Words

Only I Know

Screams pulsed through the air, shaking the breaths that tried to leave our lungs as we stood on the Madison Square Garden stage. The flashes of cameras lit up the arena like stars that burned out before they could properly shine. Someone from management mumbled something through the inears but the words were muffled by the growing ring from all the screams. 

"We couldn't have asked for a better group of fans..." Niall's voice filled the buzzing air dragging my attention away from the ever moving girls and boys. A few stray tears slipped down his pale cheeks as he held his arms open wide to the crowd. "I love you guys so much... Thank you for bringing my dream to life..." his words faded into soft intricate whispers as he bowed his head and brought his hands to cover his face.

Zayn draped his arm over the smaller lad before leaning just a little to put their heads together, undoubtedly murmuring words for just the two. 

"I believe we've got one more song for these lovely people," Liam grinned from the opposite side of the stage. His cheeks shined just a little under the heavy lighting as tears threatened to escape his hazel eyes.

"Indeed we do..." Louis spoke softly from his side while I watched him. Dread lined his words and the thoughts I couldn't voice.

He didn't know who was going to appear. He didn't know what was going to happen or what lie I was going to breathe. Only I knew what was true. The feelings I had were for a certain lad named Lou, but tonight only I knew and my heart would feign love for another girl. 

The familiar beat of the song I had grown tired of singing began playing and the beginning to the end of our show approached. 

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Zayn pinch Niall's cheek to bring a smile to his flush lips. 

"You're insecure... Don't know what for. You're turning heads when you walk through the door," Liam sang with the same enthusiasm he always did as I disappeared from the stage. "Don't need make up to cover up... Being the way that you are is enough!"

I grabbed the familiar girl's hand from where she stood along side the stage and pulled her up the stairs to where the other boys stood. "Everyone else in the room can see it," I sang to her as a renewed amount of screams ripped through the air from the audience. They loved her. "Everyone else but you..." I forced a smile onto my lips as I swung our hands in between us.

Her blond hair fell in loose curls around her shoulders as her bangs fell gently over her forehead. Her blue eyes gleamed back at me as her red lipstick burned a grin into her plush lips. She was doing me a favor. She knew my secret. She was the only one who knew my secret and she was playing her part well. 

She jumped around the stage with the rest of us until the very end of the song. Her body pressed flush against mine as we stood over the trap door that would take us below the stage.

"Everyone, I want to confirm... Taylor and I, are together," I breathed the words softly into the mic as the lights went out and we were dropped beneath the stage.

The sudden brightness of the area beneath the stage blinded me for a small moment. 

"When did you plan on telling us that?" Liam asked. Irritation lined his voice in a manner I wasn't entirely familiar with.

"Yeah. Who's brilliant idea was it to end the biggest show of our lives with her on stage," Niall growled.

I noted Zayn's scoff of agreement as my stare tried to focus on Lou. Taylor's hand held tightly to mine as I waited for the only response that I truly cared about.

However, no response came. Louis was silent. Louis Tomlinson was absolutely silent for once.

My lip was between my teeth as I tried to gather the necessary thoughts and form them into the words I needed to say. I knew they wouldn't approve. I hoped he wouldn't approve. If he would just say something... I could... I could tell the truth. He was my best friend, couldn't he tell that this wasn't real?