Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Twenty Nine

"What did you want me here for in such a rush?!"

"I need you to do something for me before I go to work, and I need to leave in like ten minutes. But since you're here now, you can give me a lift.

"Cheeky shit, I knew that was it."

"No, that's not it. Come upstairs."

I dragged Lauren up to my room. I had recorded the song I had written, the song I was intending to give to Perrie that very night, but I needed someone to tell me it was a good idea first.

"Where is everyone?"

"Alfie's not back from his night shift yet, Ellie's gone to work, Maddie stayed out last night, and dad has got overtime this weekend."

"Right. Fab, so what's going on?"

I sat down on the bed facing Lauren, clutching my incredibly old Walkman and headphones. "You know I'm going to Perrie's this weekend."

"Yeah."

"And I wanna tell her I love her, and I want it to be special."

"Yeah, hurry up before I vomit."

"Oh, shut it! Well... the other night after our night out... when I got home... I did this. Well, I wrote it, then recorded it the next day when I had the house to myself. I dunno if-"

"Jakers, will you just give me it?" Lauren said, bouncing impatiently where she sat.

"You're the most honest person I know, I just want you to tell me if I should even bother with it. Okay?"

"Fine." Lauren snatched the Walkman, studying it, opening it up and glancing at the blank CD inside it as if looking for something. "Can't believe you still have one of these."

"I know, you know me. I can't throw stuff away. Right, it's the only track on there so just switch it on and press play."

Lauren fixed the headphones on, watching me. "You look terrified."

"I am. Can you not look at me while you listen to it?"

Lauren laughed but then saw I was serious and shuffled round slightly, staring at the floor. I did the same as she pressed play, my thumping heart too loud in my own ears for me to hear the strains of my own voice from a mere foot or two away.

I went through the words in my head while Lauren listened, waited a few more seconds after I thought it might have finished before chancing a glance at Lauren.

She was quickly wiping her eyes on the back of her hand, laughing nervously when she caught my eye.

"Oh my god, what?!" I gasped.

"What?! That! Jakers... why did you never tell me you could sing?!"

"I can't, not really. I just-"

"Of course you bloody can, have you actually listened to this?"

"No." I admitted quietly.

"Fucking hell... Did you write that? Seriously?"

I nodded, biting my nail. "What d'you think?"

Lauren laughed again, falling backwards onto my pillows. "Bloody hell. Can I play it again?"

Lauren picked up the Walkman and reset it, this time lifting one headphone off her ear. "I can't believe I've never heard you sing before."

"I don't sing."

"Well why have you never written songs before?"

"I have, I do." I admitted. "I just never let anyone see them."