Love and Fame (Harry Styles)

Chapter 5

After hours of gaming FIFA, we grabbed a bite to eat. We didn't want to have to deal with big crowds and screaming fans, so we returned to the hotel and ordered room service.

I had such a blast with the boys and I knew that signing away some of my freedom to Modest! Management was all worth it just for the friendship I was allowed to build with them. We had only spent a few days together and I had already had more fun than I had had in ages. My sides were sore from all the laughing fits.

After hours of spending quality time together, I returned to my apartment to change for the night's concert and to call Ashley. I didn't even know if she was free to go, but I knew she would cancel just about anything for a chance to see One Direction live.

I didn't really look forward to make the phone call. Sure, I liked the idea of giving one of my best friends the surprise of a lifetime, but I was most likely to lose my hearing because of her mad screaming. I made sure to turn the volume on my phone down as much as possible before I dialed her number.

"Hey, Tals, what's up?" she said kind of lazily on the other end of the phone and I took a deep breath to brace myself for what was to come.

Fortunately I didn't go deaf, but only because I removed the phone from my ear as I mentioned the One Direction concert. I didn't put the phone back to my ear until I heard that she had calmed down. That only happened because she was out of breath.

"So I assume that that means you wanna come?" I said in the end and was answered with a new outburst of loud screams. How could such a tiny person be so loud? "I'm gonna hang up now... But be at my place in an hour and we'll go to MSG together."

How crazy was it that the boys had a show in Madison Square Garden, by the way? It was mad. I hoped I would get the opportunity to play there once... But in what universe would that happen? I was a nobody in the music world.

After hanging up the phone, I took a quick shower and slipped into a pair of worn Levi's 550 cutoffs and a soft Beatles t-shirt. The shirt had a colored print of the Abbey Road album cover, and it was my all-time favorite picture of the legendary band.

Just as I had finished my subtle makeup and straightened my hair, Ashley appeared.

She was still frantic and I practically had to beg her to pull it together. I didn't want for her to embarrass me in front of the boys. I would sure as hell go red as a tomato if she continued being so loud in their presence.

-

Ashley didn't embarrass me and all was good as we met the boys backstage after an amazingly energetic show. Until they told me that we were leaving the very next day.

It was too soon. I wasn't ready for that. I hadn't packed, I hadn't said my goodbyes to the people I loved...

"Is that okay?" Liam said when he saw the look on my face.

"Yeah, of course."

"Really? Because the look on your face says otherwise."

"No, it's fine. It's just a little sooner than I thought," I said quickly and plastered on a brave smile. "I'll just have to stay up all night to pack. And I can do my hurried goodbyes while I do that."

"Maybe we should have mentioned it sooner..." Zayn mumbled and I laughed.

"That would have been better," I admitted. "But it's too late to worry about that now. I'll find a way to make it work."

Even though I was already almost out of time to prepare for the tour, I stayed for a little while backstage to let Ashley have her fun and to celebrate the boys' last show in Madison Square Garden with bubbles. The Champagne was served in plastic cups and it made me laugh.

"Classy," I commented as the boys invited me into the green room to drink and to meet people.

Ashley was surprisingly quiet so I just let her be and followed the guys who wanted to introduce me to everyone.

First I met the band, Josh Devine, Dan Richards, Sandy Beales and John Shone. They were high on the excitement and rush of the show and were almost impossible to keep a conversation with because they were all over the place. I knew that I would get plenty of time to get to know them on tour, so I wasn't too heartbroken about it. There was no rush. I would just talk to them once they had calmed down - if they ever did.

Then I met the lovely Lou Teasdale, her boyfriend Tom Atkins and their beautiful baby girl, Lux. They were an adorably family and everything about them made me want to have their way of life someday.

As Niall caught my attention to meet Mark Jarvis, the boys' personal trainer, Harry started playing with Lux. And it was the sweetest thing I had ever seen. He was so gentle with her and my heart just melted. I knew instantly that he would become a great father someday.

And while I was introduced to all these new people I knew I would see a lot in the future, I kept thinking about my old friends and the fact that I wouldn't get to see them for months.

"I have to go," I announced in the end. The boys and their crew seemed disappointed, as if it was I who was the true highlight of the day, which, of course, I wasn't. "It was great meeting everyone, but I have a lot of things I need to get sorted before we leave in the morning. So I'll just see you then, okay?"

"Okay," everyone said in unison as some queued up to give hugs while others just waved.

Ashley was still unusually quiet and I had to tug at her sleeve to get her going. What was up with her? Was she so star struck that she couldn't even function right?

"That was amazing," she announced as we were heading down the escalator to Penn Station. "I can't believe you're going on tour with these people! It's unreal."

"Yeah, I know," I admitted. "It's crazy, really."

Ashley talked all the way back to West Village about how beautiful the boys was. And halfway to my apartment she started so-called shipping me with the different guys.

"Wow, hold it," I said abruptly as she started giving a very elaborate description of how Harry and I would fit perfectly together. "I don't wanna hear this. I'm going on tour with them and I'll keep a professional relationship with all of the boys."

"What are you talking about?" Ashley exclaimed in disbelief. "This is the perfect opportunity for you to flirt and get yourself a pretty boyfriend. I mean, imagine having, like, Niall or Harry by your side. How amazing would that be?"

"I'm sure they're great boyfriends and I know that they're hot as fuck," I said quickly, "but how awful would it be if I introduced a relationship other than friendship with any of them and it didn't work out? I'm going on tour with them for a long time and I don't want anything to go wrong."

"Your loss. I'd be throwing myself at them if I had the chance," Ashley said and I laughed.

"Why didn't you throw yourself at them tonight?"

"I was too afraid to. And you had already told me not to embarrass you. So I kept quiet."

"Well, you didn't embarrass me, so... thanks," I said and Ashley flashed a smile.

"You can thank me properly by hooking up with one of the boys."

"No way," I giggled. "I'm sorry, babe, it's not gonna happen."