One

5 years ago…

I slumped into the hard plastic chair next to Eva, pulling my navy sweater off, the warm air emitting from the windows clinging to the skin of my arms. It was a sunny spring Monday morning. The 19th of April to be exact. Another school day which couldn't end fast enough.

The sound of talking and laughter flowed through my ear canals, silencing my brain for a second. To my right I felt eyes watching me, I turned to Eva. Her face glowing, the grin etched upon it directed towards me and I knew what she was about to do next.

"Happy birthday Jen" She squealed, harshly pulling me in for a hug. Her crystal blue eyes wide with excitement.

"Thanks" I forced, wrapping my arms around her. Eva loved birthdays where as I did not, I didn't see the point in them. They just marked another year that had passed. My birthday definitely wasn't anything special anyway. I was frustrated with Eva in a way for making such a big deal out of it. I know that it wasn't her intention to make me feel this way but I didn't want any fuss. Being the centre of attention was something I despised. However I didn't let on that I was annoyed.

She let go off me, the grin not departing from her face.

"Can you believe it in just one year's time you'll be 16" She said, still grinning.

"I know" I smiled back. Eva would be like this all day and I had become accustomed to dealing with it. She really did mean well but the temptation inside myself was killing me. I just wanted to tell her to shut-up.

The door creaked open and the room fell silent as everyone's attention advanced to our Form Tutor. She stalked into the classroom her dull brunette mane, wild and switched on her old computer without even looking at the class. She really didn't like us. She sat down and flung her bag onto the desk before rooting around inside of it. The glasses perched on the end of her nose slid off and clumsily clattered onto the desk. A few students giggled earning a glare.

"I have your work experience placements so I'll hand them out in a bit" Mrs Devon informed us, her shrill voice bored and fake. She placed a pile of letters beside her and turned back to the whirring computer.

I inwardly groaned. I wasn't looking forward to work experience. I knew that my chances of getting my placement were thin. I had applied for ELLE Magazine in Manchester after being encouraged to do so by Eva. My day was going to get worse I could see it.

I closed my eyes for a second and wished that ELLE magazine was written on that piece of paper. At this moment in time there was nothing I wanted more. I knew that I wouldn't have got it. I knew from the moment I handed in my application form. I was way out of my league.

I abruptly opened my eyes at the sound of paper sliding across the desk. In front of me a brown envelope addressed to me sat staring at me. I gawked at it, not sure whether to open it or not. I didn't want to. I didn't want to know. Thinking about it, I wanted to throw it away and never have to see it again.

"Open it then" Eva urged, excitement filling her voice again. Apprehensively collecting the envelope, I slowly turned it around in my palms. I prepared myself for the wave of disappointment that was about to hit me as I ripped it open.

Unexpectedly a rush of excitement surged through my body as I read the letter. Eva was silent beside me waiting for my response. The smile licked upon my face, genuine this time. I shoved the letter to Eva for her to read and she squealed pulling me into another hug. Her blonde styled waves brushing against my cheek; her lightly scented perfume filling my nostrils.

I had been accepted.

Harry Styles POV

I thrusted the letter into my bag, huffing as I left the classroom. The corridor was flooded with our year. I scanned the crowd looking for Matt. Leant by the lockers Matt was reading over a piece of paper, I guessed it was his placement letter. Pulling the strap of my black bag back over my shoulder, I elbowed my way through the crowd towards him. He looked pleased. That would make one of us then.

"Alright mate" He greeted looking up from the piece of paper and putting into his pocket.

"Could be fucking better" I groaned as we turned to leave the building. The corridor was loud and my mood wasn't accepting the change from classroom murmur to squawking and high pitched laughter from people around me.

I sighed under my breath as more people barged past us trying to also leave the building. Grumbling a few curses, we finally got outside, instantly regretting putting my jumper back on as my skin soaked up the warm rays. I rolled the sleeves up around my elbows and turned back to Matt who had asked me question.

"Huh?" I squinted at Matt, the sun in my eyes, clouding my vision. We walked across the playground smaller children darting out of our way. A few other students walking in front of us talking of their antics over the weekend.

"What did you get? You know for your work placement"

"Oh right Holtwood House" I replied, unimpressed. I hadn't even applied for it and I had been placed there. Annoyed was an understatement especially when everyone around me got exactly what they wanted. Work experience seemed like a something fun and rewarding to do and now it feels like a burden. Really wasn't looking forward to going.

"The kids care home right?"

"Yeah" I sighed. I had nothing against children at all but it just wasn't something that I wanted to spend two weeks doing. "What did you get?"

"The garage that I applied for, just down my road" He smiled, happy over his placement. I envied him; I applied for an engineering placement. It baffled me how they got from engineering to children. "And I get a lie in, bonus!" He added.

We entered into our first lesson and scurried to the back of the classrooms flinging ourselves into our usual seats. The teacher hadn't arrived yet usually this made me rejoice but the chatter today was subjected to work experience the one thing that I just wanted to forget about. Matt was engrossed in a conversation with a blonde blue eyed girl that was sat on his left, they were discussing their placements. She was going to a hairdressers and Matt was heavily over talking his engineering placement. I switched away from the conversation, getting profoundly annoyed by the second.

I was just going to have to grin and bear it.

Hi hoped you liked the first chapter. Let me know your thoughts :) Also in the prologue I mentioned about not being the naïve fragile 14 year old anymore well I've recently changed it to 13. Just thought I'd tell you to avoid confusion. Please please review, it would really mean a lot. Much love xoxo