Before She Falls

Chapter 50

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT, READ WITH CAUTION

The bright lights focus on Niall, who is strumming his guitar at the bottom of the staircase while Liam sits above him on the top step. The spotlight switches over to Zayn who is on the identical staircase on the other side of the stage, he lifts the microphone to his mouth and starts singing. Zayn voice is the one to start off the song and he sounds just like an angel. I look over to see Louis and Harry joking around with each other from across the stage like little boys. Then Liam starts his verse to "Little Things" and the crowd starts screaming again. Danielle, Eleanor, Vanessa, and I are all watching from the front row on the side of the stage where the stage crew had set up chairs especially for the four of us. The Payne's, Gemma and Anne, Zayn's mom and sisters, Louis's whole family, and Niall's parents are all in box seating somewhere up in the crowd.

"Is it bad that I still cry whenever I hear him sing this song?" Danielle asks us while fighting a small giggle, but her eyes are watery and her fingers dab her tear-ducts gently.

"No" Eleanor answers and places her hand around Dani's wrist. "I'll be surprised if I don't cry when it's Lou's turn."

And almost if on cue, Louis starts singing his part of the song and Danielle and El hold each other's hands with tears in their eyes as they watch the stage.

"Harry's next" Vanessa's elbow nudges my side.

I nod and look up to see Harry on the lofted balcony on stage, his long legs dangling off the edge.

He lifts his microphone with his big hand to his mouth, "I know you've never loved the sound of your voice on tape."

The sound of his voice is raspier than ever and there's a little struggle in throat to reach the higher notes within his verse. The crowd still screams loudly as he belts out his part, and I personally think he sounds incredible and the hoarseness is outrageously attractive to me. While he sings, he keeps his eyes directed towards the ground below him as his eyebrows come together and from a small crease in his forehead to form a very serious-looking face, which of course I still find very sexy. Harry coughs into his shoulder once he's finished and doesn't look exactly pleased with himself and I just want to kiss him.

Niall takes over and I watch Vanessa's blue eyes stare at him on stage, with her mouth molded into a permanent little smile.

Eleanor and I trail behind Vanessa and Danielle as we make our way backstage, past all the venue staff and crew members that are rushing around to close down the stage. The girls and I are first introduced to Zayn's sisters before we see the boys. We then say hello to Niall's parents, who Vanessa has never met before, so she breaks away from us to formally introduce herself to the two of them while the three of us continue to greet people.

"El!" Louis's mom calls to her as soon as she comes into view. "Hi girls!"

"Hi Mrs. Tomlinson!" Danielle and I reply, nearly in sync. We stop to talk to Louis's four sisters for a bit while Eleanor continues to catch up with his parents.

"Dani! Katrina!" I hear a voice call behind me and Danielle and I both turn around to see Ruth and Nicola approaching us.

It's like one big reunion; all the boys' families and us, their girlfriends, all backstage chatting with each other while we impatiently wait for the boys to come out of their dressing room.

"Kat!" Someone screeches and I spin around to see a mess of blue and purple hair. Gemma throws her arms around me and squeezes me tightly.

"Hey Gem!" I wrap my arms around her and Anne appears in front of us.

"Group hug!" Anne puts her arms around her daughter and I.

"How are ya?" Gemma asks as she pulls away from the three-way embrace.