Better Together - (One Direction fanfic by Kaitlynn)

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

The boys exchanged worried glances, silently communicating in the way only they could understand. "Did they like, say...why?" Harry looked troubled. Kaitlynn shook her head vigorously, "No, but they DID say to hurry up!" The boys shrugged and they all set off, following Kaitlynn. They soon arrived at a room which Jackie presumed was where Kaitlynn had been stuffing her face with free food, judging from the long table in the middle piled with snacks of all kinds. Lisa was waiting there, the worried, impatient look on her face changing to relief as they all filed into the room. "Thank god," she wiped her forehead wearily, "Simon's about to have a cow," she sighed and handed her iPhone to Liam. "Uh, hello?" Liam said sweetly. "Liam, PUT THE GODDAMN PHONE ON SPEAKER!" Simon was not a happy camper. Liam hurriedly placed the phone on the table, "Okay sorry Uncle Simon, there," he said said with finality. "Boys," Simon's voice was stern, but with a trace of regret, Jackie got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, "I'm afraid that little, "opening act" of yours needs to go," Simon said with a sigh. Jackie and Kaitlynn looked at each other, mouths open in disbelief. The boys erupted into a chorus of angry protests. But then again, what had they expected? That ordinary girls would get to TOUR with some of the biggest stars in the world?! They were just two soon-to-be senior girls, they only had a summer before college hunting, SATs, and months of stress. "Hey hey," Simon was saying, "Unless you want your drummer to lose his job?!" It was silent as all eyes turned to Josh, who's face drained of color. As Josh stood there rigidly silent, Jackie squeezed his hand then wrapped an arm around his waist. He immediately put his arm around her shoulders almost absentmindedly, as if he'd been doing it his whole life. "What?!" Niall was first to recover, "The hell's Josh have to do with this?!" he looked at the others with a panicked expression, but they all knew. Simon's voice was hard, "I thought you guys would know!" he sighed tiredly, "It wasn't my decision, Rob--Mr. Kingsly, will discuss it with you boys now. I'm going to transfer you to--" "HOLD ON Simon!" Louis yelled. Simon huffed and there was a lot of rustling, "I'm waiting," he said wearily. Louis was pinching the bridge of his nose again, "Why can't you just tell him no? You're SIMON," Louis was almost pleading. Simon sighed again, "And he's Mr. Kingsly," he said bitterly, "Losing his support would destroy our advertising, our management, a lot of things," Simon's tone was final, "Even I don't have all the money in the world boys." Dial tone. He'd hung up. No one was speaking. Jackie hugged Josh tighter as they waited for the inevitable. The dial tone stopped as an icy baritone voice cut through the silence, "Hello everyone," Mr. Kingsly said cordially.