I stood on the X-Factor stage, staring out at the crowd. I had just finished my song, To Sir With Love, dedicated to my adoptive father.
"So, Katy, you said you dedicated it to your adoptive father, why were you adopted?" asked Simon. I had thought this over before the show, and for most of the past week. I was ready to tell my story, and to top it all off, my dad was backstage with his band, although they didn't know I was here.
Or they would if they were watching the show.
"If it's okay with you Simon, I'd like to tell my whole story, it's slightly long though" I said into my microphone and he nodded, gesturing for me to continue.
I took a deep breath and began. "When I was three years old, my parents died in a car crash and I was put in a series of foster homes, including one I really liked. In that one I had an older brother, and I worshipped him. I was taken away from taht home by a couple wanting to adopt me. They became abusive and after a year I was taken away from them. I went through more adoptions and foster homes. By the time I was 13, I had been adopted seven times and been in over thirty different foster homes and nine different school. My older brother from my second foster home turned up at the orphanage one day, the day after his eighteenth birthday and adopted me."
I took another deep breath, glad the audience seemed to be listening. "I moved in with him and everythign was fantastic. I encouraged him to follow his dreams and because of that I spent 6 months living with his mother, while he followed them. He auditioned for X-Factor in 2010, three years ago, 6 months after he adopted me. He made it through to book camp, but his name wasn't called with the people going through to judge's houses."
I could see some people starting to put the pieces together. "As he was about to leave, he was called back on stage with four other boys. They were put into a band, and ended up coming third. I can remember watching the live shows and screaming at the TV. He came home for a little while, and now I stay with his mum while he tours. I have become really good friends with his band, who are of course, One Direction. It's like I have a dad and four utterly mad uncles" I laughed slightly.
I could hear pounding footsteps, then five people were walking on stage. Louis came straight up to me and wrapped me in a hug, the others joining in. We broke apart quickly and I continued. "They each taught me something important. Harry taught me how to get a boyfriend, and how to play pranks. Zayn taught me how to do my hair and some cruicial fashion things. Liam taught me how to sing, and the importance of following the rules. Niall taught me how to play the guitar and how to speak in a mean Irish accent! And Louis taught me how to love. Together, all five of them taught me how to trust again. These five boys have changed my life for the better and so that song was really dedicated to all five of them" I finished, grinning.
The judges all stood up, clapping as the boys hoisted me onto their shoulders and carried me of stage. They put me down in their dressing room and I was bombarded with hugs. Louis came up last, and he held on longer, gripping me tightly. I could feel something wet on my shoulder and I knew he was crying. "Why didn't you tell us you were on X-Factor?" asked Niall from across the room. "I wanted it to be a surprise, and I didn't want to bother you while you were on tour"
"Sweety, you could never bother us" Zayn grinned. Louis was still hugging me, and he finnaly drew back slightly. "I missed you" He whispered. "I missed you too Dad"