Harry (His POV) – “Where’s everyone else?” I asked casually as I walked into the large meeting room and sat down on one of the oversized, black office chairs. “The other boys won’t be joining us today, Harry,” my management teamed stared at me, a few wore looks of sympathy whereas others wore deep frowns as they clasped their hands together on the table in front of them. “Fucking hell, what have I done this time?” I asked as I sighed loudly and rolled my eyes. I knew what was coming. The boys and I must have heard it about a thousand times. Whether we tweeted something they didn’t like or wore something they didn’t like, our managers always seemed to find something to complain about. I would listen as they put forward their argument and give them a big fake apology and promise that it won’t happen again, just to avoid having to spend any longer than I absolutely had to in the meeting room and then I would go home to Y/N and moan about it until I felt better. It was a routine thing. “It’s not about what you’ve done Harry, it’s about what you’re going to do,” one of the sterner looking managers replied and I raised my eyebrows at him and then looked at the others for some sort of explanation but they all remained silent. “Well?” I eventually asked and there was a collective sigh from the group. “You see Harry, we’ve noticed a bit of a sharp decline in the activity on your social media accounts as well as the band’s official accounts,” somebody spoke in a soft, timid voice; as if they were trying to calm me down when I wasn’t even angry. “And yours and the boy’s presence on the internet has also been declining, less and less people are searching you, tweeting about you, blogging about you… you get the idea,” the angrier manager spoke again. “Okay?” I replied, “and what do you need me to do to change that?” I asked, beginning to sound as exasperated as I felt. They all exchanged glances and the balding man in the middle removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he sighed. “You see Harry, we couldn’t help but notice that this decline in your popularity coincided with the time the press found out you were seeing Y/N,” he slid his glasses back on and clasped his hands on the table again and I stared at him silently, not really sure if I wanted to hear their master plan. “We really don’t think that your being in a relationship is what’s best for the band,” he added bluntly and I scoffed and leaned back in my seat. I reached up and rubbed the stubble on my chin and composed myself before making eye contact with him. “So you want me to end things?” I asked calmly and he took a deep breath. “We really think it’s what’s best for you and what’s best for the band,” he said sternly and I glared at him. “You can sit there and look me in the eye and tell me that this is what’s best for the band but how fucking dare you tell me that it’s what’s best for me. You clearly have absolutely no idea what’s best for me,” I spat at him and he shuffled the papers in front of him obnoxiously. “We had a feeling you’d react like this Harry. We just want you to remember how hard you’ve worked to get where you are… and to throw it away over a stupid adolescent relationship? We though you had more sense than that,” he looked me directly in the eye as he spoke. “It’s not a stupid adolescent relationship you prick, I love her,” I growled at him but he didn’t even flinch. His cool, stern exterior remained completely unaffected. “You’re 20 years old Harry,” he spoke patronizingly, “you don’t even know what love is. If thinking about how hard you’ve worked to get where you are doesn’t make you reconsider your relationship with Y/N then maybe you should take your band mates into consideration?” he raised his eyebrows at me. “Your decision doesn’t only affect you, it affects them too. Now why don’t you do the mature, selfless thing and finish your relationship with Y/N. Before you destroy yours and your best friends’ careers.”
Liam (Your POV) – You shoved your laptop back in your bag before swinging it over your shoulder and beginning to follow the large crowd exiting the lecture theatre. You slowly shuffled through the crowded campus, excited to get back to your flat but dreading it at the same time because you knew Liam wouldn’t be there. He had only been on tour for two weeks but you felt as if he’d been gone for months. You walked slowly, the music in your headphone’s blaring and you were soon making your way up the steps to your front door. You were humming quietly as you slid your key into the lock when you felt someone’s hand tap you on the shoulder. You shrieked loudly as you spun round and ripped your headphones out of your ears. You opened your mouth to curse the person out but once you’d had a good look at her face you recognized her as one of Liam’s manager’s so you held your tongue. “Sorry, I didn’t meet to scare you, I called your name a few times but I don’t think you heard me” she spoke softly as she gestured towards the headphones in your hands which were still loudly playing music. You quickly turned off the music and took a few quick breaths to slow your heart rate. “It’s okay! Don’t worry about it,” you smiled. “What’s up? Can I help you with something?” you asked and she sighed and looked down at the ground for a split second before looking back up at you. “Actually you can, is there anyway I can come inside?” she asked politely and you nodded, feeling confused but stepping inside and walking her through to the living room. You laid your bag down and set about quickly fixing up a couple of mugs of coffee for the two of you. “Do you want anything to eat?” you offered politely as you set her mug down on the coffee table in front of her and she shook her head. “No, thank you. Please sit,” she smiled and you nodded awkwardly, feeling like you were the stranger in her home, not the other way around. “Okay so Y/N, we have a lot to discuss,” she sipped her coffee and you nodded even though you had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. “Well, as you know, Liam and the boys are two weeks into their worldwide tour,” she spoke softly and you nodded. “Have you spoken to him since he left?” she asked and you chuckled. “Of course I have, twice a day, every day, sometimes more,” you smiled broadly and found yourself checking the time on your watch so you could figure out how many hours it was until he called you again. “How did he sound?” she asked as she took another sip from her mug and you frowned slightly. “He sounds good…” you replied, suddenly not really believing what you were saying. “Why? Is something wrong?” you asked, an anxious feeling began spreading through your chest and you shifted awkwardly in your seat. “You see Y/N, it would seem that Liam hasn’t really been “popular” this tour, compared to previous tours anyway” she made air quotation marks with one hand whilst her other held her mug on her lap. “Oh…” you breathed, you couldn’t imagine how awful he must feel. He put everything he had into making his fans happy and you knew how crushed he’d feel if he felt like he wasn’t doing enough. “Why?” you eventually added and she shrugged even though you were pretty sure she had an answer. “Well you see Y/N, Liam was very popular last tour… the only thing that has changed between then and now is…” she went to continue speaking but you interrupted her. “Me,” you muttered and she knitted her eyebrows together sympathetically. “Liam loves you Y/N, and it’s because he loves you that he can’t see that your relationship is ruining his career. We haven’t spoken to him because I thought it would be easier to appeal to you instead…” she paused as you processed everything she was saying. “This has been Liam’s dream for a long time Y/N… you really need to consider the fact that you might be holding him back,” she spoke softly and a tear slid down your cheek. You reached up quickly to brush it away but you knew she saw anyway. “I’ll let myself out,” she muttered after a few seconds of silence and she slowly made her way out the flat and closed the door behind her.
