Second Place
Charity Fashion Show
Disclaimer: check out chapter one – thank you!
Pairing: Ross/Laura/Riker
Author's Note: "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction
SP*SP*SP
It's been almost two weeks since Laura had recorded Shine and she wasn't any closer to figuring out her feelings for Ross. One second, she didn't want anything to do with him physically (and romantically); the next, she wanted to hold him close, seeking his touch like a drug addict. It didn't help that she liked the thrill of seeing Ross behind Riker's back; being able to get away with it. No, it just made things worse, especially when she was in the mood to avoid the blonde front man of R5.
And yet… And yet…
And yet, I keep coming back for more. She stifled a moan, fingers tangled in Ross's hair. His lips were making a slow, sensual trail down her neck, nipping and lightly sucking all of her sensitive points. God, I'm such a masochist. That would explain everything – absolutely everything.
Ross pulled back for a second before crashing his lips with hers. His tongue instantly swept into her mouth, coaxing her own into playing. She obliged without a thought, trailing her hands from his soft hair to run her slim fingers over his T-shirt covered chest.
With a small whimper, she plucked at the material, making it obvious she wanted it gone. No words needed to be said between them. They were communicating in the most basic ways; a soft touch here to remove a piece of clothing; a kiss there that sent shivers down the other's spine.
It wasn't long before they were reduced to nothing but their underwear. Laura had gone with her matching lingerie set of burnt orange lace that gave her skin a certain glow Ross had always found appealing, while said blonde wore a simple but sexy pair of black boxers. It made his waist seem slimmer, thus broadening his shoulders more.
"God, you're beautiful," he murmured heatedly. He crawled over her body once his jeans were kicked off to the side. Pressing a kiss between her breasts, he smirked when her breath hitched, his entire frame carefully lowering itself onto her. "I love how responsive you are."
Laura whimpered as he continued down her body, laying kisses and gentle nips against her skin in a pattern she couldn't follow. When he reached her bellybutton, he dipped the tip of his tongue inside. It made her startle horribly, and he chuckled darkly before continuing lower… and lower. Slowly, sensually; like he had all night. The sensations he invoked were intoxicating.
Her body tensed as she waited for his next move. Her hands clenched in his bed sheets in hopes of keeping her sanity anchored as she anticipated his mouth on her down there. Only Riker had ever given her oral sex before, so she wondered what this new experience would be like.
Ross watched his little lover with an intent gaze, knowing what she wanted but not willing to give it to her just yet. No, not yet – it was too early in his plans for that particular indulgence.
With a heavy sigh, he sat up enough to instantly catch her attention. Her eyes snapped open, wordlessly asking him what he was doing. He smiled reassuringly. "Sorry, but we're not doing 'that' tonight, Laura," he quietly said. "Believe me this is punishing me as much as you." His eyes darkened with suppressed desire. "But I promise we'll get there. Soon."
"Why not tonight?" she mumbled almost shyly but her eagerness came through her tone.
It made him smile softly at her, affectionately. "I don't want to rush anything between us." Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Besides, I just feel like holding you tonight. We can always pick this up another night."
She huffed, but seemed to accept what he said. So, the two snuggled under one of his blankets, his arms wrapped around her waist while she rested her head on his chest. One hand absently played with her hair, but she didn't seem to mind as she snuggled further into his warmth and closed her eyes to take a nap before she had to return to her room.
Ross didn't tell her everything, of course. He only cut that night's session short because, if they continued, he would have done anything she asked. And if that happened, he knew she would want to have sex; to make love.
Don't get him wrong – he was more than agreeable – but it would have ultimately ruined his plans to keep Laura as his. He knew she still struggled with her emotions concerning him, so he needed to make sure he stuck to his plan of 'wooing' her. It was the only way to ensure she stayed.
Besides, he was pretty much half-way into her heart. He just had to be patient for a little while longer. Laura was worth it.
SP*SP*SP
Riker was innocently sitting on the couch, watching innocent television, when his beloved girlfriend innocently sauntered in. However, what came out of her mouth, after she plopped down next to him, wasn't 'innocent' by any means…
"Do you want a blowjob?"
He tried not to let her words affect him, he really did. But, seriously, no hot-blooded male would be able to resist glancing at an attractive young woman when asked that question. None. At least, none that Riker knew of, anyway.
Cautiously, he turned to look at the petite brunette. He raised an eyebrow. She appeared casual, like she hadn't inquired about doing something so sexually explicit with him.
His eyes narrowed the tiniest bit. "You know, you're lucky no one else heard you," he dryly stated. "Now… What did you do?"
"What makes you think I did something?" she huffed, indignant. She crossed her arms under her breasts, which caught his attention for a split second before reconnecting them to her face. "Can't a loving girlfriend give her equally generous boyfriend a blowjob whenever she wants to?"
"No," he answered in that same dry tone, "No, they can't. Because it normally means he's in deep shit about something, or she did something that warranted forgiveness." A sudden, smug grin broke out across his face. "So, seeing as how I know I didn't do anything – What did you do?"
It wasn't every day Laura did something wrong, so he was eager to hear what she had to say. And, judging by what she was willing to do in exchange, he knew it had to be big.
Laura's eyes shifted around the room, unwilling to meet his gaze. "What makes you so sure you aren't in deep shit about something?" she popped back, pouting.
Riker rolled his eyes. Turning his body to face her completely, he said, "Please, I have mom and Rydel breathing down my neck about upcoming events, especially if they concern you. I'm covered." His expression softened as he continued staring at her. "Come on, Laura, you know you can tell me anything. Ask me for anything."
Sighing in resignation, she dropped her arms to her sides as she finally looked at him dead-on. "My DJ cancelled."
He blinked. "What?"
"My DJ cancelled."
"No, no, I got that part." He waved a hand dismissively. "I just-What does that have to do with anything? I don't think I'm following…"
Laura explained, "For my upcoming fashion show. You know, the one to raise money for animal shelters and other organizations? The DJ that was supposed to play my runway song cancelled today."
"Okay…?"
She fidgeted a bit. "I was wondering if you and the others could sing live? For me?" she asked. Then, she winced. "Tonight?" Her doe-like eyes glistened with hope, and Riker had the hardest time concentrating. Damn, she knew exactly what to do to turn him into a puddle of goo.
"Babe, you know the others and I would be more than happy to help you," he softly said, smiling. "After all of the support you've given us, it's only right that we help you whenever you need us to."
Like sunlight breaking through storm clouds, Laura's expression brightened. "Really? You guys would do that for me?"
Riker chuckled. "Of course."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squealed, throwing her arms around her boyfriend in a tight hug. "Because it was so last-minute, I was so sure you would say no."
Which explains the blowjob question, he concluded. He chuckled again, pulling her easily into his lap sideways. "Now that that is cleared up," he said, "What song were you thinking of having us perform?"
She playfully smirked. "Oh, I don't know. I was thinking something… Loud."
SP*SP*SP
Later that night, R5, Laura, and Ryland, found themselves at the charity organization that would hold the fashion show to raise money for various worthy causes. Except Laura, everyone was impressed with the turn-out, especially with the actors/actresses, music artists, and performers, who showed up to help with the live entertainment.
"Wow, if this is what it's like all the time, Laura, you have to take me to the next one," Ross said, awed, as he stared at someone who looked a lot like Adam Levine from Maroon 5. "Everything is just so… awesome."
Laura beamed proudly. "Thank you. A lot of work was put into tonight's event." From the corner of her eye, she saw Neo, her manager/agent. "Oh, there's Neo. I'll be right back."
Neo met her halfway, smiling a little breathlessly. "Good, you're here," he said as his greeting. "When you told me your original DJ cancelled, I panicked, but I'm glad Riker and the others were able to perform instead. Remind me to thank them profusely when I get the chance."
"Believe me, I feel the same way." Smiling, the brunette glanced around. "We've still got some time. I can show them where to set up, and still have enough time to get changed."
"Good, good. Do that, and then show them to your dressing room. I made sure the people in charge of wardrobe had your outfits placed in there. I need to go over some last-minute details with all of you."
With that, the two broke off into opposite directions as everyone else scrambled to get everything organized in time for the show to start. Laura easily found R5 and Ryland, who stayed where she left them, all transfixed with the decorations and going-ons surrounding them.
She smiled. "Come on, guys. I'll show you where you can set up your instruments, then Neo wants to have a last-minute meeting in my dressing room," she said, gesturing for the six to follow her.
The brunette had to admit, the people in charge had really outdone themselves. The main room was beautifully built to house hundreds of people, with white walls and gold trimmings. The audience's seats were black with silver edgings, cushioned and stadium-like for added comfort and their viewing pleasure.
The runway, however, is what made her breath hitch every time she laid eyes on it; this time was no exception. If people thought the runway the Victoria Secret models used was impressive, they had nothing on this one – no offense. It was made out high-grade clear glass and plastic, making it look like the models were walking on air with its special effects lighting.
Laura's favorite stage-effect, however, was when they used dry ice to create a fog-like illusion, with colorful neon beams blasting straight up, causing a cosmic riot on the ceiling. It was also a definite favorite among the younger generation in the audience.
Rocky wrapped a friendly arm around Laura's shoulders, a charming grin on his face. "So, what are the chances of you introducing me to your other model friends?" he asked.
"Slimmer than a piece of paper's depth," she replied, grinning cheekily at the taller brunette. "Besides, most of them have boyfriends already."
Rocky pouted but dropped the subject. He was more excited about performing in such an awesome place than flirting with a pretty girl, anyway. "Oh well, their loss."
Ross slapped his older brother on the shoulder. "Exactly. Keep telling yourself that," he mockingly soothed, grinning.
The older boy flipped the younger one off, but his lips twitched in amusement. "Whatever. Anyway, what's next?" Absently, he flipped his hair out of his face.
"Your instruments should be fine with the stagehands, as long as you know where to go when it's your turn to play," Laura said, smiling at the two's antics. "They'll set everything up when it's time – they're very good at their job. We should probably go meet Neo. The poor man is stressing, like he always does before a show."
Riker wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close. "Can you blame him? His favorite client is doing an important charity event. He just wants to make sure nothing happens to you, so everything has to go perfectly."
Ratliff nodded wisely. "Riker makes a good point, Laura. Neo would kill himself before letting anything happen to you."
Laura signed. "I know, I know," she acquiesced, "I just wish he'd calm down a little. This amount of stress can't be good for him – He's still so young!"
"Well, at least you don't think I'm old," the mentioned manager commented dryly, though amusement shone in his sapphire eyes as he came into view. "I was just on my way to the dressing rooms. Laura, you need to start getting ready in time for your first walk."
Neo led the group of seven to Laura's room, which was fashioned much like the entire building: white walls with gold trimmings; black furniture mixed with silver accents in the form of table lamps and make-up canisters, etcetera. A rack of clothing lined up with one of the walls to make sure no one tripped over the wheels, and a privacy screen was set up in the nearest corner for easy-reach. A white door was placed next to the vanity desk, no doubt the room's bathroom.
R5 and Ryland took a seat on the various pieces of furniture while they watched Neo examine the clothing selection, pluck one garment bag off (seemingly at random), and hand it to Laura, who unquestioningly took it and disappeared behind the privacy screen.
As soon as she was gone, the older male turned his attention onto R5, who gulped and leaned away at the intense look in his eyes. Normally a mild-mannered individual, Neo was starting to scare them with the near-maniacal gleam they could see.
"So, this is how tonight's going to go," the manager started, and R5 breathed out a sigh of relief at the distraction. "I'm going to need Ryland to assist me on what needs to be done backstage–"
The band members gave their manager a sympathetic glance, while said teen paled in dread.
"–And, thankfully, you're all dressed and ready to perform. If you weren't, I'd have to twist your ears off to get ready fast enough to keep everything on-schedule." His eyes dimmed, like a dead fish's. "And that would be just barely keeping on-schedule."
He said the last in such a dead-serious tone, six pairs of eyes widened as they tried to decide if Neo was joking or not.
Neo's expression brightened as quickly as it had died. "But, like I said, thankfully that's not the case, so we can move passed that. Right?" He cocked his head to the side, like an innocent child. He even grinned like one, too, showing off his dimples.
Oh God, we're gonna die! The six thought as one. Their mouths were gaped open in horror and terror; eyes wide, and bodies leaning as far away as possible. They would have run, but they had a sneaking suspicion he would be able to catch them easily.
Their saving grace came in the form of Laura stepping out from behind her privacy screen, smiling shyly. "So, what do you think of my first outfit?" she asked, curious.
It's like she didn't hear anything Neo said! The six gaped at her, incredulous this time. Is that privacy screen sound-proof or something?!
Neo beamed. "Lovely, Laura, simply lovely," he praised.
Again, the six gaped soundlessly at the manager. Don't act like you didn't just sound like a bipolar psycho a second ago!
"Thank you, Neo," she replied, blushing modestly. Then, she turned her attention onto everyone else, and ignored their incredulously horrified expressions. "What do you guys think? Be honest."
They took in her outfit for the first time, and had to gape for an entirely new reason. Laura was wearing a fitted corset-like top that showed off her bellybutton and an almost-immodest amount of cleavage. It was made of a royal blue silk, with navy ribbons tied down the front, the bow tied between her breasts, like a present waiting to be unwrapped. The top was paired with hip-hugging, black leather pants that flared at the bottom, showing how shapely her legs were. On her feet were a pair of blue wedges that perfectly matched her top.
Rydel was the first to react. As if completely forgetting about Neo's mentally unstable-state, she squealed and shot up to her feet to approach her best friend.
"You look amazing, Laura! I love that top you're wearing."
Ratliff leaned closer to Riker to whisper, "More like a strip of cloth to cover her chest and not much else."
"Tell me about it," the blonde bassist grumbled back. He loved his girlfriend – he did, and no one could dispute that – but did she really have to wear such revealing clothes? And for a charity event, too? He'd be fighting off guys all night, more so than usual.
Laura turned her attention back onto the guys, her eyes shining with eagerness for approval. Shit, how were they supposed to be critical with a look like that?
"Yeah, totally amazing, like what Rydel said," Rocky burst out, chuckling nervously.
"There are no words to describe how great you look," Ryland strained out, smiling tightly.
Ratliff nodded over-enthusiastically. "I like it, Laura. It really suits you!"
"You'll be the most beautiful model out there tonight," Ross stated, grinning charmingly. His left eye, however, twitched. It wasn't like he lied – but he didn't tell the whole truth about how he felt either.
Riker swallowed thickly as everyone focused their eyes on him. Neo and Rydel were eagerly waiting to hear what sort of compliment he would give, while the other guys were silently begging with their eyes for him to speak up before it was too late.
And Laura… The petite brunette turned her eyes onto her boyfriend, beaming with embarrassment with all of the compliments the guys were giving her, but still pleased. Not to sound vain, but she really wanted to hear what Riker had to say about her outfit.
The oldest Lynch sibling was quiet for a second, gathering his thoughts before finally speaking from the heart.
"Gorgeous, babe – absolutely gorgeous. No one is gonna rock that stage more than you."
Yeah, there was no hope for the guys once Laura's puppy eyes came into play. They don't even know why they tried being critical or fighting it, especially Riker (and Ross, of course).
Looks like they were beating guys off with a stick later…
SP*SP*SP
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Neo instantly made his way to answer the summons, grinning. "Great. That has to be Harry," he said, mostly speaking to himself.
"Harry?" Rydel asked, confused. "Who's Harry?" She looked at Laura for answers, seeing as how the blonde keyboardist was still a bit frightened of the manager.
The mentioning of another guy's name had Riker's attention immediately, as well as the others present. Riker stared at his girlfriend, who was busy caking make-up onto her face. He didn't know why she needed it, but the stage lights could be harsh on anyone's complexion, so he sort of understood.
But more importantly: Who the hell was Harry?
In an absent voice, Laura answered, "Oh, Harry Styles from One Direction. He's normally my escort down the runway for these types of things, and they're performing tonight." Grabbing her lip gloss, she began applying it casually.
"Your escort?" Riker faintly asked. God, that sounded so dirty…
She stopped at the sound of her boyfriend's tone. Through the mirror glass, she locked eyes with him. "Harry is a nice guy, Riker. You don't need to worry about him flirting with me or anything like that. Okay?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't worry," Neo added, smiling soothingly. "I wouldn't let any guy walk Laura down the runway if I thought he was going to try to steal her away from you." Then, with a smile, he opened the door to come face-to-face with the singer. "Hello, Harry. You're right on time, as always."
"Well, I always look forward to escorting the lovely Laura Marano," Harry replied, smiling boyishly as he walked into the dressing room. He caught sight of the members of R5 and Ryland. "Hey, I'm Harry Styles."
In a self-disgusted grumble, Riker said, "I forgot he had an accent."
His eyes raked over the other guy's clothes, and had to grit his teeth. Harry looked great, though Riker wished he didn't. Dressed in a long-sleeve, black silk dress shirt, he left it hanging loosely but stylishly over his equally dark dress pants. For shoes, Harry wore simple, black dress shoes that shone with a newly-polished look, and the royal blue tie casually tied around his neck perfectly matched Laura's top. His hair was even gelled and styled to be messy but sexy; bedroom hair.
Rydel, playing the peacekeeper, introduced herself first and then the others. Ryland, Rocky, and Ratliff seemed kind and accepting, but Ross and Riker were a little more cautious about becoming friendly with the front man of One Direction.
Riker knew he was being unreasonable about his jealousy over Harry, but he was human and he was male – two strikes against him, generally speaking. But, Laura was a beautiful young woman, and he sometimes felt possessive, especially when around guys who could sweep her off her feet, and thus away from Riker.
That should justify his borderline unfriendliness, right?
Besides, he wasn't the only one acting strange. Ross was, too, but Riker figured it was because the younger blonde was being a supportive brother and also because he was worried about another guy flirting with his best friend. Really, it was the only explanation that made sense to Riker, and he was grateful for the backup.
Acting like nothing was wrong, Laura smiled at Harry. "Hey, Harry. I'm so glad you could come tonight," she greeted. Standing up, she hugged the One Direction singer tightly. "Where are the rest of the guys?"
"Louis is causing havoc for the others," Harry replied, smiling sheepishly. Riker also happily noticed that he kept his hands in a respectable place while holding Laura. "I snuck away while I could. Didn't want to be late, you know?"
"Aw, you're so sweet," she cooed, like she was about to pinch his cheek. "Anyway, we better get going. We're one of the groups going first, right?"
Neo nodded, and started guiding the two out of the dressing room while also gesturing R5 and Ryland to follow their lead. "Yes, yes. You two are among the first doing the first walk. And, Harry, you need to get fitted for your headset microphone to perform."
"Yes, of course," the British singer agreed, then broke away from the group to find his friends and the stagehands. "I'll see you soon, Laura."
"Good luck tonight," she called back, waving.
"I didn't realize he was also gonna sing for the show," Ratliff commented, speaking up for the rest of the group. "I thought he was just gonna escort you down the runway?"
Laura shook her head. Linking hands with Riker, who she knew was having jealousy issues and wanting to soothe them, she explained, "The first walk is with pairings, girl and boy. One Direction is going to perform for me and Harry, and a few other pairings, so we all have a chance to show off two outfits."
"Of course, that's just for that age-group," Neo cut in helpfully. "Maroon 5 is also performing a number, and I heard Adam Levine is escorting his girlfriend this year. The first walk always features the most models and escorts, but the last walk is the real show-stopper."
"Why is that?" Ryland asked, curious and intrigued.
"Because," the older man said, smiling, "That's when the models have their own solos. The outfits they wear also generate the most money, especially if they do a great job showing them off. It's the most important part of this fashion show, donation-wise."
Ross commented, "Sounds a bit stressful." He sent a concerned glance Laura's way, but she smiled reassuringly at him.
"It is, but it's also fun, and we get to wear the most amazing outfits," she said, smiling widely at the thought. "This year, I'm wearing a dress by one of my favorite designers."
Ratliff cut in, saying, "Well, personally, I can't wait to see your performance for the last walk."
"Thanks! I can't wait to see how everyone reacts, too. I am, after all, going to be walking down the runway to R5's Loud."
Rocky jokingly said, "No pressure, right?"
SP*SP*SP
Ross caught up with Laura backstage a couple of minutes before the fashion show officially started. His eyes were guarded, posture stiff, so Laura had a feeling she knew what was about to happen. Honestly, she expected Riker to confront her about Harry, but she supposed she understood why Ross was instead.
After all, wasn't she in a relationship with him, too? (no matter how unorthodox)
My brain won't be able to handle two jealous guys. Laura could feel a headache already forming. Male egos are so fragile.
"Ross," she greeted, smiling albeit tightly. "I thought you would be with Neo and the others, watching from backstage?"
The blonde teen shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to appear casual and not like a jealous or possessive boyfriend. No, no, that wouldn't do; it was Riker's rite, not his.
But that didn't mean he couldn't act like a concerned best friend. Because he was. Concerned, that is. Not insecure or jealous. Psh, no. Not Ross Lynch.
And he was just her best friend. Right. Whatever.
Instead of saying what he wanted to, Ross simply replied, "I just wanted to wish you luck. That's okay to say during these sorts of things, right?" At the end, he smiled sheepishly at his lame attempt at a joke.
Laura chuckled, but shook her head in semi-exasperation. "I swear you and Riker need to calm down. I like Harry – as a friend, and as a fellow music artist. Okay?"
"Okay," he acquiesced. He felt a little ashamed at the lack of faith he felt towards Laura, but who could blame him? One Direction – especially Harry Styles – was a huge thing right now, all over the world. He was allowed to feel a little apprehensive, wasn't he?
Besides, it wasn't like he was also freaking out because Harry was nineteen, like Laura… Harry's age made more sense than Ross's, relationship-wise.
And now I'm worrying about it, the blonde self-reproachfully thought, scowling inwardly at his stupidity. What happened to not thinking about it?
"But," Laura said, snapping Ross out of his darkening thoughts. She smiled sweetly at him, and he swore his heart fluttered. "Thank you for wishing me luck. Now, go take your seat before you get into trouble."
Ross grinned charmingly back. "Yeah, okay. See you soon?"
"Definitely."
SP*SP*SP
Anxiously, Riker sat in his seat that had a perfect view of the stage, tapping his hands against his thighs as he tried to control his nerves. He loved and trusted Laura, he did, but he also felt a little insecure sometimes, like any normal guy in love would when they were dating a totally awesome girl.
And Laura was totally awesome – the most amazing, talented young woman he knew. She was kind and generous to everyone; she was so smart she made him feel like he needed to go back to school; she could sing with the best artists and she could write her own music. Hell, the list could go on and on, but that wasn't his point.
The point was that Laura could virtually have anybody, besides Riker, as her boyfriend. So, it stood to reason that he sometimes felt insecure, especially when she got to work with such talented – and good-looking – individuals, such as Harry Styles. Hell, this wasn't even their first charity event together, according to what Riker had been hearing.
Rydel seemed to sense her brother's apprehension. "Hey, are you okay, Riker?" she asked, furrowing her brows in concern.
"Not really," he sighed. "But, I will be when this is over."
Ratliff patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. "Don't worry, dude. Laura loves you, and it's not like you guys were going through a rough-patch in your relationship." He paused. "Right?"
"No, of course not. I don't think we've ever gotten into a fight about anything before."
Rydel playfully rolled her eyes. "That's because you guys have the fairy tale relationship that everyone wants," she teased, nudging Riker with her elbow. "Don't even try to deny it, Riker."
A small smile appeared on his face as he thought about it.
Rocky cut in. With a cheesy grin, he said, "You could say it's magical, even."
"Dude, no," Ross said dryly, "Just no."
Riker chuckled, feeling like a load was lifted from his shoulders, thanks to his fellow band mates. He couldn't ask for better friends/family.
Before more could be said, the main lights flickered a few times before plunging the room into total darkness. The audience went silent, and R5 leaned forward in anticipation of the show starting.
Then, the stage lit up with a bright, white light that illuminated the walkway like a beacon, with a few overhead lights softening the overall glow. Murmurs broke out amongst the crowd, the excitement of the charity event raising and heightening senses.
A woman who looked to be in her forties made her way to center stage, people clapping and cheering. She waved, smiling beautifully at everyone.
"Hello, and welcome, ladies and gentlemen," she greeted, holding a microphone up to her crimson painted lips. "As you all know, my name is Helen Dole, one of the founders of this wonderful organization. It is a great honor to be able to be tonight's Emcee and, as tradition, let's not waste any more time and introduce our models and their escorts!"
With a grand wave of her hand, she walked off stage as strobe lights started spinning, casting multi-colored lights all over the room and stage.
Familiar music started playing within the next second, and One Direction – minus Harry – strode out, dressed in something similar to what their front man had been wearing earlier. The crowd went wild, and Riker had to admit that his blood was starting to pump with all of the energy emitting throughout the room.
What Makes You Beautiful:
"You're insecure,
Don't know what for,
You're turning heads when you walk through the door,
Don't need make-up,
To cover up,
Being the way that you are is enough,"
Laura and Harry strode out behind the third model and her escort, just in time for Harry to sing his part. Both were smiling widely at everyone, and cameras flashed rapidly, not wanting to miss a second.
Again, Riker had to admit he was having a good time watching his girlfriend strut down the runway. Not many others were able to say, 'that's my girlfriend up there!' but he was.
"Everyone else in the room can see it,
Everyone else but you,
Baby you light up my world like nobody else,
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,
You don't know,
Oh, oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
If only you saw what I can see,
You'd understand why I want you so desperately,
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe,
You don't know,
Oh, oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
Oh, oh,
That's what makes you beautiful"
Laura laughed as Harry spun her lightly, halfway down the stage, showing the full effect of her outfit. It was perfectly done, and the cameras loved it, if the continued assault of flashes were anything to go by.
She chuckled again when they got a little closer to the rest of One Direction. Knowing the guys, she wasn't surprised when Zayn grabbed her away from Harry, or when Niall and Louis wrapped their arms around Harry's shoulders as they drew him to the front of the stage. The guys loved messing with each other during live shows; what could she say?
"So c-come on.
You got it wrong.
To prove I'm right
I put it in a song.
I don't know why
You're being shy,
And turn away when I look into your eye-eye-eyes,
Everyone else in the room can see it,
Everyone else but you,"
Zayn spun the petite brunette expertly, right into Liam's arms. From there, he brought her lightly into a dance that almost resembled the two-step, but relinquished his hold on her when Harry came back to escort her back up the runway.
His cheeks were pink in slight embarrassment, and she found it charming. Without thinking, she pinched one and laughed when he snapped an incredulously surprised look her way. His shock was so deeply felt he almost forgot to sing the next part with the rest of One Direction.
"Baby you light up my world like nobody else,
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,
You don't know,
Oh oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
If only you saw what I can see,
You'll understand why I want you so desperately,
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe,
You don't know,
Oh oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
Oh oh,"
Once they disappeared backstage, they did a quick wardrobe change – which wasn't really one; Laura just added a cropped, black leather jacket to her outfit, while Harry slipped on a dark grey vest that really popped the blue from his tie, and rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows – then, they were back on the runway for Harry's next part.
"That's what makes you beautiful
Na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
[x2]
Baby you light up my world like nobody else,
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,"
Ross would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying himself. He was, immensely. If this was how all of Laura's fashion shows went, he'd beg her to take him to all of them. He especially liked how the models and their escorts didn't just walk down the runway, strike a couple of poses, then strut backstage once more.
No, this one was more interactive. The live entertainment helped, of course, but he liked how everyone was having a good time, audience and models and escorts alike, and weren't afraid of showing how much they loved their job. Like how the guys of One Direction still messed with Harry, and how they danced with Laura.
Ross honestly wouldn't mind sitting through fashion shows if they were this amazing and fun.
He especially wouldn't mind if Laura was there.
"You don't know,
Oh oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
Baby you light up my world like nobody else,
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed,
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell,
You don't know,
Oh oh,"
This time, Niall and Louis switched places with Zayn and Liam. While the first two danced with Laura, the other two were getting their turn in messing with Harry while they performed. The audience seemed to love their antics, so who would complain, right?
Laura laughed as Niall started to waltz with her, and Louis pretended to also have a dance partner as he mimicked what they did. She loved being able to work with One Direction. Aside from the amazing accents (because, really, who didn't like accents?), she enjoyed how much fun they had and how nice all of them were.
"You don't know you're beautiful (Oh),
If only you saw what I can see,
You'll understand why I want you so desperately ([Harry:] desperately),
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe,
You don't know,
Oh oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
Oh oh,
You don't know you're beautiful,
Oh oh,"
Harry was about to finish the song, so he easily slipped into Laura's dance with Niall, bringing her close as he led her to the front of the stage, where most of the cameramen and paparazzi were stationed.
As they had rehearsed, the British singer wrapped his arms around her waist as they stared into each others' eyes, their foreheads touching. The spotlight aimed at them, he softened his voice as he sang the last line of the song directly to Laura.
"That's what makes you beautiful."