My Heart's a Stereo

one

Run Lauren. just keep running. Oh shit I almost hit a dog.

"Sorry!" I yell to the owner. I kept weaving in and out of the people on the busy sidewalk.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Only two more miles. You can do this. Gotta beat your time from yesterday. You got this Lauren!

"shit, ten minutes slower than yesterday." I mumble to myself as I stop at the studio. The whole time I was running I couldn't help but think I was forgetting to do something. Do I have a meeting with an artist? I just couldn't remember. When I walked in front door I was met with my agent and she made me remember what I was forgetting.

"Damn it Lauren! You were supposed to be here 15 minutes ago! Where have you been?"

"Sorry, I was running like always." we both looked down at my track shoes and gym shorts. Her eyes then moved to my uncovered torso and sports bra. I quickly but my arms across my stomach. "Did I have a meeting this morning?"

"Did you have a meeting? Let me think about that? Why don't you go ask the boys of One Direction who have been sitting in the conference room doing God only knows what for over 30 minutes now!" Dianne yells at me. In the 4 years she's been with me I've never seen her this angry. I tried not to laugh at this situation.

"Sorry. I completely forgot." I looked down towards my feet. "Let me go change and I'll go right in there to them."

"There's no time. They have a schedule to stick to. Just put this shirt on and go on in." She hands me a UCLA hoodie and I quickly pulled it over my head. This is totally appropriate to wear when meeting the worlds hottest boy band. Great! Deep breaths. They're normal kids, just like you.

I walk in the door and see Harry an Niall sitting in the rolling chairs with Liam and Zayn behind them, Louis was on the other side of the room with a napkin in each hand. They were off and sailing across the room. Harry but his feet down to early and fell to the floor, niall turned around to laugh and fell just short of Louis's feet. I laughed out loud and they all looked at me

My hands fly to my mouth in embarrassment. After a few seconds I can find my voice "hi, I'm Lauren. Sorry I'm late but I can see you have found a way to entertain yourselves." I wave towards the table "would y'all like to sit down?"

"I like your accent, where are you from?" Liam asks me as we move towards the table

"I'm originally from Alabama but I live in North Carolina now."

"How'd you end up in LA if you live in North Carolina?"

"I work with Sony records in the Nashville office but I have a few artists that live here. I come once every 8 weeks or so." I hope I don't sound conceited with my answer.

"That's pretty cool."

I don't really believe him but it's ok, I guess.

"I normally have a file on my artists about what kind of music they like to make but seeing as how I kind of forgot about this meeting I don't have my of my stuff." Before I could start my next sentence Dianne walks in and hands me a folder.

"I realized you didn't have your stuff. Here's all we have on them." She whispers as she leans down. She also hands me my cell phone. I look around the table and see the boys laughing at me. Great first impression you're making Lauren!

"Just kidding." I say as I'm trying to laugh. "Dianne just brought me my stuff."

"What's that file say about us?" Harry leans across and tries to grab m folder. I smack his hand and point my finger at him. He sits back down and playfully pouts.

"Nothing specific just the names of your other songs, who y'all have written with. Just general things." The looks on their faces were the looks of confusion. Lauren what did you just do? I scold myself

"So what kind of sound are you wanting to do for us?" Harry asks

"What ever y'all want. I'm here to help." I say and lean back in my chair. It's in this moment I remember I have on sneakers and running shorts. I kick my shoes off and tuck my feet under me.

My phone starts to ring and they laugh and Macklemore ringtone. I look down deciding to answer it or not.

"You gonna answer that?" Zayn asks pointing to my cell.

"Uhh... well... me and him aren't on speaking terms right now."

"Oh, boyfriend problems?" He says laughing

"It's complicated." I frown as I say it. Lauren, they don't want hear about Tyler, don't even go there.

We continued to talk about music and their tour that summer. After 4 phone calls I decided to just turn it off and take the boys down to another room in the studio. This room is my safe haven. I come down here when I feel like the world is to heavy and I can't go for a run.

I point to the couch "have a seat and I'll go grab my guitar."

I go to the next room and I see Dianne talking to someone. He's really tall and... shit Tyler's here. Did he really come here when I didn't answer? I grab my guitar and run back to the room with the boys. I hear him yelling towards me but I shut the door and lock it.

"Lauren open this door and talk to me!" Tyler beats on the door.

"No! You need to leave!" I yell back. The boys are sitting there dumbfounded. They don't know what to say

"Brittany Lauren Watson! You little bitch come out here right now!"

I turn around and try to ignore him. Tears are threatening to spill. I need to get away from here, away from Tyler.

"Lauren, do you want us to help? We can get him to leave." Louis tells me as he wraps his arms around my shoulders.

"Thanks, but I can handle it"

"You sure? We can all be very persuasive" Niall says as he punches playfully in the air

"No, I'm ok. I'll call security and get them to escort him out." I move to the phone on the table and dial john, our security manager.

"John, I need you to come to my writing room. I have artists up here an Tyler's outside beating on the door... I don't care who he is, I want him gone... john! just come get him." I slam the phone down. Ok Lauren, just go out there and hear what he has to say then he'll leave you alone.

"John says he can’t come get him. that he can be up here I he wants." I say with a heavy heart. "I'm gonna have to talk to him."

"You're not going out there alone. We're all going with you." Liam says as they all stand.

"Lauren, I know you're in there! I know you have at least one boy in there with you! Now get out here!" Tyler yells so loud it's like he's right beside me.

"No, I have to do this alone." I hang my head and open the door.

"Oh look who finally decided to come out and play." Tyler grabs my arms and picks me up. He slams me into the wall and I swear my ribs break. "you think you can get away with running out on me? you think you can just come here and escape our problems?" I drop to the floor and Tyler is being pulled backwards.

"You can't talk to her like that!" Harry yells.

"You wanna bet! I'll talk to my sister any way I want to!" His lips curl into a small smile