Goodbye » n.h.

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Desirah's POV

"I've got big news, everyone!" Niall shouted, hopping down the basement steps two at a time. Everyone, including me, ignored him and continued to play MarioKart. The competition was intense.

"Hey!" he yelled louder. "Pay attention, please!"

"Shut up!" Louis snapped back. "I'm finally about to beat Zayn in MarioKart!"

"Think again, hot shot!" I smirked.

I sucked at MarioKart, so I was in last place, but that also meant I had almost unlimited power. I fired a flying blue Koopa shell and Louis' cart exploded.

"No fair!" he whined as he rolled into third place. Zayn and Liam had managed to surpass him and get first and second.

"If I'm going down, another one of you is coming with me," I said, sticking my nose in the air.

"You're a jerk," Louis grumbled. "The one time I might beat Zayn, and you fire on me! Some friend you are!"

"Hey, guys, shut up," Niall said, stepping in front of the television screen. "I have important news for all of you."

"Okay, what is it?" Liam asked, setting down his Wii remote. It had to be important if it concerned me as well as the other boys.

"Simon says that tour's going to start back up soon," Niall reported. "So we better prepare to get back on the road!"

"When?" Harry asked.

"A couple weeks."

"Then we still have time," he said with a shrug, leaning back into the couch. I had learned that was Harry's way of ending a conversation. But Niall wasn't done yet.

"Not when we have to get on the plane to travel to America, and have countless rehearsals to do!" the Irishman countered. "Get off your lazy bums and get ready!"

"Geez, what happened to you?" Zayn scowled. "You've turned into Liam."

"Hey!" Liam shouted indignantly.

"How does this concern me, exactly?" I inquired.

Niall turned to me with a massive smile on his face. "You're going to be our opening act. You're going to perform!"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I should've known I wasn't going to have a say in this, I should've known that Simon would force me up there. But I wasn't ready! I didn't have any songs prepared or anything! I didn't even write my own songs!

"But I can't do that," I protested. "I just... I can't."

"Well, why not?" Niall asked.

"It's hard to explain. And personal. I can't go on stage. I'm sorry, but I can't."

I stood up and pushed past him to go upstairs. As I hurried up the steps, I heard Harry remark, "Well, way to be a Debbie Downer, Niall."

*~*~*~*

I knew I couldn't let Simon or the boys down, but I didn't know how I was supposed to make them proud, either. I didn't know how to write a song. I always sang covers. What if the Directioners didn't like country? What if they booed me off the stage?

Someone knocked on my door, and I sighed. I closed the small, empty notebook that I had in my lap and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Come in," I called quietly.

The door to my room eased open, and the last person I expected to come in did: Harry. Well, actually, he wasn't the last person, but he was pretty darn close. I thought Niall would try to talk to me.