I scribble the edits in my manuscripts, trying desperately to focus.

Harry hasn't spoken to me, or acknowledged me, at all today. He swivels around in his chair, occasionally chewing on the end of his pen. I know he sees me staring, but he doesn't meet my gaze.

I'm dying to talk to him; to ask him what the hell happened between us. Does he even know? He's insulted and snapped at me countless times, so why did he lean in and kiss me?

And why on earth did I enjoy it?

"Psst."

I snap my gaze away from Harry over to Zayn.

"You all right?" He questions.

I nod distantly, clicking my red pen. "Just distracted," I mumble.

Zayn smirks. "By Styles?"

I quickly shake my head. "Oh, no. Just...this manuscript is shit." I laugh shakily.

Zayn chuckles. "Yeah, every once in awhile you get a flop. You best just toss it now and get to the good ones."

I nod. "Thanks."

Zayn returns to his own work and my eyes flick to the clock on the wall. 10:30. Lunch break isn't for another hour and a half. I decide I need coffee and get up to make my way to the break room.

Luckily, the pot of coffee on the machine is still warm, and I pour myself a mug. I flash back to when Harry and I had tea together, and couldn't stop laughing.

I shake away the memory and add milk to my coffee. The warm drink coats my throat and I instantly feel a bit calmer.

Someone enters the break room and I turn, half expecting to see Harry. Instead I find Perrie, who shoots me a friendly smile. Her soft blonde locks are curled into pretty waves and her blue eyes squint as she smiles.

"Any more coffee left?" She asks, peering into the pot.

"A bit," I reply, leaning against the counter.

"It's just a coffee kind of day, isn't it?"

"I couldn't agree more."

We laugh a bit as Perrie pours herself a mug. She tucks some hair behind her ear and leans next to me on the counter.

"So," She says, a cheeky smile crossing her lips. "Zayn is taking me out to dinner Friday night." She blushes and looks into her coffee.

I shove her shoulder lightly, my jaw dropping. "Seriously? That's amazing!"

She laughs and nods, her cheeks a rosy pink.

"When did he ask you?" I inquire.

"Yesterday, after work. He was so nervous, you should have seen him," She gushes.

"How cute," I say, grinning.

Perrie nods and blushes again. "So, how's Aaron, then?" She wiggles her eyebrows up and down and I laugh.

"He's pretty well," I reply, my smile fading. "We're still working through some things, I guess."

Perrie nods, her brow furrowing. "I hope everything works out," She says earnestly.

I don't.

"Me too," I say, ignoring my thoughts.

Perrie sighs and grins. "Well, back to work."

"I expect full details after Friday." I say as we exit the break room.

"Of course!" She chirps, walking back to her workspace.

I slide back into my seat, setting my coffee on my desk. Harry doesn't acknowledge me, yet again. Shocker.

I don't know why I'm bothered so much; it was just a kiss. He probably didn't even mean it. I didn't mean it. It was just a petty mistake.

I grab a post-it note from my desk and scribble a note to Harry. I just need closure on what happened between us and everything will be back to normal.

Can we talk at lunch?

I ball it up and toss it to his desk. It lands right next to his arm. He lifts his head to look at the paper, then at me. He doesn't break my gaze as he uses his arm to push the unopened note into the trashcan next to his desk.

"Get to work, Rose," He says flatly before looking back down to his own work.

Harry telling me to get to work?

How the tables have turned.

I begrudgingly look back at my manuscript. I read the same sentence three times before I actually comprehend what it says.

Twelve noon rolls around and I organize my desk before I have to go to the break room for lunch. Harry doesn't move from his desk.

"Rosie!"

I turn in my seat and break into a smile at the sight of Aaron. He stands by the reception desk, grinning.

I shoot up from my desk, walking over and throwing my arms around his neck. I breathe in the familiar scent of his cologne and sigh.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as we pull away.

"I wanted to make up for how I haven't exactly been here for you," He says.

Yeah, no shit.

I nod slowly.

"So I brought you lunch." He holds up a brown bag with the words "Einstein's Bagels" on it.

"Einstein's has the best bagels in Portland," Aaron says proudly.

I smile and kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you," I say. "This was really thoughtful of you."

He shrugs. "You deserve it, Rosie."

As I lead Aaron to the break room, all my prior anger seems to wash away. He does care about me, of course he does. Why did I ever think otherwise? He's so caring and thoughtful, his job is just very demanding.

We sit down at a table, and I feel a pang of guilt in my chest as I remember how Harry and I kissed. Without a doubt, Aaron would dump me if he ever found out.

Oh, well. What Aaron doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

Aaron opens the brown bag and brings out two bagels, one for each of us. We start eating, making small talk.

"Didn't I tell you they were the best?" Aaron asks, a boastful smile on his face.

I just nod and smile, continuing to eat. We make small conversation through the meal. I tell him about the manuscript I'm editing, and he tells me about his internship. No matter how hard I try, I can't get Harry's mocking words out of my mind as Aaron goes on and on about the possible warning signs of cardiac arrest.

My coworkers file in and out of the break room around us, and I keep a watchful eye out for Harry. The last thing I need is for Harry telling Aaron about the kiss.

It's not like I kissed him first. He kissed me.

I hear someone enter the room and my eyes fly to the door. My pulse quickens when the familiar fiery jade gaze lands on mine.

Harry saunters over to the fridge, casually opening it. Aaron seems to recognize Harry and my heart drops to the pit of my stomach when he says, "Hey, Harry, right?"

Harry looks at Aaron from over the fridge door. He straightens his posture and grabs a Diet Coke from the fridge before shutting it slowly. "Yeah," He says. "That's right."

I swallow.

"Nice to see you, man," Aaron says.

"You, too," Harry replies coolly.

"Want to join us?"

I refrain from smacking Aaron across the face.

I look at Harry.

Please say no. Please say no. Please say n-

"Sure," Harry says, a smile spreading across his face as he slides into the seat across from me. I mentally snap Aaron's neck.

Harry opens his Diet Coke can, taking a long sip. I chew on my lip worriedly as Aaron finishes eating his bagel.

"So how's the internship going?"

"Pretty good," Aaron replies.

"Well," Harry says.

"Pardon?"

"It's going pretty well."

I almost laugh, but manage to keep the smile off my face. Harry correcting Aaron's grammar?

"I stand corrected," Aaron laughs.

Harry just smirks wider and I stare at the table. Grinding my internal organs in a blender would be more comfortable than this conversation.

"So what have you two been up to?" Aaron asks.

I freeze snapping my gaze up. Harry swallows carefully.

"W-what?" I ask.

"Around the office," Aaron says. "How's work going?"

I sigh in relief and Harry leans back in his seat. That was too close.

"Very well," I say and Harry nods.

"Cool, cool," Aaron says, nodding. He looks at Harry. "You're an accountant, right?

Harry nods. "That I am."

"So you're like, a math nerd?"

I face palm.

"A math nerd," Harry repeats slowly.

"Yeah, you know. Like on TV."

The more Aaron talks, the more stupid he sounds. I've never felt so embarrassed for someone else in my life.

"I don't think I am a 'math nerd' like on TV," Harry says.

Aaron laughs. "I'm just teasing, bro."

Harry licks his lips."Of course." He crosses his arms over his chest. "On that subject of teasing," He says. "How's that internship going? You know, the one that you don't get paid for?" Harry smirks. "It's pretty good, I hear?"

I glare at Harry, begging him to stop talking. This is the worst possible scenario.

"Look, bro, I didn't mean to offend you or anything," Aaron says, laughing shakily.

"I'm not offended," Harry says, shrugging. "I'm just teasing...bro." A mean grin spreads across Harry's lips.

I can't take it anymore. I stand from my seat, glaring at Harry.

"Lunch break's over soon," I say to Aaron. "I'll walk you to your car." I shoot a venomous gaze at Harry, but he only smiles wider.

Aaron nods and throws away our trash before following me out of the break room. I'm so angry at Harry. I can barely keep my calm.

Aaron and I take the elevator down to the lobby and walk out into the parking lot. The cool autumn air doesn't seem to soothe my temper, however.

"I'm sorry that Harry is such a douche," I say as we stop at Aaron's car.

Aaron shrugs. "He was just kidding, I get it."

No, he wasn't.

I smile. "Thanks for bringing me lunch," I say as he steps toward me and kisses my cheek.

"No problem. It's good to see you, Rosie."

"When can I see you again?"

Aaron avoids my gaze. "Uh...probably not until the weekend. Work is swamped."

I nod. "Oh."

"Yeah...sorry, Rose."

"Don't worry about it." I kiss him on the lips softly before he gets into his car. My mind automatically compares the small kiss to my kiss with Harry, and I quickly shake my head to clear the outrageous thought.

Aaron slips on sunglasses and pulls out of the lot. I wave goodbye before turning and walking back into the building.

My previous anger with Harry builds back up as I walk into the office. I find him still in the break room, playing on his phone. His opened Diet Coke sits in front of him. He looks up when I walk in.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" I snap at him.

He raises his eyebrows at my outburst, locking his phone. "Pardon?"

"How could you say that to Aaron? What did he ever do to you?"

A taunting grin replaces the shock on Harry's face.

"Stop smiling like that!" I yell at him. Thank God no one else is in the break room to witness this.

"Will you calm down, Rosalie," Harry says, standing. He rises to his full height before me.

"No, I will not calm down. You purposefully made fun of Aaron right in front of him?"

"So?"

I search for words. I open my mouth, then clamp it shut. "You're a real jerk, Harry," I finally sneer before turning and storming out of the break room.

"Ooh, you got me there, Rose. You've never called me a jerk before. Was expecting something more creative."

It takes me a good twenty five minutes to calm down. I sit at my desk, staring at my manuscript mulling over my pure hated for Harry.

Four o'clock rolls around and I drive home without a word to anyone. I feel Harry's eyes on me from the sidewalk as I start my car and drive away from Crystal.

I fumble for my keys when I get home and stick it in the lock of my apartment door, twisting it. I furrow my brow when I find the door is unlocked. That's odd. I could have sworn I locked it this morning.

When I push open the door to my apartment, I scream.

---
Hiii, sorry for the long wait. Can you guys please go check out seasidestyles book called 'Neptune' ITS SUCH AN AMAZAYN BOOK I SWEAR. <333