Labels || H.S. [#Wattys2020]

N I N E T Y - S I X

So it was a flurry of tweets, Facebook posts, and monitoring of the iTunes chart, but the day was finally coming to a close for Reagan as she sat back in her chair and closed her laptop. The boys had left ages ago, far too hungover to even function. But they had tried their best and managed to run their own Twitter accounts without a hitch, for once.

Now it was just Reagan and Lydia alone, wrapping everything up until the next day. Lydia watched Reagan through the open door to her office, wondering how to approach her about having to go on tour with the boys again. She honestly believed that Reagan had taken on too much of a burden, what with One Direction being her first real clients and all. But she had put on a brave face and actually seemed to connect more with the boys than she ever had. That made her uneasy, but she trusted Reagan. Trusted her judgment. And that's why she was entrusting her with the task of the boys' Civic Honda Tour PR. It was a huge campaign, and after what Lydia had to deal with with the Drag Me Down debacle, she wasn't up to the task. She still had to schedule promotional interviews, set up their music video shooting, and not to mention begin contacting radio stations at once. So to give Reagan this PR campaign would be both a huge weight off her shoulders and a massive learning experience for her blossoming PR agent.

"Reagan?" Lydia called from her office.

"Yes?"

"Can you come in here?"

Reagan appeared at once in the doorway, giving a slight sleepy smile.

"I'm impressed."

"With what?" Reagan asked.

"Well, you did an amazing job, considering you were in the same condition as the boys."

"What-"

"Oh, save it, Reagan. I know you were there with the boys last night. You all are good mates and such."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad. You all deserved to celebrate."

"Are you just saying that because the single did so well?"

"Well if it hadn't you probably would be out of a job."

Reagan's facial expression dropped so fast that Lydia had to hold back a laugh, "I'm joking, Reagan. I know you all are the same age and that the boys have take a liking to you. That's not a bad thing. In fact, I think it'll help us for this next project."

Reagan looked dumbfounded, was this the same woman who told her not to hang around Harry not too long ago?

"Now." Lydia began, "We've been recruited as the Honda Civic Tour artists of the summer."

"Wow." Reagan mumbled, she knew that the team had been aiming for that spot for months. But boybands had never been chosen, ever. So for the boys to get this slot it was truly a huge honor.

"Wow, indeed. But this means we have many, many more promos to do this concert season than before. I've added an extra Good Morning America slot to talk about Drag Me Down, a flurry of guest appearances on shows here in the US, Europe, and South America, and," Lydia paused, smiling a little too happily, "besides all that the boys will be recording two commercials for Honda."

"That's amazing."

"Two commercials and a campaign that you will be in charge of."

"What!?" Reagan exclaimed, much to surprised to remember that she was standing before her boss.

"That's right, Reagan Bailey. This is your first official welcome into the world of PR. You will officially be the head of the boys' Civic Tour campaign."

"That's an awful lot of responsibility, Lydia. Don't you think-"

"Would you like me to rethink it? Would you rather I put someone else in your position. I'm sure they'd be happy to take-"

"No, no! I'll do it. I've got it. I can do it."

"That's what I like to hear. You'll be flying out to Chicago in three days."

"Chicago? Aren't the boys going to be in Canada?"

"After their three days in Canada their home base for the Midwest will now be Chicago. Honda has specificaly requested it and will be taking care of all your accommodations."

"Huh."

"Great, isn't it?"

"It's amazing! Have you told the boys?"

"I have not." Lydia said in a stern voice.

"You're still mad at them, aren't you."

"That's an understatement, dear."

"Mostly, Louis?"

"Both him and Harry."

"Understandably."

"Well, at least I have you as a double agent."

"Wh-What?"

"Considering that the boys have taken you in as their own, you can now inform me when they're about to pull one of their stupid stunts."

"I can't stop them, I don't have that much power."

"No, but at least I'll have the upper hand and can avoid a mess like today's. You didn't know about the single drop before last night did you?"

"No, ma'm." Reagan lied through her teeth.

"I'll let this one slide, but from now on we have to be a team. It's in their best interest."

"I understand." Reagan nodded, because ultimately Lydia was right. Being the tattle tale sucked, but in some cases it would be better for Lydia to know what was up. Perhaps not in the case of her and Harry dating, or Louis being a father, but she just had to pick her battles. Ultimately she knew where her loyalties laid, and unfortunately those loyalties may begin to hinder her career.

"Good, now I suggest you go home and get some sleep so you're ready for tomorrow morning."

"What's tomorrow morning?"

"You'll be talking strategies with Honda's PR department."

"Oh." Reagan gulped, "On my own?"

"Reagan, this is your project now. You don't have to run anything by me. Believe me, my own plate is full enough." Lydia paused and added, "But I will be watching you, don't think I won't be."

"Yes ma'm."

"You're dismissed, go get some sleep."

"Goodnight." Reagan said, before slipping out the door. She quickly grabbed her bag and laptop, and rushed out the door of the studio. She was smiling like an idiot, even though the boys were obviously on a mission to make her job as hard as it possibly could be, the months of hard work had paid off. She was nervous, there was no doubt, as a pit of anxiety began to form in her stomach. But she was excited...until she wasn't.

Back again was that doubt, she wondered if she had truly deserved this position. If she had actually proven herself worthy of it. Or if once again it was her father's doing. She wanted to run back in and ask Lydia if she had ever been in contact with him, just to rid her of her doubt. But she knew that wouldn't do her any good.

Maybe she was just being ridiculous, and she needed to keep believing in herself. She had been doing so well after all. She stopped thinking about her weight, stopped hearing the ugly voices inside her head. It's been a good couple of weeks. Even the whole Hailey thing didn't send her into a mental breakdown. Had it been her ten years ago, she would without a doubt have been broken by Hailey's harsh words. Hell, had it been three months ago she probably would've crawled into her bed with a pint of ice cream and would have never come out. But she's here now. She's the head of a project, she's actually, really, dating Harry Styles, and she has friends. For the first time in a long time she isn't alone. And perhaps that, above all else, is what's helping her reach her full potential.