Party Of 1 (A Niall Horan Fanfic)

Chapter 7: Quite The Show

"LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM!" Liam shouted into the microphone, practically prancing around stage. 

A cacophony of teenage wails erupted in the 20,000 seated theatre. It was sold out, every chair taken. half of the girls were crying, some had passed out, and a lot of the people there were parents, trying to keep an eye on their young children. 

The noise made the boys deaf for a few seconds; they brought their fingers to their ears. It didn't help- it never did. 

But as the crowd roared with excitement, Niall did not. Instead, he moped around lazily, faking his smiles. The other boys noticed, but didn't want to call him our during one of the breaks, in fear of canceling the concert and disappointing fans. 

Niall couldn't stop thinking about Rory. And that didn't mean in a romantic way. For weeks he'd been trying to have a proper conversation, but every time he did, it was like he pushed her away even more. It was almost like she didn't like, or, Niall even considered the option that she hated him. And it was eating him alive because no one had even not liked him. Well, if they did they never showed it. 

He kept thinking to himself. What did I do wrong? Did I say something offensive? Am I really that mean?

Near the end of the show, he glanced out a couple rows from the front, and thought he saw a familiar head of blonde hair. But as he looked back, it had gone. Everyone in that spot had either dark brown, or black hair. Maybe he was going crazy. He glanced back at the spot he saw Rory. Of course, she wasn't there. She never was there.

After the show, the boys huffed tiredly onto the bus, the driver already making his way towards the next destination point on the tour. 

Niall tugged the curtain on his bunk, and just as he was about to fall asleep minutes later, it was ripped back open.

"Back room, now," Liam sternly said. He always found it odd that Liam was always the one who bothered him in his bunk; none of the other boys ever did. 

In the back room all the boys were sitting around the table. There was no angry yelling on Louis' part about cheating, and Zayn looked troubled. Niall awkwardly sat down at the end of the table, folding his hands in his lap. He stared down at them, not wanting to meet their stern gazes. 

"I'm sure you know what this is about, Niall, so spill it. We're all worried as hell over here," Liam said. He folded his arms across his chest.

Niall shook his head. "It's nothing. Really guys." 

"Bullshit," Louis said, which kind of frightened Niall. He'd never heard it in such a harsh tone towards him, especially coming from Louis' mouth; it made him wince. 

"Let me see your phone," Liam told him, not really a question. Niall sighed. He dug his phone from his pocket, handing it over. 

Liam scrolled through something. Probably his messages. Once he was finished he handed it to Louis, then Harry, then Zayn. Once Zayn was finished he whispered something in Liam's ear, which made NIall nervous. He went back to picking at his fingernails, biting his lip. 

"It's not what you think," Niall spoke up.

"Niall," Liam said in a warning tone. "If one person causes you this much worry, maybe you should stop talking to them. She's not good for you, Ni."

Niall shoved his hands in his face, burying it. He ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up. It was already a little disheveled anyway. 

"It's nothing. Seriously. Just trying to be a good friend," Niall said. 

"I think I can speak for us all when I say that you should stop talking to her. For good. She's just a fan anyway, it's not like you'd be dating her. Remember what management said? We can only date famous people as long as we have contracts with them. And besides they're the ones who set us up with birds anyway," Liam told Niall. Zayn and Louis nodded. Harry looked away, trying to distract himself. Niall didn't understand why. 

"Oh wind your neck in. Fuck management, I'm tired of them controlling everything we do. It's like we're puppets and they're the puppeteer. It's not fair! All I wanted to do is sing with you guys and I can't even breathe without making sure they approve of it!" Niall tried using hand gestures to emphasize his point, but it wasn't working. They weren't understanding. 

He was so frustrated, he barely even got to visit the friends he grew up with, barely got to visit his family. And it just wasn't fair. No one should have to be this constricted, no one should have every day planned down to the seconds. 

Niall raked his fingers through his fake blond hair again, looking around the table. 

"We know. But, we can't have this happening, especially while we're on tour," Liam said. He leaned back in his chair, his arms still crossed. He looked over at the other boys, but no one made a move to say anything.

"This conversation is over," Niall said, leaving the room. None of the boys followed