Pretty Girls Lie

It's a little past eleven. The guys were still getting ready while Hope just walked downstairs looking perfect from head to toe. She was wearing a long sleeved, short, skin tight, completely see trough dress with beautiful lace details covering her chest, stomach, her womanhood and her behind leaving her back covered by nothing else except the see trough material. She had on simple black heels with thin straps. Her hair, full of volume and perfect as always, was bouncing on her back with every step she made. She didn't have much makeup on, not that she needed it, her eyes were completely naked apart from the mascara covering her already long eyelashes, and her lips were covered with a matte dark lipstick, whose colour was a thin line between purple and black. In one word she was perfect, and someone definitely thought so as well.

- Hope, are you ready? - She could hear Ashton yelling upstairs.

- I'm downstairs. - She yelled back and soon was greeted with four pairs of eyes staring at her.

- Holy shit. - One of the guys said under his breath.

- Looking great, kiddo. - Michael told her.

- It's in our genes. - Ashton said.

- And here we have the most vain person in the world. - Luke commented.

- Not the most vain person... - Calum corrected him. - Remmember Harry...and Zayn?

- True. - Luke agreed with Calum. - Now back to Hope, you look gorgeous.

- Don't even think about it, she's my sister. - Ashton butted in.

- You really think I would do that?

- How long have we known each other?

- True, but not her. Not that she's not stunning... - Luke said. - But first of all, I have a girlfriend and second, I look at her as a sister and I'm not really that into Game of Thrones family relations.

Everyone laughed at Luke's argument.

- I haven't posted on Instagram lately, come on, let's take a picture. - Luke said and the guys all stood next to him, posing.

Luke extended his arm fitting all the boys in the frame, he was half smiling, Ashton was next to him smiling widely, Michael threw his arm over Ashton's shoulder sticking his tounge out while Calum was smiling humbly.

- Hope, come on. - Luke invited her as well.

- Oh no, I don't need to cause trouble in your fandom. - She replied.

Once again everyone laughed.

- Let's just take a picture together, we won't post it anywhere. - Ashton said.

Hope wasn't really feeling it.

- Come on. - Calum said and motioned for her to come to them.

- Alright, just one picture. - She said and joined them.

She stood next to Calum, she put her one hand on his left shoulder and her other on his chest while he put his arm around her waist, a normal thing to do when taking a picture with someone. The guys all posed the same while Hope smiled widely, showing her pearly white teeth and her adorable dimples.

- That's good. - Ashton said after Luke showed him the picture.

- Alright, we should get going. - Luke said and with that they all left the apartment.

Ashton, Hope, Calum and Michael waited outside fot Luke to bring the car. When he did Ashton opened the door for Hope and after they were all in they were on their way to the club. Luke was driving, Calum was in the passenger seat and Ashton, Michael and Hope in the back.

Not much later they were at their destination. The outside of the club was crawling with photographers and every known person was stopping at the entrance to pose for the cameras. Luke and Calum were the first ones to get out of the car. Luke handed the car keys to the valet and waited for everyone to get out of the car. After Ashton and Michael got out Michael held out his hand to Hope to help her get out and she took it. As soon as she stepped out of the car she noticed all eyes were pointed at them.

- You alright, kiddo? - Michael asked her after noticing she's nervious.

- Everyone is staring.

- Yeah, you'll get used to it. - He smiled and the five of them were slowly walking towards the entrance.

- I told them we'll be bringing a friend so if you don't want to take a picture with us you can go on in, just tell the bouncer your name. - Ashton told Hope.

- Alright, thank you. - She said to which he nodded.

The boys stopped to take a picture and Hope walked over to the bouncer.

- Name? - The bouncer asked her.

- Hope Lucas.

He checked the list and removed the velvet rope so she can walk in. Inside she was greeted with blasting music and flashing lights but the atmosphere was amazing, she felt alive. There were no windows in the club and everything was either white or neon. It wasn't even midnight and the place was already crawling with people. The boys came in a few minutes after her and together they went to their private booth. There were private booths on both sides of the club which were separated from the rest of the club only by white, partialy see trough, curtains. They came to theirs. There was a round white leather sofa and a small coffee table in front of it. Calum and Michael were sitting on the ends of the sofa with Hope, Ashton and Luke between them.

- I'm gonna go get drinks, what do you want? - Ashton asked Hope but his voice was drowned in the music.

- What?

- I'm gonna go get drinks, what do you want? - He repeated himself, this time louder.

- Oh, nothing, thanks. - She said.

You sure? - He asked her again.

- Yeah, thank you. - She told him and he left.

Not long after Ashton left Hope got up as well. The song that was playing was a little quiter and she could hear Michael yell.

- Where are you going?

- Bathroom. - She said to which he nodded and she left.

The club was packed with people but everyone still had enough room to dance. She was on her way to look for the bathroom when someone bumped into her from behind. Reflexivly she turned around. A 5 ft. 10, dark haired girl was standing there.

- Oh, sorry. - The girl said, her voice barely heard over the music.

She gave her a smile, not paying much attention to her features, and left.

A few minutes later Hope returned to their private booth. Luke and Michael weren't there but two other guys were sitting in their places talking to Ashton and Calum. Ashton was the first one to notice her.

- Hey. - He told her and caused Calum and the two guys to look at her.

Sitting there and talking to her brother and Calum were non other than Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction.

- This is... - Ashton looked at her, before introducing her, to which she just nodded. - My sister Hope, Hope this is Harry and Louis.

The music was once again quiter and she could her him loudly and clearly.

- Nice to meet you. - Harry and Louis said at the same time and flashed her a smile.

- You too. - She flashed her smile as well, and took the empty seat next to Calum.

- Wait, I thought your sisters name is Lauren... - Harry said, confused.

- It is, this is my other sister. - Ashton said and noticed their very confused faces. - It's a long story.

The guys once again got into a deep conversation, like the one they were having when Hope walked in, while she stayed quiet.

- Are you gonna be in a bad mood all night? - Calum suddendly turned to Hope, his Australian accent sounding really pleasant to the ear.

- I'm not in a bad mood, I just don't like going out.

- Why not?

- I guess I've just never been out with anyone fun. - She said and gave him a half smile.

- Well you are now. - He said and smiled proudly. - And trust me, you're gonna want to go out every night after tonight.

She smiled.

- You two coming? - Ashton's voice suddendly came to their ears.

- Where? - Calum asked.

- To dance, come on. - Harry told him.

- Oh no, I can't. - Calum declined.

- Hope, you coming? - Ashton asked her.

- Hell no. - She declined as well.

Ashton, Harry and Louis left, but before leaving their private booth Ashton turned around and gestured to the two of them that he's watching them.

A few moments after they left Calum got up and closed the curtain, isolating them from the rest of the club.

- Is it cool with you if I smoke? - Calum asked her once he sat back down.

- Yeah, go ahead.

- He pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket, taking one cigarette along with a lighter and putting the pack on the table. He put the cigarette in his mouth but his lighter wouldn't work.

- You wouldn't happen to have a lighter? - He asked her.

- Not here.

He tried it a few more times and thankfully it worked, he lighted the cigarette and put the lighter on the table.

- You smoke? - He asked inhaling the smoke.

- Yeah. - She said.

He took the pack from the table, while letting the smoke dribble out of his mouth, and handed it to her. Hope thought for a second before taking one cigarette from the pack and Calum putting it back on the table. Since his lighter barely works after Hope put the cigarette in her mouth he brought his cigarette to hers and light it with it. She was gracefully holding the cigarette between the first and second knuckles of her index and middle finger, while slowly inhaling the smoke.

- You know, you don't really look like a girl that smokes. - Calum told her.

She blew out the smoke trought her mouth before talking. - And why is that?

- You look too inocent. - He said and half smiled.

They were inhaling and blowing out the smoke in between their words.

- And you don't? - Hope asked him and raised her eyebrow.

He smiled mischievously instead of answering.

Maybe it was because of the atmosphere but the two of them were really flirty.

In the background slow and sexy songs, like Ariana Grande's ''Dangerous Woman'' and ''Let Me Love You'' and Nick Jonas' ''Close'', were playing enabling them to hear each other loudly and clearly.

- So why did you close the curtain before lighting a cigarette? - She asked him.

- A while back someone took a picture of me smoking and our fans made a pretty big deal out of it, so I try to keep it on the low. - He answered.

- So you're hiding a part of you so your fans would think you're a saint? - They haven't broken eye contact. - And here I was thinking you're a bad boy.

- And here I was thinking you were a good girl.

- I'm not the one hiding when lighting a cigarette. - She provoked him. - And I didn't claim to be a good girl, you assumed.

Hope seeemed like a different girl. All day she was shy and barely spoke but here, now, her low husky voice kept provoking him and exciting him more and more.

- Well, it's hard not to assume when you have ''good girl'' written all over you.

- Am I supposed to take that as a compliment or an insult?

They were almost whispering.

- Well, would you rather be an angel or the devil?

- Why can't I be both? - She exhaled the smoke in his face and answered.

He smiled.

They were so close, she might as well have been sitting in his lap.

- So a fallen angel, turned devil? - He asked, still not breaking eye contact.

- Is that how you see me, or am I just a good girl in you eyes?

- Well good girls are just bad girls that haven't been caught. - He quoted their song. - So I guess you are a little bit of both.

She bit her lip and smiled.

- A fallen angel, turned devil it is. - He said noticing her actions and for the first time breaking eye contact.

- So that's me, but what are you? - She asked him.

- I'm whatever you want me to be. - His voice sounded almost like a whisper, but she heard him and she smiled.

Both of them stubbed their cigarettes in the ashtray.

- You want another one? - He said while taking one cigarette for himself.

- Yeah.

Calum handed her the cigarette pack and she as well took one cigarette for herself. Once again it took his lighter several tries to work. After he lighted his cigarette he turned to her and lighted hers the same way he did before, only this time without either of them removing the cigarettes from their mouths. They were inches away and they weren't breaking eye contact. Once her cigarette was lighted he backed away but they still weren't breaking eye contact, until Calum looked down at the table, but than right back up at her.

- You want something to drink? - He asked her.

- Yeah, Zombie. - She said.

- I thought you don't like going out? - He said, surprised at her choice of beverage.

- I don't, but that doesn't mean I don't like drinking. - She half smiled, so did he.

- I'll be right back. - He leaned his cigarette in the ashtray and left.

And soon after he returned with one Zombie, consisting od three different kinds of rum, lime juice, falernum, Angostura bitters, Pernod, grenadine, and a combination of cinnamon syrup and grapefruit juice, and one Bone Dry Martini for himself, made with pure gin and no vermouth.

- Here you go. - He said and handed her the drink.

- Thank you. - She took the Zombie in her left hand while holding the cigarette in her right hand.

Calum took his cigarette out of the ashtray and inhaled the smoke as soon as he took a sip of his Bone Dry Martini.

Hope was flicking off the ashes from her cigarette while sipping her drink fast.

- So how does and innocent girl like you know about a drink like that? - He asked.

Both of them were switching between sipping their drinks and enjoying their cigarettes.

- Didn't we establish before that I'm not that innocent? - She said, misheviously.

- Yeah, but you're still 18. - He said.

- And you're 20, what's your point? - She asked.

- Most girls your age don't drink like you do or even know about the drinks that you do.

- You better be careful, I'm getting offended now.

- I didn't mean it as and insult, you just...

- I just what? - She said and put her drink on the table but still holding onto her cigarette.

- You're not like other girls. - He said.

- Oh come on, next thing you're gonna ask me if it hurt when I fell from heaven. - She said annoyed.

- Didn't we establish before that you are a fallen angel, so it would make sense if I asked you that.

She rolled her eyes playfully and turned away from him.

They both stayed quiet until Chris Brown's ''Fine By Me'' was played.

Calum immediately put his drink and cigarette down.

''She doesn't call before midnight, if at all
Oh, she never stays to watch the night turn to day''
- Shit. - Calum said and smiled while turning to Hope. - Dance with me.

She looked at him but didn't say anything.

- Come on, don't be mad. - He pleaded.

She smiled. - I'm not mad I just can't dance.

- I'll show you just come on. - He said. - I love this song.

''But I'm like use me baby, anyway you want
I wish you were mine in the broad daylight
But you just use me baby, anyway you want
I wish you were mine but''
Calum got up from his seat and held out his hand for her. She looked and him for a few seconds before taking his hand and getting up as well. In a matter of seconds they were on the dance floor. Calum took her hands and put them around his neck while he put his hands on her hips.

''She only loves me when the lights are off, lights are off
She only loves me when the sun is down, sun is down
She only loves me when no one's around, one's around
She only loves me cause I put it down
And it's fine by me
And it's fine by me''
- Just listen to the rhythm. - He said as he got a little closer to her.

Calum was singing along to the song while Hope was swinging her hips to the song beat.

''She's like the wind, she comes and goes and again
All of my friends think I'm a fool, silly them''
- Damn. - He said, in between his singing, looking down at Hope's body moving to the music.

''But I'm like use me baby, anyway you want
I wish you were mine in the broad daylight
But you just use me baby, anyway you want
I wish you were mine but''
She just rolled her eyes playefully and laughed.

''She only loves me when the lights are off, lights are off
She only loves me when the sun is down, sun is down
She only loves me when no one's around, one's around
She only loves me cause I put it down''
Calum was singing along to the song until a certain part. He came closer to Hope.

- And it's fine by me. - He whispered in her ear misheviously.

''She knows I can take her there, afterwards she just don't care
She knows I can take her there, afterwards she just don't care''
Their bodies were close, moving in sync.

''She only loves me when the lights are off, lights are off
She only loves me when the sun is down, sun is down
She only loves me when no one's around, one's around
She only loves me cause I put it down
You a freak, and it's fine by me
You a freak, and it's fine by me
And it's fine by me
And it's fine by me
And it's fine by me''
After the song ended Calum was holding her hand while going back to their private booth.

They didn't notice him, but Ashton certainly noticed them.

- You're just full of surprises tonight. - Calum said after they both took a seat on the sofa. - I thought you said you can't dance.

- And I can't.

- You could've fooled me. - He said. - Maybe you just needed the right partner.

Once again his voice was almost like a whisper.

Hope just smiled flirtatiously at his word and put the cigarette in her mouth. He did the same.

- Hey. - Michael said coming back into the booth with Luke and Ashton right behind him.

Michael and Luke took a seat on Calum's left while Ashton sat down next to Hope, leaving Hope and Calum still next to each other.

- I didn't know you smoke. - Ashton told her.

- I don't smoke that often. - She said.

- You know that's killing you, right? - Ashton asked her.

Calum, Luke and Michael were staying quiet, observing the siblings. The look on Calum's face said he's familiar with those words coming from Ashton's mouth.

- I spent most of my life in a hospital surrounded by cancer patients. - She told him. - Trust me, I know.

- Than you know you shouldn't do it. - Ashton once again jumped right into the role of the overprotective brother.

- Look, I get that you're concerned...but you're not my mother or my father and you've been my brother for less than two days, so just don't.

Hope was unrecognizable, even to Calum. She wasn't the shy and quiet Hope, but she also wasn't the flirty and mysterious Hope. This Hope was pissed off.

No one said a word until Hope spoke again.

- I'm sorry... - Hope said and smiled apologetically.

- Nah, you're right. It's non of my business. - Ashton said. - I'm just worried.

- I know. - She said and smiled. - So are we still cool?

- Yeah. - Ashton said and smiled as well.

Just as they ended their conversation Hope finished her cigarette and stubbed it in the ashtray. Calum was still slowly smoking his. Hope soon replaced the cigarette with her drink, Zombie.

- Ah, right, I could use another drink. - Micheal got up from his seat. - Any of you want anything?

All except Luke declined.

- What's wrong with you tonight? - Michael asked the rest of them, more rhetorically, while leaving the booth.

Luke and Calum were on their phones while Ashton and Hope were talking.

- So, are you having fun? - Ashton asked Hope.

- It's not as bad as I thought I'd be. - Hope said, glancing at Calum while answering.

Ashton smiled. - Hey, let's take a picture.

- We took a picture before leaving. - She said.

- Yeah, but not just the two of us. Come on, I want to have a picture with my sister. - Ashton said and made a puppy face. - Just one picture.

- Ah, alright. - She said acting annoyed, but still smiled.

- Yay! - Ashton exclaimed and took out his phone.

Ashton smiled widely, a trade mark of his, and so did Hope. They both looked adorable showing off their smiles and dimples, and they looked more alike now than ever.

- Cal, wanna take a picture with us? - Ashton asked him.

- Sure. - He said and put his phone on the table.

- Hey, you said just one picture. - Hope told Ashton, tight-lipped.

- Oh, come on, I won't post it anywhere.

- You're really annoying, you know that? - She said half jokingly, but not meaning it as an isult.

- You'll grow to love me. - He said and they both laughed. - Cal, get over here.

Calum came closer to Hope and threw his hand over her shoulder. This time Ashton was half smiling, Calum stuck out his tounge a little and Hope channeled her inner Mona Lisa, smiling mysteriously.

- Luke you wanna join? - Ashton asked him after taking the picutre, but Luke didn't even hear him, he was on his phone.

- I'm assuming Arzaylea... - Ashton said looking at Calum.

- Probably. - Calum answered.

Calum's arm was still over Hope's shoulder.

At that moment Michael came back with two drinks in his hands. He put both drinks on the table and took a seat between Calum and Luke. Luke took his drink instantly and so did Michael.

- How long are we staying? - Hope asked.

- You wanna go already? - Calum asked her.

- No. - She said, the flirty athosphere between them was back. - I'm just asking.

- We just got here, enjoy yourself a little. - He told her.

- Oh, I am. - She said, mischievously.

They may have been talking quitely but the looks on their faces gave them away to Michael and Ashton. Perhaps noticing the two od them staring, Calum removed his arm from Hope's shoulder and took his drink.

- Oh My God! - A female voice exclaimed, not Hope's.

They all looked at the booth entrance, the curtain was open. A girl in her 20s was standing there.

- I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, I'm just a huge fan. - The girl said excitedly.

- You're not inerrupting. - Ashton said politely with and honest smile on his face.

- It's always a pleasure meeting fans. - Calum joined the conersation and Luke finally put his phone down.

- I can't believe I'm acutally meeting you! - The girl said.

- What's your name? - Michael asked her.

- Emma. - She introduced herself excitedly.

The guys all got up from their seats and greeted her politely and happily, each one of them giving her a hug. Luke seemed to have had too much to drink, seeing as he could barely stand, but he still managed to act sober and greet the girl nicely. While she was talking to the boys and while they were getting up she was giving Hope some strange looks. It looks like Luke didn't have to post a picture with Hope for her to cause trouble in their fandom.

- Would it be alright if I took a picture with you? - The girl asked them. - My friends won't believe me.

- Of course. - Ashton said. - Hope, can you take the picture?

- Yeah, sure. - Hope said and got up from her seat.

The girl handed Hope her phone. After she took a few pictures Hope handed her the phone back and the girl thanked her to which Hope politely smiled and returned to her seat on the sofa. The girl's eyes followed Hope and stopped at the cigarette pack. Noticing what the girl was looking at Hope took the cigarette pack and pulled out one cigarette, removing the suspicion of of Calum.

- Thank you so much! - The girl said after seeing what Hope did, no suspicion was left. - It was amazing meeting you.

The girl thanked them once again and left their private booth. The boys returned to the sofa.

- Luke, are you alright? - Calum asked him.

- Yeah, yeah. - He said, but no one believed him.

- We should go. - Ashton said and everyone except Luke agreed.

- Sorry mate, you're outnumbered. - Michael told Luke and helped him up.

Michael and Calum sublty helped Luke exit the club with Ashton and Hope few steps behind them. Thankfully most of the photographers left, but even with a few of them still there the guys and Hope didn't pay much attention to them. After a few minutes of standing in front of the club the valet brought their car. Firstly they put Luke in the passenger seat, then Ashton got in the drivers seat and Michael, Calum and Hope sat in the back.

- Thank you for that. - Calum said quietly to Hope to which she smiled in response.

After about fifteen minutes of laughing at drunk Luke trying to sing along to songs on the stereo, they came back to their apartment.

Notes

I hope you liked this chapter and the little flirtationship forming between Hope and Calum.

Once again I want to say this for this one and all the future chapters, I know I haven't written the characters to be exactly how they are in real life, but this is purely fiction so please take no offense.

Thank you for reading!