Five Directions

Prologue: The End of the End

Zayn:

One Direction existed for exactly nineteen minutes before I ruined the euphoric moment that Liam, Louis, Niall, and Harry had waited for for almost their entire lives. Hell, I wanted it too. If you had to make a comparison, the equivalent of what I did could be compared to the drowning of a child.

I, being just a child myself, was scared out of my wits. What would happen in my life from that point on? Exactly...I had not a clue. The uncertainty of the future frightened me more so than dancing in public. Despite the fact that I loved to sing, I could not go on with these boys.

I could remember the moment perfectly...

We were already backstage and Simon faced our two groups, about to give us our official contracts. My palms were sweaty, my heart raced, my stomach was in nots, and my head felt so heavy with the amount of decisions running through my mind.

Before each lad went ahead to sign the contract, they smiled and proceeded with eagerness. When Simon gave me the pen, I felt several hands clap my back and Simon smiled. I took the pen but the moment I leaned forward to sign on the dotted line, something stirred inside of me.

Shaking my head, I turned to face them. Their faces were so happy, their smiles so bright, yet I crushed their spirits with just four words. Four words, and my career ended...just like that.

"I can't do it."

Not only did my career end, but so did my new friendships with these boys. Liam's face fell, Harry looked angry, Louis looked aghast, and Niall shook his head, denying the fact that I had just let him down.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Simon asked in a hushed tone, disappointment coloring his voice. "You have so much talent, you shouldn't walk away from this."

I nodded and from that moment I walked away. I always walked away from things, beginning with that day. I walked out of their lives. At the moment, I wasn't sure whether or not it would be for forever, but I knew it wouldn't be a while until we sang on the same stage together.