I slept through my alarm this morning. Something I often do after a late one the previous night. The four white walls as plain as ever remind me of how dull my life is. I did tell that Harry guy last night my life was plain. Which reminds me, he never actually gave me his number.

He didn't have the chance because I stormed out before he could even move a muscle. God I am such a drama queen. I probably can't blame that trait on the alcohol I consumed, although I did have a lot last night and that makes me even crazier than what I am naturally. 

My simple, repetitive life is so structured. My days consist of early mornings, work, coffee break, work, pizza or fast food for dinner, home, shower, ben n jerrys, soapy tv shows, sleep, repeat. On weekends that occasionally changes as my friends persuade me to leave my apartment. However, these parties are often filled with drunk people who want to go all the way (if you know what I mean), however I can never.

It's a long, pathetic story. I just can't bring my guards down anymore.

I think that my life is dull now, imagine how awful it will be jobless. That is what will happen if I don't get my butt up out of bed right this instance. I huff, deciding to get up and get ready for my job.

I pull up my white blinds and stare out my window, looking at the gorgeous sunrise that I never get sick of. Beneath the horizon is the grass fields where there are weekly football matches. The streets that surround are busy as usual which reminds me that I better get a wriggle on or else I will be late.

I run into the bathroom and turn the shower on. Adjusting the faucet so that the water comes out thick and powerful just how I like it, I remove my pink silk pyjamas and kick them aside as I step into the shower. I set the temperature to full heat like I always do and let the steamy water trickle down my naked body, calming me before the long day ahead of me.

*

(Picture of Ella and Taylah in sidebar)

I get dressed into my tight black skirt, tan stockings and white business top with Hawk Publishing engraved just under the collar before putting on my camel coloured coat, scarf and gloves to prevent the bitter New York air from turning my skin to ice. It's mid autumn now and already the cold front is coming in.

With the throbbing migraine in the back of my head I am instantly regretting the amount of alcohol I engulfed last night. Letting Perrie convince me into going to a party the night before work was a bad idea. I may still even be over the limit to drive. That is a risk I am willing to take. I can't be late.

"We're just making an appearance" she said. "We will have one drink and stay for an hour tops" she said. Zayn was just nodding his head and going along with whatever she was saying. I should've realised then and there that it would be a repeat of last weekend. It was indeed.

I take some ibuprofen for the growing ache in my head, hoping it'll kick in soon. Throwing on a bit of foundation along with some mascara and nude lipstick to look presentable, I grab my black pumps, throw them on my feet, take my handbag that is still packed from last night off of the table and walk out my apartment door, locking it behind me.

*

"Good morning Ella." My assistant, Taylah greets me with my usual coffee at the door of my office. Taylah is also a close friend of mine. I mean, the word assistant says it all, we clearly see a lot of one another.

I look around my office as I enter. It's the same setup, all black and all white. The same view of other glass buildings full of employees for businesses just as important as ours is outside the glazed window and my desk is in its usual spot in the centre of the room against the left hand wall.

"Hey T, how are you?" I ask, smiling at her and mouthing a thank you as she hands me my coffee. This is greatly needed.

"I have had my better days, yourself?"

I place my handbag under my desk and remove my coat, placing it behind my chair. "I'm well, minus the pounding in the back of my head. I'm hoping the meds I took will kick in soon." I snicker at my attempt of being funny to ease the tension in the room and Taylah joins me. Something is up with her, I am guessing it's the usual boyfriend trouble. I take my seat at my large desk looking out the window of the lovely New York City views that never seizes to amaze me. This view is even better than the one from my bedroom window. Probably due to the fact that this is a multi-million dollar building that I work in.

"Here are your articles you have to read through for today Ella. Mr Hawk would like your top three on his desk by two thirty." She sends me an apologising glance as she places the thick stack of papers on my desk. "Give me a call if you need anything." She chirps before plastering the usual grin on her face before strolling out of the room.

Her wavy blonde hair and dark blue eyes match her tall slim figure perfectly. She's nineteen, the same age I was when I started here three years ago. She comes from a wealthy family so you could say she has a good future ahead for herself. She's been my assistant for eight months now and she's kind of like the little sister I never had. We do have a professional business relationship as I have to teach her stuff as well as her being my assistant, but outside of business hours we hang out, talk about what we did on the weekends and I give her a lot of advice, some that I wish I took myself. I guess I just don't want anyone making the same mistakes as I did.

Getting my head into work mode I sigh, grabbing out my glasses and begin to read the first article titled forbidden treasure. This sounds interesting, now let's begin my one of thirty articles.

*

Twelve thirty kicks by quite fast and it's already time for my lunch break. I've read nineteen articles so far and none of them have yet appealed to me. One of the three articles I choose will go into the top selling magazines and the young writer will earn a great payout. In my whole career I've only ever been chosen to publish two of my articles. I never really have any experiences to write about therefore they don't get chosen. But those two times I did get chosen, the money pretty much brought me my apartment that I live in today.

I may be a tough critic with these articles, but it's got me a good impression from my boss Tony Hawk and my high position in Hawk Publishing today. My job is the number one priority in my life and i spend 97% of my time working. I'm not obsessed with working, just dedicated. I want a good future for myself, that's all.

"I hope we're well Miss Jackson." Tony nods his head at me as I pass him by the lift on my level.

"I'm very well thank you sir, yourself?" I ask in my poshest tone possible.

"I am marvellous and I hope those pieces that are to be on my desk by two thirty are too." He smiles at me before sipping his coffee and exiting into another room. I can smell his strong cologne as he walks past me. You can literally smell his wealth as he walks past you. That man would earn in a week what a normal person would earn in a lifetime.

I put my coat on and it hugs my body perfectly, keeping me warm as it does so. The breeze picks up as I step outside into the chilly air and it blows my hair in every direction possible.

Coffee. I need another coffee to keep me warm and sane for the next couple of hours. I walk about a kilometre down the road to my usual cafe and see the line almost out the door. Okay, well perhaps I can try that new cafe up the street then.

Zayn and Taylah go there a lot and say their expresso's taste like heaven.

I swear my lips are blue by the time I walk into the cafe. The twelve minute walk to be precise was pretty cold and I would be lying if I didn't say I was relieved to be in this warm cafe right now.

"Hi, what can I get for you today?" A woman in her thirties with jet black hair and bright red lipstick asks me as I step towards the counter. There was a five minute wait in the line which was nothing compared to what I would of had to wait at my usual cafe. 

"Can I please get a medium expresso to go please." I give her a friendly smile as she presses buttons on her computer screen.

"Any preferred milk ma'am?"

"No, normal milk is fine." I don't need to watch my diet, it's not like I need to impress anyone lol.

"Sure, anything else?" She asks, pressing more buttons.

"No, that's all thank you."

"Okay, so that'll be $4.90" she says and I hand her the exact money. She tells me to choose a table and a staff member will bring me my coffee, then I'm good to go. Once I thank her I choose a seat in the far corner of the cafe. I take a seat and scan my eyes around the cafe, taking in its surroundings as well as the people inside.

I set my eyes on a cute elderly couple that remind me of my grandparents before they passed. My grandparents pretty much raised me due to my mother passing when I was barely walking and my father turning into an addict over the loss of my mother and in no condition to raise a child. They looked after me until they died in a car accident when I was eleven. After that I lived between houses of extended family and foster homes. When I was eighteen I had to stand on my two feet but I was too young and lost in the wrong crowds. When I was eighteen I made the biggest mistake of my life. I met him and he ruined me.

"Your coffee, ma'am." A young teenage girl interrupts my thoughts and hands me my to go cup. "Thank you." I respond to her as she nods her head and walks back behind the counter.

I continue to stare at the couple a little more before moving my eyes to a mother and daughter. The little girl is so happy, sitting there eating her pink iced cupcake whilst her mother looks down at her little girl proudly. The things I would do to have a mother that cared about me, even a mother at all that was there for me. Hell I would even be happy for someone to tell me they're proud of me. Proud is a word that no one has ever said to me.

"It's rude to stare." Another voice interrupts my voice. It sounds rather familiar, but British? I shake my head back into reality, looking away from the mother and daughter.

Right in front of me stands a tall lanky figure in black skinny jeans that look two sizes two small. As my eyes look up a little further I see a white top fitted on a masculine chest. Above the shirt is a mop full of chocolate curls and a cheesy smirk that is all too familiar. The last thing my eyes land on is bright green eyes that I definitely have seen before.

"Now if you would quit checking me out, I have a question to ask you." His smirk grows. "May I?" He shifts his gaze to the vacant chair across from me. Before I can even answer he is seated across from me and takes my to go cup in his hands.

I can't even react, I'm still trying to take all of this in. What is Harry doing seated in front of me with my coffee cup in his hands? And he's British?! How the hell did I not pick that up last accent night? I was probably too drunk or too attracted to his appearance to figure that out. Way, way too drunk because how does one not pick up an accent?

Harry brings my cup to his lips and takes a sip of my coffee. "Ew, yuck what is that shit you drink?" He spits the steaming liquid out onto the table infront of us and wipes his mouth with his hand, pulling a disgusted face to show the world how much he hates the taste of my coffee.

"Coffee." I smile sarcastically. "Coffee that you owe me a new one of and whilst you're at it, go get some napkins and clean up the mess you spat out."

"Excuse me Miss Jackson, but I don't like being told what to do." He furrows his eyebrows together, leaning forward, closer to me and resting his elbows on the table.

"Well Mr Styles, you are being told what to do because you owe me a coffee and I have to get back to work in roughly..." I check the time on my gold watch that is always attached to my wrist. "Two minutes."

"Someone's a little more chatty than they were last night." He smirks, dimples forming on both of his flawless cheeks. "And, since the service here is terrible, you only have two minutes and it takes at least five minutes to brew that poison you call coffee, I'll let you get back to work and I'll pick you up at five o clock tonight to take you to get a real sip to drink." He smirks at me, daring to move closer.

"Are you asking me out, Mr Styles?" I raise an eyebrow at him and plaster a small smirk on my face just like his.

"Am I? No, I don't ask people out. I'm just going to repay your drink that you said I owe you." He turns around and looks up at the chalk boards in the cafe with the menus and prices. "I owe you $4.90 and I'll pay that back to you by taking you to a special place tonight."

"It seems to me like you're asking me out. Like, I don't even have your number yet. But quick, I'll give you the chance to give it to me this time before I run out on you. I am sorry about that, I clearly wasn't in the right state of mind."

"Well now it sounds to me like you are interested in me taking you out." He leans back and crosses his hands over his chest, eyeing me like I'm prey and he's my predator. Well he certainly isn't shy of himself.

"You just lost your ten seconds before I decided to leave once again. This time it is for an important reason and seeing that I'm highly never going to see you again, I'll call this meeting a coincidence. Have a nice life Harry." I get up out of my chair, grabbing my purse and taking my coffee cup that Harry drank out of before walking towards the exit.

"Wait." Harry calls just like last night. This time I choose to turn around because I know he will chase after me. "You didn't say you'll come out with me or not?"

"When I said have a nice life, you should've understood that I clearly meant no."

"Are you sure Elouise?" I shoot him a deathly glare as he uses my full name. "That's your name isn't it? Ella is short for Elouise?"

Eleanor, Elizabeth, there are plenty of other names that Ella is short for. It is scary how he just so happened to know that it was short for Elouise. I despise that name. "If you're trying to make me hate you, keep talking." I huff, continuing to walk out the door. He stands up and takes long strides towards me and grabs onto my arm, turning me around to face him. He pushes me up against the wall behind me and leans his body into mine, giving me no option of escaping anytime soon.

"Does this." He points to himself and I. "Does this remind you of anything? Being this close to me, up against a wall..."

Memories from last night that were unclear this morning are as clear as day now. I remember everything between Harry and I. 

"I'm late for work." I catch Harry off guard just like last night and manage to push him away from me. It's awfully hard to walk away from someone so charming. But today's run in with Harry was a coincidence, not fate. I'll never see him again after this and it's awful because somewhere deep down inside of me I hope that's not true and I hope that I will somehow see him again. "Focus Ella." I whisper to myself. I cut one of the backstreet corners to make sure Harry definitely won't be able to follow me.

Glancing down at my watch, I am running late. It's a fifteen minute walk and I have seven minutes. Better run Ella.

*

"Running a bit off track are we Ella?" Zayn who is not only my best friend but also my co worker greets me at the entrance of our company doors.