How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 75

{Harry's Point of View}

I stared coldly at the Australian afternoon out my window. Hong Kong was thousands of miles away, but the pain of my time there was still fresh. My heart was shattered into a million pieces with the shards scattered to the far corners of the earth. I was unfixable, a lot cause. Kate was back on her side of the world, but I still felt her knife in my chest.

Is this how it's going to be? Is this how my heart will always feel?

The boys had been good about giving me privacy. I hardly spoke a word on the trip from Hong Kong to New Zealand to Australia. The three of them had gone out together and met fans. Henry and Julia had even allowed me to skip two public appearances, one television appearance, and one radio talk show. They used laryngitis as an excuse. Truthfully, I was in no mood to be out of bed, much less finishing the last three shows of tour.

In the distance, the Sydney Harbor was filled with boats. Some were bobbing in the waves. Others were far more powerful and effortlessly cut through the waves. The sun was glinting on the water arrogantly. I could see the Sydney Opera House standing impressively on display. Sydney was always one of my favorite cities. The fans were eager here, the energy palpable. Australia was a beautifully diverse country rich in history and culture. Its geographic isolation drew me in. I was lost in a fantasy of living in Australia when there was a knock on my hotel room door.

"Yes?" I opened the door to find Henry. He had sweat through his shirt. His glasses were crooked on his nose.

"You and I need to have a serious talk, Harry."

"About?" I opened the door wider to allow him in.

"I'm one of your biggest fans, Harry, you know that." Henry sat on the sofa and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. "I care about you and the other boys like you're my sons. I want to see you happy. You can understand that, can't you?"

"I guess." I sat on a chair facing Henry.

"Tour is over next week. I guess I was hoping you would be feeling better by the time tour came to an end. It has been months since you and Kate broke up, but you're not getting better. It's pretty obvious. I don't know if you know this, but the other boys have to dodge a lot of questions about you when they do interviews without you."

"Sorry, but I'm just not willing to do interviews right now."

"I get it," Henry nodded.

No, you don't. You don't get it at all. If you did, you wouldn't be in here bothering me about it. You would give me the space I need.

"Harry, it's my job to look out for you. Not just you personally, but your career as well. I'm getting a little worried about public perception."

"I'm sorry, Henry, but I don't really care."

"Well I do. And you should be glad I do. If it were up to you, you would transform into a no-name lad who lives in a big house in London. People will move on, Harry. They always do. It's my job to keep you relevant."

"And being on tour isn't doing that?"

"I'm going to be blunt," he spat. "You need something to make people talk about you again."

"Like?" I worried he was going to encourage me to spread the story of my breakup with Kate.

"I think you need to be seen with a few girls. I've contacted some friends in the entertainment and casting industries and I have made a list of girls you would be somewhat interested in." Henry held up a small piece of paper. He leaned over and forced it into my hand. "These are great girls, Harry. They're beautiful and have a lot of potential. Plus, they know how to shut up which is good for your career. They're compliant and easy to please."