Walking in the Wind One Direction EDITING

21. Don't you love our pheromones?

I walk back to the group of girls just in time to hear their conversation.

"I hope Simon can talk him into it," Jade says, fidgeting nervously.

"It'd be such a shame if he threw away his spot in the competition," Daisy agrees, shaking her head.

"Are you guys talking about Zayn?" I ask, stepping into the circle. "I just talked to him. Simon's with him now."

"How is he?" Laelynn asks, her brows furrowing in concern.

"He's really nervous," I say. "He's scared to make a fool of himself, but I think Simon might be able to get through to him."

As the words leave my mouth, Zayn steps onto the stage.

"Oh, there he is!" Jade says excitedly, pointing at him.

I gently press her arm down. "Don't point—it's rude!" I whisper.

Zayn looks over at us, probably because of Jade's very obvious gesture. I smile and give him a thumbs-up. "Good luck!"

He offers a small smile in return and takes his place with the other boys. The music starts again, and Zayn begins to dance. His movements are a little stiff, but I can see he's giving it his best shot. I watch him proudly, my heart swelling at his effort.

When the boys finish their routine, applause fills the room. Without hesitation, I run over to Zayn, throwing my arms around him.

"I knew you could do it," I say, squeezing him tightly.

He hesitates for a moment before hugging me back. Then, as if on cue, other contestants join in, cheering and piling on for a group hug. The excitement is infectious, and soon everyone is laughing and clapping.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," Simon calls out, stepping onto the stage with a playful grin. "Girls, it's your turn now."

I let go of Zayn and quickly return to the girls. We take our places, and I find myself in the second row, standing just behind Daisy. Laelynn is next to me, and Jade is somewhere in the third line.

"Girls, are you ready?" Brian asks as the track starts.

The music fills the room, and we begin to dance. I focus on the rhythm, moving through the choreography we've spent hours perfecting. But I can feel the eyes on me—Liam, Harry and Louis are all whispering to each other. But that's not what concerns me.

What concerns me is Simon, Louis and Brian pointing in my direction.

After cycling through all the lines, the music fades, and Brian steps forward. "Thank you, girls," he says.

Simon stands up with a smile. "Before we wrap up, I have an announcement. You know when I said... We weren't gonna make any cuts?"

My heart pounds.

Oh dear god please tell me there isn't a second elimination today?

"I was telling the truth," Simon continues, his smile widening as cheers erupt from the contestants.

"You'll be back tomorrow morning," Louis adds, "and then we'll pair you up for the second and final duet. For now, you're free for the evening. Rest up and come back fresh and fruity."

With that, we're dismissed, and everyone begins to leave the stage.

"Anyone up for dinner?" Liam asks as we make our way out.

"Sure," Harry says, turning to him. "We've got the night off—might as well."

Daisy nudges me with a grin. "Maybe your new friend Zayn wants to join us?"