SIX - One Direction

37

After months of anticipation, the premiere of This is Us had finally arrived. The venue was buzzing, packed to the rafters with fans, media, and celebrities, all huddled together in the kind of frenzy you only get when something huge is about to happen. The flashing lights were blinding as cameras snapped away, and Alex found herself backstage, heart pounding, watching the crowd outside through a crack in the curtains.

"Blimey, can you actually believe this is happening?" she muttered to Harry, who was straightening his tie with intense focus.

Harry glanced up at her, his usual cheeky grin replaced with something a bit more thoughtful. "It still feels mental, doesn't it? But I reckon this is just the start of something big. I'm proper proud of what we've done, all of us."

Alex nodded, swallowing down the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. It was hard to imagine how far they'd come from their early days—squashed into a van, playing small venues, and figuring out how to navigate fame. Now, here they were, about to share their story with the world. It felt surreal, like everything had led up to this very moment.

Just as the silence settled between them, the others showed up, looking sharp in their suits. Niall, ever the upbeat one, flashed a grin that could light up the entire room. "Right, lads, let's go show 'em what we're made of, eh? Time to let the world see our story!"

They made their way toward the red carpet, and the moment they stepped out, the fans went absolutely mental. The noise was deafening. It felt like they were being swept along by this wave of energy, all the excitement from the fans washing over them. Alex could feel the buzz in her chest, like she was part of something huge, but her nerves were in full swing too.

The cameras started snapping away, flashes blinding them every which way as they stopped for photos. They flashed their smiles, waved at the crowd, and posed for shots, though Alex couldn't help feeling a bit like a deer caught in headlights. It was a bit mad, really. These were the kinds of moments they used to dream about back when they were still on *The X Factor*, when the biggest thing on their minds was surviving the next round.

After what felt like an age, they were finally ushered inside, away from the chaos of the red carpet. The atmosphere shifted the moment they entered the venue—more formal, more polished, but still buzzing with excitement. The theatre was all velvet seats and dim lighting, and the murmur of the crowd was like the low hum of a thousand bees. They found their seats, the lights dimmed, and the screen flickered to life.

Alex felt her heart kick into overdrive as the opening montage rolled, showing their journey—from their first awkward auditions on *The X Factor*, to the mad scramble of their first tour, to the sold-out stadiums and award shows that had become the norm. It was a lot to take in, seeing it all laid out like that. It almost felt like a lifetime ago, and yet, it had only been a few years. The montage flashed moments of everything they'd been through—early mornings, late nights, moments of pure exhaustion, and moments of pure elation. It was all so much.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Zayn muttered under his breath, leaning forward in his seat and staring at the screen. "Look at us. We were proper babies, weren't we?"

The whole row burst into laughter, even though the footage was clearly a reminder of how far they'd come. Zayn's hair was a wild mop back then, and his clothes were... well, questionable at best. But now, here they were, a world-famous band with a documentary to prove it. It was mental.

"Yeah, and we didn't even know how to hold a microphone properly," Liam added with a shake of his head. "I mean, what were we doing?"

Alex couldn't help but laugh, the memory of those early days still fresh in her mind. She glanced at Harry, who was watching the screen intently, and her mind wandered back to when it had all started—the auditions, the first time they'd sung together, the first time they'd really felt like a proper band.

As the film carried on, more memories flashed by—some funny, some serious. The tours, the late nights, the inevitable drama, but also the little moments that had made it all worth it. The arguments, the laughter, the sheer ridiculousness of some of the things they'd gone through together. They were all in it, every second of it, and it was impossible not to feel the weight of those years. They'd grown up together, faced challenges no one could have predicted, and come out the other side with a bloody great story to tell.

But it was the emotional moments that really caught her off guard—footage of them laughing together, of late-night chats when they were all knackered but still managed to crack each other up, and the times they'd supported one another through the tough days. Those were the moments that hit hardest—because they weren't just a band, they were family. And that was something no one could take away.

The credits rolled, and the theatre exploded into applause. Alex joined the boys as they stood up, a bit overwhelmed by the reaction. She could see the pride in their eyes, and she shared it with them. It was a big deal. This film wasn't just about their rise to fame, it was about the bloody journey it had taken to get there. All the ups and downs, the bloody hard work, and the laughs that had kept them going.

Once they were backstage again, Niall was the first to pull Alex into a bear hug. "Oi, we did it! This is going to change everything. I'm telling you, this is massive!"

Alex laughed, feeling her chest swell with pride. "I can't even wrap my head around it. It's been mental, hasn't it?"

Harry came up behind them, his usual grin softened, his eyes shining. "You were brilliant in that film, Alex. Honestly. I'm so glad we got to do this all together."

Alex smiled, her chest tight with emotion. "Me too. It feels like everything's been leading up to this."

As they stood there, the noise of the crowd outside still filtering in, Alex thought about everything that had come before this moment. The late-night writing sessions, the insane tours, the silly pranks, the arguments, the tears, and everything in between. It was all part of their story, and now the world would know it too. But more than that, it was theirs—every moment, every memory, and every laugh. And nothing could take that away.