Just a Moment... (One Direction)

Chapter Four

“New York City, make some noise!” Niall shouted. Times Square erupted in screams as the opening chords to “What Makes You Beautiful” resounded over the speakers. They’d told me they were opening with WMYB and closing with LWWY, leaving me oh so thrilled to hear those opening chords for the millionth time. (sarcasm)

I looked out at the screaming fans as Liam started up the group. A lot of them were holding the usual One Direction signs, a few wonderfully vulgar, a few “I Love You!”s, and a few with just a name on them. But most of them said something about the boys accident, and most of those revolved around Harry. “Get Well, Harry!” was everywhere.

A few more looked angry and had signs like “1D - Harry = NoD” or “No Harry, No Direction!” I felt bad for the boys, but I hoped that the little surprise I had planned would make up for everything.

The song was going wonderfully, and I almost didn’t notice when Louis shouted “Sing it out for Harry!” before Harry’s first solo, and when all the boys sang it the second time around. 

But as the song approached its climax, aka Harry’s big solo before the final chorus, I felt butterflies beginning to flutter in my stomach. I had, with some help from Sara and the rest of Management, prepared a little surprise not only for the fans but for the boys as well, and I was praying that it would work. 

What I wasn’t prepared for was the little look that I got from Zayn during the second chorus. It was mischievous. And if I had learned anything about Zayn in the last few hours, it was to be nervous when he looked mischievous. 

He slowly made his way over to the side of the stage that I was standing on, and as the chorus ended, he ran over, grabbed me by the arm, pulled me onto the stage and to the front of their little semi-circle that they always make, all the while shouting, “Give it up for our savior and friend, Hannah Clarke!” And thrust the microphone into my hands. The boys all looked on in amusement, obviously in on the joke, just “Na na na na”-ing right along. They meant for me to sing Harry’s solo.

Which would not happen.

I signaled to the band to loop the na na na section again, which they knew I would do, giving me time to make my little announcement. 

“And now, ladies, give it up for the one, the only, HARRY STYLES!!!!” I shouted and turned, pointing to the big screen behind the boys where, suddenly, Harry appeared. I could tell that he was still in the hospital bed, but I noticed that his hair had been done, his face had been touched up, and he had been given some happy drugs. He looked fabulous.

And the fans went wild.

He sang through his solo surprisingly flawlessly, everyone singing along with him and the boys looking on, completely blown. I gingerly made my way off stage before he hit the big part and the boys burst back into the song. They danced around like their wonderful selves, giving the performance of their lives. …And Zayn kept throwing me those little looks that made me just squirm. I was still trying to figure out this whole celebrity suddenly in my life thing…

“That’s what makes you beautiful!” Harry sang over the airwaves, ending the song flawlessly. The crowd went wild as Harry grinned that gorgeous grin he was so famous for.

“Thank you!” Liam threw his hand up and waved with the rest of the boys as the reporters came up and began lauding their performance.

“Wow, that was just amazing! How amazing was that?” The female, Kim, I think her name was, said to the crowd, provoking more screams.

“Now, I think the big question going through everyone’s mind right now is what happened? Why is Harry on a big screen and not with you guys here? And who is that girl you brought up here, Zayn?” The dude, Garrett I think, addressed Liam, then Louis, then Zayn.