don't usually wear makeup to work, my days are too rushed for me to worry about that kind of stuff, but today I'm seriously considering sneaking some of the makeup artist tools to this bathroom to try and lighten up my face a little bit, just to look a little more alive.

But of course I don't have time for that. And even if I had, what kind of woman do I want to be? Am I an insecure little girl who need to hide behind makeup to feel a bit more confident towards a random guy?

Yeah, that sounds about right - my subconscious bites me in the ass.

She is right though. That's not who I am. I never was one to stutter around a man and even less I was the kind of woman who would try to dress up just to impress a guy. If I ever dress up is because I want to do it, not because I'm concerned about other people's opinions.

Yeah, you go, Billie. Girl power! f**k the patriarchy!

I roll my eyes to myself, finally giving in and leaving the bathroom with a sigh. Here we go.

~*~

Well, it's safe to say that I was kinda overreacting before. Not only because Harry turned out to be really professional and serious while doing his work, but mainly because he completely ignored me the entire morning. After I left the bathroom he just talked to me once, and it was only to ask me about today's schedule.

Maybe I was wrong and he didn't recognize me?

He treated me with complete indifference, being professional and practical about the things he may need to get the job done and that made me feel like I'm invisible to him.

This is good, right? I mean, after today I probably won't see him again and everything will feel like a strange dream a few weeks from now. Harry will go back to be just a sweet memory of an out of character night I had long time ago and that's it. So yeah, this should be good. This is good.

Don't know why this feels even worse, though.

Gem is over the top happy to see her brother working in our team and I hate to say that he fits in just fine, already joking around with the boys from staff, making the ladies from cleaning blush with his flirty remarks and I don't even want to start to talk about how he completely unarmed Athena.

I've never seen she behave so good and with such a big smile in her face. I've came to notice Harry's personality is really endearing, he has a certain magnetism that makes him look irresistible and that, combined to his natural charming way, it's the right recipe to make Harry the most charismatic guy I've ever seen in my life.

The way he talks to Athena is almost too flirty, but somehow it fits him well and she seems to be melting under his charm, already being wrapped around his little finger and it's no surprise when Robin approaches me to ask more about him and his availability to take a permanent place in our team.

If you want to kill me already, Robin, just tell me and I'll gladly step in front of a moving bus.

Thanks to Harry's mannerisms around Athena, at the end of the morning we are more than halfway done with the order of the day, which both impresses and annoys me. We are now enjoying the lunch break, and of course Harry is sitting right next to Athena, her laughter so loud I can hear it from the other side of the room and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes every time I hear her high pitched voice almost sigh "Oh, Harry" every once in a while.

Take her to the bathroom cubicle and f**k her already, Jesus.

I don't even understand why this is bothering me so much. I mean, I should be happy, really. Harry doesn't remember me so our past adventure won't be a problem, guess I can relax and just pretend I don't remember what happened either.

For all I know, six months ago I made out with a guy named Edward, and this curly boy is Harry.