Ghost Of You *SLOW UPDATES*

Chapter 14

The boys all stand on stage along with the other remaining mentors for the last nine competitors left in the competition whilst I stand in the front row beside Carly who's on her phone texting her girlfriend up on stage. At the end of the night, four people will be going home and I count on not being one of them. That then leaves the final competition where three more people will be sent home leaving two to go on to the next year.

I can't go home.

"Welcome to the ninth leg of the competition ladies and gentlemen!" The MC yells as the crowd around me bursts out into applause and scream in my ears, whilst I merely clap quietly.

The MC continues to explain what will happen and the order in which the mentors will perform, before Carly's mentor group steps forward and takes the microphone from the MC.

"We will not be performing tonight as our competitor didn't finish a song. She chose to do this because she wants to go home as her mother is having her child." Rena, the lead singer of Hey Violet, explains with a broad smile while I turn to Carly in surprise and she only smirks in reply and says into my ear, "Not really. She had the kid before I came here. I just really don't want to stay."

I chuckle slightly as the audience applauds Carly and her mentor group who walk off stage and the lights dim.

Song after song plays and they are all really good. Stars such as Shawn Mendes, Post Malone and Ariana Grande perform each student's song to perfection and I start to get really nervous. Each song has their mentor's usual genre whereas I've gone for something completely different to what the people will be used to.

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and I immediately pull it out to find a text from Luke just as the MC begins to introduce my band.

This one's for you babe. Xx

I smile as the lights dim once more and the crowd cheers wildly as I hear Luke's melodic voice fill the auditorium, immediately gaining the audience's attention whilst Mikey picks out the guitar rhythm and Ash and Calum wait patiently for their entrance.

Luke then begins to play my acoustic guitar stage as they reach the chorus and Calum presses a few keys on the small electric keyboard that is set up next to him. The chorus then rolls into the verses and bridge whilst the boys play their parts to perfection, forcing tears to jolt from my eyes as the crowd around us sways their arms in the air and sing the melody parts in the bridge with the boys. But when it hits the final chorus and it grows quiet once more, Luke meets my gaze for the final few words and looks at me with his heart-breaking smile as I see tears glistening in his own eyes.

I smile at him as the song ends and the crowd erupts into applause and I find myself cheering for them as well, as I push my way through the crowd towards the side of the stage where I can meet the boys who have just begun walking off.

"That was so beautiful." I cry through my smile as Luke rushes up to me and hugs me tight as his own tears drip on to my shoulder and he holds me tight.

"I know I am Shay but you don't need to say that when your boyfriend is around." Ashton says cockily as I reach past Luke's broad shoulder and playfully hit Ashton up the side of his head.

He scoffs slightly as Luke and I part and walk towards the exit out into the private music room hallway. We saunter to my room where we all waltz in tiredly and flop down on the couch as the music of the live performances leak through the open door.

"How long do we have to wait before we have to go back out?" Ashton asks as he crashes down on to the drum stool and continues to bang on the drums like he didn't just play his heart out.