Mark My Words

Chapter 1: Flashback

-Year 11-

I remember the last time he ever asked me out. He was usually dorky and awkward about it, but that day he had an unexplainable burst of confidence. 

He cleared his throat. “Jordin Heil, I think you are… incredibly beautiful. I know I’ve tried this before, but please, will you go out with me?” His brilliant gaze moved from me to the floor. I knew Liam since Year 3, when we were both 7. He was always sickly and wasn’t ever sure if he’d come to school the next day. Since Year 8, he’d asked me out 21 times. This would be the 22nd.

“Actually, Liam,” I hesitated. I knew how badly he wanted me, but I wasn’t sure why. I had a huge crush on this boy in my history class, and I was pretty sure he liked me, too. “I’m going out with Charlie. I’m sorry.” Lies, lies, lies. That was all I ever gave him, and I was pretty sure he knew, too.

“You know what? I give up. I’ve tried and I’ve tried, and you always give me some stupid excuse. Mark my words, Jordin, I’ll never ask you out ever again.” He stormed away. Somebody told me he cried, but I seriously doubt that.

-The X-Factor Auditions-

I stuck a pin on my shirt which read “#165617”. That day I had decided to follow through with my dream of becoming a singer. I was auditioning for The X-Factor, one of the hottest shows on TV. I was rehearsing the song I would sing in my head when somebody bumped into me. I was about to fall when #165616 caught me. He was very fit and hot. 

“Are you okay?” He asked me. His eyes pierced into my soul. I was mesmerized. “I’m fine thanks to you,” I stood up on my own. “That idiot should learn how to walk though.” He laughed. “I’m Zayn,” he introduced himself. 

“And you are?”

“Jordin. Heil. Er, Jordin Heil.” 

“And let me guess, you’re not nervous at all?” He winked 

sarcastically. I giggled. Holy shit, he’s perfect!

“Not even a little bit. What song are you going to do?”

“As long as you won’t steal it, I’ll be singing Let Me Love You.” 

I was familiar with it, and I was sure just by listening to him talk that he had the voice of an angel. I told him what I would be singing and how I decided to audition, and we both sang a small piece of our songs. He was amazing. 

Suddenly I wasn’t feeling like I could do this. I was against some tough competition with fantastic voices and tons of experience and knowledge. No doubt most of them had taken vocal lessons, while I practiced in the shower.

We talked the whole day waiting for our turns to perform. Zayn finally got called out. I was so excited for him. 

Although we had only known each other for five hours, I considered him a friend. I told him things I had never told anybody before, and he genuinely cared. 

“Number 165617?” I looked up and stopped biting my fingernail. It was an unattractive habit, but that was how I coped with anxiety.

I made my way up the steps and backstage. Zayn’s performance was being judged. Yes. A pause. Yes. Another pause. Yes. “Thank you,” Zayn said. He walked off stage towards me. He stuck out his tongue, closed one eye, and high fived me. I laughed, completely forgetting how nervous I was. “Good luck!” He patted me on the back and went to find his family. 

I walked out onto the stage as my eyes met Simon’s. 

“Your name?” Louis asked.

“Jordin Heil.”

“And how old are you, Jordin?”

“I’m sixteen.”

“What will you be performing for us today?”

That was the last thing I remembered.

I woke up a few hours later in the back room of the arena where the auditions were held. My mother, father, and brother were sitting on the couch opposite from where I was lying. Zayn sat at the end of the couch I was on. My feet were resting on him. 

“She’s awake!” He smiled. “Are you okay?”

“Err, I’m fine.” Déjà vu. “What happened?”

My dad and Zayn explained everything. I fainted once I saw everybody looking right at me. Zayn ran out on the stage and carried me backstage. My hero. I fall, he picks me up.

Even when Zayn went on to reach third place on the X-Factor with his “One Direction” band, we remained very close friends. In fact, to this day I consider him my best friend in the entire world. Regardless of what happened with me and his friends. Specifically one of them.