Always
Live Shows: Week 1 – Part 3 (Live Decider)
Kaylie’s POV
Sunday, 25th September
I woke up the next day with the biggest smile on my face. My eyes glistened as I looked at myself in the mirror, running my fingers across my lips, remembering Harry’s mouth on them. It gave me shivers. But they were very good shivers.
After I got dressed and did my make-up for the day (http://www.polyvore.com/kaylie_day_after_week/set?id=207969683), my phone buzzed with a new text. It was from my mentor again. I could control my excitement as I opened it.
From Harry: Good morning, angel. How are you feeling about tonight?
He’s still calling me “angel”! I was so giddy, it was ridiculous. I had experienced crushes before. I had been kissed before. But never in this way. Not everybody could say that Harry Styles had kissed them. I was a lucky girl to even remember the taste of his lips but I wasn’t going to brag about it. The moment it got out, everything would go downhill and the public would think that Harry only put me through because he fancied me. I knew that wasn’t the case. He told me he had talent and he wasn’t the judge to put someone through just because he liked them in a romantic way. He was too sweet to do that.
To Harry: Morning, Harry :) I’m a little nervous.
The reason I was nervous because tonight was the first live decider and one contestant would be eliminated from the competition. Like everyone else, I didn’t want to be that contestant. I had just started to find myself and enjoy my time with Harry. I didn’t want to go home now. My phone buzzed again, breaking me out of my anxious thoughts.
From Harry: You’ll be fine, angel. Do you want to know which musician is performing tonight?
His reassurance was honestly the sweetest thing. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear as I typed back a reply.
To Harry: Thank you :) Yes, please!
Immediately, I got a response.
From Harry: You’re welcome. One of your favourite artists, I believe…Ariana Grande.
Ariana Grande is performing tonight?! Harry was right. She was one of my favourite artists. Her voice was amazing and her career was something that inspired me. I mean, I sang one of her songs for my audition. I couldn’t believe that she was going to be at the studios tonight. Ariana was an international megastar and I was going to be in the same building as her. Does that mean…I’ll get to meet her? I decided to asked Harry.
To Harry: Are you serious? Oh, wow! Will I get to meet her?
From Harry: Yes, I am serious. I will definitely introduce you to her. Can’t let my angel not meet one of her idols :)
I bit my lip and smiled. I was going to meet Ariana Grande. First, I met Harry Styles. Then, I met Niall Horan. And now, there’s another person I idolise I was going to have the pleasure of seeing in the flesh. How am I so lucky? I shook my head in disbelief.
To Harry: I can’t wait! I’m so excited to meet her!
From Harry: I know you are. See you soon, angel x
To Harry: OK, bye, Harry x
I clutched my phone in my hand and placed it against my chest. What has my life come to? I was performing in the live shows. My mentor was Harry Styles. He kissed me last night. More than once, might I add. And I was going to meet Ariana Grande. I seriously felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
I decided it was time to go downstairs and get my breakfast. I bounded down the stairs happily and walked into the dining room to see my entire family already there. My father was sitting in his usual spot, at the head of the table, with the morning newspaper in his hands, while my mother sat beside him, drinking a cup of coffee. My plethora of brothers stared at me when they saw me.
“Why are your cheeks so pink?” Reece laughed.
“Jesus, you look too happy!” Connor said.
“You feeling OK, Kaylie?” Michael asked.
I was bombarded by their statements. I reassured them that I was just fine as I went into the open kitchen to get myself a glass of water and pull the butter and jam out of the fridge. As I buttered my bread, I looked up to see my whole family staring at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Boys, I think your sister’s been kissed.” My father smirked. My mouth fell open but I closed it quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“Dad!” I cried. He placed his newspaper down and pointed his index finger at me, clearing his throat.
“Well, you have been. Look at her!”
I looked down and put all of my attention on buttering my bread. I swallowed deeply as my brothers caught on with our father.
“Oh My God, she so has!” Connor agreed.
“Who kissed you?” That was Reece.
“When?” Michael asked, clearing wanting me to answer. I cleared my throat and finished buttering my bread and swiped jam over the top. I grabbed the butter and the jam and placed it back in the fridge while I dumped the dirty knife in the sink. I hid my face behind the door of the fridge as I heard my mother speak.
“Boys, out, please.”
“Mum!” Reece groaned.
“All of you, now.” She demanded. I heard the creaking of chairs as they were pushed out and the padding of feet on the floorboards. I closed the fridge door and stood up to my full height. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked to my right to see my mother.
“Thanks, Mum, for getting rid of them.” I said.
“I could see you didn’t want to talk with your brothers about the subject.” She replied. I nodded. She was right. Talking about kissing with my brothers wasn’t my favourite thing to do. It was so embarrassing. It was fine for them, they loved to tease me. Both Michael and Connor had girlfriends but Reece was a single pringle. Just like me.
“So?” My mother raised her eyebrows at me.
“So what?” I asked, walking over to the counter where my butter-and-jam-covered bread was.
“Have you been kissed?”
Oh, God, here we go! I silently took a bite of my bread and sighed, running my fingers through my hair at the scalp, moving strands off my forehead. I looked at my mother as I chewed my food and a smirk pulled at my lips. I didn’t need to give her a verbal answer. She knew. Therefore, she smiled at me and placed her hands on my upper arms.
“That’s wonderful, sweetie! Who kissed you?”
“I think you know who, Mum.” I said and continued to eat my bread. I blushed again and saw that my father was still sitting at the table. It was only my brothers my mother had sent away. He drained his cup of coffee and rose from his seat, coming into the kitchen as well.
“Was it a certain Mr. Styles, love?” He grinned subtly when he placed his empty cup in the sink. I licked my lips and my gaze darted from my father to my mother. I slowly nodded and finished my breakfast, placing my plate in the sink too, joining the dirty cutlery and cups.
“Is that why it took you so long to meet us after the show last night?” My father asked me.
“Yeah, it was. I was saying goodbye to him and he just…” I stopped myself. They didn’t need to know the rest. They didn’t need to know the thoughts I had in my head that had been born from the feeling of Harry’s kisses. That was private, locked away in my mind for my pleasure only.
“I wondered why your cheeks were so pink, sweetie. You were flushed.” My mother said.
“And you looked like a girl who had just been kissed. Very passionately.” My father smirked. I gently prodded his chest with my fist, all with a smile, and he chuckled, pressing a kiss to my head. He had to go to work but promised he would be in the audience again tonight. He gently pecked my mother’s cheek, grabbed his coat off the back of his chair, and left, waving goodbye.
“So how are you and Harry going to go about your relationship now?” My mother asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, I like him. A lot. And he seems to like me. But we can’t go kissing and flirting around the place. Our relationship is supposed to be professional. I haven’t asked him anything because I was in a rush last night to meet you at the car. I didn’t have any time.” I said.
“If he kissed you, sweetie, of course he likes you. I just want you to be careful.”
“I will, Mum.” I nodded.
“Have you told anyone else?” She inquired. I shook my head. And then, I remembered Alicia. I had promised her she would be the first person I would tell if Harry kissed me. Shit, she’s going to kill me! I needed to tell her now. Before I saw her today. She would lose it if I waited so long to tell her.
“I’m going to go back up to my room. I have to be at the studios by 4 o’clock. Can you drop me off?”
“Of course, sweetie.” My mother said with a smile and kissed my forehead. I left her presence and walked out of the kitchen, through the dining room and into the hallway. As I passed the living room, my brothers rushed out to interrogate me.
“We heard everything!” Connor grinned.
“How good of a kisser is Harry Styles?” Reece asked.
“Does my little sister have a crush?” Michael said.
I sighed and headed towards the staircase. I didn’t want to deal with them right now because I knew the teasing would never stop. They were boys and they were my brothers. I was the only girl, they loved to pick on me ever since I was a damn toddler. And it wasn’t going to stop now.
“Yes, he kissed me.”
That was all I said. I began to walk up the stairs but my brothers weren’t having it. They wanted to know more.
“Wait! That’s all you’re going to tell us?” Reece groaned.
“Yes! You don’t need to know anything else! I have to mentally prepare for tonight so could you guys just leave me in peace?” I turned around and walked up the stairs, hearing Michael’s voice chase after me.
“Prepare yourself to see Harry again?” He chuckled. I didn’t respond and rushed into my room, locking the door. I didn’t want anyone barging in. I picked up my phone, which I had left on my bed, and clicked on Alicia’s name. She was at the very top of my contacts, seeing as her first name started with the first letter of the alphabet. I pressed my phone to my ear and waited. After three rings, she picked up.
Kaylie! Morning!
“Hey, Alicia.” I smiled.
To what do I owe this pleasure, girl?
I chuckled at her question.
“Well…I’ve got to tell you something.”
Spill. Alicia demanded. I padded over to the full-length mirror next to my wardrobe and stared at my reflection. In my eyes, I wasn’t as beautiful as Harry thought I was. I didn’t find myself that attractive. I looked ordinary. Brown eyes, my lips were a little bit out of proportion in terms of size and I wasn’t that tall. What does Harry see in me?
Oi, I’m waiting!
“Sorry, Alicia. Um…last night, after the show, Harry-”
He kissed you, didn’t he?! She screamed down the phone line so loud that I had to pull the phone away from my ear for a couple of moments.
“Jesus! You’re so loud.”
Can you blame me?! I told you! I told you he fancied you!
“Yes, you were right. I should’ve believed you.” I sighed.
Yes, you should have! Please tell me you haven’t told anyone else?
“Uh…”
You have, haven’t you?
“Not on purpose! I was blushing when I came downstairs this morning and my dad figured it out. They all asked me so many questions, I couldn’t lie to them.” I explained. I heard Alicia sigh and I could imagine her blue eyes full of understanding but yet, mockingly offended.
Could you have, you know, not blushed?
“Alicia, who’s your celebrity crush?” I asked, sitting down on the edge of my bed.
Why?
“Just answer my question.”
Dylan O’Brien.
“Really?” I laughed.
What? She grumbled.
“Nothing. It was just…unexpected from you.”
Whatever.
“So say Dylan O’Brien kissed you last night and you woke up this morning with the hugest smile on your face, would you be able to stop blushing from the memory of being kissed by him?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
Uh…no. No, probably not.
“Now you understand why I couldn’t stop blushing, Alicia.” I stated firmly with a smile.
Well, it’s about time Harry kissed you. I noticed all the looks he’s been giving you since Bootcamp. Did you give him a boner? I heard her giggle.
“No! No, I did not! We just kissed! And you’ve got to keep quiet about this.” I said sternly.
I know. But hey, can you imagine the look on Melody’s face when she finds out?
And in that moment, I remembered Melody. Her threat at the photoshoot and our spat last night in the corridor. She was so amused by the thought of Harry liking me. And it turned out, he did like me. He had kissed me so sweetly and warmly, telling me exactly how he felt through the pressure of his lips. Melody would be so jealous if she found out about Harry and I. I would give anything to be there to see Melody’s expression when she discovered that Harry kissed me. I didn’t kiss Harry. He kissed me. As much as I wanted to see Melody’s face, I couldn’t tell anyone else. I had to make sure that my parents nor my brothers told anyone. The kiss was supposed to be personal anyway. Now, six more people knew about it apart from me and Harry.
“That sounds very tempting.” I laughed.
It so does. She’ll be fuming.
“I know. Hey, I’ll see you this afternoon.”
Sure, Kaylie. Bye.
That ended our conversation and I hung up, placing my phone in my lap. So, now Alicia knew. And I had to tell Vanessa and Marcus too. They would murder me in my sleep if they found out from someone else. Marcus would be jealous as fuck because he had a huge crush on Harry but he would be happy for me. He’d kill for me, he had said that to me many times. And Vanessa, she would lose it and hug me so tightly. I counted myself lucky to have such amazing friends and a wonderful family. And now, I had been kissed by my crush. I was on cloud nine and no-one could break my happiness. Not even Melody.
0*0
I walked into the studios by myself. My family had dropped me off and were going to grab something to eat before coming back and getting into their seats for the show. It was nice and warm inside so I took my jacket off and hung it off my forearm. I adjusted my handbag on my left shoulder and waved at the receptionist; her name was Stacey. I decided to head to the Under 25 Girls dressing room, just to drop my stuff off. I walked down the empty corridor, draping all of my caramel hair down my right shoulder. As I did that, I heard the creak of a door followed by a hand grabbing my left arm. I gasped loudly as the hand pulled me inside a room I had never entered before.
Suddenly, my back was pressed against the wall and there was the sound of a man’s heaving breathing. I looked down and recognised the silver rings on the hand. I knew exactly who the hand belonged to. My gaze went up and then, I was looking into a pair of deep green eyes. I gasped again when he grabbed the back of my head with his free hand and kissed me roughly.
It was like he had been holding back this kiss yesterday. It was so much more passionate and sexy, like his life depended on this one kiss. I whimpered as he clutched my hair, his other hand resting on my waist, keeping our bodies together. I balled my hands on his chest and craned my neck up to deepen the kiss a little further. He clearly liked that and kissed me harder, making me elicit a small moan. I heard his deep chuckle and my heart melted. He pulled back and stroked my cheeks with his thumbs.
“I’ve missed you.” Harry smiled.
“You just saw me last night. And you texted me this morning.” I gazed up at him with the same smile. He sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, running his fingertip along my jawline gently.
“You’re all I’ve thought about for the past 16 hours and…” He looked over his shoulder at the clock on the wall above the desk and horizontal mirror.
“32 minutes.” He smirked, turning back to gaze at me.
“Such a charmer, aren’t you, Mr. Styles?”
“Always, Miss Walker.” Harry whispered and pecked my lips again. The kiss immediately became more heated as his warm breath flooded inside my mouth. I ran my hands up his chest and wrapped my fingers around the sides of his neck, underneath his curls. I lost myself in his hold and relished the feeling of our mouths moving together perfectly, like they had always meant to. His arms went around my waist, pulling me up against his body as his tongue swept across my top lip, enticing me. I locked my arms around his neck and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him more. Harry chuckled again and kissed the corner of my mouth sweetly.
“So eager, angel.” He smirked.
“You’re making me eager.” I replied bluntly and rested my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him. To be honest, I had missed him too. I had missed things I never thought I would miss. The scent of his cologne, the softness of his hair, his raspy voice, the sound of his breathing, the touch of his fingertips. All of these things made me want to be around him for as long as possible. I craved his caresses and his kisses. But I never thought he would miss me. I was nothing special. At least, I didn’t see anything special about myself. I was just a normal 18-year-old with a happy love for life. That was nothing special.
“You want to meet Ariana?”
I looked up from his chest and nodded enthusiastically.
“You’re cute when you’re excited.” He laughed.
“Can I meet her now?” I asked.
“She’s doing sound check for her performance tonight but we can go and watch her, if you want.”
“I would love to! Let’s go.” I released my arms from around him and walked towards the closed door. I was just about to open it when Harry grabbed my hand, threading his fingers with mine. The contact of his skin on mine sent butterflies racing inside my stomach. I licked my lips and looked at him innocently.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
“No. Just…kiss me.”
“And you say I’m the eager one.” I laughed. I loved flirting with him. Now that I could, it made me feel free. I didn’t have to worry about scaring Harry off. Because he was flirting with me too now. This crush was just growing and growing. And I loved it.
“Come here, angel.” Harry smiled and tugged on my hand, pulling me to him. He cut off my giggle with a strong kiss that left me breathless. I gripped the collar of his black dress shirt, that was covered in white polka dots, while my other hand pulled on his long curls, returning the passion of his kiss. When we broke free, he pressed his lips to the back of my hand before letting it go. He opened the door and walked out first. I stepped out behind him and closed the door.
We walked down the corridor together and in under a minute, we reached the large auditorium. Sure enough, the one and only Ariana Grande was standing on the stage, surrounded by half a dozen dancers. Her long hair was done up in a high ponytail, letting her bangs fall across her forehead. She looked gorgeous in her casual clothes (http://www.polyvore.com/ariana_sound_check/set?id=208039016) and she held a microphone in her hand, her amazing voice echoing around the auditorium.
“These friends keep talkin' way too much.
Say I should give you up.
Can't hear them no, 'cause I
I've been here all night.
I've been here all day.
And boy, got me walkin' side to side.
I've been here all night.
I've been here all day.
And boy, got me walkin' side to side.”
Wow, she sounds even more incredible live! I smiled. The music stopped and she turned to talk to her dancers, pointing to sections of the stage. I watched her intently, completely in awe of her. I could feel Harry’s eyes on me but I didn’t dare look at him. I knew he was smirking and that would make me blush as red as a tomato. And I didn’t want to have a red face when I met Ariana Grande.
“Ariana!” Harry cried from beside me, walking onto the stage with a smile. The brown-eyed beauty looked in his direction and grinned, abandoning her dancers, who all scattered as they were not needed anymore. She walked up to him and they shared a quick hug. They talked for a few moments before Harry brought Ariana over to me.
“Ariana, this is Kaylie Walker, one of my girls. She’s a big fan of yours.” He said.
“Hi.” I choked out. Ariana wasn’t just an amazing singer. She was a beautiful young woman with flawless olive skin and pretty pink lips. Her new hair suited her very well and I was so shocked she was standing right in front of me. She had big heels on her feet, making her a little bit taller than me, but she had a small perfect stature.
“Oh, yeah! I saw your audition. I was so honoured that you sung Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart. You did a great job.” Ariana said, her American accent very foreign to me. But I didn’t care about that. I cared about that she had complimented me on my audition. I didn’t even know what to say so instead, tears bloomed in my eyes.
“You look like you’re crying. Please don’t cry, no!” Ariana gasped and gave me a hug, wrapping her arms around my neck. I was so shocked that it took me a good full 10 seconds to hug her back. I looked over her shoulder to see Harry smiling, his arms folded as he watched Ariana and I embrace. She let me go and smiled.
“Sorry, I’m just…I idolise you a lot.” I said.
“That’s so sweet of you to say. I love my fans and you’ve just shown why I do.” She smiled. I rubbed my hands together as Harry came to stand beside Ariana.
“How’s the sound check going so far?” He asked.
“Good. I’m excited to perform tonight. It’ll be weird to sing the song without Nicki but I’ll make do.” She answered. After giving both Harry and I another hug, Ariana called her dancers back and her sound check continued. I waved goodbye, still so shocked I had met her.
I walked with Harry back to his dressing room, still giddy with excitement. Having Ariana compliment had given me an extra boost of confidence. To hear international superstars like her say I had done a great job, it was the best motivation I could ever get. And Harry was always there by my side, helping me find the self-belief I needed.
“Don’t be nervous, angel. You’ll be fine tonight, I know it.” Harry reassured me as he flopped down on the couch, stretching his long skinny jean-clad legs out and resting his back against the armrest of the couch. He looked so beautiful, just lying there, ready to be taken. Kaylie, stop having inappropriate thoughts! Stop it! I scolded myself. I looked at him and nodded, twiddling my fingers with one another. My phone buzzed from the back pocket of my jeans and I saw it was a text from Alicia.
From Alicia: Where are you?! We need to talk, Kaylie!
I pressed my lips together and sent her a reply.
To Alicia: I’m on my way – meet you in the girls dressing room x
I put my phone back in my pocket and looked at Harry apologetically.
“I should go. There’s less than 3 hours to go until the show airs.”
“You can’t spare another ten minutes for me?” He asked.
“Oh, I wish but Alicia really wants to see me. You know her. She’ll flip if I keep her waiting any longer.”
“That’s Alicia alright. Can I at least have the pleasure of kissing you before you leave my presence?” He cocked an eyebrow at me as a smirk decorated his gloriously handsome face. God, he sounds like a royal prince! I couldn’t believe I was in the same room as him. In his private dressing room and he wanted to kiss me. Again.
I walked over to him and went down on my knees beside the couch. He swung his legs over and planted his booted feet on the floor. He looked down at me with kind green eyes and he stroked my cheek with his knuckles. Even just the brush of them set my skin aflame. Harry held my face in his hands and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine arduously. I sighed and leaned up, wrapping my fingers around his wrists as he kissed me. It was hard for me to break free from the contact of his lips because the way he tasted, it was so addictive. I could still taste the flavour of his lips afterwards, stinging my mouth with a poison that I loved.
I blew Harry a kiss before leaving his room as quickly as possible so no-one would spot me. I rushed to the Under 25 Girls dressing room and found Alicia sitting in one of the chairs in front of the horizontal mirror. She leapt up from her spot when I closed the door behind me.
“There you are!” She cried.
“Hi, Alicia.” I smiled.
“Oh My Lord, you look so flushed. What have you and Mr. Styles been doing?”
“Who says we’ve been doing anything?” I asked, dropping my handbag on the floor.
“Cut the shit, Kaylie. I want to know everything before Melody arrives.” Alicia demanded as we both sat down on the beige couch. I sighed and started to talk.
I didn’t tell her everything, obviously. I wanted to keep the relationship between Harry and I private as much as possible. She didn’t need to know the way my heart pounded when he kissed me or the way my skin shivered when he touched me. She didn’t need to know how amazing his hands felt in my hair or what the exact flavour of his warm lips were.
“So, celeb couple name?”
“Huh?” I asked.
“You two need a couple name. Like, uh, Karry or…Haylie. Haylie sounds great!” Alicia smiled, her eyes lighting up like she had just gotten the best idea ever. I burst out laughing and she laughed too. Honestly, I thought of Alicia as a sister. Having been surrounded by my brothers since the day I was born, it was wonderful to sit down with her and have girly chats like this. But there was one thing she had in common with my brothers. Teasing.
Lord, here we go.
0*0
I sat in the green room with the other contestants, dressed in my outfit for tonight (http://www.polyvore.com/kaylie_live_decider_week/set?id=208049382). My eyes were locked to the large TV screen on the wall as Dermot introduced Ariana to the stage for her performance of Side To Side.
She was amazing and that was just putting it mildly. The way she commanded the stage was incredible. That was what I needed to do if I was to be the artist I wanted to be. I needed to get the audience’s attention, entertain them and make them feel every kind of emotion. The One Direction boys could do that. Harry did that. All of them could. I had seen them perform with my own eyes and it had been astonishing to see them come alive on the stage. They really were born to be there. They were all global megastars and one of them liked me, hence the way he had been kissing me today. I smiled to myself as I remembered his kisses. How passionate they were but soft as well. Rough but emotional. The perfect mixture.
The roar of the audience brought me back to reality and I looked at the TV. Ariana had finished the song and she received a standing ovation. Naturally. Dermot told everyone that her album, Dangerous Woman, was out now and available to download on iTunes. I already had the physical album at home and the digital version on my phone so I was all set. Before the show went to a commercial break, Dermot said that the results would be spoken afterwards and the audience cheered. The show went to a break and I swallowed deeply. I was so nervous to find out if I had gotten through. The waiting was terrible; it only made me more anxious. I felt someone take my hand and I discovered it was Alicia, who was seated next to me.
Her outfit was just as beautiful as mine (http://www.polyvore.com/alicia_live_decider_week/set?id=208079062) and her hair and make-up was gorgeous. She squeezed my hand tightly and nodded at me. She didn’t need to say anything. I knew from the look in her eyes and the pressure of her hand on mine, she was saying “You’re going to be fine.” I nodded back at her just as crew members filed into the room, ready to get in position.
All of us met our mentors behind the stage. The women looked beautiful as usual and Simon scrubbed up well into a dark suit. I looked at Harry to see that he had changed from the clothes I had seen him in three hours ago. His suit was completely black with the jacket having some kind of gold embroidery over the sleeves and down the front. The dress shirt underneath was also black, buttoned up to his chest, showing a little bit of skin. The way the suit hugged his lean body should be illegal and the way his freshly-washed curls fell across his shoulders was breathtaking. He smiled when he saw us and my cheeks turned pink. Damn that smile and those dimples! I felt someone move past me and I saw it was Melody, heading straight for Harry, her dress flowing out behind her. (http://www.polyvore.com/melody_live_decider_week/set?id=208079339) I tried not to get jealous when he kissed her on the cheek and wrapped his arm around her waist. It’s just for walking out onto the stage. He thinks I’m beautiful. He’s kissed me. I reassured myself as Alicia and I walked over to him.
“Good evening, ladies.” Harry said with a smile.
“Hi, Harry.” Alicia replied as he kissed her cheek.
“Hi.” I squeaked and he leaned down to press his lips to my cheek. He kept them there for a little longer than he had done with the two other girls, which assured me once again that Harry liked me. He locked his other arm around my waist while I took Alicia’s hand in my free one as my left arm was around Harry’s waist. My dress was backless, showing all of my skin right down to the small of my back, so my skin shivered when I felt my mentor’s fingers graze over my back ever so gently. I knew he was doing on this purpose as his fingertips began to draw small circles on my skin. The contact sent my heart racing and I looked up at him, my eyes wide. He smirked and returned his hand to where it was before just as I heard Dermot speak.
“Welcome back to The X Factor Live Decider. Last night, your Top 12 gave performances to show the nation who they truly are. And now it’s time for the results. So please welcome your Top 12 with their mentors!”
The audience screamed as the large screen split in half, lights showering the stage. Dermot stepped the side as he introduced each category one by one.
“It’s Simon and his Under 25 Boys.”
They walked out.
“It’s Mel and her Groups.”
They left us to walk onto the stage.
“It’s Dannii and her Overs.”
They disappeared too. Then, it was our turn.
“And it’s Harry with his Under 25 Girls.” Dermot said. Harry’s arm tightened around my waist as we walked out onto the stage, descending the small steps slowly. I kept my hand locked in Alicia’s as I put a smile on my face, looking at the audience. Girls in the front screamed when they saw Harry but what else was new? We stopped walking and halted on the left-hand side of the stage. My hand let go of Alicia’s and my arm slid around her waist; she did the same thing. I didn’t even look at Melody. I didn’t want to see her face nor did I want to talk to her. Not when I was nervous about the results.
Dermot stood behind the judges’ desk with a large X Factor card in one hand and a microphone in the other.
“The votes have been counted and verified and remember, these results are in no particular order. The first act through to next week is…”
The audience began screaming out the names of the contestants, wanting them to be safe and through to the second week.
“Firefly!”
The girl group went crazy and Mel hugged them before the four girls walked off the stage into the dark. The process was repeated when Robbie, one of the guys I had made friends with, got through. Simon gave him a hug and he hugged the two other boys in his category before joining Firefly down below the stage. The music was intense as we all waited for our names to be called out by Dermot.
“The third act through to the Top 11 is…Melody!”
I felt Alicia’s arm stiffen around my waist and my heart sank. Queen Bitch is going to be around for another week. Harry let go of me momentarily to give Melody a hug. Both Alicia and I reluctantly gave Melody a hug and she walked off the stage (on our side) with a smile, blowing a kiss to the audience. Alicia walked around and took Melody’s spot on Harry’s other side, his arm going around her waist.
I continued to wait to hear my name be called. But it didn’t happen. Another three acts went through and both Alicia and I were still standing with Harry.
“The seventh act guaranteed a spot in next week’s show is…Kaylie!”
The response from the crowd was incredible. I grinned widely as they screamed and cheered for me. I turned to Harry just as he wrapped his arms around me in a hug.
“I told you you’d be fine.” He whispered in my ear, inaudible to everyone else. I rubbed his back and smiled to myself. I was safe. I am through to the Top 11! I let him go and hugged Alicia. I sincerely hoped she would get through too. I couldn’t bare for it to just be me and Melody. That would be an absolute nightmare.
As I walked off the stage, I heard Michael scream my name out from the audience. I laughed as I joined Melody, not even looking at her. I was safe and I wouldn’t let her dampen my spirits with a look or a comment.
I kept my fingers crossed for Alicia, holding them behind my back. I knew she was nervous. She didn’t look like it on her exterior but that was a façade. She was nervous and I knew she didn’t want to go home. She loved performing and she had become one of my closest friends. And she was extremely talented. It would be terrible to have her eliminated in the first week.
“The nine act through to the Top 11 is…Alicia!”
I cheered along with everyone else as she hugged Harry, swaying from side-to-side. I applauded and smiled. Alicia’s safe. I was so happy.
“Congratulations, Harry. Your three girls are through to next week.” Dermot said as Alicia walked off the stage, followed by Harry. She ran straight into my arms and our hug was warm and tight. We giggled together, knowing both of us would be here to perform next week. At least, I didn’t have to deal with Queen Bitch on my own.
“Great job, ladies.” Harry said to us and we smiled widely. Alicia and I released our hug but our arms remained linked together. I could see a flare of anger in Melody’s eyes but did I give a fuck? No. No, I did not. This had been a perfect day. I had been kissed by Harry again, I had met Ariana Grande and both Alicia and I were in the Top 11 of The X Factor 2016. I wouldn’t change anything. I was happy and no-one was going to break my happiness. Not tonight.
Sunday, 25th September
I woke up the next day with the biggest smile on my face. My eyes glistened as I looked at myself in the mirror, running my fingers across my lips, remembering Harry’s mouth on them. It gave me shivers. But they were very good shivers.
After I got dressed and did my make-up for the day (http://www.polyvore.com/kaylie_day_after_week/set?id=207969683), my phone buzzed with a new text. It was from my mentor again. I could control my excitement as I opened it.
From Harry: Good morning, angel. How are you feeling about tonight?
He’s still calling me “angel”! I was so giddy, it was ridiculous. I had experienced crushes before. I had been kissed before. But never in this way. Not everybody could say that Harry Styles had kissed them. I was a lucky girl to even remember the taste of his lips but I wasn’t going to brag about it. The moment it got out, everything would go downhill and the public would think that Harry only put me through because he fancied me. I knew that wasn’t the case. He told me he had talent and he wasn’t the judge to put someone through just because he liked them in a romantic way. He was too sweet to do that.
To Harry: Morning, Harry :) I’m a little nervous.
The reason I was nervous because tonight was the first live decider and one contestant would be eliminated from the competition. Like everyone else, I didn’t want to be that contestant. I had just started to find myself and enjoy my time with Harry. I didn’t want to go home now. My phone buzzed again, breaking me out of my anxious thoughts.
From Harry: You’ll be fine, angel. Do you want to know which musician is performing tonight?
His reassurance was honestly the sweetest thing. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear as I typed back a reply.
To Harry: Thank you :) Yes, please!
Immediately, I got a response.
From Harry: You’re welcome. One of your favourite artists, I believe…Ariana Grande.
Ariana Grande is performing tonight?! Harry was right. She was one of my favourite artists. Her voice was amazing and her career was something that inspired me. I mean, I sang one of her songs for my audition. I couldn’t believe that she was going to be at the studios tonight. Ariana was an international megastar and I was going to be in the same building as her. Does that mean…I’ll get to meet her? I decided to asked Harry.
To Harry: Are you serious? Oh, wow! Will I get to meet her?
From Harry: Yes, I am serious. I will definitely introduce you to her. Can’t let my angel not meet one of her idols :)
I bit my lip and smiled. I was going to meet Ariana Grande. First, I met Harry Styles. Then, I met Niall Horan. And now, there’s another person I idolise I was going to have the pleasure of seeing in the flesh. How am I so lucky? I shook my head in disbelief.
To Harry: I can’t wait! I’m so excited to meet her!
From Harry: I know you are. See you soon, angel x
To Harry: OK, bye, Harry x
I clutched my phone in my hand and placed it against my chest. What has my life come to? I was performing in the live shows. My mentor was Harry Styles. He kissed me last night. More than once, might I add. And I was going to meet Ariana Grande. I seriously felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
I decided it was time to go downstairs and get my breakfast. I bounded down the stairs happily and walked into the dining room to see my entire family already there. My father was sitting in his usual spot, at the head of the table, with the morning newspaper in his hands, while my mother sat beside him, drinking a cup of coffee. My plethora of brothers stared at me when they saw me.
“Why are your cheeks so pink?” Reece laughed.
“Jesus, you look too happy!” Connor said.
“You feeling OK, Kaylie?” Michael asked.
I was bombarded by their statements. I reassured them that I was just fine as I went into the open kitchen to get myself a glass of water and pull the butter and jam out of the fridge. As I buttered my bread, I looked up to see my whole family staring at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Boys, I think your sister’s been kissed.” My father smirked. My mouth fell open but I closed it quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“Dad!” I cried. He placed his newspaper down and pointed his index finger at me, clearing his throat.
“Well, you have been. Look at her!”
I looked down and put all of my attention on buttering my bread. I swallowed deeply as my brothers caught on with our father.
“Oh My God, she so has!” Connor agreed.
“Who kissed you?” That was Reece.
“When?” Michael asked, clearing wanting me to answer. I cleared my throat and finished buttering my bread and swiped jam over the top. I grabbed the butter and the jam and placed it back in the fridge while I dumped the dirty knife in the sink. I hid my face behind the door of the fridge as I heard my mother speak.
“Boys, out, please.”
“Mum!” Reece groaned.
“All of you, now.” She demanded. I heard the creaking of chairs as they were pushed out and the padding of feet on the floorboards. I closed the fridge door and stood up to my full height. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked to my right to see my mother.
“Thanks, Mum, for getting rid of them.” I said.
“I could see you didn’t want to talk with your brothers about the subject.” She replied. I nodded. She was right. Talking about kissing with my brothers wasn’t my favourite thing to do. It was so embarrassing. It was fine for them, they loved to tease me. Both Michael and Connor had girlfriends but Reece was a single pringle. Just like me.
“So?” My mother raised her eyebrows at me.
“So what?” I asked, walking over to the counter where my butter-and-jam-covered bread was.
“Have you been kissed?”
Oh, God, here we go! I silently took a bite of my bread and sighed, running my fingers through my hair at the scalp, moving strands off my forehead. I looked at my mother as I chewed my food and a smirk pulled at my lips. I didn’t need to give her a verbal answer. She knew. Therefore, she smiled at me and placed her hands on my upper arms.
“That’s wonderful, sweetie! Who kissed you?”
“I think you know who, Mum.” I said and continued to eat my bread. I blushed again and saw that my father was still sitting at the table. It was only my brothers my mother had sent away. He drained his cup of coffee and rose from his seat, coming into the kitchen as well.
“Was it a certain Mr. Styles, love?” He grinned subtly when he placed his empty cup in the sink. I licked my lips and my gaze darted from my father to my mother. I slowly nodded and finished my breakfast, placing my plate in the sink too, joining the dirty cutlery and cups.
“Is that why it took you so long to meet us after the show last night?” My father asked me.
“Yeah, it was. I was saying goodbye to him and he just…” I stopped myself. They didn’t need to know the rest. They didn’t need to know the thoughts I had in my head that had been born from the feeling of Harry’s kisses. That was private, locked away in my mind for my pleasure only.
“I wondered why your cheeks were so pink, sweetie. You were flushed.” My mother said.
“And you looked like a girl who had just been kissed. Very passionately.” My father smirked. I gently prodded his chest with my fist, all with a smile, and he chuckled, pressing a kiss to my head. He had to go to work but promised he would be in the audience again tonight. He gently pecked my mother’s cheek, grabbed his coat off the back of his chair, and left, waving goodbye.
“So how are you and Harry going to go about your relationship now?” My mother asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, I like him. A lot. And he seems to like me. But we can’t go kissing and flirting around the place. Our relationship is supposed to be professional. I haven’t asked him anything because I was in a rush last night to meet you at the car. I didn’t have any time.” I said.
“If he kissed you, sweetie, of course he likes you. I just want you to be careful.”
“I will, Mum.” I nodded.
“Have you told anyone else?” She inquired. I shook my head. And then, I remembered Alicia. I had promised her she would be the first person I would tell if Harry kissed me. Shit, she’s going to kill me! I needed to tell her now. Before I saw her today. She would lose it if I waited so long to tell her.
“I’m going to go back up to my room. I have to be at the studios by 4 o’clock. Can you drop me off?”
“Of course, sweetie.” My mother said with a smile and kissed my forehead. I left her presence and walked out of the kitchen, through the dining room and into the hallway. As I passed the living room, my brothers rushed out to interrogate me.
“We heard everything!” Connor grinned.
“How good of a kisser is Harry Styles?” Reece asked.
“Does my little sister have a crush?” Michael said.
I sighed and headed towards the staircase. I didn’t want to deal with them right now because I knew the teasing would never stop. They were boys and they were my brothers. I was the only girl, they loved to pick on me ever since I was a damn toddler. And it wasn’t going to stop now.
“Yes, he kissed me.”
That was all I said. I began to walk up the stairs but my brothers weren’t having it. They wanted to know more.
“Wait! That’s all you’re going to tell us?” Reece groaned.
“Yes! You don’t need to know anything else! I have to mentally prepare for tonight so could you guys just leave me in peace?” I turned around and walked up the stairs, hearing Michael’s voice chase after me.
“Prepare yourself to see Harry again?” He chuckled. I didn’t respond and rushed into my room, locking the door. I didn’t want anyone barging in. I picked up my phone, which I had left on my bed, and clicked on Alicia’s name. She was at the very top of my contacts, seeing as her first name started with the first letter of the alphabet. I pressed my phone to my ear and waited. After three rings, she picked up.
Kaylie! Morning!
“Hey, Alicia.” I smiled.
To what do I owe this pleasure, girl?
I chuckled at her question.
“Well…I’ve got to tell you something.”
Spill. Alicia demanded. I padded over to the full-length mirror next to my wardrobe and stared at my reflection. In my eyes, I wasn’t as beautiful as Harry thought I was. I didn’t find myself that attractive. I looked ordinary. Brown eyes, my lips were a little bit out of proportion in terms of size and I wasn’t that tall. What does Harry see in me?
Oi, I’m waiting!
“Sorry, Alicia. Um…last night, after the show, Harry-”
He kissed you, didn’t he?! She screamed down the phone line so loud that I had to pull the phone away from my ear for a couple of moments.
“Jesus! You’re so loud.”
Can you blame me?! I told you! I told you he fancied you!
“Yes, you were right. I should’ve believed you.” I sighed.
Yes, you should have! Please tell me you haven’t told anyone else?
“Uh…”
You have, haven’t you?
“Not on purpose! I was blushing when I came downstairs this morning and my dad figured it out. They all asked me so many questions, I couldn’t lie to them.” I explained. I heard Alicia sigh and I could imagine her blue eyes full of understanding but yet, mockingly offended.
Could you have, you know, not blushed?
“Alicia, who’s your celebrity crush?” I asked, sitting down on the edge of my bed.
Why?
“Just answer my question.”
Dylan O’Brien.
“Really?” I laughed.
What? She grumbled.
“Nothing. It was just…unexpected from you.”
Whatever.
“So say Dylan O’Brien kissed you last night and you woke up this morning with the hugest smile on your face, would you be able to stop blushing from the memory of being kissed by him?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
Uh…no. No, probably not.
“Now you understand why I couldn’t stop blushing, Alicia.” I stated firmly with a smile.
Well, it’s about time Harry kissed you. I noticed all the looks he’s been giving you since Bootcamp. Did you give him a boner? I heard her giggle.
“No! No, I did not! We just kissed! And you’ve got to keep quiet about this.” I said sternly.
I know. But hey, can you imagine the look on Melody’s face when she finds out?
And in that moment, I remembered Melody. Her threat at the photoshoot and our spat last night in the corridor. She was so amused by the thought of Harry liking me. And it turned out, he did like me. He had kissed me so sweetly and warmly, telling me exactly how he felt through the pressure of his lips. Melody would be so jealous if she found out about Harry and I. I would give anything to be there to see Melody’s expression when she discovered that Harry kissed me. I didn’t kiss Harry. He kissed me. As much as I wanted to see Melody’s face, I couldn’t tell anyone else. I had to make sure that my parents nor my brothers told anyone. The kiss was supposed to be personal anyway. Now, six more people knew about it apart from me and Harry.
“That sounds very tempting.” I laughed.
It so does. She’ll be fuming.
“I know. Hey, I’ll see you this afternoon.”
Sure, Kaylie. Bye.
That ended our conversation and I hung up, placing my phone in my lap. So, now Alicia knew. And I had to tell Vanessa and Marcus too. They would murder me in my sleep if they found out from someone else. Marcus would be jealous as fuck because he had a huge crush on Harry but he would be happy for me. He’d kill for me, he had said that to me many times. And Vanessa, she would lose it and hug me so tightly. I counted myself lucky to have such amazing friends and a wonderful family. And now, I had been kissed by my crush. I was on cloud nine and no-one could break my happiness. Not even Melody.
0*0
I walked into the studios by myself. My family had dropped me off and were going to grab something to eat before coming back and getting into their seats for the show. It was nice and warm inside so I took my jacket off and hung it off my forearm. I adjusted my handbag on my left shoulder and waved at the receptionist; her name was Stacey. I decided to head to the Under 25 Girls dressing room, just to drop my stuff off. I walked down the empty corridor, draping all of my caramel hair down my right shoulder. As I did that, I heard the creak of a door followed by a hand grabbing my left arm. I gasped loudly as the hand pulled me inside a room I had never entered before.
Suddenly, my back was pressed against the wall and there was the sound of a man’s heaving breathing. I looked down and recognised the silver rings on the hand. I knew exactly who the hand belonged to. My gaze went up and then, I was looking into a pair of deep green eyes. I gasped again when he grabbed the back of my head with his free hand and kissed me roughly.
It was like he had been holding back this kiss yesterday. It was so much more passionate and sexy, like his life depended on this one kiss. I whimpered as he clutched my hair, his other hand resting on my waist, keeping our bodies together. I balled my hands on his chest and craned my neck up to deepen the kiss a little further. He clearly liked that and kissed me harder, making me elicit a small moan. I heard his deep chuckle and my heart melted. He pulled back and stroked my cheeks with his thumbs.
“I’ve missed you.” Harry smiled.
“You just saw me last night. And you texted me this morning.” I gazed up at him with the same smile. He sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, running his fingertip along my jawline gently.
“You’re all I’ve thought about for the past 16 hours and…” He looked over his shoulder at the clock on the wall above the desk and horizontal mirror.
“32 minutes.” He smirked, turning back to gaze at me.
“Such a charmer, aren’t you, Mr. Styles?”
“Always, Miss Walker.” Harry whispered and pecked my lips again. The kiss immediately became more heated as his warm breath flooded inside my mouth. I ran my hands up his chest and wrapped my fingers around the sides of his neck, underneath his curls. I lost myself in his hold and relished the feeling of our mouths moving together perfectly, like they had always meant to. His arms went around my waist, pulling me up against his body as his tongue swept across my top lip, enticing me. I locked my arms around his neck and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him more. Harry chuckled again and kissed the corner of my mouth sweetly.
“So eager, angel.” He smirked.
“You’re making me eager.” I replied bluntly and rested my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him. To be honest, I had missed him too. I had missed things I never thought I would miss. The scent of his cologne, the softness of his hair, his raspy voice, the sound of his breathing, the touch of his fingertips. All of these things made me want to be around him for as long as possible. I craved his caresses and his kisses. But I never thought he would miss me. I was nothing special. At least, I didn’t see anything special about myself. I was just a normal 18-year-old with a happy love for life. That was nothing special.
“You want to meet Ariana?”
I looked up from his chest and nodded enthusiastically.
“You’re cute when you’re excited.” He laughed.
“Can I meet her now?” I asked.
“She’s doing sound check for her performance tonight but we can go and watch her, if you want.”
“I would love to! Let’s go.” I released my arms from around him and walked towards the closed door. I was just about to open it when Harry grabbed my hand, threading his fingers with mine. The contact of his skin on mine sent butterflies racing inside my stomach. I licked my lips and looked at him innocently.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
“No. Just…kiss me.”
“And you say I’m the eager one.” I laughed. I loved flirting with him. Now that I could, it made me feel free. I didn’t have to worry about scaring Harry off. Because he was flirting with me too now. This crush was just growing and growing. And I loved it.
“Come here, angel.” Harry smiled and tugged on my hand, pulling me to him. He cut off my giggle with a strong kiss that left me breathless. I gripped the collar of his black dress shirt, that was covered in white polka dots, while my other hand pulled on his long curls, returning the passion of his kiss. When we broke free, he pressed his lips to the back of my hand before letting it go. He opened the door and walked out first. I stepped out behind him and closed the door.
We walked down the corridor together and in under a minute, we reached the large auditorium. Sure enough, the one and only Ariana Grande was standing on the stage, surrounded by half a dozen dancers. Her long hair was done up in a high ponytail, letting her bangs fall across her forehead. She looked gorgeous in her casual clothes (http://www.polyvore.com/ariana_sound_check/set?id=208039016) and she held a microphone in her hand, her amazing voice echoing around the auditorium.
“These friends keep talkin' way too much.
Say I should give you up.
Can't hear them no, 'cause I
I've been here all night.
I've been here all day.
And boy, got me walkin' side to side.
I've been here all night.
I've been here all day.
And boy, got me walkin' side to side.”
Wow, she sounds even more incredible live! I smiled. The music stopped and she turned to talk to her dancers, pointing to sections of the stage. I watched her intently, completely in awe of her. I could feel Harry’s eyes on me but I didn’t dare look at him. I knew he was smirking and that would make me blush as red as a tomato. And I didn’t want to have a red face when I met Ariana Grande.
“Ariana!” Harry cried from beside me, walking onto the stage with a smile. The brown-eyed beauty looked in his direction and grinned, abandoning her dancers, who all scattered as they were not needed anymore. She walked up to him and they shared a quick hug. They talked for a few moments before Harry brought Ariana over to me.
“Ariana, this is Kaylie Walker, one of my girls. She’s a big fan of yours.” He said.
“Hi.” I choked out. Ariana wasn’t just an amazing singer. She was a beautiful young woman with flawless olive skin and pretty pink lips. Her new hair suited her very well and I was so shocked she was standing right in front of me. She had big heels on her feet, making her a little bit taller than me, but she had a small perfect stature.
“Oh, yeah! I saw your audition. I was so honoured that you sung Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart. You did a great job.” Ariana said, her American accent very foreign to me. But I didn’t care about that. I cared about that she had complimented me on my audition. I didn’t even know what to say so instead, tears bloomed in my eyes.
“You look like you’re crying. Please don’t cry, no!” Ariana gasped and gave me a hug, wrapping her arms around my neck. I was so shocked that it took me a good full 10 seconds to hug her back. I looked over her shoulder to see Harry smiling, his arms folded as he watched Ariana and I embrace. She let me go and smiled.
“Sorry, I’m just…I idolise you a lot.” I said.
“That’s so sweet of you to say. I love my fans and you’ve just shown why I do.” She smiled. I rubbed my hands together as Harry came to stand beside Ariana.
“How’s the sound check going so far?” He asked.
“Good. I’m excited to perform tonight. It’ll be weird to sing the song without Nicki but I’ll make do.” She answered. After giving both Harry and I another hug, Ariana called her dancers back and her sound check continued. I waved goodbye, still so shocked I had met her.
I walked with Harry back to his dressing room, still giddy with excitement. Having Ariana compliment had given me an extra boost of confidence. To hear international superstars like her say I had done a great job, it was the best motivation I could ever get. And Harry was always there by my side, helping me find the self-belief I needed.
“Don’t be nervous, angel. You’ll be fine tonight, I know it.” Harry reassured me as he flopped down on the couch, stretching his long skinny jean-clad legs out and resting his back against the armrest of the couch. He looked so beautiful, just lying there, ready to be taken. Kaylie, stop having inappropriate thoughts! Stop it! I scolded myself. I looked at him and nodded, twiddling my fingers with one another. My phone buzzed from the back pocket of my jeans and I saw it was a text from Alicia.
From Alicia: Where are you?! We need to talk, Kaylie!
I pressed my lips together and sent her a reply.
To Alicia: I’m on my way – meet you in the girls dressing room x
I put my phone back in my pocket and looked at Harry apologetically.
“I should go. There’s less than 3 hours to go until the show airs.”
“You can’t spare another ten minutes for me?” He asked.
“Oh, I wish but Alicia really wants to see me. You know her. She’ll flip if I keep her waiting any longer.”
“That’s Alicia alright. Can I at least have the pleasure of kissing you before you leave my presence?” He cocked an eyebrow at me as a smirk decorated his gloriously handsome face. God, he sounds like a royal prince! I couldn’t believe I was in the same room as him. In his private dressing room and he wanted to kiss me. Again.
I walked over to him and went down on my knees beside the couch. He swung his legs over and planted his booted feet on the floor. He looked down at me with kind green eyes and he stroked my cheek with his knuckles. Even just the brush of them set my skin aflame. Harry held my face in his hands and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine arduously. I sighed and leaned up, wrapping my fingers around his wrists as he kissed me. It was hard for me to break free from the contact of his lips because the way he tasted, it was so addictive. I could still taste the flavour of his lips afterwards, stinging my mouth with a poison that I loved.
I blew Harry a kiss before leaving his room as quickly as possible so no-one would spot me. I rushed to the Under 25 Girls dressing room and found Alicia sitting in one of the chairs in front of the horizontal mirror. She leapt up from her spot when I closed the door behind me.
“There you are!” She cried.
“Hi, Alicia.” I smiled.
“Oh My Lord, you look so flushed. What have you and Mr. Styles been doing?”
“Who says we’ve been doing anything?” I asked, dropping my handbag on the floor.
“Cut the shit, Kaylie. I want to know everything before Melody arrives.” Alicia demanded as we both sat down on the beige couch. I sighed and started to talk.
I didn’t tell her everything, obviously. I wanted to keep the relationship between Harry and I private as much as possible. She didn’t need to know the way my heart pounded when he kissed me or the way my skin shivered when he touched me. She didn’t need to know how amazing his hands felt in my hair or what the exact flavour of his warm lips were.
“So, celeb couple name?”
“Huh?” I asked.
“You two need a couple name. Like, uh, Karry or…Haylie. Haylie sounds great!” Alicia smiled, her eyes lighting up like she had just gotten the best idea ever. I burst out laughing and she laughed too. Honestly, I thought of Alicia as a sister. Having been surrounded by my brothers since the day I was born, it was wonderful to sit down with her and have girly chats like this. But there was one thing she had in common with my brothers. Teasing.
Lord, here we go.
0*0
I sat in the green room with the other contestants, dressed in my outfit for tonight (http://www.polyvore.com/kaylie_live_decider_week/set?id=208049382). My eyes were locked to the large TV screen on the wall as Dermot introduced Ariana to the stage for her performance of Side To Side.
She was amazing and that was just putting it mildly. The way she commanded the stage was incredible. That was what I needed to do if I was to be the artist I wanted to be. I needed to get the audience’s attention, entertain them and make them feel every kind of emotion. The One Direction boys could do that. Harry did that. All of them could. I had seen them perform with my own eyes and it had been astonishing to see them come alive on the stage. They really were born to be there. They were all global megastars and one of them liked me, hence the way he had been kissing me today. I smiled to myself as I remembered his kisses. How passionate they were but soft as well. Rough but emotional. The perfect mixture.
The roar of the audience brought me back to reality and I looked at the TV. Ariana had finished the song and she received a standing ovation. Naturally. Dermot told everyone that her album, Dangerous Woman, was out now and available to download on iTunes. I already had the physical album at home and the digital version on my phone so I was all set. Before the show went to a commercial break, Dermot said that the results would be spoken afterwards and the audience cheered. The show went to a break and I swallowed deeply. I was so nervous to find out if I had gotten through. The waiting was terrible; it only made me more anxious. I felt someone take my hand and I discovered it was Alicia, who was seated next to me.
Her outfit was just as beautiful as mine (http://www.polyvore.com/alicia_live_decider_week/set?id=208079062) and her hair and make-up was gorgeous. She squeezed my hand tightly and nodded at me. She didn’t need to say anything. I knew from the look in her eyes and the pressure of her hand on mine, she was saying “You’re going to be fine.” I nodded back at her just as crew members filed into the room, ready to get in position.
All of us met our mentors behind the stage. The women looked beautiful as usual and Simon scrubbed up well into a dark suit. I looked at Harry to see that he had changed from the clothes I had seen him in three hours ago. His suit was completely black with the jacket having some kind of gold embroidery over the sleeves and down the front. The dress shirt underneath was also black, buttoned up to his chest, showing a little bit of skin. The way the suit hugged his lean body should be illegal and the way his freshly-washed curls fell across his shoulders was breathtaking. He smiled when he saw us and my cheeks turned pink. Damn that smile and those dimples! I felt someone move past me and I saw it was Melody, heading straight for Harry, her dress flowing out behind her. (http://www.polyvore.com/melody_live_decider_week/set?id=208079339) I tried not to get jealous when he kissed her on the cheek and wrapped his arm around her waist. It’s just for walking out onto the stage. He thinks I’m beautiful. He’s kissed me. I reassured myself as Alicia and I walked over to him.
“Good evening, ladies.” Harry said with a smile.
“Hi, Harry.” Alicia replied as he kissed her cheek.
“Hi.” I squeaked and he leaned down to press his lips to my cheek. He kept them there for a little longer than he had done with the two other girls, which assured me once again that Harry liked me. He locked his other arm around my waist while I took Alicia’s hand in my free one as my left arm was around Harry’s waist. My dress was backless, showing all of my skin right down to the small of my back, so my skin shivered when I felt my mentor’s fingers graze over my back ever so gently. I knew he was doing on this purpose as his fingertips began to draw small circles on my skin. The contact sent my heart racing and I looked up at him, my eyes wide. He smirked and returned his hand to where it was before just as I heard Dermot speak.
“Welcome back to The X Factor Live Decider. Last night, your Top 12 gave performances to show the nation who they truly are. And now it’s time for the results. So please welcome your Top 12 with their mentors!”
The audience screamed as the large screen split in half, lights showering the stage. Dermot stepped the side as he introduced each category one by one.
“It’s Simon and his Under 25 Boys.”
They walked out.
“It’s Mel and her Groups.”
They left us to walk onto the stage.
“It’s Dannii and her Overs.”
They disappeared too. Then, it was our turn.
“And it’s Harry with his Under 25 Girls.” Dermot said. Harry’s arm tightened around my waist as we walked out onto the stage, descending the small steps slowly. I kept my hand locked in Alicia’s as I put a smile on my face, looking at the audience. Girls in the front screamed when they saw Harry but what else was new? We stopped walking and halted on the left-hand side of the stage. My hand let go of Alicia’s and my arm slid around her waist; she did the same thing. I didn’t even look at Melody. I didn’t want to see her face nor did I want to talk to her. Not when I was nervous about the results.
Dermot stood behind the judges’ desk with a large X Factor card in one hand and a microphone in the other.
“The votes have been counted and verified and remember, these results are in no particular order. The first act through to next week is…”
The audience began screaming out the names of the contestants, wanting them to be safe and through to the second week.
“Firefly!”
The girl group went crazy and Mel hugged them before the four girls walked off the stage into the dark. The process was repeated when Robbie, one of the guys I had made friends with, got through. Simon gave him a hug and he hugged the two other boys in his category before joining Firefly down below the stage. The music was intense as we all waited for our names to be called out by Dermot.
“The third act through to the Top 11 is…Melody!”
I felt Alicia’s arm stiffen around my waist and my heart sank. Queen Bitch is going to be around for another week. Harry let go of me momentarily to give Melody a hug. Both Alicia and I reluctantly gave Melody a hug and she walked off the stage (on our side) with a smile, blowing a kiss to the audience. Alicia walked around and took Melody’s spot on Harry’s other side, his arm going around her waist.
I continued to wait to hear my name be called. But it didn’t happen. Another three acts went through and both Alicia and I were still standing with Harry.
“The seventh act guaranteed a spot in next week’s show is…Kaylie!”
The response from the crowd was incredible. I grinned widely as they screamed and cheered for me. I turned to Harry just as he wrapped his arms around me in a hug.
“I told you you’d be fine.” He whispered in my ear, inaudible to everyone else. I rubbed his back and smiled to myself. I was safe. I am through to the Top 11! I let him go and hugged Alicia. I sincerely hoped she would get through too. I couldn’t bare for it to just be me and Melody. That would be an absolute nightmare.
As I walked off the stage, I heard Michael scream my name out from the audience. I laughed as I joined Melody, not even looking at her. I was safe and I wouldn’t let her dampen my spirits with a look or a comment.
I kept my fingers crossed for Alicia, holding them behind my back. I knew she was nervous. She didn’t look like it on her exterior but that was a façade. She was nervous and I knew she didn’t want to go home. She loved performing and she had become one of my closest friends. And she was extremely talented. It would be terrible to have her eliminated in the first week.
“The nine act through to the Top 11 is…Alicia!”
I cheered along with everyone else as she hugged Harry, swaying from side-to-side. I applauded and smiled. Alicia’s safe. I was so happy.
“Congratulations, Harry. Your three girls are through to next week.” Dermot said as Alicia walked off the stage, followed by Harry. She ran straight into my arms and our hug was warm and tight. We giggled together, knowing both of us would be here to perform next week. At least, I didn’t have to deal with Queen Bitch on my own.
“Great job, ladies.” Harry said to us and we smiled widely. Alicia and I released our hug but our arms remained linked together. I could see a flare of anger in Melody’s eyes but did I give a fuck? No. No, I did not. This had been a perfect day. I had been kissed by Harry again, I had met Ariana Grande and both Alicia and I were in the Top 11 of The X Factor 2016. I wouldn’t change anything. I was happy and no-one was going to break my happiness. Not tonight.
Notes
Long chapter, wow! Please tell me if this is too long for you because I can shorten chapters in the future!
So…I watched the film Lights Out last night so I had a lot of trouble trying to sleep in the dark :P
And can I just say, I love writing Alicia’s character! She’s based off one of my closest friends and I know she would react exactly like Alicia in these situations! I’m hyped up on all these Haylie feels, I’m having so much fun writing this story!
blankspace1 xx
We’re dying for an update here. I love it. <3
11/19/17