A Dreamers Dream

Harry. Philadelphia, USA.

Harry's perspective.

By the time I finally reach the hotel in Philly, it's already nearly one-thirty, I've only got a couple of hours before I need to head to the arena for soundcheck, my stomach is grumbling loudly at me to feed it, and I need to find time to grab a shower as well, my morning shower with Maddie was immensely satisfying, but I didn't have time to wash my hair after we made love under the steaming water and I really should do something about that before the show tonight or my hairstylist might kill me. I love touring, but having two shows in two different states on consecutive evenings is damn hard work. Especially when there is so much else going on in my life at the moment that needs my attention.

I hoist my bag a little higher on my shoulder as I step out of the lift and make my way down the corridor to my suite, noting the now all too familiar sight of the tear-stained face of my girlfriend staring up at me from her spot on the floor outside my door.

"Hey, Trouble," I say sympathetically as she starts to pull herself off the beige carpet. I reach out a hand to help her up.

"Hey." She mumbles as her wide eyes fill with tears, and my heart aches for her. I'm used to having people discussing my love life as if it's a plotline in their favourite soap, most of my fans are usually debating it on social media, and the tabloids just love to print headline after headline about who they think I'm currently sleeping with. But Maddie is not used to it at all, and she shouldn't have to be. She wouldn't have to be if it weren't for me.

During the flight, I had some time to think about what Sammy has done and the more I thought about it, the angrier I got, I actually had to take myself off to the bathroom for a good twenty minutes at one point to try and calm down, pretty sure the rest of the band think I'm sick now but never mind. Anyways, who the hell does that to their best friend? And, less importantly but still a valid question; Who the hell does that to their boss? Does she not realise that I could have her kicked off the tour for this? I'm practically positive that both Paul and Jeff would argue that that is exactly what I should do, on the flight up here even soft-spoken Mitch suggested that maybe having someone like that on the crew, someone who would openly mouth off about my private life and spread gossip about me, isn't exactly ideal.

"Come on, let's get you inside," I say to Maddie, pushing away my dark thoughts to focus on her and sliding my arm around her shoulders while she grabs the handle of her suitcase and walks with me through the door to my room, no, our room.

Within moments of me closing the large white panelled door behind us which clicks softly as the lock engages, Maddie throws her arms around my neck and buries her head under my chin, sobbing uncontrollably into my shoulder, her chest heaves with the effort it takes her to inhale even the smallest of breaths between each sob and she clings to me as if her life depends on it.

"Sssh, shh. It's going to be OK Maddie," I whisper into her hair as I stroke her back rhythmically in an attempt to soothe her, but I know that there is nothing that I can say to make this situation better right now, she's been betrayed by one of the people she trusted the most, you don't just get over something like that in five minutes.

"How is it going to be OK?" She whimpers into my arms, "You should have heard what they were saying Harry, they all think I'm some kind of whore! Using you to try and further my own career."

She doesn't need to say anything else, she doesn't need to remind me that her worst fears have now come true and that not only that but that her best friend is the one who allowed them to. I can't imagine how she must be feeling.

We stand like that for what feels like hours but realistically can only be a few minutes, whilst Maddie takes deep shuddering breaths in an attempt to calm herself down and stop her tears, and I hold her tightly against my chest, determined to not let go until she decides she is ready for me too. When she steps away from me, furiously wiping at her face to rid it of the few remaining tears that still linger on her cheeks I notice the dark purplish circles under her eyes. Did she sleep at all last night? Taking both her hands in mine, I give them a reassuring squeeze.