Pieces of Us| h.s.

Chapter Four.

Harry Styles

This is the biggest London venue we've played yet, and they're only getting bigger.

Jasmine's family are here, Kyla is too, so not only do we have our homecoming performance but we've to make it the best yet to show our family that every risk we've ever taken has been worth it. My parents couldn't make it to London but they're coming to some other shows here and there, so I never really mind.

The four of us stood in the wings in a huddle, arms around each other as the crowd began to cheer. The lights have gone out and the adrenaline is giving us all the type of high you just can't replicate. Any pre-show nerves completely vanish as the sound of the crowd cheering and chanting our name fills the arena. This is why we do what we do.

Our moment before we head out on stage, we stand together in the wings huddled, composing ourselves and getting excited for the show, because in a matter of minutes we'll be on that very stage performing our goddamn hearts out. We like taking this moment for us, to just listen and take in the situation because it makes us realise how lucky we are to be here right now. It nearly brings tears to my eyes and I'm not even out there yet.

'Fuck yeah,' Jamie grinned, jumping up and down a little. 'Love you guys, bring it in one more time.'

This is one of the only exceptions to Sydney not cringing at a hug, when it's worked into our pre show rituals she cant say no. We tend to follow Sydney's lead on stage, she has a much better stage presence than us, she knows how to handle a crowd. When we get the signal from Nick we're good to go. Sydney usually walks on first, naturally causing a big cheer from the crowd and it is just the most magical feeling. These few seconds of anticipation kill.

'Okay this is it,' I smiled, 'Yous ready?'

'I was born ready.' Sydney smirked.

There she went. Waltzing onto stage with open arms and the crowd roared. We followed behind, not getting nearly as big a reaction as Sydney but at the end of the day, she makes this band what it is. If I was in that crowd, we'd be going crazy for her too. As we strapped our instruments to our bodies and waited for Myles to give us the intro to our first song, Sydney stood in front of the crowd, maintaining the big cheer. She averts her eyes to mine with a proud smile, a look of disbelief that we were all mirroring.

And that was it. Myles hit us with the intro and away we went, playing like we've never played before,like we're just kids in the garage still only with so much more talent. The flashing lights, the vacant seats from soundcheck now filled with thousands of smiling faces, the quick glimpses of disbelief we share when we tear our eyes from the crowd, it's all so exhilarating. All eyes are on us as we play the songs we create ourselves, and with each smack on the drum, each strum on our guitars and each note that leaves Sydney's mouth, the crowd just gets better and better.

Sydney was dancing around the stage, spinning in circles as I played my solo. Even when there's nothing for her to sing she still drives the crowd wild. They get more entranced by her with every jump they make, and she knows damn well. She dances a little with Jamie on the bass, a little shimmy with him showing the audience that this isn't just the sydney show, it's the show of a group of kids who've become a family.

As she made her way over to me, she did a couple little spins, dancing in tune to our music. I danced over and met her half way, still playing my guitar with a little nod to Jamie who was staring out at the crowd with a proud smirk on his face.

'This is fucking insane!' She shouted into my ear, unable to whisper as I'd never hear it over the crowd.

I couldn't reply as she was twirling her way back to her microphone to sing the end of the song. Fuelled on the energy the crowd gives off, she sang her heart out with vocals that somehow sound better than the recorded ones on the album.