I woke up to a loud banging on the front door. I was surprisingly awake and got up straight away. When I opened it, there stood the one and only Simon Cowell. Ohhhh shit. I put on my best "I have no idea what you're here to talk about, I'm innocent." look but Simon's face stayed pretty serious.
"Hi, can I come in?" he asked and I nodded, letting him pass.
"Have a seat in the living room. Do you want a drink?" I asked nervously and he nodded.
"Please." he smiled. I nodded and when he turned around I darted back into the bedroom, grabbing a cushion and thumping Harry round the head with it.
"Simon's here!" I whispered and he looked up, his face full of tiredness.
"What?" he asked, his voice also full of sleep.
"Simon fucking Cowell is in our apartment and he looks serious, get your ass up." I whispered again, pushing his body out of bed. He nodded and quickly put a shirt on over his sweats.
"Morning, Simon." Harry smiled as he walked down the hall with me. I went into the kitchen and made us all some tea & coffee, trying my best to listen to what they were saying.
"I think you know why I'm here, Harry."
"Do I?"
"Yes, you do. And I think you know what's going to happen.. What the consequences will be."
Then there was silence. I quickly brought out the mugs of tea and coffee, setting them down on the table and waiting for Simon to speak.
"Boys.. I need to show you something." he said, pulling his laptop out of his briefcase. He tapped on the keyboard before turning it round so we could see.
"Larry Stylinson?" Harry read the words confused.
"It's all over twitter, Facebook, wattpad--" Simon was cut off by me.
"What's wattpad?"
"Oh.." he chuckled. "It's a writing site. People can share their stories and read others. I discovered that the Fan Fiction section is FILLED with these 'Larry Stylinson' things. They know. They must know, otherwise where would they get these ideas from?"
"Simon, they're just fans having a laugh." Harry flicked through a few of the pages, reading all of these stories about us.
"Well, that's not the end of it. The tabloids managed to convince a fan to sell a photo of you two yesterday. Hugging. And looking rather in love." he put another site on the screen, a photo of me and Harry loading. Oh Jesus. There I was. Red jeans, black sweater. Wrapping my arms around Harry as if my life depended on it.
"Oh uh.." I stuttered, running a hand through my hair.
"That was just a friendly hug. That doesn't suggest anything." Harry tried to argue. There was no point, I knew what Simon was about to do.
"This can't continue." Simon held his forehead in one hand. There it was. The sentence that would make me break down.
"You can't do this now! We've just sorted things out, you can't do this!" I blurted out, my hands shaking.
"I have to. You need to break up." he nodded. A single tear fell down my cheek, shortly followed by a stream of more. Harry's hand rested on my knee, calming me slightly.
"We're not breaking up." Harry shook his head.
"You have no choice!" Simon's voice grew stern.
"It certainly isn't your choice either. It's our relationship. Not yours." Harry stood up. "I think you should leave."
"Fine. But you need to make the right decision here." he nodded, walking to the door with Harry. I rested my head in my hands and listened.
"I'll talk to him about it."
"Good. I'll see you later Harry." Simon shut the door behind him. Oh god. He told Simon he'd talk to me about it? I knew it, I knew I would get hurt. Here we go.
"Louis," Harry started.
"Don't worry, I know what you're going to say." I wiped the last tear from my face. I stood up and silently walked to my room before locking to door and sitting on the bed. I guess all this pain and confusion was for nothing then. Great.
"Lou.." Harry knocked on the door.
"Yeah?" I tried to put a casual voice on but it didn't work.
"Come on, we need to talk about it. I have a plan."
I unlocked the door and he walked in, sitting on the bed next to me. "We don't have to break up. We just have to make them think we have."
"Even the other lads?" I asked worried.
"I think that would be best.." he sighed. He kissed my cheek tenderly and I threw my arms around him, holding him close.
"Why can't things just be simple?" I shook my head into his shoulder.
"When have things ever been simple for us, boobear?" Harry chuckled before standing up. He smiled at me before leaving the room. I thumped my back down onto the bed and signed. Well we're not breaking up, but now we're lying to everyone.
"Harry, wait.." I called him back and he re-entered the room. "Please tell me what happened with Kimberly.."
"I can't." he shook his head. "Sorry." I saw his face grow sadder before he left again. Why wouldn't he tell me, god damn it.
"Where is it?" he burst in a few moments later. "WHERE IS IT." he repeated, pointing to his room.
"Where's what?" I replied as I stared at his upset and angry face.
"The.." he paused, his voice getting quieter. "The razors." he almost whispered.
"I..." I was shocked by what he was asking me. He seriously wanted me to tell him where they were so he could probably cut himself? "I threw them away." I said nervously.
"Why the fuck did you do that?!" he shouted
"Because I can't stand the thought of you doing that to yourself!" I shouted back, standing up. "I refuse to let you destroy yourself and your confidence! You're better than that, Harry." my voice broke towards the end of my sentence.
"I'm not.. Trust me." his voice was quiet and fragile.
"You are, stop saying that." I shook my head. He took a deep breath and walked away. Shit, is he really angry at me for this? For trying to help him? Whatever. I smelt the cigarette smoke drifting through my window and went over to close it. As I reached out to pull it down, I heard Harry singing a few feet away. Sure enough, there he was on the balcony with a cigarette, singing. He smiled down at the fans on the ground, 20 stories below us. He waved and his smile was fading. He breathed in one last breath of smoke before dropping the cigarette and stepping on it, kicking it off the balcony. As he turned around I pulled myself inside the window, trying not to be seen.. I don't even know why.
"I can see you." he said and somehow I could hear he was smiling. I sighed and stuck my head out of the window. I leaned my elbows on the windowsill and he smiled.
"Sorry for shouting at you." he sighed before shaking his head, sorting his curls then putting his beanie on as the wind blew against us. I moved my hand back and my metro station album started playing as I knocked my stereo. Seventeen Forever. Man I loved that song. I looked up as it played and smiled.
"It's fine, I shouldn't have thrown them away." I said as I watched the fans scream at us, unable to hear our conversation.
"You were trying to help.. Thank you." he nodded and I smiled wider.
"No problem." I nodded back.
"Louis!" I heard a girl scream and I waved down to her, making her scream louder. I chuckled, looking down then back to Harry.
"I'll be in here listening to music if you need me." I laughed to Harry before pulling myself back in the window and pulling it down. I turned the stereo up louder as the next song on the Metro Station album came on, Control. I nodded my head to the beat and slipped out of my pyjama pants, pulling on some red skinny jeans. I grabbed a black tshirt and put it on, still moving to the music. I heard a faint laugh to my right and span round to find Harry leaned up against my door frame.
"Look, it's the dancing queen." he joked and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Ever heard of knocking?"
"I've heard of it, I prefer not to do it though." he shrugged, making me laugh. "Wanna go to Starbucks? We're out of coffee."
"Yeah sure.." I smiled, looking in the mirror quickly. "Shit.. My hair looks bloody awful, I don't want to be photographed like this. One minute, I'll shower and be ready." I said and he grabbed my arm, pulling his grey beanie off his head, his curls shaking.
"Just put that on." he suggested and I raised an eyebrow.
"What? You never let anyone even touch your hats.." I said, lightly laughing.
"Do you not get the whole 'I love you' thing, or..?" he smirked, pulling the beanie over my head, covering my eyes. I sighed and pulled it up, adjusting it in the mirror to make myself look almost presentable.
"Come on then, lover boy. Let's go." I smiled and pulled on my toms, pulling his arm towards the door. I grabbed my keys and wallet from the end table by the door and skipped out.
"Maybe we should go different ways and meet there? You know, to keep everyone thinking we've broken up.." I suggested, remembering the fans and paparazzi outside.
"Yeah, good idea. Hey, you get going now and I'll go see the boys. I'll tell them how we came to an agreement and split up then meet you down there in half an hour?" he pointed to the stairs where the boys were all probably talking to each other through the walls, seeing as they lived next door to each other and they were well.. Just immature. I know, I know, says the guy who does video diaries with a bin on his head and talks about carrots.
I nodded and kissed his cheek before turning and walking to the elevator. He took the stairs in the opposite direction, waving goodbye as the elevator doors closed. I checked my phone for a few seconds as I was in the elevator. You'd think someone who'd just released an album would have a few texts? A couple of missed calls? Nope, not me. Just a few little texts from mum which I replied to. The elevator doors opened and the sound of screams filled my ears. Oh jeez, I probably should have got Paul to come with me. Forget it, I managed to sneak past them once I can do it again... Right?
I put my hands in my pockets and put my head down, hoping not to be noticed. It all went well. For about 3 milliseconds.
"Is that Louis?!" one girl called out and I sped up a little, hoping they would ignore her.
"It is! LOUIS!!!" a few screamed. Oh great. I stopped and signed things, took photos, hugged fans, the usual. Soon enough they had gotten used to being around. I still didn't get why they were fussing over me. I'm literally the most normal person you could meet. Well, I'm not normal, I'm completely mad. But I'm not the typical famous stereotype.
"I've really got to go, guys, bye." I smiled as they sadly let me leave. I smiled at the photographers who were putting there cameras quite close to me.
"Excuse me." I repeated over and over as I tried to pass them. After the fifth time of saying it, I resorted to "Get out of the way, god damn it!" I pushed past them and the fans laughed. I heard a few of them calling me "sassy" and "feisty"... I didn't mind, actually. It was nice to know that I had a reputation for not taking any shit from anyone. I turned the corner out of the car park and almost jogged, I was walking so fast. To be honest, I was just trying to lose the paparazzi. I turned around and smiled to find they had stopped following me and were standing next to the wall, looking back at the shots they'd got of me. I took out my phone and tried to look casual, hoping no-one else saw me. I was wrong yet again as more and more fans, boys and girls, we're coming up for photos. It took about 10 minutes longer than the walk would usually take. So I got there in about 20 minutes. I walked in and sat down, playing angry birds on my phone. I checked my watch and knew Harry would get here any minute. It was quite quiet in the cafe so I guess we could drink here without being photographed. I ordered Harry his usual coffee and got myself an English Breakfast Tea. I personally found it awful compared to Yorkshire tea, but still drinkable. I got a text from Harry.
"There's people following me, including photographers. Try and sit near the back, I know someone at Starbucks who can get me in the back door and keep the others out. Xx" I quickly stood up and carried our drinks to a table near the back. Soon I heard the screams and shouts growing louder and knew he was near. I put my head down so if anyone was mosey enough to look right to the back of the cafe, they wouldn't see me.
"Thanks mate." he patted a man a little older than us on the back before walking over and sitting down. I looked up a little and saw that the fans and photographers were looking around cluelessly. They had no idea where he was.
"Good morning." I smiled and handed him his coffee.
"Good morning to you too." he smiled back, sipping it. I finished the rest of my tea whilst we spoke about what Harry had told the others. As if on queue, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
"It's from Niall." I said as I opened the message.
"Hey mate, just wanted 2 let u know that im sorry bout what happnd between u and Harry. Im here if u need to talk. -Niall x" I read the text out loud, trying to figure out what the horrible grammar meant.
"They believed it then.. Good." Harry said in his usual slow voice, drinking.
"I don't like lying to everyone." I stated, shoving my phone back into my pocket.
"It's just for now.. Eventually they'll realise this is stupid." he shook his head and finished his drink. "I'm dying for a cigarette." he said after a pause, pulling a pack out of his bag.
"I would come and join you so we could keep talking but.." I pointed to the fans who were still wandering round cluelessly. "And plus, I don't smoke. It's horrible. And gross. And disgusting. And health damaging. And--"
"I get it, Lou." he cut me off. "And there's no-one at the back door. Come on, no one will see us." he tugged on my arm and I rolled my eyes.
"Fine." I sighed, knowing I would stink of cigarette smoke after this. He lifted his cigarettes to the man who'd helped him in to let him know we would be back and smiled. The man nodded before throwing us the key to the back door. Harry unlocked it and held it open, allowing me to go first.
We stood outside and the smell of fresh air was soon banished by the smell of smoke. I tried my best not to breathe it in, but gave up after a few seconds.
"I really have tried to quit," he stated as if he was reading my mind. "but I just can't seem to stop. I've tried nicotine patches, gum, those fake cigarette inhaler thingys.. Nothing works for me."
"Mm-hmm." I nodded, raising an eyebrow.
"It's not even that bad, believe me. You might even like it..." he smiled cheekily.
"No, no, no and no." I shook my head as he breathed in another puff before exhaling it in the other direction.
"Just try it!" he joked, playfully poking me. "Come on, wimpy. You can't always follow the rules."
"Harry, I'm an 18 year old gay singer who is lying to everyone about his relationship with his bandmate. I don't think I'm exactly 'following the rules'." I laughed and he rolled his eyes a little.
"Then breaking one more rule won't hurt, will it?" he held out the small white cigarette which was already alight.
"One time only." I held up a finger and took the cigarette, placing it to my lips. I breathed in an straight away started coughing and spluttering, handing him back the cigarette.
"Haha!" Harry laughed as I coughed up what I had inhaled.
"You're so charming.." I shook my head at Harry sarcastically.
"I know, I know." he shrugged.
"Well, now that we know I am definately NOT a smoker, can we go?" I said, my breathing returning to normal.
"Yeah." he smiled and put out the cigarette on the wall, dropping it into the ash tray by the door.
Honestly, the things I do for this boy. I ordered a water to take away the taste of tar and tobacco from my mouth before turning to Harry.
"I guess we better leave the way we came. Seperately." I sighed. "See you back at the apartment."
I walked towards the front and Harry waited til I was gone before leaving through the back. The photographers had called it a day and gone home but there were still a few fans outside.
"Louis do you smoke? You smell like cigarettes." one fan asked as we took a photo.
"No love, but my friend does.. That's why." I lied, calling Harry a 'friend'.
I soon got home and found the apartment empty as expected. I sat down and realised something. Everything was going to change. Something as simple as going to Starbucks for a few minutes had turned into a 2 hour thing. This whole 'famous' thing would be more difficult than I thought. But I think the 'love' thing would be a whole lot harder.