Holding My Breath ~ Larry Stylinson

Chapter 7

We ran down the stairs and saw Liam in the lobby with Zayn. "Niall is already on his way. Come on we have to go!" Zayn ushered Liam out of the door as we reached the bottom of the stairs. We rushed into the car and Harry's dangerous driving once again payed off, getting us there early. We sat in the waiting area and met the other lads as they one by one entered. Simon called us up to his office and we entered, sitting at a table opposite some people we had never seen before. Simon was sitting at the head of the table, with Paul standing behind him. I raised and eyebrow at Paul, trying to ask him the quesition with my eyes "Did you tell him?". He simply nodded, making me bite my lip with anxiety.

"Boys." Simon smiled at each of us. "These are the owners of Modest Management." he gestured to the 3 strangers sitting opposite us.

"Nice to meet you." Harry smiled as we all shook their hands.

"Now, we have some things to discuss. First, the tour." Simon opened the conversation and threw us all a notepad and pen down the table. We discussed the tour for about 30 minutes before moving on to America. "Personally I don't think you're big enough for America yet." one of the men sat at the table said. Well, little man, personally I think you're a knob. Sorry, my sassy side comes out when I'm dealing with people like him. An argument soon erupted across the table whether America was a good option or not, before Simon held his hands in the air.

"Stop this! I have something else we all need to discuss." he said, his tone becoming more serious than ever. "Louis and Harry's relationship."

GULP. I swallowed hard and Harry's hand held mine under the desk.

"What about it?" Harry hissed, his familiar aggressive tone starting to show.

"It's not a good decision, boys." the stupid man across the table spoke up.

"He's right. Your fans will not like the fact that you two are in a relationship. It will be damaging to your careers." Simon added.

"How do you know that?" Harry almost shouted.

"We don't. But we can't risk it." the stupid man said and my eyes drifted to his name tag. Rupert. Well Rupert, you are the biggest prick I have ever met in my life.

"Wait a minute. It's one thing for Simon to comment on our relationship, we're close and we know him. But for you to come in and tell me our relationship is a bad decision is totally different. I'm not going to let a total stranger decide what happens in my love life. Besides, this isn't a choice, it's love." I spat, looking Rupert dead in the eyes.

"It could end your career!" Rupert, the short bald man with dark eyes started to get irate.

"I don't give a fuck!" I stood up. "I love this job. I love music and I love being in this group with my best friends. But to be quite honest, RUPERT, I love Harry more." I pushed my chair back and put my hands on the table, leaning forward. Rupert stood up and also leaned in at me.

"Listen, boy. You make us a lot of money. We can end your career as fast as we created it. If this carries on," he gestured to me and Harry. "There will be no job, there will be no music, and there will be no group!"

I looked down at the desk and closed my eyes, my arms shaking. Harry put his hand on my back as he stood up.

"Don't speak to him like that." Harry said calmly.

"I'm one of your bosses, I can speak to you however I like--" he started, being cut off by Harry slamming his hands on the table.

"Don't fucking speak to him like that!" he shouted aggressively.

"Harry, calm down." Liam squeezed his shoulder, only for Harry to shrug it off.

"No, I won't calm down! Lou's right. Why should a total stranger be allowed to decide who we love? Look, mate.." He turned back to the small man looking at him with small evil eyes. "No offence. But what the fuck gives you, a bald middle-aged man with probably no social life, the damn right to come in here and tell us we can't be together? A lot has gone on between us over the last couple of weeks, before we even met you. So don't you dare tell me 'It won't work' because you know what? It will." he pointed at the man, the veins in his muscular arms coming through with anger.