|Chapter 3

Just as Louis made a move to walk out from behind the tall black curtains, he froze in his spot. No. No, he couldn't do this. This was too much. Why is he even trying? This is just like a replay at his X Factor audition. He had to get out of here before it's too late.

Louis kept shaking his head, mumbling small 'no's and 'I can't's. He turned on his heel, ready to make a run for the exit doors, only to collide into Niall's chest. Niall grabbed Louis' shoulders, keeping him still.

"Hey, Lou.. Lou calm down.. Louis. Hey..." Niall said soft and calmly.

Louis' escalating breaths started to slow down as he looked into Niall's bright blue eyes. "Breath, okay?" Niall whispered.

Finally, Louis' breathing came back to normal and he was only left with shakiness. "I-I can't do this Nialler. It's just like two years ago at X Factor.. I can't do thi-"

"Yes you can Lou. Remember what I told you. Pretend they're not even in the room. Just block them out and sing like you're all by yourself. I know you can do this Lou. This means so much too you. Don't just throw it all away now."

Louis closed his eyes and let Niall's words sink in. You can do this... You can do this... he kept repeating to himself.

Soon, Louis gave a small nod, showing Niall that he was ready. Niall wore a bright grin.

"There ya go. Go and smash it!" He chuckled.

Louis returned the smile, still repeating the same words to himself. You can do this.

The shorter boy turned back around to face the stage. He was now feeling a little more confident then before. He was ready.

With the microphone tight in his hand, he took one step out onto the stage, looking out at the many empty seats except the three occupied by the one and only Liam, Zayn and... Harry. He couldn't believe that he was actually standing in front of the boys he only dreamed about.

They looked even better in person. The smile on Liam's face was bright. Zayn's golden brown eyes seemed to glow through the slight darkness of the room. And Harry's... wide eyes and jaw dropped slightly, looking straight at Louis?

The boy's nerves only escalated again when he saw Harry's face. Was something wrong with Louis? Were his chinos actually bad looking? But Louis remembered Niall's words and tried to calm down a bit.

He took his stance in the middle of the stage, showing the boys a shy smile. He brought the microphone up to his lips. "H-Hello." Louis mentally slapped himself for stuttering. Stupid freaking nerves.

"Hey! What's your name lad?" Liam asked the boy, smiling softly at him when he noticed his stutter.

Louis cleared his throat and tried to push the sacredness aside. "My name is Louis, uh, Louis Tomlinson."

Harry finally ripped out of his stare, closing his mouth and stopping the wide eyed look. But he kept his gaze on the boy, his brows furrowed. He felt like he had seen his face before.

Louis shuffled from foot to foot as a short silence filled the room. He started to sweat a little under the intense heat of the lights. Calm down Louis... calm down...

"Alright, mate?" Zayn asked, hearing the soft whispers the boy was saying.

Louis immediately stopped talking once he realized he was saying the words aloud instead of in his head. "Oh, uh, y-yeah I'm fine. Just... nervous is all." Louis admitted, chuckling awkwardly.

Liam gave Louis a soft smile. "That's okay. So Louis, what made you decide to come today?" He asked.

"Well," Louis thought for a moment. Should he just say a typical answer, or should he tell them all the truth? He decided on the truth. "singing is always something I've wanted to do. I-I uh, actually auditioned for the X Factor back in 2010, but I-"

"That's where I've seen you before." Harry interupted, not really meaning to say that aloud.

Louis was shocked by Harry's words. Harry had seen Louis before? How?

"Sorry. That didn't mean to sound so creepy. I just, kinda remembered your face from X Factor. I remember seeing you waiting there, with Niall I think." Harry explained.

That's another reason Louis has hated himself for chickening out of auditioning. He could have been on the show with the boys as well, since Zayn, Liam and Harry all tried out the same year. Well, that is if he would've made it through.

Louis then comprehended what Harry just said, and it shocked him. Harry remembered him? Harry still noticed Louis after two years of never seeing him? Or was Louis looking too far into this? Maybe Harry was just saying that to be nice.

Louis just brushed it off as not a big deal, but he still had little butterflies swarming in his tummy at the thought of Harry remembering him.

"Oh, r-really? Wow," Louis chuckled nervously. "Sorry I, uh, didn't notice you back." He responds awkwardly.

"That's okay. What happened though? I was hoping to see you at bootcamp." Harry asked.

"I guess nerves got the very best of me." He wasn't going to admit to flaking out himself.

It still hasn't hit Louis yet that he was actually talking to Harry Styles. Not tweeting him or commenting on all his instagram photos.

"We've all been there, mate." Liam says. "They're the worst."

Louis nods in understanding, because he really did know how bad they were.

"What song are you going to sing Louis?" Zayn asks.

"Um, 'Hey There Delilah' by the Plain White T's." Louis responds.

All three boys nodded, smiles on their faces. "When you're ready, you can start." Harry says, grinning down at the boy on stage.

Louis took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked into the side wings to see Niall there, giving him two thumbs up. On the outside, Niall was staying calm and cool, when on the inside he was jumping with nerves and biting his nails. Niall knew how much this opportunity meant for his best friend. He's just praying that every thing will go well.

Louis looks back to the three boys once he heard the intro to his song playing loud throughout the theater. His hands started to shake and his nerves were hitting him like bricks. No.. no, not again.

The shaky boy brought the microphone up to his lips, his eyes wide. Just as the first line of the song comes up, Louis takes a breath and starts to sing. Only thing is...

...he wasn't singing. He was stood frozen, staring out at the empty seats like a deer at the headlights.

Niall's heart dropped when he didn't hear the boy start singing. He knew the nerves came back. He felt so sorry for Louis. This was his one chance and it seemed to start fading away every moving second.

Niall was about to make a move and run out to bring Louis off the stage, when he was stopped by a voice singing the song. But it wasn't Louis' voice.

"Hey there Delilah, don't you worry about the distance.

I'm right there if you get lonely, give this song another listen, close your eyes."

It was Harry's voice.

Louis seemed to snap out of his scared daze, and stood confused as he heard Harry sing his song. He didn't notice when Harry grabbed the microphone Liam, Zayn and him were using in front of them, to sing into.

Harry stood up out of his chair, waving his hand around, trying to encourage Louis to sing along with him. To Louis' surprise, he was.

"Listen to my voice it's my disguise.

I'm by your side."

Louis didn't notice that Harry had then stopped singing and continued on with the chorus, his shakes slowly dying down.

And before Louis knew it, his song was over and he was singing his last note. When realization hits him that all that just happened, Louis' cheeks redden and he turns all shy.

He looked up towards Liam, Zayn and Harry, and all their expressions shocked him. Wide eyes, jaws dropped or wide grins is what showed on each of their faces. Is that a good sign, or a bad sign?

"Thank you Louis. Good luck." Liam says to Louis with a smile on his face.

So Louis might have a chance?!

Louis nodded back, a smile growing. "Thank you." He replies as he starts to walk off the stage. But he then heard his name being called out again, making him stop and look at his idols once more. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say, I love your pants by the way." Harry says with his famous cheeky grin plastered on his face.

Louis' cheeks get hotter and redder than before. "Th-Thank you." He says quietly back before giving the three boys one last smile and walking off the stage.

The moment Louis was behind the tall curtains, he felt like a whole heap was lifted off of his shoulders. He couldn't believe it. He actually sang in front of someone who wasn't Niall. And that someone was Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and... Harry Styles.

His eyes widen when that thought comes to mind. He just met Harry and sang to him, and he sang with him for a little moment. This was all starting to sound like some dream that could only happen when you were sleeping. Except he wasn't sleeping. That all just actually happened.

While Louis was lost in his thoughts, he didn't prepare for the impact that is Niall running up to him and wrapping his arms tight the boy's shoulders.

"You did it Lou! You actually did it! You were amazing! I know they loved you! Did you see all their faces? They were practically staring at you the whole god damn time! And-"

"Niall! Breath before you pass out on me." Louis chuckled. He hugged the younger boy back.

"Oops, sorry. I just can't help it!" He wrapped his arms tighter around Louis. "I'm just so proud of you."

"Thanks Ni, but don't get too excited."

Niall pulled back from the hug, looking at Louis with furrowed brows. "What? Why?"

"Well, it's not like I have any chance of getting the spot. They probably already had two people picked out before I even stepped on stage. And those two people are you and some other guy or girl who had 100% more confidence and talent than I did." Louis shrugs.

The two boys start to walk out of the building.

"Stop saying all that bullshit. As much as I am flattered that you think I have a chance, you probably have more of a chance getting in after seeing all those fake girls and douchey guys in the waiting room." Niall points out."

"I don't know Niall.."

"I'll prove you wrong when you get a call from them saying you're in One Direction."

"And when I don't?"

Niall jokingly punches Louis' shoulder. "I know you will, and you know I'm always right."

Louis laughs. "Yeah, yeah. I don't think so."

"Just wait and see." A silence falls between them for a moment, before Niall speaks up again. "So I heard Harry liked your pants. Maybe that's his way of saying he want's the D." Niall starts to crack up when he hears Louis gasp and push him, causing him to fall over in a fit of laughter.

"NIALL!"