A/N: THE KARAOKE APOCALYPSE PART 2 WOO YIPPEE
~Grace xx
-----------------------------------
~April~
“So I think Harry will like this one,” I announced into the microphone as the assistant DJ rolled out a piano onto the base of the stage. They kept a few key instruments, like the piano, a guitar, and a ukulele backstage for people to play while singing instead of using a track, “I know I love it.”
I took a seat at the piano bench and began a little riff, the microphone attached to the piano in front of my mouth. My piano skills were a little rusty, since I hadn’t practiced in a while, but I managed.
The extra harmonica track they had ready to play started, and I looked over at Harry, knowing he would recognize it. A grin lit up his face as our eyes met. I was lucky to have a friend like him.
“It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday. The regular crowd shuffles in,” I started. I could tell a few members of the audience knew the song, and the boys too. Even Ed was smiling knowingly, “There’s an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin.
“He says, ‘Son can you play me a memory?’” I belted out, “‘I’m not really sure how it goes! But it’s sad and it’s sweet and I knew it complete, when I wore a younger man’s clothes!’
“La, la la, la la la,” The audience hummed along, “La la, la la la, la la.”
“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man! Sing us a song tonight! Well we’re all in the mood for a melody! And you’ve got us feeling alright.”
As I played, my piano skills honed in and I was doing pretty well, better than I thought I would. It had been one of the first songs I’d ever learned, since I loved it so much. I wasn’t a huge fan of oldies music, but I had a big soft spot for Billy Joel.
“Now John at the bar is a friend of mine. He gets me my drinks for free. And he’s quick with a joke, or to light up your smoke, but there’s someplace that he’d rather be.
“‘He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me’ As a smile ran away from his face. ‘Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star, if I could get out of this place’
“Oh, la, la la, la la la… la la, la la la, la la!
I could feel a smile slipping onto my face as I looked down at the keys and sang. Nothing made me happier than singing. “Now Paul is a real estate novelist, who never had time for a wife. And he's talking with Davy, who's still in the Navy, and probably will be for life.
“And the waitress is practicing politics!” I sang louder as I felt the rush of adrenaline and confidence that singing brought me. “As the businessmen slowly get stoned! Yes, they’re sharing a drink they called loneliness! But it’s better than drinking alone!
“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man!” I could feel the crowd beaming up at me. “Sing us a song tonight! Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody, and you’ve got us feeling alright!
“It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday, and the manager gives me a smile. 'Cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see, to forget about life for a while.
“The piano, it sounds like a carnival!” I shouted, looking out at Harry, at my friends, and how happy they looked, “And the microphone smells like a beer! And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar, and say, ‘Man, what are you doing here?’!
“Oh, la, la la, la la la! La la, la la la, la la.”
“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man!” Everyone in the room sang along with me, making a grin blossom across my face. “Sing us a song tonight! Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody! And you’ve got us feeling alright!”
As I finished the piece of the piano, the audience absolutely exploded into a chorus of clapping, shouts, and whoops. My face must have been bright red with blush. I never felt more alive when connected with a group of people I didn’t even know, through music. It was one of the most amazing sensations.
I came down from the stage, still with the dumb grin smacked across my face. Louis was beaming as I took my seat, one of those huge smiles you don’t even realize you have because you’re too happy to notice.
“That was amazing,” He whispered in my ear as someone who wasn’t from our group went up to sing.
“Thanks,” I replied shyly. I was shy about the weirdest things.
Kris went up and sang Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars to Harry, and that was absolutely adorable. Her eyes were bright and his were watering, and I was clutching Louis’ arm so tight that I probably gave him bruises, trying to keep myself from shrieking at how cute one of my OTPs were. It reminded me, like a brick slapping my face, how true what I had told his mom was. They really were a great pair.
Then a few of Harry’s friend stumbled up and sang him some song I didn’t know. It seemed to be an inside joke, though, since they sounded like dying cats, but looked like it was on purpose, and Harry was cracking up the entire time. Josh even went up there with them.
“What do you guys want to drink?” Ed asked everyone halfway through. “I’m buying.”
Shouts of different alcohols and beers were shouted out. The girls even asked for beers, upon Niall insisting that they should, since they were all of legal drinking age in England… except for Erin…
“April?” Ed asked me.
“I can’t,” I replied with a polite smile, “but thanks.”
“Aw, why not?” Harry asked me.
“Bad kidney,” I replied, “can’t drink.” Ed nodded and turned to go to the bar.
“You have a bad kidney?” Liam asked me as he walked away. I noticed he was planning on sharing one with Erin instead of getting his own. Louis was also looking at me a bit worriedly.
“Yeah,” I said, “I have a bad history with kidney stones, so I can’t eat too much salt, or drink very much alcohol. It’s not really a big deal, though, I just have to watch what I eat sometimes.”
That was completely over-simplifying it, but I didn’t go on as they nodded understandingly and Ed returned with their beverages.
After a few more performances, the guys started to egg on Ed to go up and sing. He was being bashful, though, and it took us a while to convince him, but he was just playing hard to get. We all clapped as he clumsily got on the stage and pulled out… two stools.
“So it wouldn’t be much fun to do this alone,” Ed said into the microphone on a stand in front of him. He’d retrieved the spare guitar and put another mic and stand in front of the stool beside him, “and since I’ve got a fan in the audience, I thought she would know the words to sing this with me. April?”
Holy crap.
He means me.
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