*Sam's POV*
We couldn't find Monica, more like she couldn't find us. So we ended up blasting the Up All Night album. Even though I have stage freight, it technically wasn't performing. It was screaming a song and pretend you're singing.
"I'M STILL WIDE AWAKE!" Lou shouts/sang. "WAIT! WAIT!" we all pause. Lou walks over to a circular chair, like half a beach ball, hanging from the ceiling by a chain. Lou and Harry looked at each other, grinning evilly.
*A few minutes later*
"GO!" Lou shouted as we pulled him back as he sat in the chair. We all pulled him back as far as we could and let him go. He screamed as we let him go. The chair rocked back and forth before slamming into the wall, leaving a huge hole. We all froze.
"Uh oh..." Harry sighed.
"Maybe he won't notice?" Liam asked. The little drywall left fell down to the floor with a thud.
"Uh oh..." Zayn said. Simon was on the other side of the hole, his arms crossed.
"H-Hi Uncle Simon!" We all said, weakly.
"Lads what did you do to my wall?" he asked sternly. We all stood with our heads down. "Well?" We all took a step back, leaving Lou behind.
"Oh thanks guys! What great friends!" He said.
"Sorry Boo! It's for the greater good!" Harry called, as if he was trying to reach Loui from the other side of a cliff.
"Well Louis?" Simon asked impatiently.
"Erm...Well...See I saw your chair and it looked fun. And it seemed like a good idea so I had the lads push me and I crashed into the wall," He coughed.
"I decided to come back early because I felt bad but now I see why Monica was the way she is!" Simon said "Maybe if you like chairs so much, I should give you to Lou Teasdale! You can sit in her chair all you want!"
"NO!" Lou shouted. "Please! I'm sorry! I'll pay for the damage! Just please!" He begged.
"I'm sure you are!" Simon sighed and ran a hand through his hair "Look I'm sorry for snapping. Look just this once I'll let you off the hook. Now go on!" he waved him off.
"YAY!" Lou shouted "Let's go cause more trouble-" He turned around, remembering Simon was there. "I mean go do our...homework"
We all walked in a huge blob down the hall, headed outside. Julie and Harry held hands, Lou would plant a kiss on Lexi's cheek every chance he got. Liam kept asking random questions so there was always somewhat of a conversation. Niall and I brought up the back but he slipped his hand around my waist. I was taken by surprise when he did, not that he slipped his hand around me but how he was so secretive about it. He seemed to guide me gently. When we pass a doorway, I felt his hand tense up so I wouldn't go towards the door. It seemed very strange. Then he started to walk slower. I had no choice but to match his pace. Soon we were more than three steps behind the blob of people. I wanted to know what he was doing but the question stuck to my tongue, refusing to let go. I finally had enough courage to ask but he guided me to a door. A plain door inside a doorway. He carefully twisted the knob, keeping his eyes on the blob as it got farther and farther away. He led me inside. It was just another sound booth. Seriously, how many of these do you need? This is probably the 5th or 6th I've seen in this building.
"Niall why are we here?" I ask a little impatiently.
"Look I've had something on my mind this whole time you've been here," he starts. For a brief moment, my mind panics. For a brief moment, I think a crazy thought. For a brief moment, I fear he's going to propose or do something like that. Don't get me wrong, I would love for that to happen. But he has a tour in 6 months and he's only 19, not to mention in only 16. "I've heard you sing." He says. I let out a mental sigh of relief.
"So?" I ask.
"Can you please perform?" he asks. "Just in front of Simon! Please! I want you to have a life! A life like me! You have the talent! Just show one person you have it!" he pauses "You've shown me."
"Niall, I'm sorry. I really am. I just can't!" I say.
"Why?" he asks. "Why can't you perform?" I sigh. I know I'm going to have to tell him why.
"I...I'm scared." I say.
"Why?" He asks again. I want to run away. Hide in my old bedroom. Hide in that recording booth no one uses but me. Scurry up to the highest braches of my tree and stare at the sky. He's just so innocent.
"When I was little, my cousin was in a play. He was about ten years old and I was six. When I was young, I was fearless as you would say. I would be the one to volunteer for anything, even if I didn't know what I was doing. But we went to his play. He was Danny in the play Grease. He messed up one of his lines and the audience laughed. They just thought it was part of the play. My cousin kept going and was fine. But I wasn't. I always think to myself "What if that happened to me?" My confidence would be ruined. And my life would collapse because of that. I know I wouldn't be able to live it down. My conscience would keep bringing it up." I sigh.
"But you compete in horse riding!" Niall says, a hint of frustration in his voice. We've had this conversation before.
"Like I told you before, competing and performing are two different things. In horse riding, you move too fast for any cameras. You can't really mess up. You don't have things to say or lines to mess up." I say.
"But I can do it!" Niall says "I've seen people fail worse than your cousin! And I'm fine!"
"Niall you don't have stage fright. I know I'm probably making a bigger deal out of it but I know if I don't perform, then I can't fail." I say.
"I just want you to have what I have! So I can be normal!" He says, his voice cracking.
"What?" I ask, replaying those words in my head. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, exposing the bits of brown growing out from the blonde.
"All of my friends are normal. They don't go to photo shoots or red carpet premiers. I don't really have any friends I can see without flying home or getting mobbed by papps when I do see them. I have the lads but sometimes it gets to the point where you're like little siblings. I just want someone...Normal to be with me. When you're famous, you can't be best friends with some kid in college. You're expected to go to the movies with Katy Perry or go play mini golf with Johnny Depp. I love you so much. I know you deserve better than what you have. You have no home!" he says.
"Yes I do! It's just taking a few months to rebuild my home after the hurricane!" I fire back. I don't know why I'm so defensive. Deep down, I know Niall's right. He wants me to get what I deserve. The lad just wants a friend who isn't stuck up or lives on expensive things. I try to change the subject, seeing Niall's eyes get glossy with tears. When he cries, it's like watching a little baby cry. "How do you know I sing?" I ask quietly. In response, he pulls a disk out from his pocket. Protected by a clear white case, it says in sharpie scribbled in cursive, "My Beautiful, Talented Girlfriend."
"I've heard you a few times," he whispers. A smile spreads across his face as he pops the CD in the player. I hear my voice ring loud and clear, accompanied by the soft strumming of the guitar as I sing "The a Team" (By Ed Sheeran). Niall skips ahead to the next song. I hear myself sing "Teenage Dream." I remember a few days after Niall sang that song to me, I snuck away to the recording booth and tried to match his beautiful voice. Frustrated, I stopped after a few hours and tried another song. One after another I hear myself sing various songs. I feel my cheeks tingle as I pictured Niall, dressed in sunglasses and fedora, crouching in a corner while I sing in a recording booth.
"If you don't want me to tell anyone-" Niall quickly says but I shake my head.
"No it's better if you tell Simon," I say.
"But you have stage freight," Niall starts but I place my finger over his lips.
"It's ok. I know you only want what's best for me," I say.
"I want my princess to be treated like one," Niall whispers before planting a kiss on my forehead. I know that I had to do it. Face my fear. Perform in one of the most powerful men in the music industry. Simon.
