Butterfly ✿ h.s.

Chapter ✿ 19

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Holly's POV

"How did it go?" I ask, as all the boys and Poppy file out of a meeting room. We're backstage at BBC, prepping for an interview. Modest! Management decided to call the meeting then, so everyone except me went to talk to them about Poppy and Niall's relationship. They offered for me to attend, but I decided to stay out here and give them some privacy.

"Great!" Poppy bounds up to me, dragging Niall behind her. "They said we can release it!" She turns quickly and kisses Niall's cheek, before pulling him off again to go begin dressing him. Today, Poppy is working with Lou on hair and makeup and I am helping Caroline out with the clothes. Harry strolls out of the room last, looking dazed. He stops right before me and I turn behind to the rack labelled 'STYLES' and begin to sift through the clothes. I decide on a plain white t-shirt, black skinny jeans and tan suede boots. Absentmindedly, Harry unbuttons his shirt and pulls the white one over his head. Since the night of the fight, we haven't talked. Leaving us in silence. With robot-like movements, he pulls on the jeans and boots before standing up straight again. With a swift nod he moves off to where Poppy is working and I shake my head in exasperation. From across the room, Louis ambles over to his sign and I trudge over, self- consciously pulling on my denim jumpsuit. On the rack labelled 'LOUIS', I pull off a navy jumper, black jeans (again) and some bright red adidas sneakers. Louis leans forward.

"Don't worry about him love. Or anyone. What happened the other night was unacceptable." He pauses to shoot a look over at Zayn and then Harry. He turns back to me and his voice drops even lower. "I can promise you that Liam, Niall and I will make sure that what happened will never happen again. We're all here to look after you." I mock stomp my foot.

"You're only three years older than me!" I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.

"You are like a sister to me. You're only 2 years older than Lottie." Louis smiles fondly thinking of Lottie and his other sisters. He's told us many stories about what they used to get up to in Doncaster, and still calls them daily. Louis finishes getting dressed and then moves off, leaving me with Niall bouncing over from across the room.

" 'Ey!" Niall stops short right before crashing into me. "How are you?" He asks as I give him his outfit. A plain white shirt with a red and black flannel to wear over the top, ripped black jeans and Adidas sneakers similar to Louis but a dark blue almost black colour. He quickly gets changed and I pick at my nail polish, nervous for the new couple's interview.

"What are you going to say?" I blurt out suddenly, as Niall is tying up his laces.

"What do you mean?" He stands up.

"Are you worried that the fans won't like Poppy?"

"Well yeah. I worry about that all the time. I worry about her all the time." Niall says. "But I just have to trust that the fans are nice enough that if they realise how much I like her- love her even- then they'll realise that she's here to stay." I nod slowly. With a brief smile, he strolls off to where Poppy is, lifting her up and spinning her around causing her to squeal before he sets her down and whispers in her ear. Poppy nods and sighs, then comes over to me while Lou does Niall's makeup.

"What's this about the interview?" She asks. Her black strappy playsuit hangs off her shoulders as she cocks her head, trying to read my thoughts.

"I just don't want you to be hurt. People can be vicious." I mumble, picking at my nail polish. Poppy throws an arm around my shoulder.

"Don't worry. I have you, the boys and my knight in shining armour Niall to protect me from any rude people. Anyway how can they be mean to this face?" She pulls a puppy dog eye face and sticks her tongue out.