“You have got to be shitting us,” Niall chuckled as he took another sip of his pint. “There is no way Giovanna Ramsey, one of the richest women in the UK asked for a lock of your hair.”
“I’m serious,” Louis chuckled. “Apparently she is a crazy fan of ours. Marty says she even has a pillowcase with each of our faces on it.”
“Marty?” Harry waggled his eyebrows. Louis shifted uneasily in his seat. He hadn’t meant to let out how comfortable he and Martzia were these days. He had been regaling them all with the story of meeting Gio for the very first time. He carefully left out the information about Cristiano and Martzia’s past instead focusing on Gio’s demands for his hair and autograph.
“Louis, have you been shacking up with the pretty PR head?” Zayn teased. Louis frowned. It wasn’t like that at all. After spending the last three days with Martzia he had finally gotten to know the woman she was hiding behind those walls. Or at least he hoped so.
“If I know my Lou she’s already fallen for him,” Harry said clapping his large hand over Louis’ shoulder.
“It’s not like that,” Louis sputtered upset at his friend’s assumption. “We are merely good friends. Marty and I aren’t a couple.”
“So she’s available?” Liam asked. “I must say she is quite beautiful. Hardworking too!”
“Stay away from Marty!” Louis practically shouted inside the small bar. His friends shot him curious looks and he buried his head in his hands.
“I think Lou has a crush,” Niall called out in a singsong voice.
“I do not,” Louis grumbled back. “She’s a friend.”
“A friend you want to fuck,” Harry teased. Louis reached out a hand and slapped him upside his head. “Ow! Lou! I was only teasing!”
“Well shut up,” Louis murmured. “I don’t want to hear it.” What he actually didn’t want to hear was that they were so close to the truth of the matter. Louis had become closer to Marty than ever before. And if he was honest with himself, a part of him wished they were more than just friends. But Marty was still hurting from before. He couldn’t just force his feelings on her. What if she didn’t feel the same? What if she thought he was still some loser? After all she was paid to make him look good. Maybe part of that involved her being sweet to him so he would complete all the tasks on her to do list. This was all getting too confusing.
“Oh. My. GOD!” a familiar female voice shouted out into the bar. “It’s freaking One Direction! Can you believe our luck?”
“Oh God,” Harry groaned. “Not another crazy fan. How the hell did they find us this time? Who tweeted a picture?” Louis giggled as Harry cast an accusing glare towards Liam and Niall who had often caused them to be found by fans after tweeting pictures of where they were.
“I swear to God, Hazza,” Liam pled. “I haven’t tweeted in hours. You can even check my phone!”
“Haz, our fans are better than the FBI,” Niall said as he guzzled down more of his pint. “I’m sure they found us all on their own.” Louis finally looked up at the two women approaching them and groaned. Seriously?
“I think this one might be my fault,” Louis groaned. “You all remember Marty.”
“And I am her beautiful vision of a friend Giovanna,” Gio said almost squealing as she stood in front of the boys.
“I knew there was a reason you suggested we go out to a bar,” Mar grumbled. “And now I know why you were so specific about which bar.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gio giggled with delight. She was like a kid in a candy store, but Martzia looked ready to run. Mar was now more than upset with her best friend. Gio had spent almost an hour convincing her that what they needed was to go out and have drinks as girlfriends. Just the two of them. At no point had she mentioned four British and one Irish lad joining them.
“Sorry for interrupting,” Martzia said gripping Gio’s shoulder tightly. “We don’t want to intrude.”
“Good,” Harry growled surprising Martzia a little with his icy cold stare. Louis shot Harry a look for his attitude. Yes, it was a band night out, but they could be gracious to Gio and Marty since they were here.
“Yes,” Gio agreed. “We don’t want to intrude, but since we’re already here we might as well join you.” Mar groaned as Gio plopped herself on a stool between Niall and Zayn. “Mar there’s a spot right by Louis for you!” Martzia briefly contemplated how much work it would take to kill her best friend before taking the stool that Louis pushed out.
“Ladies, we are trying to have a guy’s night if you don’t mind,” Harry grit out from between his teeth. Normally he loved the fans, but lately Harry had been desperate for some privacy and normalcy for even a few minutes.
“What wouldn’t make a guy’s night better than a few lovely ladies?” Gio retorted. Harry had always been her favorite, and she wasn’t ready to leave his presence just yet. Besides, she was Giovanna Ramsey. No one ever told her no. Well, Martzia did, but she never really listened. Mar thought she was too pushy for some completely unwarranted reason.
“We get plenty of screaming girls so no thanks,” Harry shot back.
“Harry she is Giovanna Ramsey,” Liam hissed into his ear. “Ramsey.”
“I don’t care if she’s the bloody Pope,” Harry growled in return.
“Please excuse him Giovanna—Ms. Ramsey,” Liam stuttered. “He’s just tired is all.”
“I totally understand,” she diplomatically replied. “Liam do you have any scans of your kidney on hand that you could autograph for me?” Liam’s eyes widened. Maybe wealthy really did make you crazy.
“Gio stop it,” Mar replied. “Now you’re just creeping them out with your crazy inner fangirl. We are really sorry for interrupting your private night. I’ll just take creeper here with me.” Martzia started to move off her stool when she felt a hand on her wrist.
“Please stay,” Louis softly pleaded as he stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb. Martzia did her best to ignore the zing of electricity that zapped through her. His blue eyes pulled her in, and she felt herself lowering back onto the stool. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“A glass of the house white wine would be nice,” Mar replied unable to tear her gaze from Louis as he signaled a server to come over.
“Awww!” Niall cooed. “It’s like watching one of those romantic comedies where they find each other across the room and lock gazes.”
“Ni, they are sitting next to each other,” Zayn chuckled. “And they met three days ago.”
“Stop ruining my moment here,” Niall snapped tossing a peanut at Zayn from the bowl on the table.
“How cute is this?” Gio squealed. She even clapped the tips of her fingers together in excitement. “It’s Ziall having a little tiff!”
“Oh God,” Harry groaned. “Don’t tell me that you are one of those girls who reads those bromance fan fictions.”
“Actually she writes them,” Mar giggled smirking at her outraged friend. “That’s payback for conning me into coming here!” She and Louis high-fived to their victory.
“Um,” a small voice stuttered. “Did you want to place an order sirs and misses?” They all looked at the girl with strawberry blonde hair who sported a nametag that said “Clara.” She shifted nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Did we invite you to this table?” Harry growled.
“Well I thought—the sir over there—I can just leave if you’d like,” she stammered out.
“Yes!” Harry growled. “Leave!”
“Haz calm your tits,” Niall warned. “Lou did wave her over.”
“I just want one bloody night to feel normal and instead I get shit waitresses who bug me and crazy fangirl heiresses!” he roared marching to the back of the bar.
“Harry wait!” Gio called racing after him. “I need one of your curls for my scrapbook!”
“Sorry about Harry,” Niall soothed the waitress. “He’s a little tense cause—cause—“
“Cause my best friend is insane and possibly stalking him,” Martzia offered. “Gio no scissors!” She clamored from her stool with Louis hot on her heels trying to save Harry from her insane best friend.
“It’s all right,” Clara replied shyly. “My fault. I’ll just—“
“CLARA!!” an angry voice bellowed. “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO NOW?!?” The small girl scrambled away without another word. Niall prayed she wouldn’t get into trouble for Harry’s attitude. The girl looked too weak to handle much more.
An hour later Louis and Martzia found themselves walking down the street in the direction of Martzia’s flat. As their evening had wrapped up Giovanna suddenly decided she couldn’t drive Mar home. Martzia’s argument that Gio owed her for helping her to meet the boys didn’t work either. Apparently Giovanna’s charm was responsible for her new autographs, guitar pick, photos, and a curl from Harry’s head. Harry didn’t know about that last item. Either way Gio insisted Louis walk Martzia home to make sure she was safe. It was the quietest walk either of them had ever been on. Both sighed inwardly with relief when her front door finally came into view.
“Um,” Mar stuttered. “Want to come in for a cup of tea?”
“I’d love to,” Louis smiled and her heart fluttered. “But I can’t.”
“Why not?” she frowned.
“I have this press event tomorrow morning. I kick around a ball and smile for the media.”
“I’m aware. So?”
“Well my PR person is kind of a hard ass. She insists I be there at seven in the morning, and it’s almost one in the morning.”
“She’s not a hardass. She’s a lovely girl. People just misjudge her is all.”
“I’m beginning to think you might be right.” Louis smiled at her as they moved closer together. Before they knew it their lips were a breath away from each other. The electricity crackled between them. Slowly Louis lowered his head matching his lips to Martzia’s. Their breaths comingled as their first kiss transitioned into the next kiss and a million more. They finally pulled apart minutes later only so they could catch their breaths.
“Louis, what are we doing?” Mar asked. Louis did his best not to grin like a dope over the fact that she called him “Louis” instead of “Tomlinson.”
“What do you mean?”
“This.” She pointed between them both. “This isn’t supposed to happen is it? We’re just meant to work together not—not—“
“Fall in love?” She blushed nodding. “I really do have to get going. I need my beauty sleep.” She giggled and his heart warmed at her unguarded laugh.
“So I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Yes, I understand we only have one more press day tomorrow.”
“Then I guess we won’t see each other after that.” Martzia did her best to hold in the sorrow she felt at that thought.
“It doesn’t have to end there.”
“What do you mean?”
“The end of this week doesn’t have to be goodbye.” He reached around his neck and unclasped a gold chain pulling a small charm out from under his shirt. “I want you to have this.”
“What is it?” she asked as he hooked the chain around her neck. She looked down at the golden number twenty eight that now rested against her chest.
“My mum got it for me when I was first signed to the Rovers.” Louis smiled. “It’s my squad number.”
“But people will think we are together.”
“Good. Because I want to be.” She looked up at him in shock. It was as if he had read her mind in the short moment. “Next Sunday we have a small, private performance. Kind of like a mini concert. Please come.”
“That would be wasted on me. You should invite Giovanna. She would love it.”
“I’m sure she would, but I want my girlfriend there.” He kissed her softly once again. “Please?”
“Okay,” she smiled as he stepped back from the porch with a gentle wave. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“It’s a date then.” She nodded watching him walk off unable to suppress a giggle when he punched the air in victory.
It was a date she couldn’t wait to show up for.