Live While We're Young

I woke the next morning still in the previous day's beach ware, curled up in Harry's lap on the sofa in the boy's suite (instead of having a suite each, they had a massive one where they shared a kitchen and a living area, but had a bedroom and an ensuite to themselves). I sat up and looked around a little dazed and realised where I was. I slipped off of the sofa and attempted to creep to the door and get back to my room at the other end of the corridor without waking Harry. My plan, however, didn't succeed.

'Where are you going, love?' came the sexiest morning voice that had ever stroked my eardrums. It sent a tiny shiver down my spine.

'Oh, back to my suite. I need to shower, change, do my hair and make-up and-'

'Wait, don't wear make-up!'

'Why?'

'You're beautiful without it.'

'You're obligated to say that, but thank you.'

'I'll come with you...'

'No, no. Don't. You need to get ready for the interview, don't you? I'll come back up when I'm ready if you like?'

Harry nodded and with a sweeping kiss on the cheek, I left the boy's suite for my own one. I opened the door after unlocking it and ran into the bathroom. I showered, brushed my teeth, did my hair, dressed and reluctantly pulled away from the make-up as quickly as I could. Instead of make-up, I spread Vaseline on my eyelashes making them appear thicker and longer, and on my lips, giving it a slight glossy coat. I left my room and made my way down to the other suite again. I heard voices through the door as I knocked, and they hushed. The door opened to see a smiling Harry, but I could tell the smile was fake.

'Anna! You alright? You look lovely,' he grinned, looking at my skinny jeans and grey angel winged top with the silver necklace, earrings and bracelets. I peered over his shoulder to see an angry-looking Liam and Louis, Niall facing out of the window, Zayn on his phone and Paul sitting on the arm of the sofa looking down at the floor.

'Harry, what's going on?' I asked, indicating the five people behind him.

'Nothing, love -' he made to take my hand and walk out of the door with me before a voice cut across him.

'Tell her, Harry,' Louis advised in a harsh tone. Harry seemed to cringe.

'Tell her what?' he asked, pretending to be dim.

'You know what,' shot Louis.

'Harry...what is it...you can tell me anything... I won't get upset...' I cooed and Harry seemed to cringe even more.

'Are you sure? I'm trying to protect you-'

'Harry just do it,' I ordered. He led me inside and sat me onto the setee next to Paul, who looked grim. Harry handed me the magazine. There was a picture taken by the press. It was if Harry and I kissing on the boat when he had leaned me back in his arms. In the picture, however, there was something I hadn't before noticed. The way Harry had held me had caused the dress to rise up showing my bottom. Also, you could see that the kiss was passionate, so saying that was an accident would be hard to convince. Thirdly, my legs were pressed into Harry's crotch and gripping into Harry's legs, giving myself support. My eyes widened at the shot. My eyes practically bulged as I read the heading ontop of it;

Has Harry Found A New Kitten To Toy With?

'I don't want to read the article,' I spat, throwing it down. 'Tgat was nothing like they've made out! He kissed me! How were we to know that the material creased and rose? How were we to know that a camera would take a shot and make it look dirty? The stupid paparazzi!'

'The article is basically saying that Harry may be using you as a toy in the bedroom and they'ce basically said politely that you're a little slut,' Niall threw the article a loathing look as he said this.

'That's ridiculous! How did they get that from a kiss?' I cried out.

'Twisting words, taking misleading pictures from something innocent...the list goes on,' Paul sighed.

'The fans won't buy into this!'

'But they have,' Liam said gravely. 'They may not believe the actual article, but pictures are worth a thousand words, and there are anout three in there. They'll but that because of picture evidence.'

I scooped up the magazine and inspected the other pictures. They had taken the most dirty shots they could. One picture was when we were in the water, and I was smiling. Harry had his hands on my waist going to kiss my cheek, but from the shot, it made it look like my neck. Also, from the way I was kicking to stay afloat, through the clear blue water, it looked as though my leg was hooked around his hip. The third was of us facing each other on the sun loungers, propping our heads up with our one hands and with our others, linking hands. There was a convinieht down top shot of me and from the light reflecting off of Harry's glasses, it looked at though he was staring down my dress, at my chest.

'Dicks,' I cursed. 'Anyway, why are you all so angry? This is involving me and Harry.'

'We like you. You're good to Harry. You're prepared to put everything on the line for Harry to be happy and you going public. But everything really is on the line...' Zayn finally spoke, though he didn't make much sense.

'Paul's said that you need to go back to the uk. This isn't going to die down of you two are snogging each other in the middle of the street. For your sake, you need to go,' Niall sighed heavily.

'Also, he thinks it would be helpful if Harry said in the interview that last night, after all of this, you two split and that it was never a real relationship, but a bit of a fling,' Louis huffed.

'But you're not going,' Liam snapped.

'Yes, she is,' came a whisper. I whipped around to see that Paul had left and Harry was standing facing the floor.

'What?' I gasped, as the boys had flabbergasted expressions on their faces.

'You're going.'

'No, Harry. I'm not.'

'I'm only thinking of you here. I didn't like the idea of you leaving at first, but now it seems like the best option.'

'I'm not going, Harry! I don't care what the press say, I know the truth!'

'That's not always enough, Anna!' Harry's voice had risen from a whisper to just louder than normal conversational volume.

'It's just a rumour!'

'Can you come with me, please?' he asked me, steadying his voice as he led the way to his room. I followed with an anger bubbling in my chest. He shut the door and turned to me. 'It may only be a rumour to you, but these rumours can develop and get you into trouble!' he hissed.

'I don't care! I'm not some pussy that runs at the smell of danger! It's just the press!' I tried to say to Harry's face, but he just kept in shaking his head.

'You're going to get in trouble!'

'I don't care! I don't care if I get into shit, because at the end of the day, picking on me is the most pathetic way they could ever get to you!' I cried, my voice slowly raising angrily.

'It's not just going to be you getting into shit, though, is it?' Harry began raising his voice higher. 'It'll be me as well!'

'You have rumours about you every day!'

'Not ones that claim I'm treating you like a little prostitute behind closed doors! And if we get into shit, the boys'll get into shit! And when I try to pull us out of it, we'll get dragged right in!'

'You think I can't get myself out of a problem? I'm more than capable!' I shouted.

'I know that, but who is going to listen to you? Really? No one interviews you! They interview me because I'm the famous one!' we were both shouting by this point.

'If I'm not listened to, then I'll bloody we'll make myself be heard!'

'How are you going to do that? Eh? Getting yourself into more shit to grab the attention you'll need? Then you'll have more problems to sort out! And when you can't, I'll have to get you out again, as well as helping myself!'

'Im not leaving Harry! My job is here, too! Remember? I dance and do your makeup!'

'Can't you see? It's not just you with rumours, Anna! I'm thought of as a little pervert! You have to leave so that we can straighten this our easier!'

'I have an idea on how to fix this, but I'm not leaving for it! We may both be in bollocks, but its just the press! I -' but as we were in each others faces, Harry growled loudly and pushed past me, causing me to fall onto the bed.

'You're going to get hurt!'

'If I do, it won't be your problem! It'll be mine! You won't need to be bothered about it!'

'For God's sake, Anna! It will be my problem! I promised you I wouldn't hurt you! I promised I was different!' he roared, punching the wall with a huge thud. I gasped as the plaster cracked and fell away. Harry looked at what he had done in anger and ran his hands through his hair. I choked before coming out with a quiet, weak;
'Thank you,' in a barely audible whisper.

'For what?' Harry spat.

'For...well...that,' I nodded at he cracked and dented wall, 'not being me.'

'I would never-'

'I know, but whether you would or wouldn't, it could quite easily have been me, so thank you.'

I stood up and steadied myself. I placed my hand on the door handle and pulled at it slightly before pausing and turning back and speaking in a calm, cool tone that was even and steadied.

'I'm not going back to the uk until this tour is over. I will not be bullied by the press. We are going to do things my way, whether you like if or not. If I get hurt, that's my problem, not yours, but remember thus, Harry. No one who events knocked down at the first hurdle and stays down can ever succeed at anything. The struggles make the success. You've said that something beautiful cam come from struggles. Are you seriously going to let yourself be knocked down and stay there when this is the first hurdle of many in our relationship? Pfft,' I tutted as I walked through the open bedroom door to see that the boys had blatantly been eavesdropping. I nodded to them and left the room, on the way to my own suite. After a few minutes of sitting there, there was a small tap at the door. I opened it to reveal Harry. I gave him a steely look of ice.

'Im sorry for the way I acted. I've only got your welfare in mind. I'm sorry for shouting and becoming violent. I just want tou to be safe,' he stepped forward and took me in his arms, wrapping them tightly around me, his hand on the back of my head and his thumb rubbing it, through my hair. He embraced me tightly and I could feel his heavy breathing from where he sounded as though he was on the verge of crying. I released and stopped tensing, melting in his arms and held him back just as tightly.

'Its fine, but from now on, we're doing things my way,' I stated, authoritively. Through the hug, I felt him nod. He held me tighter as if he was scared that if he let me go, he would lose me. I felt a wet trickle on my neck which I knew was one of Harry's tears. I recoiled even more in his arms.

The truth was, I was scared I would lose him, too.