We Meet Again

Chapter 17 - "Happy Days"

As Harry waited for Louis to open his door his nerves were on edge.  „Louis come on, get out here!” Harry raised his voice and knocked on the door yet again. When Louis finally opened the door it was clear to his best friend that something was upsetting him. He instantly pulled him into a tight hug. „It’ll be okay Louis, I promise,” Harry whispered in his ear. „Don’t make promises you can’t keep. This one’s all on me - but the consequences will be upon the entire band. I’m so so so sorry Hazz,” Louis stated, still in the embrace. „We’ll figure this out lad, but it probably won’t help to be late,” Harry replied before practically dragging Louis to the elevator.

***

As Harry opened the door to where the meeting was being held the entire room went silent. As Louis and him stepped in and closed the door behind them Simon stood up. „You’re late,” Simon commented before pointing towards to empty chairs. Louis hurried towards the seat next to Zayn. „Sorry we were just,” Harry stated but was interrupted by the stern look on Simon’s face - which to be truthful scared him a bit. What the hell had happened?

„I guess you all know why we are here today,” Simon started and several people nodded except Harry and Niall, who apparently were they only ones left in the dark. „Actually not sir,” Niall responded but regretted his words when Simon’s assistant slammed a computer on the table. „We have tried everything. And trust me I mean everything. No matter how big amount of cash we offer, none of the magazines are willing to drop the front page news for tomorrow,” she started rambling. „I will be everywhere - and if anything could break you, then this would be it,” Simon continued while focusing mainly on Zayn and Louis. „What is going on?” Harry asked still confused. „These guys fucked up, big time,” Liam explained and pointed towards two of the band members. „Well I can’t be that bad, can it?” Niall asked and ran biting his nails, one of his nervous habits. „It doesn’t get much worse”. Harry couldn’t locate the source of the voice - but it was definitely coming from one of the PR guys.

„We need a new game plan - something for the media to focus on instead of these boys!” One of the guys Harry didn’t recognize suggested. „Yeah, how about the boys do some charity?” A woman suggested. „Or didn’t Bieber just screw up again - we could turn the focus on him,” another guy said. „Before coming up with a plan the last of the boys should probably be filled in with what’s going on,” Simon stated before turning towards his assistant. „Play the video please”.

Simon assistant straightened her back before pressing play on a video. The time it took for the video to load felt like the longest seconds in Harry’s life and when it finally started, he couldn’t really make out what was even being filmed. The image was blurry and Harry didn’t get how the media could use this poor quality video to anything - until he heard none other than his bandmate Louis Thomlinson’s voice loud and clear: „So here we are - leaving Peru. Joint lit. Happy days”.

„What the fuck is this?”