TRYST | H.S

PROLOGUE

LOS ANGELES // 2021

"SO HOW DID YOU KNOW HARRY AND JULIETTE?" the interviewer asks me, setting the camcorder onto the table between us.

I look up at them, "Well, Juliette and I first met at soundcheck for our first show. She was shy, stand-off-ish. After she got comfortable with the boys and I, she opened up. Harry and I have known each other since we were pre-teens. Harry knew the other boys since they were kids. All of our fathers were coworkers, more of friends really. When we became ten, we all moved in with our fathers in the states, that's how I met them all and we became friends" I say fiddling with the rings on my fingers.

"In Juliette's music, she speaks about a lot of her past and her life before... fame, so to say. Did she ever mention anything about her life before she became the bands' opener?" the interviewer asks, writing down the information I tell them.

"Well, Juliette was sheltered growing up, her father cheated on her mother, and her father's best friend was the main father figure in her life. When she was around, fifteen? I think it was fifteen, she would sneak out to bars and perform her earlier songs. most people know that, as she mentioned that in Q&As. When she was doing that, she met this.. guy.. he was bad for her. He had her doing things no fifteen-year-old should have to do. It's not my place to share any more than that about him. After that, she started writing more and more based on experiences and came up with a lot of her songs, I know she wrote Blackest Day about that guy." I say looking the interviewer in the eye.

"Harry has mentioned before that his mother passed away when he was young, did he ever mention what that was like?" they ask me.

I sigh heavily, "Harry-Harry hated speaking about his mother. His mother was killed- well murdered, when he was 3 years old. All of our fathers worked a dangerous lifestyle, and after realizing that their families were at stake, they moved us out of the country. Like i said before, I was moved to Ireland with my mother. But that was only because my mother had family there. The other boys moved to England together. Harry and Louis were raised together by Louis mother. Liam lived nextdoor with his mother. When we turned ten our fathers had us move to the states. Thats when we were taught about their jobs and trained to join the business when we turned sixteen. We started the band at seventeen, got into our fathers business at sixteen. Harry never really had the stability of a family, his father treated him more as a worker than a son, and all the other 'parental' figures in his life didn't quite understand him. He did say that the boys and I were the closest thing to family for him, he was like a brother to all of us." I manage to say without tearing up at the end.

"You keep mentioning the business you and the boys were put into, please elaborate on that." the interviewer asks.

"Well, there is a lot of things i cannot say for my own saftey. Our fathers were born into the business, and so were our grandparents and even more before that. The business is kept in the family, you cant get into it unless born, or married into it, rarley some are recruited. We delt with drugs, money, alcohol, and more messed up shit. I-I got addicted to some bad shit when i moved to the states. I got clean last year after what happened. Also after what happend alot of shit went down. The business, crashed, so did our competitors. I-Its all coming back now... Bad shit is gonna happen." I say, looking down at my bouncing knee.

The interviwer sighs, "Well that's all of the questions I have for you today. I will send the final product of this interview to your manager for review before it is published." standing up from the table, sliding on their jacket as i nod.

I watch them leave as i run my hand through my blonde hair, dredging what's going to happen in the coming weeks.

I drink the rest of my coffee before stranding up and leaving.

My phone rings from my pocket, I sigh and answer it not bothering looking at the caller ID.

There was a shaky breath from the other end of the line, "Hello?" I say trying to not creep myself out.

"Niall. I need help... please..."