Gazing at the Past, Looking for the Future

Chapter XXV: Payne or Pain?

~Louis’ Point of View~

“Mate, she’s asleep.” I whispered to Liam once the movie was over and it was time to leave.

“We can’t leave her alone.” Liam said. I placed her in a laying down position on the couch, careful for her leg. She flinched a little bit, but after a second she calmed down and I let out the breath I was holding.

“We can’t take her, either.” Harry said.

“And we can’t stay.” Zayn added. Niall came to the living room with a throw blanket and covered Danny with it.

“Is she actually asleep?” Liam asked. I see where you’re coming from, mate.

“Why wouldn’t she be?” Niall asked and looked all confused.

“Because she probably wants to be left alone.” I replied bitterly.

“Look, I know I have no right of saying anything, but maybe we should just leave? If she clearly doesn’t want us to be around, then nothing of what we’re saying or doing will matter. She will still be stubborn and still fake everything.” Harry spoke up. Everyone fell quiet. We all knew he was right.

“I love you, Danny. You’re perfect just the way you are.” I whispered to her ear and kissed her head lightly. Please be asleep…

I screwed up countless times during the concert, seeing that my mind wasn’t even set for singing. We decided to laugh it off with some pranks amongst us, while the other boys would occasionally steal my lines, act like they messed me up on purpose, speak the song, and just pretend we’re all normal. Truth is – none of us could think properly.

“That was your worst concert yet!” Simon yelled at us once we said our goodbyes and left to go backstage. “What the hell was this? Louis, can you not sing a damn line? Niall, you can’t play the guitar all of a sudden? Harry, you can’t even –“

“I’m sorry.” I said, cutting him off. “I can’t focus on the concert right now.”

“The hell you can’t!”

“What do you want us to do?” Liam asked calmly, seeing that he is the more mature one…

“Don’t screw up.”

“We won’t.” he assured Simon.

“Now go out there for the VIP passes.” I automatically thought of the shop owner with the piano. Is his daughter here tonight?

“Hello, love. What’s your name?” I asked girl after girl after girl, scribbling my signature many times on whatever papers they brought me. “Great seeing you tonight!” I smiled for another picture and she went on to Niall next in line.

“Oh my God, it’s Louis!” A girl shrieked as she reached me. I smiled proudly.

“The one and only!” I said with my hands on my hips and my chin held high.

“Is it true?” she asked excitedly and shifted her eyes from me to Liam. “Are you and Diana dating?” I smiled at her French pronunciation of Danny’s name. It sounded like “Dee-ah-nah”.

“Yep!”

“Is she okay?” wait, how does she know? “I saw the news and there’s an article about her in the magazine.” She answered my unheard question and handed me a glossy magazine. Literally, on the front cover, was a picture of Danny collapsing to the grass while puking her guts out. The headlines read “POP STAR’S SISTER – PLAYER, DIANA PAYNE, IS IN PAIN FROM HER OWN GAME”

“Can I keep this?” I asked the girl and she nodded with a sad, understanding smile. “Thanks, love.”

“My papa said you are the one to give me the tickets.” She added with a huge beam. I smiled. So it’s you I’ve been waiting to thank.