Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 56

(No Control | Holding Me Ransom - 56 - Starting Up Trouble)

We make our way back to London on Sunday night, as Jess is back at work on Monday morning and I have a hectic schedule involving various bits of promo to do for the release of our fifth album, Made In The A.M., on Friday 13th November. I'm not sure whether it's a result of being out in the cold air over the weekend, but my throat starts feeling scratchy on Monday morning, and after a consultation with one of the team doctors I am placed on voice rest and told to pick either singing or talking, so of course I pick singing as we have live performances coming up; which means I have to resort to using a computerised app to speak for me during our Radio One interview with Grimmy, much to my amusement and everyone else's annoyance. We are in and out of TV studios, filming The Jonathan Ross Show and The Royal Variety Performance.  We have a live interview with James Corden and a performance for a very small number of fans on Saturday 14th - The London Session - and we're due to appear on The X Factor results show on Sunday 15th to perform Perfect. I'm particularly excited about X Factor as Jess is coming with me to the studios, before we fly out together with the band to the US on Monday morning for more album promo. 

I get a text on Tuesday confirming that Heat Magazine has finally printed a retraction and apology (https://heatworld.com/celebrity/news/harry-styles-apology/) following their ridiculous story back in May about me and that strange girl Joy Muggli, and I forward it to Jess who sends a thumbs up and a laughing emoji back in return. I'm glad we can laugh about it now - that scandal feels like a million years ago, although at the time it was just another nail in the coffin of the first attempt at our relationship.

The rehearsals for the London Session are relentless. Coupled with the promotion schedule for the album, my days are long and tiring. I don't think I'm home before ten p.m. the entire week. I knew I wouldn't be seeing much of Jess this week so we make do with texts during the day and a phonecall once I'm home (or often as soon as I get into the back of the car to be driven home - I can't seem to wait until I'm in bed before I ring her). Our conversations are supposed to be brief, to rest my voice, which I find harder than I thought I would - I'm missing her terribly after getting back together so recently and not being able to see her regularly. 

On Friday night we're discussing the fact that Christmas and the new year don't seem far away when she mentions her birthday, and I realise with a start that it's at the end of January - with my hectic schedule I don't have many free days to shop for anything nice. Obviously I want it to be special; I've never bought her a birthday present before and she rarely lets me spend my money on her so this will be the perfect excuse. Now I just need to think up a startlingly brilliant idea that will earn more boyfriend points. 

I ponder this at various moments throughout the week, and one vacant daydream earns me a smack round the back of the head from Louis who catches me staring into space during the final soundcheck for the London Session. 

"Oi, dickhead. Wake up." I stick two fingers up at him but he just grins in my face. "What's got you looking so pensive?"

"Pensive? Big word," I tease him. "You just learnt that one?"

It's his turn to show me two fingers as he chuckles and pushes his fringe sideways across his face. He lets out a deep sigh and revolves slowly on the spot, staring all around the room which is the same one where we filmed the Story of My Life music video a couple of years ago.

"I dunno about you but I'm looking forward to LA," he says, after a moment. 

"Any particular reason?" I ask him.

"I could do with a decent night out," he smirks. "But I also have stuff to sort out for Briana and the baby. It's been weighing on my mind and I want to get everything ready, as much as I can anyway."