When Everything is Nothing. (Niall Horan Fanfic)

Invisible

~ One Year Later ~

I glanced out at the stage from the side wing, as hundreds of sweaty people crammed onto the open floor were attempting to learn the choreography Stan was throwing at them.

"Five, six, seven, slide, step, lock, twist, jump, pop." he instructed, stepping around the stage to observe everyone individually. Occasionally he would reach down and scribble something down on his clipboard, his facial expression remaining indifferent.

A few of the girls had actually gotten it, the rest of the contestants tripped over each other.

The music stopped and everyone heaved in gulps of air, clinging to them, before releasing loudly.

"You have one hour to master that combination before you will be asked to preform in front of myself and the judges. Good luck." he nodded, pacing back and forth before stopping in his tracks when he finished.

I immediately bolted for the door to the stage supplies closet and went in, knowing from experience that if I stayed for much longer I would've been trampled.

Once I jammed myself in between a mop and a few mic stands I swung the door shut behind me.

I pressed my ear to the door to hear the thundering of footsteps leaving the stage. After about five minutes, the noise had completely cleared as everyone scrambled out to either the waiting rooms, dressing rooms, or outside to practice.

I cracked the door and peeked out. All good.

I walked down a small corridor leading to the sound booth; probably the only peaceful place during the madness of bootcamp.

"X FACTOR SOUND ROOMS

CONTESTANTS PROHIBITED BEYOND THIS POINT."

was printed on the wooden door in bold, black font. I pulled the key out of the pocket of my jeans to unlock it.

I plopped down in the big swivel chair facing the light and sound panel to the stage.

On the panel were hundreds of multicolored nobs, buttons, and levers.

I shut the volume to the stage off, so no noises I made could broadcast onto the stage as music.

I leaned back in the chair and spun around a few times before standing back up and walking over to the piano in the corner of the booth.

I slid onto the piano bench and began striking chords on the keys, each flowing into another, as I started playing Beethoven's second symphony.

~

Back at the adoption centre my friend Ben Boogie had taken an old television off the street when we used to sneak outdoors.

The four of us splitting the older bunkers fixed it and hooked it up to the outlet, Boogie leading us because he knew how a television worked from having one before he was taken away.

The only channel we got was the piano channel.

We watched the television whenever Hellen wasn't around; if she found it she would have confiscated it.

And after years of watching that one channel, I had figured out in my head how to play piano.

Now that I am surrounded by them, I get to finally practice alone what I watched all those years.

Thanks to Stan.

I have to admit, Stan is pretty awesome.

He came to the shelter a year or so ago and adopted me, and it has been everything I dreamed it would be.

I get my own closet most of the time,

My own clothes,

My own volleyball,

My own futball,

I almost always have access to a piano,

I get to travel with his company all around the United Kingdom, and he even gave me a job.

Nothing huge, and I don't get payed a ton, but it's pretty cool to be able to work at such a cool job.

My name is Brodie. I'm sixteen years old and I have been adopted by the visual arts coordinator of the X Factor UK.

I am the person working the light and sound booth.

I remain invisible, unnoticed by most people.

And I intend to keep it that way.