[A/N] If you're here to catch up with your reading, I wanna thank you for that :) But you should know I've added a prologue to the book and it would be great if you could read that before going through the chapters! To access the Prologue, just click on the EXTERNAL LINK and there you are!

"Don't let go, we feel the music in you. Can't forget, we only get what we give." - New Radicals

FOURTEEN

The darkness outside of Sylvia’s window could only remind her how sick and tired she was of being on that flight. Flying was never a problem, until she realized the butterflies inside of her belly were not going to make it easy for her. It was their first world tour, and the animals in her stomach were flying as high as they could and the disastrous little monkeys were playing hard, drumming at her inner surface. Sleeping had never been so distant on her mind, full of expectations as soon as they landed in South America for the first leg of the tour.

Flying back to London before heading on tour was the stupidest idea on earth, but the obvious regret had never crossed Sylvia’s mind before she left. She was surprised she was even alive after the hectic week she had and there was no time left to think about anything else. Well, almost. Actually, her mind was becoming a pro on reminding her about a certain, soon-to-be constant, presence, telling her that it would never be easy.

Neglecting those thoughts soon became her daily activity, just like she was trying to do with her insomnia. If sleep were for the weakest, she was the strongest in that case. She had already moved around in her huge seat numerous times, gone to the pilot’s cabin, watched the entire sorted amount of series available, eaten all the candies, but nothing really seemed to calm her enough. Someone was really anxious for what was about to come.

Her eyes scanned the private jet and jealousy came over here as her eyes met the sleeping boys. They were so deeply sunk into their seats, they looked like babies resting in their cradles. The way Liam’s cheek was resting on his shoulder, Sylvia came to assume he was the kind of guy who liked to sleep on his side, cuddling with himself.  And Harry, well, he was just something. Sleeping spared in his throne, with his arms under his head and his belly pointing up, as his breath seemed to sing between his lips. A loose and relaxed sleep, like the one she would love to have. But for Sylvia, the only thing left for her was her anxiety and her computer. 

She spent quite some time writing to her fans and letting them know the great news about the tour and didn’t realize how quickly two hours had passed by. Just as she had not realized how fast she was typing, she had never noticed the sleepless boy staring deeply at her a seat away.

“You should be sleeping,” her stiff, yet low, voice which suggested he wasn’t welcome there, like her steady focused eyes on the screen would also tell.

“Lost it on my way to Colombia.” Surely she was still more interested on her notes than facing him, yet he still hoped to get some kind of reaction from her. “Ok, I’m drowning in a sea of ice over here.”

She closed her notebook as a sigh rang from her mouth. Taking her glasses off of her face, she squeezed the bridge of her nose in annoyance. “What do you want?”

“I- I thought you were -”

“I was busy if you haven’t noticed.” She finally faced him and his eyebrows rose at her words.

“Since you were awake for the whole trip, I thought you would like to talk a little,” he made himself more comfortable, wrapping his body with the duvet and sinking in the seat. “Do you mind if I stay?” He gained a simple nod from her, like it was the last thing left for her since he was already there. She indeed gave up enjoying her own loneliness.

The notebook was soon put under the seat and he offered his duvet to share with her. She laid her side at the window frame and took a last glance at the sun that was shyly rising in between the clouds valley.

Neither of them had experienced the flight going through the air before a known voice repetitively tried to wake them up. Neither had realized the fact they were cuddling each other before their newly opened eyes could see it.

“Good morning, sleeping beauties!” The boy rose from her shoulder as soon as someone nudged his arms firmly, rubbing his mashed face and tightening his eyes as an attempt to avoid the daylight.

“What happened?” He took a look around, watching the girl waking up from her sleeping and facing Liam.

“We’re landing in thirty minutes,” a warm smile spread on his face as he stroked Sylvia’s hair. “Good to know that someone here wakes up looking decent.”

“No way,” she chuckled between a yawn and both of the boys laughed. Soon they would learn how low maintenance she was to wake up in the morning. And they would regret what was just said. “Where’s breakfast? I’m starving.”

“Breakfast will soon be served, and hopefully there were some food left after your little sneak around, miss.” She slapped his shoulder as both agreed on the joke, but they would never understand she was simply feeding her hormones.

--------

“Ready?!” Liam stole the bag from her hands as the jet’s door opened.

“Never been this ready before,” she smiled widely to him and held the hand he offered to her.

“Welcome to your first tour ever!”

They descended the stairs and quickly made their way to a private lobby at the airport, where they met the other boys. Mandatory customs service, group division, police’s escort and finally they reached their hotel. Before they could even think about going o their rooms, there was a last-call meeting for some not-so-wanted news.

No fan pictures. 

No stopping on your way.

No opened curtains. 

No balcony’s waves. 

No, no, no, no. 

And no questions.

Nice. Awesome way to start fearing for what was about to come. Maybe they were going too far with the whole security protocol, but she didn’t really know which ground she was stepping on. The only thing she knew was in one day she would be opening for the biggest boy band and that was definitely a great reason to be a little fearful.

All the worries and the rushed security checkpoints crossed her mind as she waited impatiently at the outdoor pool before she could finally go to her room. There were no more nails to tell the world how her triumphal launch would be, yet she wasn’t expecting anything else anymore. All she needed was her bed to sleep until the next day; the so expected first day of her career. But walking back and forth around the pool sounds better than trying to catch up on the sleep she hadn’t had for the last week.

Soon, one of her favorite human beings came across and made her almost forget all her crazy thoughts with the girl talk, combined with a few drinks and a sunny and warm weather.

“You nervous?” Lou took a sip of her bright blue drink and faced the girl in front of her. Her usual brown skin was somehow covered by a pale, nervous tint, begging for a sunny tan to disguise the anxiety from hell.

“Ahmmm-,” Sylvia rolled her eyes before fixing her glasses and faked a serious tone. “Literally shitting in my pants, if it’s enough.”

“Poor girl!” Lou never minded to hide her loud laugh. She always knew Sylvia would be like that at some point in time. “But, you know,” she rested her back on the chaise longue and stared at the bright sunny sky. “You have us. We’re working our asses off to make it memorable for everyone.”

Sylvia sat up from her position and wished her jealously would steal some of the good vibes Lou always radiated. She was right, everyone was giving their heart and soul to make that an incredible experience, and the nerves were a mere reaction of her inner insecurities.

“Just relax, Vee, and don’t push yourself too hard.”

She hated how everyone would simply drop those few words. She wished everything would be that easy to be washed.

“And,” an excited Lou sat up and couldn’t help the full-face grin she directed towards the girl, “I cannot wait for you to see what I’m planning for your hair tomorrow!” She franticly clapped her hands in a girly and non-Lou way, which brought some life back to Sylvia’s strained features.

“Don’t you dare to tease me that way!” Sylvia faced Lou, sitting on the edge of her chaise and showing her best smile. “Tell me now!”

“I was just thinking –”

“Aren’t you both the most stunning women of this earth?!” That was Liam, not only approaching them, but taking a seat next to Sylvia, cutting the rope of their girlish talking.

“Isn’t it a pleasure to be called that by you, Payne!”

“The pleasure is all mine,” his eyes switched from one girl to another as his arms reached Sylvia’s shoulder. “So what are you guys talking about? Just give me anything, I’m seriously going insane due to that fucking balcony capping.”

“Haven’t they finished yet?!” Annoyance was all written on the girls face and Liam nodded, bringing his snapback from his head to cover his face. “What a bunch of lazy bastards!” Before any reaction, Lou’s phone buzzed and she got a mad Carol on the line that desperately needed her girl.

“So,” Sylvia turned to Liam as Lou left them in the yard, “where are the others?” She asked and looked around, hoping to find the others getting some sun.

“Somewhere to be unseen and unnoticed and I can’t take that anymore.” In a flash he stood on his heels and grabbed the confused girl’s wrist, “C’mon, let’s explore this place.”

Lead by his determination to definitely break the ice, the couple was soon inside of the fancy hotel building. Their little talk was enough for her to watch him illuminate with such a pride whilst he talked about the upcoming tour, which somehow brought her the peace she was so desperately trying to grab back. It was like every little word coming from his mouth was precisely polished before any simple blurt and that was all she needed, someone to help her get her shit together. She would never do that by herself, she guessed.

“But after all,” they stood in front of a door, looking upwards at the glass elevator, watching it making its way down, “I just need to sleep, take a shower and lay naked on my bed. But who cares?” A crooked smile covered his lips and he took his snapback off, squeezing his hair and feeling the annoyance taking all over him.

Sylvia placed her hands over his shoulders and gently massaged his skin. “I thought you were –”

“LIAM! OH MY GOSH!” Both shared a quick desperate glance and turned their faces to see where the squeal came from, not really surprised to see a couple of young girls approaching them in a hurry and not really knowing if they should run to the hills or wait for the fandom’s attack.

“OH MY- I CAN’T- I LOVE YOU!” The girl sobbed and caught him disarmed, literally throwing herself into his arms whilst the other one tried to get a picture with Sylvia.

Fans. How the hell?

“Ok let’s calm down for a second,” Liam chuckled and held the girl tighter in his embrace as her tears were kind of soaking a hole in his tank top. “What’s your name, love?”

“It’s Alicia,” the girl finally seemed to calm down as her sobs started to steady, yet her face still dominated by her tears. “And what about you, sweetie?!”

“Nina,” the little girl was as pale as Liam’s t-shirt and a perfect O was molded with her lips, her hands shaking and trying to reach Liam to give him something for a sign.

“What a beautiful name!” Sylvia smiled to the girl and got a hug from her, as the pallor covering her place was slowly replace by a reddish hue. 

They walked with the girls down the hallway and had a little chat. They wanted to know about the tour, the concert, the boys and even about their girlfriends while Sylvia attentively watched Liam being the sweetest one interacting with his fans. He didn’t really care about the fact they were all hugs and kisses, soon he learnt even a little wave from him would mean the world for these girls; Sylvia knew she needed to learn something from him. 

“Girls, we need to go,” Liam said after signing their notepads and a sad look took over their features, “picture time?”

Their smiles were soon back and they spent a few minutes taking some pictures. They even asked for pictures with Sylvia, which actually surprised the girl who took a little time to realize they were fairly interested in her as well. The group waved their farewells and Liam and Sylvia quickly got into the elevator. She found herself unable to take her eyes and her silly, proud grin off of him. 

“I should be fan girling you for what you’ve just accomplished.”

“What you mean?” He moved his stare from the ceiling to a girl who could not contain her admiration.

“Those girls! I mean, their moods switched so quick because of you!” She clapped and pressed her lips, showing him a kind of funny yet weird reverence.

“Actually, I just helped them get millions of followers on Twitter,” he chuckled and made her stop clapping, soon earning a little hug from her. “That’s the smallest thing they can have of me. I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am right now if it wasn’t for them.”

“You are right,” Sylvia couldn’t hide her proud and shining eyes towards him. “But it amazes me to see how you never avoid them, even after the madness.”

“I just can’t, they are my reason to be. I wish I could get closer to them,” he scratched his jawline as some memories of the fans took his mind off, causing him to laugh slightly, “even if it means they massively want a piece of my flesh.”

“But serious, I’m impressed!” She stood in front of him and held his chin, her eyes deep on him like they were analyzing the boy and his spell ways. “You gotta teach me how to rule their hormones!”

“It would be a pleasure actually,” he chuckled and stepped outside the elevator as soon as the door opened. “But it won’t be long until you have all your fans in the palm of your hand.”

“Ok then, so let’s start this shit,” she crossed her arms and pointed to the huge glass balcony not too far from them. “Let’s go there.” Sylvia held his hand and hurried to reach the outside.

“Ok then, so let’s start this shit,” she crossed her arms and pointed to the huge glass balcony not too far from them. “Let’s go there.” Sylvia held his hand and hurried to reach the outside.

“I don’t think we-. Oh my fucking lord.” His eyes could never believe what he was seeing through the glass.

He quickly opened the glass and reached the bars, feeling like he had just turned on the hugest speaker of his life. Little did he know he was too lost in his own mind to realize what was going on outside of that perfect, little and safe, hotel world.

Finally he understood what the security protocol was about. It wasn’t about dozens or hundreds, but thousands of fans that turned the street outside into a massive and turbulent sea that blew his mind. He was there before, on balconies waving to fans that had spent days, money, and their sanity to get that distant face to face with him. But this was huge, way too much for him to handle. The loudness always seemed to increase as he greeted all those people, and for a second he wished he could go down there and hug each one of them.

“And the best part is they’re here for you.” Sylvia’s voice echoed in his ear, welcoming him back from this parallel universe and he could only smile a huge smile that became even more endearing by the spark in his eyes.

“I-,” he held the bar ahead squeezed his face tightly, shocked and amazed by the overtaken feeling of watching that reality hitting hard on him. “I’m out of words.” His snapback was soon in his hand as he faced the loud crowd ahead; still not believing that very moment of his life was real and waving frantically to them as Sylvia shot that unique scene.

“Here, I need to freeze this one,” she took a step back and made him turn to face her, giving his back to the noisy sea. “Snapback it, I wanna see your best badass face.”

Sylvia shot a few pictures of his grimaces, making sure to portrait the entire street taken by countless people. Soon the yells were replaced by his name’s call. They called him once, twice and as many times repetitively as they could, until he felt like the world stopped to evoke his presence. He was there living his moment and nothing could take that overwhelming feeling from him.

They were the reason for his hugest grin ever, the reason for him to conquer his biggest dream and he could never thank them enough. All he could do was show them his appreciation and love, even if it meant spending a few minutes watching that marvelous scene and waving from a distance to them. He knew that would certainly be unforgettable for their memories, just like he would never forget the moment he truly felt as if he were on the top on the world.

At this moment, as well as many times before, he felt his eyes watering at his own happiness. He tried to fight it, turning his back again to the crown and facing Sylvia, who was there standing and watching him proudly, but he could never get rid of all the passion his fans was showing him. But before he could face them completely, Liam heard Sylvia giggling and celebrating behind him and staring at her phone, making him wonder what suddenly made that girl that excited.

 “I just shot your life in a single picture!”

[A/N]

Can we all keep the silence for a minute and think about what is life after the wedding yesterday? *sigh* My life is gone and I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm way too ready to watch a naked Harold at Perrie & Zayn's wedding. God bless Styles.

Dedicated to the one and only @caffeinatedream because, dude, she's a precious creature! Show her some love!

Love you all <3