Eyes Wide Open

Chapter 25

Harry, Louis, Liam and Niall are sitting around Harry's kitchen table discussing tour dates and who they could have open for them when Jacqueline's song Million Reasons comes on the radio causing them all to fall quiet and listen.

"Have you seen her?" Louis asks when the song dies away.

Harry shakes his head. "And I don't have her number, I didn't have time to get it. Unless it's the same as before and she's got me blocked." He says.

"It's been almost a month, don't you want to fix this?" Liam asks. "It's been going on to long already."

"Of course I do." Harry says. "But Jason won't tell me shit, I don't know where to find her, I don't know what to do." He snaps, slamming his beer down on the table.

"I've seen her." Niall says quietly.

Harry turns and looks at his friend like he's betrayed him. "What? When?"

Niall shrugs, standing up to get another beer. "Several times." He says as he sits back down. "I've been hanging out with Drew, and those two really are attached at the hip at times. It's only natural I'd see her also."

"And you didn't think tell me?" Harry asks.

Niall shakes his head. "One, I promised her I wouldn't, which I just broke. Two, I didn't know if you would hurt her again. So, no, I didn't think it wise to let you know." He says seeing the hurt in Harry's eyes.

"I wouldn't have hurt her." Harry says quietly.

"Oh come on Haz, you can't control that mouth of yours around her, you always say something to hurt her." Louis says. "Even if it's unintentional."

"You're right." Harry admits. "I don't know why I say the things I do to her. It's like my arms and body want her as close as I can possibly get her but my brain is telling me to run, to get as far away as possible, and I have no clue why." He says, laying his head on the table.

"Do you, honestly, still love her?" Liam asks.

"Come on, Liam, I already told you guys I haven't been with anyone since she left. What do you think?" Harry says.

"Okay, then here's my suggestion." Liam says, spreading his hands out on the table. "We see if Jason can talk her into opening for us during our tour, this will give you time to convince her what she truly means to you." He suggests.

Harry raises his head and looks at Liam in awe as Louis laughs. "Brilliant idea Li."
___________

"No! Jason why would you even think to suggest this?" Jacqueline snaps as she paces in front of his desk.

"Because I happen to think it's a damn good idea." Jason snaps back. "Jack, you're an unknown in this area of entertainment, you're not going to be able to get your own headline show yet. One Direction is a very well known band, and with this being their come back tour their ticket sales will be off the charts." He says. "That could take your career to the next level very quickly."

"But?" Jacqueline starts to says when Deen cuts her off.

"He's right. Jackie, nobody is going to pay to see someone they've never heard of before, except maybe one song on the radio." Deen says. "It's not enough, you have to start somewhere."

"Deen's right hun." Ken says, pulling her onto his lap. "This is the best way. Deep down in your heart you know that."

Jacqueline looks over at Drew, thinking about how close he and Niall has gotten in the past several weeks. Them touring with those guys would give them time to strengthen what's already building. Still looking at Drew, she finally nods. "Okay fine, we can do it. But please don't push me when it comes to talking to him, I'll do that when I'm ready." Jacqueline says.

"Whoop, oh sis, thank you so much." Drew squeals, jumping from his chair, giving her a huge hug. "I love you."

Jacqueline laughs, hugging him back. "I love you too, Drew."

"Okay, I'll nail down the details with Jeff." Jason says, picking up his phone. "You guys need to get your set list in order."

"We only have twelve songs, how hard can that be." Jacqueline sasses as they walk out the door.

"Then rehearse smartass." Jason calls out as the closes. Jacqueline sticks her hand back in the door and flips him off, causing Jason to chuckle. "Jeff? Jason. We're on. She has agreed."

"You're kidding?" Jeff says slightly surprised. "How did you get her to concede? I was sure she'd tell you to go fuck yourself." He says.

Jason laughs. "She did at first. But her amazing bandmates spoke up, they agreed with me, telling her it was to good of an opportunity to pass up." He says.

"Great, now all we have to do is get our kids back together." Jeff says.

"Yeah well, we'll have to be careful there. She made the others promise not to push her into talking to Harry until she's ready." Jason tells Jeff.

"Okay, we'll just have to do it in a way she doesn't realize we're doing it." Jeff says, waving his wife into his office. "Look Glenn in here, I'll call you back with more details as I nail them down, expect a fax detailing what I have so far."

"Okay, see ya soon." Jason says before hanging up. Just as he's about to go check on the band, see how they're doing, the fax machine goes off. Grabbing the paper he takes it with him so he can let the guys know they have three weeks to prepare for their first concert in Australia.