A Dreamers Dream

It's as simple and as complicated as that. Sydney, Australia.

"Seriously are all you men complete idiots?" Sammy asks, raising her eyebrows at me. I really don't get the hostility so I opt for silence in the hope that it'll coax her to explain herself further, and thankfully it does.

"She's not avoiding you because you didn't bother to text her back, Harry. Why don't you try cracking open a newspaper? Or better yet, just open up a news app on your phone." She snaps again, looking utterly exhausted, whether, by me or just my sex in general, I'm not sure.

"Huh? Why should I read a newspaper? What Happened?" I ask dumbly, completely confused by her suggestion.

"I need to get on. You figure it out." Sammy says, and with that, she picks up the section of railing that she had leant against the stage whilst talking to me, or more accurately, whilst telling me off, and walks away. Her ponytail swishing from side to side behind her.

Taking my phone from my pocket, I quickly open a news app and skim the headlines, but nothing immediately jumps out at me. I'll try one of the tabloids, you can practically guarantee that if there's trouble, they'll be the ones behind it.

MORE THAN PALS? Harry Styles, 24 and Delta Goodrem, 33, 'Spotted leaving dinner date in Sydney' Proclaims the headline of The Sun newspaper.

Fuck.

I skim through the article quickly, of course, there's no mention of the fact that Jeff was there with us, they always seem to conveniently leave out little details like that, ones that might spoil their damn headlines. Great. So not only was I a dick for not texting Maddie back last night but as far as she's aware, I then pissed off out on a date with another woman. Wonderful.

The minute soundcheck is over I hurry backstage hoping to find Maddie, but there's no sign of her anywhere. I run into Paul eventually, who tells me that most of the crew have left already and headed back to the hotel. Of course, they have. Seems that everything is determined to go wrong for me today. Agitated I make my way out to the car park and spot Stuart leaning casually against the side of one of the rental cars we have for this leg of the tour, smoking a cigarette.

"Hey Stuart, any chance of a ride back to the hotel?" I ask him, trying my best to sound casual. I know that Jeff will have a car coming to pick me up shortly, but I can't wait that long.

"H, Sure, of course." He says, hurrying to dispose of his cigarette and straightening up quickly as I approach him.

"Thanks," I mumble as I hop into the back seat of the range rover, grateful for the tinted windows. There are a fair few fans camped out around the front of the arena already waiting eagerly for tomorrow nights show, and, as much as I love them, I'm not really in the mood to pose for photos right now.

Walking down the hallway towards Maddie's room, I can hear the faint sounds of rock music, which gets louder with every step I take. I strain my ears to try and figure out what song is playing, nope not rock. Metal. Not really a genre I'm that familiar with. Finally, as I reach the door, the lyrics become clearer, I can hear Maddie singing along with the track and I finally recognise it.

"It seems you're having some trouble, in dealing with these changes, living with these changes. The world is a scary place, now that you've woken up the demon in me.
Get up, come on, get down with the sickness, get up come on get down with the sickness, get up come on, get down with the sickness.
Open up your hate and let it flow into me."

Isn't that just what every guy wants to hear a woman singing as he goes to apologise to her? I think to myself unhappily and run my fingers through my hair. I have a feeling this isn't going to go so well.

Just as I am debating leaving Maddie to work out some of her anger with the help of Disturbed, the band who's song she is clearly very much enjoying right now, and heading back to my suite, the door to her hotel room swings open and Sammy appears.