That Smile (A Niall Horan Fan Fiction)

Chapter 20: The Demo and the Contract

"How's the video coming babe?" Lauren glanced over at Niall who was hard at work uploading and editing the cover of the song 'Everything Has Changed' that they just finished. Niall was stationed at the mixing board going over the footage to see which run sounded the best. Lauren tried to help at first, but had no idea how to work the editing program, so she was really of no use.

After a while of just sitting on the stool next to Niall's watching what he was doing, she got up and poked around the studio. She had never actually been in a studio before. And it was pretty darn cool.

Niall glanced over at her, she was currently at a rack of CDs next to a couch in the corner of the room. He shrugged. "Pretty good. Just kind of daunting. But we sound great." Lauren smiled.

"That's good." Niall nodded in agreement as he went back to looking at the computer screen. Lauren scowled and sighed. She really was pretty bored, and her phone was almost dead, so there really wasn't much she could do. She decided to venture into the sound booth and see what she could discover in there. Lauren carefully opened the door to the booth, causing Niall to glance over at her. When Lauren stepped into the booth and shut the door behind her that was when she discovered a small piano in the corner. It wasn't as huge as the one she had at home, but it put a smile on her face.

Niall watched as Lauren made her way to the piano. She pulled the cover off of the keys and admired them for a minute before sitting down at the bench. Not being familiar with how the sound booth worked, she didn't know that Niall could still here her if he flipped the switch on the mixing board to the booth. Otherwise she probably wouldn't have even sat down at the piano. Once Lauren placed her fingers on her keys Niall casually leaned over and flipped the switch so he could hear her.

He grinned as she began to play random notes, testing out the piano. Lauren was completely unaware that he was watching, too caught up in what she was doing. Not really thinking about it, she began to play. Niall immediately reached over and pressed the record switch on the board. He was not going to miss this opportunity to tape Lauren. He knew she was probably going to be pissed when she found out, but he also knew that once the label got their hands on her recording, they would offer her a deal.

After pressing the record switch Niall leaned back in his chair, letting Lauren's voice and the piano fill his ears.

"I still remember the look on your face, lit through the darkness at 1:58. The words that you whispered were for just us to know. You told me you loved me, so why did you go away?"

Niall was once again intrigued and blown away by Lauren's voice. He never knew it was possible to convey so much emotion while singing. Not even he was that good at that. But Lauren somehow managed to capture every element of the song.

"Go away. I do recall now the smell of the rain, fresh on the pavement, I ran off the plane. That July 9th, the beat of your heart. It jumps through your shirt, I can still feel your arms. But now I'll go sit on the floor wearing your clothes. All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss. I never thought we'd have a last kiss. Never imagined we'd end like this. Your name, forever the name on my lips."

"I do remember the swing of your step, the life of the party, you're showing off again. And I roll my eyes and then you pull me in. I'm not much for dancing, but for you I did."

"Because I love your handshake, meeting my father. I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets. How you kissed me when I was in the middle of saying something, there's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions."

"And I'll go sit on the floor wearing your clothes. All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss. Never thought we'd have a last kiss. Never imagine we'd end like this. Your name, forever the name on my lips."