All Again

PART TWO: Who We Were

CHAPTER FORTY THREE
Becca.

Then.

Two weeks later.

"Ugh!!!" I groaned throwing a shirt in my suitcase. "This is too complicated."
The soft chuckle from my computer screen filled my room.
"Becca it's not that big of a deal."
I looked back at the screen, and the green eyes, and sighed.
"Easy for you to say. You do this all the time."
Harry smirked and placed his hands behind his head. He was sitting at a desk in his London home.
"True." he said. "Which kind of makes me an expert."
I rolled my eyes and playfully threw a bra at the screen.
“Oh shut up, you.”
He sat up in interest.
"Ooh I like that. Make sure you pack it."
"You just want to take it off." I said sliding it in the bag.
"I do." he said and winked. "But I also want you to model it for me. That could be kind of fun. We haven’t tried yet.”
I smiled and shook my head no, moving around the room. "In your dreams."
We were facetiming from our computers, and he was watching (and helping) me pack.
In two days I would be joining him on the road and I was a nervous wreck. His first show was in three days.
For now, we had agreed on me visiting most of the month of June. We both knew in July, there would be other commitments on both ends. Plus, he had assured me that the overseas dates would be easier for me and we were bound to get more privacy.
Still, I had never packed for a trip this long and had no clue what to bring.
"I keep telling you, you'll pick up things on the way." He said as he continued to watch me, sift through the things on my bed,
"But what if I need something?" I argued. "It's not just a car ride away.”
"You can buy a duplicate of whatever it is. We travel all the time hun. If there's not something we or the girls have, we can probably get it."
I sat down and gave him my complete attention. I pulled my laptop on my lap and bit my lip.
"Yeah but it would be easier for me to just pack it to begin with."
He sighed playfully and grinned.
"Is this what my next month is going to be like? Arguing with you?"
"Maybe." I said. "But just think of all the angry sex we could have."
"No. The makeup sex." he teased. "It's better."
I stretched. "I can't wait."
"Me either." he said. "It's been two weeks too long."
"Well we went out with a bang at least." I suggested. Before he had left for his plane, we had averaged out two more times.
He chuckled. "Yeah we did. You're insatiable." he accused. "I'm just glad we kept that in tact."
He gestured to the emerald necklace that had barely left my neck since he had placed it on.
"You almost broke it." I reminded him, twirling it in my hand. His idea for some Kama Sutra move he had seen hadn’t worked out quite like we had both hoped.
He grinned widely.
"Hey….we said we would never talk about that again.”
I placed a hand to my lips, sealing them with a finger.
We both shared a small laugh, as I heard a knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in!" I called and my Mother peeked her head in.
"Are you busy?" she asked.
I gestured to my computer screen that was turned away from her.
"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked, not getting my lingo.
I turned the screen and showed her Harry.
"Oh. Oh." she said quickly, standing up straighter. "Hello. Hi!" she drawled embarrassed. She instantly began to smooth her clothes.
"Hi." I heard Harry said enthusiastically. I could imagine him waving at her from his side of the screen.
I turned it back to me.
My mother instantly began to gesture to me.
Why didn't you tell me he was there!
I just chuckled. It had been two weeks since I had told my family (and Kelsey) and everyone was still getting use to it all. It was strange watching how they reacted to him. It was like he was the President or someone.
They didn't believe me initially of course, and I had to actually call Harry so he could talk to them to prove I wasn't crazy. Otherwise, they were looking at committing me.
Now, everyone was just curious and wanted every little detail of our last five months together.
No one even cared that I had lied about my fake internship.
Apparently he was worth it.
I turned from the screen and looked at my mother. She was still gesturing to me and it looked like she was trying to figure out what we were talking about or maybe she was asking for my help. I couldn’t really tell.
"What?" I mouthed to her, trying to read her silly antics.
"Do you need me to call you later?" Harry asked from the screen.
I looked back at him and remembered he could still see everything that was going on.
I nodded yes.
"Yeah I’ll call you." I said.
"Alright." he said. He puckered his lips in a kiss and then disconnected the call.
I shut my laptop.
"Mom what are you saying?"
"Sorry. I didn’t know you were talking to him."
I smiled. "It's fine. What's up?"
"Can you go into the store for a few hours, help out? It would really help me since you're getting ready to leave."
"Sure." I said jumping up. I felt bad leaving my parents hanging at their stores, but they both understood this was the opportunity of the lifetime.
Not taking Harry into consideration, I would actually be touring Europe and seeing things we had all only dreamed of or saw in books.
The fact that I was going to be spending time with him with just an added bonus.
"Do you need me to close?" I asked.
"If you could? I have some errands to make before tomorrow."
"No problem." I said. Glad that for now my packing would have to wait.
**********************
The next day I got up and began to just throw some shit in the bag. The stress was taking up to much of my time and it was as Harry had said- I could pick up things along the way.
I stopped at Target, filling my cart up with things to keep me busy on the long flight and future flights I would be taking in the future.
A book here, a crossword puzzle there…
I bought a game for the Nintendo DS my sister was going to let me borrow, and multiple packs of batteries for my camera and other devices.
Then I packed up and headed to the mall.
I made a personal stop at Victoria’s Secret, the popular women's lingerie store looking for some special outfits for Harry…but then stopped.
His ex-girlfriend was a Victoria Secret model. I would obviously have to do better. Plus, who knew what she had worn for him in the past.
So in a moment of temporary insanity, I headed to Agent Provocateur and about died at the prices.
The only thing I had to shop with was three measly paychecks and some of my leftover tax money.
A set with bra and panties was easily over $300.
I wanted to compete with the past women in his life, but there was no way I could afford that; especially if it was made to just come off either way.
I kept driving around and eventually found a boutique and picked up a few pieces for around the same price.
I hoped it was all worth it for him. It cut deeply to be spending that kind of money.
Still…I was really trying to satisfy what he was used too, though in all honesty, I would never get close. I didn’t have the money or trainers. I didn’t have the diets and the beauty.
The women of Harry’s past would always have one up on me, and the only comfort I had was that it hadn’t lasted.
Despite their beauty and fame, he had still chosen to walk away from them.
I knew my time was coming one day, but I wanted to make it last as long as I could. So my next step was to the hair salon, where I paid for my hair to be cut in layers.
I didn’t want to do anything too drastic and completely change on him, but I wanted him to know I was always evolving and updating my look.
When I saw the final product I was satisfied and headed home.
My flight was early in the morning, so when I got home, I took a quick shower, double checked everything and headed to bed.
Me and Harry hadn’t spoke much during the day, but I was relieved.
The anticipation to see him was greater and I knew when he met me at the hotel, the reception would be ten times better.
My plane was scheduled to get in sooner than his, so I would have a few hours at the hotel to myself to get mentally and physically prepared.
When my alarm went off at 4am, I dressed quickly and texted Kelsey who was my ride to the airport. My parents had wanted to take me, but I needed a last minute pep talk and she was the only one who would be honest with me- and who could know all my deepest darkest secrets.
“I just don’t know what to expect.” I said as soon as we were alone, letting my fears and frustrations flow out into her compact Hyundai Elantra.
Since she had found out two weeks earlier, she had been very curious but patient and hadn’t flooded me into giving too many details. She knew I worked at my own pace and would come to her eventually.
Today was eventually.
“I mean, we’re close.” I said as she drove. “And me and Harry talk all the time. It’s easy with him. Plus we sleep together-”
“Oh yeah, how’s the sex?” she asked cutting in and I turned to her.
“What?”
“How’s the sex? What is he packing? Is it as skinny as his notorious skinny jeans?” she asked with a playful wink.
I playfully rolled my eyes back. “I’m not answering that question.”
“Oh come on. It is five in the morning, and I drove from the comforts of my home to drive you to the busy LAX airport. I need something.”
“No.” I said.
“I tell you everything! You know about Bobby!”
“Bobby is not a celebrity who can have all of his information splattered on Page Six.”
She looked offended. “I wouldn’t say anything. You know that.” she accused quickly.
I nodded. “I do. But…I don’t feel comfortable talking about that.”
She turned from me and drummed her hands on the steering wheel. “He’s horrible then. He completely sucks. I knew it! It’s always the guys that look like him too. Drop dead looks, small useless dicks.”
I giggled. “No he’s not…he’s….” I trailed, looking for the right word. Then I finally gave in.
“It’s good.” I said. “Incredible.”
“How incredible? Like incredible, or incredible?”
“It’s mind-blowing okay.” I said. “He’s a very blessed guy.”
She turned from me and sighed in frustration. “You lucky bitch! I still can’t believe it. He barely even looked at you, and you didn’t even want his picture! Now you get to fuck him and go on world tours! Not fair.”
“Maybe that’s why he liked me. I didn't care.” I said honestly.
“Well you’re gorgeous obviously so I’m sure that has something to do with it too, but…damn! If I didn’t have Bobby, I would seriously hate you. Like for real.”
I chuckled. “Gee thanks.”
“You’re welcome…but you were saying, before I interrupted-”
“Oh yeah,” I said getting comfortable. “I just don’t know what this is. I mean it’s casual and something fun for the summer, but…then what? And what am I suppose to do? How do I act? Do I treat him like he’s my boyfriend? Will he even treat me like his girlfriend? Or am I just a residential fuck buddy?”
“I think you’re both honestly.” she said turning between me and the road. “I don’t know what you’re like when you’re alone, but it sounds like he does like you and doesn’t just want to sleep with you. But…this extended trip and the fact that he is bringing you on tour shouldn’t be confused. It is just convenient for him. He probably gets bored and it’s nice to have someone on the road- for sex or more. That way, he can have someone to hang out with and get his rocks off too.”
I sighed from her crass words, but it was probably true.
“Yeah.” I said sadly.
She pushed my shoulder gently. “Becca stop. Don’t even start that.” she said reading my face. “You’re beautiful and an amazing girl. You have no idea how many guys are after you at school. I just never bring it to you because you don’t care.”
“I don’t.” I cut in.
“Exactly, so…it could definitely be more. He could like you as I said. But…don’t think too much about it. Just have fun. For the next month, he’s yours. And you can live the dream of thousands of women, including me.” she said with a wink.
I smiled.
She could always make me feel better.
“Alright.” I said quietly.
“Cool.” she said turning back to the road. “Have you heard from him?”
“Yeah I texted him. He knows I’m on my way to the airport.”
“And what did he say?”
“Safe travels. Can‘t wait to see you.” I said plainly.
“See! Ugh!” she groaned, hitting the steering wheel. “I hate you. I hate you, I hate you. It‘s not fair.”
I laughed again and enjoyed the drive the rest of the way.
When we got to the airport, Kelsey gave me a long hug.
“Have fun honey.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Remember our three rules-” she warned.
“Don’t come back pregnant. Don’t come back changed and don’t fall in love.” I said quickly.
“You got it!” she said. She patted my luggage. “Alright. Call me when you land.”
“I will.”
“Okay. Be safe.” she said in a sing-song voice.
I grabbed my luggage and began to walk and then a thought hit me.
“Oh Kelsey?” I called out.
She looked back at me before climbing in her car.
“What about social media, should I post stuff I see or we do? I mean, do you think people will figure out what‘s going on?”
She shrugged. “That’s probably a Harry question.”
At the mention of his name in public, I began to look around to see if anyone noted our conversation. It was silly. No one was paying us any attention and there were a million Harry’s in the world. There was no way anyone would know we were talking about him.
But none like yours…my inner voice said.
“Alright.” I said.
I gave Kelsey a final wave and smile and headed to check in.
My nerves already in a mild form of overdrive.
*************************************************
Two planes later I arrived in Cardiff, France.
I was hungry, irritated and exhausted after the long trip.
I moved through the airport quickly, my two huge suitcases trailing behind me and the weight of my carry-on heavy on my shoulder.
I hadn’t heard from Harry, but I knew it was because he was on a plane as well.
The plan was to spend tonight in Cardiff after his show and then fly back to London tomorrow until the next show.
I could already imagine my jetlag. Luckily I was not planning on going to tonight’s show.
When I got outside into the warm sunny air, there was a driver waiting for me with ‘Becca Johnson’ wrote on a cue card.
I acknowledged him saying a polite hello and climbed in the car.
I shot quick texts to my family and Kelsey to let them know I had made it safely and then rested my head on the seat.
I had already estimated that I had three hours until I could see Harry and I was already planning on sleeping the entire time.
Luckily the ride to the hotel was quick.
When I got there, I checked in, getting my key card and headed to my room.
Unlike Thailand and Hong Kong, Harry and I would now be sharing a room.
For an entire month, I would get to go to sleep with him, wake up beside him, eat with him and just be in his general presence.
It was intimidating yet exciting at the same time.
As I entered the spacious room, I briefly took in the room.
It was nice as I assumed it would be, but less grandiose than the one in Thailand.
I set my bags in the corner and headed to the bathroom to wash up.
I felt disgusting and musty from sitting on the plane.
I went through my routine. Securing my hair with a ponytail binder, I quickly washed my face and gave myself a quick bird bath.
After adding light perfume and a little extra deodorant, I headed for the bed.
Turning on the TV, I climbed in my crisp white hotel sheets and wait.
Minutes later, I was out.

Notes