X Marks The Spot

Chapter Two

Harry's POV

The first day of Boot Camp was excruciating. SInce day one consisted of the Dance Challenge portion, that meant we had to spend all day learning complicated dance moves to an annoying hip-hop song.

The truth is, I'm not that great of a dancer. I mean, I love dancing around my room to Top 40 hits. (Who doesn't?!) But that's only when no one's around to criticize. Today, however, we have to perform in groups onstage in front of the judges. Talk about anxiety.

We'd been practicing and practicing all day long, and as we'd danced, I'd scoped out the competition in the boys category. Most of the other boys were awkward like me, not quite sure how to move their pubescent bodies to the beat. Some guys were really, really good, and a couple were even worse than me. Louis had actually fallen down and the blonde Irish lad, called Niall, was too busy trying to furtively snack on a bag of crisps to pay much attention to learning the steps.

At the moment, we were all crowded backstage, about to perform our dance routine for the judges. Some guys were nervously going over the steps by themselves, but I was leaning against the back wall, trying to get over my massive stage fright.

Louis, who was practicing his dance moves nearby, noticed my nerves and walked over. Leaning on the wall beside me, he eyed me concernedly. "You okay, Harry?" he asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. His thumb rubbed soothing circles into my skin.

I sighed and looked down at the polished wooden floor. "Yeah, I guess," I mumbled. "Just not too keen on dancing in front of people. Stage fright, you know?" I gave him a weak smile.

Louis wrapped his arm around my shoulders and gave me a gentle squeeze. "I know how you feel. But, I mean, at least you didn't fall down in rehearsal, right?"

I laughed quietly and laid my head on his shoulder.

"You'll be great," Louis assured, leaning his head on mine. "I know it."

As we were standing together like that, Louis still rubbing my arm reassuredly and me trying to calm my nerves, the boy with Bieber hair- called Liam- made his way over. He slouched against the wall beside us and mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like "Get a room, fags."

At those words, Louis dropped his arm and stepped away from me. I felt like I had been punched in the gut. What was wrong with this Liam guy? Louis had just been comforting me in a friendly way. Neither of us were gay. A lump formed in my throat.

But before Louis or I could say anything back to him, Danielle- our dance instructor- appeared and announced that it was time to take our places on stage. Louis and I were separated in the flowing mass of boys. Danielle put us all into rows of six so the judges could see us all well and rotate the lines to watch everyone closely. I found myself in the third row, shaking and sweating with nerves. Glancing around anxiously, I spotted Louis in the row behind me on the other side of the stage. He gave me a little smile and a thumbs up, and I returned the smile, feeling my stage fright ease a bit.

The music started and all I could concentrate on were the dance moves. Before I knew it, the judges called to rotate the lines and I got moved up to the second row. I stood ready to dance again and get this over with once more.

But before the sound technician could press play on the music track, Simon stood up. "Someone's missing," he noted, glancing between the five boys in the first row on the stage and his clipboard. "Zayn Malik," he called. His eyes scanned the rows of boys. "Where's Zayn?"

All the boys shifted uneasily and glanced around. Nobody named Zayn stepped forward. Simon sighed.

"Well, I'm going to look for Zayn," he announced. "For now, you can mingle, but just keep practicing." He headed backstage, appearing extremely flustered.