Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Sixty Two

I saw Perrie pop her head around the studio door and smiled, lifting the headphones off my head and gesturing for her to come in, quickly stopping the music.

I couldn't take my eyes off her as she walked towards me, a Starbucks cup in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other. She had on sweatpants and trainers, a faded vest top and her blonde locks high up in a bun, wavy strands falling around her face. She looked oddly breathtaking.

"Hi gorgeous." I said, leaning back and letting her sit on my lap. "How were rehearsals?"

"Long, I'm bloody exhausted." She sighed dramatically. "Thought I'd bring you refreshments, have you been in here all day?"

Over the last few weeks, after deciding I was getting too distracted at home and not getting much done, I had asked Perrie ig she knew any small studios I could use for a couple of days. What she had actually done was hire one out for me to use whenever I felt like it up until the tour. So more or less every day I had been leaving with her when she went to rehearsals, since the studio was only a quick walk from where Perrie was rehearsing, making the final preparations for the tour.

"Yeah, why? Is it late?"

"Babe it's half six! God you've been in here for like eight hours. You're gonna waste away, here you go." Perrie handed me the coffee and one half of a BLT, taking a huge bite out of the half. "We're going out tonight." She said with her mouth full.

"Are we?"

"Yeah, I'm taking you out for dinner."

"Babe, you-"

"Don't argue with me, you look like you've not seen daylight in weeks and you've not had a proper meal in ages either, don't think I've not noticed! How's it going anyway? You gonna let me hear anything yet?"

"No." I smirked. "I still think it'll be cool if the first time you hear it is the first night of the tour... but I might give in before then if you keep pulling that face!"

"Told you it'd work eventually one day." She winked. "How's everything else going? You ready for Friday night?"

With Perrie and Lauren's encouragement, I had been using Instagram and SoundCloud to get more people listening yo my mudic, and I had got a better response than I could have hoped fpr. Especially after Perrie had posted the link to one particular beat along with the words. 'Check out the latest from the next big thing! Look out for this talented young man on my tour! Y'all gonna love him!'

That Friday I was warming up the crows at a new club at Manchester before a much better known DJ took over for the rest of the night, but I was really excited. Lauren was driving me up there, equally as excited at the prospect of a night out, and to see if this new club would be worthy enough of our presence when we were there again on the night of her birthday, after the Little Mix gig.

"Yeah, all sorted for that."

"Can I hear something then?"

"I thought you were knackered? Don't want you jumping around the room and hurting yourself do we?"

"Awh Bear... Can I listen tonight when we get home, pleeeeeaase?"

"Okay, okay you win. Where are we going?"

"I dunno yet, I was thinking that new Italian place. Not been in ages and I love it there. Sound good?"

"Hmm... What am I gonna wear? Do I wear casual jeans or a shirt and tie?"

"You always worry about that." Perrie giggled. "You'd look handsome in a tracksuit babe, makes no difference to me what you wear."

"Whatever! Anyway, you know I couldn't wear one to that place, as funny as it might be to try."

"I would like to see that! D'you want me to help you find something when we get home?"

"Yeah please. I'm about done here anyway for today."

"Guess what tomorrow is?" Perrie grinned, hopping on the spot as I packed up.

"What?"

"One month til tour! One more month! Has it actually gone that fast?!"

"Oh my god... that'll fly by as well, you know. It won't even feel like a month, it'll feel like about a week."

"I know... Oh there's something we wanna show you actually."

"We?"

"Yeah, for the entrance at the start... will you come with me to rehearsals tomorrow and you can see?"

"Yeah definitely! What is it? You better not be doing anything crazy..."

Perrie just winked, skipping to the door. "You'll have to wait and see! Come on, we'll have to hurry up if we want to get a table."

"You're right... we might have to share a shower if we're pushed for time."

"You read my mind babe..."

**

After showering, I left Perrie drying her hair in the bedroom and slipped into the studio, setting up some of the equipment and playing the beat I was taking to Manchester, turning it up as it kicked in, waiting.

Perrie came running in a few seconds later, still in a towel. "OH MY GOD! WHAT'S THIS?!"

"MUSIC!" I yelled back, laughing as she started dancing, flipping her hair around.

"Wooooo! Turn it UP!" Perrie cheered, leaping around the room.

I let the music run got a few more minutes, doubling over with laughter. I sloely turned it down, earning a disapproving pout from Perrie. "You like it then?"

"What are you doing? Put it back on!"

"We need to get ready babe."

"Is that what you're doing in Manchester? Jesus, you're gonna kill them all!"

"I hope you mean that in a good way... though I'm not sure how."

"God, I wish I was coming now." She pouted. "Fucking rehearsals... D'you think Lauren could video it for me?"

"I'm not sure you could trust her to be sober enough." I laughed. "Don't worry babe, I hope they'll be many more gigs after the tour... you can come to those."

"It sounds sick." Perrie grinned as we made our way back to the bedroom and she peered into the closet. "That's some sick beat DJ Cubby!"

"I've told you I am not calling myself DJ Cubby." I chuckled.

"Why not? It's cool! DJ Cubby, he'll make you roar!"

"You missed your calling babe, you should've been in advertising." I said, shaking my head and playfully nudging her out of the way, rummaging for one of my shirts.

"Well what else have you got?"

"Nothing yet, but I'll think of something. What do I wear?"

"You look fine as you are."

"I'm in my boxers."

"Exactly."

"Perrie... seriously."

Perrie stepped back and dropped her towel, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Seriously?"

"D'you expect me to resist you when you're looking at me like that?"

"No, I expect you to fuck me."

**

Everytime I looked up while we were eating, I caught Perrie staring at me, but whenever I met her eyes she looked back down at her food, smirking. Like a teenager on a first date.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing... I'm just looking at you."

"I can see that, why do you keep laughing?"

Perrie leaned closer, gesturing for me to do the same.

"What?"

"I love you babe."

I returned her smile, feeling her hand softly stroke my leg. "Is that it?"

"Yeah. That's it."

"I love you too."

"You've got no clue how much I wanna kiss you right now, Bear."

I put my hand on hers, getting higher up my leg. "Just over a month from now and you can. All night, anywhere you like. D'you think you can wait until then?"

"I'm not sure." Perrie giggled. "Babe you look really hot tonight."

I shook my head. "You look hot."

For a second Perrie looked slightly annoyed. She had a sip of wine and put her hand back under the table. "The cameras seemed to like you anyway. You were okay, weren't you?"

"Of course, like I said it doesn't bother me. I still don't understand how they knew you'd be coming here!"

"Neither do I but it's popular here, there's probably a few of them hang around just in case someone shows up. You're really alright with them... you know, being there all the time?"

"It's not all the time though is it?" I said, squeezing her hand under the table. "We've been out plenty without them there. And d'you want me to be honest?"

"Yeah...?"

"I'm that busy looking at you that I hardly notice them."

Perrie smiled, her beautiful smile. I wanted to kiss her so much.

"I love you babe." She whispered again. "I actually can't wait to tell everyone you're mine... thank you for being so cool about this."

"Perrie?"

Before I could answer we heard someone call Perrie's name and we both looked up. I felt like someone had shoved ice in my stomach.

Zayn Malik.

"Oh god, no." Perrie muttered as he walked towards us grinning, abandoning the blonde girl he had his arm around and leaving her stood near the entrance. "Perrie! Hey I thought it was you! How's it going?"

Perrie forced a smile. It was the exact same smile she plastered on when she climbed out of a car to be greeted with paparazzi; false.

Perrie still has her hand on my leg under the table, and her fingers tightened on my knee as Zayn leaned casually against the wall beside Perrie. "I've not seen you in ages, how are you?"

"I'm good,-"

"You're off on tour really soon aren't you? Are you sorted?"

"Yeah... everything's going really well, thanks. We-"

"I'm really sorry about what happened last time we spoke babe." He said, changing tack like lightening. Perrie's jaw tightened, as did her hand on my leg. "I do want us to be friends you know that... can we forget about it?"

"Zayn I'm not doing this here, we're trying to have a meal." Perrie said.

"Well I'd call you, but you've blocked my number." He scowled. "How am I meant to talk to you?"

"You're not." Perrie sighed. "I've tried being friends, haven't I? But there's always something else, so I'd ra-"

"Hang on." Zayn straightened up, pointing at me. His eyes met mine before he scrutinised me. I felt exposed all of a sudden; I wanted to dive under the table and hide. "Hang on. Is this him?! Is this the one you're supposed to be seeing?!"

He had raised his voice, turning a few heads. Others in the restaurant had seen who he was, who he was talking to, and were getting the attention of their fellow diners, nodding in our direction. Whispering.

"What are you playing at?" Perrie hissed, having noticed people looking as well. "Will you go, please? We're trying to have a meal."

Zayn studied me again, and he started laughing. "Oh my god, this is serious isn't it? Are you for real?! You're with him?!"

"Zayn I want you to go."

"What's your game then?" Zayn said to me, surprising me. "Are you in this for the money or the sex?"

Perrie stood up. I did too, although I didn't know why I didn't have a clue what to do or say.

"Are you having a laugh?!" She said through her teeth, she had her fists clenched tightly. I fought the urge to take her hand. "What is your problem? Get lost!"

"He's just gonna fuck you over Perrie. Whatever you think this is... he doesn't... love you."

"And you did, did you?" I spoke up.

Zayn was glaring at me, looking ready to attack me.

"I don't know what your game is but you're making a scene over absolutely nothing and your friend doesn't look too impressed. I think you should leave us alone and go back to her."

"Don't tell me what to do mate." Zayn spat. "Pez... I just want what's best for you."

"She can take care of herself." I continued calmly. "You don't have any right to tell her what's best for her mate, to be honest, it's a shame you never thought about what was best for her when you were engaged."

Zayn struggled to answer me for several seconds, then rounded on Perrie. "Is he taking the piss?!"

"Will you please leave us alone. Now."

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What?" Zayn snapped at the smartly dressed staff member who approached him.

"The waiting area for a table is just by the door there."

"I know. I'm just catching up with a friend." He smiled falsely, backing away. "See you around Perrie."

"Babe, sit down." I whispered when he had gone.

Perrie did so, taking my hand under the table again. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologise for him." I said.

"I think we should leave."

"We're not finished." I said. "Pez we've got as much right to be here as him. Finish your meal." "I'm so sorry babe, you shouldn't have to do that-"

"Stop it." I smiled. "It's alright, he's gone now. Forget it."

Perrie stared at me for a minute or two as I continued eating, a strange look on her face. "I can't even believe that just happened." She sighed, picking her fork back up. She just played with her food, staring at it, with her bottom lipheld tightly between her teeth. I knew that look.

"Babe." I whispered. "Look at me. Please don't get upset."

"I can't believe he did that." She said. I could hear it in her voice now.

"Pez..."

I was going to reassure her, ask her not to let him upset her, but I could tell by her eyes it would be useless. "Pez, d'you want to go home?"

She didn't answer, simply struggling her shoulders. I squeezed her hand. "Give me five minutes to get the bill, yeah?"

"No, I'm-"

"No nothing, leave it with me. I'll be as quick as I can."

**

There must have been some pretty active social networkers in the restaurant, because by the time we left a few minutes later, having called Carl to come and pick us up, there was double the amount of paparazzi outside. Carl was by the door, and managed to keep back a swarm of them as they ran towards Perrie. She gripped my arm so tight it started to hurt instantly.

"Perrie were you arguing with Zayn tonight?"

"Perrie why are you arguing with Zayn in public?"

"Perrie! Perrie, are you jealous of Zayn's new girlfriend?"

"Perrie, who's your friend? Was he involved in the argument? Hey, who are you?"

We finally made it into the car, Carl slamming the door after us. I instantly felt better, their lenses unable to penetrate the blacked out windows, although we could still hear them. Perrie leaned forward, burying her face in her hands.

"Babe-" I began, touching her shoulder.

Perrie shrugged me off, sitting up and dragging her seatbelt over her and turning away from me. "What did you even have to start with him for? Why couldn't you just leave it? It didn't even look like an argument until you started with him, now look what's happened."

Carl wordlessly put up the screen between himself and us, starting the engine and pulling out, beeping his horn several times.I fixed my seatbelt on and looked out of the window, close to tears. I knew she didn't mean it and was only lashing out because she was upset, but it still hurt. I only wanted him to leave, to not upset her any further.

About half way home, Perrie shuffled back around, looking at me but I didn't meet her eyes. I could feel her staring at me, knew she was trying to think of something to say. Her fingers gently touched my hand. I didn't move, and she slipped her fingers through mine slowly, expecting me to move away from her. I let her tighten her grip on my hand, her thumb stroking my skin, still staring at me.

"Bear, I'm sorry."

"I know."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I know."

"I don't mean to take it out on you. I'm just - I can't believe he said all that, and I just know it's gonna be in the media tomorrow and I'm just wondering what the hell I ever saw in that fucking idiot - I'm so sorry Jakob, tonight wasn't supposed to go like this."

"I know." I said yet again. "It doesn't matter, it's not your fault either. Don't apologise for him."

"I'm not, I'm apologising for me. I shouldn't be having a go at you when you stuck up for me." I smiled a little, but still didn't look at her.

"Am... am I alright holding your hand?"

"Of course..." I said, looking up, and I saw tears shining on Perrie's face. "No, Pez don't cry... babe come here."

I threw my seatbelt off and slid against Perrie, wrapping my arms around her. "Don't let him get to you, babe stop it. You're better than that. Come on, I think he's made you cry enough. It's okay..."

"I'm not upset, I'm angry, and I'm sorry. This shouldn't be your problem." Perrie sniffed. I laughed loudly and Perrie leaned back. "What?"

"You can be really daft sometimes. We're a couple. Your problems are my problems."

"You shouldn't of said anything though. He's gonna know something's going on now, what if he says something to the media? Before we can?"

"He can't prova anything, can he? D'you think he will?"

"No... probably not, I'm just being silly... I'm so sorry about tonight-"

"It's not your fault. will you stop it?" I said, squeezing her tighter and kissing her head. "We'll make up for it back at home."

"How?"

The screen moved down slightly and Carl said. "We're back guys."

"I'll tell you inside. Come on dry those eyes you spanner."

**

I locked the door behind me and followed Perrie into the kitchen. "Oi! What're you doing?"

"Err... making a cuppa?"

"Nope. Go upstairs and get your comfies on, I'll do it. Are you still hungry?"

"I dunno, a bit yeah."

"I'll make something. Just get lost for a minute."

"That's nice!" Perrie pouted.

"Oh pack that in. Go on, I'll be in here when you're done."

Perrie came back downstairs, and I had to smile at her pyjamas; bright green with turtles all over the pants, and the big one on the front of her top.

"What's all this?" She said, gesturing to everything I had laid out on the table. I took her hand and sat her down, sitting opposite her.

"Tequila shots, and I found some popcorn chicken in the freezer."

"We're doing shots?!"

"Well I am. Care to join me? I've got an idea."

"Oh?"

"I'm gonna do a shot, then tell you something completely random about myself. Then you go."

"Why do we need shots to do that?"

"We don't but I want to cheer you up and... it was there." I shrugged.

Perrie giggled and poured us a shot. "Where's the salt?"

"Oh... hang on." I ran to the cupboard to retrieve the salt before going first. "Right." I shook my arms, pretending to limber up, making Perrie laugh and did the shot, shuddering as it went down. "Right. The first song I ever heard of Little Mix was actually DNA and I didn't like it. Don't worry! I love it now!"

"You better explain yourself." Perrie winked.

"It just came on the radio, the radio DJ mentioned it had literally just been released and they said it was the best track on the album in thier opinion. And I didn't like it. But I went back to listen to Wings again and again, and I found that I loved the song and thought I might've judged you too soon. Then the next time I heard DNA... it grew on me."

"Wow." Perrie was actually grinning. "It's not very often anyone tells me to my face they didn't like our music!"

"Obviously I was wrong, within about a month after that I was obsessed with you... and have been ever since." I muttered, looking at the table.

"Are you obsessed with me now?" Perrie chuckled.

"Yes. But in different ways. Well, no the same ways but... more ways. Oh I don't know, stop laughing at me!" I threw a piece of lime at Perrie but she ducked out of the way. "It's your turn."

Perrie sprinkled some salt in her palm, downed her shot and grabbed one of the slices of lime.
"Eeeeeurgh! I didn't even know I had a lime, where was it?"

"Never mind the lime, play the game."

"Okay... err... something completely random right?"

"Yep."

"Okay. What you did tonight made me feel really special, don't look like that, let me finish! I am sorry, only because I freaked out and got upset, but... thank you. For getting rid of him and for sticking up for me."

"I always will. Please don't let him get to you babe. He's not worth it."

"I don't get it... don't take this the wrong way babe but, how didn't he get to you? What he said to you was disgusting, how did you stay so calm?"

"He's a bully." I shrugged. "That's all he is, and I've had it with them. I'm over people like that, I wasn't just gonna stand there. Although I would've quite liked to punch him..."

"Tell me about it." Perrie scowled. "If I was a normal person I would've done."

"It's done with now. Like I said, don't let him get to you, then he's achieved something hasn't he?"

Perrie smiled. "Your turn!"

I threw back another shot. "I've got one. When I was nine, I snapped my dad's credit card. I don't know what I was doing with it, but I snapped it in half, and i was too scared to tell him and get told off so I hid the pieces under the fridge. He just thought he'd lost it and got a new one."

"Aaawh! You loser, when did you break the news to him?"

"Never did. It's still under there."

We continued like that all night. Once Perrie kicked off with her childhood anecdote, we were off, going right back to our earliest memories, good ones and bad. We ended up moving into the front room, laying together under a blanket, laughing hysterically. The tequila was long forgotten; I felt quite drunk but we had both switched to water.

"Oh my god!" Perrie howled, tears of laughter streaming down her face. "You broke somebody's leg... with a hockey stick... are you being serious?! How hard were you swinging it?!"

"Must've been pretty hard! I was absolutely mortified, but d'you know what I said?"

"What?"

"I said I told you not to make me play. Like it was totally his fault! I didn't know what to do, but needless to say we never attempted hockey again after that."

"I'm never letting you near a broom. or a rake, or anything that slightly resembles that size and shape ever in our lives." Perrie choked, wiping her eyes. "I need my limbs babe."

"I don't make a habit of it." I laughed. "Lauren still won't let me live it down to this day. I'm actually surprised she's never told you the story yet."

Perrie sat up slightly, holding her stomach. "That's easily one of the funniest things I've ever heard in my life."

"Then I really need to tell you about some of the things Lauren's done over the years. I don't compare to her."

"Go on, tell me something."

"Well I'll never forget the time we went to a club that had unisex toilets. She asked the barman if they really were unisex and when he said yes, she cheered like it was the best news ever and ran into them and left me at the bar."

"No way! Why?!"

"I haven't got a clue. She'd had loads of wine though... I dunno what she was expecting to happen in there."

"I love that woman. She's... definitely unique."

"That's one word for her."

**

We went up to bed a while later, and I crossed into the bathroom to wash my face and clean my teeth. I wasn't aware Perrie had followed me until I straightened up from leaning over the sink and saw her behind me. I jumped out of my skin.

"Fuck!! Perrie!! Don't do that!"

"Sorry." She giggled, walking towards me and running her hands across my abs.

"That seriously wasn't funny! That happens in horror films all the time and it's horrible!"

"I said I'm sorry." She murmured, pressing herself against me so I was wedged between her and the sink. Her hands were still stroking my abs, and she lowered her head, kissing my shoulder. "And I'm sorry about tonight, in the re-"

"If you apologise for tonight one more time, I'll tan your backside." I said, turning around and catching her hands.

"Is that a promise?" She said, starting to smirk. Her hands left mine and landed on my abs again, stroking up under the shirt I was still wearing.

"If you want it to be."

Perrie was so eager. She dragged me from the bathroom to the bed quickly, pushing me down and crawling on top of me, hungrily kissing me.

"I've wanted you since we sat down to eat in the restaurant."

"We could've stayed home." I groaned. "I wouldn't have minded."

"Sshh." Perrie snapped, but she was grinning. She unbuttoned my shirt, her lips never leaving mine.

It wasn't long before her hand was teasingly stroking between my legs, and I was begging her. "Perrie, please..."

"Ssshhh." She grinned, sliding herself down. "I'm not gonna apologise again... not verbally anyway. But tonight... wasn't what I wanted so let me make it up to you now."

I grabbed her hair as her mouth wrapped around my cock. She had been slow up until then, practically torturing me, but she didn't hold back then, taking it all in her mouth.

Minutes later she kissed her way sloppily back up to my face, sliding her tongue into my mouth and rolling us over so we lay side by side. "Am I forgiven?" She murmured.

"There was nothing to forgive... who would've known a woman who looks so innocent in little turtle pyjamas could be such a fireball in the bedroom.

"Babe... you've seen nothing yet." perrie grinned widely and started to laugh at the look on my face of something between fear and delight.

"You're kidding. Right?"