“So, get out, get out, get out of my head! And come into my-“
“No, stop!” Jessica shook her head. “Boys, what’s up with you? You have a concert in four days and you still sing wrong. Who is it? Please, everyone sing this line alone.”
First Harry did and managed it perfectly, putting a smile on Jessica’s face. Then Liam and Zayn were good, too. Liam was great, too and so Jessica looked at Niall. “So, Niall. I guess it’s you then. Sing for me, please.”
Niall bit his lower lip and put the mic to his mouth. He tried to force onto the lines and started singing but it came out all wrong.
“Niall”, Jessica sighed and hugged him. “What’s up? You’re not really concentrated, are you?”
Niall sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He should bleach it soon. “No, I don’t know what it is… I’m sorry. I… I just…” He looked at Harry to show him he needed help.
Harry understood within the second. “Maybe Niall is just exhausted. We’re practising for three hours now.”
Zayn, Liam and Louis agreed. “Yeah, we should take a break.”
Jessica narrowed her eyes, thinking about it. If Niall really was too exhausted to sing there was no sense in singing anymore for today. “Okay, guys”, she gave in. “You’re free for today. But I want you to come here at seven in the morning. Understood?”
The boys smiled slightly and agreed. They packed their stuff before they went out of the arena to find the car already waiting for them.
“Hey, Paul”, Harry grinned and sat down.
“Stop grinning like that, Harry. What do you want?”, Paul asked.
“Nothing.”
“I’m hungry!”, Louis shouted.
“Me too!”, Liam, Harry and Zayn agreed.
“I just wanna go home, I’m not hungry”, Niall said.
Shocked his friends and Paul looked at him. Liam reached out his hand for Niall’s forehead and narrowed his eyebrows. “Are you sick?”, he asked and dropped his hand from Niall’s face.
Niall shook his head. “No.”
“You sure? We need you on Friday, you know?”
Niall nodded and looked out of the window. It was late winter in Australia and so it was already a bit dark, although it was just half past seven at night. “I’ll be fine.”
Harry changed a look with him, knowingly what was upsetting his Irish friend. “Niall, is it because of Maggie?”
Niall didn’t look at Harry. “Maybe.”
Harry smiled softly. “Don’t worry, you’ll see her soon. It’s not that bad, okay?”
Niall nodded. He still felt guilty for what had happened to Maggie and he felt even guiltier when he couldn’t be there for her to comfort her. He missed her loads.
“Maddie, we’ll get you, Jenna, Kata and Naks in a sec, okay?”
Louis face literally lit up when he heard the name of Naks. He was really in love with her, more than he had ever been with a girl. He didn’t know anymore how he had managed to live without her. He didn’t remember how it was for him not to know her. “Where are we going to get food?”, Louis asked.
“Just drop me at our hotel”, Niall said.
“No”, Liam shook his head. “You’re going with us. We won’t let you stay at home all alone.”
