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A/N: Picture above is Roosmarijn de kok who will be the "face claim" for Kinsey Scout.

NIALL

I've always been a believer that dreams will only stay a dream if you never did anything about it. Since I was a kid, I always knew that I wanted to play music. I think knowing that my dad loved music so much made me want to play it even more. When I first set my hands on a guitar, it was love at first sight. Nothing could describe the feeling that shot through my veins the moment I played my first chord. Sure, I was awful at it... but I didn't care. It was never a problem. I knew that I would only get better with time and a shit ton of practice. So, that's what I did.

Every day I'd practice until my fingers bled. Mum hated it... kept pestering me to quit playin' and to not get blood on the couch. I never listened. The only way I was to ever get better at this whole guitar playing thing, was to develop calluses and to play until I couldn't play anymore. Blood never stopped me before from keeping on... so I laid down some towels on our white couch and kept on teaching myself that damn F chord I was having so much difficulty with.

It's a satisfying feeling once you realize all of the time, energy, and blood that went into perfecting something was all for something...

It had been a process. Rejection calls was never any easier the more I received. With each record label that fell through, or rejected me, or declined a mix CD with all my songs, I had only grown more disheartened. It seemed like I was doing all of this work... using all of this time, playing gigs and making videos online, was for nothing. It's a shitty feeling, let me tell you.

But when I got that call... Fuck... It all was worth it. The tears that I shed, the panic attacks that I had by myself in my room, all of the wasted time seemed like nothing in comparison.

Cameron Sanchez had an ear for music. As the head of Blackbird Records, he knew what would be a hit in the Folk/Indie music scene. He had scouted me out at a local show... a small gig at a pub outside of Portland... and wanted to meet with me the following morning. I knew who he was. His name was well known to anyone who wanted to get into the music industry. Sure, Blackbird was a small label - only having 6 artists signed on... but that was how he liked it. His vision is to keep the label intimate... not exceeding ten artists. If one decided to drop or be signed by a bigger label, he didn't hold any resentment towards them. He wanted to give his all to the artists that he did have. It wasn't exclusive, but at the same time it was. I was lucky to be signed as soon as I was.

"You've got something, Niall... something this world is missing. Your voice is different - it holds a lot of character to it. You're going to be the next big thing in this side of the coast. I'm telling you, man..." His words of praise fed my ego. I was confident that this was the best choice for my music career, and I was more than happy to be able to share that with Evie.

Evie was a constant support through the process. I don't think I could have asked for a better partner in crime than her. She has this ability to help me see past my anxious thoughts. She is able to hold my hand through the series of rejection phone calls, kiss me with every ounce of confidence before a big gig, and cheer me on at the side lines.

All throughout my life, I was looking for someone. A better half... a girl who was willing to go through the ups and downs of life with. I never thought it would happen this quickly and so fast. I fell for her hard, there was no use in denying it... and I wasn't planning on getting back up.

Seeing Evie's face hours after I told her the news of my signing, was something I wanted to see for the rest of my life. Her electric eyes held so much joy ... excitement for me and the future that was to come.