Lights (Niall Horan)

fifty

Niall Horan

"I swear, once I get my hands on him, I-"

"Relax, Niall. Nothing's happened."

"Yet."

My hands are at my sides, clenched into tight fists.

There's more reports online.

Everywhere.

I thought it was over with.

But who am I kidding?

I knew they would build up again from the moment we touched down on American soil:  reports about the breakup, Anna, Kendall, Harry, Barbara, and myself.

But I was just stupid enough to believe--

"That's fucked up." Zayn groans, titling the screen away from my prying eyes and paling slightly.

"Yeah, well, there are a lot of fucked-up things out there." I grunt at him, turning my attention back to the cars whizzing by underneath the closed window.

"No, I mean... This report. Apparently... Barbara cheated on you." He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. "I mean, can they be more original?"

"It's probably true, though. She has a boyfriend." I inform him bluntly.

Zayn groans. "Damn."

"I know."

"And there are reports about--"

"Harry and Kendall?"

"Harry and Anna."

Silence.

I stare at Zayn in disbelief.

"There were some paparrazi trailing them yesterday... Some say it's Kendall, some say it's Anna." Zayn reads from the seventeen-inch MacBook screen.

"Well, good, then." My throat tightens. "Let it be a mystery."

"I don't think it is." He replies slowly. "Niall, I hope you know that you are in some deep sh--"

And, as if right on cue, my phone begins blaring that stupid Apple ringtone.

Zayn and I exchange knowing looks before glancing back down at it.

Management.

I intend to let it go straight to voicemail, but of course Zayn has other plans.

"Hello?" He answers, holding the phone up to his ear hesitantly. "No, this is Zayn."

Silence.

"Uh, yeah, he's right here." Zayn mumbles, sliding the phone in front of me.

"Zayn!" I scold him, giving him a cold glare. But he simply ignores me, going back to his Internet search and leaving me to deal with one of our managers.

Please be Jeff, please be Jeff.

At least Jeff is nice. The others will surely tear me to shreads over something I had nothing to do with.

I finger the cell phone into my palm, pressing the speaker button on the glowing screen.

There's no way Zayn is missing out on this happy meeting.

"Hello?" I answer, trying my best to sound innocent in case it's Randy or Anthony.

"Niall. What is the meaning of this? We had to bribe the American press five million dollars just to cover up--"

Brendan.

Damn.

"I have no clue. Go ask Harry." I grit my teeth, snarling into the phone. "I had nothing to do with this."

But knowing Brendan, he won't listen to a single word I say.

Harry is his personal favorite.

Just my luck.

Zayn jumps slightly in his chair, glancing from me to the iPhone with an unreadable stare.

"Copy that. But don't expect to be off the hook, Horan." He snaps, and is suddenly replaced with silence.

"Well," I sigh, tugging on the ends of my hair, "that went well."

"I hope you're just being sarcastic, because-"

"It was Brendan. I know." I growl, he squints at me. "I'm majorly screwed."

"I know the feeling," he nods once, "we're never off the hook."

Anna Holden

He. Kissed. Me.

Harry Styles kissed me.

I don't know what to do.

I don't know what to say.

I don't know what I should do.

But there is no time to think before the door barges open, the wooden plank casting a dark shadow over the daylight-filled room.

And in storms an infuriated Louis.

I can just make out the outline of his body as Harry pulls away from the kiss quickly, bolting out of bed quickly.

Louis doesn't seem to notice us at all as he takes a few steps closer, flicking on the overhead light and drawing the curtains forcefully.

There is nothing but silence.

"What the hell is going on here?" Louis finally yells, and I cringe.

"Um..." Harry tugs at his hair nervously, glancing around the room for some sort of distraction.

I say nothing, still in shock from the recent events, and bite my lip.

"Nothing?" Louis demands again, sending intimidating glances from me to Harry.

I lower my eyes.

Harry glares at him full-force.

"That's it. Anna, let me talk to Harry. Now." Louis declares through gritted teeth, a tone of mock sweetness in his voice along with tones of annoyance.

Harry gives me a weak smile before I slowly get up from the bed and make for the door, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Luckily and unluckily I am fully clothed, high heels and all.

I stumble down the hall, fighting back tears and making for the door to the one person I know will always be there for me.