Princess // l.s.

10. spotlight

Louis was in the cab, in the phone talking to his mum trying to reassure her that yes was almost there, yes he would be at the venue in ten minutes, yes he overslept, yes that's why he was late, yes he would make up for it, yes he had reminded Zayn about it...
He desperately hoped Zayn remembered about the charity event and the after party because he remembers Zayn's messages from the night before.
Then he called up Niall
"Where are you?"
"On my way.. I'll be a little late. Listen I don't have-"
"I have your suit with me here. Just go to your suite. That's Room 1501. That's on the fifteenth floor. Its pressed and in your bed along with your shoes.I trust you to do your hair by yourself so I didn't call for a hairdresser but anyway her number is on a sticky note on the mirror. Dad tells me that you have to give a speech so that is in the first drawer on the left hand side of the dresser. Okay? Left hand side. First drawer. Okay.. Umm what else.. Oh yea, your car got towed away and tour shoes are burnt. Okay, bye!"
"WAIT. WHAT? I THOUGHT YOU WERE JOKING! NIALL!! WHAT THE FUC-"
"I'm joking. Your car is safely parked in the garage and your shoes are on the kitchen counter. Get ready and be in front for pictures as soon as possible. I'll try to cover okay.? Now bye, oh wait.. Mum has spent a lot of time choosing her earnings today morning so compliment her in that. I've got to go. I know i saved your ass, I know you owe me. Okay bye."
That went unexpectedly well.
What an idiot! Louis grinned, inspite himself.

--

Louis was in the elevator, properly dressed, heading to the red carpet, going over his speech lines over and over in his head when he spotted Niall who was running towards him, into the elevator.
"What happened?"
"Mother's heel broke" he said panting, "could you please grace the red carpet with your presence? Please? Dad's under lot of pressure. And for God's sake don't flirt with the inter- you know what? Forget it. That's a stupid thing to ask when the whole world knows you will do that. Just... Go. Go. Go!"
The elevator shut and Louis walked out of the hotel and into the red carpet.

--

He could recognise many people and he smiled at them. He saw Kendall and Kylie posing for the shutterbugs, and averted his eyes. He continued walking till he saw his father.
"Thank god." he muttered in Louis ear hugging his lightly and smiling. "Take over and don't screw up. I need a break."
Louis gave a firm nod.
He saw Juanita, one of the regular interviewers, and smiled cheekily at her. He also recognized Alexis and Ricardo.
"Mr.Tomlinson, how come you were so late at your own charity event?"
"First of all, this is not my charity event and I am not late.. Did the event start? I think not.." Gesturing to the crowd having a lovely time smiling and posing for the paparazzi.
"Mr. Tomlinson, the business has been growing day by day and by the time you take over completely do you think you'll be able to handle all responsibilities?"
"My brother Niall and I will be taking over, not me alone. And I believe that I have been taking care of my formal suites very well up till now. Why do you doubt it, Alexis ?" He added a half wink at the end.
He looked away to another person who was shouting his name since a while, quite loudly, and smiled.
"Are you in a relationship with Danielle Campbell?"
Louis shook his head turning to someone else when he spoke up again "Are you seeing someone else at the moment?"
Louis stopped.
Am I seeing someone else at the moment?
He shook his head, "I'm free for a private date tonight though." And he pouted sexily for a second.
Brushing his hand through his hair he looked to another man, "yes?"
"With your public image don't you think it might hamper your business?"
"I don't think so, but if you are saying so I'll surely look into it and report back to you, would that be alright,love?"
The man flushed and scribbled down something in his notepad.
Alexis spoke up again, "Mr. Tomlinson, I have a sourse that says that your have been heard saying that I quote, I don't give a damn about the girls... They are only good for one thing. That too the hot ones. Otherwise I wouldn't bother to even talk to one." She was reading this from her phone. "Your comments?"
She was looking devilish with her glossy red lipstick and slick tied up hair in a beige office dress.
"If that was true, Alexis, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you, now would I? If you want to read and wrote trash about me I can't stop you, freedom of speech, constitutional rights, yea I get it. But if you wanna read out trash about me to me ? There are far worse things on the internet I believe. And I'm sorry for not feeding to this baseless story of yours as I respect women, I respect they dignity , their stand in society and always will, no matter what some source decides to say."
He looked at someone else with a pleasant smile.
"How is your relationship with Mr. Horan now?"
"By Mr. Horan you mean Niall?"
He shook his head.
"Oh, he is my father. Has been for more than ten years now. And its fine as ever, no problems as such, only those casual father son petty issues which I guess every family had now an then. Sorry-" Louis chuckles, "-nothing to report there, I'm afraid. No headlines." Louis smiles once again turning to someone else who might have some questions, keeping a smile on his face at all times.