“I really wish I could be there” he whines.
“I wish more, god, I just…ugh”
“I know, baby, it’s a fucked up situation but we’ve got to work through it. It will be alright either way, you know I love you”
“I do and I love you too, I just can’t cope with all of this happening and now I can’t even be there for you, and you’ve been here for me so many times”
“At least you’ll see me” George tries.
“Yeah, through a fucking TV screen”
“Don’t be grumpy, Laura” he says in a funny voice.
“Shut up” I laugh.
“I’ll be singing it for you, only for you”
“You should be singing for the band and yourself”
“Don’t let them know” he whispers and I laugh again.
“I heard that!” I hear Jaymi in the background.
“Love you Jay boy!” George shouts “But still love you more” his voice comes clearer through the line.
“You better” I joke.
“You know I do”
“Ugh, we are so lovesick” I smile.
“Ew, girls, cooties, awful creatures”
“I know something way worse, they’re called Union J and I must say that th-“
“You stop right there, you know they’re my favorite band and I know you’re secretly in love with one of them so you can stop with these lies, Ms.Carter”
“Oh, you got me, I’m in love with one of those boys but don’t let anyone know…it’s the weird one by the way”
“You love JJ?? No way!” George lets out a giggle and I bite back my own.
“You think you’re so smooth, tell me what your girlfriend thinks all of these stupid jokes, huh?”
“She knows they are not stupid but wonderful and extremely funny, thank you very much” he responds “And she loves me a lot, a lot and a lot”
“Are you drunk?”
“What? No!”
“Oh, it seemed like you were because there’s no way in hell I find your jokes funny” I reply.
“But you love meee”
“I don’t know how I do” I fake a sigh.
“Tell me you love me” he laughs.
“I love…” my voice hangs in the air “JJ”
“Hey!”
“What? You’ve said it yourself” now it’s my turn to laugh.
“You’re a mean one”
“But you love meee” I repeat his words.
“I do” his voice changing to a serious tone now.
“I love you, George” I reply “Go win this thing and get your ass back to me”
“Will do, madam”
“Good luck!” I tell him “I’ll see you soon, yeah?”
“Through a fucking TV screen as you said, but yes, you will”
“Idiot”
“Love you too” he laughs “Bye”
“Bye” I hang up.
I thought there wasn’t anything that could wreck my nerves more than Sunday nights, but X Factor semi-finals were the cherry on top.
I believed in the boys, I truly did, but I knew James and Jahmene were the people’s favorite finalists. But Union J was my favorite finalist and I was counting on at least that bit.
“So he sings?”
“I told you that a hundred a times, he’s in a singing competition, it’s a TV show called The X factor”
“X Factor? So it’s only girls singing?”
“It’s for entertainment mom, it has nothing to do with biology”
“Your aunt would agree with me” my mother sneers “At least it should be X & Y so it would be fair to everybody”
“I don’t think TV producers care much about gender equality”
“This damn society” she mutters.
“Just watch the show, mom” I laugh as the intro begins.
“I don’t know who those 4 people are, I know that one is a cat doll something, that one I don’t have a clue but nice dress, that one looks like you’re grandpa and uh, who’s that cutie?”
“Gary Barlow?”
“Have no idea, but very handsome that one, you could’ve gone for that one, don’t you think?”
“Mom, he’s like your age!”
“True, hell, I should’ve gone for that one then”
“If dad listened to this…”
“Oh, your dad enjoys accents, I think he’d like this Gary Marlow”
“Barlow, Gary Barlow”
“Tomato, tomato, all pretty faces, dear” she muses.
“Don’t you dare say the same thing from my boyfriend’s band…” I warn her.
“What? Oh, I knew it! All pretty English boys, with pretty little suits, who can’t sing!”
“Of course they sing, you’ll see!”
“I’ll be the judge of that” she smirks.
Semi-finals aka Week 9 of X Factor starts with Union J on stage, they begin with Beneath You’re Beautiful from Emeli Sande and it’s so brilliant want to cry. They look amazing and the singing is so good, I want to smash the lyrics in my mom’s face.
She says nothing after their first performance but when their second one starts and George begins to sing I’m Already There by Lonestar, I see the look in her eyes. She knows.
“They are good” she says “And it’s clear that he’s singing to you”
“Told you”
“It doesn’t change my mind about leaving Monday”
“It should” I snap
“Just enjoy your boyfriend’s performance, Laura”
And I do, I glue my eyes to the TV and ignore all my thoughts about leaving. I think about how good George looks in that beige shirt and how I wanna see him. I call the number in the screen five times and make my mom call three. When they finish I clap my hands even though I’m in a closed hospital room with my mom and comatose aunt, even though they are not listening I clap hard and loud and I don’t let myself cry.
My hands begin to hurt and I close my eyes tightly to not let a single tear spill.
“Laura…-“ my mom says, concern laced in her tone.
But a hoarse, weak and familiar voice interrupts her.
“What’s all this clapping going on here?”
AN: Hiii! Long time no see, right? Yeah, I know, sorry for that!! Had this terrible writer's block and finally found a way through it, wrote two in a row bc I owed you guys! (though not entirely satisfied with these chapters) plus they need serious editing. In other news, I'm currently on vacations until August so I'll try to keep updates a bit more often, BUT it's v v close to the end, less than 5 chapters to go, so will need time to tie all the knots. Anyway, hope you like it and sorry for this horrible wait! :) xx
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As Lovely As You (George Shelley Fanfic)
FanfictionIt's Laura's first time in the UK, she's staying at her aunt's place in London but after an accident she finds herself staying at the Corinthia Hotel with all the X factor's contestants, including the lovely George Shelley...
