It Started With a Song [editing]

Chapter 5 - Officially a Performer

Soon enough, I finished my last song.  My first performance was over!  All these emotions were swirling through me, I didn’t know what precisely I was feeling.  Before I left the stage, I shouted to the crowd, “Thanks so much, Miami!  Have a great night!”  They all cheered loudly, but my friends cheered the loudest.  “Now, save some of your applause, because here’s who you’ve been waiting to see all night: One Direction!”  The lights on stage went out, and I carefully maneuvered my way offstage after placing Niall’s guitar in its designated stand. 

While everyone cheered deafeningly throughout the auditorium, I received quick hugs and whispered compliments from the boys before they ran on stage to the opening notes of What Makes You Beautiful.  I watched them begin to sing, and was startled when Grace’s arms grabbed me in a hug. 

“You were amazing, Lyla.  I don’t know how to describe it, it’s like you became a different, more confident girl out there on stage.  You were laughing and joking with the audience, and when you sang, ohmygosh, it was like, I don’t know, I don’t think there’s words to describe how I felt watching you.  I was so proud of you, little sis,” she said with a huge smile, enveloping me in a hug.

I pulled away from her with a huge grin on my face.  “Oh, Grace, it was so awesome being out there.  Like it’s where I’m supposed to be.  If Mom and Dad don’t let me go on tour, I’ll be heartbroken.  Seriously, Grace, I will be.”

“Don’t worry about that right now, Ly.  Let’s go get you changed and into our seats up front.  Come intermission, you’re gonna have three anxious friends you’re going to have to deal with.  And then, y'know, there's your surprise.”  She grabbed my hand and skipped out of the wings, pulling me behind her.  I laughed at her childish behavior, but followed her lead, still exhilarated from my performance.  When we reached my room, I went in and quickly got changed into my normal clothes, hanging the dress back in the closet to be taken care of later.  I followed Grace down the hallway to an entrance to the floor, close to where our seats were, and snuck inside after her.  One Direction had just finished their third song, Diana, and were talking when we walked in.  As I sat down in my seat next to Scott, he turned to me in surprise. 

“Was that- That was- That was you up there, wasn’t it?” he asked, a bewildered look on his face.  When I nodded, he continued.  “But how?  I mean, you were-” He was interrupted by Diana and Olivia leaning over to ask me some of the same questions.

I rolled my eyes, smiling teasingly at them.  “Guys, I’ll explain everything at intermission.  I promise.  Just watch,” I replied, motioning to the boys who were singing up on stage.  When they made no move to turn around, I made a shooing motion at them, and they finally moved, grumbling silently under their breath. 

As I was watching the boys sing Midnight Memories – Louis was singing his solo at that moment – my phone, resting in my back pocket, began to vibrate.  Pulling it out, I noticed that Olivia had texted me.  I shot a quick glance her way before reading the text.

Sooo WHY were you on stage? I mean, u were good but since when did you open for 1D? –Olivia

I rolled my eyes before answering back.

It’s a long story…I’ll tell you &everyone else later –Lyla

When she received my message, I heard her sniff in annoyance before putting her phone away.

Before long, the boys had finished the first half of their concert and were announcing a 20-minute intermission.  I followed Grace backstage while my friends began to question me once again.  I managed to hold off their questions until we arrived at the boys’ room.  There, I was met with a huge dog-pile hug of five happy, sweaty British boys.

“Lyla, you were amazing!”  Niall said, while Liam gave me another hug.  “I told you that you could do it!”

“I believe that was me who told her that,” Liam corrected him, “but what you say is true.  Lyla was-“

“AMAZING!” Louis and Harry shouted simultaneously.  Zayn rolled his eyes at them and added, “I knew you could sing, Lyla, but never knew you could sing like that!  It was like watching a professional, the way you handled yourself on stage.  Great job,” he finished. 

I smiled at all of them.  “Thank you so, so, so much for letting me open for you guys today!  It was an awesome experience.”  Figuring my friends would burst if they didn’t have answers to their questions soon, I turned to them and kept talking.   “Before you ask me one more time what happened, the boys asked me if I would open for them as soon as we got here.  I didn’t think I should at first, but they persuaded me to.”  I smiled.  “And I was with them all afternoon, practicing my songs for tonight.  Sorry I didn’t tell you guys at dinner, but I wanted to keep it a surprise.”  Almost before I got the last word out, Olivia ran to me and gave me a huge hug. 

“Ohmygosh, Ly, you were seriously awesome!  I was like, is that my friend up there?  She’s so good!  Definitely good enough to open for the best!”  She pulled away and gave the boys one of her fangirl looks. 

“She’s right; you really were a star up there, Ly,” Diana added, hugging me in turn.  I thanked her and Olivia, then looked at Scott.  He was smiling this huge, wide smile at me that gave me this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I brushed the feeling aside and smiled back at him.

“Lyla, you were awesome.  Seriously, I don’t know what else to say.  You were just that good,” he complimented me, causing my heart to beat even faster.  What is wrong with you, Lyla?  Focus! I told myself.

Before I could say anything else, Liam cut in.  “Sorry to interrupt this happy moment, people, but we have a show to continue in ten minutes,” he stated, ever the efficient one.  As the boys turned to leave, he added, “Congratulations on your performance, Lyla.  You are now officially a performer!”