When It's Gone

I allowed a deep breath to pass through my trembling lips. Even after 2 years of performing, it still made me undeniably nervous. The chorus ended and I raised my microphone to my mouth. My grip tightened and I gulped, beginning my verse.

You can't go to bed without a cup of tea

The roars of the crowd heightened almost instantly, and a smile crept its way onto my lips.

Maybe that's the reason you talk in your sleep

I waltzed to the front edge of the stage, squatting down and holding some girls hands. The tears ran down their faces, smearing their makeup, as the jumped up and down with joy. Sometimes it's great to see the effect you can have on people.

And all these conversations are the secrets that I keep

I backed up to stand with the boys, leaving the girls in the front reaching after me. They want some more Louis sugar.

Though it makes no sense to me

I finished my verse of our new song Little Things, proud of my performance. Sometimes it can be a lot of pressure performing, but when you get reactions like we do, it makes you love it. I wouldn't give this up for anything. It's too great.

Harry began to sing his verse and the screams from the crowd got louder, if hat was even possible. I looked at Harry with a fake look of admiration, getting the fans even more excited for 'Larry'. It was just too easy.

After a few quick minutes of finishing up the song, we were finally done the nights concert. Now just for a meet and greet and I can go SLEEP! YAY!

"We just want to say that we love you guys, and we want to thank you for everything that you've done for us" Harry drawled, bringing more screams from the crowd. At this point they were deafening, I had to put a hand over my ear.

"Ow." I squeaked. The crowd laughed, but quieted down significantly. I bowed in thanks.

"W're really excited to see you all at the meet and greet later tonight!" Liam added, making some of the audience cry because they weren't going, and some of the audience scream with excitement.

This really is the dream. I can't imagine doing anything else, especially something where I would have to be... normal. Shudder.

"Bye guys!" Zayn called as we jogged to exit the stage. From the girls we heard jumbles of different versions of we love you too. Some were that innocent, others... not so much. I think we'd get arrested if we did some of the stuff they asked us to.

We walked into the nicely furnished room where the meet and greet was meant to be held, slumping into chairs.

"Uuuuuuuunnnhhhhh" Niall moaned, throwing his head back. I stood and walked over, sitting on his lap.

I prepared my best baby voice. "Um, this year I want-"

"What are you doing Lou?" he cut me off. I looked at him with a pout.

"I took your moan as a lame attempt at a Santa impersonation. You know, he only comes if I'm good. That's why my birthday is the day before." I explained, leaning forward to his ear to whisper something. "I decide if the whole world gets presents. You'd better be nice to me" I said, getting off his lap and skipping back to my chair, just as the door burst open and shut with a force.

"Hey guys" Paul greeted, leaning back against the door, panting hard. "The girls are a little excited to get in here today. You guys mind if I let them in a few minutes early? I don't know if I can take it much longer" he gasped.

We all looked around at each other. "Sounds good" Liam agreed.

Paul nodded in thanks and turned the doorknob slightly. He opened the door just a crack and a flood of girls came raging into the room. Harry and Zayn stood up to greet them, while me, Niall, and Liam stayed sitting and waited for the fans to come to us.

"Harry I love you!"

"Oh my god Liam you're so hot!"

"Niall I love your accent!"

"ZAAAAAAAAYYYYYYNNNN!!!!!!!!!"

"Louis, I love carrots!!"

All the screams echoed through the room. Such a small amount of girls made a very big noise.

After a few minutes, the shouts finally died down. We started talking with a few fans at a time, then after a little bit we'd mingle around the room. It was like our own little party!

The only one that didn't mingle was Niall. He stayed by the snack bar and let the fans come to him. It was a good method I must say.

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After a couple long, arduous hours in that little room, it was finally time for us to leave, and go back to the hotel we'll be staying at for the next few days. We braced ourselves for the screams that would no doubt come as soon as we opened the door outside. I gripped the cool door handle.

"Ready?" I asked the boys, knowing the answer would never really be yes. You're never ready to be bombarded by thousands of people all at once. But they're girls, so it makes it at least a little better.

"Yeah, we're ready" Harry finally answered. I pushed the door open, the sea of people almost pushing me back inside. We shoved our way through the crowd, ducking under arms and over legs. We weaved in and out of clusters, until the limo was finally in sight.

"OH MY GOD LOUIS I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!" a fan screamed directly into my ear. A blinding pain shot through my skull and I raised a hand to my ear, just as everything went black.

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I fluttered my eyes open, a foggy haze covering my eyes. I blinked a couple times and my eyes adjusted to the unfamiliar scene.

I was in what looked like a hospital bed. The room was eerily silent. I surveyed my surroundings, taking in the blinding white that seemed to be the color of everything in this dreary room. As I glanced over to the ticking analog on the wall to my left, I thought back to what may have landed me here.

I was at a concert. It went great. Meet and greet after. We left. Lots of girls. One screamed in my ear. It hurt.

One screamed in my ear! That's why I was here! Maybe I tore an eardrum or something, not too hard to fix!

All of a sudden the boys came tumbling in, giving me such a fright I almost fell out of bed.

"Don't do that!" I told them off. But no sound came out. I decided to test my voice.

"Ahh. Ahh! AHHHHH!!!!" I screamed, trying to escalate the volume every time. The boys all winced.

"WHAT'S WRONG?????" I screamed at the top of my lungs, finally able to hear a tiny bit of what I said. But before they could answer, a doctor walked in. He beckoned for the boys to follow him out of the room without a word. They all followed him.

I sat twiddling my thumbs and playing with the fancy equipment for a few minutes. They all reappeared just as I was putting on the stethoscope. The doctor came over and snatched it out of my hands, nodding a knowing nod to the boys before exiting.

I turned my attention back to my band mates, standing at the edge of my bed. Their expressions were solemn, and Harry and Zayn each had a piece of paper in their hands, hanging at their sides. My eyebrows furrowed, asking the silent question. That's when Zayn held up his piece of paper.

WE HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU

I looked from face to face of each of them, each face the same as the last. Finally, without a word, Harry raised his paper, as a single tear fell from his cheek to the ground.

YOU'RE DEAF :'(