cherry (h.s)

forty one

Harry Styles

I had the gut feeling that I had woken up late when my eyes fluttered open and the midday sunlight filled the windows of my suite.

I could feel the dull pain behind my eyes and discomfort in my sinuses. I'm hungover. My throat kinda stings and my mouth is dry.

I felt something shift under me, making me realize that my head was lying on top of something. I lift my head to see that it had been resting on Charlotte's back, and she was sleeping on her stomach.

She was still asleep, her hands up by her head but tucked under the soft white pillows. Her ponytail was a mess now. I don't know what she does in her sleep that causes her to wake up with messy hair every morning, but she does it every time without fail.

I prop my head up by my elbow and examine her sleeping figure for a moment. Despite my hangover and the after affects of the alcohol from last night, I still remember everything, including how I told her about my disassociations and daydreams regarding my mother. She was so kind about it. There wasn't a glimpse of judgment in her eyes. Having someone let me speak to them so freely about things like that is something I'd never thought I'd get to experience.

Her breathing was steady, her cheek pushed up against the pillow. She probably didn't have a care in the world being asleep.

Suddenly I hear my phone ringing from the nightstand on my side of the bed. I shut my eyes and groan, knowing it's probably someone wondering where I am.

I roll over and reach for it, seeing Ricky's name across the screen. I slide the call button over, answering it and bringing the device to my ear.

"Hey." I murmur through a raspy, tired voice.

"Where are you and Charlotte? Soundcheck started thirty minutes ago." he says immediately.

"We're at the hotel. They don't need me for soundcheck, it's fine." I tell him as I run my hand through my hair, laying on my back now.

"You're the lead singer-"

To my left I hear and feel Charlotte moving around a little, shifting in the bed as she was coming out of sleep.

"Yeah, and I'll be there for tonight." I say.

"Yeah well you need to be ready by 3. We've gotta press thing later." he tells me, making me sit up slightly.

Press?

"What do you mean? Like an interview?"

"For a magazine here in New York. It's nothing big they just want to ask some questions about the tour and the music."

"I don't remember agreeing to this." I rub my forehead in annoyance.

"The band is getting really big really fast. I know this is weird. None of us were expecting it to blow up like this, but it's gonna look suspicious if you guys never do any sort of press. I'll act as your manager and all you have to do is pretend that you're there for music and music only." he explains.

At this point, Charlotte had groggily woken up, turning her head on the pillow and looking up at me on the phone with her brows furrowed and her eyes squinting from the natural sunlight.