A Love, a Lie and a False Identity (Louis Tomlinson)

Charlie

Chapter 14

Charlie

I clung to the dream, the feel of his lips on mine, just for those few seconds. It had to be a dream; it was too perfect to be anything else. The slight sway as he held me in his arms, the manly smell that surrounded him. The strong arms that held me against the cold whilst his coat was wrapped round my shoulders. It had been something out of a fairy tale, only instead of being a Prince he had been a worldwide famous singer. If I were to die right now, it would be as a very happy person…because Louis Tomlinson kissed me last night.

Even the thought echoing around my head sounded absurd. Things like that didn’t happen to girls like me. They happened…well, they happened to girls like Veronica. That thought hit me like a bucket of icy water. He didn’t like me, Charlie Holloway, and he certainly didn’t think he kissed her last night. He had kissed Veronica, or my portrayal of her. But he had done it after I had told him something about me, Charlie. Aside from the voice, I had been myself last night, I couldn’t help it when I was around him, it just came naturally.

          “She’s awake- LAURA! Charlie’s awake!” I shot up in the huge double bed I was sleeping in to Katherine come barging into my room quickly followed by Laura, laughing as they both bounced on the bed excitedly.

          “So…tell all, tell all. What happened last night? How were all the dates?” Laura said, her blonde hair flying wildly all over the place as she stared at me expectantly.

          “Amazing,” I answered truthfully, and the girls scooted closer to listen. Over the next hour I filled them in about all the dates, only leaving out the kiss between Louis and me, until one of Veronica’s servants came in with breakfast, tea and toast on a silver tray, and we had to stop talking to devour the food. I hadn’t realised how hungry I was.

          “I am unbelievably jealous right now,” Katherine said through a mouthful of bread, making me laugh.

          “I still can’t believe it happened.” I really couldn’t.

          “Well, I hate to break up your little daydream, but you have to get up now. Ricardo is on his way apparently, and so is Grace. You, according to this note,” Laura held up the piece of paper which had just been handed to her by the maid, “you are going to a charity lunch today, and have to be looking your finest.”

          “Sounds riveting,” I said sarcastically, falling backwards so my head hit the unbelievably soft pillows behind me. “You’re coming as well, right?”

          “Every step of the way. Veronica seriously has some connections,” Katherine answered, falling down beside me so our hair tangled together. “She managed to get us into everything. I think this is the second to last thing you have to do, then this afternoon you have a photo shoot for some high and mighty magazine, the Tatler, I think-”

          “How do you guys know so much about this?” I asked, and she wriggled her eyebrows.

          “Whilst you spent the night frolicking with the One Direction boys, we were cooped up in this house, bored out of our minds-”

          “Katherine was snooping and found your itinerary,” Laura finished for her, crossing her arms and giving Katherine a bored look.

          “Ah, I see. Well, come on then, ladies. We best get up and get ready,” I said, swinging the covers off me and jumping out of bed. I was still in an amazing mood after my night last night, and nothing could bring me down, except the fact that I perhaps would never see Louis again, apart from on the television, and in magazines…but never in person. But that thought was to be saved for a later date, I didn’t want anything destroying how happy I was right now. I even managed to forget all the nerves that had been my constant companion since this whole thing had started, the fear of being caught.