Always
Rehearsals: Week 2 – Part 2
Harry’s POV
Wednesday, 28th September
The memory of her crying into my chest yesterday made my heart bleed tears of its own. I had held her close, nice and tight. I remembered when she sobbed with joy when I kissed her, finally telling her my true feelings. Electricity crackled whenever we were together. Our energy was charged when our lips came together in a series of warm passionate kisses. Her lips fit perfectly with my own, like they had always meant to slide into mine. I ran my hands over my face and sighed. Why would she think she didn’t deserve me? I don’t deserve her. After all of my previous relationships, even just the ones that had been on and off, I couldn’t believe an innocent young woman like her had come into my life and had changed it. Kaylie was a new light in my life, one that guided me through the night. While her grandmother was her flashlight, Kaylie was mine.
It was 3:45pm and Kaylie was due for another rehearsal at 4:30pm. Our one yesterday went surprisingly well, considering how much she had been crying beforehand. She was right onto the topic at hand and became focused on practicing to the best of her ability. This week’s theme was 2000s Classics and the song I had given her was Diamonds by Rihanna. Kaylie had been a little sceptical and nervous at the song choice but she carried on like the true hardworking young woman she was. The tune was a bit more poppy and less of a ballad, which Kaylie loved to sing, but in order for her to be a record-selling artist, she needed to show different sides of herself. I believed every side to her was beautiful. She could be vulnerable but strong, perfect but flawed. However, I loved all of her flaws. That’s how I defined a person. A flaw of hers was that she was young, still a teenager, but that didn’t dampen my feelings for her. To me, age was just a number.
My phone sounded with a ‘ping’ on the table and I sat up from the couch to see who had texted me. The smile on my face was wide when I saw who it was from.
From Kaylie: Looking forward to rehearsing again today :) I am so grateful to have you as my mentor x
I chuckled when I texted her back.
To Kaylie: Can’t wait to see you, angel. I am grateful to have you as one of my contestants. I long to feel your lips on mine again ;) x
From Kaylie: You did just see me yesterday and I’m sure I should be the one who’s more grateful :) Harry, I am the tube! You can’t text me that when I am on public transport! x
To Kaylie: I wish I could see you every minute of every day but I am lucky to even have you in my presence. Aw, angel, are you blushing? x
From Kaylie: Harry…I don’t know what to say…And yes, I am blushing! Damn you x
To Kaylie: You don’t need to say anything. Your kisses tell me everything ;) x
From Kaylie: Blushing’s getting worse here… x
To Kaylie: Well, when you arrive, come to my dressing room x
From Kaylie: Why? x
To Kaylie: So I can kiss those blushing cheeks of yours, angel x
From Kaylie: You got it, Mr. Styles :) x
I didn’t know why but her calling me “Mr. Styles” turned me on. I felt my heartbeat quicken as I thought about my name falling from her lips. Her South London accent, soft and gentle but mature. Her eyes, which always held warmth and purity, looking deep into my heart, as delicious as fresh chocolate. Her face invaded my mind each time I thought about her as did the feeling of her lips on my own. I was hooked on Kaylie and I didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
To Kaylie: Text me when you’re here, angel x
From Kaylie: I will :) x
I dropped my phone back on the table and began the process of waiting for my angel to arrive.
At exactly 4:09pm, Kaylie texted me, letting me know that she had just walked through the doors into the studios. I perched myself on the edge of the couch as my ears pricked up at any sound of footsteps coming down the corridor. I spun my rings around my fingers while I waited. I was always eager to see her and my heart glowed every time she was with me. The emotions I was feeling weren’t new to me but they had never come or deepened so quickly for a girl before. Everything was happening so quickly but did I care? No. No, I did not.
A soft knock on the door made me look up. I stood up and opened the door quickly. I knew it was Kaylie from the way she gasped when I pulled her inside. I locked the door and wrapped my arms around her waist, giving her a deep hug. She laughed when I lifted her off her feet and spun her around in a circle. I buried my face in her neck and pressed my lips to her warm smooth skin, holding her tight against me. I loved the feeling of having Kaylie in my arms. Within my embrace, nothing and no-one could harm her. She was safe with me.
My lips made a trail up her neck, along her jawline then up to her right cheek. Her flesh was hot and soft but that only made her taste intoxicate me further. Kaylie giggled when I kissed her nose before peppering her other flushed cheek with more kisses. I smiled when her lips finally rested against mine, so gentle and perfect. My left hand found its way to grip the back of her head, strands of her long ponytail falling through my fingers while my right arm fastened around her waist, never wanting to release her from my prison. I sighed when Kaylie wrapped her arms around my neck, locking her wrists together as she moaned into the kiss. I knew she wanted it just as much as I did. I felt her body tremble with delight as I kissed her for the second time, tasting her lips, savouring their sweet inebriating flavour. My hands came up to cup her face as I broke the kiss, resting my forehead against hers. Her breathing was loud and strong and her hands shook when I felt them caress my hair, twirling some curls around her fingers.
“That was a hell of a hello.” Kaylie gasped with a smile, opening her eyes. I grinned down at her and saw how pink her cheeks were. So she really had been blushing. It made me smirk that I was the cause of it. My eyes scanned down her body, admiring the way her clothes hugged her physique. (http://www.polyvore.com/kaylie_rehearsals_week_part/set?id=208382107) She sure knew how to dress well.
“What are you smirking at?” Kaylie asked, her hands sliding down to rest on my chest. I brushed my knuckles across the apple of her cheek, the smirk never disappearing from my face.
“You, angel.” I whispered. Her face turned bright pink and she buried her face in my chest. I chuckled and kissed her head, running my hands up and down her back, as I held her close. I always loved to make her blush and laugh. Wasn’t that something every man wanted to do to his girl? Yes, that’s right, I just called Kaylie my girl. Because she was. She was my girl and my beautiful angel.
“Did you practice at all yesterday after our rehearsal?” I asked when I let her go.
“Yes, I did, a little bit. It’s kind of hard when I’ve got three brothers in the same house.” Kaylie chuckled. My heart froze for a moment. I suddenly remembered she had three brothers. Two older and one younger. Jesus, they would kill me if I hurt their sister in any way! I was nervous for a couple of beats and my face went black. Kaylie noticed because her palm touched my cheek, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Harry, are you OK?”
“I’m fine, angel. It’s good to know that you’re practicing outside of rehearsals. It shows how dedicated you are to doing your absolute best.” I smiled, placing my hands on her waist.
“I want to do my best. For my grandmother, for my family, for myself. And…for you too.” Kaylie whispered the last statement, hooking her index finger around my cross necklace. She stared at it intently while I kept my eyes on her face. Her young beautiful face that got my heart racing every time my gaze fell upon her.
“You always do your best. I can tell and I’m proud of you for that.” I said and leaned down so my forehead brushed hers. Kaylie titled her head up to look into my eyes and I took the opportunity to place my lips on hers. Her arms slid around my back as she moaned into my kiss. I wish I could kiss her all the time. Every single minute of every single hour of every single day. She had the softest lips and they had the sweetest taste. I wanted more 24/7. She pulled back and I saw that her eyes were shining with happiness.
“I’m afraid my lips will go numb one day from you kissing me so much.” She said with a smile.
“Good.” I smirked and inclined my face down to kiss her again but she leaned back, pressing her hands to my chest, stopping me from reaching her lips.
“If I have numb lips, I won’t be able to sing. I need to rehearse, Harry.”
I sighed and nodded in agreement. We only had one rehearsal yesterday so we needed to have another one. I left a long lingering kiss on her forehead and watched her leave my dressing room, heading off to find Bea to ask her if she needed to style her make-up any differently. Seeing Kaylie’s long caramel-coloured ponytail swish across her back was a thing of beauty, her locks shining underneath the artificial light. I played with my bottom lip and breathed deeply, trying to calm my heart down. This is what she did to me. Even at almost 23 years old, I could still have those butterflies in my stomach. She made me…nervous. No girl had made me feel this way before but that excited me. Despite the situation Kaylie and I were in, it didn’t stop the elation from brewing in my soul. With my mind filled with thoughts about my angel, I left my room to go to the stage and wait for her to arrive for our rehearsal.
0*0
She was better today. More enthusiastic than last week. Because it was Week 2, she knew what to expect and felt more comfortable with cameras capturing almost every minute of our rehearsal. Kaylie knew the song very well before I assigned it to her so she hardly had any problems with forgetting the lyrics. But what she did struggle with was her presence on the stage. She didn’t know if she should move around or stay still. She was afraid she would stuff up if her presence on the stage wasn’t right. It had to match the performance.
We had figured out the lighting and the stage design but that only made Kaylie more nervous. She didn’t want to get distracted by anything around her and just perform the song as best as she could. I was really worried that she was going to burst out into tears. When it looked she was, I told the camera guys to stop filming. They wondered why and tried to tell me no but I angrily demanded that they stop and let Kaylie relax for five minutes without having to worry about cameras capturing her every move.
Once they lowered their cameras and the crew began to mill about, I walked onto the stage, over to Kaylie, who was gripping her microphone tightly. I had to remain professional because there were at least two dozen people around and they couldn’t find out about the romantic relationship Kaylie and I had embarked on. I resisted the urge to hold her in my arms and give her a kiss when I reached her. I placed my hand on her shoulder and spoke to her softly.
“You OK, angel?”
Kaylie looked at me and nodded. I could see she was on the brink of crying but she didn’t let any tears fall. She wiped her eyes with her fingers and cleared her throat, nodding again.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?” I asked her. I knew it was a stupid question but I needed to ask her. If not, I would never know the true reason for her tears. The expression on her face when she stared at me, it sent a tremor through my veins. Holding back my urges and desires had never been more difficult than right now. She looked so lost, like a deer caught in headlights. I massaged her shoulder with my fingers as I waited for her to answer my question.
“Just…all of this. Being on the stage and everything. I have to concentrate so hard but then, I can’t show that I’m concentrating when I perform because it won’t flow properly. And my grandmother always called me “her little diamond” so this song has hit me hard in the heart, just like Flashlight. And even though I love being with you, all this sneaking around is stressing me out. Everything’s so crazy, Harry.”
My heart swelled for her. The fact that the song was once again personal for her, the memory of her grandmother, the stress of performing and our secret relationship, I couldn’t blame her at all. And she still went to school so her life was jam-packed at the moment. I wish we didn’t have to be a secret. I wish we could just be like any other couple but we couldn’t be because I was a celebrity. All my relationships were documented and gossiped about. Kaylie didn’t need that right now, not when she already had to concentrate on her performance this week.
I wanted to stroke her cheek with my fingers and brush my lips across her forehead while whispering that everything was going to be OK. That we were going to be OK.
“I understand this is crazy for you, Kaylie. It’s all new to you but that is why I am here. I am your mentor and that means I am here to help you, guide you in any way that I can. Channel the memory of your grandmother into your performance, it will make it more emotional, more relatable. Focus on that, OK?” I told her.
“OK.” She whispered. I ran my hand down her arm to wrap my fingers around her elbow. Any lower and I would hold her hand. I couldn’t do that with so many people around, it was far too risky.
“Believe me, angel, I don’t like this sneaking around either. I wish I could hold you in public, kiss you with people watching, let everyone know that you are my angel. But for now, we have to keep it a secret. One day though, we will be able to be together, I promise you. No-one will take you away from me, especially not Simon.” I reassured Kaylie, tightening my grip on her. Her eyes widened at the mention of Simon. I knew he would be appalled about my feelings for Kaylie. Gemma had also warned me which is why I didn’t want it to get out. No-one working on The X Factor could know and since Simon was the damn creator of the show, he would absolutely lose it. And Kaylie would get the brunt of his anger. I didn’t want my angel to be kicked off the show and I didn’t want her to be taken away from me, not when we had just begun to explore our feelings for each other.
“And you know something else, Kaylie?” I asked.
“What?”
“You shine just as bright as a diamond.” I smiled. I didn’t miss the faint blush spreading across her fair cheeks. I let go of her arm and asked her if she was ready to sing again. She said yes and the cameras began rolling again.
I realised after our little talk, her determination had increased. She sang better, she moved better, her voice told a story as did her eyes. Even just a chat that lasted less than five minutes could motivate anyone and that’s what I had achieved with Kaylie. I knew she was going to be fine. I knew we were going to be fine.
Wednesday, 28th September
The memory of her crying into my chest yesterday made my heart bleed tears of its own. I had held her close, nice and tight. I remembered when she sobbed with joy when I kissed her, finally telling her my true feelings. Electricity crackled whenever we were together. Our energy was charged when our lips came together in a series of warm passionate kisses. Her lips fit perfectly with my own, like they had always meant to slide into mine. I ran my hands over my face and sighed. Why would she think she didn’t deserve me? I don’t deserve her. After all of my previous relationships, even just the ones that had been on and off, I couldn’t believe an innocent young woman like her had come into my life and had changed it. Kaylie was a new light in my life, one that guided me through the night. While her grandmother was her flashlight, Kaylie was mine.
It was 3:45pm and Kaylie was due for another rehearsal at 4:30pm. Our one yesterday went surprisingly well, considering how much she had been crying beforehand. She was right onto the topic at hand and became focused on practicing to the best of her ability. This week’s theme was 2000s Classics and the song I had given her was Diamonds by Rihanna. Kaylie had been a little sceptical and nervous at the song choice but she carried on like the true hardworking young woman she was. The tune was a bit more poppy and less of a ballad, which Kaylie loved to sing, but in order for her to be a record-selling artist, she needed to show different sides of herself. I believed every side to her was beautiful. She could be vulnerable but strong, perfect but flawed. However, I loved all of her flaws. That’s how I defined a person. A flaw of hers was that she was young, still a teenager, but that didn’t dampen my feelings for her. To me, age was just a number.
My phone sounded with a ‘ping’ on the table and I sat up from the couch to see who had texted me. The smile on my face was wide when I saw who it was from.
From Kaylie: Looking forward to rehearsing again today :) I am so grateful to have you as my mentor x
I chuckled when I texted her back.
To Kaylie: Can’t wait to see you, angel. I am grateful to have you as one of my contestants. I long to feel your lips on mine again ;) x
From Kaylie: You did just see me yesterday and I’m sure I should be the one who’s more grateful :) Harry, I am the tube! You can’t text me that when I am on public transport! x
To Kaylie: I wish I could see you every minute of every day but I am lucky to even have you in my presence. Aw, angel, are you blushing? x
From Kaylie: Harry…I don’t know what to say…And yes, I am blushing! Damn you x
To Kaylie: You don’t need to say anything. Your kisses tell me everything ;) x
From Kaylie: Blushing’s getting worse here… x
To Kaylie: Well, when you arrive, come to my dressing room x
From Kaylie: Why? x
To Kaylie: So I can kiss those blushing cheeks of yours, angel x
From Kaylie: You got it, Mr. Styles :) x
I didn’t know why but her calling me “Mr. Styles” turned me on. I felt my heartbeat quicken as I thought about my name falling from her lips. Her South London accent, soft and gentle but mature. Her eyes, which always held warmth and purity, looking deep into my heart, as delicious as fresh chocolate. Her face invaded my mind each time I thought about her as did the feeling of her lips on my own. I was hooked on Kaylie and I didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
To Kaylie: Text me when you’re here, angel x
From Kaylie: I will :) x
I dropped my phone back on the table and began the process of waiting for my angel to arrive.
At exactly 4:09pm, Kaylie texted me, letting me know that she had just walked through the doors into the studios. I perched myself on the edge of the couch as my ears pricked up at any sound of footsteps coming down the corridor. I spun my rings around my fingers while I waited. I was always eager to see her and my heart glowed every time she was with me. The emotions I was feeling weren’t new to me but they had never come or deepened so quickly for a girl before. Everything was happening so quickly but did I care? No. No, I did not.
A soft knock on the door made me look up. I stood up and opened the door quickly. I knew it was Kaylie from the way she gasped when I pulled her inside. I locked the door and wrapped my arms around her waist, giving her a deep hug. She laughed when I lifted her off her feet and spun her around in a circle. I buried my face in her neck and pressed my lips to her warm smooth skin, holding her tight against me. I loved the feeling of having Kaylie in my arms. Within my embrace, nothing and no-one could harm her. She was safe with me.
My lips made a trail up her neck, along her jawline then up to her right cheek. Her flesh was hot and soft but that only made her taste intoxicate me further. Kaylie giggled when I kissed her nose before peppering her other flushed cheek with more kisses. I smiled when her lips finally rested against mine, so gentle and perfect. My left hand found its way to grip the back of her head, strands of her long ponytail falling through my fingers while my right arm fastened around her waist, never wanting to release her from my prison. I sighed when Kaylie wrapped her arms around my neck, locking her wrists together as she moaned into the kiss. I knew she wanted it just as much as I did. I felt her body tremble with delight as I kissed her for the second time, tasting her lips, savouring their sweet inebriating flavour. My hands came up to cup her face as I broke the kiss, resting my forehead against hers. Her breathing was loud and strong and her hands shook when I felt them caress my hair, twirling some curls around her fingers.
“That was a hell of a hello.” Kaylie gasped with a smile, opening her eyes. I grinned down at her and saw how pink her cheeks were. So she really had been blushing. It made me smirk that I was the cause of it. My eyes scanned down her body, admiring the way her clothes hugged her physique. (http://www.polyvore.com/kaylie_rehearsals_week_part/set?id=208382107) She sure knew how to dress well.
“What are you smirking at?” Kaylie asked, her hands sliding down to rest on my chest. I brushed my knuckles across the apple of her cheek, the smirk never disappearing from my face.
“You, angel.” I whispered. Her face turned bright pink and she buried her face in my chest. I chuckled and kissed her head, running my hands up and down her back, as I held her close. I always loved to make her blush and laugh. Wasn’t that something every man wanted to do to his girl? Yes, that’s right, I just called Kaylie my girl. Because she was. She was my girl and my beautiful angel.
“Did you practice at all yesterday after our rehearsal?” I asked when I let her go.
“Yes, I did, a little bit. It’s kind of hard when I’ve got three brothers in the same house.” Kaylie chuckled. My heart froze for a moment. I suddenly remembered she had three brothers. Two older and one younger. Jesus, they would kill me if I hurt their sister in any way! I was nervous for a couple of beats and my face went black. Kaylie noticed because her palm touched my cheek, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Harry, are you OK?”
“I’m fine, angel. It’s good to know that you’re practicing outside of rehearsals. It shows how dedicated you are to doing your absolute best.” I smiled, placing my hands on her waist.
“I want to do my best. For my grandmother, for my family, for myself. And…for you too.” Kaylie whispered the last statement, hooking her index finger around my cross necklace. She stared at it intently while I kept my eyes on her face. Her young beautiful face that got my heart racing every time my gaze fell upon her.
“You always do your best. I can tell and I’m proud of you for that.” I said and leaned down so my forehead brushed hers. Kaylie titled her head up to look into my eyes and I took the opportunity to place my lips on hers. Her arms slid around my back as she moaned into my kiss. I wish I could kiss her all the time. Every single minute of every single hour of every single day. She had the softest lips and they had the sweetest taste. I wanted more 24/7. She pulled back and I saw that her eyes were shining with happiness.
“I’m afraid my lips will go numb one day from you kissing me so much.” She said with a smile.
“Good.” I smirked and inclined my face down to kiss her again but she leaned back, pressing her hands to my chest, stopping me from reaching her lips.
“If I have numb lips, I won’t be able to sing. I need to rehearse, Harry.”
I sighed and nodded in agreement. We only had one rehearsal yesterday so we needed to have another one. I left a long lingering kiss on her forehead and watched her leave my dressing room, heading off to find Bea to ask her if she needed to style her make-up any differently. Seeing Kaylie’s long caramel-coloured ponytail swish across her back was a thing of beauty, her locks shining underneath the artificial light. I played with my bottom lip and breathed deeply, trying to calm my heart down. This is what she did to me. Even at almost 23 years old, I could still have those butterflies in my stomach. She made me…nervous. No girl had made me feel this way before but that excited me. Despite the situation Kaylie and I were in, it didn’t stop the elation from brewing in my soul. With my mind filled with thoughts about my angel, I left my room to go to the stage and wait for her to arrive for our rehearsal.
0*0
She was better today. More enthusiastic than last week. Because it was Week 2, she knew what to expect and felt more comfortable with cameras capturing almost every minute of our rehearsal. Kaylie knew the song very well before I assigned it to her so she hardly had any problems with forgetting the lyrics. But what she did struggle with was her presence on the stage. She didn’t know if she should move around or stay still. She was afraid she would stuff up if her presence on the stage wasn’t right. It had to match the performance.
We had figured out the lighting and the stage design but that only made Kaylie more nervous. She didn’t want to get distracted by anything around her and just perform the song as best as she could. I was really worried that she was going to burst out into tears. When it looked she was, I told the camera guys to stop filming. They wondered why and tried to tell me no but I angrily demanded that they stop and let Kaylie relax for five minutes without having to worry about cameras capturing her every move.
Once they lowered their cameras and the crew began to mill about, I walked onto the stage, over to Kaylie, who was gripping her microphone tightly. I had to remain professional because there were at least two dozen people around and they couldn’t find out about the romantic relationship Kaylie and I had embarked on. I resisted the urge to hold her in my arms and give her a kiss when I reached her. I placed my hand on her shoulder and spoke to her softly.
“You OK, angel?”
Kaylie looked at me and nodded. I could see she was on the brink of crying but she didn’t let any tears fall. She wiped her eyes with her fingers and cleared her throat, nodding again.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?” I asked her. I knew it was a stupid question but I needed to ask her. If not, I would never know the true reason for her tears. The expression on her face when she stared at me, it sent a tremor through my veins. Holding back my urges and desires had never been more difficult than right now. She looked so lost, like a deer caught in headlights. I massaged her shoulder with my fingers as I waited for her to answer my question.
“Just…all of this. Being on the stage and everything. I have to concentrate so hard but then, I can’t show that I’m concentrating when I perform because it won’t flow properly. And my grandmother always called me “her little diamond” so this song has hit me hard in the heart, just like Flashlight. And even though I love being with you, all this sneaking around is stressing me out. Everything’s so crazy, Harry.”
My heart swelled for her. The fact that the song was once again personal for her, the memory of her grandmother, the stress of performing and our secret relationship, I couldn’t blame her at all. And she still went to school so her life was jam-packed at the moment. I wish we didn’t have to be a secret. I wish we could just be like any other couple but we couldn’t be because I was a celebrity. All my relationships were documented and gossiped about. Kaylie didn’t need that right now, not when she already had to concentrate on her performance this week.
I wanted to stroke her cheek with my fingers and brush my lips across her forehead while whispering that everything was going to be OK. That we were going to be OK.
“I understand this is crazy for you, Kaylie. It’s all new to you but that is why I am here. I am your mentor and that means I am here to help you, guide you in any way that I can. Channel the memory of your grandmother into your performance, it will make it more emotional, more relatable. Focus on that, OK?” I told her.
“OK.” She whispered. I ran my hand down her arm to wrap my fingers around her elbow. Any lower and I would hold her hand. I couldn’t do that with so many people around, it was far too risky.
“Believe me, angel, I don’t like this sneaking around either. I wish I could hold you in public, kiss you with people watching, let everyone know that you are my angel. But for now, we have to keep it a secret. One day though, we will be able to be together, I promise you. No-one will take you away from me, especially not Simon.” I reassured Kaylie, tightening my grip on her. Her eyes widened at the mention of Simon. I knew he would be appalled about my feelings for Kaylie. Gemma had also warned me which is why I didn’t want it to get out. No-one working on The X Factor could know and since Simon was the damn creator of the show, he would absolutely lose it. And Kaylie would get the brunt of his anger. I didn’t want my angel to be kicked off the show and I didn’t want her to be taken away from me, not when we had just begun to explore our feelings for each other.
“And you know something else, Kaylie?” I asked.
“What?”
“You shine just as bright as a diamond.” I smiled. I didn’t miss the faint blush spreading across her fair cheeks. I let go of her arm and asked her if she was ready to sing again. She said yes and the cameras began rolling again.
I realised after our little talk, her determination had increased. She sang better, she moved better, her voice told a story as did her eyes. Even just a chat that lasted less than five minutes could motivate anyone and that’s what I had achieved with Kaylie. I knew she was going to be fine. I knew we were going to be fine.
Notes
I would like to take a moment to thank my 52 wonderful subscribers! This story would be nothing without all of you guys! Could we get the vote count up, maybe to 50? Please please vote! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, my lovelies!
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11/19/17