Between The Lines

Harper let out a sigh of relief as she shut the door of her apartment behind her that night. Stripping off her works clothes, she slipped into something more comfortable. Plopping herself in front of the TV with ice-cream, she settled back ready to relax after the day she’d just had.

It was halfway through the third episode of Gossip Girl did her phone interrupted her. Expecting it to be one of the boys or worse, her mother, she groaned and grabbed her phone. It was a text, with a link attached, from one of her friends from high school, Sophie.

Have you seen this?!
- S

Clicking on the link, Harper was surprised to find herself looking at an online article of a gossip magazine.

WHEN IN NEW YORK...

British heartthrobs, One Direction were spotted leaving JFK and arriving at their hotel with bright smiles on their faces as they return to the States. However, it was the blonde that was by their side that has fans wondering, who is this mystery girl? Our favourite blonde guitar player was seen escorting her inside the hotel, a bright smile on his face as he placed his arm around her. Is Niall Horan no longer single?

This was the last thing Harper needed. She had to hand it to the paparazzi, they knew how to take the photos from the right angles and string them into stories. From the way Niall had his hand resting on the small of her back, as he helped her through the swarms of cameras, there was no doubt why people had assumed something was going on. In reality though, she’d only just met the guy and their relationship was nothing sort of professional.

With two cup tray in both hands filled with Starbucks coffee for herself and the boys, Harper arrived just before five the next morning only to be met with the stillness of a quiet suite. Of course they wouldn’t be ready. Setting down the coffee and her bag down on the counter, she made her way down the hallway.

“All I asked was for you to be ready at five!” She shouted through the suite, hurrying down hall that held all the bedrooms. Bursting through each creaming door, rudely turning on the bright lights, she shouted for them all to get up, get ready in twenty minutes and there was a coffee waiting for each of them in the kitchen.

She heard threatening grumbles in her wake but she didn’t care if they hated her right now, she just wanted to at least survive her first full day with them. Placing herself in the lounge room she watched as the boys hurriedly got ready, while she continued to tell them how much time they had left every two minutes. It was quite amusing.

“Ah Starbucks coffee!” Niall exclaimed, taking a seat next to Harper “The best in the world”

“Tourist” Harper mumbled.

“Excuse me?”

“Only a tourist would say that” She exclaimed “Every New Yorker knows that the best coffees are from the little cafes, not a multi-million dollar company”

“Then I guess you’ll have to show us some of these cafes”

“Just as soon as my tour guide licence comes in” sarcasm dripping from her lips.

Before Niall could make a retort, Harry and his mop of morning curls appeared in the lounge room with nothing but a t-shirt.

“Has anybody seen my black trousers?!” Harry appeared in the lounge room with nothing but a t-shirt on.

“Harry! There’s a lady in the room” Niall looked horrified, while Harper just simply shielded her eyes from Harry’s bare front.

“She doesn’t seem to mind, do you love?” He smirked and then returned to his room, Harper just rolled her eyes at his forwardness.

It took fifteen minutes for them to all to gather in the living room and they didn’t seem too pleased with Harper and their early morning wake up call. But she did warn them a million times.

“We’re running late already so when we get there, you need to go straight to make up. They’ll do something about,” Harper examined their messy, tired forms, “…all of you.”

All the boys groaned before leaning against the back walls of the elevator. No doubt one of them was going to fall asleep on the ride there.



“They are in hair and make-up right now” Harper assured her mother as she paced around the backstage area. Eleanor had made a point of detailing her unprofessionalism by arriving after schedule. “They weren’t awake when I got to the hotel”

“They are celebrities darling, they tend to do that. However I expected more from you Harper”.
Before she could protest, the dial tone rang through her ears. Pursing her lips, she tried not to yell out in frustration. Maybe if her mother should just find someone else for the job to save Harper’s sanity.

“You alright love?” Harper turned to see Niall bearing a concerned expression.

“Peachy” she said, before sighing. She really needed to stop with the harsh replies to the Irishman. “I’m fine, really. You better get going now, you boys are on soon”

“And now give it up for the British invasion that is taking over America, One Direction singing their new hit single, Live While We’re Young!” the host announced as the lights lit up around the small stage the boys were on.

Having barely energy herself at this hour, Harper had to give the boys props for putting on such an enthusiastic performance. Each of them had the right amount of charisma that even Harper could tell why the world was falling head over heels for them. Even after they thanked everyone for coming and the cameras shut off, they kept smiling and laughing. They ran off the stage towards Harper in much better spirits than they had left her.

“Where to next fairy godmother?” Louis asked cheerfully.

“Hilarious, you’ve got a radio interview with Z-100 at Eleven” Harper checked her phone “You have time to get back to the suite, shower and eat before we leave. This time you will not be late”

Each boy nodded his head, not daring to protest with the chance they might have to face her wrath again. Following Harper, they got back into the limo, avoiding the screaming fans camped outside when the One Direction boys came into view. Harper was sure she would be deaf by the time the boys returned to England. How they put up with this on a daily basis, she had no idea.