Career in Jeopardy

“Wait Darcy.” Harry called.

I turned. “What Harry?”

“Can we at least be friends?”

I considered it. “Yeah of course.” I finally said.

He cracked into a large grin. “Good.”

“Harry where are you going?” A male asked behind him. He was middle aged.

“I’m taking Darcy home.”

“Not in that swarm you’re not.”

“We’ll go round the back.” Harry persuaded.

“Fine.” The man said sighing.

“By the way Darcy this Paul, head of security.” Harry told me.

“Paul this is Darcy.”

“Nice to meet you.” I said extending a hand.

He grasped my extended hand and shook it. “The pleasure is all mine.”

I smiled politely back.

“I’ll guide you both round.”

Paul led us around the hotel till we came to a fire exit. He pushed the doors open and there stood a black land rover.

“Come on.” Harry said putting a hand on the small of my back gesturing for me to go to the car.

“Quickly Harry.” Paul said urgently.

I quickly got into the passenger seat and as soon as Harry was in the car we had sped off.

“Jesus.” I said in shock as we went over 80.

“I don’t want the paps to see me leaving.” Harry explained.

“Yeah and a car leaving a posh hotel like it was at grand prix race isn’t going to draw any attention.” I said sarcastically.

Harry chuckled and slowed down. Soon we were on the roads and going at regular speed.

“So what are you going to do today? Are you just going to watch bad shows?” Harry asked.

“My shows aren’t bad.” I defended. “But I don’t know I might go and see my family.”

“Do they live, hang on where do you live?”

I laughed. “Colchester.” Then I told him my address that he put into the GCS.

“And yeah they live about 10 minutes away from me.”

“That’s really cool. My family live like 4 hours away and when we are back in the UK they always want us to be in London or in the main cities to record and do interviews so I barely see them.”

“That would suck.” I nodded.

Harry laughed.

“What?”

“Most people try to sugar coat it or persuade me that it isn’t that bad.” Harry explained.

“Ahh right, do you want me to sugar coat it?” I asked sheepishly.

Harry chuckled again. “Nah. I like it.”

“Well I just don’t think there is any point in sugar coating anything I mean if it sucks for you then someone else’s opinion on isn’t going to change what you feel only you can change what you feel.” I rambled.

“True that.” Harry said.

I laughed. “So what album are you touring?”

“Midnight Memories.”

“That’s deep.” I said jokingly.

Harry laughed. “Funny.”

I shrugged. “You laughed.”

“True.” Harry admitted.

“So do you know what you’ll be doing?”

“I only know what I got told yesterday. I’ll be doing a tour of the tour bus acting like everything’s normal and hopefully I’ll do some meet and greets.”

“Have you ever gone on a plane before?” Harry asked.

“Nope. I’m guessing you have?”

“I think I’ve flown a plane more than I’ve flown this car.” Harry said smiling.

“Seriously?” I asked my eyes were probably wide.

“We’ve done about 2 world tours so yeah.”

“Geesh.” Was the only word I could come up with in reply to that. “So is it scary?”

“Flying? Your first one might be but not really. It’s just really boring to stay on a plane for hours.”

“Is there wifi?” I asked hopefully.

“No.” Harry said chuckling. “And your phone won’t work in the air either.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah I know. How dare Telstra not put a telephone line in the sky.” Harry said smirking.

“Oh yeah.” I said feeling really stupid.

“So did you do college?” Harry asked.

“Really?” I whined.

“What?” Harry asked surprised.

“Just because I asked a really dumb question you jump to the conclusion that I didn’t get an education?”

Harry laughed. “That isn’t why I asked.”

“I did about a year in college but then YouTube wanted me and my fashion line needed me and I just couldn’t juggle everything and I figured that I was leaving college for a job so it was ok.”

“Let me guess. Parents didn’t approve.”

“Bingo.” I cheered. “They said I was setting a bad example for my younger siblings and that it wasn’t a reliable job and then they bought my older brother into it.”

“How?” Harry asked confused.

“He’s golden boy.” I explained. “He’s the smartest in the family, he got the best grades everyone liked him without him even trying and he went to college before joining the Royal Air Force.”

“Well you still did one more year then me.” Harry said.

“You didn’t go to college or uni?”

“I was going to but then XFACTOR came up and like you I couldn’t juggle both.”

“How were your parents about it?”

“My dad walked out my sister Gemma and I when we were 7 so he’s barely around but my mum and my step father Robin were fine with it.”

“Your parents split?” I asked shocked.

“Why are you so surprised?” Harry asked.

“I dunno.” I shrugged. “You seem like you have the perfect life.”

“No-one has a perfect life Darcy.”

“My Dad left my mum to.” I said quietly as tears edged in my eyes.

“When?” he asked quietly.

“A few months ago.”

“I’m sorry.” Harry said. I looked at him and his eyes were full of sympathy.

He rested his hand on my leg giving my some comfort.

“It’s worse for my younger siblings especially Julian who’s 10. I mean he’s old enough to know what’s going on but too young for anyone to take seriously and then there’s Lilly who just doesn’t know where her dad is because he works as a safety adviser and does 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off. The Julian just wants his dad around and then my mum is heartbroken.” I rambled.

I felt Harry’s hand on my cheek wiping away a tear I hadn’t realised had fallen.

“Sorry.” I muttered. “I can usually tell someone that my parents are split without getting into the life story or without crying.”

“Sometimes you just have to let it out. You can’t keep in forever.” Harry whispered.

I looked in his. I could get lost in those eyes. They were green but not like any green eyes I had ever seen.

I bought my fingers up to my eyes and quickly wiped away my tears.

“I’m fine.” I said weakly.

He looked at me then sighed. “You’re not.” He took my hand softly and then pulled off the curb I hadn’t realised he had pulled up on.

We were silent for the rest of the journey but it was a comfortable silence. I knew I should pull my hand away from his but I just didn’t have enough strength in me to do so.

We pulled up outside my flat.

“Do you want to come in?” I asked.

“Really?” Harry asked surprised.

“You don’t have to.” I rushed. “Just if you want to.”

He smiled. “I do.”

“Well lets go.”

I opened the door to my flat and Harry followed after me.

“I’m just going to get changed.” I told him.

“Ok and Darcy?”

“Yeah?” I asked turning back.

“You looked really beautiful in that dress.” Harry said.

I blushed and hurried off to get changed. Outfit


When I came out my phone started ringing.

“Jules how you doing?” I asked trying to sound cheerful.

“Darcy.” His voice sobbed.

“Julian what is it?”

“Its m-u.m.” he sobbed. “Dad.” Sob “Called and they fought and Lilly won’t stop crying and” sob. “mums locked herself in her room but I can hear her crying and shaking. I don’t know what to do Darcy. Please come.” More sobs came from his end.

“Oh Jules.” I said as I felt my heart break at his continual attempts to stop is sobbing. “I’m coming right now just sit tight take deep breaths. Give Lilly those chocolate stars and don’t bother mum stay in your room. I’m going to be there in 5 minutes!”

“O—kay.” He hanged up.

I ran into the living room where Harry sat. I pulled on my boots. He stood up when he saw my face.

“Darcy what’s wrong?”

I pushed him out of the way. I didn’t have time for this. My family needed me. I ran to the door and I heard Harry follow after me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

“What’s wrong Darcy?”

“It’s my mum. She got a call from my dad and it didn’t go well and Lilly is crying, mum is having a break down and Julian doesn’t know what to do and is crying as well so piss off because I need to go!”

I pulled away and ran to my car and yanked open the door. I stuck the keys in the ignition but the car after a few grunts died.

“Fucking useless piece of shit!” I yelled punching the steering wheel.

My door opened again. “Come on Darcy I’ll give you a ride.” Harry said. He pulled out the keys out of the ignition.

“Thank you! But we have to hurry!!” I said panicked.

“I know. Let’s go!”

Notes

xx