Chapter 38
Screaming.
Crying.
Flailing.
And that was just from what I could see of the front row.
Niall and I shared a pained look as the audience freaked out about the news they had just received. I wanted to shout out that the engagement was a fake, that it was just to insure I could get away from my family forever. But I couldn’t say that. They had to believe this was real, no matter how much chaos it caused.
I glanced back at the crowd just in time to avoid being struck in the head with someone’s iPhone. Paul came out on stage then with Danielle on his heels and grabbed me by the arm, whisking me away while the boys tried to control their fans. I could hear the desperation in Niall’s voice as he begged them to understand, explaining that he knew we were young, but that this was the right decision for us as a couple. He told them again and again how much he loved me, how wonderful he thought I was, how much he would appreciate it if they would just accept us as a couple.
By the time I collapsed into a chair offstage, the audience was beginning to quiet down. I let my head fall into my hands and pushed my hair away from my face, feeling the sweat bead on my forehead.
Danielle was crouched beside me, patting my back and telling me it’d be okay, but I couldn’t focus on her. My eyes were glued to the blonde haired boy who was running off stage and straight over to where I was sitting. He slid down to his knees and grabbed me in a hug, squeezing me until I couldn’t breathe.
“I’m so sorry, love. I never expected them to react that way,” he said, stroking my hair.
I buried my face in his neck for a second, escaping the chaos that just happened in that moment. After a minute and a couple deep breaths, I forced myself to pull away and give Niall and a smile. “I’m okay, I promise. I expected like that to happen. I just didn’t think someone would throw their freaking iPhone at me.”
He chuckled, running his fingers through my hair and brushing it behind my ear. “Who throws their phone on stage? Crazy people…” He looked over his shoulder then patted the side of my face and kissed my forehead. “I have to go. See you after the show. Love you.”
“Love you, too!” I called after him as he ran back out to sing.
Danielle raised her eyebrow at me when I looked back at her. “What?”
“You’re not okay,” she pointed out, shaking her head at me.
“You’re right,” I allowed. “Dani, I’m scared out of my mind. This whole auditorium hates my guts and there’s nothing I can do to hide from them.”
“Who cares what they think? Kor, Niall loves you, that’s obvious. If they care about him, they’ll learn to accept your engagement.”
I scoffed. “If only I could tell them it was fake…”
“They wouldn’t understand even if you told them.” She stood up and held her hand out to me. “Now, come on, love. Let’s go hear our boys sing instead of sitting here moping.”
*****
The next morning the boys had to do a signing at a mall, so I took my camera and tagged along. While they got settled into the seats behind the table and the fans screamed their little hearts out, I started recording my new vlog.
“What’s up, guys?” I asked, then busted out laughing. “Whoa, I totally went all Alfie Deyes on you there. Anyway, take a guess where I am!” I turned the handheld camera around to show the massive line of fans currently freaking out behind me before turning the lens back on myself. “If you guessed relaxing by the pool with the rest of dancers back at the hotel, you’d be one hundred percent incorrect! I’m at the mall with the boys instead, listening to the fans scream at the top of their lungs as they wait for the signing to begin. It’s quite entertaining really to see all these people fangirling over my boyfriend-I mean fiancé-and his four idiot friends. Oops did I just say that out loud? Oh well, everyone knows they’re idiots.” I walked a little ways away from the line then a thought struck me. “Oh! Guys! I got my cast off this morning!” I twisted the camera around again and flashed my leg, showing my bare calf and my new tope colored oxfords. “I’m so excited I get to wear two shoes again! Oh, look at my outfit!” I ran over to a mirror mounted on the wall outside the closest store and recorded my outfit. “So it’s a turquoise-y blue lace dress with three-quarter length sleeves that I got from some boutique me and Danielle went to in LA, then my shamrock necklace from Niall, my ring he got me for my birthday and my engagement ring, then these new oxfords I got like five minutes ago.” I chuckled at myself in the mirror. “I feel like a beauty guru doing this.”
I wandered away from the mirror and back over to the boys. “Hey, idiots!” I yelled, gaining their attention and a glare from Louis. “Say hey to all your fans that will watch this.”
Liam was first in line so he waved first. “Hello, there! Thanks for watching Kora’s interesting little videos. It makes her quite happy.”
I stuck my tongue out and moved on to Harry. “Harold! Tell the world what you’re up to right now.”
“Hello… erm, well, we’re at a mall in Atlanta, Georgia and we’re doing a CD signing for all of the, um, lovely fans here. There are loads of you here right now.”
I nodded. “Thanks for that, Haz. Louis! Your turn!”
“Hi, everyone. You lot aren’t too bored of Little Red yet, are ya? She can be quite uninteresting at times…”
“Tomlinson,” I warned, shooting daggers at him with my eyes.
He chuckled and stuck his tongue out a me. “Just trying to be honest with our fans. We can’t have them thinking you’re the life of the party or anything…”
“Moving on. Z, your turn.”
Zayn looked up at the camera and just gave a smoldering stare, then looked away.
“Ladies and gentlemen, that was Zayn Malik performing his model stare. Give him a round of applause.”
He rolled his eyes at me, clearly not wanting to deal with my insistent videoing. I moved down the line to Niall. “Nialler! Say something to your fans.”
“I love Liam Payne!” Niall shouted, causing the line of fans to go insane.
Liam looked down the line and reached his hand out to Niall. “I love you, too, mate.”
I glanced between the two of them then decided to play along. “Is there something I should know…?”
Liam stood up. “I’m sorry Kora, but Niam is real.”
I faked a gasp, covering my mouth with one hand as I looked to Niall. “Ni, how could you!”
He stood up as well. “Liam, I’m sorry, but… I’m in love with Kora.”
Liam threw one hand to his chest and stumbled back, almost tumbling over his chair. “Nialler, no! I thought what we had was special!”
At that moment everyone burst into laughter. Zayn fell backwards out of his chair, clutching his stomach as he rolled on the floor laughing. Harry was to the point where he was laughing so hard no sound was coming out and he was just sitting there turning red and clapping like a seal.
Louis reached for me, gasping out, “Please tell me you got that all on camera!” between fits of laughter.
“I did! I did!” I choked out, falling into Niall’s lap.
The whole audience was also dying, but there was one voice that stuck out above all others, partly because it was the closest-belonging to the first girl in line-and partly because I knew that laugh. I sobered up in an instant as my eyes locked with hers. Niall followed my gaze and froze, his reaction a mirror of mine.
Standing a mere ten feet away from me was Clara, the last person I ever wanted to see and the first person who could ruin everything I had.
Oh hey look... I uploaded. Major accomplishment there, guys.
Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter isn't that great, but I really like it for some reason. It just seems fun to me. So yeah, sorry if y'all think it sucks or something.
So, how have my Seashells been? I feel like I don't get to talk to any of you anymore. I miss y'all!
Question of the chapter:
What was the worst haircut you ever had? Mine was when I was 12 and I thought it'd be a great idea to chop off my hair into a pixie cut like Alice Cullen's. It was cute when I first got it done, but then my hair lady kept cutting it shorter every time I went to get a trim and I ended up looking like a boy. It was awful.
Thanks for reading and hope y'all enjoyed the chapter!
Peaceskies! xx Shel
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Dancing Alone (DI1D Sequel)
FanfictionIt's been almost five months since Kora was forced out of London and had to move back to New York. She hates her life there almost as much as she hates her mom for forcing her to move back. She just wants out of her contract at the Joffrey Ballet Sc...
