Power & Control

24: Champagne Lovers

~A

I was able to sleep for as long as my high lasted. Once the effects began wearing off, I was wide awake. Which was the worst possible time, since it was seemingly the middle of the night. It was no longer storming outside, just a bit of light drizzle going on. So I laid there in a bed that wasn't mine, that I shouldn't even be in as I stared at the ceiling, taking notice of a spot where the white paint had began chipping off. Another proof to show just how old and run down the house was. I didn't understand why Niall chose to live here. He was supposed to be one of the most successful songwriters in the industry, he surely could afford a better place. So why didn't he?

I ran a hand down my face in exasperation, annoyed with myself that I even cared to know about how he used his income, that I cared about the fact that he could be living somewhere better. He could had been living in an abandoned building with no roof and I should still not give a fuck about that. But I stupidly did. I cared that the ceiling in his bedroom was chipping, I cared that the central heating system was broken. I cared that his bedroom was so suffocatingly small it barely fit his bed and a wardrobe. I cared how flimsy the knobs in his shower were. I cared that the stairs creaked with every single step so much and that the banister felt like it was ready to give out. I cared way too much about everything.

Maybe the best thing for me was to go. It was no longer raining outside. I had no reason to stay for the rest of the night. I could just call a car and be on my way. I knew he wouldn't let me leave so late in the night, so I had to make sure he was asleep before even attempting to do anything else. I got off the bed and creaked the door open as slowly as possible, expecting to hear nothing but silence. But that was not what happened, and it confused me completely. There was this distant sound, almost like a piano. I left the room completely, following the music I was hearing in an attempt to pinpoint its location. Walking closer to the stairs, I realised I was getting closer to the sourse. There was another door by the stairs, one I hadn't noticed before. I walked to it, pressing my ear against the wood to make sure that the slow, dark music being played came from inside that room. I was nervous to go in, but at the same time I was incredibly curious. So I took a deep breath before twisting the doorknob slowly, peeking cautiously inside the dim space.

I instantly faced Niall's back as he was sat in front of a glossy black upright piano, pushed against the wall across from the door. Irina was laying down on the floor by his feet, napping. I stepped past the threshold and looked around, seeing his red Gibson guitar and his telecaster that he had on tour hung on a wall, along with a couple acoustic guitars I've seen him play before. In the row of hung instruments was also an Epiphone guitar, a four string bass and a black Gibson SG that I've never seen him use. Glancing to the other side of the room on my right as I stepped in further, I saw a desk with a big computer, a small soundboard and a couple of microphones. It didn't take me long to realise he had turned this room into a home studio.

Niall stopped whatever it was that he was playing on the piano, focusing on the laptop he had on top of it. Finding an opportunity at the silence the absence of the music caused, I cleared my throat to grab his attention. His head whirled to me as he turned around, clearly surprised to see me there.

"Why are you up this late?" He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion as he eyed me carefully. I was somewhat relieved to not find any hint of annoyance in his tone like the last time I cut in while he was working on music. I shrugged my shoulders, still having a firm grip on the doorknob.

"I could ask you the exact same thing." I tried to hide a smile, masking it by curling my bottom lip into my mouth. His response was to shrug his shoulders back at me, twisting his entire body to sit sideways on the piano stool. Irina had woken up, looking at me with her head still rested on the floor while she lazily wagged her tail.