Hello lovelies! To all of you who read my other fanfics, I'm extremely sorry I haven't updated! I had my AP exam today, even though I'm a freshman. I take pride in it, even if it's just Spanish. The rest of the people do not appreciate my smartness in the subject. :P I did pretty well, I think, except for the recorded part which I effed up big time, but oh well. Aside from that, I've been going to the doctor a lot lately (three doctors, to be exact), and my grades are the absolute worst right now. I'm technically failing school, so I've been working massively hard these past few days. Hopefully it pays off. ;)

Massive thank you to maxwaylandgrey. Even though you're the worst student EVER, you're still my wifey. ;) xxx
Thank you to PinkGoesWithEverything as well, if she even reads this omg, because there's only a month and ten days until I get there! I'm super excited to see you! I've missed your face! Xx

Thank you to everyone who reads. Pleaaaase leave a lovely review. Have a nice day! :) x

The day a door is closed,

The echoes fill your soul,
They won't say which way to go,
Just trust your heart.
To find what you're here for,
Open another door,
But I'm not sure anymore,
It's just so hard.

/

"Kate," said an exasperated voice from the front desk, "you're late. Again."

I groaned inwardly as I approached the middle-aged bitch sitting behind the desk. Sandra always knew how to tick me off, and one of those ways was by stating the obvious. And I was late.

"I know," I said, sighing. "But there was a lot of traffic!"

"Does it look," she said, a bored look on her face, "like I give a shit?"

"No." I stood up straighter and kept readjusting the strap of my bag. "It doesn't. Where's Johnny?" Johnny was my boss, and today I was getting assigned my first actual job. I worked in a recording studio—one that belonged to Columbia Records, I might add—in New York City. It was kind of a miracle, actually. My aunt got married to one of the producers here, and she was able to score me a summer job as long as I kept my cool and didn't fangirl every two seconds when I saw a celebrity walk by. I promised her I wouldn't. So far, it had been a hard job, but it was worth it.

"He's in his office." Sandra looked at me, disapproval written all over her face.

I bit my lip. I didn't ask Sandra if I should go in; instead, that was exactly what I did. I walked through the brightly-lit hallway and knocked lightly. I didn't even wait for a reply. I twisted the handle and strolled in, my confidence faltering ever-so-slightly when I saw that he was in a meeting.

"Kate!" said Johnny, and I was surprised to see that he wasn't angry at me. He looked . . . relieved, actually, that I'd stepped inside, which was odd, since Johnny hated when I interrupted his meetings (it had only happened twice so far, because I had terrible timing). "I was just about to call for you. Do you have a sec?" He asked the question without expecting me to say no. I nodded anyway. "Good. Come in!"

What the hell was he so freaking psyched for?

I stepped inside so that I could see who the meeting was with. I tried to hide my shock as I saw some well-known producers inside the room. Instead, I sat down and waited for Johnny to tell me why I was there. I was just an intern, after all. I didn't take part in the "big schemes of life," as Sandra correctly worded it the first day I came to work.

"Well," Johnny said, breaking the brief silence that had settled in the room, "I was just talking to these guys about a record they're doing here. It's very important."

"Which record is it?" I asked, unable to help myself.

He cleared his throat. "It's One Direction's second album."

I tried to pick my jaw up from the floor, but I was pretty unsuccessful. "Um, okay," I said slowly, "so why am I here?"

Johnny grinned. "Isn't it obvious?"

"No," I said, quite bluntly.

"Well, Kate, I think you've had enough training. I think it'll be good for you to work with these guys, since you're closer to their age. The boys, not the producers. Anyway, I was just suggesting that you might be a very good person to decide which songs make it into the album or not, or . . . well, basically, I think it'll be good if you give your opinion on everything." Johnny couldn't stop grinning, and it was really annoying me because I was trying hard to stay focused and not grin myself.

"That's awesome," I said, grinning as widely as him by the time he was done talking. "Thank you so much! Really, thank you."

"It's no problem, kid. I know I can trust you."

"So, when do I start?" I asked Johnny.

"Right now."

I examined what I was wearing. Since it was pretty cold inside the studio, I wore warm clothing in the summer since I started the internship. I wore shorts, a striped shirt under a leather jacket, black fishnet tights, and black combat boots. I sighed. This wasn't the outfit I wore when I daydreamed about meeting One Direction. They were only the five hottest boys alive, after all.

"Can I go to the bathroom first?" I asked sheepishly.

"Sure," said Johnny. "I still need to make some points outside of it. Meet them in the room three doors down, okay?"

"Alright. Thank, John." I smiled gratefully at him before walking out of the meeting room. I exhaled and shook my head slowly, trying to let it sink in that I was going to work with One Direction in about ten minutes. I'd be meeting them in about ten minutes.

Clearly, I had to call Amy.

But first, I needed to look a bit better.

Inside the bathroom, the dull lights made me look paler than I usually did. My dark red hair fell in waves, cascading down my shoulders. If there was one thing I loved about myself, it was my hair.

And then there were my eyes. They were light green with specs of blue in them. I smiled to see if I had any food from Olive Garden stuck in my teeth, but there was nothing, only the gap that had always been there, between my front teeth. I hated the damn gap. I hated my freckles, even though I had few for a redhead. But oh well, I supposed I looked good. I brushed my hair with my fingers, took a deep breath, straightened my clothes, and walked outside.

I took out my phone and dialed Amy's number. She'd been my best friend since we were ten, when we discovered that we both played the piano. She taught me some songs, and I taught her my favorites. I taught her some of the ones I wrote, and we even wrote songs together. We bonded over our love for food, as well.

"Kate!" Amy said from the other line. "Where are you? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I am at work," I replied, rolling my eyes and pacing down the hall. "I just needed to tell you that I finally got a promotion!"

"Really?" she said, gasping. "That's awesome! What do you get to do?"

"Um," I said, "about that."

"What?" Amy said.

"Uh, Ames?"

"What?"

"I kind of get to work with One Direction."

The screams from her side of the line left me temporarily deaf. I tried hard not to wince. "WHAT? KATE OH MY GOD WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW? YOU KNOW I NEED TO GET INTO YOUR WORK NOW, RIGHT? WHAT THE HELL? I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!"

"Ames, shut up." I tried to keep my voice low, since I was passing by the room. "I have to go, but I'll go over to your house later and tell you all about it, okay?" I rolled my eyes.

"YES!" Amy screamed. I was going to kill her. "Thank you! Now go have fun with my future husbands! I have to go to work. This job at Barnes & Noble was hard to get, and my boss is giving me the death glare, so goodbye!"

"Bye, Ames," I said with a chuckle, and then hung up. My hands were shaking as I turned the doorknob and entered the room.

The first thing I saw were five boys. Naturally, they were being boys.

Niall was trying to eat, but Harry kept stealing fries. Paul was trying to talk to them about their next tour. Louis was poking Zayn, who was lying down on a couch. Liam was in a corner, talking to someone on the phone. When I walked in, they all stopped what they were doing and looked up at me. The producers weren't even here yet.

Then, Harry blurted out, "You're the producer?"

I smirked. "No, Styles, I'm the girl who's here to give her opinion on everything and, apparently, I'm early."

"At least," said Paul, "you can help me calm these kids down."

I shook my head. "Not a chance."

Louis nodded approvingly. "I like her."

Paul sighed. "Boys, please."

"Bye, Dani," said Liam from a corner, snapping his phone shut. He glared at all of the boys, and then his expression softened when he saw me, but he looked away and continued to glare. "I was trying to talk to my girlfriend."

"See, the problem is, bros over hoes is still real, even if Dani isn't a whore," Niall pointed out.

"Guys," I said, and everyone looked at me. "When a guy needs to talk to his girlfriend, you shut the hell up. Now, the album. We need to talk about since I'll be speaking for both you and the fans. I need to know your opinions on things, too."

"So we go out to lunch every time there's a choice to make?" Niall suggested, and I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, but only if Amy can come every time because she, very much like me, needs to eat every hour or when we're bored." My phone started to ring, and her name appeared on the screen. "Like right now, she's at work and calls me when she gets bored." I answered. "Amy, good god, are you trying to get yourself fired?"

"You have the best job ever! I love to read, dude, but this job is torture," she said in an exaggerated voice, making me smirk.

"Ames, all you do in your job is answer people's questions about books. Like, if they ask you where the fiction section is, you point them to it. What's so complicated about it?" I bit my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

"Everything," she said to me. "I'm going to die!"

"Tell them you have an emergency and come to lunch with me and the boys later," I said, and, as a reply, I got screaming. Lots and lots of screaming.

"OH MY GOD YES I LOVE YOU. Holy shit, I'm gonna get fired." She hung up.

"Well, Ames is free," I said lightly.

"She sounds . . . loud," Zayn said with a slight smile.

I shrugged. "We're different, but she's my best friend, and I love her to death."

Niall nods. "Very cute. You act like an old, married couple."

"We are an old, married couple."

"Are you now?" Niall asked, touching his hand to his chest and faking a tear. "That's lovely. How long have you been together?"

"A long, long time." I kept my serious face on. "We have kids."

"Oh, really?" asked Harry, munching on one of Niall's fries. "How old are they?"

"Violet is two and Mary is three."

"I really hope you're joking," Liam said, sitting down beside Niall.

"We have two dogs—Mary and Vi—and we've known each other for six years," I told them. "Not nearly as exciting as I made it sound."

"I like this version better," said Niall. "Now I know you're single."

"You never asked if I had a boyfriend."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?" I asked innocently, batting my eyelashes.

He rolled his eyes. "Have a boyfriend."

"Oh, will he be a present?"

Niall looked at me like I was insane. "Honestly."

"No," I answered, "I don't."

"I told you so!"

"Honestly, Niall. What are you, five?"

"And a half," he answered. I smiled widely.

"Okay, then. Look, we have to begin our first meeting with the producers, who are all old and scary, no offense to old and scary people, but I'm scared to death. So, please help." I almost whimpered as I said the last part and sat down on the couch, putting my head in my hands. "I don't know why they gave me this job. I'm just an intern. I just needed money and I'm not . . ." I sighed. "This isn't what I want to do."

"What do you want to do?" Liam asked softly, sitting down beside me and patting my back gently.

"I want to sing." Why had I just told one of the biggest boy bands in history that I wanted to sing?

"Sing?" he asked, clearly confused.

"As a career. I want to sing. I want to play my guitar and my piano. I want to write songs. I want people to hear my music, and I want to travel the world." I shook my head softly. "I'm an idiot."

"No, you aren't." I could hear the smile in Niall's voice as he sat down beside me, wrapping his arm around my back. "You're stressed and, quite frankly, what you want is what all of us wanted. It's what got us to where we are. You just have to want it enough."

"The only reason I put up with my aunt's husband and with this job is because I want it. The only reason I work my ass off, even in the summer, is because I want it. I don't not want it, ever."

"Then you'll get it," Liam said, and in that moment, the producers strolled inside.

"Okay, boys. We have the songs here with us, and if you want to record any additional ones, then we'll decide at the end," one of them said, a man with no hair and a mustache. I rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking and continued to sit even as Niall and Liam stood up to greet them.

"Nice to meet you," another one, a curly-haired woman, said. She looked kind, and her hair was only a few shades darker than mine.

My job was to pick my favorite songs out of the thirty that were on the table in front of me. "Um," I said, "you guys have to record Torn. But record the acoustic version. It has more rawness to it, I think. If you want to record another cover, go for it. I think the ones you've picked out are great. Those will do." I nodded and handed them back the papers.

Niall winked as the other boys chatted away. "Great choices," he said.

"Thank you, Mr. Horan. I am, after all, a fan." I grinned widely.

His eyebrows rose slightly. "You are, eh?"

I nodded. "Indeed. I went to your concert here in New York earlier in the summer and I'm going to the MSG one thanks to my lovely best friend."

"Amy? And how did I not notice you there?"

"Because it was full of other girls?"

Niall shook his head. "But none of them left an impression."

"Clearly," I said, "neither did I."

"I didn't see you." He shook his head to himself. "Wow."

"Relax, Niall. I had horrible seats. I was barely able to see you guys!" I punched his arm jokingly. "Trust me, it was . . . way too crazy."

"Okay," Niall said, a small smile on his face. "I'll take your word for it."

"All that fighting," I said jokingly, "for nothing?"

He gasped and placed a hand over his chest. "You have quite the effect on the lads, don't you?"

I blushed, because even though he didn't mean for it to sound as anything but joking, it was still a compliment I'd never gotten before. "Not usually."

"No?" His expression turned serious. "And why not?"

"Does it look like I have a dick?" Clearly, I was a horrible person to flirt with. "I don't know. I guess I'm not pretty, too awkward, and . . . I don't know."

"You," he said, pointing at me, "are beautiful."

My face felt hot as hell as I said, "And you are lying," as I pointed.

"I never lie," he said, and in that moment, I didn't doubt him.

"Okay, guys!" said one of the producers, breaking the tension that had settled between us. "Let's take a three-hour break and then come back. The traffic's awful out there, so be careful." The producers filed out of the room, leaving us seven—Paul included, of course—inside.

"Let me call Ames," I said to them as I dialed my best friend's number. She picked up.

"I got fired!" she announced.

"Well," I said, baffled, "that's interesting."

"I'm inside the studio."

"Okay. Three doors down from Johnny's office, and that's my room."

"See you now," she said, and hung up. A second later, the door opened, and Ames stepped inside. She had light brown hair with natural blonde highlights. It was straight, and her hair made her gray eyes look less dull. She was about three inches taller than me, and she wore a plaid, red and black button-down shirt and some skinny jeans. She was skinnier than me. She wore her round glasses, which seemed fake but were actually real. She wore black ballet flats, which I'd gotten her for her birthday a month ago. She was in love with them.

Speaking of things she loved, one of them—or five of them, rather—was One Direction.

"Hey, Kate!" she said as she stepped inside.

"How is it that you managed to get fired?" I asked as I hugged her briefly. "Boys, this is my best friend, Amy. Ames, these are the boys. I'm sure you know their names."

"Hey, guys!" she said with a small wave. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and I noticed Harry was eyeing her. I rolled my eyes at him and hung back with Niall.

"I think," he said, "that Harry has taken an interest upon your best friend."

"Well, that can't be good."

"It can be either very good, or very, very bad."

"Most likely the latter."

"So," Amy said, and I noticed that she was sitting down beside Harry, who was playing with her hair. Well, that didn't take long. "Where do we go eat? Olive Garden?"

"I vote for anywhere!" said Niall enthusiastically.

"You know Olive Garden is my favorite," I said with a wink. "Um, whichever the boys prefer."

"Since you're our spokesperson," Liam said, smiling, "I think we should take you to your favorite."

"Which happens to be Olive Garden," Niall added.

"Very good, boys! Learning to put two and two together," I said in a teasing manner, pinching Niall's cheeks. I saw him grow red, and my face felt hot in an instant.

"Oh, look at those two," said Louis to the boys in a fatherly way. "They're practically married!"

"The only thing I'm married to," said Niall slowly, "is food."

"And I'm married to music," I said, taking up his initiative to deny our so-called marriage.

"Should we go now?" Amy asked, and I watched as she and Harry stood up—at the same time. Jesus Christ. I wondered to myself if asking them to get a room would be considered highly inappropriate and unprofessional. Probably, I decided, so I kept quiet.

"Yeah," I said once I regained the ability to speak. "Um, let's go."

As I stood up, I felt Niall's hand brush mine. I smiled like an idiot to myself, wondering if it was purposely done. Secretly, I hoped it was.

The sun goes down,
The stars come out,
And all that counts,
Is here and now,
My universe will never be the same,
I'm glad you came.

You cast a spell on me,
You hit me like the sky fell on me,
And I decided you looked well on me,
So let's go somewhere no one else can see,
You and me.

/

After our meal at Olive Garden, the producers called the boys and decided they should headed home—they needed the rest, after all, since we, myself included indeed, had to be at the studio at the ungodly hour of seven in the morning tomorrow.

"I'm actually gonna head back," I said to them when they asked me if they could give me a ride, "but thanks."

"You are?" Amy asked, surprised.

"Um, yeah. For my birthday present?" I hoped she remembered what my birthday present had been. It was my sixteenth birthday two days ago, and my parents surprised me by telling me that they'd gotten me twenty sessions at the recording studio. They weren't very long, and after work hours, but I was still amazed by the fact that they remembered how much I wanted this.

"Oh, yeah, I remember. Want me to drop by and bring you some food?" Oh, Amy. I wished a producer would drop by and "bring me some food," but I highly doubted that would be happening anytime in my life.

"That's okay, Ames."

She eyed me suspiciously before nodding. "Uh-huh. Well, the boys are giving me a ride." She gave me a hug. "Do your best in there," she whispered in my ear.

"I will," I replied to her. "See you later."

"Yeah, see you!" She waved and smiled. The boys all hugged me goodbye, and Niall was last.

"Today was fun," he said shyly.

I nodded. "It was. I had a surprisingly good time."

"Same here," Niall said, his hand brushing mine yet again, his pinky finger linked with mine. "Can I have your number?"

"Wow." I shook my head and smiled. "You sure know how to make a move, Horan. Give me your phone." I held my free hand out, and he let go of my previously occupied hand apologetically as he reached into his pocket and dug out his phone. I called my cell from his, and once mine rung, I saved his number in mine, and mine in his. "All done," I said, giving it back.

"Thank you, Kate. I'll see you around," Niall said, giving me a hug.

"See you," I said as my taxi arrived. I climbed inside and watched the boys drive away, my head leaning against the window. What the hell was I doing? I couldn't possibly like Niall Horan. He was famous, talented, handsome, amazing, and just . . . famous. Never mind the fact that there was no way in hell that he liked me back, or ever would. Why was it, I wondered, that I always fell for the wrong guys without even knowing?

I told myself to calm down—I had just met him, after all—and sooner rather than later, I arrived at my destination. I paid the driver and stepped out of the cab, entering the studio without hesitation. One Direction fans were outside the building, although some of them had left since they'd seen the boys leave. Clever. The ones that remained, however, were stupid as hell.

"The same studio One Direction is using is yours," said Sandra from behind the desk, not bothering to look up.

"Um, thanks," I said, rushing past the desk and into the studio.

"Since you know how to work this," Johnny said, a smile on his face, "I can only wish you good luck. See you tomorrow!"

"Thanks, John," I said with a grin. "Hopefully you'll get your ass here in time!"

He looked at me with a mock-shocked expression. "Whatever would've made you think I'd be here late, my darling?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Just leave." I faked exasperation but blew him a kiss as he exited the room.

I was going to do covers for today, I decided, and one of them was going to be One Direction. But I decided to start with "Hey There Delilah," since it was the one currently stuck in my head.

I set everything up and then stepped inside.

Hey there Delilah,
What's it like in New York City?
I'm a thousand miles away,
But girl, tonight you look so pretty,
Yes you do.
Times Square can't shine as bright as you,
I swear it's true.

Once I started to sing, it was like the rest of the world disappeared, and all of my worries were gone. It was just me and the music, and not even the one I was singing. Just the music inside my head. The way it sounded, the way it felt, was something I wouldn't trade—ever, not for anything. Music was all I needed. I lost myself in one song, finished it, then set up again, and then did my other songs, and that was a nice, steady way of doing what I loved. I kept singing my heart out, my eyes closed, completely zoned out, and I was singing "Paradise" by Coldplay when I heard distant sounds that weren't my music. My eyes snapped open, and there was Niall, and by his side were Amy and Harry, but all my eyes, my brain, my heart would register was Niall. I was going to die. Surely, no one could live after the amount of embarrassment I just went through.

I took off my headset and opened the door, pinching myself repeatedly and hoping it was just a dream.

"You're amazing," Niall blurted out, and the feeling I got, those butterflies in my stomach, told me that it was definitely not a dream, and that was both amazing and mortifying at the same time.

"You know," I said, trying to lighten up the mood, "I bet I could make myself disappear. The awkwardness is almost tangible."

"Big words, babe," he joked, and then he turned serious again. "I think you're seriously amazing."

"And I think you're awfully straightforward," I said jokingly.

He smirked. "You're really not good at taking compliments."

"I'd like to think I'm humble."

"You do realize," he said slowly, "I'm just gonna compliment you until you accept it."

I smiled cheekily. "Don't hold your breath," I said in a sing-song voice, and then I went to eat from the food Amy brought me.

Harry left Amy's side for once in what seemed like forever. He walked over to Niall, and they both stood as far away from us as they could. I watched Niall stare at me, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Amy," I said slowly, "I already have your death planned out."

"Oh, come on!" she said lightly. "He wanted to see you and, well, who am I to deny him?"

"You're Amy," I said. "That's just about as good as anything."

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, though. I told him that you were recording, and he insisted on the food. And then Harry tagged along because, well, we're going out on Friday."

"Wow," I muttered. "If I called Niall straightforward, then Harry's . . . I don't even know." I shook my head, smiling to myself. He was something.

"Oh, shut up." She punched my arm jokingly. "I, honestly, really like him. He's a great guy. And Niall's sweet. Look, I know you hate me with the fire of a million suns, but he deserved to see you."

"He does see me," I pointed out. "I work with him."

"You know what I mean," Amy said, and I did know what she meant, but it didn't mean I had to like it. I shook my head before nibbling on a French fry and wondering why the hell my love life was either nonexistent or entirely complicated. "And he likes you, you know. He likes your singing, and your personality, and it doesn't hurt that you're pretty."

"Am not," I said, sticking my tongue out at her.

"You are. And keep your tongue in or you're gonna swallow a fly," she scolded.

"That's when your mouth's open. So stop gaping at Harry and undressing him with your eyes. Close your mouth in the process; his dick isn't going there anytime soon." I winked at her as she stared at me, her mouth dropped open. She didn't even bother to hide her shock.

"What has gotten into you?"

"I, personally, would like to think liking someone has increased my wittiness and love for sarcasm."

"I don't know," said Amy, "whether to be thankful or mildly horrified."

"Probably both," I said cheekily.

"Oh, shut up and eat," she said playfully as the two boys approached us.

"So," Harry said, smiling his signature, extremely cheeky smile, "Niall and I were wondering if you two girls wanted to grab lunch with us tomorrow."

"Since I'm now jobless," Amy said, winking at him, "then yes. I'm available and, sadly, I fear that this lovely lady called Kate will make me wake up at seven." She made a face.

I rolled my eyes. "You're too lazy! And yes, I'd love to have lunch with you." Even though the answer was for Harry, the answer, the "you," was directed to Niall. I looked at him as I said it, and then we broke our stare and blushed.

"Well, would you look at that?" Amy smirked. "Get a room, kiddos. I can't take the sexual tension."

I flipped her off. "Oh, get out. I need to finish this session and I have ten minutes left!"

"I'll stay and help," Niall said, "if you want."

I smiled warmly. "Of course."

And then, somehow, his hand found a way to brush mine, and our pinkies were linked again.

There's no one else I see,
The one that sees me,
For one I can be,
In everything you do,
I think I found a new classic in you.

/

"Thank you," I said as I took a bite of my pizza. Niall had taken me to this small pizza place I somehow knew nothing about after the sessions were over.

"For what?" he asked me, taking a sip of his soda, his eyes meeting mine. "I just sat there and helped you out so you could finish quickly and, honestly, it wasn't like it was the biggest burden in the world."

I blushed. "Um, thank you?" I let out a somewhat uneasy laugh and shifted in my seat. Why did I have to be so awkward with him? Why? "But you're the one with the record deals and live shows," I pointed out. Get yourself together! I told myself in a scolding manner.

"Yeah," Niall said, looking as uncomfortable as I felt now. Of course, I had to go and fuck things up. Of course. "But it's not all about the money and the fame for me. I'm still the kid from Mullingar who wanted this as bad as you want it. I got my chance, and it's only fair that you get yours."

"But you had a way to do it," I insisted, knowing that my argument was falling short, and that he was smart, and I knew what he'd fire back at me, and I, for some reason, looked forward to hearing it.

"All you need," said Niall, surprising me, "is talent. Passion. To want it enough. And you have that. All of it." He looked at me, and I looked at him, and I realized that there was no way in hell I'd be able to think of him as a friend when he was being so freaking amazing and sexy, and all I could think was that I wanted to kiss him, right there, but I didn't. All I did was blush, look down, and take a bite of my pizza.

"And, you know, there's the fact that you work in a recording studio."

I set down my pizza. "I know, but it's difficult. They think I'm not worth the time of the day, so I just sit back and help out." I sighed. "In the end, in a way, it doesn't really matter. I'm in the music business, and I get to see people make others happy, and I get to work with music. In the end, if it came down to it, I'd rather keep that than have nothing."

Niall shook his head, although he had a smile on his face. "Babe, all you need is love, really. You need to love the music, love the people, and love yourself. You have to love it more than you love life, because music is life. Do you know why I first set my eyes on you?"

I nodded, even though I knew I had no choice. He'd tell me anyway. He'd do anything to prove his point, and I wasn't about to stop him. "Why?"

"It was because you were the first person that I'd met since I became famous who reminded me of the boys in the way that you knew how to love the music enough to sit behind the lines, close your eyes, and let it speak to you."

She's the girl that no one ever knows,
And I say hi, but she's too shy to say hello,
She's just waiting for that one to take her hand and shake her up,
I bet I could.

/

The days went by quite fast. I worked from the early hours to the mid-afternoon with the boys, and then Niall and I would take a separate car after our lunch and we'd go back to the studio, and he'd help me record my songs. We grew closer, of course, mostly by avoiding uncomfortable subjects and sticking to awkward flirting and song comments.

We also bonded, of course, over our love for food. Almost always, we got to choose the restaurant in which we would go to lunch. I didn't know how, but thousands of screaming fans flooded the streets and waited for us outside the restaurant, outside the studio, and tried to keep up with our cars. I couldn't help but gape and, of course, then the questions started pouring in.

Every time people saw me and Niall together, they immediately assumed we were dating, even though we hadn't gone on an actual date, and I didn't think we would. Quite frankly, I just thought that, as soon as the record was done and they had a small, month-long break, I'd go back to school and he'd go back to music and life in England and Ireland, and I'd be stuck wondering what could've been.

Harry and Amy were officially dating. The fans went ballistic every single freaking time the two stepped outside the car, holding hands and pressed against each other, as if trying to hug but not quite managing to wrap their arms around each other. They did this weird thing with their hands, and they constantly teased each other about everything, and Amy said that his girlfriends were idiots, and Harry said that she was amazing, and they sometimes stared into each other's eyes to the point where we all had to start yelling for them to look away, and I guessed I was just happy that Amy found someone to love. I was just glad that my best friend was happy, and I guessed that was what mattered. But what I didn't realize what that, even if it wasn't by much, I was jealous. I got to see love from afar, and she got to experience it.

"So, guys," said Louis one day while we were eating lunch, "Liam and I have some news."

"Very exciting news," Liam chimed in.

"And those would be?" I prompted, taking a bite of my lasagna.

"Eleanor and Danielle are coming to visit!" Louis said, unable to hide his excitement. He was grinning from ear to ear, and so was Liam, although the latter made far less noise.

"That's great," I said, smiling at the boys. I'd heard lots of great things about both the girls, and I'd seen Danielle dance multiple times. I didn't know much about Eleanor, but I knew Louis adored her, and so did the fans, it seemed.

"I can't wait for them to meet you!" Liam said to both me and Ames, and I knew we were both blushing because, well, I felt my face get hot, and Ames was the kind of girl who blushed easily.

"When do they get here?" Amy asked, taking a sip of her Sprite.

"Um, about that . . ." Louis trailed off, looking at Liam helplessly.

"In two hours," Liam declared, and I choked on my soda. I couldn't stop coughing and Niall, who sat next to me, tried to stifle his laughter and opted on helping me live instead. He patted my back as I continued to cough. I had to pick up the girls in two hours! I had to stand next to two perfectly gorgeous girls in two hours! Well, that was fucking fantastic. I didn't usually care, but Niall was with me, and lately, I tried to do a lot to impress him when it came to my looks. I was an idiot. I never wore makeup—I wouldn't do that for any guy so far—but I did spend more time trying to see what I wore. I shook my head to myself as the coughing ceased.

"Sorry," I said.

"You okay, love?" Niall looked worried, even though he still pursed his lips as if trying to hold his laughter in.

"Oh, you idiot, I can't take you seriously when you're about to explode." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Niall burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry," he said as he gasped for air, "but that was hilarious."

I couldn't keep myself from laughing along with him. "Yeah, sure, tease all you want, Nialler."

"You know you love me," he said with a wink.

"And I wouldn't have you any other way." I gave him a kiss on the cheek, and that was when I noticed the other people occupying the table, Paul included, were staring at me. Well, more adequately, at Niall and me.

"What?" Niall asked, as if he could read my mind. I stared at him, and he stared at me, and we stared at the rest of the table, and suddenly it clicked.

Oh.

"Seriously?" I asked, annoyed. "Good god, people, seriously."

"What?" Niall looked at me, amused.

"You seriously don't know why they're staring?"

"Nope."

What a clueless idiot, I thought.

"Well, Niall, they think we'd make a great couple, should get a room, and make babies together." As I said the words that all of them were thinking, I glared at the entire table, Paul and Amy included.

Niall's mouth dropped open, his eyes wide. "What?"

All I could do was nod.

And then he mirrored my thoughts once again by saying, "Oh."

And let it be known,
All I want is you,
And I'm learning to show it, to show it,
To you.

/

Meeting Danielle and Eleanor had been lovely, I thought on my ride back to the studio. Usually, Niall and I would be cracking jokes and talking about the highlights of the day, the pranks Louis had pulled, and the excitement over whatever was coming next, but an awkward tension had settled between us, and I didn't know how to make it go away. Instead of trying to figure it out, I let the images of the day that was passing by play through my mind.

When we got to the airport, naturally, thousands of screaming fans waited for us, asking us why we were here, if the boys were leaving, if Amy and I were going with them, and all that crap. Liam quickly said to them that Danielle and Eleanor were arriving, and instead of the excitement dying down, it increased about three times more.

Once we were inside the airport, the amount of fans rushing up to us diminished considerably, although a few people still lined up and cried and screamed. I sighed and helped take pictures of the guys with fans, and I found myself enjoying it a lot. I loved the way Niall looked, even though there was an awkward tension between us, I still loved the way he simply fit in, like there was nothing else he was meant to be doing in this world. That was when I thought something that crossed through my mind a lot, which was the role of destiny in this.

There were so many things that could've gone wrong—Liam not auditioning again that year, another singer chosen to be in the band, one of them chosen to be soloists—but fate stepped in and there we had our boys. But what if we didn't? As usual, I bit the inside of my cheek and kept taking pictures, and I noticed Niall staring at me. I told myself I wouldn't look over, but I did anyway. He was smiling at the fans, signing an album as some people snapped pictures.

Amy was by my side, and I only realized it when she said, "You really like him, don't you?"

"I—"

"Look, Kate, I'm your best friend. If you don't want to tell me, then that's fine. But the way he looks at you, and the way you look at him . . . sometimes, I just really envy you because you have something that I've never seen before. It's just such a shame to see it go to waste." Amy spoke so wisely, so confidently about what she was saying, that I had to look her up and down more than once to see that it was really her speaking. I smiled at her.

"Thanks, Ames." I gave her a hug. I realized that there were people staring at us, but I didn't care. "I just don't know what to do."

"You just have to find the one thing you can communicate efficiently with." She winked at me and sauntered off, knowing I would need no explanation, because I held that thing close to my heart, so close that they were one.

It was music.

Then Danielle and Eleanor arrived. They both wore comfortable-looking clothes, but not sweatpants and stuff. More like jeans, t-shirts, and cardigans.

"Hey, there," Danielle said, sneaking up behind Liam, who was still signing albums. He smiled at the fans, rushed with them, and turned around, picking his girlfriend up from the floor and spinning her around. They kissed sloppily while trying to keep up and not fall, and I thought it was the most beautiful, romantic thing I'd seen outside of movies.

Eleanor and Louis were hugging and kissing each other deeply, unlike Danielle and Liam. They weren't aware that everyone else was around. They were in their own little world. Then, they came towards us, hand in hand. I felt extremely self-conscious, since both the girls were gorgeous beyond words, and then there was me. I bet Amy felt the same way, although she'd always been the confident one.

"Eleanor," Louis said, beaming, "this is Kate, Niall's lady friend." I shot him a glare and was about to protest when he cut me off. "And this is Amy, Harry's girlfriend."

"Hello!" Eleanor said to both of us, rushing to give us a hug. She was really friendly, even though she was probably tired as hell. And she still looked beautiful, so there was that. "So nice to meet you!"

"Same to you," I said with a smile. Her excitement and happiness were contagious.

"Yeah," Amy agreed, giving her a warm, bright smile that mirrored mine. "Louis wouldn't shut up about you, and I can see why."

Eleanor blushed. "You don't look so bad yourself," she said jokingly, winking.

"And I am not Niall's lady friend," I said, just to clarify things. Because I wasn't. Good god. "He and I are just friends and co-workers."

"We'll see," Eleanor said with a laugh. "I'm gonna go say hi to the rest of the boys, okay, love?" She gave Louis a quick kiss on the lips as he nodded. "Nice to meet you!" That was directed to us, and we had no time to reply, since she was already running over to Harry.

"Kate," said Liam, beckoning me over to where he stood. "Amy!"

"Hey, Liam," I said teasingly. "Haven't seen you in so long." I smirked.

He stuck his tongue out at me. "This is my girlfriend, Dani. Dani, this is Kate, Niall's lady friend." He said that part with a wink, which caused me to glare. "And this is Amy, her best friend and Harry's lady friend."

"That I am," said Amy. "Kate, though . . . let's just say she isn't so happy about being called Niall's 'lady friend' in the first place."

"Trouble in paradise?" said Danielle jokingly.

"Not if there's no paradise to begin with." I rolled my eyes jokingly at her, but a smile took over my face. "I'm just his friend."

"I know." Danielle smiled sympathetically at me. "This weirdo asked me to tease you about it."

"Oh, you're dead," I said, fake-glaring at him.

Niall approached us from behind. "What's going on?"

"Apparently," I said slowly, unsure as to how he'd react, since things were already awkward, "I'm your 'lady friend.'" I used air quotations, hopefully to send a message.

Niall tried his best to look insulted. "Apparently? But love, what happened to all of our nights together? Did they mean nothing to you?"

I faked a tear. "Our love cannot be."

Niall fake-wept into Liam's shoulder. Danielle looked at Amy and asked, "Are they always like this?"

Amy nodded. "Pretty much. I, honestly, find it hilarious how they think they can get away with the whole 'being friends' thing."

"That's because we are friends, Ames!" I said, smacking her arm. "Unlike you, I didn't throw myself at Niall."

"But didn't you say you didn't like him that way?" Danielle questioned. Oh god.

"I don't. It was a bad example."

"Or," Amy suggested, "you're just a horrible liar."

"I am no such thing," I said, and before she could argue, Paul said we had to leave, and Niall and I went to the studio like we always did, while the rest of the boys, and the three girls, left to the hotel.

And that was where I was, remembering all of those things, remembering what Amy had said, as Niall's voice snapped me out of my reverie.

"We're here."

I'm trying to say it right,
Been rehearsing this all night,
And I had the words planned out,
But now nothing's coming out.
'Cause you're like a movie star,
And I lose track of where we are,
I know it sounds so cliché,
But you take my breath away.

/

My hands were shaking as we stepped into the recording room that had become familiar, since we spent most of the time there. Niall plopped down on his usual chair and said nothing to me. I still thought he was acting weird, but I mutely stepped inside. He gave me two thumbs up when it was all set, but I couldn't sing. I sighed. I had to do what Amy told me to, I knew I did, but could I do it? I was such a shy person. I shook my head to myself and scrolled through my iPod until I found the right song.

"Are you okay?" Niall asked, and I was mildly relieved to see that he wasn't angry at me or anything. I looked up from my iPod and nodded.

"Just give me a second," I said, speaking into the microphone. He nodded and said nothing, just left me to do what I was doing. "Okay, I'm ready. Set up for track twelve, I'm doing that one today."

"Which song is it?" he asked as he set up.

"You'll see."

I've tried playing it cool,
But when I'm looking at you,
I can't ever be brave,
'Cause you make my heart race.

As usual, Amy was right. Communicating felt natural when I did it through music, and it felt like Niall could understand me better. I never did have the easiness Amy had when it came to boys, but now, it felt like I was smoother than her as I sang the words and stared at the floor.

Shot me out of the sky,
You're my kryptonite,
You keep making me weak,
Yeah, frozen, and can't breathe.

That was my favorite part, because I felt like it described a lot how I felt about him. Sure, the entire song did, but it did feel like he was my kryptonite, in a way. Ever since he came into my life, I'd been different. I'd been singing more, with a purpose, a direction (no pun intended).

Something's gotta give now,
'Cause I'm dying just to make you see,
That I need you here with me now,
'Cause you've got that one thing.

I stared at him as I said this part, and the first thing I noticed was that he was grinning. Something must've tipped him off, probably the way I was acting and singing, and he noticed that the song was for him. And of course it was. I wouldn't sing my heart out like I was just for anyone.

Get out, get out, get out of my head,
And fall into my arms instead,
I don't, I don't, don't know what it is,
But I need that one thing,
Yeah, you've got that one thing.

My heart was beating so fast, I felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. My head was pounding, palms were sweating, and I had trouble looking at Niall now. Why?

Now I'm climbing the walls,
But you don't notice at all,
That I'm going out of my mind,
All day and all night.
Something's gotta give now,
'Cause I'm dying just to know your name,
And I need you here with me now,
'Cause you've got that one thing.

As soon as I finished it, I did a little jump and sang the next chorus again. I didn't know why, but that small doubt I felt when there was an instrumental in between the verse and the chorus, it was gone now. All I felt was pure confidence in myself and in the fact that this would work—it had to work—because he told me he liked me, basically. And I really liked him.

There was a moment of silence when I sang the last note.

"So, is this why you've kept me around?" Niall asked, breaking the silence.

He didn't wait for me to answer, though. He stood up and walked inside, cupped my face with his hands, and soon enough, our lips met.

My heart's a stereo,
It beats for you so listen close,
Hear my thoughts in every note.
Make me your radio,
And turn me up when you feel low,
This melody is meant for you,
So sing along to your stereo.

/

"So, boys," said Johnny, a smile on his lips, "as you know, you're officially done tomorrow unless you want to record an extra song."

"Which we don't," Liam said, looking at the boys. "We've discussed it already, and quite honestly, we'd like the break."

Johnny nodded. "I understand. Kate, do you have anything to add?"

All of their eyes were on me. "Um, no," I said. "I like the songs they've chosen, and I just want what they think is best and what the fans think is best, which is basically the same thing. We have everything we need." I shot him a reassuring smile and met Niall's eyes. He smiled playfully at me, and I blushed, looking away.

"Very good," Johnny said, oblivious to the meaning behind my look with Niall. "Go to your lunch break, then. I'll see you back in three hours." He looked at me as he said it.

"Yeah," I said, dragging it out. "See you, John." I smiled at him as I stood up and, along with the boys, exited the room.

"Well," Harry said, "that wasn't awkward at all."

"Hey!" I exclaimed, hitting his arm playfully. "I was trying hard not to make it seem like that."

"You mean you were trying not to make out with Niall while your boss was looking at you," Zayn pointed out, and the rest of the boys, except Niall, nodded.

"No . . ." I smiled and took out my phone, dialing Amy's number.

"Why is it so hard to find a job?"

"Nice to talk to you too, Ames."

"Sorry," she said, sighing loudly from the other end. "I'm almost at the studio. See you in five." She hung up.

"She's pissed off," I said to the boys. "She can't find a job. No, Harry, she can't be your stripper for a living." I glared at him. He'd suggested it one time, playfully, and it was kind of like an inside joke.

"You love me," he said, scoffing.

I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, be extra nice. She's quite . . . moody." I said the last part uncertainly.

"Okay," Liam said, looking at the boys. "We can do that."

"I'll kiss her more than usual?" Harry offered.

I grinned. "I'm pretty sure that, while she'll like that, we'll all end up throwing up."

"Dani and El are with her, right?" Liam asked me.

"Yeah," I said. "They were trying to help her find a job."

"And were unsuccessful," Harry finished, grinning.

"You sure know how to pick your girlfriends," I teased.

"Only because you hang out with her." He pinched my cheeks.

"I'm pretty sure Niall should be stepping in before my cheeks fall off," I muttered.

"Right," said Niall, who looked red from laughing. When did he learn to laugh quietly? "I'd like to go walk with Kate, Harry."

Harry sighed and examined me. I frowned, and he chuckled. Then, he caught himself, and pouted. "Okay," he said at last, handing me over to Niall.

"God bless your existence," I said, kissing his cheek.

He kissed me on the lips. I heard the boys groan, which caused me to smile as Niall wrapped his arms around me.

"Get a room!" Louis said, and Niall broke the kiss. I glared at Lou.

"I know you like the PDA," Harry said with a smirk, "but we don't."

"I could say the same thing to you."

"Oh, damn. I could've sworn you two had gone a day without fighting," Louis said playfully, but I mock-glared at Harry.

"It was more like twenty hours, Lou," said Zayn, looking at us as if waiting for one to keep fighting.

Just then, Amy walked in, El and Dani by her side. They all wore shorts and loose-fitted shirts, and all of them walked over to their respective boyfriends, giving them a sloppy kiss.

"Hey," Eleanor said. "So tomorrow's your last day?"

"It is!" Louis said, his arm around her waist. "And then we finally get to have our much-needed vacation."

She laughed. "I can't wait to see what you've planned."

"You'll love it," he said, kissing her forehead.

"We're going to the Bahamas," Liam said, smiling at Dani.

"I'm so excited!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "I just want to spend some time with him."

"You two are way too cute," I said.

Niall looked down at me. "We can be cute too, babe."

I kissed his nose. "We sure as hell can."

"Gross," Amy joked. "Anyways, guys, are we going to Olive Garden again?"

"For old time's sake," Niall said. Honestly, I didn't think he cared much about where we went, as long as there was food. I grinned at him. "And for Kate's sake," he added, kissing my forehead. I buried my face in his chest.

"Fine," Harry said, sighing loudly and making a show of stomping out of the studio. Paul was waiting for us outside, and we all climbed into their huge van. I had to sit on Niall's lap, but I honestly didn't care.

I took out my phone and scrolled through my twitter mentions. There were the usual people who hated me for getting to hang out with One Direction, work with them, and date one of the band members, but I honestly ignored those people. I was never one of the fans who hated on their girlfriends, and in fact, I always wondered what it would be like to meet them. It was crazy. Life took me to places I never expected it to.

MusicIsMySoul How's working with the boys? And is it true you're dating Nialler? You're very pretty! Xxx

I smiled at the tweet and typed up a reply back.

1Derfullife Thanks! It's been great, they're all very funny and nice, and we all get along very well. Yes, it is, haha. :) xx

"So, we're dating now?" Niall whispered in my ear, and I giggled.

"According to you," I said, kissing his lips. "Yes."

"According to the world," said Harry, annoyed, "you're dating. Now will you stop trying to prove it by making out in public?"

"You're just jealous of our loveliness," I retorted.

"Out of all the things in the world I could be jealous of, your supposed loveliness isn't one of them."

"You're just jealous 'cause my girl has a job," Niall said, kissing the back of my neck.

"Hey!" Amy exclaimed. "I take offense in that."

"As you should, Amy," I said. My phone beeped.

MusicIsMySoul Oh my god, you replied to me! I'm going to cry, lol. I'm glad to hear that you guys get along! And that you and Nialler are dating. Is he a good bf? Xx

I chuckled and replied.

1Derfullife Ahaha, don't cry! And yes, although Harry_Styles thinks he's lovelier than me. Just because he has dimples, I swear. Hahaha, he's definitely a great bf. ;) Xx

"A winky face, eh?" Niall said, and I grinned. He started tickling me, and I started laughing, unable to.

"Niall, oh my god, stop it," I said, but he kept poking me, and I kept laughing.

Harry was banging his head against the window. "Someone. Please. Shoot. Me."

"Oh, come on," Amy said, smirking. "They're not that bad."

"You weren't there earlier in the studio. They were practically humping each other."

"I'm sure that was hard for you to watch, Haz." She rolled her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder. His expression softened, and he started running a hand through her hair absently.

Niall stopped tickling me as my phone buzzed.

MusicIsMyLife 1Derfullife That's because I am lovelier than you, Katie darling. Can you wake up Zayn?

I rolled my eyes at Harry, nudged Zayn repeatedly, and replied to his tweet.

Harry_Styles 1Derfullife You're just hilarious, aren't you, Styles? Tell your girlfriend to get a job. And it's done, only because he keeps you sane. Xxx

Harry rolled his eyes and then both of our phones buzzed.

Harry_Styles MusicIsMyLife I can't believe I got a reply from both of you! Have a lovely day. Hopefully I'll meet you both. You sound like you're having fun. Good luck on the album! Xxxx

I smiled. Finally, someone who didn't freak out over everything.

1Derfullife Harry_Styles Same to you! You're so nice, thank you, in behalf of both of us. :) xxx

I didn't get any more replies, and since I got daily tweets from people I didn't know, I disabled the notifications for a bit almost all the time. I curled up against Niall and, since there was a lot of traffic, it took us three times the usual time to get to Olive Garden, so I fell asleep.

Oh, I feel your heartbeat,
And oh, you're coming around, coming around, coming around,
If you can love somebody, and love them all the same,
You gotta love somebody, and love them all the same.
Oh, I feel your heartbeat.

...

Oh, you've got a fire and it's burning in the rain,
Thought that it went out but it's burning just the same.

/

I knocked on Johnny's door while chewing on my lip. He'd called me in from my office, and I was incredibly nervous, wondering why he'd done so.

It had been three days since One Direction's album was done, and while Liam and Louis left with their girlfriends for vacation wherever they went to, Zayn went to Bradford to visit his family, Niall and Harry stayed here. Harry and Amy were inseparable, and she gave up on looking for a job. Niall slept until very late at noon, and sometimes he would come help me with work, and afterwards we'd go out to the movies or we'd go do random things, like watch a musical or go to the Empire State Building or go to a museum. Sometimes we'd do karaoke, even.

"Come in," Johnny called from inside. I opened the door hesitantly, my hands shaking as I closed it. "Sit down," he said, smiling widely.

Confused, I sat down on one of the chairs close to his desk. "What's going on?"

"You're good," Johnny said, and I was even more confused. What the hell was he talking about? "You've very good."

"What?"

"Niall gave me his copies of the songs you recorded," Johnny said, and I wanted to kill Niall. Why the fuck had he done that? It could've been the end of my job! Hell, it was the end of my job. Why else could have Johnny called me in? I was going to kill Niall. I thought it was our secret.

"Okay. And?"

"Like I said, you're very good. Amazing, even. And I've talked to everyone. We've decided to offer you a recording deal, darling."

By the time he finished saying the sentence, I felt this weird pang in my chest, and the lump in my throat was getting heavier, and I knew I wanted to cry, but I somehow couldn't. This had to be a dream. It had to be.

"Here are the papers. Give them to your parents, and take your time to think."

"I don't need to. I've read copies of it, and . . . my answer's yes," I said, smiling like an idiot. Johnny handed me the pen, and I re-read the contract that had become the thing I read every night, in case this ever happened. Only I never thought it would. My hands shook as I signed the papers. Once I was done, I handed them back to him.

"You get the week off, by the way. Since you have your own songs recorded, we'll just give the copies to the producers, who will be the ones who worked with you in the One Direction album, and they'll help you polish them. You should be done fast enough." He smiled. "And congratulations."

I gave him a tight hug. "Thank you, Johnny."

"It's no problem. Thank that boy of yours."

"Don't pretend you don't know his name," I teased.

"Niall," Johnny said. "Thank Niall, because without him, you wouldn't have had your dream come true."

When your lips touch mine,
It's the kiss of life,
I know, I know that it's a little bit frightening,
We might as well be playing with lightning.

...

I've been addicted to you since the first year,
Out of control, like a surge of electric,
Yeah, your skin, your touch, your kiss,
The rush, too much, and here it comes.

/

There was a knock on my door. I knew who it was. I had invited him over, after all. Yet, there was a part of me that froze, not knowing what to say once I opened the door, because there were so many things I had to say.

When my parents bought me the sessions at the studio, I thought it was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me in my life. I screamed when they told me, jumped up and down, told them I loved them. And now? Now I had a record deal, all thanks to this wonderful boy, and he stood a few feet away from me, and I didn't know what to say, because there weren't enough words to make him realize how much it meant.

I opened the door, and there he stood. His blond hair was messy, the way I loved it, the way he always wore it. His blue eyes shone, and he shoved his hands in his pockets, giving me a slight smile.

I gave him a hug and kissed him, long and hard. Somehow, we managed to move so that he could close the door, and I was pushed against it. His hands were wrapped around my waist, and my hands were wrapped around his neck. He hoisted me up so that my legs were around his waist now, and my hands went under his shirt. I broke the kiss, because if I let myself go further, there would be no going back, and I was scared he'd think I was doing it because of the deal.

"I love you," I told him. "I love you so much. And I know we haven't been together for a long time, but I do. If it wasn't for you, I would've been too scared to do anything about what I wanted to do. I would've been too scared to do anything. And then you came into my life, and I just . . . liked you. I liked your personality, and the way you look shy sometimes, and the way you laugh until there are tears streaming down your face, and the way you can eat a lot, and the way you're the most lovable person in the entire world, and I'm not just saying this because of what you did for me, but I love you." I took a deep breath and smiled. I was back on my feet, although our arms were still around each other.

"I love you, too. And I don't know how it happened, but I just loved getting to know you, and the endless teasing, and the way you're so humble and considerate of others. I love the way you treated me like a normal person, and the way we had eating contests in all of our dates, and the way you supported us in the best way you could. You're talented and amazing. I'm just glad I could return the favor." He kissed my forehead, something he'd been doing a lot lately.

"When are you leaving?" My grip on his neck tightened a little, and he pulled me closer to him. We both didn't really wanna talk about the day he left. It meant being apart for months, and I didn't think we were ready to talk about it.

"In a little over a week," he said. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"I'm going to miss you." I buried my face in his chest. My voice was muffled. "So bad."

"About that . . ." He trailed off, and I heard a smile in his voice, which was odd.

I looked up at him. "What is it?"

"Well, Simon called us earlier," Niall began, and he didn't continue. I frowned.

"How long ago?"

"Earlier this week," he confessed, and my eyes widened. "He said that our opening act couldn't make it, and since the record label here had already signed you and all, he wants to sign you for the UK company so that your albums will also be available there, but they'll be UK. First, though, he wants you to open for us on tour."

My eyes widened even more, to the point where they threatened to roll out of my sockets. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Yes, it meant being away from Ames, but it meant touring with my boyfriend. Oh my god. It was amazing.

"What about my parents?" My face fell.

Niall grinned. "I talked to them the second I found out, and you have their permission."

I was pretty sure I was crying, because I couldn't keep my emotions in check. "Looks like we're going on tour together, then!"

"Don't cry," he said to me gently, wiping my tears away.

"God, Niall," I said lightly, "I'm not sad. I love you, and I'm happy as hell."

"I love you, too," he said, giving me a smile. "Now, we need to pack. Your parents signed the contract for you—they also signed another recording contract since you aren't eighteen yet—so now all you need to do is pack because, after all, we do leave next week."

"And Amy?" I bit my lip. I hadn't ever been away from her for more than a month, and I knew that the tour went on for longer than that. I could take online courses or I'd have a tutor—my parents probably had set that up already. But my best friend . . . she couldn't be replaced.

"She finally got a job as an assistant tour manager," Niall said, laughing. "Harry pulled some strings."

"So she'll be touring with us? Oh boy," I added, laughing.

Niall picked me up, bridal style. "So, I'll help you pack."

"I need to take a shower first, though!"

Niall grinned. "I can help you with that, too."

And I didn't object to that. I didn't think I would ever say no to him, ever again. That was how I fell in love with him, after all.

*I don't own 1D*
Songs in the chapter:
Scream - High School Musical 3
Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
Heartbeat - The Fray
One Thing - One Direction
Lightning - The Wanted
Glad You Came - The Wanted
Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes Ft. Adam Levine
New Classic (Acoustic) - Drew Seeley
Say You Like Me - We The Kings
Eyes On You -Automatic Loveletter