Chasing Char<3 (One Direction/Louis Tomlinson Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Four

Chapter 4:

To say I was gobsmacked when I walked into the grand ballroom at the Ritz would be an underestimation. I had seen it on telly and searched it on Google before (yes I know, I’m sad) but pictures did not do it justice. When you type it into Google images it comes up with these pictures of it all posh and done up for wedding receptions and such like. It looks sort of like a royal banquet hall or something- but whatever the party planners had done to this place, it looked good. There was huge dance floor right in the middle of the hall, lit up with all different coloured lights. The rest of the room was deceivingly dark- making the dance floor stand out even more. The colour scheme was black and white (apart from peoples clothing, otherwise that would’ve been awkward) and dotted around the dance floor were hundreds of tables- seating roughly 7 each. Along one wall was a huge, long, futuristic looking bar, which sported clear cocktails and champagne on the actual bar. Through a door to the left, staff (who were all dressed in either white tuxes or black dresses) kept coming in bearing platters of canapés and such like. Directly opposite the way we had just come in was a small platform on which stood a single microphone. I’m definitely glad to say that I wasn’t the only one who needed to be brought out of a trance by a member of staff- Danielle and Perrie were also mesmerised by the sight.

‘Sheesh.’ I breathed.

‘Tell me about it.’ Dani said equally breathless.

‘Come on then, let’s find our table.’ Perrie said, taking charge and grabbing both our hands. We found it easily- right next to the dance floor, but still in front of the platform. I found my seat, which happened to be next to Dani and Harry, Louis was beside Harry, and Perrie beside Dani, it then went Zayn, Liam, Niall on Dani’s side.

‘Do we want some drinks?’ Dani suggested.

‘Sure, I’ll get them.’ I offered.

‘Okay, I’ll have a Piña Colada Please.’ Perrie said with a smile.

‘I’ll have the same please.’ Dani said,

‘Well that makes things easy,’ I joked before walking away. Once I got to the bar I ordered 3 of them and was about to pick up the drinks when a hand slithered around my wrist. I spun around to find Louis grinning at me.

‘Hey hun, how was the interview?’ I asked as I hugged him- everybody’s in a huggy mood this evening, come to think of it I do sort of keep starting them all actually.

‘It was boring, want some help with those drinks?’ I nodded and picked up one of them before following Louis back to our table, finding that all the boys had arrived there too.

‘Hey Char.’ Niall chirped. ‘Wanna dance?’

‘Excuse me, she’s my date- I get the first dance.’ Louis said pulling me closer. Dani and Perrie started giggling, I shot them a curious gaze but they just brushed it off.

And so began the night…

4 possibly 5 cocktails later and I may have been just a little past tipsy. I was currently doubled over on my seat, laughing at goodness knows what Niall had said- I couldn’t care less. I was so glad that I came, Perrie and I had become quite close and we three promised to get together next week sometime. The whole night had been so nice but Louis was acting a bit strange- whenever someone asked me to dance he said no and dragged me away. I couldn’t believe it when bloody Ed Sheeran asked me to dance AND told me I looked gorgeous- but no, Mr grumpy had to ruin it. Anyways, I planned to confront him about it later and after that I managed to put it to the back of my mind.

At about 10.30pm, Paul came onstage and announced it was time for speeches. Each of the boys got up separately and said their thank you’s, then the one and only Simon Cowell got up and said the usual stuff about how he seen these boys grow and couldn’t believe they had come this far. Then one of their managers: Will got up and finally Paul made a hilarious speech, including one or two stories from the tour bus- let’s just say the boys were well and truly red faced.

By 2.00am I had just finished my 8th or 9th cocktail and I was absolutely smashed,

‘It’s a shame I won’t remember any of this tomorrow.’ I slurred to Louis as we made our exit, the amount of flashes had not dwindled, thank goodness Louis had suggested going into the bathroom to tidy up a bit and drinking a glass of water. He said: ‘I can just see the headlines in the morning, ‘Louis Tomlinson’s date smashes her way out of the Ritz after last nights after party’.’

That’s the last thing that happened before I crashed in the limo.

‘Mama told me not to waste my life, she said spread your wings my little butterfly….’

Incoming call from ‘Ciara’

‘Hello?’ I groaned, my hangover voice making me sound extremely attractive this morning.

‘Are alright hun?’ I winced as Ciara’s voice shot like bullets through my head.

‘Yeah, just had a crazy night last night is all- or at least that how I remember it as.’ She giggled on the other end of the line.

‘I was just calling to say I won’t be in until 7 tonight- I stayed at ben’s last night.’

‘Did you use protection child?’ I scolded.

‘For god’s sake Char.’

‘I was just kidding Cici.’ I giggled, but it sounded more like a frog being strangled.

‘Right, you need to get your lazy arse out of bed, get a glass of water and a couple of Advil’s and then you need to make a bloody mary.

‘Yes Mother,’

‘Bye Charley. Love you lots.’

‘Love you to babe.’ The line went dead.

I groaned loudly at the prospects of getting up, but 5 minutes later I had finally managed to sum up the will as my need for water steadily grew. I slumped through to the kitchen and poured myself a glass and popped a few pills out of a packet. I then walked through the lounge in the direction of the bathroom.

‘Char?’ A raspy voice from behind me made me jump around and assume the defensive position (ie holding my hands out in front of me in a karate like way ready to chop someone’s head off- jokes: I’ve never taken karate in my life)

‘Louis, you scared the shit out of me.’ The sound had come from a bed-head ridden boy who was currently sprawled out on my sofa- still clad in last night’s tux and sporting a gloriously attractive hangover. ‘Why were you sleeping on my sofa?’

‘Don’t you remember?’ he still manages to smirk at this godforsaken hour in the morning. Okay never mind- it’s half two in the afternoon.

‘Nope, all I remember is Harry slipping on ice during his speech and making arrangements for shopping or something?’ I winced as my own voice startled my shrivelled brain.

‘Oh yeah, well the plans were with Dani and Perrie and are you sure you don’t remember being on your knee’s practically begging me to stay the night because the giant mushrooms were going to get you and fungi your brain.’

‘Are you sure that happened? Seriously, that is so embarrassing.’ My face fell into my hands.

‘You even managed to convince me to…’

‘Okay that’s enough, I don’t want to know. How come you remember everything anyway?’ I eyed him suspiciously, ‘I’m pretty sure you drank quite a bit aswell.’

‘Well… it seems as though hangovers don’t affect me as much as they do you.’ He smirked smugly.

‘Whatever, I’m going in the shower.’ I started to walk away.

‘Can I join you?’

‘Nope, in your dreams.’

‘Always.’ A cheeky grin was plastered, unashamed across his face as I shut the door to the bathroom.