What Are You So Afraid Of? [Harry Styles]

Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, before I start, this is the chapter where the boys make their first appearance! Woohoo *does happy dance* and from now on the chapters get a little shorter, since the first five were just like putting the whole story into context. So, anyway, here you go :) 

The next day, Jez stood on stage with her hands shaking. Next to her were the other girls and in the centre of the stage stood Ryan; he was saying something but she didn’t hear a word. All she could hear was the sound of blood pounding in her ears. She couldn’t believe it; she actually made it to the finals.

If Haz could hear what she was thinking, she was sure she would slap her friend over the head and say something sarcastic, like, “Duh, didn’t you realize this last night?”

Jez smiled to herself and then tried to bring her focus back to what Ryan was saying.

“And the winner of America’s Next SuperStar is…”

Breathe. Calm down. Jez thought to herself and closed her eyes in an attempt to control her shaking.

Backstage, Haz was picking at food on the snacks table, trying to distract herself from feeling over-excited. She knew Jez was going to win, she just knew it.

She popped a Dorito in her mouth and was concentrating on the sound of her munching when someone came up next to her and grabbed a few jelly beans. Haz turned to walk away but stopped when she saw who was in front of her.

She pulled her eyebrows together in concentration; she’d seen this face before: curly hair, stupid smirk, green eyes.

She narrowed her eyes and pointed an accusing finger at the person in front of her, “Do I know you?” she asked.

His smirk grew, “Well, I’d be surprised if you didn’t.” English accent.

Haz took note of his accent and then finally remembered where she’d seen his face. She opened her mouth to ask when someone called out, “Harry! Come on, we have to go!”

Harry winked and then turned to walk away. Haz rolled her eyes as she remembered his response to her question, “I’d be surprised if you didn’t.’”  Suddenly, she heard cheering from the stage. Realizing that she’d been effectively distracted, she rushed over to the side of the stage to see Jez standing in shock.

I won, Jez thought to herself. She was in shock. She just won a recording contract and a two-million-dollar cash prize. Her life was going to change forever.

She wished her parents were here to see this; she wished she could hug them and tell them how much she loved them. She felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her and she buried her face in her best friend’s shoulder. She told herself that she would not cry on TV.

“You did it! I told you you’d win!” Haz shouted excitedly into her friend’s ear.

“I didn’t believe you! I still can’t believe this!” Jez said and pulled back to jump happily with her friend.

“You better believe it! Coz, honey, you are on the fame train.” Haz said and smirked.

Jez smiled and punched her friend lightly on the shoulder, “Shut up.”

At that moment, Haz seemed to remember something and she was about to speak when she was cut off by Ryan, “And here to present you with the mystery prize is One Direction!”

Both Haz and Jez froze as five boys appeared on stage. There was a moment of stunned silence and then the entire crowd erupted with cheers. Jez was still frozen when two of the boys came to stand next to her and the other three stood next to Haz.