Chapter 34

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It was the woman judge in the middle. "I know I shouldn't say it, but there's no way we're letting you guys go. You're cute, funny, adorable, great singers, great instrumentalists - goddamn it, you're perfect. And we will be seeing you tomorrow in the final. My god, I'm backing you way until the end." She threw her pen down and held her hands up. "I love ya. Love ya."

The boys were on a high on their way home. "And we've got our gig tonight."

"Shit, imagine if we win. It would be so amazing! Imagine a holiday in Ibiza..." Zayn fantasized.

"Ahh, some much deserved sun-soaking is needed!" Louis put his head back against the driver's seat, then snapped back in to driving mode.

"Lou, look at you." Harry's eyes feasted upon Louis' perfectly, evenly tanned and moderately muscular arms. Harry always thought they were to die for. "You don't need sun. You'd get tanned indoors!" Everyone chuckled at this.

"Yeah, Louis, how are you so tanned?" Niall leaned forward between the driver's and passenger's seat.

"When it's ever sunny outside I'm out there all day. I love the sun." Louis smiled.

"Still, I'm not complaining, I love your arms." Harry put his hand on Louis arm and rubbed the smooth expanse of skin, up to the short sleeve of Louis' shirt. Louis raised an eyebrow.

"'Cause that's not weird."

The next day of dayliness

It was a repeat of a few weeks back. Zayn, of course, was throwing up his nerves, whilst Louis was sitting on Harry's lap in the armchair, reading his book. Harry didn't mind, because he always found it adorable when Louis read, because he was always so entranced. Occasionally, he'd kiss he's boyfriend's back, and press his nose to it, inhaling the sweet, natural smelling scent. His hands were tightly wrapped round Louis' stomach, massaging the smooth skin through the thinly taut material. Louis objected at first.

"Don't, Haz, I'm fat..." he had said. removing Harry's hands, but only for them to resume their position a second later. Harry gasped.

"You're not fat! You're not too skinny either... you're perfect. It's completely in line with your chest and it isn't pushed out. I love your tummy."

Louis giggled at the childish word. "Aw, I love your tummy too."

"Let's go." Liam walked in ten minutes later. "Door was open."

"For god's sake, Harry, we're gonna get burgled again, soon." Not like Louis had to clean up the mess. Liam and Niall had cleared up whilst the other three were in hospital.

"It wasn't me! Well, it might've been... how do you know it was me? Which it wasn't..."

"Because, Haz," Louis had bookmarked his book, got up, outstretched his hands and pulled Harry up, the gravity influencing heavily as he tumbled in to Louis. The next noise he made was a stifled groan of effort, trying to push Harry off. "You always come in last, from when you go on your 'midnight strolls'."

"Ah, yeah." Harry giggled teasingly, and pecked his boyfriend's nose. "You should join me. They're really refreshing."

So, once again, they were in the car, on the way to the Brighton pavilion. It wasn't very eventful; the nerves had gotten the better of the atmosphere. So, I'll skip t 5 minutes before they go on stage.

"So we're up against The Wanted and Union J. Interesting." Liam read aloud the leaflet being handed out all over Sussex (pretty much the east part of Southern England), eyeing the opponents.

"They don't have any instruments."

"Good point, Zayn. That'll give us extra points." Louis had borrowed a piano, as the theme was power ballads, so they didn't have to write another song. Even though they weren't overly fond of Adele, they chose 'Someone Like You' because not only does it show off their vocal ability, but people love Adele.

One Direction were up second. They all went in to a buzzing atmosphere - The Wanted must've riled up the audience.

"Hey boys..." The woman said in the middle. "Blow us away."

They all smiled, as Louis took his position on the piano stool. It was a very old-fashioned piano, with an open top and a shiny black surface. Harry sat on a stool next to Louis, with Liam to the left of him. Zayn and Niall sat next to each other on the right, guitars in hand.

"No backing track?" Kyle was waiting. They all shook their heads no, as even the old man nodded in approval. And so Louis started right away, knowing everyone was getting edgy. It was a simple play - very repetitive, but Louis made it look harder than it was by moving his fingers in dexterity. He was also starting.

"I heard that you're settled down, that you found a girl and you're married now...I heard that your dreams came true, guess she gave you things I didn't give to you.

Old friend, why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light." He was pleased when Harry took over the next line, as he didn't have another solo until the very end:

"Never mind I'll find, someone like you!" Louis summoned all of his singing knowledge and testimony in to this line, as he unknowingly stopped playing, and even Niall and Zayn stopped playing the chords. All eyes were on Louis, as a lights specialist shone a spotlight on him. Next thing he knew, the hall had been lit fully and he was being hugged by Harry, people whistling and cheering. The emotions were too much for Louis, as he burst in to tears. The people, obviously from Syco, sitting alongside the judges frowned and sighed, though.

"I like you. I like you all." The woman judge said. "I really do, and I tell you what, the other acts have got a run for there money." 1D all hooked their arms round each other's necks.

"You know what? You there" -Kyle pointed at Louis- "you show emotion. You're strong. I admire you. All of you, in fact. Vocally, I was astonished."

The old man gave his positive reviews, before they were sent off for the final act.

When they were all summoned back in, Louis could tell that the judges looked grief-stricken. Not the loom you'd have in the final... something was definitely up.

"We've decided on the winner... but there has been a slight change of plan." The old man said, as the audience muttered in excitement... or anxiety? "The record label as decided that the winner wouldn't... wouldn't be sufficient, so they have chosen another act to sign.

"Nonetheless, as judges, we have chosen a winner, and have extended the winner's break to three weeks, and equalized the contract in money.

In third place..." The audience 'ooh'd' and 'ahh'd'.

"The Wanted!" The woman cheered, as she gave them all a hug and certificates.

"And so, in first place..."

"ONE DIRECTION!" All three judges shouted at the same time. Next thing Louis knew, he was being picked up, thrown around in happiness and hugged, the audience roaring with delight.

But, one thing bugged him. Why didn't Syco sign them?

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