Power & Control

6: How To Be A Heartbreaker

~A

Jingle Bell Ball.

The perfect promoting and exposure opportunity. Getting to book such a big event right before the holidays was an achievement on its own, but it was perfect in my case. My second single for the new album was out for barely even a week, giving me the perfect opportunity to promote it while also taking advantage of the success my first song has had so far to engage the audience.

It wasn't usual for me to get nervous before a performance, but this time I was. I blamed it on the fact that I'd be performing my second song for the first time ever in front of an audience, a pretty large one at that. It was a few minutes before my turn to go up on stage, so I took a minute to myself and focused on my breathing. I inhaled from my nose, holding the air for three seconds before releasing it from my mouth. Stood in a corner I quietly observed the people around me. Perrie and Jillian were doing some last minute vocal warmups. Leigh and Julia were standing around, chatting as they waited. Ty and that other guitarist, Duncan were doing the same a few feet away, their instruments already in their hands.

I realised Niall was missing, something that caused me to slightly panic. I darted my eyes around in an attempt to spot him, getting even more nervous when I couldn't. And I didn't know where Louis was either, meaning I couldn't ask him about it. The previous artist was done with his set, walking off stage past me with his own band.

My panic only heightened at the realisation I'd have to be on stage in less than two minutes, and my band was incomplete. I frantically looked around, only being able to spot Louis talking on the phone. He didn't seem to have noticed there was a problem. I stomped towards him, only to come to a stop when I finally saw Niall walking towards the rest of the band. Infuriated, I changed my path and went towards him, getting in his way before he reached everyone else.

"Where the hell were you?" His eyebrows furrowed behind his sunglasses, though he wasn't that fazed.

"Get off my case, will you? I don't have to report to you." He scoffed in amusement, brushing past me. I don't know what wave of bravery came over me that second, but I gripped his bicep to stop him. Surprised, he turned his head to me as our shoulders were pressed against each other's.

"When we're about to go on stage, you do. I don't care what you do when we're not working. But when you're supposed to be working for me I expect you to be on time. Got it, pretty boy?" My jaw was clenched, my voice low as I brought my face closer to his. I finally had the control. I was finally able to stand up to him without feeling small.

But then he pushed his sunglasses up, cobalt blue burning into me and shattering everything. He smirked, noticing how my aggravated gaze softened. Just like that, he realised the power he had.

"Look at you, acting all tough and telling me off. You've got moxie." I scoffed at the tone in which he spoke that I could only take as ironic. I released his arm, making sure to push him back a bit before doing so.

"Is everything a fucking joke to you?" I glared at him, standing my ground. With a humorless chuckle, he placed his shades back in place and turned to his side, taking the red Gibson guitar handed to him by a staff member.

"It's just so easy to get under your skin." He ironically smiled, swinging the leather strap over his shoulders.

"Don't ever be this late again or I swear to God you're fired, even if I'm left a band member short." I threatened, having no regards over Louis' opposition to that. At the end of the day, I did have the final say of who was in my band or not. With a final glare, I turned on my heels and went to the side of the stage again, watching as it was getting prepared for my set. I placed my in ears in their place after they've been hanging around my neck, hearing the sound engineer talk through them to make sure everything was working.