Simon's Rules

2

Perrie POV

I know that I've never been a morning person, but I swear it's getting harder and harder to get up in the morning. I think I've reached a new level of exhaustion, one where I never really feel awake even after drinking coffee. My alarm has gone off three times so far and each time Jade has had to shake me awake because I've slept through it. After the third time she pulls the duvet off of me and the sudden temperature shock hurts me more than I expected. When the air from our bedroom hits my curled up body a cold seeps into my bones that starts a deep ache. It's nothing new, I've felt like this for almost a week now, but each morning I hope it won't come back.

"I'm up, I'm up." I mumble, rolling onto my feet so that I have to stand up, otherwise I'll stay laying exactly where I am. I'm pretty sure if I rolled onto the floor I would just stay there, too tired to get up before I fall asleep again. Hatchi will join me and sit on my legs to keep me warm. Maybe I can train him to bring me things, then I wouldn't have to get up for even longer.

I think about this as I get dressed, just throwing on a top and joggers knowing that we have rehearsals today. For once I can put on baggy, comfortable clothes and not be called unprofessional by Simon or one of his deputies. Jade and I have been told off about this the most over the years, especially when we went through our onesie phase in the early days. I guess it was a form of naive rebellion, but after enough shouting from Simon we stick to the clothes Syco picks out for us.

My beautiful girlfriend is in the kitchen when I get downstairs, making us both some toast for breakfast. Claud hates it when any of us turn up on an empty stomach, always lecturing us how it isn't healthy. Over the years Jesy and I are the most guilty of this, Jesy skipping meals when her body image issues were at their worst, and me normally because I ran out of time to eat. I've never been a very organised person, relying on my Mam and Jonnie to remember to finish my homework and get to school on time. As an adult the girls took over that responsibility, especially Jade. I'm pretty sure I'd misplace my phone and leave my purse at home, ending up stranded without any way to help myself if it wasn't for her. She keeps me organised, always has, even before we got together.

"Good morning, Babe." she greets me, wrapping her arms around me as our lips meet. I let her lead, being too tired to control the kiss. Jade doesn't mind, she likes it when I'm submissive, saying that she likes treating me. I don't know how much of this is true, but I don't care. After what could have been seconds or ten minutes (I really couldn't tell as I lost all sense of time) Jade pulls back. "I made you toast." she presents a plate to me like it's some grand prize, and normally I would play along and pepper kisses all over her face. But today I don't have much of an appetite and she can tell.

"Thanks Jadey." I smile as I take the plate from her hands because I don't want to worry her. Jade is perfect, she has been from the moment I met her but I didn't realise this until after Zayn left me. He was arguments and alcohol, aggressive kissing and music thumping so loudly I develop a migraine. Jade however is cuddles and gentle kisses, picnics on our private balcony and cheeky touches under the covers. Jade makes me feel like a Queen and more importantly her equal. Every day she teaches me a different type of love, one that is not toxic and doesn't slowly drive me crazy. I love Jade, but I'm not allowed to show it.

She drops whatever she was about to say, concern leaving her eyes as they lighten again, back to their warm, toasty brown. Today though her warmth doesn't penetrate the cold chill in my bones, in fact the ache is worse than yesterday, every movement causes a sharp pain and I have to fight to not wince. Even this I can probably put down to Simon's rules. If I was allowed even half a day to rest rather than complete our entire overbooked schedule then maybe I would be feeling completely better in time for tour rehearsals.