How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 24

"It can't wait."

Harry stiffened and nodded, "Okay."

We went into my bedroom and I crawled up on the bed. Harry joined me and sat cross-legged in the center. I didn't feel any pressure—I felt support. Harry watched my every move carefully. He was worried about my health and about my feelings.

With a shaky breath, I started. "At the club, Alessandra took me to talk with some work friends. Laura, one of the digital strategy managers I don't get along with, came up to us and started on with me. She said something that really upset me."

"What did she say?"

I bit my lip. The story was so complicated. I hoped Harry could have the patience to hear it all before having a reaction. "She said I was nothing more than a distraction for you."

Harry immediately shifted and his jaw tightened. "Where does she get off saying something like that?"

"Harry,"

"You know what? It doesn't even matter. I'm furious she would say that, but I'm sorry she upset you with those words."

"It's not what she said that bothered me Harry," I huffed. "It's what it caused. I had a memory come back."

"What?" Harry suddenly looked free from his anger.

"A few weeks before my incident, I was called into a meeting during the workday. When I got into the conference room, Laura, Terrence, and Henry were the only ones waiting for me. The meeting turned out to be an intervention of sorts."

Laura was one of my managers I saw daily, but the other two men were people I hardly saw. Henry, like Julia, was a tour manager. He oversaw every aspect of the band's existence including appearances, tours, concerts, hotels, sponsors, merchandising, studio time, and everything in between. He was truly responsible for the functioning of One Direction. Terrence was Henry's right hand man. He worked under Henry, but did a lot of his smaller jobs. Terrence also worked closely with the band.

"What did they want?" Harry seemed hesitant to ask.

I took a heavy breath to prevent more tears from falling. I wanted to be strong when I spoke to Harry. I felt like his life was too chaotic for an emotionally unstable girlfriend.

"It's okay," he encouraged.

"I spent two hours in the meeting as each explained why I was a distraction for you and how our relationship was negatively affecting you. Henry gave me detailed examples of ways I hurt you. He said you were having trouble sleeping on tour and you weren't eating properly. He said you were struggling to find your voice in the studio. He said you didn't seem yourself. Terrence said you were agitated all the time and defensive about your personal life since dating me. He said you weren't as publicly social which was hurting the publicity of the band. They went on and on."

"I—" Harry's eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes had focused on his hands.

"Laura named countless reasons why me having a job for the management company while dating you was problematic. She said it was sending the wrong message to girls who work for the management company. She told me I was taking advantage of my job to get close to you. She said I was intentionally making a spectacle of myself to get famous. She said I was—" my voice broke. My strength had dissipated and I was left fighting tears again. "She said I was taking advantage of you."

"Enough," he raised his hand. Harry's voice was firm, but wasn't demanding or offensive. "I now understand why you were so upset."

"That's not all," I whispered.