A Light in the Dark // Flicker Series Part I #wattys2019

Performing & Pinky Promises (Beside You)

We're still locked in this trance that we fall under whenever we look at each other for more than a second. It's purely magical. Our eyes lock, my heart rate increases along with the smile on both of our faces, it feels like the room gets warmer and our bodies slowly tangle closer together as if there is a magnetic force pulling them together without our consent —put believe you me, we would both definitely consent if given the option.

Just then a car drives by us and honks their horn, startling us both and making me suddenly very aware that we are on a busy Nashville street and everyone can see our every move.

I'm not sure if the honk was directed at me, but it very well could have been and if that person saw me then that means anyone else could as well.

Any time i'm seen with a girl the media starts a wild fire, and while I definitely would not be ashamed to be seen with Evie it's unfair of me to drag her into the onslaught of attacks she would receive if anything got out and people started making speculations.

I'm a rather private person, usually refusing to comment on my relationships, but not afraid to be seen with the girl i'm dating. It's not that I ever want to hide a relationship, it's just that I don't want to discuss it will people that don't truly care about either of us as humans —they just want a good headline story.

At the sudden realization that we are clearly out in the open, I reach around her opening the car door and helping her in before I dash around and hop into the drivers seat.

"So was that your first time seeing him perform? I mean, ya know...from the audience, not on the stage?" Evie speaks up.

"It was! I have to admit, it's weird to be on this side of it. I feel like I should be up there with him." I laugh. "I'm supposed to go to one of the actual shows in a few months and I can't wait. He's such an amazing performer. It just comes natural to him."

"Do you miss it? ...Performing, I mean?" She asks, deliberating the question before she asked it.

"I do." I sigh. "I miss performing with the lads. It just became so normal for us because we did it literally almost every night for years! It's weird to not be doing that now. It was strange sitting in the audience while Harry adjusted his monitors and talked to his band during sound check. I feel like, why am I sitting here I need to be working as well, ya know?" I explain.

"Yeah, that makes sense." She nods.

I glance at her while i'm driving and I notice she's fiddling with her fingers in her lap and chewing on her bottom lip, something I assume she does when she has something on her mind.

"What's on your mind?" I ask, taking a risk and reaching over to mix my fingers with hers to distract her.

"What?" She giggles.

"You look like you have something on your mind." I shrug, glancing at her and then back to the road. "Tell me."

"Oh..." She says, a bit embarrassed that I had read her that well. "I was going to ask you another question, but I didn't want you to feel like you were being interviews or anything. You probably get enough of that." She says nervously, now fiddling with the fingers of both of our entwined hands.