Chapter Text
July 2010, Manchester
I was standing in line at the X factor Audition, waiting to get my number at the table in front of us. There were so many tables and all of them had big letters hanging on a sign. I followed my mum and sister to the line with the big letter S. While waiting I looked around the other lines, scanning around for other contestants. My eyes hooked on a pair of blue ones in the line next to us a little further ahead. The boy must be a bit older than me, with brown hair and a cute outfit and he smiled as he caught me looking at him. I gave him a smile back and ruffled my hands though my curls. The boys’ eyes seemed to sparkle in the sun as he looked at my hair. He gesticulated wild with his hands around his own head, causing me to honk out a loud laugh. Embarrassed I slapped a hand over my mouth. Where the hell did that came from? My mom and sister turned with identical confused frowns to me. “You´re okay, Harry?” my mom asked me concerned. I nodded sheepish and sneaked a glance at the boy. He was turned around to his family again, but I could see his shoulders shake with silent laughter. I smiled and blinked back to my mom and sister. “Yes, I´m perfect, thank you very much.”
“Okay who´s next? What´s your name dear?” A woman with short brown hair sat on the table before us and smiled kindly to me. So I turned my attention to her.
“Hi, I´m Harry Styles and I´m here for the audition.” I ran my hands nervously through my hear and swept it to the other side. Gemma next to me snickered, I bumped her with my elbow. The woman turned her gaze to the thick paper files on her table. “I need your birth year please.” “1994.” She turned to the next page and showed me a line.
“This is you?” I leaned over to here and nodded, looking through my birth name, date and home city. “Perfect,” she chirped and opened her black marker. While writing a number on an audition paper she explained to me, what came next. “Okay Harry, you´re in Group 4, so all you have to do is pin this number,” she handed me the piece of paper, “to your shirt and follow the signs in the building to your dressing room. There will be all the other contestants with their parents and a coach, who will give you heads up where to go and what to do, okay?”
“Yes, perfect, thank you.” “You´re welcome, next please!” The kind woman shouted, so I left her table with my mom and sister following me. I sneaked a glance at the table next to us with the big letter T, but the boy and his family was gone.
In walking I turned to my mom. “Can you pin me the number on my shirt please?”
“Yeah, sure, honey. I´m gonna put it in the middle of your shirt, that way you can still wear you scarf.” My mom hooked the number to my shirt. Suddenly Gemma shoved her hands in my hair to mess up with my curls. “How is nervousness treating you little bro?” I squeaked and tried to jump away what caused my mother to pinch the needle in my breast. “Stop it, kids.” Anne rolled her eyes.
“Don´t mess with my hair Gemma and I´m okay. Not quite nervous now, will be later before going on stage though,” I said and tried to ruffle my curls in their right place. “You´re going to smash it H,” my sister said kindly. She took my cheeks between her hands and squeezed.
“Stwop it, Gwemm,” I whined, “you´re not going to embarrass me today on my big day.” She laughed and linked our arms together. Mum patted me on my bum and walked ahead of us. “Follow me kids, we got to find Group number 4.”
Finding my dressing room was easier as expected. We just followed a bunch of signs and here we were. I walked first through the open door and was immediately greeted by a boy with reddish hair peeking under his cap. “Hi, I´m Oli. What´s your name? I will be your coach today and if everything goes well for the next time in bootcamp till the auditions.”
I smiled kindly to him and shook his outstretched hand. “Hi, I´m Harry. Harry Styles, uhm, yeah.” Oli nodded and signed my name on his clipboard. “Perfect, so, your audition is going to be in a little over an hour. So, you can sit here and get to know the other contestants in your group or prepare for your audition.” Oli pointed around the room with his arm. I let my gaze wander around the unknown faces. “Cool, thanks.”
“Okay, good luck today Harry,” he smiled and greeted the next family who just entered the room. Gemma pointed to a pair of couch cushions in the right corner, so we settled on them.
Only 15 minutes before my performance I really needed to wee. I just got my microphone and was pacing behind the big curtains of the stage when I felt the need. I turned to the guy who gave me the mic. “Hey, uhm, I´m really sorry, but I got so nervous and I really need to use the toilets.”
He turned to me. “Really? You can´t hold it? You must go on stage soon, if you miss this there is no other attempt.” I thought about it but then my belly gave a hurtful squeeze, so I decided to risk it. “I´m really sorry, but I have to go. I will be fast.” The guy shrugged, “it´s not my audition kid.”
I handed him the microphone and sprinted to the next lightning sign which showed the way to the toilets. I pushed the doors open and went to the next open toilet. After that I washed my hands and stood in front of the mirror trying to adjust my curls. I remembered the time and sprinted back to the door to go back on stage. Just as I opened the door she was pushed in my way and I stumbled backwards. “Oops, I´m so sorry, I didn´t see you.” I looked up and saw the beautiful boy from the line standing before me. My brain just circuit and all I could say was “Hi.”
The boy chuckled, “Hi there curly, funny to run into you in here.” I bit on my bottom lip to contain my smile. “You remember me?” A small blush flushed on his cheeks as he nodded. “Sure, you caught my eyes with these curls of yours.” Grinning I looked down. Then gasped.
“Oh shit, my performance. I´m so sorry, but I really need to go back to the stage.” The boy squeezed my arm gently. “Have so much fun, you will do good with this look and this voice.” His eyes roamed over my figure. My heart fluttered in my chest as I walked through the open bathroom door. “Thank you so much, I really need to go.” I thumped behind me and walked away fast. I just turned my head to give the beautiful boy one last look as I heard his voice scream after me. “Good luck, Curly!”
I knew my face broke into the largest grin with both dimples on display as I looked back to him. “Harry. My name is Harry,” I shouted to him. He opened his mouth to say something, but I had already rounded the corner and couldn´t see him anymore.
...
I run into my mothers’ arms. “You did it, H, you did so well.” Gemma jumped onto my back. “Yeah, Bootcamp Harry, you are so going to win this.” I held my sisters’ legs as I jumped up and down behind the curtains. My group 4 just stood before the judges and I was one of the first who got through all the singing. Next week would start the bootcamp and we all would fly to some island in Spain. I was literally so excited. My first audition was half a month away and today we would get to know all the other contestants of the other groups. My thoughts wandered to a certain boy with blue eyes. Did he get through as well? Would I see him again? If so, I definitely try to get to know him better. Making new friends at this kind of show feels kind of important.
Anne smiled at Gemma and me. “I am so proud of you Harry, for doing this and achieving your dreams.” I smiled and threw me in my mothers’ arms. She gave the best hugs and I needed one right now. Just then I heard someone scream my name. Well not my name, but kind of.
“Cuuurly!” I loosened my mother’s embrace and ruffled my curls then I blinked to the beautiful boy who run towards me. He came to an abrupt stop right in front of me. “You did so well, oh my god. I literally saw your performance from the audience because I went through first and then I had to wait and I so prayed that you were going to get through too. You are going to win this X factor.” I saw my mum and sister step a little behind so that we would get the feeling we were talking alone. I was a bit ashamed about this, I mean I don´t talk to my crush it´s not that serious..…I think.
Because of his little rambling the boy took a big breath before he talked again. “I mean, there are some real good contestants here but I bet all my sisters, and I have four, on this that you will win this and become famous and everyone will love you and…” he trailed of, getting flushed in the face. I just couldn´t stop smiling about his speech and wanted to give him something back so I threw myself on him and got him a real big Harry hug.
The boy stood there frozen for a second before he wrapped both arms around my back and leaned his chin on my shoulder. “Thank you,” I murmured sincere in our hug. I could feel his smile but then he whispered in my ear. “I think she is your sister but this girl behind us is grinning like a maniac to me. It´s quite scary.” I shuddered as his warm breath tickled my neck and stood away from our hug. I kept my hands on his underarms as I turned my head to glare at my sister. “Gemma, be nice to him.”
Both Anne and Gemma chuckled and exchanged a quick glance. My sister held her hands up. “I am nice, H. But won´t you introduce us to your friend?” She mimicked the word friend with a subtle lift of her eyebrows. Flustered because of her reaction in front of him I stuttered. “Oh, yes. Uuhm, Gemma, Mom this is..” I suddenly trailed of because I remembered I told him my name at our toilet encounter but he never told me his.
“Louis, Hi.” The beautiful boy stretched his hand towards my sister, “I am in group 2, so you might not saw my performance and audition but Harry and I ran into each other and I saw him in line back at the audition day and yeah,” he trailed of.
Louis, I thought. Such a perfect name for a beautiful blue-eyed boy.
Louis froze and turned to such a beautiful shade of red, that I nearly forgot I said that out loud. Gemma burst out laughing at my failure while Anne tried to sshh her. But even my mother couldn´t hide her grin.
I gasped, “Oh my god, Well shit, that´s embarrassing. But you are, I mean, blue. Your eyes are blue, they look nice. Yeah, uhm.” I twirled my bottom lip between my fingers and glanced sheepish to Louis. He swallowed a bit and my focus laid on his throat, before quickly switching back to his eyes. Goddamn it Harry. Don´t make it worse. Who even says, he likes boys as well?
Louis found my hand and gave her a squeeze. “Thank you, love, uhm, I like your eyes too. There are green, I mean, yeah.” My belly jumped as he called me love. Butterflies . He glanced to my sister who was full on laughing now. I glared at her what seemed to finally calm her down a bit.
I quickly snapped Louis hand and turned away from my family. “See you two later. When you are finished embarrassing me come find us.” Then I started to pull him away. He waved over his back to my sister and mom. “Bye Gemma and uhm, bye Harry’s mom.” Then we turned around a corner.
I came to a stop in the dressing room of my group 4 and let his hand fall. “I am so so sorry for my sister. It´s like she is getting a drill out of embarrassing me in front of people I like and I like you already and plan to keep you and now you won´t want something to do with me, right?” I looked at him with sad eyes. Louis grabbed me by my shoulders and shook lightly. “Okay, calm down curly. First of all, I have four younger sisters and I love to embarrass them in front of their friends, so I can understand Gemma. Second, you have to do a little more when you don´t want me to stick with you and third, I , I…” Louis fumbled with the right words.
“I like you a lot now too,” he finally said.
I glanced at the floor and felt both dimples coming out as I smiled. “Oh my god, look at this,” Louis inhaled. I looked up, confused.” You have fooking dimples Harry.” I laughed as he poked me in one with his index finger. “Okay you are gonna be my new best friend. Harry do you wanna be my new best friend?” I nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes!” Louis fist bumped the air. “This is so cool. I have to tell Oli. You know Oli, right? Yes, of course you know him, he is your group coach. Aaand he is fooking ace, come on, let´s find him.” With these words Louis grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the empty dressing room. Just like I did with him before. We giggled the whole way to Oli and even then I couldn´t contain my happiness that Louis and I were now best friends. And we would be in bootcamp together. Ace!
Bootcamp
The bus stopped at the bus stop in front of the Arena. It was the same building where the auditions took place, but today we would be on another stage. I jumped out of the bus and went straight to the big entrance. Oli and the three other coaches stood there waiting for us. “Hi Harry, slept well?” Oli greeted me. I fist bumped him and grinned, “Yeah, surprisingly I could sleep through the whole night no nervousness.”
“Perfect, here look on this plan,” he handed me a piece of paper.
“Our group is today at stage B, paired with group 2.” Inside I was jumping around because me and Louis, who was in group 2, would be at the same stage. Outside I smiled and nodded. Oli continued, “You just go to our dressing room, put your bag there and then follow the other contestants to stage B. There you will meet one of the stage producers and they will show you what comes next, okay?”
“Yeah I got it, see you later Oli,” I waved to him as I went in the building. Immediately I took out my mobile phone and opened the text messages between me and Louis. We exchanged numbers last week after the auditions and nearly texted every day since then. I couldn´t wait to see him again.
His offline sign switched to online and then typing….
I grinned and chuckled lightly.
I pushed the door of my dressing room open and thumbed on my lip. Then I risked being brave and send Louis a red heart back.
Immediately after that I closed my phone and sat down on one of the chairs. My heart raced and I hoped I wasn´t to forward. I wanted to keep Louis a little bit longer as my best friend and wouldn´t want to scare him away with my gayish attitude. We hadn´t talked about our sexuality yet although I mentioned that I had a boyfriend last year during the summer holidays. And Louis seemed okay with that fact because the day after that we video called and everything was normal between us.
I was torn from my thoughts when someone special leaned over my shoulders and grinned in my face. “Oi oii!”
“Lou!” I jumped up with joy but lost my balance with him hanging on my shoulders and we tumbled to the floor. Louis landing on top of me. “Ooff.” The air was squished out of my lunges. “Are you okay guys?” some random Robin guy from my group asked us. “I´m good, quite comfortable here,” came Lou´s voice from top of me. “Yeah sure,” I Squeaked while trying to sit up. Finally Louis rolled of me and helped me stand back up. “Come on you big goofball, up you go.”
I pouted as I looked him in the eyes. “I´m not big. I bet you´ll be taller than me when we´re adults.” Louis looked me up and down and chuckled lightly. “Although I wish that was true Curly. You are already growing taller than me and you are two years younger!”
My pout intensified before Lou messed with my hair and we wrestled for the upper hand. Fortunately we had to separate to follow the other contestants on stage B. Still grinning we jumped after the big group of people.
Behind the curtains of Stage B our groups came to a stop. One of the head stage directors directed us into two smaller groups. I was clinging to Louis so that we wouldn´t get separated. It worked and we gave each other a high five.
“Okay listen please!” the head director said. “Your first task is to dance over a duration of 10 minutes to a genre of different songs. After that we do the first elimination.” I looked to Louis and saw him already looking at me. He reached for my hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze, as if he was gonna say `We got this, Curly`. I tried to squeeze ´Thanks` back. “If you don´t get through this dance round you are out and have to leave the audition center immediately,” the director said. “When we read your names, you reached the next step and can prepare yourself to sing. Every single one of you has to sing the same song! After that is the second and last elimination for today.” Louis put his arm around my shoulders at the head directors words and I leaned in his side trying to fit in.
The head director eyes roamed over us contestants. As he looked over Louis and me it seemed as if his eyes squinted a bit. He crunched his nose. Louis must have seen the same because he stiffened and put his arm back down. Ouch, if he were more than my best friend my heart would break at his actions. But I am only his best friend and shouldn´t get hopes that we will be more in the future. Okay, hold on Harry. He isn´t even your crush, don´t go insane. Just...keep on smiling. I took a deep breath and looked back up.
I must have missed some time because the first group was already let to stage. I leaned to Louis, careful not to touch him. “What do we do?” I whispered. He leaned a little more in my direction, letting the backs of our hands graze. “We just wait here the ten minutes where the group is on stage. Then it is our turn.” I hooked our pinkie fingers together and leaned on the wall behind us. From the corner of my eye I could see a small smile spread on Lou´s face.
“Do you think they will play more new pop songs or old ones?” I asked him. He shrugged, keeping his gaze forward to the stage director who was talking with another contestant. If I didn´t know better I would have said he send daggers into his back. “I think they decide on the tempo of the songs. Play one fast song, the next slow.”
“Oh,” I pinched my lower lip between my fingers with my free hand and bit on them. “Yeah, that makes sense.” Louis gaze landed on me, more on my lips. He swallowed and I watched in fascination as his adam´s apple bobbed. My heart started beating faster. I hoped he didn´t notice my sweating hands. “Stop the biting, curly. You will make your lips bleed.” Our gazes locked. I let my lip pop in their normal position and tried not to squirm under his intense look.
The moment broke as a loud noise exploded around us. The other contestants came running back from stage. Louis pushed himself off the wall and broke our pinkie contact. “Follow me, Curly. It´s our turn to convince the judges with our dance skills.” He wiggled his ass in front of me and blinked over his back with an innocent smile. I burst out laughing at his performance and walked ahead on the stage. But not before slapping his butt as I passed. “With this ass you will surely dance your way to the top.” His outraged gasp was the last I heard before the stage lights hit me.
Judges House
“Harry! Do you have everything packed? We need to go,” my mom shouted from downstairs to me. I was rummaging in my room throwing last things in my backpack. “Yeah, give me one second. Gemma, can you carry my luggage down please?” I called to my sisters room. And exasperated sigh came from her room. “I can´t wait till you´re gone,” she said and came in my room to grab my luggage. “Thanks Gem,” I threw her a kiss looking around my room to make sure I won´t forget anything. Then I said goodbye to my room and followed Gemma down.
“Do you want tea or coffee in the car?” My mom asked from the kitchen. Gemma and I looked at each other and said simultaneously “Coffee, please.” I reached for my suitcase and opened the front door. Opening the car I put the suitcase in the trunk and threw the backpack next to it. I tugged my grey beanie over my ears and turned back to the house. Gemma stood in front of the mirror and put on lipstick of her brand new collection. “Want some lip gloss little bro?” She turned to me with it in her hands. I thought about seeing Louis shortly and nodded with a small smile, hoping it wouldn´t scare him off. I mimicked her and puckered my lips so she could put the lip gloss on. “Sweet, you look cute.” I looked in the mirror and smiled, “thanks Gem, love you.”
“Oh, and how I love you Harry. I wish you only the best time in Spain and kick the other contestants away with your voice and charm.” Gemma held me on my biceps as she talked. “You´re gonna smash it and I´m only a little bit jealous of you for going on a warm island,” she winked. I snorted and hugged her thanks. She hugged me back and held on tight. “´m gonna miss you H,” heard I whispered in my ear.
“Aaww, are my two babies getting emotional?” Mom came out of the kitchen. Two steaming travel cups of coffee in her hands. Abruptly Gemma loosened our hug and straightened her back. “I do not know what you are talking about Mom,” she rolled her eyes but smiled. I snickered and took one of the offered coffee cups. “Thanks Mom.”
I looked past her at the clock in the entryway and widened my eyes. “Okay, we have to hurry up, when I want to catch the flight in three hours.” And see Louis before, I silently added in my head. “Sure, you just don´t wanna spend more time with Louis?” Gemma snickered as she grabbed her jacket. I rolled my eyes but didn´t correct her. She gasped and turned to me, walking backwards to the car. “Harry!” “What?” I chuckled. She opened the passenger door and looked to me with a fond expression. “Nothing.” She smiled.
After I buckled myself with the seat belt I took my phone out of my grey joggers and scrolled through spotify. I clicked on my on repeat playlist and closed my eyes as mom drove out of the gateway. We were less then 15 minutes on the road when my phone vibrated. I tapped twice on the screen and saw a new message from Louis. Smiling I took my phone to read it.
I grinned because at the exact same time Louis text came through, Gemma had asked mom about the new dress she bought for her summer collection. I unplugged my headphones and recorded a voicemail for Louis.
“...and then I can add the purple nailpolish to the pink dress and put on my denim jacket. Did you know that Primark brings out a new collection of denim jackets, mom?!”
I laughed softly to myself as I send Louis the voicemail. After ten seconds he started typing again.
I leaned my head on the window as Louis recorded a voicemail as well. I plugged my headphones back in and closed my eyes while listening.
“Mom, do you think we can go to the sale next week in town? I really need to buy some new pair of shoes.” I heard a young female voice talk. Then, I suppose it was Louis mom, talked. “When is it Fizzie? You know I have to work till 5 pm and then pick up the twins from dancing.” The younger voice replied. “On Tuesday. I would have asked Lou, but he has to go with his prince charming to Spain.” I could hear her grim words directed at Louis and chuckled lightly. Then her words registered in my brain at the same time Louis cursed, “for fucks sake Fizzie!” And the voicemail ended. Prince charming? She couldn´t mean me could she? If so, then… oh gosh, okay stop Harry. We will definitely not finish this line of thoughts.
I looked back at my phone.
I looked irritated at my phone, but decided to follow his wish. Maybe I just read too much into it. I let my gaze wander out of the window and saw a sign that read ´Manchester Airport 20 miles`. Excited I typed the next message.
We texted until mom drove in the parking garage of the airport. I locked my phone and jumped out of the car. Then I hurried to the backside and opened the trunk. While I put on my backpack, mom lifted the heavy suitcase out of the trunk. “Okay H. You know where to go, lead the way.”
I grinned and quickly scanned the parking lot for the signs that would lead us to Terminal 1. I found the lift and hurried my sister and mom towards it. My phone in my sweatpants vibrated so I took it out and looked at the screen.
I chuckled and grinned at my phone. Gemma threw her arm over my shoulder. “What´s got you smiling like that?” I turned my phone away from here but she had already seen the message. “Aaw, mom! Louis calls him already pet names.” I grumbled at her but my insides turned warm. Mom lifted the suitcase in the lift while I tried to straighten my curls in the mirror. She huffed, “let them be young and in love Gemma. One day you´re gonna have a partner and be like this as well.”
Did I hear correctly? Did she just say that me and Louis are in love? “Mom!” I stomped with my foot. “We are so not in love. Louis is my best friend, nothing more nothing less.” My mom nodded with a serious expression to me. “Sure H, whatever you say.” I huffed and put my headphones in my backpack. What I didn´t see was the wink and knowing smile my mom and sister exchanged behind my back.
I looked at the big timeline with the departures in the airport hall and then back to my phone. Then back up. I tried to compare the picture Louis send me half an hour ago with the display so that I knew where he would be. I turned in circles in hope I would spot him. Finally I saw a boy with a red beanie sitting on a huge suitcase surrounded by girls. That must be Louis and his family.
“Found them,” I exclaimed happily, tugged my backpack on my shoulders again and started walking to Louis. My gaze was focused on him and I could feel a big smile spreading on my face. When we were only meters apart I called him. “Lou!”
He immediately turned and jumped up from his suitcase. His eyes widened and the biggest grin spread over his face. Then he started running towards me. “Curly!” I opened my arms and let my backpack fall to the floor. Louis jumped straight into my arms and curled his legs around me. I tightened my arms around him and twirled us in a little circle. “Hi there Lou,” I smiled and burrowed my face into his neck. Louis wriggled a bit so I let him down. We still stood close to another and I breathed in his light smell of perfume. Louis let his hands fell down to my waist. “Hi Haz,” he squeezed my waist, then stepped a bit away and curled his right arm around my back. “Come on, I´ll introduce you to my family. My mom can´t wait to meet you. She was literally more excited than I am and that´s impossible.” He rolled his eyes. I giggled and lifted my backpack from the ground. Louis led us to his family, my mom and Gemma followed us.
I breathed deeply in calming my nerves. Louis must sense me tensing, because he ruffled once through my curls. “Louu!” I huffed and pinched his side. He squeaked and curved away from me, but never loosened his arm around my back. So we were practically glued to another.
“So, this is my mom Jay and my stepdad Mark and the oldest of my little sisters Lottie.” He pointed to a short girl with long blond hair. “The giant next to her is called Fizzie.” “Ey,” the brunette crossed her arms in front of her chest. Louis grinned. “And the two little sweetest girls are twins and called Phoebe and Daisy.” Louis pointed to the little girl with a ponytail as he said Phoebe and then next to the girl with straight hair as he said Daisy. “They really like to confuse people who can´t tell them apart, so keep that in mind curly.” I nodded very serious and winked to the twins who giggled. Then I waved to everybody else. “Hi, I´m Harry.” Louis mom stepped up to me and gave me a hug. “Hi my dear, it´s lovely to finally meet you.”
Jay looked behind me. “Are these your mom and sister?” she asked. I turned and pulled my mom to me. “That´s my mom Anne and my older sister Gemma.” Louis and I looked at our moms as they greeted with a small hug. We smiled at each other and Louis squeezed my hand for a second. Gemma was already talking with Lottie.
“What do you have in this big suitcase Haz? Did you bring your whole wardrobe?” Louis chuckled and sat himself on my suitcase. It was in fact way bigger than Louis´, his feet couldn´t even reach the floor. I played with my fingers sheepish. “Not the whole wardrobe,” I mumbled, “I…”
“Just a new outfit for every day and every audition”, Gemma called from behind us. She high-fived with Lottie and both girls laughed. I rolled my eyes and grumbled a bit more. Louis pulled me protectively towards him, still sitting on my suitcase. “Don´t make fun of me Hazza. If he wants to bring his whole wardrobe he can.” Lottie lifted her chin. “Aha, so you can make fun of Harry but we aren´t allowed. Is that the case?” Gemma bumped her lightly with her elbow; always the overprotective sister. Lottie mouthed `What?´ towards her. But Louis only rolled with his eyes and smacked a kiss on my cheek. “Obviously.”
I felt my whole face going red as both our family's cooed at us. So I turned myself into my best friend and hid my face in his neck. That I had to bend down to fit into his embrace mentioned nobody. Louis just hugged me from behind and put his chin on my shoulders. “Can´t wait to spend my time with you in Spain and without our family's. Just us two,” he mumbled into my curls.
Louis mom disturbed our little moment. “Alright boys, time to say goodbye. You still have to go all the way through check in and the plane leaves in one hour.” Louis let his hands travel from my shoulders all the way down to my waist and squeezed gently. So I took a step back and let him jump down from my suitcase. I hugged my mom and Gemma, they wished me good luck again and a safe flight, then I waved to Louis whole family. Louis did the same, but in the end grabbed my hand and pulled me away from them. So we walked towards the check-in area, both with one backpack on our shoulders and a suitcase rolling behind us.
...
“Please listen everybody,” was the first sentence I heard as I woke up from my sleep. I turned my head and nuzzled back on my warm pillow. The pillow giggled quiet as I rubbed my nose on it. Huh? I opened my eyes again and squinted at the lights. “Hey there Curly. Did you have a nice sleep?” Louis was looking down at me fondly and only then I realized that I had used his chest and neck as my pillow. I crunched my nose and felt my cheeks turn red. Slowly I recognized my surroundings. After we went through the check-in we met with the other contestants at our gate. The flight was good but really boring and made me sleepy, so the first thing I did when we entered the bus that would bring us to the Judges House was snuggling against the seat and falling asleep. In my sleep I must have fell against Louis who was sitting next to me on the bus.
“...and please be careful when you bring your suitcases to the rooms, because there are really expensive pictures in the halls. Okay, let´s do it.” The other contestants started to cheer as Lydia finished her speech. I rubbed my eyes and stretched in my seat. “You have no idea, what she talked about, right?” I looked to Louis and grinned. He rolled his eyes and stood up to take our backpacks down from above our seats with a fond smile on his face. “Thanks Lou,” I smiled with both dimples as he handed me mine. “You´re welcome Curly,” he chirped and took of towards the staircase. Laughing I followed him.
Lydia was one of the guides that we were assigned with. Just as Oli was for my group 4 in the beginning, Lydia was for Group 1. She was managing all organizational stuff and planned the whole trip from Manchester to Spain. As Louis excited the Bus he went straight to her and let him show something on her clipboard. In the meantime I walked around the bus to get our suitcases. I struggled with mine way more than I thought until it was lifted out of my arms. “Umpf. Oh, thanks Lou,” I smiled sheepish at him. He giggled cute and messed up my curls. “It´s alright Curly. Why don´t you take my suitcase and I carry yours? Our room is on the second floor and we have to take the stairs.” I tried to protest but he was already walking towards the big house. With a pout on my lips I grabbed Lou´s smaller suitcase and followed him. “Don´t pout, Curly!” he called over his shoulder without looking at me. While a small giggle escaped my lips I tried to sprint up to him to not let him get too far away from me.
“Why -
are, uurgh.” Louis huffed and dragged my suitcase the next couple of stairs up. He breathed deep and groaned. “Why the fook would you build so many stairs and not a fooking lift?”
I huffed small breaths a few stairs below him. “You can take your suitcase you know? It´s not so heavy.” Louis glared at me from above. “I said I would carry yours tho. So...” he heaved the suitcase on the second floor with a heavy dump. “...´m gonna do it!”
Louis brushed his sweaty fringe out of his eyes and turned towards me with a smile. “Only five more steps, you got this Curly.” I groaned but started walking again. At the end Louis lifted his own suitcase out of my hands and pulled me towards him. He linked our fingers and walked towards the end of the floor. I smiled at our hands and tried to push that giddy feeling in me down I had since we took of with the plane.
Louis opened one of the doors. “This room and the room across the floor are the two boys rooms Lydia said. Where do you wanna sleep?” I looked past his shoulders in the room. There were three bunk beds, a small table with two chairs and little cupboards for each bed around the walls. On the top of one bunk bed laid a jumper and a cap so I guessed this was occupied. Two boys from the Punk Band “The Thieves” sat at the table on their phones but looked up when they heard Louis talking. The one with a nose ring spoke first. “Come on in boys. It´s only me and Chap here at the moment.”
“Thanks lads, which bed is yours?” Nose ring pointed at the bed with the jumper as I shuffled into the room. My eyes landed on the bed next to the window. “I wanna sleep here Lou,” I said and threw my backpack on the top bed, “This way I can see the sea when I wake up.” Louis smiled at me and nodded. “You´re taking the top bed?” I glanced sheepish at him. “I mean, if that´s okay with you I would, yeah.” Louis chuckled and threw himself on the bed below. “Nwo pwobwem Cwurly.” His voice was muffled by the pillow. I grinned and climbed on my top bed. Then I gasped.
“Oh Lou, you have to see this!” Our bunk bed creaked as my best friend hurried to come next to me. I was sitting on my knees watching out of the window. Louis sat himself next to me and bumped his shoulder into mine. “You wanna go swim in the sea later?” I grinned over towards him and nodded so hard that my curls flew all around my face.
“You two might wanna wait after dinner with that” came nose rings voice from behind us. We turned our heads in his direction. The black haired boy leaned now with his arms and ankles crossed against one of the cupboards. “Lydia wants to held a speech about the auditions and so on. The program ends after dinner.” I smiled grateful at him and ruffled my curls out of my face. “Thanks, um..”
“I´m Zayn.” He smirked and thumped at his bottom lip. My gaze fell on his lips. His tongue darted out and I felt my face redden and looked down at my hands. Louis huffed next to me and as I looked to him he rolled his eyes. I watched him leave my bed with a pout. “Where are you going, Lou?” He jumped the two stairs of my bunk ladder down. “´m going downstairs, feeling kinda hungry. Maybe there is a snack in the kitchen.” My pout intensified. I didn´t wanna be alone in the room with the other boys that were way older than me. One look at my face and Louis huffed again, but with a small smile curling his lips. “Come, hop on Curly.” He turned his back towards the bed and held his arms out. I shrieked happy and shuffled the mattress forward to climb on his back. Louis tightened his arms around my thighs and lifted me more on his back. I circled my hands around his neck and hold onto him as Louis began sprinting out of the room. I laughed and hold onto him tighter. “Byyye Boys!”
...
“Please listen everyone. I will say it only once.” Lydia stood in front of the living room and tried to quiet about 40 people who were sat in the room. Because there was not enough space I sat myself between Louis legs on the floor while he sat on the couch behind me. He talked with one of the girls from his previous group 2 but his hands stroked though my hair and messed up my curls. And this time I really didn´t mind.
“Quiet everyone!” came a booming voice from the man-boy standing behind one of the cameras that was directed at us. I winced and jumped. Louis hands rounded from my hair over my cheeks and I could feel him lean down to me. “Oooh, Curly.” I heard him whisper as everyone immediately shut up.
“Thank you Liam,” Lydia said and smiled at the man with the brown hair and puppy eyes. He nodded and went back behind his camera. “Okay, so, now that everyone is listening. Welcome to the Judge´s House.” She smiled as we all clapped and cheered. “Your previously groups 1 to 4 won´t count anymore from this point till you drop out or win the X Factor this year.” Excited murmurs started in the room. I leaned my head in my neck and looked up to Louis. He smiled gentle and squeezed my shoulders. “We have four new groups from now on. There are the Boys with Simon Cowell as their Judge. The Girls with Cheryl Cole, the groups have Dannii Minouge and the eldest in this room will be judged by Louis Walsh.” Everyone nodded.
“We´re gonna be in the same group Curly.” whispered Louis in my ear as he sorted through the hair on my head. “I know,” I whispered back, but shut up as Lydia´s gaze landed on us.
She continued. “We have eight people in each group, except of the Bands of course. Throughout the next three weeks we have a weekly elimination for more than one person so that at the end of the weeks we have per group only three contestants left. These nine people plus the three bands will come back to England for the live shows.” Lydia tried to speak over the voices that were getting louder by the seconds.
“Keep quiet please!” came Liam´s booming voice from behind the camera. Everyone looked at him and stopped talking. “I know you´re all excited but you really have to listen to this next bit, because that´s the important information.” He smiled from behind his camera. I searched with my hand for Louis. He leaned his chin on my head and rested our linked fingers on my chest. Liam looked around the room. I could feel his gaze land on our crossed hands and position. I swallowed and thought about letting go but the man smiled and looked up into my eyes. He winked, then he seemed to spot someone because a shadow flickered over his face before he hid behind his camera again. I looked to where he looked, but could only see Zayn sitting amid his band mates. Shrugging I turned back to Lydia.
“Whenever there is an elimination you all have to pack your suitcases because when you drop out you will brought immediately to the airport. No time for packing then.” I shimmied my shoulders between Louis open legs and leaned more onto him. That was a cruel thing I thought. If I would drop out or if Lou would I want to say goodbye to him and not leave immediately. Louis must have sensed my discomfort because he started stroking through my hair again what settled me. “The first elimination is in two days on Friday. You have sessions with your judge and your tutors every day, look at the timetable in the kitchen to know more. The weekends are free for swimming in the sea or shopping in the small town next to us or whatever you feel to do.” We all chuckled. Lydia clapped in her hands. “Perfect, when that is settled. If you have questions feel free to ask me or your tutors and now please all go out on the Terrace for dinner.” The whole room started moving and so I stretched too. Louis jumped to his feet behind me and lifted me up. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room pushing past other contestants towards the Terrace. “I´m hungry Curly! Come on!”
...
It was dark as I laid in my bed, the curtains before the window where shut but I could see the moon shining through. It was the perfect darkness to sleep and I laid here wide awake. With a quiet huff I turned to the other side to look out of the small space between wall and window that was not shut by the curtain. From my position I could see the end of the palm trees that were scattered around the beach. The stars were brighter than in England and I tried to count the small clouds to fall asleep but nothing worked. My thoughts circled around the elimination from today. It was the first weekend and me and Louis got through the first competition but I feared the next.
Simon was not okay with my singing today and I understood why. My voice cracked in the middle of my song and I couldn´t recover after that. I was sure if the blond boy in my group hadn´t stopped singing because of nervousness I would have been eliminated. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and tried to take deep breathes.
“Lou?” I whispered in the dark room.
“Haz,” came the voice from my best friend from under me.
“Are you asleep?”
Louis grunted and I heard the sheets rustle. Then a pillow was thrown onto my bed right next to my head. I turned around to see his duvet fall next to me. Then the boy climbed up the ladder. “Scoot over Curly,” Louis murmured and yawned. I made room for him in the small bed and pressed myself against the wall. Louis fell face forward onto his duvet and pillow. I giggled quietly at his antics and tried to pull the duvet from under him. He turned his head towards me and squinted one eye open. “Why don´t you sleep Haz?”
My smiled faded and I stopped pulling the duvet. “I can only think about the elimination today and how bad I was.” I looked away from him and tried to make myself smaller. Louis opened his eyes completely and rolled on his left side. He sat up and pulled the duvet from under him to spread it over the sheets. “Come here,” he whispered and held the duvet up. I took my teddybear out of my arms and scooted towards him. Louis smiled at my bear and tucked a loose curl behind my ear. His arms tightened around my upper body and he pulled me into his chest. Did I mention that he didn´t wore a shirt?
“Why do you say things like that hmm?” He scratched through my curls. “You were not bad today. I had worse voice cracks as I was in your age. You´re still young Harry. Nobody is born as the perfect singer. That´s why we´re here, to improve ourselves and become better.” I felt happy tears well up in my eyes at his words and sniffed. “But Simons critic was awful and I really think that I´m not good enough for the X Factor.”
Louis tightened his arms around me and I laid my head in the space between his neck and the sheets and breathed slowly out. He took a shuddering breath and his scratching stopped for a moment. I continued. “And I´m really scared that I won´t get through at the end of the week.” Abruptly but gentle enough Louis took my head out of his neck to look me in the eyes. He held my head between his hands and thumped over my cheekbones. The butterfly's in my tummy whirled again. “Bullshit Harry. Please don´t say things like that. You have four more tutoring lessons this week and training with Simon himself. If he gave you that bad critic it´s only good for you, because then you can show him on Friday what you can really do and blow him away. I heard your singing and I know what you´re capable off. And okay, today was not that good,” he grinned and his eyes sparkled. I giggled quiet and smiled. “but I know that you will do better on Friday!”
I opened my arms to hug him. “Thank you Lou. You´re really the bestest best friend someone can wish for.” I closed my eyes and snuggled against his chest. Louis tightened his arms around me and laid his chin on my head. What I couldn´t see was the sad smile and resignation shown on his face after my words. Louis huffed suddenly. “And please don´t ever say again that you will leave me alone on this island. How should I survive without you here when you won´t get through?” Louis whined dramatically. I snorted and made myself smaller against him. “I think you will manage just fine.”
I heard him whisper, “I doubt it,” against my hair but didn´t comment on it since it didn´t seemed for me to witness. Louis scratches wandered from my hair to my back and he intertwined our legs. “Sleep now Curly. We want to go swimming tomorrow and I won´t swim with a moody Harry because he couldn´t get enough sleep because he thought about bloddy Simon Cowel.”
“Sshh Lou, I´m trying to sleep here,” I murmured in his chest and held onto him. His quiet pleased giggle was the last thing I heard as sleep took me under.
“Do these two always sleep together like that?” was the first thing I heard as I slowly woke up in the morning. I remembered last night and Louis comforting me in my bed at the same time I noticed his strong arms around my middle. I didn´t open my eyes just yet but listened what the other boys in our room talked. “Huh, who?” another boy said. “Is it not allowed to sleep in one bed together?” a bored third voice talked. “Let them sleep before we wake them and Louis eats all our coco pops.” I opened my eyes a little bit and saw Zayn leading the other boys out of the room. In the door frame he stopped and looked back to us. I gave him a thankful smile and he winked in return, then he closed the door.
“What´s with all the talking?” Louis grumbled behind me and nuzzled more in my back. He tightened his arms around my stomach. I felt so cozy and at home that I heaved a pleased sigh. “Nothing important. Zayn took the other boys with him for breakfast.” “Oh, I could go for breakfast too.” Louis murmured. Then I felt a warm wet tongue at my neck. “Hmm, you´re very delicious Hazza.”
“Lou!” I tried to squirm out of his hold but his arms were tight around my smaller frame. “Did you just lick me?” I gasped outraged into the room. Louis chuckled behind me and loosened his hold. I turned to him, leaned on my arms and frowned. “Sorry Haz, but I couldn´t contain myself. It´s morning, my brain functions not at this god forbidden hour.” I smiled a bit at him and shrugged, “It´s okay.” Then I bent down and licked a long stripe over his left cheek. Louis eyes bulged and he stared at me.
3
2
1
His eyes got a little darker and became a dangerous gleam. “Oh, you´re so gonna pay for this Curly.” I squeaked and tried to stand up really fast to get away from him. I span around on my knees and already had the bedpost in my hand to jump down the bed when I was pulled backwards. “Where do you think you´re going?” Louis leaned over me and threw me back in the sheets. Then he began to tickle me. I screamed and laughed. “Louuu - hahah – Lou – Stop, please ahaha.” Louis stopped, sat between my open legs and grinned down at me. “Yeah Curly?” I heaved a breath, “Lou, stop.” Then I giggled and poked him in his belly button. “You should have seen your face.”
We both looked at each other then started laughing. I kicked my legs in euphoria what caused my best friend to tumble onto me. Before he could fell with his whole weight onto me Louis quickly supported himself with his hands next to my head. Shit, this muscles. “Whoaa, careful there Haz. I knew I could fall for you but not this fast.” He winked.
He fucking winked! I could feel my whole face redden and turned my head ashamed into the pillow. “Looouu.” He giggled again then leaned down to kiss my forehead. “Come now Hazza, let´go..”
His words were interrupted as the door to our room was slammed into the wall. “Wakey wakey you two. Breakfast is whooaa, sorry.” Zayn was walking into the room but shielded his eyes and looked to the side as he saw us in my bed. Louis on top of me without a shirt. “I really don´t mean to interrupt anything but you should come to Breakfast before the other eat everything away.” Louis and I scrambled to get into a less awkward position with him leaning over me. “It´s really nothing what it looks like.” “You didn´t interrupt anything.” “Oh God, no, nothing happened.” “We were just, yeah and then.” Louis and I talked at once to explain ourselves.
Zayn made a disbelieving sound and smirked. “Yeah, sure boys. Whatever. Just. Breakfast yeah?” He took a last glance at us then walked out of the room.
With an umpf I let myself fall back onto the mattress and laid my arm over my eyes. “Please tell me that didn´t just happen.” Louis didn´t react so I lifted my arm to look him in the face. He sat in only his joggers on his knees at the end of my bed and twisted his fingers in his lap. “Lou?” I asked cautiously and sat up.
“I´m sorry Harry!” He suddenly blurted out and run his fingers through his hair. “I shouldn´t have licked you and started it all so then you wouldn´t be so embarrassed now and. Zayn made you uncomfortable and.” Distressed he looked up and into my eyes. I pouted and crawled to him. Then I had one brave moment and sat myself in his lap. His arms went immediately around my back. “Haz?” His piercing blue eyes locked into mine. I carefully put my arms around his shoulders.
I smiled down at him. “You have nothing to be sorry for. It´s all good. I could have stopped too and not licked you back and yeah.” I shrugged. “It´s only embarrassing for me ´cause it´s you.” I added sheepishly and played with the small hair on his neck. “Huh?” Louis leaned his head to one side and glanced up to me. His thumps stroked little circles into my hipbones. I huffed. “It´s you Lou.” He still looked at me confused. I tucked on his fine hair and groaned. Simultaneously I heard him take a sharp intake of breath. “I like you okay?” He shifted under me and his fingers pressed more into my covered skin. One finger slipped under my shirt and pressed in my skin. The heat went directly into my head and made me dizzy. I took a deep breath. “I like you Lou and that´s why it was so embarrassing as Zayn found us. But…” I huffed and looked away. My eyes scanned the room.
“But what Haz? Talk to me please.” Louis arms circled completely around my back and pulled me further into his lap. I shuffled forward and made myself smaller to fit into his embrace. I laid my head in his neck and mumbled in his skin. “But I´m glad it´s only Zayn that found us like this. The other boys were not nice this morning.” Louis arms tensed as I spoke. He gulped then relaxed again. I gave a pleased sigh and closed my eyes again. “You make it really hard for me to concentrate Curly,” he huffed. His fingers stroked over my back and I relaxed further in his arms. “What did the boys say this morning?”
I shrugged. “One asked with like a disgusted tone how we two could sleep like this?” I phrased the statement as a question, unsure how Louis would react. He tensed under me and grabbed into my shirt with his fists. “Who said it Haz?” he asked with a strained voice. I shrugged again. “Didn´t open my eyes, but Zayn helped and took them all out of the room before anyone could say something negative.”
“Then I think I´m gonna thank Zayn for this later. For the record, I find nothing about you and us sleeping together like that disgusting, okay Hazza?” Louis pulled my head out of his neck to look me in the eyes. His thumps caressed my face. Over my cheeks and nose. He thumped over my closing eyelids and into my hair. “I like you too, you know?” I nodded in his hands and opened my eyes again. “And if I have to sleep every night with you to get them to shut up I will gladly do it.” I giggled, “Loouu,” and scrunched my nose. He looked at me with a fond expression and leaned up to lay a light kiss on my forehead again. His hands wandered from my curls over my back then he patted me on my bum.” Up you go, I´m hungry. Let´s see what everyone left for us.”
...