Looking Through Stain Glass Hearts || Nial Horan Fic

Chapter 20

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and easy going conversation at the homey diner. I liked the feeling of safety my friends were bringing me. Which was all to surreal because I was calling One Direction my friends, but when you're with them all that melts away and they are just five extremely attractive guys with great personalities. This morning though it was all washing away it seemed. I showered and dressed for the day as normal but something felt off and I didn't know why. Once all the girls were up the feeling of uneasiness faded away as we grilled Samantha about her date.

"What was it like?"

"What did you do?"

"Did he kiss you?"

All these questions were flying around Sam and she just laghed at how eager we were to find out all about her date with Liam. I know she pictured it as a fairytale but I want to know about the horse and carriage, the galas slipper mishaps, and the small details.

"Okay, okay. Calm down curly," she said looking to me with a smile. "It was everything I wanted it to be and more." then she took a dramatic pause trying to make us all go insane from the agony of waiting.

"Well, are you gonna tell us or do we have to go ask Liam?" Bonnie spurted, not being able to wait any longer. Suspense wasn't her thing.

"Alright," she started with a clap, "so I followed Louis' instructions and went out the side doors in the lobby to be met by Liam clad in a plaid shirt and khaki pants holding a rose. He was so dashing I almost couldn't contain myself, but I did. I approached him and greeted him and he presented the rose, I felt like a princess. He complimented my dress but just seemed so shy it was adorable. I told he looked nice too and he then motioned for me to get in the cab and we went to see The Avengers. I know, not the most romantic movie, however, halfway through he ever so subtly snaked his hand under mine and intertwined our fingers and I swear I was grinning as big as the Cheshire cat and I know he saw because then he squeezed tighter. Then once the movie ended he led me back to the street where he found a taco stand and we order some food and of course he offered to pay because he is such a gentleman. And even though we didn't hold hands on the way to the taco stand, on our magical walk through the park on the way to the hotel he put his arm around my shoulder which totally made up for it! Then he hugged me goodnight before heading back to his room. Then I arrived here, heard Sadie snoring and that's when I knew it wasn't a dream."

"Hey!" Sadie defended but laughed with the rest of us.

"I mean those kind of things don't happen to a girl from Lac-Saint-Lawrence," Sam drifted off looking at her hands smiling. She was so adorable all lovey dovey and what not. Then Lila must have looked at the clock because soon she was warning us all that we would be late so all of us quickly packed the rest if our things, grabbed whatever leftovers were in the fridge for breakfast, and headed down out the lobby to the buses and loaded. As I passed Hallie Walters she smirked and turned to the girl next to her after glancing in my direction and that's when I knew something was up. I headed to my seat and sat down without a word although I guess I looked very puzzled.

"You okay Keigan?" Samantha asked looking at me worriedly.

"It is just that Miss Walters smirked after seeing me and it has gotten under my skin is all," I replied while trying to peer at her over the seats. Then all the girls turned giving me their full attention.

"Maybe she's just being her usual, horrible little self," Sadie suggested with a smile making me smile but that inkling feeling from this morning was back. It all just seemed off.

"I don't know, this just felt different, bad different," I clarified, "she just has this look about like she knows something I don't, or has something on me."

"Well, whatever it is, we're here for you hon," Lila comforted, although her shoulder squeeze didn't completely provide all the protection in the world. Sadly, the next five hours were agonizing I couldn't sleep a wink without wondering what was Miss Hallie Walters up to. I know I didn't keep my promise to her, but she needs to know I had full intention to, I wanted to help her. Then I tried to erase her from my thoughts. I remembered last night dancing with Niall, my back and hand were on fire since his hands rested there, I was feeling at home with him. He was smiling with me and laughing when I made a joke. I didn't know half the time what I was doing, but whatever it was I enjoyed it.

By the time I had sorted through everything in my head we arrived at our new venue. It was cloudy and chilly, but overall nice weather once we exited the stuffy bus. i swear our driver doesn't have any sense in temperature. All too soon, I got my glimpse of Niall as he got off his own bus and was laughing with Josh, the drummer, and Liam. Sadly, the moment was ruined when Miss Walters walked ove rot him and whispered something in his ear. I read his face and it looked confused, but still amazing. I was cut out of my day dreaming when Sadie hit me with her trumpet case. I saw Walters and Niall break apart then gave my full attention to Sadie.

"Hmmm..." I hummed turning to face her so she knew I was listening.

"Sorry, had to stop before you started to drool," she smirked then motioned for me to follow into the arena. This venue was incredible, all the lighting was set up and stage was already there, it was breathtaking in this huge place. I broke from Sadie when she nudged me to my seat and I took position, then pulled out and tuned my violin. Once the conductor finally approached the podium all the instruments halted their tuning process to give him undivided attention. Although it is hard to give your undivided attention when behind them the huge screen where they demonstrate their picture show, was going a little funky with static.

This caught the attention of everyone and we all waited until something came othe screen. Then it happened. Hallie Walters' smirk made sense for up on that screen was me for my audition. I noted my shaking hands and scared expression, people were strafing at me and i was trying to disappear. I looked to Sadie, Bonnie, Samantha, and Lila but they all returned my panic eyes with sympathetic ones. I played my song and it was going well, but I knew what was coming up. I messed up, some people gasped and looked directly at me.

Others waited to see what would happen next, they saw me going towards backstage, however you didn't see what happened after that. It ended. Directly after the clip, a passage came up reading: coincidentally, the rest of the tape is deleted. I guess the judges didn't want their dirty little secret getting out that they were seduced by her. Then my twitter profile picture popped up. I couldn't believe this was happening. Then the screen shut off, and everyone was staring at me. I tried to breath deeply but they wre peering into my brain, picking it apart. Then, the one gaze I tried to avoid, I saw. Niall looked so shocked, and then his eyes locked with mine and I didn't see sympathy, sadness, nor forgiveness.

He looked ashamed and it cut me to the core. I felt my lungs shrivel up like raisins in the sun and my breath was hitched. My feet couldn't respond at first, they were numb with fear. And as if by grace of God, suddenly I got enough nerve to bolt out of the room down the hall to a small doorway where I curled up in a ball and let all the frustration, anger, and sadness rain down inn my tears. All this was suffocating me, making things too difficult, I didn't want this anymore, I enter to be in my bed or playing my violin just because I wanted too. Now it has all become jumbled, and my head was pounding.

"I can't do this anymore."