Loving Him
Chapter 7
Clarence‘s POV
We pulled up outside the fanciest hotel in the area. It’s exterior was layers of gold-painted brick and cream awnings. Most call it regal but I thought it was excessive. Harry had told us the back way inside, so the paparazzi wouldn’t see us. We made our way to the lobby and walked up to the receptionist. She pursed her lips when she saw us. I realised we weren’t dressed to impress. I was still in my cupcake pyjama set and Lil looked so hung-over from the night before.
“How can I help you?” The lady said.
“We’re visitors to room 1408.” Lily replied.
The woman clicked away at the computer and saw who occupied the room.She scoffed, “Really?”
I was not in the mood for this shit, “Why don’t you just call them and see what they say.”
She dialled a number and had a brief conversation with someone on the other end. Sure enough, she hung up and let us through.
I cringed when I saw myself in the elevator mirror. My hair was fuzzed up and I still had remnants of makeup under my eyes. Lily licked her thumb and removed the blackness of excess mascara while raked through my hair with my fingers. There was a ‘ding’ and the doors opened to Harry Styles. My hands shot down to my sides and I walked out. Shouldering him as I passed.
I followed the numbers of each door till I got to 1408 and stood outside, waiting for Harry and Lily to catch up. Considering Lil was a fan of One Direction, she was doing a great job at not screaming. Harry swiped the key card and entered first. I grabbed Lily by the hand and followed him through the door.Inside were heaps of people. The blonde boy, Niall, who was sitting with a few other boys around his age. Some executive looking person. Bodyguards. And other men and women, scattered around the room, tapping away on phones and computers.
The executive looking person moved towards me, she seemed to glide, the click-clack of her heels giving away the fact she was walking, “Lovely to meet you, Clarence. I’m the band’s manager.”
“Pleasure,” I smiled.
“I would like to speak privately with you and Harry, if you wouldn’t mind.”
I looked at Lily, silently asking if I could leave her alone. She nodded and looked towards the group of boys, she obviously didn’t have a problem.
The manager took us to the dining room. We clustered around one end.
“OK. This is not good.”
Finally the talk was over. We’d discussed the plan to dispel all the rumours and talked about how essential discretion was. The manager left, the fading of the click clack of her heels telling us we were alone.
Harry spoke first, “I’m real sorry Clarence. I should have known better.”
I considered yelling at him or ignoring him but he was sincere. Hopefully he had been too wrapped up in how hot I was to think of the paparazzi last night.
“I overreacted, it’s not your fault.”
His concerned face broke into a huge smile, “So how about that dinner?”
“What about ‘discretion’?” I quoted our previous conversation.
“I’ve got it covered. Do you want to meet me at the back entrance of this hotel at seven?”
I nodded, “Sure. Where are we going?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
“What do I wear though?”
“Just dress nicely.”
Harry‘s POV
I stood by the back door of the hotel, my watch said it was seven. Clarence will be here soon, I thought to myself as a wave of nervousness washed over me. On cue, the sound of heels against asphalt rebounded through the area. I straightened up and smiled when she came into view, though I couldn’t help gaping when I looked at her. So far I’d only really seen Clarence in a Starbucks uniform and her pyjamas. Right now, she looked stunning. Her blonde curls cascading over past her shoulders and brushing the beginning of her dress. (Clarence’s outfit).
“Hey,” She waved, walking over.
I closed my still open mouth and smiled, “Hi.”
She leaned in to hug me and I got a whiff of flowery perfume.
“So where are we going?”
I grinned, “It shall remain a surprise until we get there.”
“Promise full discretion though?”
“Promise.”
The limousine pulled up. I’d ensured it had tinted black windows on the outside and alcohol on the inside.
“Cool.” Clarence gushed.
I followed her inside the car, which was now an everyday vehicle for me. Faint pop music was playing in the background and underneath the leather seats, blue lights glowed.
”This is incredible.”
I looked around, “I guess it is.”
I poured us two glasses of champagne and handed one to her.
“Lily would love this.”
Small talk time, “How long have you known her for?”
“Since we were young. We met at the beginning of high school.”
“She seems like a good friend.”
“Oh she is. She’s so outgoing and fun but then at the same time she’s level-headed and really supportive. Like after my mum…” Clarence trailed off, “She’s just always been there for me.”
After her mum what? She obviously wanted to avoid the topic, “Yeah. Friends like that are great.”
“So what’s One Direction?”
I laughed, “You seriously don’t know?”
Clarence shook her head, curls dancing lightly.
“We’re a boy band. We all started off as separate singers on the competition X Factor and were told to join as a group. We came third. Signed with Simon Cowell. Now we’re international rockstars.”
She grinned, “Modest. You get along with all the guys in your group?”
“Yeah, we’re all great friends.”
The car slowly came to a stop at our destination, “Welcome to our totally confidential, away from paparazzi date.”
“Holy shit!” Clarence gasped.
We pulled up outside the fanciest hotel in the area. It’s exterior was layers of gold-painted brick and cream awnings. Most call it regal but I thought it was excessive. Harry had told us the back way inside, so the paparazzi wouldn’t see us. We made our way to the lobby and walked up to the receptionist. She pursed her lips when she saw us. I realised we weren’t dressed to impress. I was still in my cupcake pyjama set and Lil looked so hung-over from the night before.
“How can I help you?” The lady said.
“We’re visitors to room 1408.” Lily replied.
The woman clicked away at the computer and saw who occupied the room.She scoffed, “Really?”
I was not in the mood for this shit, “Why don’t you just call them and see what they say.”
She dialled a number and had a brief conversation with someone on the other end. Sure enough, she hung up and let us through.
I cringed when I saw myself in the elevator mirror. My hair was fuzzed up and I still had remnants of makeup under my eyes. Lily licked her thumb and removed the blackness of excess mascara while raked through my hair with my fingers. There was a ‘ding’ and the doors opened to Harry Styles. My hands shot down to my sides and I walked out. Shouldering him as I passed.
I followed the numbers of each door till I got to 1408 and stood outside, waiting for Harry and Lily to catch up. Considering Lil was a fan of One Direction, she was doing a great job at not screaming. Harry swiped the key card and entered first. I grabbed Lily by the hand and followed him through the door.Inside were heaps of people. The blonde boy, Niall, who was sitting with a few other boys around his age. Some executive looking person. Bodyguards. And other men and women, scattered around the room, tapping away on phones and computers.
The executive looking person moved towards me, she seemed to glide, the click-clack of her heels giving away the fact she was walking, “Lovely to meet you, Clarence. I’m the band’s manager.”
“Pleasure,” I smiled.
“I would like to speak privately with you and Harry, if you wouldn’t mind.”
I looked at Lily, silently asking if I could leave her alone. She nodded and looked towards the group of boys, she obviously didn’t have a problem.
The manager took us to the dining room. We clustered around one end.
“OK. This is not good.”
Finally the talk was over. We’d discussed the plan to dispel all the rumours and talked about how essential discretion was. The manager left, the fading of the click clack of her heels telling us we were alone.
Harry spoke first, “I’m real sorry Clarence. I should have known better.”
I considered yelling at him or ignoring him but he was sincere. Hopefully he had been too wrapped up in how hot I was to think of the paparazzi last night.
“I overreacted, it’s not your fault.”
His concerned face broke into a huge smile, “So how about that dinner?”
“What about ‘discretion’?” I quoted our previous conversation.
“I’ve got it covered. Do you want to meet me at the back entrance of this hotel at seven?”
I nodded, “Sure. Where are we going?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
“What do I wear though?”
“Just dress nicely.”
Harry‘s POV
I stood by the back door of the hotel, my watch said it was seven. Clarence will be here soon, I thought to myself as a wave of nervousness washed over me. On cue, the sound of heels against asphalt rebounded through the area. I straightened up and smiled when she came into view, though I couldn’t help gaping when I looked at her. So far I’d only really seen Clarence in a Starbucks uniform and her pyjamas. Right now, she looked stunning. Her blonde curls cascading over past her shoulders and brushing the beginning of her dress. (Clarence’s outfit).
“Hey,” She waved, walking over.
I closed my still open mouth and smiled, “Hi.”
She leaned in to hug me and I got a whiff of flowery perfume.
“So where are we going?”
I grinned, “It shall remain a surprise until we get there.”
“Promise full discretion though?”
“Promise.”
The limousine pulled up. I’d ensured it had tinted black windows on the outside and alcohol on the inside.
“Cool.” Clarence gushed.
I followed her inside the car, which was now an everyday vehicle for me. Faint pop music was playing in the background and underneath the leather seats, blue lights glowed.
”This is incredible.”
I looked around, “I guess it is.”
I poured us two glasses of champagne and handed one to her.
“Lily would love this.”
Small talk time, “How long have you known her for?”
“Since we were young. We met at the beginning of high school.”
“She seems like a good friend.”
“Oh she is. She’s so outgoing and fun but then at the same time she’s level-headed and really supportive. Like after my mum…” Clarence trailed off, “She’s just always been there for me.”
After her mum what? She obviously wanted to avoid the topic, “Yeah. Friends like that are great.”
“So what’s One Direction?”
I laughed, “You seriously don’t know?”
Clarence shook her head, curls dancing lightly.
“We’re a boy band. We all started off as separate singers on the competition X Factor and were told to join as a group. We came third. Signed with Simon Cowell. Now we’re international rockstars.”
She grinned, “Modest. You get along with all the guys in your group?”
“Yeah, we’re all great friends.”
The car slowly came to a stop at our destination, “Welcome to our totally confidential, away from paparazzi date.”
“Holy shit!” Clarence gasped.
Notes
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Pls update
10/4/14