Wait

chapter 6

Harper

"Hey Harper? Knock knock? Anyone?"

I opened the door and greeted my eager sister and mother. My mum was the one to gasp cover her mouth because of how much I've matured in the past oh, I dunno...two months.

"Harper! Oh lord it feels like it's been years since I've seen you!"

"I only graduated two months ago mum, s'not like I'm living here!"

"When are you coming back huh? I'm keeping all my junk in your room."

I hugged my sister after Gemma cracked her little joke.

"I'm coming back in September so Nick can begin college courses. And nice to see you too Gem." I replied to my sister.

"So Nick, where's he at?! He's the only reason why we carried ourselves over here!"

I blushed and excused myself to go get him.

"Ni? Nick babe my family's he--"

Nick was sitting on my bed biting his nails when I opened the door. A sure sign that he was nervous.

"Hey, hey hey what's wrong? Why are you nervous?"

He shrugged and took his fingers away from his mouth before continuing to look around.

"You're so nervous I can sense it." I spoke quietly.

He nodded and I immediately ran up to him. Grabbing his wrists, I made him look me dead in the eyes.

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about baby. My family, they're like me. And if I love you infinitely to the moon and back, then I think they won't hate you."

He smiled and I kissed his forehead.

Nick meant the world to me. Work was absolutely getting in the way and it was absolutely terrible, but Nick was an important part of my life. He always will be and even if this relationship didn't work out, I'd still want the same from him; to be in some part of his life.

I took Nick's hand and we walked back downstairs.

"Gemma, mum, I would love for you to meet Nick,"

I squeezed his hand,

"My soulmate."

•

Dinner with my family had gone by quickly but the moments were still enjoyed. My family noticed Nick's disability immediately and adjusted.

When my mum mentioned the end of summer, I couldn't help but be surprised. It was almost the end of August. I hadn't realized how quickly the summer had gone. After that we were talking about the VMA's and my new EP.

Telling my mum and sister about my track list being based on my love for Nick, that did it for them;

They loved him and that made me over-the-moon happy.

At the end of the night, I couldn't control myself from picking him up and carrying him to our bed to watch endless Netflix. Something like Nick doesn't happen to people like me;

But there's always the odds that it will.

Nick

The morning after Harper's family visited, I couldn't help but smile as I glanced over at Harper's bare chest and torso. Everything in this moment was worth remembering.

And it's a good thing I did.

After that morning, I didn't know that my life would completely fall apart.

texts: Nick and luke - night

L: Nick? i need you to do me a favor.

N: what?

L: i need some kind of proof from eleanor that elarry is fake.

N: lou if i do that i could potentially ruin Harper's career...

L: i'm not leaking it or anything, i just need it.

N: for what?

L: you'll see

the vmas: 1

Nick

The morning of the VMA's was probably the most confusing and stressful morning of my life. Stylists were at our house at nine in the morning (courtesy of Modest!Management), I've been fondled and touched all day, and to put the cherry on top, Eleanor had been called to our hotel room to get ready.

Fabulous, as my stylist would continuously say.

I had barely seen Harper all morning and it was probably the most annoying thing ever. The stupid beard or the stupid stylists have been hogging all his attention.

I sat at the island counter in the middle of our mini kitchen with a beer in my grasp. This was the only way to get through this beyond irritating day without going completely mental.

"Beer at three in the afternoon? Damn babe, you alright?"

I snapped my head towards Harper who was wearing an all black dress suit. My jaw slowly fell as I looked him up and down.

"You like it?" he asked bashfully, "I dunno, my stylist keeps bugging me that it's too tight and all this other stuff but--"

I gripped his freshly pressed collar and pulled him towards my lips. I don't know how long we forcefully kissing, but I did know that Eleanor interrupted. I pulled away as I saw her approaching with a smug look on her face. Not bothering to tame my daggers, Eleanor spoke in her sickly aggravating voice.

"Harper honey, you're stylist wants you immidiately. She wants to make sure our outfits correspond."

I ignored that comment and looked back up at my boyfriend.

Harper nodded at Eleanor's request but kept his eyes locked with mine.

"You like this one?"

I nodded and he grinned, rubbing his nose against mine.

"This one it is then," he whispered. We broke apart and he walked away, Eleanor keeping a lingering gaze towards him as he vanished upstairs.

"Nate, is it?"

I turned to her and shook my head as her smirk widened.

"Tell me how to pronounce it? Oh, wait."

I folded my arms and waited for her to finish her fun.

"I guess now is a perfect time for me to lay down the land," she muttered.

"Listen to me, whatever you are to Harper, just give up. My job as the cover-up is to be the replacement. You and Harper are soon-to-be history after this award show. Deal with it."

She stomped away and it was then when I let my fears, doubts, and tears slip out. It wasn't her threat that scared me;

It was just the fact that she has everything she needs to win.

the vmas: 2

Harper

I watched from afar as Eleanor started yelling at all the stylists and executive to make sure her debut as my spouse was nothing other than perfect. I felt humiliated and ashamed as I observed her stomp around like a spoiled brat.

"Harper! Why the hell are you in that black suit! My dress is purple! You need to put of the black suit with the purple trim! It will fit much better than that hideous thing." Eleanor demanded out of nowhere.

"Excuse me? I don't think you understand your place in this situation; you're the hired girlfriend. Not the real girlfriend. I have a boyfriend, and I'm matching with him."

"Harper," she chuckled, "I don't think you understand what you're risking here. This is your career on the line, not mine. If you come out, the world will reject you. So unless you want me to out you, I suggest you do what I say."

Although her rant didn't scare me, what scared me was that she had enough power to crush what I was trying to create. Utterly speechless and trying to find the words to say, Eleanor's voice rang in my ears again;

"Change. Now."

Nick

I sat on the couch, tapping my feet impatiently. I had been sitting down here for over thirty minutes (the time being 5:00), waiting for Eleanor and Harper to come down. I was so happy Harper was wearing the suit I personally liked. At least some significant piece of our relationship would be leaving this house.

Footsteps echoed throughout the suite and I stood up, smoothing out my outfit. Harper and I would be matching by wearing black. Eleanor came down in a purple velvet dress that wrapped around her body, and Harper followed, showing that their arms were linked. On Harper's body was a black suit with a purple trim and a purple tie.

Harper? What...

Harper shrugged nonchalantly,

"It didn't match."

He walked right out the door with a blank expression and Eleanor passed by, a smug smirk painted on her tan face,

"That's not the only thing that doesn't match."

I watched them walk away, feeling mentally defeated.

"Come Mr. Judge, you'll be transported in a separate car." An executive came up to me and nudged me forward

I can't even drive with my boyfriend?

"No sir, your boyfriend will be driving with Eleanor."

I frowned and followed the other drivers out. This was what it was going to be like then. 'Elarry' getting more publicity and Harper and Nick was going to be utter nothingness.

Reality checks suck.

Harper

I was so tempted to text Nick, or even call him while we were driving to the damned venue, but I could feel Eleanor watching me from the corner of her eye as she talked to my manager on the phone.

About thirty minutes later, we were pulling into the red carpet area for the VMAs

"It was for your own good," she whispered as she took my hand, "now put on a smile for those fans."

"For the fans. Not for you."

We stepped out the car and were immediately blinded by flashing lights and hoards of people.

Although they were there, in all of that I saw no Nick; therefore, I saw no purpose.

Everything was just grey to me without him. Black and white, no but grey?

Don't even get me started.

the vmas: 3

during the award show

Nick was sat in the far back, rows and rows away from Harper. He hadn't seen his boyfriend the entire night and Nick had left two or three times just to relieve himself of tears and pain. After the show, Harper went to the after party, and Nick was sent a car to take him home.

Nick

After the venue cleared out and I was in the limo on the way home I couldn't help myself from sobbing. I could feel it happening, I could feel Harper falling into her grasp and I despised the fact that it had to happen this way. I was loosing him to a girl that didn't care, a girl that only wanted his title.

As soon as the limo pulled up to the hotel, I left without uttering a goodnight. I couldn't bear to; I just needed to be alone.

I opened the door to our room after a long elevator ride with a little girl and her mum. She had asked me if I was alright and offered me a cup of tea; she claimed I looked stressed. I kindly declined, but it got my wheels turning.

Is Harper really stressing me out?

Relationships aren't supposed to work like that. Harper's supposed to be my escape from stress; he's supposed to be the answer to my problems.

I stalked up to our room and ripped off my suit. I rummaged through my drawers to find a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Although Harper was out and about with Eleanor, it was nice to have some time to myself.

Poking around, I finally found my notebook and guitar.

Harper

"You want a drink Harper?"

"No, no I don't. I'm staying sober so I can talk to my actual spouse," I muttered, "Now if you'll excuse me."

I glared at her and stood up from my seat. I couldn't believe that she was trying to get me drunk.

"Harper, Harper! Harper!"

I turned to my body guard and sighed,

"What Paul?"

"Why are you going away from El you guys are a couple remember--"

"Paul, I want Nick." I stated.

"Well you're going to have to wait because the press is on your tail right now; fame is rising higher for you than ever before."

"What are you saying?"

"Go. Back."

Nick

1:14 am

Harper came in stumbling through the door around one in the morning. I set my guitar down and hid the numerous sheets of paper that I had written on.

"Mhm, mhm, come 'ere baby!" Harper jeered. I smiled and got up from my chair, only to have Eleanor come in, her lips suddenly on his.

What's going on Harper? I typed in my voice app.

"What do you think?" Harper said, "We're going I to have, s*x!"

Is he drunk? He said he'd stay sober.

I glared at her and she smirked before pulling away from Harper,

"Maybe he needed a, distraction."

That did it; that absolutely did it. I watched heartlessly as Harper and Eleanor stumbled upstairs, lips locked. I bit my lip as tears streamed down my cheeks and pulled out my cellphone.

I couldn't take anymore of this.