A Light in the Dark // Flicker Series Part I #wattys2019

Little Things | part II

Chapter 19
Niall's POV //

Rehearsals had gone to crap from the moment I arrived. 

As much as I tried to focus on sound-checking, every other line would remind me of Evie and take my thoughts back to her and the conversation I hope to have with her today.

I thought about the conversation, thought about my question, thought about her answer, and went through every possible scenario to come from all of this. Only losing more and more focus on the rehearsal.

I knew that the harder I tried to push myself to perform these songs, the more upset and frustrated I would get. I'm a bit of a perfectionist on stage and when things go wrong I tend to get cranky.

"Take 5." I say to my team after screwing up a chord in a song I wrote, and stopping mid-song. "I'm sorry fellas, I just need a second." I apologize as they stop of the stage, leaving me standing in my spot —just me and my guitar, often the best way I find to clear my head.

I pick away at the strings mindlessly and quickly my fingers settle into a familiar set of chords. I've played this song so many times I could practically play it in my sleep. I close my eyes and go back to one of the hundreds of times i've performed this song and imagine i'm back there again.

I completely zone out, singing through the entire song with my eyes closed until I get to the part that would usually be my solo.

My mind takes me back to all the times i've sang this song and I remember reaching this verse and having the crowd sing along with me. Before I let the words 'you sing' slip from my mouth, I open my eyes to remind myself that i'm singing to empty chairs not a stadium full of people.

When I open my eyes however, they immediately land on the petite frame sitting on the very back row and I don't need to be any closer to know exactly who it is.

A smile breaks over my face as I continue to sing and she graces me with a smile of her own. Of all the girls i've ever made contact with at a show while singing this song, I think this is the first time it's ever meant something and for the first time instead of asking the 'crowd' to, I finish the line myself.

"Like I, love you, ohhhh" I sing to her, before continuing into Harry's chorus.

Did I really just say that? I know it's a song lyric, but...yeah. I said it and I think I would say it again.

As soon as I finish the song, she stands up to walk to me and I hastily set my guitar down to hop of the stage and join her. Dodgy knees be damned.

She must sense something is off as I will admit the hug I just gave her has a little bit more drive behind it than our hugs usually do. It's like this time I hugged her and I knew exactly why I was doing it. It was more than a greeting, but the feeling of not being able to get her soul close enough to mine because I care for her that much.

"You alright?" She asks, her eyebrows scrunching together slightly creating a little line above her nose.