Love in Music

I pushed my aching legs further and faster while my breaths came in short gasps, lung burning. I ignored the headache that began pounding in my head and tried to control my breathing.

“Wait so paparazzi actually found you in Australia? Like at your home?” Frankie panted out from next to me. Annoyed, I realised that though she was puffed she wasn’t as breathless as I was.

“Yep.” I gasped out. “Louis said that we would just get used to it.” I forced the words out and eyed the speed button on the treadmill considering turning it down.

“I don’t think I could ever get used to that. It’s just plain creepy.” Frankie responded.

“You know if you two stop talking you might be able to last longer and control your breathing.” Helen our personal trainer appeared between us making me squeak then thank God as she reached over and turned off the treadmill. It slowed down to a walk before eventually stopping.

“We’re supposed to sing and be active at the same time so we may as well practice talking.” Frankie shrugged while climbing off and beginning the warm down exercises that Helen had been teaching us. She rolled her eyes at Frankie’s comment and just pulled her short black hair into a bun.

“How about some lunges next?” She offered, her question obviously rhetorical. I groaned but followed her to a section of the gym that contained more room. Frankie followed behind us, grumbling under her breath. “I swear to God Frankie the more you grumble at me the harder I’ll make your workout.” I laughed at Frankie’s scowl and concentrated on Helen’s movements across the floor. Following her correction as she made them.

“So how did Louis go meeting the fam? You haven’t really said much about it?” Frankie asked, ignoring Helen’s exasperated sigh. I shrugged and glanced towards Frankie.

“Fine. He got along with everyone.” I told her, nothing else really to say. She raised an eyebrow at me and corrected her stance to what Helen instructed.

“So you weren’t worried at all? Or made a bid deal out of it at all?” Frankie asked, confused. I shook my head at her.

“No? Why is it a big thing?” I asked her, completely lost. She gaped at me and stopped her lunges. “What? What did I say?” I stopped too and looked at her for answers.

“Oh my god you two! Yes Annabelle it is important. Taking a boy home to meet the parents is massive and important and you totally should have been more nervous. Now would you two please get back to the lunges before I quit in protest.” Frankie sighed and waved Helen on before falling back into step with me. I tried to ignore her eyes that were focused on me for the rest of the training session.

-

I wrapped my slightly damp body in a large fluffy towel and grabbed another smaller one to dry my hair with. The steam billowed out of the bathroom when I opened the door to see Kate lounging across my bed.

“Hey is everyone ready?” I questioned Kate, lightly tapping her leg as I walked past her towards my wardrobe. She made an affirmative noise while focusing on her phone.

“So Frankie said that you didn’t think Louis going home with you was a big deal.” I sighed in exasperation and yanked the first shirt I saw on a coat hanger.

“It wasn’t that major. He just spent a couple days, enjoyed Lissy’s birthday and we just surfed a lot. That was it.” I yelled out to her shaking my head. This wasn’t the nineteenth century. Louis wasn’t going to have to earn my parents permission to date me.

“But Liam said Louis was really nervous about going. Even had Liam over helping him to choose what clothes to wear.” I paused and walked towards the wardrobe door to stare at Kate, surprised. “And apparently it was even worse because he was upset that you hadn’t invited him and he had to ask to go.” She further explained. I frowned in confusion. Louis had been fine, quieter then usual but he was tired, we both were.

“He didn’t tell me any of this.” I muttered to her, frowning and shifting uncomfortably. I thought Louis would bluntly tell me things like this.

“Do you even love him?” Kate asked, sitting up and staring at me seriously. Frustrated, I ran a hand through my hair tugging on the ends, we had had this conversation before.

“No I don’t but that doesn’t mean I don’t like him.” I insisted.

“Then maybe you should talk to Louis.” Kate supplied and laid back down, playing on her phone once again. I stayed quiet and finished getting changed, throwing my hair into a bun on top of my head. I honestly thought that Louis and I were okay but everyone else seemed to see this whole other relationship that was having trouble.

I followed Kate out of the room grabbing my own phone and debating whether or not to call Louis and find out if something was actually wrong.

“Guess what?” I looked up at Lucinda as we all headed out the door and down to the lobby. “Zayn texted to say that there are fans out front of the studio for us, again. They were asking the boys if we were coming in today. Can you believe that people are actually waiting for us?”

“Of course.” Frankie replied immediately, flicking her hair off her shoulder before cracking a grin. I smiled back and nudged her shoulder while security herded us down to the car and away from prying eyes.

“God, we’ve only released one song.” Gracie laughed, throwing her head back to rest against the car seat.

“I know but we’ve already made it onto the billboard charts. In the top ten!” Frankie waved her arms one hand clipping the back of my ear; I shot her a glare and pushed her arms away.

“And climbing!” Lucinda added in, her hand slapping her knees excitedly in different rhythms. “And we’re number four in the charts here and still climbing as well.”

“What are we in Australia?” I asked curiously, grabbing my phone to Google it. “I haven’t checked.”

“As of this morning.” Lucinda cut into my Googling with a large smile. “We have reached number two in the Aria charts.” I gasped in disbelief while Frankie laughed and pulled me into her arms. Number two was the highest we had been anywhere so far and it was my country.

“Number two.” I repeated dumbfounded, a weird swirling feeling filled my stomach. Nerves and excitement all jumbled in together making me too excited to react properly.

“And we’ve only released one song.” Gracie repeated again, smiling widely. I grinned back, holding on tighter to Frankie as the car slowed down. I peaked outside to see the large crowd of girls waiting out front of the studio. There were held back by a fence that sat around the whole studio for protection. The car still had to drive through them all and their faces and signs could be pushed against the window as they tried to yell through. It was shocking and unbelievable that people were here yelling and calling our names, wanting to meet us.

“Can we go meet them?” Lucinda asked our security today.

“We will have to check with Geoffrey once we arrive. Maybe after your meeting today we could set something up,” one of the men escorting us today voiced. I shrugged at Lucinda in acknowledgement as she sighed and settled back down in her seat. It might suck not to have a choice but they knew more then we did. This was all new and extremely frightening.

Harry was waiting for us just within the door of the studio complex, his wild hair covered by a beanie but his smile as welcoming as always as he called out, waving us over.

“Did you see your fans?” He gestured maniacally outside. I laughed and nodded while we followed our security towards the lifts.

“We want to meet them?” Gracie voiced out and Harry agreed wholeheartedly.

“You definitely should. It’s amazing that you already have fans so committed already. You should go thank them.” I smiled at Harry’s genuine love for the fans. I hoped that I could show the same gratitude to our own.

“Hey have you spoken to Louis today?” Harry questioned when everyone began piling through Simon’s door. I shook my head at Harry. “Oh I can’t get a hold of him and we’re supposed to be meeting with Simon after you guys.”

“I can text him if you want?” I offered to Harry who shook his head and gestured for me to head into the office. I quickly shot a text of too Louis anyway, just in case.

“And now we have five.” Simon greeted. I fell into the chair beside Gracie and stared at Simon and Jen expectantly. Jen swayed slowly back and forwards and Simon’s chair while Simon stood behind her, smiling politely. It was an extremely odd picture.

“We wanted to congratulate you girls and how fast your song has risen in the charts.” Jen beamed at each of us while Simon remained mostly expressionless behind her. “Now is the time we start getting you out in the public. So your amazing media teams have been booking public appearances, radio shows and an opening act.” I blinked at Jen in surprise trying to process everything she was saying.

“Opening for who?” Frankie piped up, curiosity colouring her tone.

“For Olly Murs.” Simon stepped forward and rested one hand on the side of his desk. “And if everything goes well this might even lead to a tour.”

“Tour?” Lucinda squeaked out as we all stared wide-eyed. Our first single had just reach the charts, we had recently been given more songs to begin learning and rehearsing as well as taken part in more writing workshops but touring and performing our songs still seemed like a far away concept.

“We plan to have everyone talking about you within the next month. Your celebrities now girls, time to start practicing your signatures.” It did not seem that easy to be a celebrity, to be so well known so suddenly. I knew Simon had put a lot of money, effort and resources into us but this seemed almost like a miracle. An unrealistic miracle.

“Are you girls okay?” Jen questioned softly when none of us responded. Gracie shook her head almost instantly, next to me.

“I think I might be sick.” She admitted weakly. She was looking slightly pale.

“Well why don’t you girls go outside and get some fresh air and greet the fans.” Simon prompted, nudging Jen out of his chair and giving us an obvious dismissal. Frankie sarcastically bowed which Jen smirked at before pushing us all out of the room.

“Hey, how did the meeting go?” Louis appeared in front of me as the other boys headed into Simon’s office.

“Good. Really good. What’s your meeting about?” I asked Louis as Kate tugged me after the other girls. Louis took a step to follow but Liam called his name. He faltered and frowned after me.

“I’ll talk to you later?” He questioned. I nodded and waved before the elevator doors shut between us.

“So you can probably spend ten minutes out there meeting a few fans but after that we need you back in here. We have song rehearsal for one of your new songs that will probably go for two hours and then after that you have a three hour dance rehearsal time slot before you can grab some dinner then come back for a song writing session.

I paused as we stepped of the elevator and stared at Jen in shock. She shrugged and waved us towards the front door.

“You girls wanted this, we’ve done our part. Now you have to pull it all of if you’re going to be famous.” She spun on her heel and headed in the opposite direction as our security closed in around us forming a tight group and leading us out the front door. The screams rose higher and Gracie latched onto my hand.

I took a deep breath and smiled.