1 month later

“So how much exactly did these seats cost you?” I asked Harry as we stepped out of the limo and he liked our arms together.

“10,000 pounds,” My mouth dropped open, “Each.”

I made an embarrassing noise that was mixed between a gasp and a sob.

“What the hell are we getting in there?” I asked incredulous, we fell instep behind Louis and Eleanor.

“It’s a benefit love, they’re always over priced seats that are donated to a charity.” Harry told me laughing at how shocked I was.

“Well I guess it’s okay that it’s for charity but Harry you shouldn’t have bought me a seat. I can’t pay for that!” I insisted.

“Did I ask you to pay for it?” He asked me sternly. I rolled my eyes at him before glancing behind us to make sure Liam, Danielle, Niall and Zayn were walking behind us. Tate rode separately with her band tonight. I smiled at the cameras as best I could but it was still an awkward experience. Harry of course looked like a natural as he answered a few questions. We all got a group photo, then just the boys got a group photo as Danielle, Eleanor and I were asked a few questions.

Eventually we were ushered inside and towards our table.

“Who’s benefit is this anyway?” I asked Harry curiously.

“Simon didn’t say,” He shrugged, wrapping an arm around my waist and directing me towards our table. I was placed between Harry and Zayn at our circular table. The place was done immaculately, there were lights placed everyone giving the room a glowing look. It was beautiful; I couldn’t help but gawk at everything. Including the other celebrities around us.

“Skye,” Harry muttered grabbing my attention. I turned back to him expectantly to realise that he had been trying to ask me something. I smiled at him, giggling slightly as he pressed a small kiss to my lips. The moment we separated my eyes were glued back on the people around me.

We sat there chatting for a bit, or scanning the crowd in my case before the lights dimmed more and someone walked onto the stage set up the front. I glanced over and instantly felt Zayn’s body tense up beside me as the rest of us sat there shocked as Lacey began to talk. This was her benefit.

My eyes flung to Zayn’s whose had widened considerably. His hands were clinging onto the table tightly, his knuckled turning white. This was the first time he saw her since their last talk. We had been lucky to get him out of the house tonight, he wasn’t ready to see her yet and now he was thrown into seeing it in public.

“I’m going to kill Simon.” Louis muttered from the other side of Zayn as he eyed his friend curiously. I reached a hand out to place on his shoulder.

“I’m fine.” He said shrugging it off. I shook my head a thin and grabbed one of his hands that was hooked into the table. I rubbed his palm comfortingly refusing to let go as he tried to pull away. He eventually relaxed enough to stop struggling against me and let me comfort him.

His eyes stayed glued on the table as Lacey’s voice continued to ring through the hall. She spoke effortlessly about the charity we were here for. I barely listened as I stared at her. She looked beautiful as always. A part of me hoped she looked as horrible as Zayn had been feeling. At least then I would know there was some regret inside her. She looked impeccable however and I’m sure that must have crushed Zayn more.

Harry grabbed my other hand brushed over the ring slightly before linking our fingers. I smiled at him softly before my attention went back to Lacey as she left the stage to applause.

Dinner was served almost straight away as live performances began. I could see Tate from her table next to us, constantly looking over. Zayn stayed quiet and kept his head down, staring at his food but not eating.

My eyes caught Lacey crossing the room and heading towards the toilets. I took this as my chance.

“I’ve got to us the bathroom,” I said to Harry quickly, pecking him on the cheek and standing up. I hurriedly walked over to the bathroom and happily acknowledge that only one cubicle was occupied meaning that was Lacey. I propped myself up beside the sink as I waited for her to come out.

The toilet flushed and I glanced up as Lacey walked out of the toilet. She glanced at me stunned for a moment as we just stared at each other. She broke the stare and quickly moved forward to wash her hands.

“What do you want?” She said harshly, not meeting my eyes.

“I want to talk to you. You haven’t been answering my calls,” I said softly planting my feet on the ground and turning to look at her. She sighed and rested her hands on the counter looking into the mirror.

“He’s hurting Lace,”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” She snapped at me. I was taken aback by her rudeness. She sighed and closed her eyes as I saw her visibly relax.

“Why did you do it? Why did you lie?” I asked her.

“I didn’t lie,” She stated easily, eyes never moving away from her reflection.

“Don’t lie to me,” I rolled my eyes at her lack of eye contact. “I’m not stupid!”

“Zayn believed it,” she whispered, her posture softening so much that I thought she might collapse to the floor. I could tell she was heartbroken.

“Because Zayn’s so in love with you he would believe anything you tell him.” I said softly reaching my hand out to hold onto hers. She let me grasp it.

“Why did you say that stuff Lace?” I asked persistently. I needed to know, Zayn needed to know. We all needed to know that she hadn’t been fake with us.

“Because, because my father threatened him,” She sobbed out. I stared at her for a moment as the words processed.

“He what?” I asked shocked. “Like threatened his life?”

“He threatened his career and the boys. He said that if I stayed with Zayn he would destroy their careers.” She explained, turning to look into my eyes.

“Can he do that?”

“Yes, he can do anything,” She sobbed out as tears fell down her cheeks. I pulled her into me hugging her tightly. Everything began to fall into place. She was protecting Zayn. She hadn’t wanted to hurt him. My heart ached for her. I knew what it was like to say horrible things to the person you love. I had done mine willingly though because of my stupidity. Lacey had done it because she saw no other way out.

“There has to be something we can do.”

“There’s not, I broke up with Zayn and I told him those horrible things because I know how important music is to him.” She sobbed.

“He would have chosen you,” I insisted.

“No! I can’t allow him to do that, he’s just not throwing away his career but the other boys as well.” She cried out. I shushed her and rubbed her back soothingly.

“What is going on here?” A snooty voice said from the doorway. We both turned to see Lace’s mother there. I cringed at the sight of her.

“What did you do to my daughter?” She accused me and reached out snatching Lacey from my arms. I glared at her furiously as she pulled her from the room and out into the hallway. I stomped out after them to see Lacey’s father standing there waiting as well. I realised they probably thought she was taking too long because she was meeting up with Zayn. They didn’t trust her and obviously they didn’t trust me either.

Lacey’s father stepped in front of me stopping me from following Lacey. He grabbed onto my arm harshly, pulling me back so I had to look up at him.

“Don’t touch me,” I hissed at him pulling my arm out of his grip.

“You need to stay away from my daughter,” He said to me sternly.

“And you need to stop treating her like she’s a child,” I said back angrily. He glared at me. “You can’t keep her from him. She loves him and he loves her!”

“A mere infatuation, nothing more! Now I advise you and your little friends to stay away from my family or I will do something about it.”

“Oh really? What are you going to do?”

“I can ruin their careers.” He said harshly glaring down at me. I laughed at him.

“Oh please, your daughter might be naive enough to believe her big powerful father is capable of buying anything, but you can’t buy their fans. You can do whatever you want to their careers, but their fans will still love them no matter what amount of money you throw at them!” I was practically yelling at him now.

“Skye?” Harry’s voice came from around the corner as he ran into view, obviously worried when he heard my shouting. “What’s going on?”

“I suggest you keep your Australian girlfriend under control here.” My anger rose as he said the word Australian as an insult. Harry was at my side in a flash wrapping his arm around my waist to stop me from doing anything rash.

“I beg your pardon sir,” Harry said harshly glaring at the man.

“I think its best that you and your friends leave.”

“I think so too,” Harry hissed at him leading me away from him and out into the main foyer. We headed over to our table.

“Were leaving,” Harry said sternly to everyone. The look on both of our faces was enough for everyone to gather their stuff and leave without question.

“Alright what is going on you two?” Liam asked concerned, the moment we were all safely back inside the Limo.

“Skye had a little run in with Lacey’s father.” Harry muttered his grip around me tightening. Zayn glanced up surprised.

“I went to the bathroom to talk to Lacey,” I confessed to everyone as Harry looked down at me shocked. “I had to talk to her, to see why she said those things Zayn.”

“What I said wasn’t good enough for you?” Zayn asked gruffly, I could tell he was slightly hurt. He thought I was choosing Lacey over him, which wasn’t true. Lacey made him happy and I wanted him to be happy so I was doing everything in my power to get them back together.

“Lacey broke up with you because her father threatened to end One Direction’s music career if she didn’t.” There were shocked looks all around.

“WHAT?!” Zayn screeched out staring at me, mouth hanging open.