Chapter 37

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I stared at my phone waiting for something to pop up telling me she was calling me back. Nothing. I was tired of sitting there pulling my hair out. I called her back, and this time it went straight to voicemail. Frustration was building so fast my knuckled turned white as they gripped my phone even tighter than before. Why wasn’t she even giving me a chance? I know I told myself she probably wouldn’t, but the hope that she would was almost overbearing.

I became fed up with waiting and headed back out into the main floor, to see a good crowd coming through the door. Lila spotted me as I entered back into the light. She smiled slightly until she realized that I wasn’t exactly returning it, so she approached me while I dodged to the back of the bar counter and began mindlessly cleaning wine glasses. She slapped my hand down and I ended up having to give her eye contact and then she saw how red my face was. Curse my Irish fair skin, gives away everything.

She silently took away my rag and set the glass aside. Probably afraid I would break with how vigorously I was cleaning it.

“What happened?” she asked sweetly.

“She hung up, didn’t even give me a chance to explain,” I murmured while resuming my glare at the wooden floor.

“Sound familiar?” she asked and I looked at her with an un-amused expression that she apparently thought was funny, “I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear, but that is what she went through. We called all our supposed boyfriends, who didn’t answer, so then we had to let her sit and wallow in self-pity. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, even though, I’m sure no one else has except for maybe Bonnie, but she was miserable. And I know you have been miserable, but now you are going to have to try a little harder than a couple phone calls.”

“I know I have to try harder than that. All of us know we can’t just show up on your doorstep and you will forgive us. Especially Zayn… who felt horrible lying to you. And would love if you would consider him again,” I told her.

“Hey, this wasn’t about me and Zayn. This is about you, so focus. I am about to give you some intel that I’m sure Bonnie would give you if she wasn’t wrapped around Harry,” I laughed at her comment before glancing over to see Bonnie sitting on Harry’s lap while they both laughed at something Harry told her. If they didn’t start dating soon, there was no hope for any of us.

“Hey, okay. So Keigan called you two hundred and eighty-nine times. She texted you three hundred and six times. So to start making it up to her you can call and text just as many times. She loved you so I’m sure she remembers it. Then, you have to think of a surprise element and bam! She’ll forgive you, got it?” Lila spoke so diligently it scared me. I nodded and she just smiled while patting me on the shoulder and walking towards Zayn, Louis, and Sadie.

I resumed cleaning the glasses, trying to come up with somehting, but again I was coming up short. I continued to rack my brain until I felt something snap and I saw the stem for the glass I was working on had snapped. I looked around to make sure no one had seen, and of course a steaming Daniel comes rushing over. I inwardly groan and throw the glass into the trash.

"Wow, within one hour of work, you have already broken something, Peroxide baby. You know Stripes and Pretty boy were cleaning the floors fairly well, and Mr. Rogers along with Tough guy took inventory in a slightly less than acceptable fashion, it seems you are the only one who can't do what is expected," his voice scared me because it wasn't full of rage, it was full of sadistic evil.

"I was expected to do the trash and I did," I tried to keep my cool, but he knew he was pushing it. I uniformly began picking up the small glass shards from the counter but he of course had to continue, "you know it's odd. That seems to be how your band works to. I mean, who gets all the solos in a band, the ones who really want them and have talent. It seems that's the same with New Directions."

"One Direction," I corrected through gritted teeth, although his taunts were definitely getting under my skin. I deserved to be in this band just as much as the lads. Just because I don't have as many solos doesn't mean I wasn't as good.

"Yeah, it doesn't matter. Because in two years you'll fade out just like all the other music acts. It seems like you are going to die out like the rest of them," he smirked then glanced down at my hands. "Oh and wash your hands before you continue, wouldn't want a health code violation because of your butter fingers."

It is then that I realized my fingers were bleeding from the glass. I began heading towards the restroom when my four best mates met me at the entrance. We shared sympathetic looks before Liam opened the door for me and they all followed me in towards the sink.

"You okay, mate? Daniel seems to enjoy punishing you. Do we need to clear up that there is five of us and one of him?" Zayn asked and I looked up in the mirror to look at him.

"No, he's just tempermental. All he did was repeat the same thing all the tabloids say. I don't get any solos because I don't belong in the band," I repeated although it stung when I had to utter the words myself.

"And you know that is complete bullshit, right Niall?" Louis asked me with concern lacing every word. I nodded but not saying it the affirmative made all the boys look even more worried abou me..

"Then Niall why don't you sing tonight? Show up mister- damn. Why don't we have a demeaning nickname for him?" Harry complained making us all laugh.

"Hey, why don't we call him Ponyboy, like the boy from that book The Outsiders?" Harry suddenly suggested out of the blue.

"Why would we call him Ponyboy, wasn't he the hero with a great life going for him?" Liam asked giving him an dincredulous look. We all suddenly leaned in to hear the great explanation Harry had behind this name.

"Okay, you come up with something," he defends and we all look to Liam who holds his hands up in surrender.

"How about Dannyboy," Louis suggests and we let out a laugh, "best of both worlds."

Then Harry belts out the Hannah Montana hit making all of us bust up because he is purposefully singing it horribly. Then we hear a knock on the door and it's Sadie saying we better start cleaning up since they close in thrity minutes. The lads all look at me and I smile back while wiping my face with a cardboard soft paper towel.

I looked at the stage the minute I exited the bathroom and remembered Harry's suggestion. I timidly walk towards the front and notice that it is a much older crowd so they really have no idea who I am, so this wasn't going to be biassed. I pick up the six-string Gibson, propped up against the side of the stage and approach the stool displayed in the center of the vast and lonely looking platform. It was a hard mohagony that I sat down on so I had no comfort from anything. As I readjusted the microphone it let out an eerie, loud screech that brought everyone's attention to me.

I noticed the supportive look from the guys, as well as, the questioning look from the girls. I picked out a song that could try and explain what I feel, and I pictured the blonde girl in the front row olging me as Keigan and then it all poured out. I bursted out the first lyrics to The Mess I Made by Parachute. I don't know what happened but I began singing with such fervor I didn't need to picture that the drunken thrity year old woman in the front row was her because I pictured her behind my closed eyelids. She was swaying to my words and she was frogiving me.

When I opened my eyes and applause broke out and I smiled, thanked the crowd and wished everyone a great evening before setting the guitar on the stage and headed over to my mates who greeted me with pats on the back and appreciation. It gave me anough confidence to try out Lila's plan.

Lila, Bonnie, and Sam smiled at me while Sadie didn't even look my way as all the girls approached. I then watched in shock as Sadie walked over to Daniel and kissed him full on the lips. The other girls weren't shocked, but the guys and I were. I looked immediately to Louis and saw him avoiding the scene. It was a slap in the face, I don't know if Sadie knew that, but it was.

Then, it became exptrmemly uncomfortable. We all walked in silence towards the apartments. Not looking in anyone's direction. We slipt to our respective rooms once we climbed the metal stairway of doom. It was too quiet in our flat but I excused myself from dinner and locked myself in Keigan's room. I pulled out my phone and began dialling. One. Six. Twenty-eight. After fifty-two I froze.

"What do you want?"

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