"Charlotte! Can you confirm the fact that you were out with the lads from One Direction last week? Or will you leave that job to the pictures?" 

I buried my face into my coat and pushed past the ignorant men with flashing cameras, trying to ignore the painful pushes and nudges that were being inflicted on my body. Another thing that I hated about my family's fame was that it came with paparazzi, which consisted of mindless men and women that went to shameless ends just to get a dirty story. I cursed to myself and resisted the urge to reach out and punch a guy who grabbed onto my hair.

The flashes were everywhere. I had thought it was safe to make a run to the library, but it didn't take long for the public to prove me wrong. Turns out that last Friday, we didn't do a very good job of sneaking out from the restaurant. The pictures were everywhere, no doubt causing a stir in the band's lives also.

"Charlotte! Is there something going on between you and Liam Payne? Louis Tomlinson?" I rolled my eyes and continued pushing through the crowd, my eyes glued to the graveled pavement beneath me. My patience wore dangerously thin when I felt a strong hand envelope on my arm, causing it to tense. Thinking it was one of the men with the cameras, I snapped my head towards him, ready to pummel his face inwards, but was stopped short by a familiar voice.

"Charlotte, relax. It's me, let's go." 

I recognized him as one of our bodyguards and all but clung to his arm as he pushed forcefully through the swarm. Thankfully, at the sight of the large man escorting me, some cameramen eventually parted, creating a path. Avoiding the flashes, I practically jumped into the vehicle waiting at the curb. Nick, the guard, leaped into the driver's seat and sped off onto the vacant street. Glancing behind the car at the angry paparazzi, I relaxed into the seat and closed my eyes.

"What were you thinking, Charlotte?" I felt the car lurch to a stop. We were parked in front of the house, but knew that Nick was more in the mood for talking than getting out. He had been my bodyguard for three years now and needless to say, he was very protective. He took his job very seriously, always checking up to see if I was alright, even if he was off duty. I straightened up and saw Nick peering at me over his seat, disappointment painted across his face. 

"What do you mean?" I asked innocently, my face clueless.

He shook his head, clearly not buying it, and said, "You shouldn't go out like that, at least not without me or one of the other guys." 

I felt like there was something more to this, something he wasn't telling me. Usually I was allowed to go out as long as I stayed on the less busy, quiet side of town.

My mind reeled towards the only explanation for the extra security: my parents. Knowing them, these precautions weren't for my security. They were set so that I wouldn't make them look bad while they were gone. 

My teeth grit with anger.

"Just in case you and everyone else around here haven't noticed, I'm 18. I can take care of myself. I don't need to be monitored every second of the day. I think I should be trusted to make my own decisions. I can handle myself." 

I had no control of the words that were spilling out of my mouth, anger seething through my body. By the end of my rant, the anger evaded me within seconds and I stared regretfully at Nick, who was averting his gaze. All he ever did was care for me and protect me. And here I was, lashing out at him. Taunting silence enveloped the car and we sat in it for several minutes.

"I'm sorry Nick. It's not your fault, none of this is. You're just doing your job," I said. I touched his arm softly and he nodded, his eyes meeting mine. He smiled at me, the gesture meaning that I was forgiven.

"Why don't they trust me, Nick? I've never done anything to make them behave like this. I listen to every damn thing they say," I sighed.

"Don't put this all on yourself, Char. You know how they are. I'll tell you one thing. Rose, Cal, I, and all the others trust you. That's why we don't always follow your parents' orders," Nick cut me short. He smiled at the last part, making laughter bubble out of my mouth. 

"Now wipe up those tears and let's go, Cal and Rose made lasagna and they're probably licking the pan clean as we speak!" Nick bellowed and lept out of the car, helping me out as well. I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face as I stepped into my chaotic house, where Cal, Rose, and Nick were fighting over lord knows what. At least I had these guys to keep me alive.

***

It had been two weeks since my "date" with Rodney. Danielle and I texted frequently, and even Louis and Liam popped up in my messages at times. I was laying on the couch, reading, "To Kill A Mockingbird" for the hundredth time when I got a text from Danielle

"The boys are having a gig tonight downtown, what do you say? :) XX"

 I smiled and put my book down to reply.

To: Dani

"What's in it for meee"

The thought of going to one of their concerts actually made me leap with joy, but Danielle wouldn't know that. Not long after, my phone buzzed with a message.

From: Dani

"Free fooooood. Oh & it's not like you have anything better to do, Charlotte. You're probably sitting at home all alone, reading a book." 

A bit freaked out, I studied my surroundings and arched an eyebrow. She was creepily accurate. 

To: Dani

"Insulting me won't make me come, stupid."

Danielle and I had formed a really good bond. I told her about everything, my parents, Rose, Nick, Cal, all about my life. Like a good friend, she listened when needed and joked around when wanted. I knew a lot about her, too. From her family to her career, she discussed everything with me, as I did with her. I looked down at my phone's flashing screen to see she had replied.

From: Dani

"Hey loser, this is Liaaaam :) be ready by 7. byee"

Laughter escaped my mouth and I tucked my cell phone away. Looks like I had plans tonight. And boy was I excited...

***

 My eyes were glued to my reflection in the mirror and I scanned it up and down for the thousandth time, adjusting my dark jeans and later the light sweater I had thrown on. I didn't remember the last time I cared so much about my appearance -- or about anything, really. Deciding to leave my hair out, I quickly brushed through the messy curls. The excitement had me getting ready two hours before Liam's set time. Ever since I had met the band, I had been wondering when I would get to hear them sing. Not on the radio or my Ipod, but actually in front of me. In person.

The sound of Rose calling my name for the third time made me scurry around my room in search for my purse. When it was no where in sight, I practically flew down the stairs, yelling to Rose on my way to the living room.

"Rose! Have you seen my purse? I can't seem to find --" The words hitched in my throat when I came to a stop in front of the couch. There sat Rose, chatting over tea with none other than Harry Styles. I wasn't confused -- more angry that he was here.

What was Harry, out of all five boys, doing here to pick me up? Last time I checked, he was the only one who didn't seem to like my company. So why was he my designated driver?

"Hey, Charlotte!" Harry greeted, a foreign smile gracing his lips. A small wave accompanied his joyful smile, only adding to my disbelieving expression. 

I didn't respond, instead turned to face a confused Rose. 

"Rose, can I talk to you for a second? In the kitchen? Alone."

I emphasized the last word, briefly glancing at Harry, who was smiling as if I hadn't completely ignored him, and turned back to Rose. 

"Well, I was sort of talking to Ha--" Rose began to object. 

"Rose." I interrupted, my voice dangerously low. Rose excused herself and followed me quickly into the kitchen, leaving Harry to fidget nervously with his fingers. When I was sure we were out of earshot, I threw my arms in the air. 

"What are you thinking?! Conversing with the enemy? Over tea?" I whisper-yelled, my hands clutching my the sides of my head. Rose's eyes shot to the direction of the living room and focused back on me, her face hardening.

"Enemy? Oh, please, Charlotte. Harry's a very nice young man! And handsome, too..." She hinted, adding a wink for effect. I nearly barfed in my mouth and slapped my hand to my aching forehead. Granted, he was exceedingly handsome, but this wasn't the time for Rose to think about setting me up with someone.

"Rose! Harry's the one I told you about. The one who was utterly rude and unwelcoming! He's not like the other guys and hates me for no apparent reason," I explained slowly, not believing that this was the same Harry. I had told Rose all about my encounters with each guy and about Danielle. She had only met Danielle though because of the numerous times she'd visit. 

"Charlotte Marie. You would be completely mindless not to see what a sweetheart that boy is! Look, he even brought you flowers!" she pointed to a colorful bouqet that rested in the corner of the counter. Flowers? I hadn't noticed them before and curiosity engulfed my mind as I hesitantly walked over to the basket. I cautiously brought one of the many roses to my nose and hesitated in sniffing it, my mind having convinced me that it was poisoned in some way. 

Rose, clearly noticing my hesitation, slapped me lightly on the back of my head. 

"It's not poisoned!" she said, her voice holding disbelief at my actions. I smiled sheepishly and looked back down at the bouqet. A flash of white caught my eye just before I was about to walk away from it. I reached into the basket and pulled out a small rectangular card. The side I was scanning was blank, so I flipped it over.

The words "I'm sorry" were inscripted messily into the card, in a handwriting that could only be described as childish. A burst of air escaped my mouth and I rubbed my eyes in frustration.

"Look, Rose, I don't know what's going on. But last time I met Harry, he didn't seem very fond of me. There is no way I'm driving all the way to the venue in the same car with that boy!" I said and watched Rose roll her eyes.

"You've only met him once, right?" she paused for me to nod, "you don't know much about him. If he was everything you said he was that night, then obviously, he's trying to change now. Give him a chance, Charlotte."

I hated it when Rose was right. Giving people a chance was something that I should know better than anyone. She stared me down for a few seconds, before my shoulders finally slumped in defeat. I turned around and trudged out of the kitchen and into the living room, where the devil himself was sat with his cell phone glued to his ear.

"Look, I gotta go. I'll call you later. Yeah, I know, I know. Love you, too," Harry muttered the last three words into the device and hung up quickly before smiling up at us. I stifled a laugh at his embarrassment. He tucked his phone into his pocket and stood up. 

"Hey," he smiled, his eyes on me, anticipating my reaction. I wasn't planning on saying anything until Rose nudged my shoulder. 

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Hello," I muttered. Rose handed me my purse and ushered the two of us out of the door. 

"Have fun, you two!" she winked, slamming the door shut before I could say anything. I turned back to Harry and saw him grinning at me, lending a hand for me to take. I ignored his gesture, brushing past his hand, and sat down in the passenger seat of the huge Range Rover. I watched Harry ruffle his curls and follow me into the car, taking his seat next to me.

"Was that your girlfriend on the phone?" I wanted to stop the words from leaving my mouth, but curiosity had unfortunately gotten the best of me. Harry was obviously surprised about my sudden question by the way his eyes widened a bit, but he slyly shook it off. 

"Uh, no. It was my mum, actually," he admitted, his cheeks redenning the slightest bit. I nodded briefly and kept my eyes on the passing scenery, willing myself not to speak again. 

What can I say? I was stubborn. Harry couldn't just barge into my home with flowers and a huge smile and hope to make things better. Okay, maybe that did help things, but there was no way I was telling him that.

"So, have you been to this venue before?" Harry tried making small talk halfway through the silent ride. I shook my head numbly and turned up the radio. I did feel kind of bad about treating him this way, but my stubborn nature prevented me from forgiving him. 

A few minutes later, the car ride had gotten even more awkward. Harry was whistling and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, which was really testing my patience. I shot him a glare and he stopped instantly. He parked the car at a gas station nearby, but twisted in his seat to face me.

"Hi, I'm Harry." he stated. His dimples popped out when he shot me a grin and extended his hand for me to shake. I narrowed my eyes and he pulled his hand away sheepishly when he saw I wasn't going to take it.

Harry looked in deep thought for a moment before he licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak.

 "Listen, I know we sort of started off on the wrong foot, but give me a chance to explain."

The sincerity in his voice and features made my eyes soften, and I sighed lightly. I hated the fact that I was so stubborn. Rose was right. He was obviously trying to make things better, but I kept pushing him away. I nodded my head and finally looked at him so he could begin his explanation.

"I acted like a complete idiot the day I met you and I'm sorry. I know the reason I have for acting the way I did isn't a valid one, but it might clear things up. I was seeing a girl named Amelia for a few weeks. I really, really liked her, to the point where I was gonna ask her to by my girlfriend. I was actually out on a date with her before the night at Liam's. That's when I found out that she was just using me. It's ridiculous how many times that's happened. It seems like people only want me around for my money, my fame. The guys warned me about Amelia, but I didn't listen. I guess that's what put me in a bad mood for the night. I was tired, you know? I just wanted people to stop associating with me just because of my fame."

My heart ached for Harry as he recited his story. It really wasn't his fault. None of this was and I felt increasingly horrible for treating him the way I did. I never thought I would be able to relate to him the way I did that second.

Harry began sinking back into his seat. He probably thought my response would be cold, and I wouldn't blame him for that. After how I treated him, I wouldn't blame him for it at all. And my suspicions were confirmed when he looked a bit taken aback by my response.

"It's not your fault, Harry. I know how that feels, when people don't want you for who you are. I'm sorry, too. I should have given you a chance to explain..."

"No, no!" Harry interrupted. "No more sorries. Let's start all over, eh? Hi, I'm Harry Styles." he outsretched his hand and this time, I took it without hesitation. 

"Charlotte. Charlotte McVerry," I grinned from ear to ear and then added, "now hit the pedal, Styles. You've got a gig to perform."

* * * 

I stepped out of the car after Harry opened the door for me. "Well that was a gentleman move, Harry," I said, acting amused. During the rest of the car ride, the tension had faded and Harry and I fell into easy conversation. It felt like I had been talking to him just as long as I had known the other guys, which surprised me.

 Harry smirked. "Don't get used to it," he winked childishly and  held his arm out for me to link mine in. I stared at his outstretched arm and back up at him. Oh, what the heck? I thought, before giving into his request and linking my arm through his. Harry practically skipped across the street, dragging a hysterical me along with him. The venue wasn't as big as I thought it would be, but pretty impressive. Harry waved to a few people before leading me backstage, where only Zayn was waiting.

"It's about time!" he said, hopping off of the stool he was sat on. He tucked his phone into his pocket and jogged over to us. He smacked Harry on the back as a greeting and smiled at me.

"Nice to see you again, Charlotte." Zayn smiled. "So where are the rest of the boys? I thought they were coming with you," Zayn tilted his head to the side and took a swig from the water bottle he had in hand.

Harry shook his head in confusion. "I didn't hear anything about that." 

I looked back and forth between the two boys, hoping everything was alright. 

"Here, I'll go give Liam a call." Harry's expression had become all too serious and he glanced at the two of us before jogging out of the back doors we had came through.

"So I'm guessing everything's alright between you two now?" Zayn asked. I took a seat on the ground and leaned my head against the wall. I nodded and smiled at Zayn, liking the sound of the words that came out of his mouth. Things were okay now. Zayn probably meant that between only his friend and I, but he had no idea how it was true in so many different ways. 

Things were alright now. 

"I thought he had something against me at first, which didn't make any sense because I had never met him before. But yeah, he explained everything," I spoke slowly, wondering how Harry must feel. He wasn't at all who I thought him out to be. In fact, he was a lot like Louis. They were both utterly energetic; childish.

"That's understandable." Zayn nodded.

"Did you guys ever meet her?" I asked. "Did you meet Amelia?" I added, even though I was sure Zayn didn't need the clarification.

Zayn nodded slowly and a solemn look flashed across his face. He took a seat next to me on the ground.

"Harry brought her to one of our concerts once. She seemed alright at first, but the boys and I all knew she was really into Harry's money and fame. It was just Harry who didn't realize until that day."

"Why? I mean, Harry seems like a smart guy..." I trailed off. He seemed smart enough to tell when someone was genuinely interested in him apart from someone that was just using him. 

Zayn laughed shortly and glanced at me. "You haven't known Harry for long, so you don't know this yet. Harry's a really... romantic guy. He wants to be in a relationship, and to love someone like Liam and Danielle love each other. And I guess that's what blinds him. That's one reason. Another thing is that he's naturally a nice person, meaning even if he suspects someone's intentions are wrong, he'll deny his suspicions and find another excuse for why someone would do something mean or hurtful. You could say it's a bad habit," he finished. 

Unbelievable. As if I hadn't already felt horrible, Zayn's words made my stomach churn with regret. I had judged Harry too quickly, without knowing a single thing about him. 

"Have you seen any celebrity news articles about us? Or like those talk shows?" Zayn asked, his dark featured curious. I thought for a few seconds before shaking my head side to side. I had always tried my best to avoid media.

"I try to stay away from those things. I've had first hand experience of how it feels to be seen as the person you're portrayed as on these magazines. And especially after I met you guys, I didn't want my impression of any of you to be from one of those pathetic articles." 

Zayn smiled, "Exactly! Thanks. You know, not a lot of people would consider that. But what I was saying is that they always make Harry out to be the flirt, the womanizer. Sure, Harry does flirt, but that's just part of his personality. He's cheery, childish. He would never go girl to girl like everyone thinks he does..."

Zayn and I got lost into an engaged conversation. It was really easy for me to talk to Zayn. He could be really thoughtful and just hilarious at the same time. While we were chatting away and he was showing me the concert microphones and ear buds and how they worked, Harry came sauntering in through the doors.

Zayn and I turned around fully and spotted Liam, Niall, and Louis following Harry. "Nice of you to join us," Zayn said sarcastically. I stifled a laugh and watched as the boys each walked over to greet us.

"Show starts in an hour, Zayn. We're not that late!" Niall exclaimed. He went over to the cooler and grabbed a water bottle, tossing one to Liam. I spotted a box in Liam's other hand and averted my gaze when Niall spoke.

"How long have you and Charlotte been here?" he asked, looking at Harry. 

Harry grabbed a bottle of water, also and replied, "We came about 15 minutes ago. What took you guys so long?" 

Louis glanced at me before speaking, "Well Danielle has some family over so she can't make it." 

Liam nodded and added on, "But she did tell us to pick something up on the way here."

I furrowed my eyebrows as Liam walked towards me and handed me the box. 

I shook it and brought it to my ear, hearing the contents being thrown around.

"What's this?" I asked, confused. What would Danielle want the boys to get for me?

"Just open it!" Niall smiled and all of the boys gathered around, peering over my hands to see the small box. 

I took a deep breath and pulled on the loose end of the bow so it fell off. I opened the lid and removed the tissue paper carefully, my stomach dancing with excitement.

"Open it already..." Harry groaned. He was just as curious as I was. I laughed and pulled all of the tissue paper out, gasping when my eyes landed on a familiar device. It was a camera. The same kind that had shattered the day I met Danielle. My eyes widened and I looked up to see all of the guys smiling.

"I can't take this from you guys," I said and pushed to box away from me. It was an expensive camera and sure, that really wasn't a problem for Liam nor Danielle, but this was too great of a gift. And I hadn't done anything to deserve it. 

Louis rolled his eyes. "Well you kind of have to, and it was all Danielle and Liam, so thank them!" he said.

"No, seriously, this is too --" 

Niall cut me off by snatching the camera from my hands. 

"If she won't take it, I will," he offered, his request directed to Liam. 

"Niall," Liam warned. He took the camera from him and handed it back to me. "You're keeping it. End of story."

"Gosh," I sighed and hugged the present to my chest, "you're just as bad as your girlfriend."

Liam laughed, along with the rest of the guys, and I smiled at him. "Thank you," I finally surrendered.

The guys then began scurrying around the area, some being called to the dressing rooms while the rest prepared their microphones and such. I pulled out my cell phone to thank Danielle, but saw that I already had a message from her.

From: Dani

"I hope the boys are there by now, or this message will be rather pointless. I owed you a camera Charlotte, remember? And the first few pictures you take can be of the boys on stage! Sorry I couldn't make it tonight, see you later. Hope the lads don't cause you too much trouble, :)- Dani xx"

I smiled and quickly replied, thanking her repeatedly. Five minutes turned to ten in which the guys were each in their designated places, preparing themselves for the show. I wondered how it felt for them to be out there in front of hundreds of people. I was pulled out of my thoughts by someone sitting down beside me.

"I didn't know you liked photography."

It was Louis, and he was looking down at my new camera. I was startled by his presence, but it only added to my joy. 

"There's a lot you don't know," I declared and watch Louis smile widely. 

"C'mon, I want to show you something," he hopped up and ran across the bare floor and towards a door labeled, "Stairway 1." I struggled to keep up with Louis as he sprinted through the door and up the staircase. He finally slowed down and held the door wide open for me. I stepped through the door and it felt like I had stepped into a whole different world. 

The walls weren't a dull gray and the lighting wasn't poor like it was in the back room we were previously in. No, this room was magnificent. Before me was a vacant floor, with a stage hanging above it. Behind that were rows and rows of seats that got higher in elevation the farther out you went. But that's not what made my eyes widen in awe. Behind me was a huge screen that was facing the vacant seats that would soon be flooded with the audience. Above it were many flashing lights, an array of various colors. The stage was beautiful. 

"Wow," I finally managed to choke out a lone word and scanned the area around me. I walked to the middle of the stage and couldn't help but spin around, my head turned heavenward. 

"I know, right?" Louis came and stood beside me, his hands digging into his pockets.

"How does it feel?" I asked. I didn't have to give him a clarification because by the way he stared out into the venue with joy etched across his features, he knew exactly what I meant. 

"It's a rush. People chanting your name, encouraging you, loving you for what you love to do. It's amazing, Charlotte. Absolutely incredible," Louis sighed and his eyes met mine, which were already staring thoughtfully at him. 

He really did love his fans. He loved the people that got him to where he was, and that quality was one no one should overlook. Louis and I talked and talked for as long as we could before he was called backstage. Louis hopped up to leave, but hesitated before looking back at me.

"Here, allow me to break in that new camera of yours," he grinned and took my camera. He held it so the lens was right in front of his face and snapped multiple shots, all silly enough to make me clutch my stomach in laughter. Louis tugged on my sleeve and pulled me into the shots, so there were several goofy pictures of Louis and I in my new camera. To say I was happy was an understatement. I was better than I had been in years. After such a long time, I was actually okay. 

And after so many years, I felt as though things were finally going to be okay.

 ***

(A/N) How was that? There's gonna be a real significance to this camera throughout this story. I just wanted to set that up with this chapter! Hope you guys liked it. And leave your comments belowwww! :) I've been reading the previous comments and just can't express how happy it makes me when someone likes my work. I'll try to update as soon as possible! Thanks guys :)

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