It's a Sign of the Times

Chapter Fifteen: Good People, Questionable Intentions

I pick up my phone, but there's no new texts from Luke. We've been texting back and forth for the past few days pretty regularly. He sent me a selfie the other day of him and the boys in the bus which they finally got working again and now they're gone. I don't really know how to feel about it, but honestly who cares? If they were one time flings, then it's whatever. I kind of hope that they stop by again soon but there's no reason they would. They're still on tour and after tour, Luke's band is planning to go back to Australia to visit their families. Which honestly, I totally understand. I can't even imagine being away from my family for that long in a strange country. They're so young too. At least Gemma is with Harry, but the rest are pretty much on their own and only have each other and their team.

I look out my window to make sure that my family's pulled out of the driveway before I turn on my music, blasting my spotify playlist. I dance stupidly and wildly around the living room, yelling the lyrics on the top of my lungs. I hear the crack of thunder and it starts pouring. I smile to myself. I feel like a movie character.

I run up the stairs to my room and grab a sweatshirt and tug it on. The music's changed and is playing some song that Jobeth added to my playlist when I see some movement outside the window.

Slowly, I approach the corner of the curtain and peek out the window. Standing on my driveway is a man who appears to be holding a camera.

Paparazzi. Of course. I sigh and make a dash for my phone and send a text to the groupchat.

To:Caris, Jobeth
Paparazzi in my front yard. What do I do????

From: Caris
Call your mom???? Or Luke??? Or 911???

From: Jobeth
ACAB.

From: Jobeth
Sorry, not the time. Definitely call someone though.

I bite my lip and move behind the wall where there are no windows.

To: Caris, Jobeth
I don't want to bother anyone.

From: Caris
THERE IS A MAN ON YOUR LAWN

From: Jobeth
You're crazy. Call Luke.

My hands are shaking as I scroll through my contacts. I don't want to bother him, but I don't know who else to call. I can't exactly explain to my parents why the paparazzi is in our hard, so I need to take care of this before they get home.

I press the call button and anxiously pick at my nails while listening to the humming coming from the phone. On the very last ring, he picks up.

"Hey, I'm so sorry to bother you-" I start, but the voice on the other end cuts me off.

"Hey love, sorry he's a bit tied up right now with band practice. Is it an emergency?"

I choke on my words at the sound of Harry's voice coming through the phone. 

"Oh, uh..." I drift off. I really don't want to tell him about what's going on, especially since he's the entire reason the paparazzi are here anyway. "Actually, it kind of is. I'm sorry, I'm really not trying to keep bothering you guys, but there's a guy with a camera at my house right now and I think he's probably paparazzi and I'm not sure what to do."

He lets out a long sigh. "Geez, Chloe. It's never a dull moment with you, is it?" He pauses. "I'd come over myself and help you but I'm on the other side of the country right now...can you go check and see if he's still there?"

I creep out from behind the wall I was hiding behind and take a peek out of the curtains. "Okay, I guess he must've left. I don't know, he was just there, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I'm glad you called instead of dealing with him on your own. And you can always call me too, I'm texting you my number right now in case you ever need me."

"That's really not necessary, I'm sure I'll be fine," I protest as my phone dings with the arrival of his text.

"No, it most definitely is. It's my fault that you're in that position anyway," he says firmly.

"Okay well...thank you," I say softly.

There's a silence on the other end before Harry asks, "So...how have you been?"

"Oh, uh...normal, I think. How have you been?"

"Good...good."

"Right..." i say. "Well, id better get going, but thanks for everything, Harry."

I hang up the phone and take a deep breath. That was intense.