Madrid

Victoria's secret show

"Omg that's Johnny Depp! Did you see, Lennon?! JOHNNY DEPP. Shit... There's Simon Cowell. Omg. I can't breathe.. Where's my inhaler? Did you see-"

"Yes, I saw, Glen!"

"Ok, just act cool Lennon."

"What do you mean, 'act cool'? You're the one acting like a total dork-"

"Omg. Do you think Owen Wilson will let me touch his hair-"

"Glen, I swear to god, if you don't chill out I'm going to send you back to the hotel."

"Pfft, I'd like to see you try bitch. Right. Just act natural." He stage-whispers. "Take your lead from me."

With that he begins to strut into the room, sashaying his hips so dramatically that it looks like he has a severe limp. I hurry after him, gritting my teeth as I sidle up to him.

"Stop walking like that." I hiss.

"Like what?"

"Like you've got a stick wedged up your arse."

"Lennon." He shakes his head and gives me a sympathetic smile. "You've got to act like you fit in, pretend to be a star."

"Well, so far as I can see, Owen Wilson isn't practically twerking with every step he takes-"

"Omg!! Look, there's Paris Hilton! She's brought her dog!" Glen grabs my arm so hard that he practically cuts off my circulation. "I should have brought Sebastian!!"

There is a slight difference between Paris Hilton's designer groomed puppy and the deeply hideous Sebastian, but I feel it would be unkind to point it out. Glen is distracted already anyway.

"Wow, who is that guy?" He gestures with his head in the most obvious way possible. "He's coming over to us!! Omg. Try and act normal Lennon, no actually, let me do all the talkin-"

"Hey." Ty smiles widely as he approaches us. Glen is staring at him, open mouthed and Ty frowns as he looks at him.

"How's everything going?" I ask. I nudge Glen hard and he quickly rearranges his face into what he must think is a deeply intelligent expression. He's pouting so hard that his mouth looks like a vacuum nozzle.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Lydia has just screamed so much backstage that I'm sure she's given herself a hernia, Harry has just hidden in a closet because he saw Belle Marie coming towards him... Andddd the paps just got an amazing picture of Louis giving Taylor Swift the middle finger."

"Oh shìt. Seriously?"

"Yep. Just the usual celebrity party dramas." Ty laughs and shakes his head. Glens eyes follow the head movement in awe. "But now you're here to take over from me, so I don't even have to think about Harry. Just a heads up though: Lydia is a foul mood."

"Is that news?"

Ty just laughs and winks at me before blending back into the crowd. I turn back to Glen, who is almost dislocating his neck in order to follow Ty's movements through the crowd. As I glance past him, I spot my reflection in the mirror.

Oh great. I look like actual shit. Even in the dim lighting, it's obvious that my hair is unwashed and I've got too much highlighter on my cheeks. I groan to myself and grab Glens arm, yanking him away from where he is still gawping after Ty.

"Right, I'm going to have to check the seating plan, Taylor and Kendall shouldn't be anywhere near Harry, but honestly, it wouldn't be the first time that the show organisers have pulled a dirty trick for publicity.
I'll have to make sure I'm not papped with Harry actually, given that half the fandom hasn't forgotten about those pictures on the island... Plus, we'll have to find Lydia, lucky us. No, actually, you can go and grab a drink, it's your birthday so I don't see why you should have to meet her..." I trail off, realising that Glen is only half listening. I prod his arm and he turns back to me with a grin.

"Ok babes, you go talk to Clam-lydia and I'll get us a row of shots. We'll start with tequila-"

"I can't do that, Glen." I sigh, pulling some papers from my satchel.

"What do you mean?! It's my birthday and there's all these celebrities! I know you can't drink before the show, but after-"

"I can't-"

"Babe." Glen raises his eyebrows at me. "After the show I'm buying 4 tequila shots. If you don't drink them with me, I'll drink all four on my own, and we all know what happened last time."

"No really, I can't." I say firmly.

"You're getting more like Star with every day that passes. Everything is so different now." His voice is carefully light-hearted, but there's a fleeting odd look on his face as he says it. He brightens up immediately as a tray of canapés passes us and he grabs a large handful.

"You're only supposed to have a couple." I mutter, placing my satchel at my feet. My bra is starting to rub and I smooth my hand underneath it, only to feel that the wiring has snapped in half and is digging sharply into my skin.

"Free food is free food." He says through a mouthful. "Why are you groping your boob?"

"The wire has snapped." I rutch the thin dress fabric up slightly so that I can tuck it between my skin and the metal of the bra. It doesn't help, so I turn away from him and edge my way into the corner and begin to jiggle my boob and bunch the fabric right up. I consider taking the wire out, but I'm already at a serious disadvantage tonight with my makeup etc. Wonky boobs will not add the aesthetic I was going for.

One of the metal edges feels as though it's been personally sharpened by satan himself in a sub-section of hell where little things that really piss you off come from. Like Lena Dunham.

Glen is trying desperately to look causal when I get back. He's trying to join a group of snobby looking models who all move away when he join their polite giggles with his massive donkey laugh. To my annoyance, my carefully tucked dress is already slipping and I can feel the broken wire stabbing me again.

"Right, I'm going to find Lydia and see what's happening."

"Good idea." He downs the last of his drink. "I've just spotted Fergie, I think I'll go give her some pointers about that crappy version of the national anthem she performed-"

"Actually-" I grab his arm, "you can come with me." I ignore his protests about getting a shot and wanting to make friends with Beyoncé. As we weave our way backstage, I spot a stressed looking man with a name tag arguing with Kris Jenner and a guy I know to be Taylor Swift's manager. Glen stops to listen noisily, but I pull him on.

The backstage area is huge and it's not until I see a girl quietly crying as she picks some t-shirts that have been thrown on the floor that I realise where we have to go.

"Come on." I pull Glens hand into mine and guide him along.

"How do you know where we're going?" He whispers.

"Just follow the trail of tears and broken dreams, at the end of them you'll find Lydia." Sure enough, it's only a few more seconds and I can hear her barking out orders. A junior assistant that I know by sight runs by, covering her face with her hands. "Look, I want you to wait here."

"What? No way. I'm not letting that nasty cow drag you, I'm here for backup." Glen links my arm and I can't help but laugh as I pull away. The wire stabs into my skin deeply at the movement.

"Trust me, she'll be worse if I bring new blood. She gets excited. Just hang around here and I'll get it over with."

Glen nods reluctantly and I turn to wave at him as I round the corner.

"... We agreed that the boys were going to be the main act of the night, whose fault is this? Where is Lennon?!" Lydia spots me at the exact moment she says this and her mouth widens smugly at the slightly unkempt state of me. "Lennon! There you are! The band has had their time moved! I need an explanation... But perhaps I should be looking for someone with a vague idea of what's going on around them..."

Everyone else has suddenly found other jobs to do, conveniently well away from Lydia.

"It's not my job to sort the band, Lydia." I say patiently. "I'm only Harry's PA, not the band's. What did Denise say?"

"I haven't seen her yet, but I'm sure she'll be absolutely thrilled that you tried to pass the buck." She says sourly. I grit my teeth as I pull my folder from my bag. I'm still not forgiven for the McCartneys revelation about Monica, evidently.

"Why are you still lugging that old thing around?" She snaps as she spots the diary. "Why haven't you gone online with his diary yet?"

"You said that it had to be kept in here, as it's safer than a folder that could be deleted-"

"Hm. I suppose so. I often forget the level of incompetence that I'm dealing with."

I ignore her and begin to read out the minute details of the night that I've planned with the rest of the team. I'm halfway through reciting the list of interviewers I'm going to give 5 minute slots too when she interrupts.

"What are you wearing?"

"What?" I brush my fringe out of my eyes as I look up at her.

"You could have put in an effort." She says frostily.

"I'm only here to work. Ty said not to overdress so that we don't distract from the stars-"

"You're going to be a room full of beautiful models. I hardly think that anyone will be looking at you, Lennon."

Gee thanks.

Her phone begins to ring and she grabs it quickly, marching towards the poor wardrobe girls again. I lean back over my work, eager to just get away as soon as I can.

"I can confirm that that statement was bullshit. I, for one, will be looking at you as much as humanly possible." Harry's drawling, amused voice takes me by surprise and he smirks as I jump.

He's stood just beside me, wearing a black and white suit that looks incredible against his tan. He smells amazing and I'm super aware of my slightly greasy hair and old dress. Harry just smiles as he crosses his arms over his chest and chews his gum, watching Lydia pacing back and forth.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I don't know if you heard, but my band are playing tonight, just a little gig. We're not too bad, you should check us out." He grins cheekily.

"Oh, right." I laugh nervously.

Wow hilarious banter, Lennon.

Urgh, you would think working around him for the past 7 months would have made me less likely to melt every time he is within any distance of me.

"Ty said you had to hide in a cupboard-"

"Ah yes. Belle Marie appeared and I decided to take the manly way out and see if I could locate Narnia in the nearest wardrobe."

"Extremely manly." I agree.

"Of course! There's a witch in Narnia you know!"

"There's one here too." I whisper. His lips lift into a little smile as we both turn to look at Lydia.

"Well, I'm going to take my second manly exit of the night and disappear before Lydia spots me talking to you." Harry winks at me but as he turns to leave, he lowers his head to whisper in my ear. "I just couldn't resist coming to say hello. You look beautiful."

I never knew that he could impregnate someone with triplets just by whispering in their ear, but I hope he's ready to welcome 3 Darcy's.

He hesitates before asking in a casual voice, as if it's just occurred to him; "Oh wait... I was wondering what you were up to later- I mean, after the show?" He turns back to me. "Could you come to my room?"

"Tonight? I suppose so... But it'll be really late, surely. Like early hours of the morning-"

"That's ok. I've got something for you."

"It's not VS underwear is it?"

"No. I checked but they don't do massive dazzling granny pants, unfortunately."

"I don't only wear granny pants." I mutter.

"Oh really? You'll have to show me the alternative choices some time. Purely for academic reasons, of course."

"Of course." I roll my eyes as he smirks. "You'll be sick of looking at underwear by the end of the night anyway."

"Well there's a difference isn't there? I'd happily trade a million VS models in blinging knickers for you and your granny pants, Miss Lovelace."

"So romantic."

"I know. Byron has nothing on me." He pokes his tongue out. "So you'll come, later? I'll make it worth your while."

"What could be more exciting than being given more work in the early hours of the morning?!" I tease.

"Who said it was work related? I can think of a hundred reasons you might be in my room in the early hours and not one of them is work related." He says in his quiet, drawling voice. He suddenly looks a lot less playful and he catches my eye with a strange intensity.

Oh crap he's acutal grown up flirting with me, I'm so crap at this part of adulting.

"... I can think of even more reasons why I'd want you in my room in the early hours of the morning..." He says huskily.

Come on Lennon. Flirt back.

Think sultry. Think sexy.

"My vagina is still a bit swollen."

Whatttttttttt the fuukk is wrong with me

Oh god oh god oh god abort mission why did I say that

Harry's eyes widen and there's an awkward pause. I'm blushing so hard I feel like my head is melting.

"Well that's nice to know." He begins to laugh, shaking his head.

"I mean, not that I was expecting you to see it! Not that I thought we were going to have sex. It's not even on the menu and even if it was you probably don't want to. Which is fine! Because I don't either. Unless you do, then I do too. Oh my god."

Oh. My. God.

Harry is examining me with his head tilted to one side.

"You know hippy, I can never decide if my favourite part is when you say something weird, or when you try and talk your way out of it." He pushes his fingers through his hair and begins to laugh. "Either way, I would be completely down with seeing yo-"

"Harry!" Lydia's shriek is so loud that I'm surprised every dog in a 50 mile radius doesn't come bounding towards her.

"Lydia." Harry rolls his eyes so that only I can see and spins to face her, beaming widely.

"What the hell are you doing here? You should be put front! You've got the soundcheck! Has anyone seen Zayn?" She practically screams this last part as she glares round the almost deserted room with her arms outstretched. As she turns, some unfortunate member of the wardrobe staff catches her eye and she stalks towards them, ranting and gesturing.

"I'm really sorry to leave you with her." Harry says, frowning unhappily.

"I'm not staying here to be her punchbag," I decide suddenly. "I've got loads to do out front." I begin to grab at the loose sheets from my diary, avoiding Harry's eye. My hands are shaking and I'm still all flustered from the stupid thing I said a minute ago. I'm just reaching for some paper from the floor when I feel him crouch next to me and a large, warm hand gently grabs mine.

"Lennon?"

"Um?" I look down at the floor, trying to pretend that my heart isn't suddenly trying to bounce out of my chest at the soft contact.

"Look at me." He says gently. He sounds amused and when I chance a look up, I'm surprised at his closeness. His lips are twisted in a teasing smile but his eyes are soft. "I just wanted to tell you how very lovely you are. Please, don't ever change."

With that, he presses a soft kiss to my forehead and stands up. I'm still trying to remember how to breathe as he walks away.

Fortunately, Lydia is on hand to remind me not only how to breathe, but also how to run. I hear her calling my name as I grab the rest of my papers, cram them in my bag and leg it out the door.

I'm almost within sight of Glen when my phone buzzes.

Lydia:  The boys must play their planned slot. Sort it out.

"That's Denise's job!" I half whisper, wondering how the hell I'm supposed to sort this out as well. I'm about to shove my phone back in my back when it buzzes again.

Lydia: You better make sure that NOTHING goes wrong tonight. And I mean nothing, any teeny, tiny hiccup and YOU will be the one I hold responsible!!

***

7:04 PM

A list of things that are going wrong tonight;

1. Everything.

Last time I saw Glen, he was doing shots with Khloe Kardashian.
My evening, however, has been a nightmare. Denise told me that she'd only agreed to swap with 5SOS and have One Direction on early because Calum Hood had ended up in the wrong airport on the other side of Spain and needed time to get here. Both her and Ty keep assuring me that they'll back me up when it comes to reasoning this out with Lydia, but somehow I'm not comforted in the slightest.

The tables are laid and someone informed me 5 minutes ago, with just 15 minutes until the show starts and goes on air, that there has been a last minute change and Harry's table is now directly next to Taylor Swifts.

Oh fucksticks.

I'm trying to get backstage to speak to someone urgently, but I'm cut off by a conga line lead by a very excited, slightly tipsy looking Glen. Khloe Kardashian is grasping his waist and it's the most bizarre sight I've ever encountered. My last sight of this is a security guard asking them to take their seats before the cameras start rolling.

My bra is stabbing me so hard that it can be only seconds before it pierces my heart. Backstage is utter chaos, with the first row of models lined up. Amongst them, towering over me and looking unbelievably perfect, is Belle Marie.

Oh balls. Last time I saw her, I extracted half of the of the hair from her scalp. I half expect her to fly towards me screeching like a banshee, but she just settles for whispering something to the girl next to her. I barge onwards and grab the nearest dude with a headphone. I must make a terrifying sight, greasy hair, sheen of sweat, hawking at my bra, and he looks understandably bewildered. At first, he insists that the seating arrangements can't be changed. He's so insistent that I pull the card I really didn't want to, and I inform him that Harry won't perform unless it's all changed.

I know that something will leak to the press about Harry's 'diva' demands, but I don't have much choice right now.

And so it is that with just 4 minutes to go before going on air, Harry's entire 15 person table swaps with another table further along, as Taylor and her friends whisper amongst themselves. In fact, they're still fumbling around as RuPaul takes to the stage to greet the cameras. There's a loud 'sorry' that carries across the room as Harry stands on someone's toe.

Once I can see that everything is settled, I breath a long, deep, sigh of relief, flopping back against the wall.

Except that it's not, of course, a wall.

It's a curtain that leads on to the very stage RuPaul is now talking on.

I fall half through and am almost blinded by dazzling lights. There's a buzz of loud laughter as I fight with the curtain, fumbling with it. RuPauls voice trails off as a pair of hands reach through the curtains and yank me roughly back to the other side.

"... And that's my cue that I've been talking too long!" RuPaul laughs from the other side. I cringe deeply, hiding my face as I rush past the extremely angry crew member who pulled me back.

Ffs. My face is tomato red as I fumble back, past Belle Marie and the other models who are trying to work out what the disturbance is.

I edge my way out and head back to our staff table in the furthest corner of the room. I can see Harry and Louis snorting with laughter on their table and even Ty is grinning in amusement as I fumble back to ours.

"You know, the auditions for models aren't usually held on the night." Ty laughs as he pours me a glass of wine. "Still, I guess it's been about a week since you went viral, you're due another go."

"Lydia is going to kill me."

"True, if she finds out." He nods and clinks his glass against mine. "Might as well enjoy this last drink. Cheers."

"Cheers." I gulp at my drink and scan the table, our table is so far back that it's really dark and I can barely see who else is sat around it. The models have started their strut down the catwalk and Ty leans back to watch.

"Where's Glen?" I whisper.

"Who? Oh, your friend? Over there." I follow the direction of Ty's finger to a table nearer the front, where Glen has stopped with a tray of shots and is shrieking with laugher with Ed Sheeran and Khloe bloody Kardashian.

They're all making so much noise that a security guard steps forward and ushers Glen to move along. He arrives at our table clutching his tray of shots and looking extremely excited.

"How the hell have you managed to make friends with..."

I trail off as Ty places a finger to his lips and points up at the catwalk. Belle Marie is marching up and down on her perfectly non celluite-y legs. I hawk my fingers under my bra strap and scowl up at her.  The large screens either side pan across the first few rows of tables, lingering for a moment on Harry's. His face is completely neutral, smiling lightly as he glances from his drink to the general direction of the stage. He looks completely relaxed and calm, but I can tell that he's stressed. His smile isn't quite natural and he's toying with the stem of his glass.

The camera pans across to Khloes table. She is slapping the table in laugher and I can tell by her flushed cheeks that Glen must have found a tequila buddy after all. The camera quickly cuts away from them and just catches a close up of Kris Jenner's frosty glare, before she realises she's on film and her face melts into a happy smile.

"It's all so fake." Ty laughs from next to me. I'm still privately having an internal meltdown over my unwanted stage entrance and it takes a moment for his words to register.

"What is?"

"All of this." He whispers, grinning as he points around. "You know, half the people in this room hate each other, yet they all have to pretend that their lives are perfect."

"It's not all fake-"

"Oh no, of course it isn't." Ty nods, sipping at his wine. "Just look at Khloe and Ed." His lips tug upwards as he gestures to the loudest table in the room, all of whom seem to be having the best night of all without so much as glancing at the stage. "Plus these parties are a lot of fun, well the after-parties are. But you know, all this crap with the organisers trying to sit ex-couples next to each other for drama, all the pretending that everything is perfect and putting on an image for the media... It's tiring for them. Especially when they're just genuine artists who don't want to play into the circus."

"Like Harry?" I ask. Harry's face is on the screen again and Niall is leaning in, whispering to him. Harry keeps his smile in place and it suddenly hits me how weird it is to know that everyone in the entire room is looking at your face on a massive screen and you have to just act as if you haven't noticed the gigantic image of your head that everyone is watching.

"Yeah. Not just him though. You know I worked for Justin Bieber a couple of years ago and that was when I started to see the industry for what it was. That poor kid couldn't do anything without being hounded. He was pretty low at the time, but he had to keep smiling and pretending he was happy under the glare of a million cameras." Ty sighs. "I'm seeing Zayn go the same way and it worries me-"

"Zayn?" I whisper.

"Yeah. Something isn't right and he needs a break before it all goes really wrong. I've said to Lydia that he's not getting the support that he needs from management and if it continues, I can honestly see him crashing out and the band crumbling. The pressures of this industry are harder for some than others. Everyone is ignoring how unhappy he is and it won't end well."

"But-" Ty shushes me by holding a finger to his lips and pointing to the stage. RuPaul takes the to the catwalk announced a 15 minute break. This is our cue and before the lights have even come back on, our table has stood up and began rushing towards the backstage area.
Ty has spotted some journalists that he wants to get on the good side of before they publish their reviews of the bands performance tomorrow morning. He squeezes my hand and gives me one of his winks before heading off. There isn't really anything for me to do. One Direction aren't on for another hour and I'll just be in the way if I go backstage now... Plus, Lydia must have been told that I couldn't change the band's slot. I need to keep right out of her path.

Suddenly, a tray of shots is whacked down in front of me and Glen shuffles over, sitting heavily in Ty's recently departed seat. He's already looking well on his way to being drunk.

"Wow, that was a pretty heavy convo with captain cheerful." He says, gesturing to Ty. "That would drive anyone to drink. Anyway, luckily I've got us some shots-"

"Glen, I can't-"

"Oh come onnn! Me and KoKo have had-"

"KoKo?" I feel a little stab of jealously. I already have to compete with a bunch of Victoria's secret models, popstars and half the global female population for Harry, the last thing I need is Khloe Kardashian muscling in on my best friend.

"How funny was is when you stumbled on stage by the way..." Glen sniggers before spotting the look on my face "... I mean... That was awful.... Are you ok babe?"

"Lydia is going to kill me." I bury my face in my hands.

"Nah it's ok, me and KoKo checked on twitter. Everyone is laughing but you couldn't actually see who it was, as you turned away so quickly. Honestly babe, you couldn't even tell that it was you."

I lean to push the tray away and my evil bra stabs so hard it must have drawn blood.

"What's up?" Glen asks as I swear and dig my fingers into the wire.

"This bloody bra!" I hiss.

"Well, not to make your problems worst, but Clam-Lydia is over there and she looks a bit pissed off." My eyes follow the direction that he's pointing in. 'A bit pissed off' is the understatement of the millennium, Lydia looks as though she's about to start breathing fire.

"Look, I'm going to have to go to the toilet and see if I can get away with pulling this wire out. Can you please stay here?"

"Oh. My. God. Is that Jennifer Lopez?" Glen's eyes have taken on a manic look as he spots the only woman he's ever truly had a crush on. I glance over at her table, which is surrounded by huge muscular looking security guards.

"Glen?"

"Um?"

"Glen!"

"What is it babe?" He pulls his eyes back to me.

"Just stay here ok? I won't be long."

"Ok, don't be long ...  And Lennon?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for letting me come tonight."

As I look my my best friend, a horrible feeling of guilt overwhelms me. I haven't been there for him at all these past 7 months. I don't have a clue what's going on in his day to day life, but he's always there, no matter the time of day to help keep me sane and juggle the massive burden I've taken on. I even forgot his birthday, even though it's always been out special thing.

"It's ok. I do love you, Glen."

"Love you too. No homo." He grins, picking up his drink.

***

As it happens, my promise to not be long is doomed. The queue for the ladies is a mile long and by the time I've sorted the bra situation, it's almost time for One Direction to go on stage. I'm just fighting my way through the crowds to grab Glen when one of the poor wardrobe girls spots me on my route back and grabs my arm as if she's drowning.

Backstage is always a mess but apparently 5SOS, who are evidently not familiar with Lydia, decided to play a prank on Louis and have cut holes in the crotch of several pairs of jeans that were laid to one side for him to wear. I briefly close my eyes in frustration. Technically, I am just Harry's PA, but when it comes to the manic franticness of a performance there really is no job titles. It's just everyone rushing around panicking and doing whatever they can to help.

I do spot Glen briefly as we rush backstage. Béyonces 'Love on Top' has just started and Glen is stood in the middle of the dancefloor, mouthing the 'Bring the beat in...' and flinging his body round like he's being chased by a hoard of angry wasps.

And that's it. For the next half hour, I'm given so many jobs to do that I'm dizzy, and I'm not the only one, I even spot Ty sewing the crotch of Louis's trousers frantically, hissing to himself as he pricks his finger. The band are nervously pacing, Louis looks slightly more nervous than the others, understandably given that he's currently only wearing a dressing gown. The whole area is teeming with lighting men, production staff, wardrobe, stage directors, all bustling about and issuing orders. Theres a strong smell of cheap coffee and body odour in the cramped room.

The sewing of Louis' trousers has been abandoned and the wardrobe team have grudgingly agreed that he can wear his tracksuit on stage, which he seems delighted about. With 5 minutes to go the madness intensifies and although all around them tempers are fraying, the boys stand together with their arms clasped around each others shoulders, quiet in the middle of it all.

The countdown begins and the mass of people part, allowing the boys to dash through. Harry's face is strained with concentration but he pulls a goofy face when he spots me then runs ahead on to the stage.

"Well, I don't know about you girly, but I need a huge vodka and a week's rest." Ty puffs out his cheeks and throws his arm round my shoulder as we peek out at the boys on stage. "Christ, some of those lighting men need introducing to a shower as well." He wrinkles his nose up and we shift away from the smelly room. Anyway, fancy joining me for a sneaky drink while we watch the boys?"

"I will, but I'll have to find Glen first."

"Ok, I'll be around the bar." He whispers. We're out to the side of the room and the run of air con after the sweaty mess of backstage is lush. Most people are seated about from a cluster round the stage who are dancing as the boys bounce around. The models haven't started walking yet.

Glen is nowhere to be seen. He's not in our seats and after I quick scout round, I decide to pop outside for a cigarette, wondering if he's gone for a sneaky one.

He is out there, stood with his back to me, but he's not smoking, he's talking quietly into a phone.

"Well, that's as much as I can tell you at the minute... No, but I'll be in touch... It'll just be the same account as last time. Yes. Ok then..." He jumps as he spots me walking towards him and hastily wraps up his call.

"That all sounded very mysterious."

"Oh, it's nothing." He glances at me strangely.

"Then why do you look so shifty?"

"It's my natural face, thanks for pointing that out." He says tartly.

"Well, One Direction are on-"

"Omg REALLY?" He shrieks, ripping the cigarette from my fingers and yanking me back inside.

Glen has elbowed his way to the front, taking out several innocent bystanders on the way. He's by the side of the stage screaming so loud that Niall keeps getting the giggles mid-song.

Ty is on his second vodka and we're just watching the models pace up and down from the comfort of the bar at the back of the room. Belle Marie keeps stopping next to Harry and rests her stupid perfect arm over his shoulders, or pressing her perfect back and arse against his body and winking at the cameras as he sings.

I can feel myself getting in mood with him, even though it's stupid. It's not like he can push her off the stage. I mean, he could and make it look like an accident, but he doesn't have to look like he's enjoying Belle Marie rubbing her big annoying bum all over his suit.

"Someone needs to remember what I said earlier about it all being a big game." Ty says suddenly in an amused voice.

"What's that?" I say, playing dumb.

"Honey, it's obvious to everyone that you like Harry maybe more than I would advise you too... And that's fine, it's none of my business, but if you sit here scowling, people are going to talk and then it does become my business." He sips his drink. "Belle isn't stupid. Neither is Harry. It's all a game and you can't display your emotions so publicly. Lydia for one will use it against you."

"It's stupid." I mutter just as Belle blows Harry a huge kiss as she struts past him in a sparkly bra.

"It's showbusiness." Ty sighs, stretching slightly. "Anyway, I for one, am so glad that you came on this tour. It's been crazy but it's been amazing to make such a good friend who's vaguely normal."

"Vaguely normal. What a compliment."

"No one who works in this industry is completely normal." Ty laughs. "Hey, maybe you should get your friend a job..."

I look down to where Ty is pointing. Glen is wrestling with a girl in a wheelchair for an empty bottle that Louis has just thrown off stage.

"Oh fück." I groan.

*****

Next morning....

My hands are shaking so much that I can barely hold my coffee cup. Harry doesn't look much better.

"I'm actually never, ever drinking again." He croaks weakly. I wince as I open a packet of paracetamol.

"We've got an interview this afternoon."

"I can't. I physically can't." He shakes his head then cringes at the movement.

"You've got no choice." I down a glass of ice cold water then immediately regret it as it hits my stomach.

"Please tell me it's a magazine interview."

"Television."

"Urgh. I can't do it Lennon, I actually can't... Whose idea was it to go to Louis' aftershow party again?"

"Yours...?"

"You're my PA. You're supposed to stop me doing stupid things." He grumbles, popping two tablets from the foil.

"I wasn't capable of stopping anything after that 3rd tequila." I point out.

"Christ." He glances across my room to where Glen is sprawled out over the bed, still fully dressed. "Think he'll have any regrets?"

"What partying with One Direction, a Kardashian and Ed Sheeran on his 21st birthday? I doubt it." I snort.

"What about the 'Louis is a king' tattoo though?" Harry says doubtfully. We both glance at the new inscription on Glen's skinny arm.

"Hm. He might regret that. Oh, and challenging Liam to a karaoke battle."

"He won't remember that, surely."

"I recorded it." I say smugly, tapping my phone. I can't wait to show Glen the video of him drunkenly screaming his favourite Whitney Houston classics at a painful volume.

"You're a hard woman, Miss Lovelace." Harry laughs.

"What did you want to show me last night?"

"When?"

"You asked me to come to your room-"

"Oh! Ha. No I won't tell you, I want to show you. You'll have to come another night." He smirks then sighs, rubbing his face. "We've only got one interview today, right? Do you think I could get a couple more hours slee-"

Theres a loud banging on the door that makes us both jump. Glen doesn't even stir, not even when Harry almost trips over his legs to reach the door.

Lydia is standing on the threshold and she looks more livid than I have ever seen her. Ever. Her face is white and her lips are pressed into a thin line.

"My office! 10 minutes!" She shrieks, before turning on her heel and storming away. Harry turns to look at me, worried but slightly amused.

"I guess we made a bit too much mess last night." He shrugs. "Louis is still awake actually, I just passed his room and him and Ed are still going strong."

"Well, Louis doesn't have an interview today." I point out.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Harry grumbles. He heads into the bathroom to wash his face and I wait until he's done before doing the same. I quickly change so that at least my clothes won't stink of cigarettes and alcohol before we drag ourselves to see what Lydia wants.

Her office door is open and when we enter, she isn't waiting with a sarcastic comment or sly dig, she's pacing. We've barely sat down when she throws a couple of red-top newspapers across the desk at us.

I feel even more sick, wondering what the hell has happened now. Did someone see me fiddling with my bra? Was it when I insisted Harry move tables? We grab a paper each and unfold it slowly, but the headline takes me by surprise.

IS ZAYN ON COURSE TO LEAVE ONE DIRECTION?
FEARS GROW AMONGST MEMBERS OF 1D CREW FOR MENTAL HEALTH OF BOYBAND MEMBER

"Um, Lydia?" I chance a look up at her. "This is just the same sort of rubbish they always-"

"Read it!" She barks. 

I turn to the page with a sinking feeling as Harry does the same with his paper. As I scan it, I still can't see what the problem is, until a name jumps out at me. Tyrone Flynn.

"Ty?" I mutter, wondering what on earth is going on. It's with a feeling of growing horror that I realise that I'm reading a summary of the conversation I had with Ty last night about the industry being fake and Zayn needing a break.

"This is crap, Lydia." Harry scoffs. "In fact, Ty could probably sue them for putting this stuff in his name without proof-"

"There's a video." Lydia hisses through her teeth, spinning her computer around. It's on the newspapers website and she clicks play. The blurry scene is so dark, loud and fuzzy that I can barely make myself out and it's only with subtitles that you can follow what Ty is saying."

"Even so," Harry protests.

"There is no 'even so'." Lydia spits. "There have been rumours for MONTHS about Zayn! now there's a video of the bands PR MANAGER confirming that there's a problem! Shares in the band have plummeted overnight. Bookies are taking bets on when you'll split, I've got FUCKING MODEST ON THE PHONE ASKING ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Lydia screams.

"It was only a stupid conversation." Harry says weakly. "It'll all blow over-"

"Why is it Harry, that I can never, ever get these things through to you?" Lydia breathes deeply. A vein is throbbing in her forehead. "Lennon, you're off the hook for once as I can clearly see you in the video. Who else was there?" She demands.

Since I watched the video the horrible thought that Glen was there keeps going through my head... Especially because of last time when I told him about the private island and the paps appeared out of nowhere.

Lydia is still waiting for me to speak and I swallow nervously before answering.

"It was dark... I couldn't really see." I can see Harry frowning at me but thankfully he doesn't say anything.

"Useless at usual." Lydia hisses venomously.

"Look," Harry says, deciding to diffuse the situation, "let's get Ty in here."

"He's already been." She snaps. "He's in breech of his contract. He'll be lucky to ever work again-"

"Come on, this is an overreaction. In a few days he can-"

"He won't be here." Some of Lydia's usually icy demeanour is returning as she regains power over the situation.

"What do you mean?"

"I've fired him."

"What?" Harry gapes at her in horror. "You can't fire Ty!"

"Can and did." She snaps.

Harry begins to argue but I can already see it's no use. He's gone, all because of an innocent conversation between friends.

And Glen....

But he wouldn't do that. Would he?

*******

AN- omggggg it's been so long.

I shit you not, my job in Malaysia fell though so I've been backpacking all over. Currently in Melbourne. That's my excuse for disappearing for so long!

Jeezo this was hard to write, I had such bad writer's block and the chapter I had planned wasn't working. So I had to delete all 10 thousand words (NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW THE PAIN!!) and start again.
I know it was a serious chapter.... Butttt theres more comedy ahead I promise.

It's so hard to write after a gap. I kinda wanted to publish this new story I wrote when I was travelling around but I've decided not to publish anything else until my two ongoing stories are done, otherwise I'll never complete them 🙈

Soooo.

Did you enjoy the chapter? I hope so 🤓

Who is leaking to the press?

Will Lennon and Harry ever just get time alone to do the frickle frackle?

Where should I head to in January with my backpack?

So many questions.