Reese

Chapter 31 - Are you smelling my hair?

"Dude, sit down. They're counting down until the cameras go on air." Harry whispered to me, tugging on my shirt as he looked up at me.

I frowned as I slowly obeyed him, "But she's not here yet." I sulked, almost like a child who wasn't allowed that extra bag of sweets when food shopping with their parents.

"She'll be here." Louis assured me, smiling as Kanye West passed him.

The lights dimmed and the man hosting the show walked on stage, his freshly made up face already sparkling with droplets of sweat as his spotlight shone down on him. He brought his microphone to his mouth and started speaking directly to the camera.

I held my hands between my legs as I breathed slowly through my mouth. "Oh my god, I am so nervous." I whispered to myself under my breath, causing Harry to shush me whilst turning his phone on silent.

"She'll be here, Liam. Just enjoy yourself." He half smiled, his eyes drifting to something behind me. Harry coughed, "I think you're being summoned."

My heart beat started to escalate, I could now hear the blood pumping around my body as I turned to look in the direction he was pointing. It was one of the stage managers.  

I slid off my chair and quietly left the arena, a few fans whispering my name as I walked out the door caused for my attention to be taken to them for a few seconds as I waved hello. Before I knew it I was being pulled away and through the door by the stage manager.

She stood me in front of her, staring down into her tired looking eyes. "There are girls claiming to be with your band at the side entrance, normally we would send them away but two of them have been recognised by some of the crew. We need you to come and identify these girls." She stated, again pulling at my arm as we walked through the yellow corridors. Gradually the sound of traffic and people got louder and louder until we were at the side door. My heart now beating so fast that my hands were shaking.

The lady let go of me and opened the door. Perrie and Katie were in the middle of a very serious conversation with one of the security guards. I could tell by the amount of concentration they were focusing onto his face that they were seriously pissed off about this. Eleanor was standing on the other side, frantically looking through the bag that Reese was holding up.

My breathing stopped.

Reese.

I did a double take before I had convinced myself that it was actually her and not a terrifyingly similar lookalike. She looked incredible. So much healthier than last time I saw her, she finally has a bit of colour to her cheeks and she's not as skinny.

When I first met Reese she was a lovely size for a woman, curvy in all the right places. Then when the catastrophe with Mark and the depression hit, every time I'd see her every single bone in her body would be that extra bit prominent. I was worried that she was wasting away; which bywhat Katie says... is what almost happened.

"Liam!" Katie called, waving at me as Perrie was still waggling her finger at the security guard. "Stay back, Mr Payne, they could be carrying weapons." The stage manager warned me, standing slightly in front of me.

I smiled down at her, "It's okay, I know them." I stated, continuing to walk towards the girls. The lady nodded, "Okay, but we need you all inside within five minutes."  

She left us and walked back inside, shutting the heavy side door behind her. One of the security guards lifted up the red velvet line and let the girls through.

"Thanks, Liam. I swear I was about to slap that woman, she was being so rude." Katie muttered, pulling her jacket tighter around her body.

Katie, Eleanor and Perrie started conversing between themselves, laughing at Katie's previous statement. I, however, wasn't listening anymore. I was staring into the beautiful, watery brown eyes of the girl that had been in control of my emotions since our first meeting.