One Division

Chapter Six - Right Now

Chapter Six – Right Now

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Cuz right now, everything is new to me

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“Three, two, one, we push.” The lads and Victoria cried out, their hands in the circle before pushing down. Vic’s shout was usually one of the loudest, her, Niall, and Louis always competing to be heard over one another, but today she looked like she was going to pass out. She was as pale as their first interview, her heart pounding hard.

“I’m going to chunder.” She admitted.

“Chunder!” Louis cried. “That’s so much better than hurl! We’ve grown on you!”

“Like a fungus.” She muttered, sitting down just to the side of where her lift was to pop out. Putting her head in her hands, she took deep breaths, looking down at the floor.

It was in her panicked state that she missed the fact that Harry had been about to go over and comfort her like he had the first time, but one hard look from Liam kept him in his place. She found the Wolverhampton boy’s arms around her shoulders, and she leaned into the familiar touch.

“C’mon, Vic, this isn’t the first time you’ve performed.”

“Yeah, Li, but all that stuff before was small studio audiences, television, that one time with the small mob on the streets. And it was only a song or two. This is my first concert, with an arena full of people – half of whom are hoping I fail… Oh and not only that but all the songs, including the ones I helped write…” Her eyes went wide as she said it aloud, it sounding so much worse hovering in the air. “I can’t breathe.” Vic gasped.

Liam took her hands in both of his and nudged her chin up with a hand to look at him. “Victoria Castillo, look at me, love.”

Her panicked brown eyes met his steady ones; her heart steadying as they shared that long look, and her breathing began to even. As soon as he felt her relax, he pressed on, ignorant of the looks of passing staff and his band mates.

“You’re the most talented girl I know, so don’t worry about the singing. You’re so down to earth and genuine that they won’t be able to find a real reason to dislike you… we couldn’t…” The rest of the guys nodded, but Victoria was still just looking at Liam. “You can do this, Vic. I believe in you, we believe in you, you just have to believe in yourself. And we know you can, you made us your biggest fans just through your insistence that you deserved your chance. So take it. Take it, love.”

Victoria’s smile broke through, shaky, a bit uncertain, but breathtaking in its honest gratitude, “I’m sorry, Liam…” She whispered, her forehead touching his, and Zayn felt deeply that he was interrupting a personal moment. Him and the other lads looked away immediately, Harry fastest of all.

Liam closed his eyes as if steeling himself, as if he was trying not to remember the times a week or two ago when he could just take the kiss that both of them so clearly wanted, even if it was just a simple pass of the lips. “Nothing to apologize for, love. Not a thing.”

Victoria’s nose brushed his and she and him took a shaky breath. Her hands went up to cup his face, and he nuzzled into her touch. “Thank you.”

He nodded slightly, and when he opened his eyes to her there was such a yearning there that she almost closed the distance. “Seventy-six.” She said quietly when he began to close the distance.

“W-what?”

“It’s the number of days til we’re free.” Victoria said quietly, her fingers tracing his face lightly. “And I’ll count it down for you every day to remind you that I’m waiting for it as much as you are.”