Remember Me //[Sequel to Promise Me] Completed [✔️]

Signing

He sits beside me on the sofa in our basement.

"He hasn't offered." I shrug.

"Well, the lads and I have been talking. We don't think it'd be a good idea for you." He explains, hesitantly.

"Why not?"

"Contracts last years. Do you want to still be making this style of music for the next couple years?" He asks, genuinely.

"I don't know," I shrug. "I'm having a bit of fun with it right now. I don't know if it's my path though."

Romeo's definitely got the stage presence, the voice, knows how to get the crowd going. Sometimes, it feels like I'm just there to sing the melody or the bridge.

"Simon's label is a bit," Zayn pauses. "It can be a bit restrictive. Not a lot of freedom. We want to protect you from that. We support you in anything you want to do. We know how what Simon offers can look like an amazing opportunity - don't get me wrong, it is - but we don't want you to lose your years. You're even younger than we were when we first started. Don't grow up too quickly."

Zayn pats his hand against my knee.

He's being vague, but I understand his intentions.

In the last year, I've been more observant of what their career entails.

For instance, Niall practically has no other choice than to dye his hair blonde. Their expected to be clean cut, shaven young men. In some instances, they have to hide their tattoos. Harry isn't allowed to paint his nails or wear certain articles of clothing. Liam's personality is a bit watered down in interviews. He always appears less funny or easy going than he actually is. Zayn is constantly asked about his engagement with Perrie. It's rather redundant.

Sometimes, I'm afraid they're not really living their lives.

~~~

Next Saturday

"Incoming Call
Romeo"

"Ello?" I answer.

"T! I just got out of a meeting with Simon. He wants to sign me a record label!" Romeo exclaims through the speaker.

"What'd you say?"

"I said course, obviously! It's initially for one year, but then I can renew it afterwards. I'm chuffed to be working on solo content." He explains.

I'm not sure if I should mention Zayn's advice. He sounds so happy and I don't want to be the person who makes someone feel gutted about something they're chuffed about.

"You'll still write songs with me, yeah?" He interrupts my thoughts.

"Course!" I promise.

"I've got to go now, but see you soon in London for the holidays?" He tells me.

"See you then, Ro. Tell the lot I say hello."

"I will! Hugs and kisses! Bye Tegan!"

The line goes dead.

I suppose I've left you out on a bit of a secret. If we remember, from last year, Romeo and I shared a kiss after a concert.

When tour ended, we went our separate ways being friends. Then we went on tour again. As the lads would say, our bond is undeniable at this point. I don't know what you'd call it though. I don't want to act more mature than I am or be too serious.

It's like, sometimes we hold hands and I feel comfortable with him. I know he cares about me. I care about him. Neither of us talk about anyone else we're crushing on.

We spent the whole summer together and it was really simple. Like no one ever had to sit down and be like, "What is this?" We both just knew that we wanted to experience life with each other.

Niall accidentally posted a picture of us sleeping on each other in the tour bus, which has caused some speculation by the media.

Part of the fandom cheered to the mishap, praising Captain Niall and his ships. It's quiet amusing, but also damaging.

Louis and Harry have experienced the negative side, receiving a bit of pressure and overwhelming analyzation to everything they do.

Deciding to shake these thoughts away, I take a
peak inside the scrapbook a fan gave me.

When I open to the first page, it's a photograph of all the boys and I. There's a load of different coloured hearts drawn around it.

I smile, flipping the page.

The next page has the same exact photograph, but this time my face is crossed out in bright red marker.

I furrow my eyebrows together.

I flip the page again that has a pasted Tweet Niall made to me. On the one adjacent to it there's a loads of fan Tweets that analyze how Niall's Tweet wasn't written himself, but actually by management.

One Tweet reads:

"ffs when is Simon Cowbell
going to stop trying to press they want to be foster parents??"

Beneath, one person wrote:

"their relationship with Tegan is a
bigger load of bullshit than Haylor"

I begin flipping through the pages more quickly. It's filled with tampered photographs of the boys and I. Some of them are analyzed as being photoshopped.

I begin to realize this book is a proof book of me being a publicity stunt to increase the lad's levels of good press.

One fan wrote:

"Suspicious that Simon sent them to meet
her after they performed a bit tipsy.
Simon loves cruel & unusual punishment"

"oh, they've got her singing now. how original. who's Romeo anyway? picking up randos."

"I'd rather listen to a barn full of pregnant cats giving birth than listen to Tegan Swallows sing her new song."

"how annoying are you, on a scale from 1 to Tegan Swallows talking?"

"I just watched a muted performance of Tegan Swallows. Singing really brings out how she looks like a cricket."

I slam the book shut, dropping it from my hands immediately. Oddly, it feels like the pages burned my finger tips. I try to shake off the feeling, deciding to watch TV instead.

~~~