✓ 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙣' 𝙎𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 ━━ Harry Styles

o5. technology sucks

chapter five
"technology sucks"

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

The Second Show, Peru  ━━ 2014

THE LIMA crowd's roar still echoed in Aisling's ears as she collapsed onto the couch in the green room. Two shows down, and the adrenaline rush hadn't faded a bit.

"You're killing it out there, Ash!" Niall burst into the room, sweeping her into a bear hug. "The crowd loves you!"

Aisling laughed, her face flushed with exhilaration. "It's unreal, Ni. I never imagined it could feel like this."

As the rest of One Direction filed in, the room buzzed with post-show energy. Louis dramatically flung himself across an armchair. "I don't know about you lot, but I'm famished. Who's up for trying some local cuisine?"

"Count me in," Liam chimed in. "Aisling? You should join us. Celebrate your second successful show!"

Aisling hesitated, glancing at her watch. It was already past midnight. "I don't know, I should probably get some rest..."

"Come on," Harry urged, his green eyes twinkling. "Live a little. We're in Peru! When will you get this chance again?"

Something in his smile made Aisling's resolve crumble. "Alright, alright. Let me just change quickly."

An hour later, Aisling found herself in a tiny, vibrant restaurant, surrounded by laughter and the aroma of unfamiliar spices.

"So, Aisling," Zayn said between bites, "any plans for new music? The fans are already asking for more after hearing 'Echoes of You'."

Aisling felt a flutter of excitement. "Actually, yeah. I've been working on something new. The energy here, it's so inspiring."

"Ooh, can we hear it?" Harry leaned in, genuinely interested.

"It's not finished yet," Aisling demurred, suddenly shy.

"Come on, even a snippet," Niall encouraged. "You know we'll give honest feedback."

Aisling took a deep breath and began to hum a melody, then softly sang a few lines:

"Under southern stars, a world away
Every stage, a new page
In this story we're writing..."

She trailed off, cheeks burning. The table was silent for a moment.

"Ash, that's beautiful," Harry said softly, his eyes locked on hers.

The others chimed in with enthusiasm, and soon they were all brainstorming lyrics and harmonies. As the night wore on, Aisling felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the Pisco Sours they'd been sampling.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

In Santiago, she navigated her first language barrier mishap, accidentally ordering the spiciest dish on the menu and enduring good-natured teasing from the boys all night.

In Buenos Aires, she faced her first bout of homesickness, spending an hour on video chat with Emma, who filled her in on all the London gossip she was missing.

But it was in São Paulo that Aisling faced her biggest challenge yet. As she stepped onto the stage at Estádio do Morumbi, her in-ear monitor crackled and went dead. For a moment, panic threatened to overwhelm her. Then she remembered Harry's words from that first night: "Just be yourself and have fun with it."

Taking a deep breath, Aisling strummed the opening chords of her set. She couldn't hear herself perfectly, but she could feel the music, could see the crowd moving with her. And suddenly, it didn't matter if every note was perfect. She was connecting with the audience in a way she never had before.

As she belted out the final notes of "Echoes of You," the crowd erupted in the loudest cheers she'd heard yet. Breathless and beaming, Aisling soaked in the moment.

Backstage, she was immediately enveloped in a group hug by her band.

"That was incredible!" Sarah, her bassist, exclaimed. "The way you handled that tech issue – like a total pro!"

"Thanks," Aisling laughed, still buzzing from the performance. "I just... went with it, I guess."

"Well, whatever you did, keep doing it," Mike grinned. "You're really finding your groove out there."

As the others headed off to cool down, Aisling felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Harry, his curls damp with sweat from One Direction's soundcheck.

"Heard about the monitor," he said. "But from what I saw, you
smashed it anyway. Proud of you, Ash."

There was something in his
gaze, an intensity that made Aisling's heart skip a beat. "Thanks, Harry. I think I'm finally starting to feel like I belong out there."

Harry's smile widened. "You definitely do. Hey, listen, I was thinking... that song you started the other night? I've got some ideas, if you want to work on it together sometime."

Aisling felt a thrill of excitement. "Really? That would be amazing!"

"Great," Harry beamed. "It's a date then. I mean, not a date-date, just a... you know what I mean."

As he hurried off, clearly flustered, Aisling couldn't help but laugh. Who would have thought, a month ago, that she'd be here? Performing to thousands, writing songs with Harry Styles, feeling for the first time like she was exactly where she was meant to be.

Europe was next, and with it, a whole new world of possibilities.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃