The Piano Player

Chapter Thirty-One: The Concert in NC part 1

-Chapter 31-

"C'mon, Jon, it 6:30! We have a show to do!"

I groaned and reluctantly got up. I picked up Jon's duffel bag and began to walk outside, brain-dead.

Like an electric jolt, I remembered what my purpose was here and I scared myself. I needed to get the book.

I went into the boys' bedroom and snatched up the book to shove it in the bag. I got dressed quickly in the bathroom and followed the rest of the band out the door.

A smaller mob of fans was waiting for us here than in Tallahassee. I kept my head down while we walked inside, knowing how ugly I must look so early in the morning.

Then again, I'm Jon, so it's not really my loss, is it?

We got inside and set up the instruments. I had no idea how to set up a keyboard like this, so I nearly broke it.

"Jon, what's going on? You can usually get this set up in 30 seconds!" Paul said, looking stressed as ever.

"I - I know, I'm just... having an off-day I suppose."

"Ok, need some help?" he offered.

"That would be great,"

"Zayn! Come help Jon with his keyboard!" Paul called to the wings. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

"I'm on it!" I heard Zayn say from offstage. He soon came jogging on.

We had it up within five minutes.

"Great, thanks," I said.

"No problem," he said, then jogged backstage again.

"HOUSE OPENS IN TWENTY MINUTES!" Paul warned us.

"Hey, Paul, what order are we doing the songs in?" I dared to ask.

"The same order we did it in Florida!" He seemed a little stressed.

I didn't know these songs the way Jon did. I had no idea what I was going to do.

I grabbed the music, which was fairly wrinkled by now. I smmothed them out the best I could and hoped I could sight-read well.

I checked out the notes. Nothing too difficult, except for the fact that I would need THREE OR FOUR HANDS TO PLAY IT! I was so nervous. I couldn't do this.

I wished I was home. I wish I had never gotten a raffle ticket, let alone won. I wished I hadn't ever watched the X-Factor. I wished I'd never known who One Direction were.

The time dragged by. The house opened, and I was told to go backstage. The concert started at noon.

There was only one person I thought I could talk to about this, and it was Liam. I wasn't sure why I chose Liam over Niall and the other instrumental guys, or even over calling myself again, but I did. So that's where I went.

I found Liam and asked to talk to him.

"What's going on, Jon?"

"Look. Do you think I've been acting like myself lately?"

"Well, honestly... no. No offense or anything."

"See, that's just it. I'm... you're going to think I've gone mad when I say this, but... I'm NOT Jon Shone. I look like Jon, but I'm really... I'm really Cynthia. That girl at the Florida concert. See, another girl that was there forced some Freaky Friday onto us and, well, Jon is me. He's back in Florida. The point is, I can't play piano the way Jon can. I don't know how to put this, but I can't perform-"

I stopped. Liam was laughing.

"Please, Jon. You're just nervous. What, did Harry Potter come and Confund you?" he laughed. "You'll be fine."

He clapped his hand on my back and walked back into the dressing room.

I sighed. I guess I'd just have to attempt it.

We were rushed out onstage. This was it.

The crowd cheered loudly. I listened to hear which song we would play first. Sounded like What Makes You Beautiful. I flipped through my music and found it.

Here we go...