The Tour

I could hear the crowd talking amongst themselves as I stepped onto the dark stage. Since we were outside, it wasn’t as dark as I wanted, so they could see me standing there. Some stopped whispering so they could scream while others continued talking amongst themselves.

At the sound of my first note playing, talking stopped, and more screams commenced. I hadn’t expected so many to be cheering for me, Niall’s girlfriend of all people, but all around the stadium, people were screaming.

The first song was only thirty seconds of instrumentals that led into the first song. I called it Theater, and I was a bit nervous it might be more of a rock song than these fans liked to listen to.

Either way, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and listened as the music began playing.

It very quickly went from the thirty second intro into the first song, and people were cheering.

“My life is a musical
I know how to put on a pretty pathetic show.
I hide backstage and keep the curtains closed cause I’m scared.
I’m scared.

I’m getting pretty good at feeding them the lines they like,
But I don’t recognize the girl that I face each night.
I can compromise until I’m convinced that it’s right.”

And for the rest of the song, I was able to sing and get into it like I did during rehearsals, like I did when it was just people I loved. I forgot that there were over twenty thousand people out there. I forgot that I wasn’t alone in the studio, jamming out and recording this song for the album.

I let myself be free, free to get into my songs that I was singing.

As Theater came to an end, the crowd was actually screaming. For me. I wasn’t sure if they could see the tears in my eyes, so I went on as if they couldn’t.

I let out a breath into the microphone and began looking around the massive crowd. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place this full before.”

I don’t know why that made them cheer, but I didn’t try and stop them. Instead, I let their cheers pull my smile up wider.

“My name is Everit Eberly, for those of you out there who don’t know who I am,” I said. “I know most of you aren’t here to see me, but I’ll give you a good time anyways.”

They actually cheered about that as well, so I felt more at ease. I took a step back from the microphone and looked back towards the band. At the sight of me looking at them, they immediately went into the next song.

Make a Move went off as flawlessly as Theater had, and by the end, I had to take a large gulp out of my water. Behind me, I could see them pulling the grand piano out, though it wasn’t quite time for it yet, but just the reminder that Niall was gonna be out here soon . . . it got my heart racing in my chest.

I went back to the microphone and took a deep breath. “So, time to slow things down a bit. This next song is very personal to me. All of the songs I write are. They have some kind of meaning in my life, but this one . . . anyways, it’s called Sirens.”

Behind me, the guitarist was already strumming away, and while people in the audience cheered, I kept my eyes low and took a deep breath.

“I carry the weight of you in my heavy heart
And the wind is so icy, I am numb.
I carry the weight of you heading back to start
With a thousand eyes one me, I stumble on.

I am tired
I’m growing older
I’m getting weaker every day, yeah
I carry the weight of you.
I carry the weight of you.

Lay down here beside me in the shallow water
Beside me where the sun is shining on us still
Lay down here beside me in the hallowed water
Beside me where the silver lining stays until the sirens’ calling.”

I pushed through. Maybe it was the rush of the crowd, or the rush of how much they seemed to be enjoying my set, but I got through without crying this time, without thinking of my mother too much.

Mom, I hope you’re proud of me.

I let go of the hand microphone and turned on my head microphone. People saw me walking back to the piano, and they immediately began screaming at the top of their lungs.

Or maybe it had something to do with the sexy Irish boy walking out on stage, adjusting his earpiece as he stepped closer to me.

He wore a very attractive smirk on his way to me, and to my delight, he threw his arms tightly around me. I needed that more than I even realized, and while the crowd continued to cheer, he leaned down and put his lips by my ear.

“I love you. You’re doing wonderful, my love.”

I could feel my heart pounding against my ribcage, and I gave him a huge smile. “So, I take it you guys know what’s coming next?”

Niall looked out to the crowd and held one arm towards them. “Hello out there! How are you doing tonight?”

While girls cheered and squealed louder than they had yet, I got situated at the piano.

“We’re all so happy that you’re here, and you guys are just in for a real treat all throughout the night,” Niall said, and he sat down on the piano bench with me—positioned so that I was closest to the audience. “I can’t really explain how surreal this is for me.” He looked over at me. “I still remember turning my chair around and seeing you there, and now you’re going on a worldwide stadium tour with me and the lads.”

I nodded. “Aye. Pretty hard to wrap my head around it all.”

“Well, I could sit here all night and talk with all of you, but instead, why don’t we start with our duet?”

The crowd went absolutely wild, and they only calmed down when I began playing Let Me Go on the piano.

When the violins came in, the room was completely silent other than the music.

“Love that once hung on the wall
Used to mean something, but now it means nothing.
The echoes are gone in the hall
But I still remember the pain of December

Oh, there isn’t one thing left you could say
I’m sorry, it’s too late.

I’m breaking free from these memories
Gotta let it go, just let it go
I’ve said goodbye, set it all on fire
Gotta let it go, just let it go.”

The entire time, Niall was watching me, and with me sitting between Niall and the crowd, I was certain they noticed.

Still, he didn’t miss his turn to come in.

“You came back to find I was gone,
And that place is empty like the hole that was left in me.
Like we were nothing at all.
It’s not what you meant to me.
I thought we were meant to be.

Oh, there isn’t one thing left you could say.”

And I came in to sing, “I’m sorry, it’s too late,” with him.

We also both sang the next chorus together, with my microphone turned up just a bit louder than his.

“I’m breaking free from those memories
Gotta let it go, just let it go.
I’ve said goodbye, set it all on fire.
Gotta let it go, just let it go.”

Now we were to the back and forth part, something Niall actually liked. I would sing a line, and then he would sing a line. It was almost like having a conversation with one another, except he was finishing the sentence I started.

“I’ve let it go.”
“And now I know.”
“A brand new life.”
“Is down this road.”
“And when it’s right.”
“You always know.”
“So this time.”
“I won’t let go!”

After that, I had a little solo before we came back in at the new chorus together.

“There’s only one thing left here to say.
Love’s never too late!”

“I’ve broken free from those memories.
I’ve let it go. I’ve let it go.
And two goodbyes led to this new life.
Don’t let me go, don’t let me go!”

“Don’t let me go, don’t let me go, don’t let me go, don’t let me go!”

The crowd was cheering loudly enough to nearly cover up the ending of the song on the piano, but I didn’t stop. Not until it was finished.

When it ended, they were absolutely screaming, and I felt some tears fall down my face. Niall immediately pulled me into another hug, and he did something else I didn’t expect.

Right there in front of his fans, he grabbed ahold of my face and kissed me.

Just like that.

Notes