Brave Bold Belle (ft. Liam Payne)

Chapter 11 - Ariel Hamilton

    It’s Saturday and as I don’t have to go to school, Dad asks me to come with him to the label to meet the artist he is working with: Ariel Hamilton. I’ve only heard her demo and I’m actually excited to meet such a talented kid. I also have to see how shy she is and advise my father as how to proceed with a girl like her. I have a feeling it’s not as terrible as Dad says, it’s just that he is overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to react, but once he has a clue things will go smoothly. If she is in this industry she can’t be that shy.

So now I find myself walking next to Dad down the corridors of Syco towards the meeting room in which the girl should be waiting with her manager. That’s what Dad said, that we would have a meeting first to get to know each other and then, if I wanted, I could go to the studio with them. Apparently, the girl has written loads of songs already so they only have to work on them, polish them before actually recording. It’s a good thing she’s a songwriter, not just a singer.

Dad opens the doors for me once we arrive and I walk in first to find three people, not two as I expected. First I see a girl, probably eighteen, with bright red hair that can’t be natural, blue eyes and bright rosy cheeks that tell me she’s embarrassed. Ariel, I tell myself. At her right there’s a woman, probably thirty something, in a very business-like outfit, glasses that only make her look more professional and a tight low bun. At Ariel’s left there’s a guy that looks fairly familiar, with brown wavy hair that is tamed with a kind of scarf slash bandana. He is very close to Ariel and smiles at her brightly until they notice we have arrived, then he turns to face Dad and I with a wide smile that shows his dimples.

Where have I seen him before?

“Louis, you make it right in time,” the woman speaks with a polite smile. “This is your daughter, right?”

“Yes, Patricia, this is my daughter Isabelle,” Dad introduces me.

The woman, Patricia, stands up and approaches me to give me a handshake. “Your father can only say good things about you,” she says with a warmer smile this time. “I’m Patricia, Ariel’s manager. This girl here is Ariel,” she points to the other girl in this room, the one I assumed was Ariel.

Ariel stands up and with her cheeks burning bright red, she smiles at me and offers me her hand. “N-nice to meet you,” she says in a shaky voice after taking a deep breath.

“Nice to meet you, too, Ariel, I’m Belle. I’ve heard your demo and I think it’s amazing. You have a beautiful voice,” I compliment and her smile widens as I let go of her shaky hand. She has very beautiful and dark blue eyes, almost blue navy, but these shine with innocence and hope. She gives me this vibe of pure girl.

I look at the boy, still trying to figure out where I have seen him before.

“Hello,” he says standing up. “I’m Harry, I’m in the same band as Liam,” he introduces himself and my eyes widen, finally putting the pieces together. That’s why he seemed familiar, I’ve seen him in pictures with Liam and in the cover of the album. And in the posters in the halls of the label. “You’re his girlfriend, right?” he asks shaking my hand.

“Yeah,” I answer not very thrilled and Harry laughs.

“Yeah, I understand you,” he adds although I haven’t said anything but I think he really understands. I don’t know if he knows that all this boyfriend-girlfriend thing is nothing but a scheme, but I rather not say. “I’m Ariel’s boyfriend,” he adds next which explains why he is here. Good, I didn’t feel it was polite to ask him why he was also here.

“I-I asked him to be here,” Ariel points out. “It’s… it’s easier when he’s here.” Harry looks at her with a loving smile and I have the impression they forgot I’m also here. I feel something inside me when I see them looking at each other that way, so devoted to each other.