Bitter & Sassy (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 13 ~ Show & Party

     If we sounded great in rehearsals, once we’re on stage for real, with all the lights and the audience singing along… it’s even better. When we’re on stage, I don’t mind that four girls that I really despise are playing with us. I don’t mind that probably ninety per cent of the crowd is only girls. When we sing, when we get to show what we can do, nothing else matters. No gender, no social class, no backgrounds. Nothing. We’re just people here, gathered to enjoy the same.

Prodigy make our music better, they are so talented that everything they touch turns into gold and our fans notice the change and they react even louder. I know they like what they hear and I can’t wait to hear the reviews from the media and our other fans, those who are seeing us through a livestream. I honestly feel this is our best performance yet, although it’s the shortest and we share the spotlight.

After the show ends, euphoria runs in our veins and I don’t care about anything. We all hug, including the girls of Prodigy. We all celebrate the success of this night and what we’ve accomplished. I’m sure that after this, the charity You Matter will only improve, and with it, the lives of all those kids. Our happiness is so overwhelming that even these four girls accept to hang out with us to celebrate and I don’t really mind they are coming along. They are part of this success, they deserve to be with us. For tonight, I don’t care if they are girls. For tonight, I see them only as colleagues.

We’re about to go for a shower so we can leave when Kay stops in front of me, her smile honest and big, her eyes sparkling with something I can’t put my finger on it. “You were amazing,” she says softly, her voice so feminine and shy, which is extremely weird in her, who’s always so outgoing and carefree.

“Thank you,” I say and I can’t help it, I smile back. I’m just so happy after this gig, not even Kay can ruin that.

“Tonight you were even different from the other shows. You looked so… so into what you were doing, like you were in another place where no one could reach you but I think tonight is the closest you’ve been to your fans,” she expresses and I look at her raising my eyebrows, a bit surprised that she paid so much attention. She doesn’t care about me; she only cares about her project.

“Thank you,” I repeat because I don’t know what else to say. She looks at her feet and it’s shocking to see her this shy and embarrassed. Why is she acting like this?

“I know you’re really happy tonight,” she smiles to the floor —yes, I do notice this is like in our song—, her eye start meeting mine and I think her cheeks are rosier. “And I know you don’t enjoy my company although I just wanna help you, that’s why I’m asking you this time if you would mind if I go with you all tonight. I really don’t wanna ruin things for you tonight, but I really want to go.”

I’m in complete shock, I think I can’t even breathe and I only stare at her in disbelief.

Did she actually just ask me if she could come with us? Just because she doesn’t want to bother me? What kind of parallel universe is this?!

I keep staring at her, not even blinking, too shocked to utter a word and she is pleading with her eyes. What if I say no? Will she really back off and leave me alone? Or would she come anyways? And what if I say that I don’t care if she comes along or not? Will she follow me around all night?

Whether I like it or not, she works for us, she is part of the team of this tour and almost everyone is going; it would be really unfair if she doesn’t go just because I say so. And I’m so happy already, I don’t think she can ruin anything. Right?

“I don’t care,” I answer and her smile spreads across her lips quickly. “Just don’t follow me and let me be. We’re going to a big place, you will have a lot of space to be with other people. Deal?”