✓ 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙣' 𝙎𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 ━━ Harry Styles

oo. prologue

Prologue
"Please Welcome Aisling Horan"

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

The Black Cat, London  ━━ 2014

THE SOFT glow of fairy lights illuminated the cramped stage of The Black Cat, a tiny pub tucked away in one of London's less glamorous neighborhoods.

Aisling Horan took a deep breath, her fingers curled around the neck of her well-loved acoustic guitar. The familiar scent of stale beer and disappointment hung in the air, mingling with the low murmur of the Thursday night crowd – all twelve of them.

"Right then," she murmured to herself, "let's do this."

Aisling stepped up to the microphone, plastering on a smile she didn't quite feel. "Good evening, everyone. I'm Aisling, and I'll be playing a few songs for you tonight. This first one's called 'Echoes of You'."

As she began to play, Aisling closed her eyes, losing herself in the music. For a few blissful moments, she could pretend she was playing to a packed arena instead of a nearly empty pub.

"In the spaces between heartbeats, I hear the echoes of you. A whisper of what could have been, A promise we never knew..."

The last notes faded away, met with scattered applause and the clink of glasses. Aisling opened her eyes, her smile a little more genuine now. It wasn't much, but it was something.

She played through the rest of her set, a mix of covers and originals, each met with the same polite but unenthusiastic response. As she packed up her guitar, the pub owner, Mike, approached her.

"Nice set tonight, love," he said, handing her a small envelope. "Same time next week?"

Aisling nodded, trying not to think about how light the envelope felt. "Thanks, Mike. See you then."

The cool night air hit her as she stepped outside, a welcome relief after the stuffy pub. Aisling began the long walk home, her guitar case bumping against her leg with each step.

Her tiny flat was dark when she finally arrived, fumbling with her keys. As she flicked on the lights, the stark reality of her situation hit her once again. The space was barely large enough for a bed, a small desk, and her growing collection of musical equipment. Posters of her musical idols covered the walls, their smiling faces a constant reminder of her dreams.

Aisling flopped onto her bed, pulling out the envelope Mike had given her. She counted the meager earnings twice, sighing heavily. It was barely enough to cover this week's groceries, let alone put anything towards her demo EP.

Her phone buzzed, and she fished it out of her pocket, smiling despite herself when she saw the caller ID.

"Hey, Ni," she answered, trying to inject some cheer into her voice.

"Ash! How's my favorite little sister?" Niall's warm voice filled the line.

Aisling rolled her eyes fondly. "I'm your only sister, you muppet. And I'm fine. How's tour prep going?"

"Ah, you know, same old. Rehearsals, fittings, the lads driving me mad," Niall chuckled. "How was your gig tonight?"

Aisling hesitated. She hated worrying Niall, but she'd never been able to lie to him either. "It was... quiet," she admitted. "But hey, at least I got to play, right?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. When Niall spoke again, his voice was softer. "Ash, you know if you need anything-"

"I know, I know," Aisling cut him off. "But I'm fine, really. I just need to keep at it, pay my dues. Right?"

"Right," Niall agreed, but she could hear the concern in his voice. "Listen, Ash, there's actually something I wanted to talk to you about. Got a minute?"

Aisling sat up straighter, curiosity piqued. "Yeah, of course. What's up?"

"Well," Niall began, "you know we're about to start the Where We Are Tour, yeah? Turns out our opening act had to drop out last minute. Family emergency or something."

"Oh no," Aisling said, "That's awful. Are you lot going to be okay?"

"Well, that's the thing," Niall continued, a note of excitement creeping into his voice. "We need a new opening act. And, well... I might have suggested you to management."

Aisling felt her heart stop. "You... what?"

"I know, I know," Niall rushed on, "I should have asked you first. But Ash, this could be huge for you. A chance to play your music to thousands of people every night. I showed Simon some videos of your performances, and he loves your sound. He thinks you'd be perfect for the tour."

Aisling's mind was reeling. Opening for One Direction? It was an opportunity beyond her wildest dreams. But as the initial shock began to fade, doubts crept in.

"Niall, I... I don't know," she said, her voice shaky. "It's an incredible opportunity, but... people will think I only got it because of you. And the crowds... Ni, I've never performed for more than a couple hundred people, let alone stadiums!"

"Hey, listen to me," Niall said firmly. "You're talented, Ash. Really talented. Simon wouldn't consider you if he didn't think you could handle it. As for what people think? They'll always talk. But once they hear you sing, they'll know why you're there."

Aisling bit her lip, considering. "What about the band? Wouldn't it be weird, your sister touring with you?"

Niall laughed. "Are you kidding? The lads love you. Harry's been pestering me to get you to write with him for ages."

At the mention of Harry's name, Aisling felt a slight flutter in her stomach that she quickly pushed aside. "I just... it's a lot to take in, you know?"

"I know," Niall said softly. "And you don't have to decide right now. Just think about it, yeah? This is your chance to share your music with the world, Ash. On your own terms."

As Aisling hung up the phone a few minutes later, she felt a mix of emotions wash over her. Excitement, fear, hope, doubt – they all swirled together in a dizzying cocktail.

She stood up, walking to the small window that overlooked the bustling London street below. The world of stadiums, screaming fans, and untold possibilities stretched out before her. All she had to do was take the first step.

For now, though, she had a big decision to make. And as she turned back to her tiny flat, her guitar catching her eye, Aisling realized that no matter what happened next, music would be at the heart of it all.

That, at least, felt right.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃