"Damnit— what the hell were you two thinking?" Frank yells at Harry and I as we both sit there quietly, looking down at our laps like two little kids in trouble. We were both sat on the leather couch, side by side.
"We didn't know they were going to take pictures!" Harry yells back.
Frank and James found out about the photos, and they were pissed. Harry and I had been working on songs when Frank came storming into the studio, as red as a tomato.
"You see this Olivia? This is you wearing his fucking boxers." Frank says, handing me a picture of me walking out of Harry's hotel room in his clothes. Frank brings one of his hands up to his head and pinches the space between his eyes, rubbing his forehead out of stress.
"I swear— I didn't think they were going to take pictures!" I say, lowering my head and picking at the beds of my nails out of nervousness. I hated being yelled at.
"Do you know how many headlines are being written about you two?" He says, raising his voice and pointing at me.
"Don't fucking talk to her like that." Harry says, giving Frank a death glare. "It's not like we had sex or anything Frank."
"That doesn't matter Harry! There are pictures of you two everywhere. Now the media knows that you two are planning on collaborating. It was supposed to be a surprise." He says through gritted teeth.
"Who gives a fuck if people know!" Harry says. I don't bother saying anything in this conversation, I know that nothing I could say would help. We fucked up pretty bad.
"Harry— you have to understand that the media sees you as a player, a womanizer." Frank says, this time in a calmer tone. I immediately see Harry tense up beside me. I steal a quick glance of him; he looked pissed off.
"I don't give a fuck what the media thinks." Harry says through gritted teeth.
"But I do. Harry, you have to keep that persona up, it's what makes you so desirable." Frank says. With those words I quickly find myself becoming angry. Is that why Harry is never seen with the same girl twice? Will they not let him date?
"I don't have to do shit for my persona." Harry mumbles.
Ok, I am completely lost now.
"Wait— I don't understand." I say, what did they mean persona? Was Harry pictured to be a womanizer?
"Fuck— nothing." Harry says before abruptly sitting up off the couch and storming away, slamming the studio door and walking out.
Frank lets out a long sigh, putting his head in the palm of his hands and rubbing his forehead. I stay quiet for a moment because of how confused I was by everything going on. Was Harry not allowed to date? Did they make him appear like a womanizer?
"Frank... what's going on?" I ask, making him bring his head back up so he was looking at me again.
He lets out a frustrated sigh, "Sorry for yelling earlier— Harry can just be... difficult sometimes." He says, making me chuckle a little.
"Difficult is an understatement." I say, agreeing with him, but still very much confused as to what this was all about.
I understand Frank being angry about the photos taken. It honestly was probably going to cause a shit show, and I wouldn't be surprised if Harry and I even have to come out and talk about it so rumors don't get started. I wouldn't have gone out in that hallway if I knew those boys were going to take pictures. I still can't believe I didn't notice them taking pictures, I am usually able to tell when someone is taking a photo of me.
"Listen Olivia—" Frank says, leaning back in the couch that was directly across from me, propping his elbows up on his knees and folding his hands together. "Harry... he— well, he's the classic bad boy. He dresses in all black, his has tattoos, he's in a punk band, and he hooks up with different women every night—"
"But he doesn't." I interrupt him, already knowing where this was going.
"Right. Sure, Harry has his fair share of ladies, but he doesn't just go around fucking whoever he wants." He explains. I already knew this though; the media always tries to portray people a certain way, and they loved to portray Harry as a womanizer.
"Your point? I don't understand what these photos have to do with Harry and the media's perception of him." I say, grabbing the photos and glancing at them again.
"I don't want you and Harry to appear as a... well, a couple. I don't want Harry to be seen with a rumored girlfriend." He says, making me let out a uncontrollable cackle.
"We're not dating." I say, smiling and shaking my head.
"Oh— I know. Harry's made it clear he doesn't date. But the media doesn't know that. If they see Harry and you walking around small towns, getting lunch, leaving each others hotel rooms, they're going to assume shit. And I want Harry to keep his image of a bad boy. I don't want it to seem like he's settling down." He finally explains.
I close my eyes and lean back on the couch, trying to take in everything he said. So, Harry doesn't date, but he also doesn't sleep around. But— the media portrays him as womanizer, and Frank wants him to keep that persona. What the hell? That's totally unfair to Harry. I get wanting to appear as a bad boy, but not letting him date people or be seen with the same girl twice? That's pretty fucked up.
"So what now? Do you want me to not go out into public with Harry?" I ask, opening my eyes and tilting my head to the side, kind of pissed off right now.
"Not until the music is released, no. And I also wanting you keep your distance Olivia, I am serious. I don't want you two falling for each other." He says.
"We're not falling for each other." I scoff, rolling my eyes at his words.
"Please— I see the way he looks at you. He likes you Olivia. It's obvious. Just... be careful." He says. I let out a long sigh before nodding my head, giving into his words.
With that he sits up from his spot on the couch and starts walking towards the door, stopping before opening it, "And again, sorry for yelling earlier." He says.
"It's ok." I say, forcing a smile. He walks out, leaving me alone now.
So, what now? Will Harry and I have to keep ourselves a secret? I knew we wouldn't be able to just go out and eat together simply because of our fame, but I didn't realize it would be this intense.
Not to mention, I am still so confused as to where Harry and I stand. I know we aren't dating, but I also know we are passed just being friends, there's no denying that. We've kissed several times now, but lately Harry's been being distant. Neither of us will bring up the discussion though. We're both avoiding it.
"Hey." I hear a knock on the door causing me to turn my head around to see Harry standing in the door way, his arms folded across his chest as he propped himself up on his side against the door frame.
"Hey." I say, forming my lips into a line and nodding a little.
Harry walks in, sitting down on the same couch as me, but keeping his distance. "Sorry for storming out. I just— I don't like talking about the media and shit." He says.
"It's ok. I get it." I say, looking down at my lap and fiddling with my fingers, beginning to pick at the ends of my nails.
"You're upset." He says. I shoot my head up to look at his sharp facial expression. He looked serious but also relaxed, his eyes with a concerned look but his features laid back.
"I'm just confused." I say, looking down again at my lap, straightening out my white dress a little.
"He said we couldn't see each other, right?" Harry says. I nod slowly, upset at this whole situation.
"Fuck—" He curses under his breath, and out of the corner of my eye I can see him running his fingers through his curly hair. "I didn't want this to happen."
"It's ok." I murmur again.
"No it's not." He says, sounding angrier and angrier as the conversation goes on.
"Harry, really— it's ok. We're just going to have to be careful. It'll be fun. You know, sneaking around and stuff." I say, smiling a little and nudging him with my elbow.
"But it shouldn't have to be this way." He says, looking down at his lap. He didn't sound angry any more, just kind of sad. Which I understand, it's going to suck having to run around in secret.
"I know." I agree with him.
Harry and I both decide it's time to leave the studio, and Frank said that was fine. I'm sure he's still pissed off at us, but he'll get over it.
Harry and I's condos are right across from each other, mine was a pastel pink and his is a pastel blue. I only went inside mine to drop my bags off, so I wasn't really able to see much of it.
As Harry and I both pull up to our houses, he stops me before I could go inside.
"Hey—" he says, suddenly grabbing my hand and turning me around so I was facing him. He looks down at me with a sorrowful look, his eyes dancing between my eyes and my lips. I look around between us in the small neighborhood to make sure nobody was outside before looking back up at him.
"I'll uh... I'll come over tonight ok? We can talk about all of this?" He says while still holding me close.
"Ok." I respond. He lets go of my hand and leaves me on the front porch, walking across the street to his condo. I take a deep breath before turning around, unlocking the front door to my condo and walking in.
hi guys! sorry for not updating in a couple days, i'm also working on stuck together right now (if you haven't read it go check it out!)
i'm going try and update again tonight! so stay alert!!!
vote and comment :)