Putting on a Show (L.S)

Chapter 19

[Harry's POV]

"What's wrong, Harry?" He asks, not a hint of sympathy or remorse flowing with his words.

I stay quiet, which seems as if it's the best option when around Simon.

I don't want to get on the plane to New York with him, I don't even want to go to New York.

I, strangely enough, keep hoping that Louis is going to come running through the doors of the airport at any given moment and take me back home.

I have nothing with me, only my phone and the outfit I'm wearing.
But of course Simon has everything he wanted to bring along. He's the special one, I'm just the shadow, who's name is known.

Well, nearly everyone knows his name too, but they don't know the dangerousness that's become of it. Once he got the bittersweet taste of having a bit of power, he was different.

"Ah, come on, you know you can tell me anything," he smiles, his hand resting on my shoulder.

I bite my lip, moving away from him, feeling uncomfortable through this whole ordeal.
Because I really and truly can't tell him anything and everything. That's not how it works, especially when not one ounce of me puts trust into him.

He nods, "Well come on, we've got a flight to catch, then."

He begins walking away, but I stand still. "I'm not going with you," I say, looking at him.

He turns around, his eyebrows raised, "What?"

"I'm not going, I don't want to go to New York. And you can't make me," I manage to get out, for once in the past 12 years finally saying something of the sort without being spoken to rudely.

"I'm sorry Harry, but the choice isn't up to you. Plus, it's already been decided, and that means you're going."

I open my mouth to protest, but stop when I remember what he's quite capable of, especially since my name is just words to him. He doesn't care, he isn't sorry- he never has been.

My phone buzzes again, and I see it's from the same number as earlier. I ignore it yet again, looking up to Simon staring at me expectantly.

I begin walking towards him, managing a small smile as he pats my back. "Good lad," he mutters, and I frown as I slide my phone into my pocket.

We walk through the the baggage claim, though I get through it faster than Simon, as I have nothing with me.

"We get to take a private jet, as I didn't want us flying with all those people," Simon mentions as we continue making our way through the crowd.

I nod, following him through to where the jet is, and I begin wondering if it's too late to turn back and run.

Before I can think about it too much, Simon is leading me into the aircraft, the both of us taking our seats.

I find a pair of headphones, and I connect them to my phone so that I can play music and ignore whatever nonsense continues coming from Simons mouth.

I also find a pen, and so I grab it, beginning to draw on my arm, sketching little nothings before I begin writing instead.

I'm not all that sure what I'm writing, just letting the words flow a bit as I hum along sadly to the music blasting in my ears.

By the time a few hours pass, my eyelids feeling heavy, with blue ink covering my arms.

I smile at it, the things I wrote and drew on my own skin- around or within my tattoos as well.

"Being one of fame doesn't always mean that they are one of happiness."

My smile drops as I read over it, pursing my lips as I lean back in the chair.

I sigh as I close my eyes, the same odd feeling in my chest, and in my stomach as well.
I simply choose to ignore it, the way I tend to ignore everything else wrong in my life. It works better that way, it keeps the peace.

The sound of the music echoes a bit, getting quieter as I begin falling asleep, until the only thing I hear is silence.

I wake up to someone shaking my shoulder, my eyes fluttering open, and I nearly groan at who I see.

I remove one of the earbuds from my ears, "Yes?"

"We're here, Harry, so get up and let's go."

I sigh, yawning a bit as I stand from the seat, rubbing at my eyes as I follow behind Simon out of the jet, my eyes squinting a bit at the sunlight.

"Nothing like a big city, right, Harry?" Simon laughs, as he carries his bags down the few steps with him.

I simply roll my eyes, following him as we make our way to a black Range Rover.

I narrow my eyes at Simon, wondering how he's smiling, but then I remember he's gotten his way- and he's so far satisfied.

The driver places all of Simons bags in the trunk, and I watch as Simon takes his place in the front passenger seat before I take a seat of my own in the back.

"Where are we going?" I whisper, looking at Simon.
I notice as he smiles, not turning his full attention towards me.

"We're staying in the house you always do- well you're staying there. I've got a place of my own. But you won't be living alone, as there will be several others to make sure that you don't go running off in the night," he laughs.

"It's better than living with you," I mumble, not loud enough for him to hear, but I honestly hope he did.

My phone buzzes once again, and I sigh, my eyes scanning over those same numbers.

Ultimately reaching the brink of my curiosity, I open the messages reading over them carefully.

If it's possible to feel happiness, sadness, and stupidity all at once, then that is possibly the best explanation for what is coursing through my veins.

The unfortunate realization that you've made the wrong decision.

I look up at Simon, who's too busy in his own world to mind me any business, and so I stare back down at my phone screen, wondering how to respond.

Unknown: Harry, this is Louis. I tried reaching you again from my phone but it was a lost cause, so I'm texting you from Niall's.

Unknown: I hope you're alright, lad. I'm so sorry I couldn't make it to your concert tonight. I tried, I promise you, but they wouldn't let me in. Simon said that you didn't want me there, and so I left.

Unknown: Harry, please answer.

My thumbs hover over the keyboard, my mind drawing a blank at what to say.

Me: Hi Louis.

I mentally curse myself for the strange response, but now it's like his name is one of the few words I can manage to remember at the moment.

It immediately marks as read, a message appearing.

Unknown: Hi Harry.
~•~

Ehem. Anyways. Not sure what to say, but I hope you've enjoyed it.

Stay safe and take care <3