Cut!

Take 30 - Change Your Ticket - Part 2

A/N: Please comment as you read. Or just comment in general. It helps more than you think. 

It was hard to keep a straight face when I walked across the podium to the table where we had to sit. I felt like the floor would crack beneath me, or that I would trip and embarrass myself.

I hadn’t really given thought to how hard it would be to stand beside Harry and the others. They were loved all over the world while Ludmilla’s fan base mainly consisted of Americans. Before it had been so easy to simply hide away with Harry, but out here, I was on public display.

With my eyes firm on the table, I didn’t dare look out over the group of reporters. It could be my own paranoia talking, but I knew that we’d all see my breakfast again if I saw so much as one condescending look on a stranger right now.

I took my seat next to Harry at the end of the table. It helped that he was near, and I entwined my fingers with his beneath the table.

If he found it odd, he didn’t show it. Maybe I was lucky and he simply thought I was romantic.

Steven began talking, and he explained how he’d struggled to find a proper script writer to turn the bestselling novel into a screenplay. Of course, he’d settled on only the best of the best, and no one questioned his decision.

I vaguely remembered Ludmilla praising every decision Steven took. He might have a temper, but there were no doubts about his level of skills.

Mentally, I focused on my breathing, trying my best not to panic as the reporters fired questions away.

Had he encountered any setbacks during production?

Was he pleased with the shootings so far?

How much had changed from the original Novel?

Did he think the movie would be a blockbuster hit?

Were there any thoughts of a potential sequel?

I didn’t even hear half of his responses. I was too busy trying not to look directly at any of the reporters. It wasn’t until I heard Harry speak that I was shaken away from my miniature panic attack.

He laughed at something. “Yes, it’s been an extreme pleasure to work alongside Steven and Ludmilla.”

I almost cringed when he said my sister’s name. I knew it was my own fault, but somehow, it still felt like a stab to the heart.

“What about you, Ms. Hanson?” a reporter asked.

Confused, I snapped my head up, trying to remember what the question had been. Panicking, I looked to Harry, who smiled at me calmly.

With a nervous laugh, I gestured to Harry. “What he said. I agree.” I gave a shrug, hoping to seem sassy and smart, when in reality, I wanted to hide under the table.

“On that accord,” another reporter said. “We here at ZipIt-News are looking forward to the onscreen romance of Charlie and Luke, but we’re also very interested in the romance going on behind the scenes.” She grinned. “What’s going on between the two of you? Do we hear wedding bells in the distance?”

I looked at Harry, unsure what to say now. He’d been pretty adamant about revealing that I was his girlfriend today, but I hadn’t exactly kept up with the when and how. With all the lies still taking up space in my head, I found it hard to concentrate on anything else.

“Actually,” he said and lifted our hands in the air, showing that we were holding hands. “While I can’t hear the wedding bells, we’re definitely ready to make it official.”

His words were rewarded with an almost chaos. A sea of hands shot up, and the reporters almost leaped out of their seats. All in the hopes of getting the first scoop on our relationship.

As I stared out at them, I remembered watching a documentary about spotted hyenas. The sounds and their eager way of attracting attention to wear down their prey were almost identical to what I was seeing before me right now.

“Holy moly,” I muttered.

Steven tried to settle them down, but they didn’t bite. I caught a few of the questions.

Did I fear Harry’s fans?

Was I bothered by the hate and rumors online?

If the fans protested enough, would Harry break up with me?

At last, Harry got the reporters to quiet down. He smacked his palms flat on the table and rose from his chair.

“I’ll address some of your questions here,” he said. “Ludmilla and I are happy, yes. No, it wasn’t planned in any way. The hate doesn’t bother me because any fan of mine should be happy that I am happy. And no, I won’t end the relationship just because my fans protest. Now. Shall we talk about the concert?”

I smiled at him as he sat down again.

Liam, Niall, and Louis took care of the next round of questions. I knew I should be paying attention, but I was too occupied with Harry’s beautiful eyes and adorable dimples. He had taken care of me, just like he said he would.

I was Harry Styles’ girlfriend. Not just in my head, or in private, but he’d said it to a bunch of reporters.

There was no doubt in my mind that whenever the reporters left the room, they’d call around to make sure this made the headlines. I braced myself for the onslaught of rumors that were yet to come. This would give them fodder enough to keep it going for days—weeks even.

Steven addressed the crowd one final time, explaining that we had a fan signing to go to and that he hoped to see some of the reporters at the concert later.

We all rose from our chairs, and as the reporters kept shouting some last minute questions in the hopes of a reaction, I tried my best to ignore the flash from the cameras. My eyes were firmly fixated on Harry’s back, and I didn’t intend to change that.

Once in safety, Steven turned to us with a broad smile.

“We did it,” he said. “Now the rest will be a breeze.”

I smiled at him, hoping he was right.

 A/N: Give it a vote, maybe? Also, yes. I am indeed binge-writing. It's not the app messing up.