It's Gotta Be You

-40-

Liam's POV

We arrived got back on the tour bus, heading for Michigan. It was early in the morning, so everyone was asleep, except me and Gracie.

Another month had passed of touring and it was now the end of October. Since we'd be near Gracie's parents, management had arranged for us to stay there before our next concert.

They moved back to Michigan right after Gracie had signed her record deal, which made things difficult for her. 

I looked over at her to see her nervously biting her nails. Unlike everyone else, I knew how her family was, but it was also her nineteenth birthday on Halloween. Another thing the others didn't know. 

"Gracie!" Harry yelled.

Gracie quickly hid behind me and jumped on my back "Help"

I laughed as she wrapped her legs around my waist "What did you"

She buried her head into my neck, giggling.

Harry walked out and my mouth dropped. She straightened his hair, which made me start laughing like crazy.

"Look what she did to my precious curls!"

Gracie and I kept laughing, which didn't amuse Harry. 

"You're evil" he went to go after, but groaned and went back to his bunk.

"I'm a bad person" she giggled.

I shook my head and she jumped down "I will definitely give you props for doing that without waking him up"

We sat down on the couch and she rested her head against my shoulder "I can't believe management is setting us up with my parents"

"It won't be that bad"

"Are you kidding me? My parents and Robbie are going to scare everyone away" she said, throwing her head back.

"Everything will be okay"

I knew how bad her family was. Her mother especially was not supportive of her music career, or really anything she did. Her sixteen year-old brother was also put on a pedestal, leaving Gracie in the dark. 

It's one of the reasons she was such a perfectionist with her music. She wanted to make it great, always hoping that her parents would be proud of her. 

She did make great music, but I also knew that unless her parents acknowledged her, she wouldn't ever fully believe it.

---

We were all seated in the bus, except Gracie, who was getting ready in the back. 

"Guys, there's something you need to know before you meet Gracie's family"

They all looked at me.

"They kinda treat her music like it's all some big joke"

"And you know this how?" Hayden asked.

"Because music was all she focused on in school, but they treated it like a hobby, and they'd tell her that she couldn't actually make a career out of it"

Niall scoffed "Do they not know how far she's come?"

"They do, but they will probably except her to mess it up"

"Looks like someone might have to show some sass" Louis said.

Harry gave him a look "So in other words, you're just going to be yourself"

I sighed "Another thing, they mostly focus their attention on her little brother"

"How young is he?" Zayn asked

"He's sixteen"

"He's not spoiled rotten, is he?" Niall asked.

I shrugged "Depends on how you classify spoiled"

Louis groaned "This is going to be eventful"

"Just watch out for Gracie, because she's strong and independent around us, but when she's around her family, she's a completely different person"

"How so?" Harry asked.

"It's almost like she has no backbone"

"We're still talking about Gracie, right?" Zayn asked.

We eventually came to a stop in front of large house, with a gate in front of it.

"And I thought my family had money" Hayden commented.

Gracie walked out, wearing a black dress that really flattered her figure, but was prim and proper enough for her parents; she looked so nervous. I knew that her anxiety was probably becoming an issue already.

"How bad?" she asked.

"Well you look like you're going to a funeral"

She sighed "Seems appropriate then"

I smiled "Well, on the plus side, your birthday is only in a couple days"

"Don't remind me"

"At least tell me what you want for your birthday"

"Nope, not going to happen" she took a deep breath "I usually enjoy my birthday, but if I'm lucky my parents will have forgotten it"

"It doesn't mean we have to"

She shook her head and walked off the bus, with me following after her.