April Showers [h. s.]

4

'I didn't hear you last night, did you go to the library?' Mum asks. 

'No, I didn't, I came home late and practiced my music upstairs', I answer her in hopes she wouldn't go further. She always goes further. 

'Amelie, I am sick and tired of constantly asking you to work harder on your uni work, it's not me sitting those exams at the end of the year it's you, you should know this by now' she drills back to me, like always. 

It's the same argument with me over and over again,  Noah gets none of it because he's studying business and mum sees that as an actual job. I ignore her.

Mum doesn't really see a point in music, she thinks it will get me nowhere, that it's a hobby and that I should focus on something else that will "pay my bills". She wasn't happy when I told her I wanted to do music in university, Noah talked her into it. He usually does. He's the mediator in this house with dad gone.

Mum and I started to clash ever since dad died. We very rarely get along anymore.

'Mum' I pause, 'It was such a long day in work, it was really busy and I just didn't have the energy to go to the library-'

'It will be an even longer day if you don't get going over to the café now', she cuts me off me bluntly.

I grabbed my coat and slammed the door behind me, got into my car and drove off.  I probably don't help myself in these situations, but this has been going on so long that I'm just over it at this stage. I don't care anymore what my mum thinks of me.

-

It was a usual Tuesday at the café, it was just me, as Noah had early classes this morning. 

It's always busy in the morning while everyone goes to work and school and then in the afternoon practically nobody comes in.

The bell over the door rings.

'I hope my hot chocolate is ready for me Miss'. a voice calls out.

Zayn.

'You will have to wait, I wasn't expecting you this early,' I replied. 

He was in very early today. He doesn't come in until close usually. I was happy to see him, he helps me take my mind off things, talking about the tour. 

'But you're in luck, there's some fresh almond croissants waiting for you,' I jeered.

He sat down with his notebook on the corner window seat. 

'You better be careful sitting in front of the window like that, the girls will be running over and will mark the windows which means I'll have to clean them again,' I mocked, while setting down his salted caramel hot chocolate and his almond croissant on a small plate in front of him.

'I'll be fine, doesn't seem like you're too busy today anyway, also, I wouldn't be much help being a window cleaner,' he teased back to me with a grin spread across his face. 

'Shut up' I roll my eyes with a laugh.

'I actually came here to ask you something,' he said. 

'As you probably already know, we are just about to start our US tour in a few weeks, and I was wondering if you would like to maybe, possibly be one of our support acts?' he continued.

'Zayn' I murmured. 'Stop messing with me'.

'I'm actually serious, it would be good for you', he exclaimed. 

'I've heard your songs, heard you sing, you're good, really good' he pleads again. 

'Well first of all, nobody would know who I am, I've never released anything, and secondly, I can't leave the café my mum would have a fit.' I mumbled.

I can't tell if he is being serious or not. Why would he want me? Nobody knows me, I've never properly performed before, just local clubs and in front of my parents, so I don't know where he's getting all this from.

'What about that EP you gave me?' he questions.

'Oh Zayn come on, that was just a project for uni. It's not released or anything.' I answer.

'Well it was good, the boys think so too.' he replies.

'Plus that doesn't really matter anyway, nobody knows support acts, they are there to boost their career's, so it doesn't really make you any different whether you have anything released or not', he explained.

I stare at him blankly, not knowing what to say or think about this whole preposition he is after giving me.

'Just tell me you'll consider it', he begs, smiling up at me. 

'Fine I suppose, I don't really know what to say', I hesitated. 

'Thank you, and if you don't accept this absolutely incredible offer then I will go elsewhere for my almond croissant', he joked, while standing up and grabbing his things that were sporadically placed all over the small table.

'Well, we need you Zayn, I'll think about it', I mocked back at him. 

I will not think about it. There is no way I, Amelie Gray, will go on tour with One Direction, the biggest boyband in the world. That is ridiculous.

'You won't regret it, also I left my number on the receipt, call me when you decide', he called out as he swung open the door, hearing the bell ringing as he sauntered out the door.

What just happened?

He can't be serious.

I am a nobody. I actually couldn't think of anything worse than standing in front of thousands of people singing my silly little songs and nobody having ever heard of me.

The rest of the day flew past me, Noah came in after Zayn left when he finished in uni. He helped me sort out the new shelf full of new coffee beans we just got in, and now we started to clean up after a very quiet day.

'Zayn was in earlier', I mumbled.

'Oh yeah?', he replied.

'Yeah, he actually came in to talk to me about something', I muttered, unsure if I should tell him this or not.

 'And what is that?' he asked. 

'It's actually kind of crazy, he asked me to be a support act in their tour coming up, isn't that so funny? Theres no way I could ever do that', I brushed off, kind of regretting ever mentioning it. It sounds so crazy and stupid.

'And why can't you?', he shrugged, setting down the sponge he was holding to look at me.

'Noah, are you kidding?', I say, confused as to why he is not laughing in my face at this already.

'Well to be honest it sounds incredible, and I can't believe you're just brushing it off', he challenged. 

'Is this not what you've been waiting for your entire life? An opportunity like this?', he added, just making me feel even more uneasy about the situation I was just handed.

'Think about this logically Noah' I exhaled. 'What will mum think if I tell her I'm going to America for 12 months, what would she say and plus, I can't just leave the café'.

'Don't think about mum, this is about you, Amelie, and the café will be fine, I will still be here', he answers.

I don't reply to him. I don't know what else to say. This seems way out of my depth. Is it? I keep scrubbing the counters.

'Look Noah, this whole music thing is just a hobby, an impossible dream, there is no way I can tour with them', I condemned, shaking my head, and zipping up my jacket, getting ready to leave.

'I won't say anymore but just don't pass it up for someone else's sake. Imagine what dad would say if he heard this', he trailed off.

Why would he say that? He's not here anymore, I can't consider him in decisions anymore.

I walk out the door, Noah following behind me until we got to the door of the house. We didn't speak on the walk back. I thought a lot about what he was saying. Maybe he's right and I shouldn't just forget the offer.

I should tell mum.