How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 86

{Kate's Point of View}

                 

The music began with a familiarity that nearly made me smile. It was a song I had heard countless times. Live in concert, in the studio, on my iPod, being sung in the shower by my boyfriend early in the morning. This time, however, the song made goosebumps crawl down my arms.

"I've got a heart," Harry began.

My chest tightened.

"And I've got a soul."

I held my breath.

"Believe me, I will use them both."

I could hear my blood rushing in my ears.

"We made a start," he sang.

I bit my lip nervously.

"Be it a false one and all."

I blinked hard.

"Baby, I don't want to feel alone."

A shiver ran down my spine.

Eli and I watched the performance from the sofa, but it felt as if I were right in front of the stage. The force of the boys was not lost through the screen. Every note, every lyric, every tilt of the body was conveyed perfectly. It was a haunting performance compared to the light, upbeat songs other artists had chosen for the celebratory occasion.

I barely had time to catch my breath as the stage darkened briefly. When the lights returned, the mic stands the boys had been hiding behind before were gone. Instead, the boys had scattered to different areas of the stage to interact with the fans as the next song began playing.

The crowd was on their feet dancing around before the first line of the song was even given. It was another talent One Direction possessed, being able to change the mood of the audience in an instant.

Though we were far from the stage, through a labyrinth of hallways and tucked away in a room with the door closed, I could feel the energy when everyone in Earl's Court joined the chorus with "Waking up beside you I'm a loaded gun."  

A One Direction performance was never disappointing. The voices were always good. The dancing was always ironic. And the sight of the boys was always worth it. I was unable to take my eyes off Harry.  A leather motorcycle jacket covered a perfectly crisp white shirt. His black skinny jeans hugged his legs provocatively. Black boots with silver buckles at the ankle tapped and shifted as Harry sang. His hair flipped as he moved it out of his face. It had grown in length since the last time I had ran my fingers through it. I longed to feel its softness again.

The music stopped and only screams were audible. The four boys waved to the crowd as they made their way to the center of the stage. The camera angles changed. The boys were facing the main cameras, still smiling and waving to their supporters.

"Happy New Year, London!" Liam yelled. He waited for a moment for the applause to slow down. "We are One Direction."

"Midnight is almost here and we would like to take a moment to reflect on the incredible year we've had," Louis said to the camera. "Niall, would you like to start? Tell us your best memory from this year."

"That's a tough one," Niall smiled shyly. The camera closed in on Niall so the other boys were out of view. "I think my best memory this year was when we were in Brisbane just a few weeks ago at the end of our tour. We had just gotten back to our hotel after a show and there were loads of fans waiting around outside. I got up to my room and went straight to bed. When I was lying there, I could hear the fans outside. They were chanting our names and then after a few minutes, they began singing. They were singing our songs. They were so loud and it was so late. I remember just lying there thinking about how incredible it was that I get to make music I love and have our fans share it. It was a surreal feeling having them there showing their dedication to the band like that."