The next five weeks went by so fast and yet everything is perfectly etched into my memory. It almost didn't matter where we finished because we had become so popular. The final week of the competition arrived and we spent every waking hour rehearsing. We were so close we could taste it.
The final night arrived and we met all of our families backstage. I saw everyone but Siobhan. "Mum, did she not come?"
My mum just smiled at me. "She did, honey. She's just too nervous for you. I think she's in the loo trying to calm herself down."
"Niall, my son!" I heard the sound of her father's voice and turned around.
"Holy shit! You came!"
He laughed at what I said before giving me a hug. "I told ya I'd find a way to get out here. Now, especially, since you're apparently dating my daughter and none of us knew about it." He gave me a bit of a glare but I saw the smirk and knew he was at least semi messing with me.
"I'm glad you came. You know you're like another father to me." I said to him, in all seriousness.
He just smiled and nodded. He bent his head down and wiped away a tear. "I'm so massively proud of you. I knew you were a special kid the day Siobhan came home and told me what you had done for her on that playground. You make her smile and laugh. And she laughs like her mother."
"It's the best sound in the world," I finished for him. He patted my shoulder before walking off. I saw him wiping his face some more as he did so.
"Hey, Niall," I heard the second best sound in the world, as arms laced around me.
"Hey, Siobhan." I said, turning to face her. "Thank you for coming tonight. Your dad, too."
She smiled. "I'm so nervous for you I just got sick in the loo," she giggled a little. She gave me a quick kiss before she needed to take her seat, "Go get 'em." She winked at me.
That final show I thought we did great. But, just like every other night, it came down to the votes and we didn't have them. We were eliminated and each of us was crushed. We weren't entirely sure what had happened. We felt so confidant. The boos from the audience kind of made me feel better, knowing that they weren't happy either. We gave each other a group hug and bowed before exiting the stage.
We remained backstage, all of us crying. None of us were able to get with our families until the end of the show. When the winner was announced, we applauded and were happy for him. But disappointment still held a tight grip on us.
Our families were finally allowed to meet us backstage and I made a beeline for Siobhan who ran up to me with her arms open, ready to enfold me when I reached her. She held onto me so tightly, as I simply cried into her neck, soaking her shirt. She didn't say a word. She didn't have to.
My family encircled us both into a hug and then the hug got bigger when the boys and their families all went in for one. Even though we didn't win, we all walked off that stage forever brothers. Forever family.
We heard a noise behind us, a cough or ten. We all let go and turned to see Simon standing there. "Don't think for a second I'm done with One Direction. Come with me boys." He said and we all followed him into a room where he told us his plan for us. We may not have won the competition but we had won the hearts of pre-teen girls everywhere and he was going to make damn sure that One Direction wasn't going anywhere.
He told us to meet him at his office on Monday morning to go over his plans for us and to write up contracts. He was signing us onto his record label. One Direction was going to put out an album.
We all jumped up and down and gave each other hugs before we exited the room. Just like at boot camp, our disappointment turned into pure joy. And this time, all of our families were there to take part in the moment.
The next day, we all met in Simon's office and discussed his plans for One Direction. We all had contracts drawn up and they were signed. The first order of business was to fly to Los Angeles in January to start recording. That gave us all a few weeks off before starting on our next venture. I was so stunned by how everything had played out in the last several months and was so excited to see what was to come. I was also glad to go home.
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This Town |NH|
Fanfiction"I want to dance with you in the middle of this street." She laughed at me, "Why on earth would you do that?" "Because I said I would." I twirled her around and pulled her back to me as I began to sing softly into her ear, "If the whole world was w...
