Drumsticks and Guitar Picks (**ON HOLD**)

Chapter 2

   “Is she awake?”

   “Of course she’s not!”

   “She hit her head hard, is she dead?”

   “OH MY GOD, JOSH! YOU KILLED HER!!”

   “Lou! She’s not dead, stop screaming! She’s still breathing.”

   “This wouldn’t have happened if you guys didn’t sneak out.”

   “It was Niall’s idea!”

   “Why do you always blame me?”

   “Should we take her to the hospital? The ice pack isn’t doing anything.”

   “I guess so. I’ll carry her to the car.” A cold spot on the side of my head disappeared and arms made their way under me. One under my shoulders and another under my knees, I was lifted into the air. I fluttered my eyes open and groaned.

   “Josh, stop. She woke up.” Andy’s voice said, I was looking at somebody’s shoulder. Assuming by the strong hands on my body, Josh was carrying me. Movement stopped and I was placed back down, but this time on a couch. I felt the seat dip. I finally looked up and saw Josh sitting next to me. Several men surrounded me, but Josh had all the attention I could manage to keep.

   “What happened?” I reached up to touch my head, my hair was still cold from what I assume was the ice.

   A very concerned Paul Higgins stepped forward, “You fainted and hit your head. Would you like to go to a hospital?” He crouched down to be eye level with me and he put the ice pack back to my head. He turned his back to the boys, “See why I can’t let you out on your own? This happens!” He huffed. Turning back to me, “I’m very sorry about this, Miss…uhm…excuse me what’s your name?”

   I should be fangirling, I should be screaming, I should be attacking Zayn Malik sexually. I am a directioner after all. I was calm, though. I played this scenario over and over again in my head with my friends. I wasn’t doing anything I thought I would. I wasn’t reacting at my normal speed. Not even impulsively. I realized it took me about 45 seconds to reply my name, “Kassie Michaels.”

   Paul looked at my head, “I think she has a concussion. Casey, would you like us to take you to the hospital.”

   I didn’t process the hospital question into an answer; I just wanted to explain my name. “Kassie, not Casey. Like the word ‘ass’ but with a K in the front and an E at the end.” I can’t believe I said that. I’m not processing what I’m saying.

~~Liam’s POV~~

   Paul was taking Kassie to the car to take her to the hospital. Poor girl, I didn’t think we’d do that to her. I looked down at my now shuffling feet. Kassie left her guitar case. Andy nudged me, he noticed it too. He looked up; Kassie and Paul were leaving the shop. Andy leaned in and said, “Take her song out.”

   Was he mad? “We can’t take her song, it’s hers!”

   He rolled his eyes and sighed, “Goody two-shoes.” He leaned down and clicked open the case.

   I bent down and stopped him before he got any further, “We can’t take credit for a song of hers. She wrote it, she sings it.”

   “Li, I’m not stealing her song, I want to send it to Simon. She’s good, I haven’t heard her sing but if she can write like this, she must know how to belt out a tune.” Andy had a point there. It was still wrong.

   “How can we even send it to Simon in time? We only know her name, not a phone number or address or anything!” Andy looked down and past me. He smirked.

   I followed his gaze; her phone was on the table. “Well, I don’t know about you, Payne, but I found a way. Besides, this week is all interviews in the city, we can fax it to Simon and he’ll be able to respond.”

   Andy picked up the phone and handed it to me. I sighed, “What if she doesn’t want anybody to see her songs? She looked upset when we read it.” Andy rolled his eyes and walked over to the other boys. He left me standing with Kassie’s phone in my hands.

   Unlock.

   New message.

   Kassie Michaels I typed into the message box, I typed my own number into the recipient box.

   Sent.

   Add to contacts. Liam Payne.

   I hope this isn’t a mistake.

   I looked at Andy; he looked at me and then tilted his head down toward the guitar case. I bent down and tried to seem like I was tying my shoe. I slid my hand under her guitar and grabbed a few papers. Luckily, one of the papers was the song I had read with Andy. I couldn’t read another song of hers; I would be invading her privacy. I slipped the other papers back in place and locked the case. I held the song in my hands for a while, I looked at the words. They were amazing. I told a deep breath and hid the song under my jumper. I got up and walked to the boys.

   I sat down next to Zayn. My phone vibrated. A text from Andy.

   There’s a fax machine back in the hotel in the lobby. Send it to Simon from there, mate.

   I looked up at Andy, he looked at me. We agreed.