The Steps I Take to Get Closer to You

Final Projects

The next day was school.  Today was that next day.  The semester was almost done.  It was supposed to have finished before the Christmas holidays, but school officials extended it for some reason.  For like, three days after the holidays.  Yes, it's a little stupid.  Anyhow, our final projects, a song written and performed by each student, or a duet if you so choose, were due.  No, Liam and I didn't write a duet.  However, I did write a song about him.  I wondered what his song was about.

"Now class, at the beginning of the semester, I may have hinted that there would be a reward for the best written and preformed song.  If I forgot to mention it before, I'll mention it now.  For the song which I deem to be the most masterfully written, and professionally preformed, there will be a sort of grand prize.  That person, or duo will preform at Madison Square Garden alongside One Direction!", announced Professor Van Bosnia.

A unanimous squeal erupted from the classroom.  Every student, regardless of their opinion of the band, was clearly excited.  This was a huge opportunity, it meant mass exposure for whoever won it.  I thought maybe I would, I kind of hoped I did, but on the other hand, I thought it might be a tiny bit awkward considering Liam's my boyfriend and all.  I quickly trashed the thought, as the prof began to speak again.

"This is all possible thanks to some generous sponsors and affiliates of our college.", she said.

I prayed silently, hoping that she wouldn't blurt out Liam's name.  Judging by the look on his face, I could tell he was hoping the same.  He hadn't told me about this, that he had arranged it, but I figured it was him.  What other 1D connections could a small, Toronto-based college have to an internationally famous British boy-band?  Thankfully, she didn't say anything about Liam.  She stopped speaking, and everyone clapped.  I was so grateful.

We moved onto presentations.  A girl named Olga went first, and presentations droned on.  Until it was my turn.  I was second to last and scared as hell.  Liam squeezed my hand comfortingly.  He would have kissed me if we were alone, but in public, we had to be discreet.  The consequences of being even a tad bit showy are too horrible to even have thought up.  Slowly and stiffly, I made my way to the impromptu stage.

I exhaled and introduced myself and my song.  "Hi.  My name is Andrea, and my song is called Fantasy.   This song is dedicated to the most amazing man I've ever met, and by far the best boyfriend I've ever had.  You know who you are.  I love you baby."  Clapping thundered through the room, and I'm pretty sure I saw Liam's cheeks flush with colour.

Closing my eyes, I began to sing.

"When I was a girl, I never dreamed of finding love, never thought I'd fall for someone, at all.  But then, I saw you for the first time.  From afar, you stole my heart.  You became my fantasy......."

I continued to sing, but my nervousness disappeared.  My eyes fluttered open, and automatically focused on Liam.  Tears flowed steadily from his eyes, not like waves, but tsunami tides.  Hopefully, nobody noticed.  My song came to a close, and I took a bow as a round of applause surrounded me.  I returned to my seat gracefully, thanking everyone as I went.  The prof later said I was a natural performer.

"Next up, Liam James!", exclaimed Professor Van Bosnia.  I loved how she used his middle name in place of his surname.  It was awfully clever, or so I thought anyhow.

He wasn't nervous, and I knew it.  He was used to performing to millions of screaming girls every night.  This was a piece of cake for him.  However, I squeezed his hand hard, just for kindness sake.  He did the same for me after all.

The class clapped as he made his way up to the same stage I was on just moments ago.

"Thank you, thank you, all of you  My name is Liam James and today I'm going to perform a song for you.  It's called That Girl, and it's about my current girl and the first time I laid eyes on her.", he said.