Love in Music

I watched as Phoebe tried to valiantly the cupcake without spreading icing over her face while Daisy shoved as much of the cake into her mouth as possible. Icing ended up on her nose.

“We cannot take you out in public.” Fizzy complained as Louis grabbed a napking and wiped as much of the icing from Daisy’s face as possible, she still had some on her forehead somehow.

“Mum said you aren’t supposed to be mean to us.” Phoebe pointed at Fizzy accusingly, sticking up for her twin. I laughed and took another sip of my coffee while the girls continued to bicker.

“Mum, please take them away.” I turned to see Louis’ Mum standing behind me, watching fondly. Lottie complained to Louis who tried to shove the rest of her cupcake in her face.

“Come on girls, it’s time to go.” Jay cut over them all. The girls immediately began complaining while Louis pulled them all into hugs.

“How are you Annabelle?”

“Good thanks.” I smiled at her contently. “I’ve been enjoying being with the girls.” I ruffled Daisy’s hair before pulling her into a hug. Phoebe joined moments later.

“They can be a handful.” Jay teased but her words didn’t carry much weight at the look she sent her children.

“I think we both know who the biggest handful is.” I winked and gestured to Louis who pretended to look affronted. The twins thought it was hilarious.

“Wait till we tell you the stories from when he was little. He was horrible, worse child you could ever have.” Lottie cut in while Louis made wounded noises.

“I was not that bad.” he immediately defended himself. “Don’t you all have somewhere to be anyway, home?”

“Love you too son.” Jay rolled her eyes and pulled Louis into a hug.

I watched them out of the corner of my eye as Phoebe and Daisy chatted away. I noticed the way Jay hung tightly to Louis but he didn’t pull away or get embarrassed he just let his mother take her fill of him before stepping back. It must be hard for her constantly having to let him go, seeing him rarely because he was working so much.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.” I grinned and grabbed Louis hand, wanting to comfort Jay in anyway. I was rewarded with a relieved smile and a hug myself. I could tell by Louis’ look that he was grateful.

“I’ll see you two soon.” She pulled Louis into one more hug and kissed his cheek before heading out of the café with four loud and excited girls following in her wake.

“I need a nap, seriously. Babysitting is exhausting. How did you survive with that many sisters?” Louis frowned at me and I quickly backtracked, not meaning offense. “I only have one and her excitement was exhausting enough for me.” Louis smiled and grabbed our coffees from the table.

“How are you then?” He handed me my coffee and gently pushed on my lower back, directing me out of the coffee shop. “With the comments.”

I frowned and shrugged at him. I tried to keep my mind off them but they kept appearing in the back of my mind. When I chose my clothes, when I fixed my hair, should I wear make-up? Is the way I’m acting offensive to anyone at all?

“I’m extremely self-conscious right now.” I told Louis truthfully. “Feel like I’m being watched constantly. I think the comments were more of a shock because we haven’t really done anything. We’ve barely been sighted in public and we released one song then suddenly people hated us. I know we have our YouTube channels, which I really need to update, but otherwise I haven’t been in the spotlight at all and yet they hate me.”

“They don’t hate you.” Louis cut in, grabbing my hand and tugging me off the path we were on and across the road. I let him lead. “They hate what they think you are and really it’s more jealousy then anything. They don’t know you but they’re jealous of you so they hate.”

“Wise words.” I smiled at Louis while he downed the rest of his coffee. He swallowed and grinned smugly back. “Plus I’m sure they’re jealous that I get to kiss you.” I grinned and stepped towards him, leaning up and wrapping my arms around his neck, trying to avoid spilling my half-cup of Hazelnut Latte down the back of his, probably ridiculously expensive, jacket. I kissed him gently, letting him control the kiss, just enjoying the warmth of his body against mine and the taste of his Mocha coffee on my lips. It was an odd taste mixed with my sweet hazelnut drink.

“You know what else would help?” Louis eventually pulled back, but kept his arms wrapped around my waist. “Talking to the girls about it.” Sighing, I buried my cold nose in his neck making him shiver.

“I don’t know you’re pretty spectacular Lou, maybe you cured me.” I laughed and stumbled back a few steps from Louis grasp; he glared at me and threw his coffee in the closest bin.

“My advice is amazing, I should be a psychologist and solve everyone’s problems. I’m just wasting my talent on you.” I shook my head at his pout and grabbed his hand, continuing to pull him down the street.

“You should quit being a superstar now, don’t want to deprive people of your wise words.” I teased him before throwing the rest of my own drink out.

“Please, you just want One Direction to be out of the way so you can beat us on the charts. We both know you girls can’t really beat us.” I froze and glared at Louis. He smirked smugly back.

“You are so on Tomlinson.” I growled punching his arm. Proudly I noticed him wince. “Purity is going to knock One Direction off the freaking charts.”

“God I’m so glad paparazzi got that on camera, I really needed the proof that you’re domestically violent.” Widening my eyes I turned in the direction Louis was looking and saw five or six people aiming cameras in our direction.

“You douche, you could have told me!” I grumbled, my cheeks warming up.

“Welcome to the Popstar life babe.” Louis tugged on my arm and began pulling me down the street again. I watched the photographers as long as I can. They were following at a far away distance. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be paying us this much courtesy for long.

-

“You’re back.” I nodded into Lucinda’s stomach and snuggled deeply into the blanket she had over herself. Sighing contently, her fingers played with the long strands of my hair. “Did you have fun?”

I snorted at how mother like she sounded but just nodded into her hip. I was tired from thinking entirely too much.

“Kate should be back soon.” I made a non-committal noise but didn’t raise my head. Lucinda shifted slightly before I heard the rustle of her book again, she must have went back to reading.

I didn’t know how long I lay there as my muscles relaxed into the couch and my brain slowed down to a pleasant hum in my own head. I didn’t want to think too much about those comments anymore. I considered even calling Annalisa just to keep my mind from it all.

“Oh you’re back.” I forced myself to look up at Frankie’s voice. Her and Kate walked into the living room, claiming the seat across form the couch I was sprawled on with Lucinda. “How’s Lou?”

“Same.” I mumbled, my eyes opening and closing in their own time. “Sisters were over, very hyper.”

“That why you look wiped?” I just nodded at her, accepting the excuse. Groaning I sat up and stretched my arms before sitting properly next to Lucinda, resting my feet up on the coffee table.

“How are you and Louis going?” Frankie pushed further. I shot her a confused look. “You’re both going okay? Together?” I nodded at her slowly.

“Yeah we’re good. Just the same as we always are.” I answered her, furrowing my eyebrows. She frowned back at me, and shifted in her seat, glancing at both Kate and Lucinda.

“So you guy’s are getting on fine no fighting.” I shook my head. She was making me worry. “Had sex yet?” I shook my head again, this time she frowned completely. Why was this so shocking? Louis and I hadn’t mentioned it and I wasn’t too worried about it at this point in time, I had plenty of other concerns that came first.

“You love him right?” I snapped my eyes to Lucinda before snorting loudly; I tried to hold the bubbling laughter in.

“God no! Seriously guys, we’ve been dating for how long? Of course I don’t love him.” I rolled my eyes at their horrified expressions. “I’m 18, do you seriously think I can love someone when I don’t even know how to. And especially with where we are right now.” I gestured to the four of us. “We don’t even know where we will be in a couple of months, although hopefully travelling the world. I like Louis, of course. I have so much fun with him.” I watched the other curiously as they traded glances, was it really that much of a shock that I wasn’t in love with Louis? I was too young to worry about love and I had too much ahead of me to even worry about boys. I was focused on my career no matter what.

“How does Louis feel?” Kate piped up, Frankie’s frown was getting worse.

“He likes me too.” I shrugged at her. “I don’t know, we didn’t have a heart to heart.”

I could see Frankie ready to ask more questions but the door opened, thankfully, distracting all of us. Gracie practically pranced into the room, her skin glowing with happiness.

“Your lipstick is totally smudged. You little tart!” Gracie flushed as we all laughed at Frankie.

“It was one kiss Frank!” Gracie protested quickly wiping the area around her mouth frantically.

“Well come on tell us all about it!” Lucinda demanded.

“The kiss or the date?” I questioned for Gracie making Lucinda smirk. She meant the kiss. Of course she did.

“I’ll tell you about it in a minute but first I gotta tell you, you know I was photographed! When we walked into the restaurant and through the windows people were taking photos of us. I thought it was because of Tony and maybe he was more famous then I realised but they were for me.” Gracie looked so completely shocked that I felt terrible at what I would have to show them. I didn’t want to break her excitement for the night.

“Let’s talk about that later, first tell us about your date.” I prompted Gracie, patting the spot on the couch next to me. I could see the other girls share looks and glance my way, they knew something was up but I didn’t want to ruin the happiness vibrating through Gracie. She didn’t deserve people hating her, especially people who didn’t know her. No one did.