Secret Sister » 1D

Chapter 13

Chapter 13


"I think you should do 'One Thing'," I told an exhausted Liam as he pulled on a shirt. I was chipper than usual--I had no idea why--but Liam was like a drained battery. I just totally sucked the energy right out of him.

"We always do 'One Thing'," Liam told me as he fixed his hair. I have no idea how you style a buzz cut, but that's Liam for you.

"Then maybe I could be your opening act," I said nonchalantly, swinging my feet back and forth from where I sat on the bed.

Liam laughed. "Haha, not a chance, Lily," he said, suddenly serious, as he grabbed a room key.

"Oh, come on," I whined. "I don't sound awful. I don't think," I mumbled under my breath.

"I know you don't," Liam replied, tossing me my jacket. "But Simon would never allow it. And neither would I. Now let's go. The other boys must be waiting for us."

"But why wouldn't you allow it?" I complained as he shoved me out the door.

"Did you seriously just ask that question?" he asked rhetorically as we rushed to the elevator. "Because Mum and Dad would absolutely kill me. So many people would see you!"

"So?" I retorted. "It's not like they know I'm a Payne! Not even your friends believed you!"

Liam scowled as he practically punched the one button. "I don't care," he said. "I'm not a promise-breaker. And if you even get down on your knees and beg, I won't let you."

I sighed and leaned against the elevator wall. How come Liam got to call all the shots? "Why don't any of the other boys take charge?" I asked.

"Think about that question real hard, Delilah," he muttered and I stopped bugging him. He wasn't using my nickname anymore.

The doors opened and we saw the other boys waiting around in the lobby. Niall spotted us first. "About time!" he cried. "I'm starving!"

"Me too," I agreed. "But Liam was taking forever!" Liam glared at me and I shut my mouth.

"We can eat in the car," he said. "Paul is driving us. Grab something at the buffet. And if that's not enough, there will probably be food there."

"Good enough for me," Niall said. "Now let's go already!"

We hustled out of the hotel and saw a car waiting for us. Miraculously, there were no fans there to mob us, so we managed to make it over without a problem. I sat between Louis and Liam, and Harry and Niall and Zayn sat across from us.

"Do you guys think I would make a good opening act?" I blurted out.

"Depends on what you would do," Niall replied, like this was totally normal. Everyone else, on the other hand, was staring at me like I was a crazy person.

"Singing," I said.

He laughed. "Love, you would have to be better than us first," he said. "Or at least as good. And the only singing I hear from you is screaming." I blushed. Who knew Niall could be so critical?

"I don't think it's a bad idea," Louis piped up. "If she set her heart and mind to it, I bet she could do it."

"Of course YOU would think that," Harry muttered.

"Shut up," I scowled.

"Everybody's chipper this morning," Zayn remarked.

"I'm tired," Liam complained, rubbing his eyes.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Liam," I muttered under my breath. Louis heard me, and he laughed.

About ten minutes later we arrived at the theater. "Do you have to wear costumes?" I giggled as we were hurried backstage.

"Sort of, not exactly," Zayn explained. "Lou picks out our clothes for each of the segments of songs we do. You know, the winter scene, the school scene, yada yada yada."

I nodded in understanding. "If I were an opening act," I said. "Would I have to wear a planned outfit?"

"Probably," he replied. "But that's not going to happen so you don't have to worry about that." I scowled as the boys ran into their dressing rooms.

I went onstage and grinned at the empty seats. I could already imagine the bunches of fans screaming and jumping and crying as their idols appeared on stage.

I shook my head in amazement. I don't know how the boys stayed sane. If I were a boy and had that many girls chasing my tail, I would probably go mad. Perhaps Harry already was mad. I snickered.

I spotted five poles with microphones attached and I went over to them. I picked up one microphone and twirled it between my fingers. I almost dropped it so I stopped.

"Testing, testing, one two three," I said into it, and my voice echoed around the theater. I grinned.

What song should I sing first? I decided to sing my favorite One Direction song, "One Thing". I sang the first line that popped into my head. "I don't, I don't know what it is!" I sang. "But I need that one thing! And you've got that one thing!"

For some reason, One Direction songs made me want to scream and shout (and let it all out XD), so I decided to sing something else.

Hmm, I had a keen interest in country music. I decided on Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova". That's one of my favorites.

I played the tune in my head for a while so I could get a feel for it before singing. "You better take it from me," I sang, snapping my fingers. Oh, yes. "That boy is like a disease. You're running and trying, trying to hide and you're wondering why you can't get free. He's like a curse, he's like a drug." I wrinkled my nose.

"You get addicted to his love." I smiled.

"You wanna get out but he's holding you down because you can't live without one more touch," I rattled off. "He's a... good time, cowboy casanova leaning up against the record machine! He looks like--"

"Delilah!" someone yelled behind me and I jumped, nearly dropping the microphone.

"What?" I snapped into it, spinning around. I liked the feel of it in my hands.

Liam glared at me. "Put that down," he ordered.

"Why?" I pouted. "He looks like a cool drink of water, but he's candy-coated misery!" I continued to sing just to piss Liam off. "He's a devil in disguise, a snake with blue eyes and he only comes out at night!"

"Who're singing about?" he asked nervously.

I shrugged. "Nobody in particular," I said.

"What song is it?"

"'Cowboy Casanova' by Carrie Underwood."

"Who?"

"Oh, never mind."

"I thought she was singing about Niall," Louis snickered, coming out from behind Liam.

"No, I was singing about you," I corrected him. After all, he has blue eyes too. He stuck his tongue out back at me.

"Give me that," a husky voice behind me ordered, and suddenly the microphone was out of my grasp. Harry held it above his head as I jumped for it.

"Party pooper," I scowled.

"Go sit over there," Liam called over to me. "We have to start on rehearsals."

I obeyed him grudgingly, and Harry watched me go with thoughtful eyes. I wondered what was going on in his head.

I sat down in one of the front row seats and watched them. They got all set up, standing in position and adjusting their earpieces. I didn't have an earpiece when I sang. Did I sound super awful, or really good? I hoped the latter option.

It was a pretty good rehearsal, and sure enough, they sang "One Thing". I was glad, and it sounded pretty good live and without music. The only strange thing was that Harry had a seriously concentrated look on his face, and he kept glancing at me weirdly. What, was he afraid I was going to judge him? He was making me feel uncomfortable, but I didn't show it.

They practiced for a long time, and finally it was lunch time. "I'm going to go find some Nutella," I declared, getting up and going backstage.

I was humming "Blown Away" by Carrie Underwood as I went. Drat, now I'd got her songs stuck in my head.

I found some Nutella and a spoon and began to help myself. Paul knew me so well.

"Hey," a voice said behind me and I jumped and spun around. It was Harry and he was picking at an orange.

"Geez!" I laughed to hide my discomfort. Sometimes he just scared me sneaking up behind me like that. "Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

He cracked a small smile. Then he sighed. "Okay, I'm just going to be blunt here," he said. "I think that we sort of got off on the wrong foot."

I raised my eyebrows. "You think?" I muttered under my breath but looked at him expectantly.

"So, let's start over," he said. He stuck out his hand. "Hello, my name is Harry Styles," he said, smiling. I grinned back. Liam's right: he's random.

"Delilah Payne, or Lily, at your service," I replied, shaking his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said formally.

"Ditto."

He laughed. He had a nice laugh. "I suppose I should get back to rehearsal," he said. "But we have a few hours afterwards. Want to talk then?"

"Sure," I said with a shrug. We went back out and the boys started singing again. Apparently they had quick lunches.

Harry looked much more relaxed. Weirdo. I smiled.