A/N: This chapter is pretty long, so settle in!
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After I had gotten ready for the second time tonight, Harry and I were quick to make our way to the bar, my stomach knotting at the thought of performing instead of supporting Harry against the barricades. I was excited, but also mortified at the idea of being on stage, vulnerable to everyone's eyes.
As we drove, he put on his normal music and I'd realized how accustomed I'd gotten to the rhythmic sound of his fingers tapping against the steering wheel, seeming as it almost always matched the rhythm of my pulse.
He hummed along to the tune, only further reminding me of our performance that would take place later tonight. Although I was terrified, knowing that I'd have him by my side the entire time gave me a little bit of relief. He was always paying attention to me, covering for me if I needed him to, and I knew he'd find a way to fix things if I messed it up.
When we were about halfway through the drive, he reached his hand over the console, weaving his fingers into mine. His thumb would occasionally swipe the back of my hand and I knew he could sense my apprehension about performing.
"You know that if at any time it's too much, you just tell me, yeah? I don't care about some guy with a record label coming, we can figure something out. You just let me know," he spoke. His voice was quiet, yet deafeningly stern and I knew he meant every word he said.
"I know, but everything's going to be fine," I responded lightly, trying to convince myself of what I was telling him.
"Just think about your first rehearsal with us. You were nervous, but once you started playing you were glowing. Just focus on the music, focus on me. It'll be like when we're playing together at my house," he continued as we were nearing the bar,
"Just focus on the music, it's just you and Harry," I muttered, reiterating what he'd said in hopes that I'd remember to tell myself the same thing before we performed.
"We do it together," he concluded after we'd pulled up at the bar and he'd put the vehicle in park.
"We do it together," I agreed. Part of me felt pathetic for needing his encouragement, but another part felt touched that he cared enough to calm me down like this.
Before I had time to dwell on that thought, Harry was taking his keys out of the ignition and I was opening my door. We walked into the bar with our hands still looped together, allowing the bouncer to check our ID's before entering. As we entered, the loud music overtook my senses and Harry led me to the bar, ordering me a drink.
"I promise I'm not trying to get you drunk tonight," he chuckled. "Just something to calm you down a bit," he continued before handing me the drink. I gave him an appreciative nod before sipping the drink, swallowing the familiar taste.
"How do you know what I like?" I asked. Most times when we'd gone out, Isabel just ordered us shots.
"Lucky guess?" he answered before Mitch and Sarah approached us. I was relieved to see familiar faces, but it also confirmed the fact that I'd soon be on stage with them for the first time, only making me more grateful that Harry had ordered me a drink.
"Hey! You guys ready for tonight?" Mitch asked after ordering a drink of his own, Sarah standing close to his side.
"Yeah, I think so," Harry answered for the both of us, thankfully.
Only a few minutes of small talk passed before Adam and Isabel arrived and we were quickly making our way backstage to get everything set up. My hands trembled as I opened the case containing my keyboard and brought it onto the stage, setting it exactly where Harry had told me to.
Unlike how we were set up during rehearsal, my keyboard was now placed in the front of the stage, on the direct left of where Harry would be standing, as if I were sharing the stage with him. The idea of being front and center was unnerving, but at least I'd be closer to Harry.
The guys were being rowdy backstage and I could hear the commotion as I was frozen in place, staring at where I'd be singing in just an hour or two. We'd arrived pretty early before the gig, so there weren't many people in the bar, but enough to make me uncomfortable where I was standing. How did I expect myself to perform when the place was packed?
Anxiety creeped up through my now tightening throat and made its way straight to my brain. The band had gained a lot of followers before I'd decided to join, what if they didn't like me as an addition? What if they actually lost followers because I was essentially now sharing the spotlight with Harry? This isn't what I wanted, I just wanted to be their keyboard player while they tried to find someone else, and now it seemed like they wanted to keep me permanently.
My brain racked through all of the embarrassing memories of myself that it could remember, images of being frozen when Will showed at my recital burning into my retinas and clouding my vision. My palms were growing sweaty, what if my hands were so sweaty that I couldn't press the right keys?
Just when I was almost certain that I'd thought of every possible way for tonight to go wrong, I imagined myself freezing and Harry's disappointment. He said he'd do whatever he had to do to make sure I was okay, but it shouldn't be his problem in the first place. Record labels were scouting the area and this was his dream. What if I messed that up? Could we ever come back from that?
My breaths were becoming heavy and I was beginning to feel like the room didn't have enough oxygen for me, like it didn't have enough space for me to exist when I felt a familiar hand on my back.
"Charlotte? Sunshine?" Harry's voice coaxed me back to reality, my eyes pooling with tears at my most previous thought and now from embarrassment that he'd witnessed it. I couldn't bring myself to answer him, although I tried. The words couldn't push through the tightness that had grown in my throat and my hands clenched at my sides.
"Come out back with me, just wanna talk," he continued reassuringly, his hand now rubbing my back. Every ounce of energy I had was spent forcing myself to turn on my heel and take a step. And then another. And another until we'd reached the backdoor that Harry held open for me as I walked through. He shouldn't have to deal with my problems, especially not now.
His eyes scanned mine, desperately trying to read my emotions and figure out where this outburst had come from, but I couldn't bear to look him in the eyes. I'd convinced myself that I'd ruin this for him and there was no talking me down. I was doing it right now.
"Sunshine, don't cry. You're gonna ruin all your hard work," he shushed me, his hands reaching to wipe away my tears as I tried to will them away. I hadn't even realized I was crying until he'd mentioned it and I tried my hardest to ignore the burning feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me to flee.
"I'm sorry," I choked. I felt comforted by his hands holding my face, yet all I wanted to do was run. He deserved better than me, someone who wouldn't ruin such an exciting night for him.
"Why are you apologizing?" he nearly whispered, his hands still cupping my face and his eyes still searching for any sign of how I'd gotten to be in this state.
"I-" He was so open and it was just so hard for me to let anyone in, especially in this state. But I wanted to try. God, I so desperately wished I could just try and be better for him. "I'm scared about tonight," I managed, hoping to give him at least a glimpse of where I was coming from.
He nodded his head, awaiting for me to continue. It was hard, but I did my best to explain what was bothering me, hoping it would wash the look of concern off of his face.
"I'm scared that people won't like that I'm an addition to the band, that there's another singer now. And I'm scared that I'll freeze again and I'll ruin your dream since the record labels are scouting. And I'm terrified that I'll ruin the performance and you'll be disappointed in me."
He pulled me into his arms so quickly that I nearly choked on my breath, the force of it nearly knocking me off of my feet. His hands were wrapped around me so tightly and he buried his head in the crook of my neck, placing soft kisses against my skin before finally pulling away to look at me.
"I know you're scared, Charlotte, but look at me. You need to know that I mean every word I'm about to say," he spoke, his voice still quiet but now resounding with a bit more serious tone. It took nearly everything in me, but I did as he asked, not wanting to make things any worse.
"I promise you, there is nothing you could ever do to disappoint me. What I told you earlier? I meant every word of it. I want to do this with you, that's my dream. I don't care if you mess up or if you freeze. If it's too much, we'll stop playing. Everyone will understand, and if they don't they can kiss my ass. You're the only thing I care about and we do it together, understand? You're everything and if I'm not doing it with you, I don't want to do it at all."
His words weighed tons, pulling at my heart and only causing more tears to swell in my eyes. His hands were on either side of my neck, rubbing circles into my skin and causing every wall I'd built to shatter into millions of pieces. I couldn't remember a time where anyone had made me feel as important as he did.
"Tell me you understand. Tell me we do it together," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine, allowing me to feel his shallow breaths against my lips. I wasn't sure if he needed me to say it or if he was just trying to make me feel better, but I didn't really care.
"We do it together," I whispered before planting a small kiss against his lips, savoring the taste of his mouth and my tears mixed together. He pulled away quickly, but stayed close to me as he nudged his nose against mine, the tickling feeling forcing a smile on my face.
"There's the sunshine I know," he smiled, kissing me once more before pulling away completely. I was still hesitant thinking about performing later, but Harry's reassurance had lifted my spirits enough to pull me out of the pit I was in.
I followed him back to the room where everyone was setting up their instruments, trying to hide any evidence that I'd just endured a near panic attack. I watched as Mitch tuned his guitar and Adam organized his sheet music. Sarah sat quietly, drumming quiet rhythms into her thigh with her drumsticks. I was relieved to know they were all too focused on preparing to notice Harry and I's entrance.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out instinctively, seeing Isabel's name plastered across the screen along with dozens of texts she must have sent during my moment of anxiety.
"If it's okay, I'm gonna go talk to Isabel. If you guys need me or anything before I come back, just let me know," I directed my voice to Harry, hoping there wouldn't be a problem with it. I needed Isabel to do her thing and just distract me.
"Sure, go ahead," he smiled reassuringly before pressing a kiss to my forehead. We'll warm up around 9:00 but until then, you're good," he finished, letting go of my hand that he'd been clinging onto since we came back inside.
I muttered a quick "thanks" before practically running out of the room, making a direct line to Isabel where she was seated at the bar.
"Charlie! I know you're a part of the band now but you better not forget about me!" she joked as I approached, but I found it hard to play along when I really just wanted to keep walking until I was out of the front door. "You okay, Charlie?" she asked, noticing my rigid demeanor.
"Don't wanna talk about it," I replied, knowing she would understand. "Tic tac toe," I finished, pulling a napkin from the dispenser near us as she dug through her purse to find a pen.
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Isabel and I played sloppy games of tic tac toe for what seemed like horse, yet simultaneously only minutes. With my silence, she took the lead in the conversation, giving me detailed accounts of her interactions with annoying customers at work or embarrassing stories of Adam to make me feel better about being vulnerable on stage.
At one point, our attention was directed toward the tv above the bar, displaying graphic images of mass casualty across the country. The conversation took a solemn tone as Isabel pointed out, noting how much of a tragedy it was. I shook the intrusive thought that wedged itself into my brain and quietly agreed with her before resuming our game.
Part of me wanted to blame her for getting me into this situation in the first place, knowing that if she hadn't slipped up that night I might still be holding onto my secret, but I knew it wasn't her fault. She was just trying to be a good friend, to get me out of my comfort zone.
Plus it wasn't all bad, I couldn't begin to describe the blissful feeling that came along with writing a song with Harry or playing with everyone in the band. It was the stage that was the problem.
Before I could even grasp how much time had passed between us, Harry had appeared by my side, making me aware of the time and letting me know that the band would be warming up soon.
I mustered the courage to stand from where I'd been sitting for nearly an hour and a half now, telling Isabel I'd see her soon before heading backstage. I was a bit relieved to see everyone's faces struck with nerves when I entered. I wasn't the only one shaken up.
The next 10 minutes felt like an out of body experience, as if I were watching myself prepare with the rest of the band, unable to observe any details and only focusing on trying to process exactly what was happening in each moment. Quickly, the band performing before us was finishing their last song, signalling that we only had a few minutes before we'd replace them on the stage.
I followed everyone else, standing on the edge of the stage as the burly man on stage announced that our band would be playing next, unable to listen to anything he was saying and instead focusing on my heartbeat to remind myself that I was still alive. My pulse was radiating in multiples of six, the same mantra that Harry had spoken to me earlier tonight repeating in my mind.
We do it together.
I couldn't remember walking onto the stage when I noticed my feet planted on the floor beneath me, my fingers rested on the familiar keys and waiting patiently as Harry introduced us to the crowd. It was the commotion of their applause and roaring that brought me back to reality, forcing me to be present.
{set list:
Tonight You Are Mine - The Technicolors
Brand New City - Mitsky
Patience - Cory Wells
Jewel - Adam Melchor
Golden - Harry Styles}
Quickly, Harry was counting us off and the familiar tune of his original song reverberated through my ears, my fingers pressing the keys out of habit. I hadn't frozen yet, but I didn't have to sing at all on this song so I was still worried about how things would go when it was me standing in front of the microphone.
As we played, I focused on Harry's voice and tried not to make any mistakes as I played the familiar tune. I found that if I focused too hard on what my hands were doing, that was when mistakes would happen. Instead, my gaze was fixated on Harry as he sang the same song that I'd heard for the first time a week ago.
The song ended fairly quickly, or maybe I was too consumed to realize just how much time had passed. Either way, I could feel my nerves reaching a new high as the song ended, my eyes still trained on Harry as I awaited the next song to play. I tried to remind myself of what Harry told me earlier and although it wasn't really working, it was the only thing keeping me from running off the stage.
It's just a song, no one has to know the deeper meaning of it.
If I freeze, it'll be okay.
No one will be disappointed in me.
"So if you guys haven't noticed, we now have a keyboard player so everyone give Charlotte a big welcome!" Harry's voice interjected my thoughts and I found myself fidgety as the crowd erupted into applause.
"Charlotte's also my girlfriend and we've spent a lot of time lately writing songs together, so we're going to sing some tonight for you if that's alright, yeah? Because the thing about us is that we always do it together," he continued, the crowd cheering and clapping when he mentioned that I was his girlfriend. Usually having the attention centered on me would only make things worse, but Harry did it in such a way that actually calmed me.
As he prepared the audience for the next song, I walked toward the microphone, standing beside him as he reached and gave my hand a small squeeze before making his final announcement.
"This song's called Brand New City, now let's give it up for Charlotte!" He boomed, his smile nearly blinding as I tried to compose myself. I felt awkward, like I should have said something before starting the song, but I was unsure of what to say and I hadn't prepared for it either. After a quick moment of hesitation, I was counting off the band and leaning into the microphone after pulling it off of its stand, which was much too tall for me to reach anyway.
Oh, one, two
Honey, what'd you take?
The music overwhelmed me and I felt the same euphoric feeling wash over me as when I'd first played the song with Harry. My fears quickly dissolved when I met his gaze, his smile encouraging me.
I think my brain is rotting in places
I think my heart is ready to die
I think my body is falling in pieces
I think my blood is passing me by
Honey, what'd you take? What'd you take?
Honey, look at me
Tell me, what you took? What'd you take?
Honey, what'd you take? What'd you take?
Honey, look at me
Tell me, what you took? What'd you take?
The crowd was responsive as I sang, many of them bobbing their heads along to the music and I felt a smile creeping across my face. Suddenly, it felt like it was only Harry and I and I felt all hesitation leaving my body. My hands were still a bit shaky, but my voice was confident as I carried on.
I think my fate is losing its patience
I think the ground is pulling me down
I think my life is losing momentum
I think my ways are wearing me down
But if I gave up on being pretty
I wouldn't know how to be alive
I should move to a brand new city
And teach myself how to die
Honey, what'd you take? What'd you take?
Honey, look at me
Tell me, what you took? What'd you take?
Honey, what'd you take? What'd you take?
Honey, look at me
Tell me, what you took? What'd you take?
The lyrics flew out of my lungs and escaped my mouth in an innate nature, my eyes unconsciously drifting to Harry's every so often to make sure that I was doing okay. His sight never left me and the smile that was plastered across his face was contagious.
The song ended fairly quickly, as the song was only a mere two minutes long, but every second of it felt like I'd been liberated. Just a week ago I wouldn't have been able to imagine myself doing anything in front of a crowd without freezing, much less singing. I felt so full knowing that Harry was the one to push me to do this, knowing that I would enjoy it if I could get past my fears, but my heart broke at the thought of the next song on the setlist.
"Thank you guys for having me, how are you all feeling tonight?" I honestly startled myself a bit when I'd impulsively decided to command the stage, a surge of euphoria and confidence overwhelming me. "This next song is one that Harry actually wrote and it would just mean the world to me if you guys would show him some love. The man knows how to write a song," I laughed, the audience immediately responding with intense applause, the smile on my face only widening.
It was my attempt to relieve Harry of any worries that he had about performing the song, just like he'd done for me. I was nowhere near as sociable as him and I was nervous that I wasn't saying the right things, but when I looked over at him, my worries vanished. His smile was nearly blinding as he made his way back to the microphone and dipped down to kiss my forehead.
The thought of showing affection in such a public way immediately sent heat rushing to my cheeks, but when he leaned down to murmur in my ear, I no longer cared.
"Thank you for this, for doing it with me," he spoke over the deafening noise of the crowd. I mustered a small nod in response before walking back to my keyboard and reminding myself not to dwell on the lyrics he was about to sing.
"Er, this song is about shitty people who do shitty things. Everyone knows someone like that, you know? So feel free to sing along if you'd like," he concluded, fixing the capo on his guitar before starting to strum. All I had to do was focus on his voice instead of the lyrics.
As he played, I couldn't help but think back to the night when he explained his situation with his mom and sister, the memories displaying vividly in my mind. I tried desperately to shake them, but it was useless once he began singing the lyrics.
Can't escape this endless cycle that won't stop spinning in my head
And every night you somehow lure me right back to this regret
And I hold my tongue
You cut it out, and I can't accept
I just can't accept this
And you close the window tonight
The cold still settles in
And I cover up, and you see right through my argument
And all the while you sit and wonder where I've been
I couldn't help my endless thoughts, focusing on his regrets about the entire thing.
"The only thing I regret is Lily."
He shouldn't have to regret anything, he should be able to have a normal relationship with his family.
Can't seem to make this go away
This never-ending price I pay
And I've got hope for this
'Cause I know somehow, I'll see the light of day
And every time I wake, I'm thinking of you
Don't leave it up to me, or I'll close my eyes for good
My mind ran rampant, wondering if he'd ever been as low as this song made it seem. Had he ever thought the world would be better off without him? What kind of damage had his mom done to make him feel so ridden with guilt?
Sometimes I wish I could
Sometimes I think I should
"She was young and made a mistake - two mistakes. The first being me,"
Can't escape this endless cycle
Stop fucking with my head
And all my patience are running thin but I can't outrun all of my sins
And my heart won't leave cement, but they'll say I did
"It's been years since I've seen or talked to her and I'm glad. I feel a bit guilty about it, but I'm glad,"
And I take it all
You just break it off
Still not giving up
Can't seem to make this go away
This never-ending price I pay
And I've got hope for this
'Cause I know somehow, I'll see the light of day
And every breath I take, I'm thinking of you
Don't leave it up to me, or I'll hold my breath for good
As I tried to shake my thoughts of the intrusive flashbacks, I reminded myself of how the conversation concluded. Things might have been bad for him at once, but he's grown since then, and I needed to remember that.
"I had a rough time with it for a long time, even for a while after I first moved, but I'm a lot better now."
I just wish you knew I would
I just wish you understood
Can't escape this endless cycle that won't stop spinning in my head
And every night you somehow lure me right back to this regret
And I hold my tongue
You cut it out, and I can't accept
Why won't you forget?
I want to forget
I couldn't tell you whether or not the audience sang along or if they even liked the song, because the entire time, my attention was directed toward Harry and making sure that he was okay. I know it seemed hypocritical, I was constantly leaning on him for reassurance and validation, but if I'd noticed even a glint that he was unwell, I'd have to do something.
In our relationship, most of the time was spent helping me get better and work out my issues, but my biggest fear was that he had just as bad of problems as I did and that he'd only stuffed them down to make sure I'm okay. I wouldn't be able to look at myself if I'd ever put him in that position.
The thought of the next song on the setlist eased me a bit, reminding me that he does care about me, the song we'd written together was proof of it. Plus, the many others that he'd written about me, whether I was aware of it or not.
"So this next song is one that Charlotte and I wrote together," Harry laughed, catching my attention and warming every nerve in my body. "She wrote the majority of it, but she won't let me give her any credit for it." He laughed again, his gaze meeting mine as I scowled at him. Adam helped me move my mic stand near Harry as he continued.
"Every time I sing this song, all I can think of is Charlotte and how much I care about her, you know? I hope each and every one of you finds someone like that, someone that means everything to you," he concluded, my heart swelling at the sentiment.
Before I even had time to recuperate from the weight of his words, he was strumming his guitar and I was preparing to sing the first lyrics.
I'm no good at swimming
I got no use of diving
Even in a scuba suit I'd still feel like I'm dying
I don't need to look for buried treasure on an island
I have you
'Cause you're my jewel
So call the search off
I didn't think I'd find you
Looked for every message in a bottle and caught lightning
I never have to go too far
Without feeling the light that comes from you
'Cause you're my jewel
Diamonds are forever
But I got something better
Yes, I do
All the precious metals
Are just roses without petals
Next to you
'Cause you're my jewel
You're my jewel
There's a rooster
In the yard behind us
Crowing at all hours of the day
He must be blind but
He only has to get it right just once
Like I got it right with you
'Cause you're my jewel
Diamonds are forever
But I got something better
Yes, I do
All the precious metals
Are just roses without petals
Next to you
'Cause you're my jewel
You're my jewel
Emeralds and rubies
They all mean nothing to me
The only pearls that drew me were your eyes
When they looked right through me
It shook me and it moved me
Something in my heart then crystalized
Crystalized
Diamonds are forever
Well I've got something better
Yes, I do
All the precious metals
Are just roses without petals
Next to you
'Cause you're my jewel
You're my jewel
You're my jewel
You're my jewel
Singing alongside Harry was a feeling that I desperately wished I would never forget. His smile had a way of making me feel like the only other person in the world, despite the hundreds of people standing before us. As he sang, I knew he meant every word that he sang and it gave me such an odd feeling to see him sing something so passionately when I was the one to come up with the words.
I was slowly becoming addicted to how whole he made me feel, how he made me feel like I could do anything with him by my side. It would be a disaster if anything ever came between us and I prayed that I'd never live to see that day. I could only hope that he felt the same way, that I wasn't the only one dependent on this relationship.
Even as he sang the last song on the setlist and my fingers instinctively played the familiar chords, I couldn't shake the hopeful thought that we'd never be apart. My thoughts drifted back to the first time I'd heard him sing this song and how I'd acted, how careless I was to put such a strain between us.
It shouldn't have to be this way, but I now felt like he was helping me see more clearly, teaching me how to react correctly to these situations. If I was scared, I didn't have to run, not anymore. I just had to talk to him about it.
It went against everything in my soul, but I would do it if it meant things would be okay between us. I would do anything to be content with him for the rest of my life, for all of eternity.
He gave me something that I'd never experienced before and sometimes I wondered if it was normal for someone to have this much control over your state of being. Sometimes I felt like if I didn't have him with me, I'd forget how to breathe. It was as if I couldn't even function with the prospect of not having him, and I couldn't quite place what the feeling was.
Here I was again, overthinking when I should be enjoying the feeling of playing with everyone, the crowd jumping and singing along with the song they'd heard weeks ago. I should have been smiling like everyone else as they played, but I couldn't bring myself from the place I'd gone and I just hoped it wasn't obvious.
We finished out the song, the crowd's response making Harry blush as we made our exit and suddenly I was back to reality, my pulse resonating in my ears and my palms sheened with sweat.
"You did good, sunshine," Harry murmured, dipping his head into the crook of my neck and pressing a small kiss to my glistening skin.
"All thanks to you," I replied as he pulled away, his face hovering next to mine as I reached my hands up to cup his face. I couldn't help the melancholic attitude I'd adopted for the night and I hoped he would just go with it.
"Nope, not taking credit for this one. You're amazing all on your own, you just need some encouragement to start believing it," he rebutted before leaning forward to kiss me, his lips soft and gentle as mine trembled beneath him.
My lips formed a thin line as he pulled away from me, my shoulders sagging as he grabbed my hand and led me out towards the bar. I wished I could be elated, just as overly excited as the rest of the band, but it wasn't in the cards for tonight.
As we reached the bar, Harry shouted at the bartender, the music so loud that I couldn't understand what he was saying. However, his shouting made sense as he turned back around to face me with a shot in either hand, extending one to me.
"Now, we drink," he smiled, his dimple prominent as I grabbed one from him. "To celebrate and to hopefully lift your spirits, because you deserve to be happy tonight," he continued, clinking our drinks together before we both downed our drinks and he ordered another round.
It was selfish, but I was grateful that he'd decided to hang back with me instead of dancing with the rest of the band. I craved the alone time with him and the validation that came along with it.
We laughed as we pointed out everyone's terrible dancing and were nearly six shots in when I'd realized Mitch had been dragged away from the dancefloor by a man I didn't recognize. I was well over tipsy, but I could tell that the conversation was serious despite Mitch's grin.
"Who's that?" I shouted over the music, my hand draped over Harry's neck as he leaned into me. He turned his attention to where I was pointing and responded with a shrug.
"No clue, but it doesn't seem like I should interrupt. I'll ask Mitch when they're done talking," he spoke loudly, turning back to me. "Now kiss me, sunshine. I need some extra love tonight," he smiled and I obliged, leaning into him as his lips pressed against mine. I could definitely feel the effects of the alcohol, my core overwhelming with heat as I fisted his shirt.
One kiss turned into many, the both of us desperate to be closer to each other despite the crowded room. However, it was cut short by Mitch shouting at the bartender and interrupting us, a tray of shots held in his hand.
"We're celebrating tonight, Styles!" He shouted with a grin. I wasn't sure if I'd ever seen him smile so big.
"What's the occasion?" Harry laughed, taken aback by Mitch's lighthearted disposition.
"You saw that big guy I was talking to? His name's Jeremy and he's with some big record label that signs indie artists. He said he liked our sound and he'd come back next week to listen again. Said we have a lot of potential and that he's bringing his boss next week. If they like it they'll consider signing us," he beamed. Before he even finished I was grabbing Harry's hand, squeezing it as my eyes widened with excitement.
"Mitch I swear to god almighty, if you're joking with me right now I'll fucking kill you," Harry warned, the smile on his face widening with each word.
"I swear I'm not, dude! That's why I've got shots!" Mitch responded, shoving the tray at us as we each grabbed another shot, even though we didn't need more alcohol in either of our systems.
Mitch explained again when Sarah, Adam, and Isabel joined us, their excitement only intensifying the joy I was feeling. We all were dancing in the next few minutes, the good news and alcohol reacting and causing an exhilarating feeling. We were unstoppable, and I don't think any of us wanted the night to end.
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EEEEEEEEE I'm SO excited!!! Hope you guys enjoyed it!
Thanks so much for reading! Don't forget to vote <3