Secrets (On hold)

Chapter Thirty Seven

*Lauren's POV*

I bite my nail and stare down at my phone. My mind races with different thoughts.

"I just got pizza. I figure it's a safe zone." Serena jokes as she reaches the table.

I look up at her and she sets her tray down on the table and takes a seat across from me. She pulls her hair around one shoulder then looks up at me. Her eyes freeze on my face.

"Are you alright?"

"Listen to this message." I hand Serena my phone and she takes it, pressing play and putting it to her ear.

She makes eye contact with me while she listens, and I look down at my cuticles to pick at them.

"Call her back." Serena says hurriedly, passing me back my phone.

"Well I think I can wait until we are back at the arena..." I start and Serena gives me a look.

"Lauren, someone could be hurt." She gives me an are-you-stupid look.

Shit. I never thought of that.

"I didn't think about that..." I mumble and click the call back button on Hannah's phone.

My stomach knots as the dial tone goes. I know it can't be my mum or sister, I would know from someone else already. What does she want?

"Lauren?" Hannah's voice rushes through the line.

"Yes it's me, sorry I was..."

She cuts me off. "Are you somewhere private?"

"No... I'm at a mall with Serena." I look around at all the people bustling around us.

"God. Okay that's not good. When I tell you this I want you to go to Harry, wherever he is, and tell him immediately." Her voice sounds nervous.

"Shit Hannah you're scaring me." My eyes meet Serena's and she looks at me curiously.

"It's fine. I mean no one is hurt or anything, but this has the potential to blow out of proportion. I just need you to know." Hannah reminds me and I take a deep breath.

"Tell me please." I don't realize how bad I'm scratching my arm until Serena stands up on her side of the table, reaching across and slaps my hand.

I wince and pull my hand away, she points her finger at me, as if scolding me. It's a nasty habit.

"Well, it's later here than where you are. I was on tumblr and luckily I found the post when it was only a few hundred notes."

My breathing sounds erratic, unstable as I listen to her.

"Lauren, I'm so sorry. So so sorry. Just please remember that." Hannah begs me through the phone and I take a moment to breath.

"Hannah I don't know what you are talking about."

"Remember a month or so ago? When you were home and we went shopping with Serena?" She pauses and I know immediately where this is going. No.

She takes my silence as a que to continue. "Those girls, Harry followed on twitter. There must've been a video I didn't get. I thought I had everything Lauren. I really did, I checked over the camera so many times but I didn't think about the girls phone."

My stomach rolls and I think I'm about to be sick.

"I'm so sorry." She sounds so upset. I can't respond. "Lauren please answer me?"

"What is in the video?" My mouth sound hoarse, dry. Serena's mouth drops open across the table.

"I saved the permalink, I keep going back and checking the views. I don't know why she waited so long to post, or if it's been there all along and people are now finding it." Hannah tells me and I'm numb. "There's more than the other videos. I mean you say more."

"What did I say?" My throat hurts to speak. I can feel bile rising in my throat.

"Basically the same video as before. Except you hold up a few different pairs of panties and a bra. I think you say Harry more than once but I can only hear you clearly say his name in the beginning." Hannah tells me and I swallow.

"Okay. Thank you." I can barely move my mouth.

"Lauren I'll send you the link. Just please talk to Harry right away. Maybe I'm overreacting and no one will see." Hannah tries to be positve but I know this is it. Management is going to cut my head off.

"Thank you Hannah. You are a good friend." I tell her.

"I love you Laur, you know that. Again, I'm sorry about not seeing the video. I feel awful. Hopefully everything blows over, I just know how odd management is about Harry being percieved as single; and we remember what happened last time when rumors started flying around."

Yes, the club incident in Verona I believe. Harry had literally called me his girlfriend. Luckily no one had it on tape, but witnesses tried to spread it. God if this video gets to the media.

I feel sick to my stomach. Not over the fact that I'm talking about Harry, but in the way I'm talking about him. I'm picking out fucking panties for gods sake. I look like a slut, and either way this video is bad. It could either blow over and I can pass it off as someone other than Harry, or people can believe whatever they want and think Harry and I are together.

"Lauren?" Hannah's voice rings through the speaker pulling me from my thoughts.

"Sorry. I'll talk to you later."

"I'm sending you the link right now. Let me know if I can do anything to help you. If I hear anything I will let you know."

"You're the best. Thank you." I tell her and we say our goodbyes then hang up.

"What's happening?" Serena asks frantically. I simply stand up and grab our bags.

"We need to go."

"Lauren I need to know what is happening." Serena responds but stands up also, grabbing her tray.

I start walking out of the food area and feel Serena at my heels.

"Lauren please I don't like this. Can you just tell me?" Serena comes up next to me and I turn slightly to her as we walk.

"That video of me talking about buying panties for Harry, it was released on the internet." I whisper to her as quietly as possible and pull my phone out of my pocket to make sure our driver who drove us to the mall is still here.

"Impossible. We deleted those." Serena sounds completely shocked.

"Not all of them." I respond and we push through the exit doors of the mall, walking out into the sunlight.

There's a black SUV at the curb waiting for us and we immidiately walk to it, sliding in. I pull out my phone and see Hannah texted me the link. I can't stop my hands from shaking when I press the link, and the video pops up.

Lauren Teasdale and Harry Styles proof the video is titled.

"Oh god." I wail and close my eyes. "God I don't even want to watch this embaressing video." I say to Serena and she scoots closer to me.

"Press play Lauren." Serena sounds just as nervous as me. I scroll down slightly on the video and get to glimpse the number of views. 5,698. Fuck.

"Look at the views! Serena oh my god." I choke. Five thousand people. Dear god. I hit play quickly and the video starts.

Its awkward watching a video of someone creepily taping me, I feel more than a little violated. You can clearly hear me say Harry. I wince when I hear his name and try to listen for more. I don't hear his name again but the damage is done.

"Lauren it will be okay. It could be a different Harry?" Serena offers and I glare at her.

"A different Harry?" I ask her bewildered.

"Yes." She shrugs her shoulders.

"No one is that stupid Serena." I spit out and rub my hands over my eyes. "I fucked up. I fucked up so bad."

I can't even think straight. What is going to happen? Surely I'll be kicked off tour. I can't imagine Rick the Dick letting this go easily. I mean I'm on tape talking about Harry liking my panties. Oh my god. His parents, my family, Nana. Shit.

The thought of our families watching the video is repulsive and I've never felt more mortified in my entire life. Nana. Harry's cute grandma is going to hate me. Oh my god.

"Lauren I'm sure someone from the boys management can take down the video." Serena offers and I try to ignore her.

Repeatedly hitting the report video as innappropriate option on my phone.

The traffic is horrific on the way to the venue, especially in the venue parking lot. The concert starts in a few hours, I'm assuming the boys are doing meet and greets now. I need to find Harry.

When we finally get inside the gates at the venue, Serena and I immidiately go to our bus with our bags. When we walk in the bus is empty, and I quickly grab my laptop and pull the video up once more.

"The views have gone up, 9,532 now." Serena chokes and I look at it.

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. What do I do?

"I'm not sure. We need to ask someone for help." Serena responds and I'm confused for a moment, then I realize I must have spoken out loud. "You will first need to tell Harry. Wait until 5SOS is performing because until then he will be busy."

"Okay." I stare at the video and replay it agian, and again; trying to figure out what other name Harry could possibly pass for.

The more times I play it, the more I realize that I'm screwed. My voice is clear when I say Harry, I'm going to have to deal with the consequences of being so irresponsible.



*Harry's POV*

I can't keep the smile off my face. My day has been perfect. Soundcheck went smooth and now I'm just sitting around, waiting for the show. Cal's been showing me all the pictures he's taken so far on his computer.

"That one is really cool." I point to his screen at a picture of Niall raising his arms over his head with the crowd in front of him.

"Yeah I got some great shots at this particular concert." Cal tells me and I agree.

"Harry come here." Lou yells to me and I get up, walking over to her makeup chair.

"Sit sit sit." She chirps and I sit down. She reaches for my hair and I duck my head away. "Harry."

She tries again and I move away. "Harry!"

A chuckle escapes my lips and I finally let her touch my hair. She starts teasing it a little like she sometimes does, and I scratch my arm.

"You are a child." Lou laughs and I roll my eyes.

A door opens and I see Lou's eyes flicker over to the door a few feet behind me.

Lou's expression changes and her hands still above my head.

"What happened?" She whisper hisses and I turn in my chair to see who it is.

Lauren. It's Lauren. She's standing in the doorway, looking at me. Something's off. Something is definitely off. The look on her face gives me the chills.

"Lauren?"

She walks towards me and doesn't stop walking until she's standing in front of my chair. I turn and face her.

"I need to talk to you. Now." Her voice sounds nervous, and a little crazy.

I look at Lou who is staring at Lauren. "Lauren what is it?" She asks curiously, a worried expression on her face.

"Nothing Lou. This is between me and Harry for now." She tells her sister and I immediately stand up.

This is it. She is breaking up with me. I can see it. Holy shit. Do I beg for her not to right now? Do I wait until she says she's done with me? Fuck.

I follow her out the doors and Cal gives me a look. I try to smile but I bet it looks like I am constipated.

She walks directly into a closet across the hall from the wardrobe room and I walk in, shutting the door behind myself.

She covers her face with her hands. I notice her cuticles are bitten up, bleeding. The sound of 5SOS starting their performance rattles the walls, and all the supply cabinets.

"Are you okay?" My voice comes out weak.

"No. Harry I fucked up. I fucked up so bad."

"What? Tell me what happened." I grab one of her hands and pull it away from her face.

She's crying.

"Don't cry please. Tell me what happened?"

"You're going to be so mad at me." Lauren groans and I squeeze her hand.

"No I won't."

"I...I may have said something... Something about you in public."

"What?" I don't understand. To a reporter?

"It was a month or two ago... Remember when I asked you to follow those two girls?" She looks anywhere but at my face.

"Yes... They were the ones with the videos right?" As soon as I finish speaking I realize what must have happened. "How bad?"

She looks at me finally to gage my reaction.

"Every time I check the view count it's up by a few thousand."

"A few thousand?" Oh shit. That is bad.

"Hannah was the one that found it on tumblr... I'm just worried..."

I cut her off. "Lauren don't worry so much about it. You of all people know how many girlfriend rumors I get." I run a hand through my hair.

"I guess but this is different, its me.We are together. I'm constantly with you... I say your name so clearly Harry. Just watch the video." She moves so that she is standing next to me, holding her phone for us both to watch.

She hits play and I recognize Serena and Lauren right away, and you can see Hannah a few feet away from them. I lean closer to the phone so I can hear what she is saying when she holds up the panties.

Do you think Harry would like these?

I look at Lauren and smirk, her cheeks are blushed. "I do like them."

"Don't joke right now." Lauren says harshly and I shut my mouth.

The remainder of the video is just stalker footage, and you can barely make out any of what they are saying.

"Is that all?" I ask her and she opens her mouth, looking at me.

"Well, yeah."

"After the concert we can figure it out. Talk to management or something. Don't worry about it too much Lauren I can handle it." I tell her and she narrows her eyes at me.

"You think you can handle this?"

"Everything's a rumor until something is confirmed." I tell her, repeating the saying management pounded into my brain when we first started getting publicity/fame.

She frowns at me and starts scrolling down on her phone to read the comments.

"Whoa whoa whoa." I snatch her phone out of her hand.

"What?" She seems startled.

"Don't read the comments! You should know better. You haven't ready any yet have you?" I exit out of the video page and hand her phone back to her.

"No..." She says slowly, running a hand through her long bronze hair.

"Thats a very convincing no." I roll my eyes and sigh.

"I read a few comments." She admits and bites one of her cuticles.

"Will you stop please?" I grab her hand and hold it in my own. "I don't like to see you tearing yourself apart."

"It's a habit." Lauren says pulling her hand away from mine and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah that and scratching. I hate when you do it." It's true.

I hate when she has anxiety or stresses, I can't stand watching her claw at her own skin or bite it until it bleeds.

"I know." She says and we stare at each other for a few seconds.

"What's the worst that could happen?" I ask her.

"You denying us again." She says honestly.

Ouch.

To me, this isn't a huge deal. Things like this always happen with me. All I have to do is next time a pap asks me or I do an interview, tell them I am single and nothing is going on with Lauren. But to Lauren, this is just another chance for me to deny being with her. I'm pathetic. And a shit boyfriend.

"I don't want to deny us again." I say because that is how I honestly feel.

"Then don't." She shrugs her shoulders, clearly challenging me.

"I... I.. I won't then." I stutter to get out and she raises her eyebrows at me.

"Yeah right Harry."

"Okay... Well I'm just not going to comment on it." I wasn't going to anyways.

"Whatever Harry. Do whatever you have to do to save your reputation and I'll just look like a damn whore to the entire world." She spits at me and angry tears spill down her cheeks.

"What? You think I want to keep this a secret?" I gesture between between us aggressively, then continue talking. "How do you even look like a whore?"

"You must Harry! Since you never try to change anything. How long has it been? Months! It's been months. Months of me keeping this damn secret and I'm so over it. Like so over it you have no idea." Lauren yells at me and stomps her foot like a five year old.

Okay.

"Did you just stomp your foot?" I ask her and she rolls her eyes at me. "I don't like keeping us a secret Lauren, but its not my fault."

"Yes it is. Niall begged and begged management to tell everyone about Serena and him. When have you ever said anything? You NEVER say anything. I'm over it Harry." Lauren angirly runs both hands through her hair.

"You're over it? As in over us?" I ask her and she groans and closes her eyes.

"No. God Harry why do you always pick out the least important things I say?"

"To me that was the most important thing you said." I itch my temple and stare at her.

"I'm just sick of it. I'm sick of you acting like you are ashamed of me. I'm sick of lying to everyone. I lie to everyone Harry. Even at your mum's wedding I didn't know who I could be truthful with." She says calmly.

"I'm not ashamed of you. Please Lauren just understand that now is not the time for me to come out with a girlfriend." I beg her and she shakes her head, sadly at me.

"So when is? When you're old and gray?"

"No... Just not now. I have my reasons why I'm not going against management Lauren. It's not a battle I want to fight at the moment." I respond.

"Whatever Harry. I'll continue to lie and make myself look bad so you can look good. I mean who cares if the world think's I'm a whore." She shouts and turns around, pulling the door open and walking out. Slamming it before I can stop her.

"Fuck." I mutter to myself and pull open the door, stepping into the hallway and looking both ways. I see a flash of hair from the right and start running after her.

"Harry!" Paul's voice yells angrily from behind me and I stop dead in my tracks. "Where the fuck have you been? All the other boys are in their positions backstage."

Fuck. Fuck . Fuck.

"Oh shit I didn't realize..." I start to say when Paul beckons me to follow him and I do.

"Harry this is it man. You can't show up late to your own shows. Especially when you are already in the building." As we get nearer to the stage, the loud sound of the crowd would be deafening if I wasn't used to it by now.

When I reach backstage twenty people at once walk over to me, clipping on my devices and clipping my in ear over my ear, switching it on.

Someone pats my back and I run over to the other guys, walking to stand in the middle. Niall pats my back and the intro video starts playing.

The ground vibrates from the noise of the music, and the crowd. In my peripheral vision I can see Liam hopping from foot to foot.

I look down at my shoes. What happened with Lauren? The whole conversation is a blur, and she left way more upset than I did. I can't believe she thinks that I don't want to be public with her. That's so ridiculous I could probably laugh about it if in any other situation. And she thinks she is a whore? How does the video make her a whore? So what she was buying panties and trying to decide if I would like them, that's thoughtful.

"Here we go." Someone says into my in ear and I look around at the others. The sliding panels in front of us begin to lift, and slowly the audience is getting louder as we come into view.

I grip my microphone tight in my hand as the crowd comes into view in front of me, lights shining brightly against my face.

"Now." A voice says and in sync, all five of us take a step forward, walking into the spotlight.



*Lauren's POV*

Try not to worry about it. Easy for you to fucking say Harry.

I twirl my spoon around in my cup of tea and stare at my laptop screen. Every few minutes I refresh my mentions on twitter. Reading everything, never replying. I searched Harry and Lauren a little bit ago and after reading a few tweets almost cried, so I switched back to my mentions. I sigh and try to tune out Serena who is talking on the phone with one of her friends from back home.

I can't ignore this video much longer. It's like a ticking time bomb. I'm dreading the minute the media find it.

The more I read on social media, the more I think Harry is right. I can't come out as his girlfriend. My burning cuticles can testify that I can't handle even being rumored to be with him.

"I think you should go to bed." Serena tells me, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I'm not sure." Part of me wants to wait up for Harry to talk to him, the other half wants to deal with him and everything else later.

"Everything will work out. Rumors last for two seconds around here." Serena offers me a smile and I just stare at her.

"You're right. I'll go to sleep." I tell her, shoving my chair back and standing up from the table in Serena and Niall's hotel room.

I grab my laptop off the table and take my keycard to mine and Lou's room before saying goodnight and heading out the door.

I walk down the quiet hallway and the hotel room. I set my phone and laptop down on the table and crawl into one of the empty beds.

How is Harry so unaffected by this? He clearly doesn't realize the potential this has for creating issues. Management sent me home from your after something happened with no proof, imagine what they will do to me now? I can't go to jail can I? My stomach hurts.

I am able to calm myself by knowing that nothing has happened yet, and hopefully we will be able to play it off pretty cool.


I try to keep my mind void of thoughts, until I'm finally pulled into sleep.


*Niall's POV*

I'm a damn good friend, that's all I'm saying.

I sit on the bed in mine and Serena's hotel room, my laptop on in front of me set to some American radio station Ellie is on. She told me to listen because she will be talking about her new music, and of course I told her I would.

She always listens to me when I talk about my life, Serena, anything. I figure I owe it to her to be a good friend too.

"So why are we up early to listen to the radio?" Serena groans from under the covers next to me and I roll my eyes.

"Nothing, my friend has an interview." I tell her and she sighs.

I'm slightly nervous to mention it's Ellie, but I figure she will understand. We've been getting along so amazing lately.

The radio announcer starts talking, and introduces his guest.

"We have Ellie Goulding here with us today..."

Serena's body shoots straight up so that she is sitting next to me.

"Jesus!" I twitch and she gives me a look.

"Ellie Goulding is your friend?" She asks me accusingly, and I roll my eyes.

"Good, friend." I enunciate friend and Serena sighs.

"Okay. I trust you." She lies back down and I shake my head.

For awhile the interview goes good, talking about her new music and for the most part it sounds great.

"I'm going to have to buy her new album." Serena says and I nod in agreement.

"So... Ellie you are quite the catch, I know plenty American boys have crushes on you. Who is your crush?" The interviewer says.

"Subtle." I snort and Serena giggles.

"Mine happens to be Irish." Ellie laughs.

The smile falls from my face immediatly. Oh no.

I feel Serena tense next to me.

"Irish? Sounds interesting. Any details?" The interviewer clearly is excited and my finger moves to hover over the mute button.

Serena's hand shoves mine, moving it away.

"Not much. He's blonde and adorable. He's also in the industry." She tells the interviewer and I have never been more surprised in my life.

"What the fuck?" Serena hisses next to me and I glance at her.

"I'm not sure... Wow." I start to say when the interviewer starts talking again.

"Could it be Niall Horan, the kid from one direction?"

I snort at his word choice kid and Serena stares at me, the most confused look on her face. I'm sure mine is the same because I've never felt more confused in my life.

"Yes it is. Oh god this is embaressing." Ellie says.

I chuckle awkwardly under Serena's intense glare.

"Don't be! But wow! Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" The interviewer asks and I grab Serena's hand, giving her an encouraging smile.

There we go. Ellie will just mention how much I love Serena. That's all I practicaly talk about with Eliie anyways.

"Serena? I don't think they are together anymore. We've been talking for awhile now, and he's never made any inclination that he has a girlfriend or doesn't want me. We are just waiting for the right time." Ellie states.

My jaw drops. I sit in shock and Serena gasps. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

"Well how perfect for you. By the way that Serena girl, she was seen in that video with Lauren Teasdale. Do you have any thoughts on that?" The interviewer asks Ellie.

"Oh yes! Yes Lauren is a dear, the video portrayed her quite badly. Her and Harry are together, I can confirm that."

"WHAT?" Serena screams at the top of her lungs.

I shut my laptop and Serena immediately stands up from the bed.

"Fuck this!" Serena screams and I stare at her, my mouth wide open.

"Serena that's not...."

"NO. Fuck you Niall. Fuck your cheating ass." She screams at me and my stomach drops.

"Whoa whoa whoa..." I stand up from the bed and walk over to where she is shoving all her overnight shit into her bag. "You actually believe her?"

"You've been talking to another girl for ages Niall. I'd be fucking naive not to believe it." She spits at me with such anger my throat drys up in sudden realization of how mad she is.

"Serena I promise it's not like that at all."

What the fuck just happened? How could Ellie do that? She blatantly lied about me. I groan in frustration. I tell Ellie all the time about Serena and how much I love her. I'm so shocked right now I don't even know what to do.

"But it is like that Niall! You're fucking shady as shit and I'm done Niall." Serena shouts and I immediately look at her face.

"What?" My voice cracks and my breathing catches in my lungs.

"I'm done Niall. I'm fucking done with you and this shady ass shit. I'm done with these games, this life style. I'm done." She screams and starts walking towards the door.

My heart shatters into a million pieces. Keep her here Niall.

I walk over to her and rip her bag from her hand, just as she opens the door.

I march with her bag towards the opposite end of the room and she curses.

"Give me my fucking bag Niall Horan." She screams following me.

Yes she's still here. I can't let her leave.

"No! Not until you fucking talk to me." I scream back knowing that if I yell at her, she will get more iritated and will stay and fight with me.

"What is there to talk about? You cheated on me. I loved you and you cheated on me!" Serena screams and starts knocking over the chairs at the wooden table in the hotel room.

I have the sudden urge to laugh, but it fades in .000012 seconds.

"Loved?" Her past tense makes me want to crawl in hole and drown in my own tears. "I never cheated on you Serena."

"Okay Niall. My mind is going all over, and it all makes sense to me! The fighting, the constant phone buzzing. You being an asshole to me all the time was probably you cheating. You were distancing us." She yells hysterically, thinking out loud.

"No! No it wasn't. Serena it wasn't me cheating I've never cheated on you." I beg her and she stares at me, her face blank.

"You expect me to believe that? After all this?" Her voice is so calm, so level, it slits the air like a knife.

I try to swallow the lump in my throat but instead tears fall from my eyes.

"Please Serena I love you. I love you so much." I move to walk towards her and she stomps in the opposite direction of me.

"Fuck you Niall." She yells and picks up my phone from off the bedside table, and throws it as hard as she can against the carpeted floor.

"Fuck! Serena stop." I yell and run to pick up my phone.

"There you fucking go! Run to pick up your damn phone so you don't have to lose contact with your precious Ellie. Fuck you Niall." She picks up my laptop off the bed and throws that onto the floor as well.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" I scream at her and run to pick up my lap top, which is now broken into two pieces. "It's one thing to be fucking mad at me but its another to destroy my property!'

What the fuck. I'm fuming. My phone luckily seems to be alright, I do have a pretty protective case. I'll need a new laptop though.

"How about next time you date a girl you don't cheat on her, then maybe this won't happen." She says, her voice lowering and staring at my broken laptop I just set down on the table like she can't believe she actually broke it.

"You broke my laptop Serena." I stare at her, completely shocked and bewildered at the monster that is my girlfriend standing in front of me.

"You can buy a new one asshole, you're fucking rich as shit." She spits at me.

Okay.

"What do you mean next time I date a girl?" I ask her and she throws her arms in the air.

"The next girl you fucking date and fall in love with. I'm so fucking done." She yells at me and someone clears their throat from the doorway.

My eyes flicker to our visitor and it's Lauren. I can see Zayn, along with a few crewmembers staring through the open door at me.

It's just now hitting me how loud we were being.

"What's happening?" Lauren asks and I look away from her and stare at Serena, who is glaring at me with such anger and hate, my heart feels like it might shatter in half.

"Niall and I are over. Lauren I need to talk to you. It's not good. Please come with me..." Serena starts walking towards Lauren and I can't move. Serena grabs my laptop off the table and stomps from the room.

Lauren stares at me, her eyes wide and confused. I make eye contact with her right as a single tear falls from my eye. Fuck. Fuck.

I close my eyes and sit down on the floor, putting my head against my knees. What the fuck just happened.

I hear the door shut and I assume I am alone, then I feel someone put an arm around me.

"It's alright man. It's going to be okay." Zayn's voice is right by my head.

I can't think straight. I am numb. No tears leave my body after that one, and we sit in silence.



*Lauren's POV*

"What happened?" I try to coax something, anything out of Serena who is sitting on Lou's bed in our hotel room sobbing.

Lou has both her arms wrapped around Serena, and gives me a look telling me to back off.

I can't help it. I'm beyond curious. When we first got to Lou's room Serena sat on the floor with a broken laptop, sobbing hysterically and trying to put it together. After repeatedly telling her it won't work anyways, she finally have up and moved to the bed.

"I just... Niall's been cheating on me." Serena sobs and Lou gasps.

My stomach drops. "What? How do you know that?"

"Ellie Goulding, an interview this morning." Serena says and suddenly sits up straighter in Lou's arms. "Lauren she said something about you and Harry."

What.

Lou squeezes Serena in her arms. "Serena I'm sorry..."

"What did that bitch say?" I ask Serena harshly and Lou shoots me a look.

"Lauren!"

"Lou." I shoot back at her motherly tone and roll my eyes, my heart is beating rapidly.

"What happened Serena?"

"She confirmed you and Harry." Serena sobs and covers her face with her hands.

Hell no. Hell fucking no.

"She what?" Lou seems startled, but I knew this would happen.

"I knew she would fucking do this." Rage fills me and I stand up from the bed.

"What do you mean you knew? Lauren you've never spoken to her." Lou asks me and I freeze.

"Uh... Actually I have." I admit.

Serena looks up at me, her eyes all red and watery. Guilt runs through me and I look down at my feet.

"What? When?" Serena asks me confused.

"I called her... I called her off Niall's phone." I admit and stare at Serena and Lou to gage their reactions.

"You knew? You knew they were talking?" Serena screams at me and Lou is too shocked to say anything.

"Serena I saw that she texted him and called her to threaten her. It ended up backfiring and she threatened to expose me and Harry." I explain my self and she looks at me like I just stabbed her in the back.

Which I basically did. I should have told her, and I was going to eventually.

"Why would you not tell me they were talking? Oh my god." She presses her hands to her temples and stares at the floor. "Oh my god. I'm surrounded by a bunch of shady liers."

"No! Serena I never lied to you..." I start to say and she cuts me off.

"I asked you! I asked you on the boat. You said Harry didn't know!" She accuses me and I hold up my hands in defense.

"I didn't know at the time!" I lie through my teeth, not caring about anything other than saving our friendship. "I only found out a few days ago and I was going to tell you."

"God. Fuck Lauren why would you not just tell me?" She asks me, giving me a weird look.

Lou, who has been silent this entire time finally speaks. "How did you even get Niall's phone?"

"It was during a show." I respond quickly and scratch the side of my face.

"He has a password though." Serena says and I nod.

"Your birthday."

She starts crying again and I move to so next to her. "I'm still mad at you." She cries and I nod.

"I know." I tell her and we sit in silence for a few minutes, aside from Serena's crying.

"Lauren you need to go tell Harry." Lou says quietly and anxiety immediately fills my body.

Fuck. Everyone has to know by now. Ellie's interview is probably being played all over social media.

"Will you be okay?" I ask Serena and she giggles slightly, then sniffles.

"Yes I've got Lou." She pats Lou's leg and Lou smiles at her.

"I've gone through my fair share of heartbreak girls." She tells us and I roll my eyes.

"Yes we all know you've had a lot of boyfriend." I tease and she reaches forwards and slaps my thigh.

"Enjoy feeling carefree now because my guess is in a few hours you won't be so happy." Lou tries to sound stern but instead sounds sad.

"I know... So anyways... What's the deal with this?" I point to the broken laptop and Serena groans.

"It's Niall's, I threw it on the floor."

I can't help but giggle slightly into my palm.

"It's not funny. then when he got upset I told him to be a new one because he is rich as fuck." She says sounding beyond repulsed, and it causes me to laugh.

"I'm sorry! That's kind of funny." I admit and Lou gives me a look.

"Leave." She points to the door and I give her the finger.

I walk out the door without glancing back, feeling a twinge of guilt and nervousness settle into my gut. When I open the door, there is still a bunch of crew outside Niall's door, and it is now open. Zayn standing in the doorway talking to Preston, one of the bodyguards. I go the opposite way down the hall towards Harry's room, and when I reach it I knock on the door.

He doesn't answer, so I continue to pound on it.

I hear a click and Harry cracks the door open, his eyes are barely open and completely filled with sleep.

When he sees me he opens the door a little wider and wipes some sleep from his eyes. "Lauren?"

I push the door open and sneak past him, flipping on a light switch in his dark hotel room.

I go straight to the couch and sit down on it. I look over to see a very confused Harry standing by the door still looking at me, his hair sticking out all over and in only his boxers. I avert my gaze and instead look at my hands.

"What's happening?" Harry asks, his voice raspy from sleep. He clears his throat a few times and comes to sit next to me.

There's slight tension, especially because of our little tiff last night.

"Ellie confirmed us to a radio station." I blurt and Harry stares at me.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Silence. He stares at me for a minute, before his face changes.

"Are you joking? Lauren see what you fucking do when you get involved with things?" He stands up and immediately tugs his hair with both of his hands.

"What do you mean? I didn't tell Ellie to out us!" I respond and Harry shoots me an annoyed look.

"No but you were probably hoping for it. God. I should have just handled this whole little situation immediately." Harry groans and walks to his bag of overnight clothes.

"This isn't a little situation, this is our relationship." I say sharply to him and he yanks a pair of black jeans from his bag.

"A relationship that you knew when it started, we wouldn't be able to go public! Now every situation you get you try to out me. God your like the rest of the world." Harry yells and I feel as though someone took my heart and ripped it in two.

"That's what you think of me?" I gasp, barely able to get the words out.

I feel a pressure building in my chest, as though someone is pumping oxygen into a balloon trapped in my chest.

Harry looks at me, his face shocked. I can visibly see him rethinking what he just said.

"I'm no different than the rest of the world?" I ask him, standing up from my spot on the couch and moving towards to door.

I hear Harry groan and his feet following me.

"Leave me alone." I shout as tears sting my eyes and Harry grabs my arm tightly and I wince. "Don't touch me." I hiss and he drops my arm immediately. "Don't ever fucking touch me like that."

His eyes widen, realizing why grabbing me like that is a mistake. "Lauren I didn't mean..."

"Yeah you did Harry. I'm sorry. Don't worry I'll cover this all up. I promise." I tell him and walk away, slamming the for behind me.

When I'm in the hallway I see Paul still standing at the end, talking with Zayn and Preston.

I walk towards then, sniffling as tears fall down my face.

"Lauren?" Zayn announces my presence with concern in his voice.

"Paul I need to see Rick." I tell him and he gives me a confused look.

"The boys publicity manager? Why?" Paul asks but pulls out his phone.

"I got myself and Harry into this mess, I'll cover it up." Again.

"You don't have too..." Zayn starts to say and I interupt him.

"So you know, does everyone know? Has everyone seen the video?" I ask him and look at Paul and Preston.

"My daughter texted me asking if it was true..." Preston says and I nod my head.

"See, exactly my point. I need to fix it before Harry resents me even more."

"He doesn't resent you..." Zayn says and I roll my eyes.

"You didn't hear what he just said to me. I'm like the rest of the world Zayn, out to get him." I tell him and he widens his eyes.

"Harry would never say that. You're his favorite person in the world." I ignore the sting in my heart from Zayn's words.

"He did. Paul did you text him?" I turn my attention to Paul.

"Yes and I attached to him your number. He will call you at some point today." Paul tells me, giving me a sympathetic look.

"Thanks." I say, and we all stand quietly for a moment.

"You're a strong girl. I admire you for it." Paul tells me, taking me surprise and wrapping an arm around me.

"Thanks Paul." I respond.

"I think your good for Harry, you even him out. I would love to see this work out in your favor. The two of you finally go public." Paul continues and I nod.

"I've been hoping that for awhile but it's a stretch. I'm used to it. Besides, we can't go public if only one of us wants too." I tell Paul and he nods.

I hear a sniffling and all of a sudden the door Zayn is leaning next to opens wider, and a red eyes Niall appears sniffling.

"You're talking to Rick?" Niall asks and I nod, Paul releasing his arm from around me.

"I'm so sorry Lauren..." Niall starts and I wave my hand at him.

"It's not your fault. I was the one that was careless enough to talk about Harry in public." I admit and the four men around me nod. I blush at the thought of them seeing me holding up panties.

"Everything will work out." Zayn tells me, zoning his dark eyes into mine.

"I don't think so. Harry's already so mad at me..." I tell him, my voice cracking.

"Just because you're mad at someone, doesn't mean you don't love them." Zayn responds, smiling slightly at me.



*sorry it took me four days to update! I've been busy!*

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Thanks for reading! Expect an update either wednesday or thursday!