South Shields

Chapter 34

- PERRIE -

"What have you been doing here anyways?" Jesy asks Jade.

"Well, me and Dave here have just been hanging out, playing music and stuff. Been writing some lyrics as well." Jade tries to sound as casual as possible, and therfore she sips a little on her red wine.

All of us, including Dave, is drinking red wine and eating biscuits. So far we're having a great time, and I feel like both me, Leigh-Anne and Jesy just want all of our questions answered right now.

"I didn't know you were so into music, Jade. Tell me more, what are the songs about?" Leigh-Anne asks.

"I don't really want to talk about that." Jade mumbles and looks down on her feet. When she lifts her head up again, she's looking straight into my eyes, and I can tell by her look that she's telling me what they're about. They're about me.

"Oh, come on! I want to know Jade!" Leigh-Anne continues.

"Leigh-Anne, maybe they're a secret." I fill in to help Jade. It seems like she's uncomfortable, and I don't blame her. I'm sitting here, right beside her, the one who she wrote a song about.

"Perrie, you know you can call me Leigh, right? You don't have to say my whole name." she smiles at me.

"Oh. Okay." I simply answer. "Leigh." I then add and smile back at her. To change the subject I ask Jade if she wants to play the song for us.

"Really?" she asks, raising her eyebrows as if she doesn't believe I'd want to hear her sing.

"Yeah, we'll sing with you." I say as I meaningly look at Jesy and Leigh-Anne. "Right?"

"Yeah, I'll sing." Jesy says.

"I don't know..." Leigh mumbles. "I don't really sing."

"Come on Leigh! I've heard you sing and you're good." Jesy encourages her.

"I'm not the best either." I add. "Which is the reason to why I didn't get through when I auditioned for the X-Factor..." The last bit I mumble, mostly to myself, but Jade hears me.

"What?!" she asks, shocked. "You auditioned for the X-Factor? When?"

"What?" both Jesy and Leigh call out at the same time.

"Yeah, I actually did. It was in 2011. But I didn't get through because they thought I was too young, sooo..." I explain. Suddenly it feels kind of awkward, as if I was trying to sound better or more experienced than the other girls. That's not it, because I was just reminding myself that I wasn't good enough to reach my goals.

"No way..." Jade suddenly says, her eyes wide when I look at her. 

"What?" I ask.

"Wait, Jade. Wasn't that the year you auditioned as well?" Jesy interrupts Jade.

"That was what I was going to say. I auditioned in 2011 as well. And in 2010, and 2009..." Jade tells me.

"What?" I can't help but smile. What a coincidence! "That's so funny! Wow..."

"Yeah..." I respond, not knowing exactly how to continue the conversation.

"Okay, I can sing." Leigh suddenly says. "It's not the end of the world."

"Yes! That's my girl!" Jesy calls out and stands up from the couch. She puts up her hand for Leigh to make a high-five with her, which she does.

"Hey, Dave!" Jade shouts.

"Yeah?" We can hear from the toilet by the entrance to this room.

"Can you come play guitar for us?"

"Sure! Just... wait a second!" he answers Jade and all of us girls start to giggle.

When Dave approaches us on the couch, Jade and I make room for him to sit between us. As he sits down he starts to tune the guitar.

"We're doing my song." Jade tells him, and he responds with a nod.

"How do you two know each other anyways?" Jesy asks. "I've never met you."

"Dave and I used to work together. I think it was about a year ago."

"Yeah." Dave agrees. "But then I quit and started my own business here."

"Cool, what do you do?" Leigh asks.

"I mostly record and edit videos, such as commercials or short videos, sometimes music videos, but I also write songs which is what Jade and I have been doing the past few weeks."

"Cool." Leigh responds and nods to show that she likes what he just said.

"Shit..." I suddenly say, as I remember that I have work tomorrow morning.

"What's wrong?" Jade asks me.

"I just remembered I have work tomorrow morning." For a second, I panic. I really don't want to leave, so I can only think of one thing to do. "Wait for me, please?" I ask the others as I stand up and walk away without waiting for them to answer me.

I walk outside of the room that is Dave's and I sit down on the couch in the open area. Soon it's 11 p.m., so I really, really hope that Farrah is still awake. If I remember it correctly, she's working the day after tomorrow, and maybe we can change shifts.

After six signals she picks up. 

"Farrah." she answers.

"Hi Farrah! It's me, Perrie." I say, trying to sound as happy and not-stressed-at-all as I can.

"Perrie! Hi, how are you?" she asks, and I can hear it in her voice that's she's smiling.

"I'm great, thanks. Except... I have a bit of a problem." I sigh.

"What is it, dear?"

"Do you remember that girl I talked to you about a few weeks ago? Well, me, her sister and her sister's best friend has to deal with some things that's related to her, and we really have to do that tonight. Sooo, I was wondering if you could maybe take my shift tomorrow morning?" I ask it as if I'm afraid she will hit me afterwards, but that is of course impossible. She's not even her and Farrah would never hurt anybody. That's how sweet and loving she is.

"Tomorrow morning?" she asks, and she sounds a little... taken of guard, maybe?

"I'm so, so sorry Farrah, but I would really need for someone to take my shift." I don't want to put too much pressure on her, so I stay quiet. I already feel bad for asking her this close to when the shift starts. It's not the earliest, but it's early enough. I would probably already be asleep by now if it was a regular day.

"I guess I could fit it in, I can just tell my sister that I'll be half an hour late to her birthday party." Farrah answers.

"Oh my god, Farrah. You are my hero! Thank you so much." I say, feeling very, ver relieved. "If I could give you a hug right now, I would."

"No worries, Perrie. Go fix your drama and I'll see you another time. Good night." she says.

"Good night Farrah:" I say and hang up.

I can't help but smile. Farrah is definately one of the kindest people I know.

"Thank you." I whisper, maybe to Farrah or to any higher power if there is one.

(Okay, so I can't really remember if Jade and Perrie already told each other that they both auditioned for the X-Factor, but if I have please tell me (it would be nice if you knew which chapter) and I will change some things! Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter :) xx)