Change My Mind

ERIN

I stood outside Harry’s hotel room for a while, trying to play out in my mind exactly what I wanted to say to him. Part of me was scared that he wouldn’t even listen but I knew I had to try. I just couldn’t stand the idea of him thinking that there was something between Chris and I.
Before I could chicken out I reached out my hand and timidly knocked on the door. I felt my heart begin to race as I waited for him to answer. So many thoughts were running through my mind, the most plaguing of all of them is that he would look out the peephole, see it was me and decide not to answer. But a moment later as Harry pulled the door open the fear was pushed aside by a whole new one.
“Hey,” I said quietly, not fully trusting my voice as I looked up at Harry’s stone faced expression.
“What do you need?” he asked and the harshness of his voice took me by surprise. Harry had never used that tone of voice with me and admittedly I hated it.
“I was just hoping we could talk,” I answered honestly and watched the parade of emotions that crossed his face as he thought about my request.
“Yeah, sure,” he finally answered, holding open the door and motioning for me to enter. I walked in and headed towards the couch in the living room area, “Not in here, let’s go outside I need some fresh air.”
I wasn’t about to argue, so I followed him over to the French doors that led to the balcony of his penthouse suite. As I stepped outside I couldn’t help but feel a moment of pure awe as I took in the view in front of me. The sun was beginning to rise, painting the sky a beautiful mixture of orange and purple.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Harry asked, sitting down in one of the Adirondack styled chairs. I sat down across from him before answering, “I want to talk about what happened in the lobby. I know what it looked like but—“
Harry cut me off, “It’s none of my business.”
The tone of his voice was so cold, that it almost stopped me from trying again. Almost.
“There’s nothing going on with Chris and I. He’s my ex but I haven’t even spoken to him since I’ve been here. I don’t know why he showed up here. Well I do, he told me that he wanted to get back together but I told him he was crazy for even coming here and I can’t believe the way he treated you. I am so sorry that he did that and I’m so sorry that you had to even meet him. And I just….I just don’t want you thinking that he and I are together,” I said quickly, refusing to even take a breath in fear that he would stop me from explaining myself again.
“Like, I said it’s none of my business,” Harry repeated, standing from the chair and peering over the side of the balcony.
“Why do you keep saying that?” I blurted out and Harry whipped his head around to meet my eyes.
“Is that a serious question, Erin?” he asked, with a harsh laugh, “It’s none of my business because you’ve made it a point to make sure that nothing personal about you is my business. You’ve pushed me away time and time again and I kept coming back for more like a fool. Seeing you with him tonight. Made it clear. You’re not a shy, private person like I thought you were. You just want to keep your life private from me.”
“That’s not true,” I sighed, “It’s not that I want to keep anything private from you. I’m just scared to let you in. I’m scared that you’ll hurt me.”
“Why would you think I would hurt you?” he asked and I could hear the anguish in his voice. I started to think of an excuse to tell him but then I stopped myself. I didn’t want to hide from him anymore.
“Because, it’s the kind of guy you are. Or at least the kind of guy I think you are. You’re not exactly known for staying in relationships, Harry. And the way you’ve flirted with me relentlessly from the beginning made me think that it was a game to you. That I was just a game to you.”
I watched as Harry ran his hands through his hair roughly and then gripped the side of the railing, standing there like a statue even as it began to rain, soaking both of us. Just as I thought that I should leave that he wasn’t going to say anything more to me he turned around to face me, moving so that he was standing right in front of me.
“Haven’t I proven to you that I’m here? I waited as long as you needed me to even start this relationship with you. When you said stop, I stopped. What else could I possibly do to get you to believe that I’m right here with you? That my heart is just as involved in this as yours?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could he turned and walked away from me, heading back into the suite, leaving me standing there speechless in the rain.


LOUIS

“So…I’m going to head out for my run, I’ll catch you later, Louis,” Liam said, nodding his head in my direction, “It was nice to meet you, Luke.”
And with that Liam left Eleanor and I standing alone with Luke.
“Can we go now?” Eleanor asked, sounding clearly annoyed, “I told you I’m hungry and we’ve been standing in this lobby forever.”
“Sure babe, I just have to run back to the room and grab my wallet,” I replied, glad that I wouldn’t have to stand here with Luke any longer.
“Seriously? Ugh. I’ll wait in the car,” Eleanor seethed, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she walked away from us. Sometimes she really acted like a true diva.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you around,” I said, before turning away from Luke. I’d been holding my temper since I had to watch him put his dirty paws all over Stefanie and I wasn’t entirely sure how much longer I could last.
“Hold up a second,” Luke called out and I almost acted like I didn’t hear him but then at the last minute decided to see what this prick had to say. I faced him, glaring over at him expectantly.
“You need to stop this,” he said and the threatening tone in his voice was not lost on me, “Whatever you have going on with Stefanie. It needs to stop.”
Was this guy for real?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said dismissively but as Luke began to speak again I realized that he clearly didn’t pick up on it.
“Just because I talk slow, doesn’t mean I’m stupid and you forget she talks to me. I know all about the two of you and I’m telling you it ends now.”
He knew. She’d told him. It was taking everything in me not to punch him across his face.
“And let me be clear that I’m not saying this because I’m jealous or anything like that. I’m saying it because she deserves better than that. She didn’t deserve what I did to her and she most certainly doesn’t deserve what you are doing to her now. She damn near lost her mind when she’d found out what I done and I can’t make that right but I can make sure that you don’t get a chance to hurt her like that. So go get your damn wallet and take your girl out for some food and from this moment on you stay the hell away from Stefanie.”

HARRY

As I walked back into the hotel room I couldn’t believe what I had said to Erin. How much of myself I just laid bare to her and then like a coward I walked away. I headed into the bedroom to grab a dry shirt, slamming the door against the wall as I pushed it open. Ripping my shirt over my head, I sat down on the bed and just took a deep breath trying to calm my completely frazzled nerves.
I glanced up and saw Erin, standing in the doorway of my room shivering from the cold and wetness of her clothes. Without hesitation I walked over to the dresser and pulled out one of my t-shirts handing it out to her.
“W-What are you doing?” she asked, eyeing me curiously.
“Take this and put it on. You can’t walk around the hotel with your shirt wet like that.”
As Erin grabbed the shirt from me and retreated into the bathroom I threw myself back on the bed, dragging my hands over my face roughly.
Why did she have to be so damn irresistible?
A couple minutes later, Erin returned and when I glanced in her direction taking in the sight of her standing there in only my shirt I was convinced I’d died and gone to heaven. Her skin was flawless and with so much of it exposed I was struggling to say the least.
“Well now that you’re decent, I’ll walk you out,” I offered even though just the idea of her leaving my room made my stomach turn. I wanted her to stay here with me but I wasn’t about to embarrass myself more than I already had.
“Is everything okay between us, Harry?”
“Of course,” I whispered, hating the fact that my inability to keep my mouth shut was about to ruin things between Erin and I even more. She turned and walked towards the door and just as I was about to stop her, she turned back around and met my eyes walking over and taking a seat next to me on the bed.
“What you said before,” she began quietly, “Did you really mean it. I mean all of it?”
“Of course I did, Erin,” I replied immediately, there was no point in trying to deny it now.
“Well, I just want you to know that I believe you and from now on I won’t push you away anymore.”
As her words sunk in I couldn’t believe my ears.
“What did you say?” I asked, my voice coming out steady and strong as I turned to face her, peering into her hazel eyes, “Don’t say things like that if you don’t mean it.”
Erin’s eyes widened and I could tell that she was starting to panic, she jumped up from beside me and headed to the door, but after an admission like that from her there was no way in hell I was letting her leave. She only made it about half the distance before I closed my hand around her arm, gently pulling her back around to face me. I watched as she looked down at my hand and then back up to my face.
“Wait,” I whispered and my eyes fastened on her beautiful face. My finger’s clung to her arm and then my eyes dropped to her lips.

ERIN

Harry inched toward me and my heart erupted like a drum in my chest. His head was dipped, and then all thought of what I was about to do fled. There was no thinking. No calculated logic. Just pure sensation. I watched his face coming closer. His gaze moved from my mouth back to my eyes several times, studying me, watching my reaction. Harry moved his hand out and touched my face, holding my cheek. The warm feel of his palm on my face felt so very intimate. It made the moment so real, so powerful. I jumped a little when his mouth finally settled over mine, as though the contact brought on an electrical shock or something. He pulled back and looked at me. For a moment, I thought it was over, that he was finished after just that brush of our lips. Then his mouth pressed down on mine again and there was nothing tentative about it. His kiss was confident, demanding.
Still holding my face with his hand, his other one moved to the small of my back, drawing me closer. His lips tasted mine, angling first one way and then another. As though he wanted to taste every bit of my mouth. His tongue traced the seam of my lips and I shuddered, letting him inside my mouth. My hands gripped his shoulders, fingers curling around the hard muscles.
Harry sat back on the bed and I moved with him, straddling his thighs. Harry pulled away from the kiss just for a moment.
“You taste so good,” he whispered and my face warmed at his praise. A breath shuddered from my lips. We stared into each other’s eyes. He wrapped a hand around the back of my neck and pulled my head down until his mouth met mine again. Harry’s hands flew down to the hem of his shirt, which I was still wearing. I lifted my arms to help him yank it over my head. Without warning, he turned and pushed me back on the bed. He slid down my body and my heart thumped a painful beat in my chest as I trembled and squirmed, waiting for his next move. He looked up at me, his chin brushing my belly, his large hands burning two imprints on my hips as his gaze pulled me in and sucked me under.
He kissed me…all over my body. Moist, open mouthed kisses on my belly, my ribcage, the valley between my breasts. The last kiss landing on my panties. The moist heat from his mouth seared through the thin layer of silk and his name slipped past my lips on a breath.

STEFANIE

As I returned from the bathroom, I couldn’t help but spy on what looked like a very heated conversation between Louis and Luke and found myself wondering what the hell they could possibly be talking about.
“Hey guys,” I said, eyeing both of them as I walked up and interrupted, “Where’d Eleanor go?” I asked, turning my attention to Louis as I made no attempt to hide the distaste in my voice. I figured it didn’t matter, both Louis and Luke knew how I felt about her.
“She’s in the car,” Louis replied cautiously, “Stef, can we talk?”
I looked back and forth between he and Luke and I just couldn’t find it in myself to talk to him at that moment. After this morning he and I definitely needed to have a conversation but right now, in the middle of a hotel lobby with my ex waiting in the wings was not the time nor the place.
“We’ll catch up later, Louis,” I said definitively, “You better not keep Eleanor waiting.”
He looked so torn and heartbroken that I almost cracked. I almost left Luke standing there and walked away with him but Luke tugged on my hand and brought me back to my senses.
“Come on Luke, let’s bring your things up to the room,” I said, turning away from Louis without so much as a glance in his direction.
Luke waited until we were alone in the elevator to finally speak up, “I know that was hard, darlin but it was the right thing to do.”
I turned to face him raising my eyebrows at him, “And since when does your moral compass point due north, sir?”
Luke laughed, shaking his head, “I don’t even think I have a moral compass, mine’s broken. But I’m working on it.”
We rode the rest of the way up to my floor in silence and as I opened the door to the suite a huge smile spread on Luke’s face.
“Dang girl, this is some nice digs you’ve got yourself here,” he laughed, plopping down on the couch and kicking his cowboy boot clad feet up on the coffee table. Laughing I took a seat in the chair across from him.
“So, what in the hell made you and Chris just randomly decide to fly out here?” I asked, still totally baffled by it.
“You’re sister played a big part,” Luke began, “She said she was coming out here to see some guy named Neal or something like that and Chris thought he could win Erin back so he came and I…well hell I just wanted to see ya.”
“Wait…Corrine’s here?” I asked excitedly, “I didn’t even see her! And guys came together?”
“Yeah, she disappeared with that Neal guy before you came down and yes we came together...we basically ignored each other the whole flight here.”
“Niall,” I laughed, “His name is Niall but anyway, how’s the wife and kids?”
I walked over to the mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of Budweiser for Luke, knowing it was his favorite and as I handed it to him, his fingers brushed mine, instantly drawing my eyes up to his.
“I’m divorced, Stef,” he paused, “I’d always told you that I would do but unfortunately for me from what I’ve seen in the short time I’ve been here, it’s too little too late.”
I sat back down in my chair and eyed him curiously, “What do you mean what you’ve seen?”
Luke tipped back his beer taking a long sip before answering, “You’re in love with Louis. I could see that standing in the room with you two for ten seconds. How his girlfriend hasn’t picked up on it yet amazes me.”
As my jaw hit the floor, Luke shook his head me, taking another sip.

ERIN

Harry grinned slowly and took my hands, lacing his fingers with mine as he pressed them into the mattress, palm to palm at my sides. Once we were face to face again, Harry kissed me hard the only point of contact was our mouths and hands. Meshing lips, tongues and teeth. He drove me wild. I kissed him back, matching him in heat and pressure. My arms strained, still pinned at my sides by his hands. I whimpered against his mouth and pushed at his palms, my fingers linked in a bloodless grip with him, desperate to be free so that I could touch him.
Then I felt it. The unmistakable hardness of him against the inside of my thigh. I parted my thighs wider and squirmed closer, bringing him directly against me. I lifted my pelvis and thrust my hips, grinding into him.
Harry’s lips broke from mine in a hiss, “Oh fuck.”
His breathing was harsh, mingling with my own ragged breath. Every part of me throbbed. Harry pulled back to shove his boxer briefs down his narrow hips and I couldn’t take my eyes off him, devouring the sight as I anxiously stripped off my panties. Then we came together again, bare skin sliding against each other. He settled between my thighs and it felt so right, like two puzzle pieces interlocking together.
He kissed my breasts and I whimpered, arching my spin, wanting more. His mouth closed around one nipple, and I moaned, my fingers clenching his muscular biceps. He shifted his weight and brought his erection directly against my core.
I panted, my fingers moving to clutch the back of his neck, clinging, straining against him, pulling him as I rotated my hips, needing to feel him inside of me.
“Erin, are you sure?”
Gasping, I shifted my hips and pushed up against him, “I want this. I want you, Harry.”
His green eyes gleamed fiercely and he wrapped an arm around my waist, hauling me closer, holding me steady and as he began to sink inside of me, his eyes locked with mine. My body stretched to accommodate him and gaspy little breaths escaped me.
The arm at my waist pulled me closer, mashing my breasts to his chest as he thrust himself fully inside of me, wrenching a sharp gasp from me. He rocked his hips against me and I cried out, arching against him as my nails scored his back.
An aching pressure built inside of me and he moved faster, increasing the delicious friction and tightening the coil low in my belly. I writhed against him, desperate to reach my climax. Harry hooked a hand under my knee and wrapped my leg around his waist. The next thrust shattered me. I’d never felt anything so amazing. So good. My vision blurred as he hit that spot deeper. He moved against me, working a steady pace.
I dragged my nails through his long hair as his name spilled from my lips once again.
“Erin,” Harry growled in my ear, “Come for me, baby.”
Shudders shook through me. I burrowed my head in the warm nook of his neck, muffling my moans. His hand found me, framing my face, a thumb under my chin, fingers splayed across my cheek. He held me there watching me, peering into my eyes as he moved inside of me.
Harry drove harder into me and I cried out, every nerve bursting. He hugged me closer, his lips seizing mine and I groaned into his mouth as I felt his own release follow, shuddering through him.

STEFANIE
“I’m not in love with Louis,” I said, denying what Luke had said even though in my heart I knew he’d hit the nail on the head.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Luke replied, “I’d love to believe that but I’m not blind and I know you inside and out, Stef. I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life but I just asking you to know what you’re getting into. Make sure his on the same page you are. Did you ever talk about a future together?”
“I really don’t want to talk about this, Luke,” I warned with a sigh and then decided to change the subject, “So, talk to me about what’s be going on with your music.”
Just as I hope Luke began to prattle on about his fresh new music career but as he talked all I could think about was the question he had asked me earlier. Truth be told Louis and I had never spoke about the future he never promised me anything, never even said anything about not being with Eleanor and like an idiot just hours ago I had been ready to sleep with him. What the hell was wrong with me?
“So, I’ve signed a contract with red light management and in two months they are sending me out on a small farm tour to see how I do. I’ll be an opening act but I rekon that’s a good start,” Luke continued and the new of his success was enough to allow me to put the thoughts of Louis in the back of my mind. At least for now.
“Oh my God, Luke! That’s amazing!” I yelled, jumping up from my seat and wrapping my arms around him and as he hugged me back I couldn’t believe how well he had done for himself since he started this whole thing only a year ago.
“It’s all thank to you,” he whispered into my ear, “You know that right?”
I pulled back from him enough to meet his eyes, “I just gave you some phone numbers and pointed you in the right direction, Luke. That god given talent of yours is what got you here.”
He smiled up at me and patted the seat next to him. I took it and could tell from the look on his face that he was about to say something that he wasn’t sure about.
“Spit it out,” I laughed, challenging him.
“Well, the way I see it. I’m going out on tour soon and this will either make or break me and well the only way to be the best is to surround yourself with the best,” he paused taking a breath, “I want you to manage my tour, Stef.”
I was floored.
“Luke, I don’t know what to say,” I began, “I mean I’m in the middle of a tour right now, a very, very big tour. Dropping out of this would be like ripping up a major league contract to, well to play for a farm team…no offense.”
“None take,” he said, holding his hand up, “I know what I’m offering you isn’t as glamorous as what you have here. But I also know what you and I are capable of when we are together. We are a great team, Stef and this is a chance to take someone from the ground floor to the penthouse and it would be all your doing. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that leaving now would get you out of what looks like a pretty harsh situation.”
I took a moment before answering, “Luke, I’d really have to think about it. I’ll let you know. But right now I have to run downstairs and make sure that everything is where it needs to be for this tour.”
“I’ll be here, Stef,” he said grabbing my hand and pulling it to his mouth, placing a chaste kiss on it, “Just promise me, you’ll think about it.”
“I promise,” I sighed and headed out the door.

HARRY

Later in the afternoon I woke up with Erin still in my arms, her soft skin smelled wonderful after our morning of pure passion. I took in a deep breath as I yawned and started to fall back to sleep before hearing a short chorus of country music coming from Erin’s purse. I realized that I was not the only one that heard it when Erin shifted slightly, pulling away from me. Purposefully, I stretched, pressing every inch of my body against hers as I hugged her tightly.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” I sighed mid-stretch and I heard the adorable sound of Erin’s giggle as my lips grazed her neck. She arched her back against me and I continued, “Careful. Unless you are ready for another go, I’d watch where you put that adorable bum of yours.”
We both giggled as I gave her another tight hug while kissing her sweetly on her neck. She turned around to face me and kissed me deeply, and I felt her melting into me until her phone played that damn song again.
Erin turned away, “That’s Stef. I should answer it,” she rolled to her side and then stopped, “I know it’s the middle of the afternoon but I just don’t want to get up yet.”
“Then stay here with me,” I said with a smile as I ran my fingers up and down the supple skin of her arm. I could visibly see the goosebumps rise on her skin, “I’m sure she’s fine, love.”
Erin began to relax against me and just as I was about to take advantage of the fact that she was staying she popped back up to a sitting position, “Yeah, any other day I would say you were right, but any other day Luke wouldn’t be here. And with Luke here there could be a whole plethora of things that are wrong.”
“Who is this Luke guy anyway?” I asked and Erin rolled her eyes, “He’s Stefanie’s ex, who apparently she’s been talking to for a year now and I knew nothing about it. Long story short, they were together for years she loved him, he loved her but he broke her heart.”
“Oh,” I sighed, “And she still talks to him? That’s odd.”
“That’s Stef. I’ve never known her to be able to turn her back on anyone she cares about…which is why I can’t leave her hanging now.”
I sighed, climbing up from the bed and walking over to where she was now getting dressed, “Erin please, just stay with me,” I whispered, against the curve of her neck, “Please, I finally got you and I’m really not ready to let you go yet.”
She turned to face me and I watched her eyes rake down the length of my body from my toes to the top of my head. The look on her face told me that my choice to not bother with any clothes when I got up was definitely the right one.
“You can be very persuasive when you want to be, Mr. Styles,” she cooed, running her fingers through her my hair as she pushed me back towards the bed.


LOUIS

I couldn’t stop pacing as I waited for Liam to come down to the lobby. I needed to talk to someone about everything that had gone down with Stefanie and I’d been trying to get a hold of Harry since I left for breakfast with Eleanor this morning but apparently he couldn’t be bothered to answer his damn phone.
Liam walked into the lobby not too long later and took the seat next to me.
“What’s up mate?” he asked, “You sounded pretty upset on the phone.”
I took a minute to figure out how to say it, “It’s about Stefanie and I know you and I usually don’t talk about her but I just needed someone to talk to and being as you are one of the only people that know about her and I. Well, I figured I could talk to you.”
“So basically I’m here by default because Harry’s busy?” Liam asked, laughing. Anyone else would have been offended, but not Liam he wasn’t that kind of guy.
“Okay, so on with it mate. What’s going on?”
“Stefanie and I…we almost had sex this morning,” I blurted out, cringing as I waited for his reaction. Liam almost choked on the gum he was chewing, “What do you mean you almost had sex?” Liam asked coughing between words, “How did that happen? Are you insane?”
“When we got back to the hotel last night, she stayed with me because I was in bad shape. I couldn’t help myself when we woke up in each other’s arms this morning. She just looked so—“
“Whoa! Hold on a second…Why were you sleeping in the same bed?” Liam asked.
“I asked her,” I admitted sheepishly, “She was taking care of me and I didn’t want to be alone. I really like her and she just looked so beautiful I couldn’t resist. I feel like such an ass, especially since Eleanor texted me in the middle of it and then I was going to just leave Stefanie there to go running to El so she didn’t find out.”
“What did you do then?”
“Well, then Erin texted Stefanie saying she needed to come down to the lobby and Stefanie and I were both convinced that Eleanor must have found out about us and then when I got down there that douche bag Luke was there, who felt the need to lecture me about how what I was doing with Stefanie wasn’t right and how she didn’t deserve it and—“
“He’s right. She doesn’t deserve it.”
“I know.”
Liam looked at me disapprovingly, “So, what are you going to do? Are you going to tell Eleanor?”
“I don’t know, I know I should but we’ve been together for two years and I don’t know if I can just break up with her so that I could be with someone else,” I paused feeling lost, “I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“I’m going to make it simple for you. You have to tell Eleanor the truth. It’s not fair for you to lie to her and it’s not fair to lead Stefanie on. If you tell her the truth and still want to be with her, you are going to have to commit to staying away from Stefanie and if you chose Stefanie you have to tell Eleanor sooner rather than later because the longer you drag this out the more likely you will lose both of them.”
I could tell that Liam was trying to understand what I was going through and trying not to be bias towards Stefanie which I genuinely appreciated.
“I know you love Eleanor but I think maybe not as much as you used to. I can’t tell you what to do but if Stefanie can make you feel this way then maybe what you thought you had with Eleanor isn’t everything you thought it was.”
Liam and I talked for a few more minutes until I decided that I needed to sort out my feelings which meant avoiding both of them until I figured it out.

STEFANIE

Luckily when I reached the loading docks the crew had everything set and ready to go, which left me with plenty of time to think about what Luke had said. I was torn, I knew in my head that what Louis and I were doing was wrong but my heart, my heart hadn’t felt anything so right for as long as I could remember. But none of that mattered if he didn’t feel the same way about me and that’s what I needed to know before I made any decisions about anything.
I jumped in the elevator to head back up to talk to Luke and as luck would have it, the elevator stopped on the lobby floor and Louis walked in. He smiled at me and I knew that it was time for him and I to have the conversation that I’d been dreading. Even though I hadn’t even spoken to him about it yet, I felt heartbroken already. Like I’d already lost.
“So, obviously we need to talk,” Louis said, his voice coming out just as uncertain as I felt.
“Yeah, we do,” I whispered, biting down on my bottom lip as I gathered the courage to look up and meet his eyes, “Where is this going?” I asked and Louis face morphed into an expression of shock, apparently that had not been what he thought I wanted to talk about.
“What do you mean?”
“You, me…what almost happened this morning and everything else that’s happened between us. Where is going? Do you see any kind of future between the two of us?” I let out the breath that I didn’t even know I’d been holding. When he didn’t answer immediately as far as I was concerned that was answer enough.
“Clearly, It was a mistake,” I said, my voice coming out stronger then I felt.
“Don’t say that,” Louis growled and I was taken aback by the fierceness of his voice, “It was not a mistake. It was the wrong time and the wrong place but nothing between us was a mistake. I wouldn’t take it back for anything and honestly right now all I can think about it is kissing you again.”
“Don’t Louis,” I warned, taking a small step away from him so that I wouldn’t be tempted. Louis raked his hands over his face and then without warning smashed his hands against the side of the elevator.
“I guess I was wrong,” Louis yelled, “I guess what I feel isn’t the same as what you do.”
I didn’t hesitate as I replied, “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
Louis eyes widened when he heard the anger in my voice, “This is killing me, Louis! Having you this close to me, knowing that I’m falling for someone who hasn’t even entertained the idea of having a future with me. If it wasn’t clear before, it’s crystal clear now you’re hers, Louis,” I paused for a moment and when I began to speak again the anger in my voice was replaced with sadness, “You’re hers. She’s you’re girlfriend, not me, I get that but don’t for one second think that this doesn’t hurt me.”
Louis reached his hand out to me, only to let it fall back his side. I could see the pain in his eyes but I pushed even further, “Answer me…Do you see us having a future?”
“I can’t answer that. I’m so sorry, Stefanie. I’m sorry I put you in this position. I’m sorry that I can’t make it better, I’m sorry that I don’t have answers yet and most of all I’m sorry that you’re hurting because of me.”
I could feel the tears forming in my eyes as I stared up at Louis and even though I knew it was wrong, when he moved to hug me, to hold me in his arms I didn’t stop him. I let him hold me until the elevator reached my floor. When the door opened, I moved to pull away from him but he didn’t let go.
“Just let me hold you a little longer,” he whispered hoarsely and I stepped back again.
“Goodbye Louis,” I sighed and walked away from him knowing it was more of goodbye then he realized.
As I walked back into the suite, Luke was sitting on the couch waiting for me. He took one look at my tear filled eyes and didn’t even bother to ask what happened.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he sighed into my hair as he held me tightly.
“Congratulations Luke, you’ve got yourself a manager.”


ERIN

It had taken hours for Harry and I to pull ourselves out of bed but once we realized the time had come for the buses to leave we figured we’d better get our asses down there. Harry held my hand as we walked out of the hotel but as soon as the rest of the guys and the crew came into view I pulled my hand away from his. The second I did he stopped in his tracks.
“Um…what are you doing, love?” he asked, looking down at my hand for emphasis. I shuffled uncomfortably under his gaze, “Well…I wasn’t sure you wanted everyone to know we were together.”
Harry smiled down at me, reaching up and cupping my cheek with one his hands and grabbing my hand with his other. He picked up my hand and held it over his heart, “I told you last night, this is yours and just for clarification, so there is no confusion…I want the whole damn world to know it.”
I was smiling from ear to ear as we walked over to everyone, heading straight for where the rest of the guys were standing.
“Hey guys, you know my girlfriend Erin right?” Harry asked and I felt a blush spread across my cheeks. As each of the guys took turns congratulating us on our new relationship I couldn’t help but notice two things in particular, the sad expression on Louis’s face and the fact that Stefanie was nowhere to be found. I scanned the area, trying to find her and was a little surprised to see her standing near the entrance of the hotel with Luke. Just as my eyes landed on her, she looked up and saw me and immediately started walking towards me.
“It looks like congratulations are in order,” she said, smiling at both Harry and I as she joined the group, the smile fell from her face as she turned and asked me, “Can I talk to you for a second, E?”
I nodded and followed her over to the back of one of the buses.
“Listen, before you start let me just say it’s no big deal. You suck for not telling me that you were talking to Luke, especially since you yelled at me for talking to Chris and not telling you but I’m in such a good mood today that I forgive you. So let’s go get our asses on the bus so I can fill you in on all the dirty details,” I said laughing to which Stefanie smiled but it took me only a second to realize that it wasn’t a genuine smile.
“What going on?” I asked and tears began to form in Stefanie’s eyes.
“I’m not coming with you guys,” she said quietly.
“What do you mean? Are you like flying or something?” I asked completely baffled and Stefanie shook her head.
“I mean I’m not going to be on tour with you guys anymore. I emailed my letter of resignation an hour ago. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be around Louis, it’s just too much.”
I searched her face for any sign that she was joking.
She wasn’t.
“Well, then I’m coming with you,” I said and immediately Stefanie began to shake her head, “Like hell you are. You are going to stay here and live your dream with your dream guy by your side. You worked hard for this and you deserve it more than anyone I know. I’ll be damned if I let my fucked up love life mess up an opportunity of a lifetime for you.”
“But Stef,” I began and she cut me off, “But nothing. I want you to enjoy this. Live the damn dream you know I’m never further than a phone call away. So that means no sappy goodbyes, go get on that one bus and I will talk to you soon.”
She hugged me tightly and then ran back to where she left Luke standing with her bags.
“I hate you for this!” I yelled, laughing through my tears.
“You love me!” she yelled back.
“I do,” I said quietly and walked over to the bus where Harry was standing waiting for me. For the first time in our lives we weren’t headed in the same direction.
Yeah, like that could keep us apart.

Notes

That's it guys! The final Chapter to Change My Mind. Let us know what you think and if you are excited to see what happens in the sequel!