Amp It Up (X Factor, Niall Horan, One Direction Love Story)

Thanks for reading, and her dress is on the side!

It took me several hours to get up Monday morning, I was nearly late to the announcements. In fact, I was the last one into the very crowded and noisy room, and managed to steal a seat in the back near Alana.

Simon was talking about people needing to be more quiet and respectful of others, and then his assistants handed out our weekly schedules. I was looking at mine when Simon spoke again.

“Guys, it's Rock week.”

I looked up from my schedule for the day, interested. Simon suddenly rapped on the table he was standing at to get everyone's attention.

“I SAID, it's ROCK WEEK,” Simon bellowed, and all conversation ceased.

“For all of you, the group songs will be this.” Simon began reading from a paper, and this time I noticed that it was girls and boys mixed.

“'Ey! Wha' the 'ell is goin' on here!” A burly, red haired man yelled. “Ya got it mixed up, lad! The lasses are this week, not us!''

I noticed the Irish accent with a grin, and Alana nudged me with a smirk on her face. I glared at her and looked back at Simon.

“This week it's boys and girls,” Simon replied evenly. “We're mixing it up a little, as it'll be hard for some of you to find a song. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to do some paperwork.”

Simon turned and left the dead silent room. As soon as the door closed, people started yelling and trying to find who they were with.

I checked my schedule, and found Ryan Debark and Conan O'Malley. I searched around the room franticly as people were paring up, Ryan found me right away.

“Know where Conan O'Malley is?” I asked. Ryan shook his head and looked around for anyone who looked like a Conan.

The room slowly emptied out until it was just five people, all of us looking at the other.

“Jamie?” One said. A girl nodded. “Hailey?” A blond haired guy asked. Another girl nodded. They all turned and left the room, leaving us with the red haired man who'd yelled before.

“Are you Conan?” I asked politely.

“Depends, lass, are you a Ryan or a Kelly?” He asked. I laughed and smiled at the man. He was a gentle giant, with a deep, booming voice. I vaguely remembered seeing him preform.

“I'm Kelly, this is Ryan.” I replied. I shook his hand, then Conan shook Ryan's.

“I wasn't sure if it was all lads or not, I've known a lot of Kelly's in my time.” Conan spoke as we made our way down the hallways.

“Well, I'm a girl,” I replied. “Isn't Kelly a Irish name?”

Conan nodded. “Mainly a last name, or used for boys. You American?”

I nodded. “I moved here last year, I live with my Gran.”

He nodded, Ryan being oddly quiet. I stepped by to let Conan go through the door of a practice room first, and Ryan gripped my arm and pulled me back.

“So, Natalie cornered me last night.” He said quietly.

“And?” I asked.

“She wants us to go on a double date tonight.” Ryan said, his eyes searching mine. I nodded. “We'll talk about it later. You play drums, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He replied unsure. I dragged him through the doorway to a waiting Conan. The big man smiled at me, and I grinned back.

“Okay, so do either of you know what to sing?” I asked. They both shook their heads.

“I'm more of a folk music lover.” Conan shrugged.

“I like rock but I can't really call to mind anythin'” Ryan replied. He sat on the stool for the drum set and twirled around aimlessly.

“Well, where I'm from the only things to listen to are Rock and Country music, so that should help.” I informed them.

“You might just be a gold bank love.” Conan told me. I grinned at him again, he was just a happy looking man, with his bright blue eyes and orange hair.

“Maybe,” I replied. “Now, do y'all like the sound of Areosmith or Journey better?”

Ryan and Conan stared at me blankly.

“Isn't Areosmith that band with the guy who has a really big mouth?” Ryan asked. I face palmed.

“That's Steven Tyler, Ry.” I snapped.

My mind was drawing a blank, I couldn't think of any songs, even though my phone was full of them.

My phone.

I pulled it out and began going through my play lists.

“Stairway To Heaven, Led Zeppelin?” I asked. Ryan shook his head. “I know that one, but it's not really got the right sound for us, ya know?”

I rubbed my temples furiously, then went back to my phone.

“Living On A Prayer?”

They shook their heads. I scrolled through my phone even more, then grinned at the next one.

“It's. My. Life.” I stated. Ryan and Conan looked skeptical at first, but I played the song for them. Then, with grins on their faces, we all got to work.

~ ~ ~

Natalie bounced into the room wearing a red and cream mini dress with nude heels, her hair curled to perfection. I winced at the door banging against the wall, I had a head ache from staying up late the night before, singing with Ryan and Conan.

“Hello, Natalie.” I muttered. She gave me a hug that was surprisingly warm, then hugged Ryan and bounced away, her high heels clicking.

“Where are we going, Nat?” Ryan asked.

“Some restaurant Darren knows about. They've got a karaoke bar, I thought you'd like it!” Natalie beamed.

Ryan looked at her with a mixture of dislike and enthrallment on his face. I mentally rolled my eyes, then expectantly opened the door to my room and gestured for them to step out so I could change.

Yesterday, Natalie had taken me shopping.

Yeah, me, shopping. But I actually enjoyed it, and in the process I signed my very first autograph.

A girl and her boyfriend had approached me and asked for it and a picture, and I'd signed it after getting over the shock. It was weird, being recognized.

We'd talked to the girl, Karen, and her boyfriend, Joey, for a few minutes before we'd headed off to get our nails done. I hadn't done that in a while, and it felt good to get pampered.

All the while, Natalie and I talked. She surprisingly wasn't bad. She wasn't the stuck up brat I'd thought her to be at our first meeting, I could honestly see how Ryan had fallen in love her.

They liked almost all of the same things, and she was actually pretty tomboyish in some respects. She had me in stitches over a story she'd told me about Ryan answering the door in his boxers when she had brought her mother over to meet him for the first time.

She'd also insisted on paying for nearly all my purchases, except for food, which I beat her at. We'd been talking and laughing at Starbucks when I'd mentioned Darren, and the reaction was instantaneous.

Her eyes had widened, she'd looked away, and then she'd started playing with the ring on her finger. Which, I noted, was her left hand ring finger.

It was only later when I'd gone back to my room and collapsed on my bed with my shopping bags that I'd realized.

I grinned.

She'd kept her engagement ring.

~ ~ ~

“I love this place!” Ryan crowed, throwing back another drink. I smiled at him, then squirmed uncomfortably. The dress I was wearing was comfortable, but my heels wern't.

Natalie waved down the waiter and ordered another round of drinks. I declined mine, and I noticed that Darren did the same.

“Not much for drinking, Darren?” I asked. He shook his head and looked back up at the forty something man that was crooning into the microphone about forgotten love. Or, trying to croon. I'd heard walruses with better voices, and I was being generous.

I snorted at the thought of the man on stage as a walrus. Natalie grinned at me, obviously tipsy. I smiled back, and was about to ask her about her shoes when she grabbed Ryan's hand.

“Come on baby, let's go sing!” She exclaimed. “THAT'S A AWESOME IDEA!” Ryan cried, finishing off his drink. He slammed it back on the table and dragged Natalie toward the karaoke bar.

Leaving me with Darren.

The awkwardness of that moment was unbearable. I fiddled with my fork, and when the food came a few minutes alter I started in on my chips and burger.

“I'd like to apologize for the way I spoke to you a few weeks ago.” Darren said suddenly.

I had just taken a huge bite of my hamburger and started choking.

A minute later, after I'd gulped my Coke down quickly and rubbed the tears in my eyes away, Darren spoke again.

“Well?” He asked expectantly. I raised an eyebrow at him and held a finger up as I swallowed again, then drank more Coke.

“Apology excepted,” I replied finally, “And I owe you an apology as well.”

“Don't mention it.” Darren replied.

And just like that, we were neutral.

He sat back against the booth and pulled out his phone scrolling through it. I was going to do the same when the microphone screeched, and over half the people in the room slammed their hands to their heads.

I spun in my seat to see Natalie and Ryan laughing loudly as a bartender fixed the mics, then they started singing Almost Paradise. Even drunk, Ryan's voice was amazing, and I found myself sinking into a trance as the song progressed.

Well, until Natalie started singing. Darren and I looked at each other and burst out laughing, Darren slapping the table and me shaking with my face bright red.

Ryan and Nat murdered that song. While they were singing, Niall texted me.

Hey, how's t date goin?? Xx

I smiled at it then texted him back quickly, then attached a picture of Darren laughing with it.

Great! Nat and Ry r murdering a song right now, I'll text ya if I need ya

“Are you really dating him?” Darren asked me, nodding toward Ryan. I contemplated it a moment, then shook my head no.

“We're just friends. I'm honestly just trying to get those two back together. What about you and Nat?” I asked.

Darren shook his head, smiling closemouthed. “Nope, she's paying me.”

I burst into laughter at the same time he did, both of us in hysterics as the absurdity of the situation. Maybe Darren wasn't so bad after all.

Darren stood when Nat and Ryan came back and paid the tab with Ryan's credit card, still laughing as we dragged them to the car.

I had to buckle Ryan in, along with Natalie in the backseat of Darren's car. I got into the passenger side, and then we headed back to the X Factor studios.

Darren blared the radio to some pop station and we sang along with every song, Natalie screeching loudly and making Darren have to pull off the road a couple of time due to his laughter.

I was giggling at Nat's failed high note in Call Me Maybe when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

I reached over and turned down the radio and put it to my ear, not bothering to check the caller ID.

“Hello?!” I giggled out. I shushed Ryan and Natalie, who stuck their tongues out at me.

“Kelly...?” A soft, feminine voice asked. I knew that voice.

I froze. Oh, freaking bloody cheese balls.

“Mom?” I whispered. The car around me was silent, I could tell everyone was looking at me.

“Yes. It's me.” Mama answered.

“Mama?” I asked again. Mama sighed from the other end. “Yes, dear, it's me. I need to speak to you, it's urgent.”

Um, after a year?

Anger surged within me and I couldn't fight back a retort. “After a year, you feel the need to speak to me?!” I snapped. I could practically feel her cringe through the phone.

“It was your choice to go live with your grandmother, don't pin the blame on me.”

“I told you that you'd have to be the first to call! Mom, I was doing fine until you called me! Why'd you call!?” I vented. I didn't need this, Mom didn't have to call me now when I thought I'd nearly be drama free!

“I have a good reason, but I'd like you to video call me.” She sounded choked up. For the first time, I considered that it might be serious.

“Is dad okay?! Oh my gosh, it's his heart isn't it? Is he in the hospital?!” I cried, nearly losing it. Dad's had heart problems for as long as I can remember.

“No, it's not his heart.” Mom replied, and sniffed.

“Well, what -”

“Kelly, your father and I are getting a divorce.” My mom said gently.

My mouth froze mid sentence.

My thumb slowly pressed down on the End Call button, amidst my moms voice shouting into the phone, “Kelly!? Kelly!?”

The phone dropped into my lap, and I sat in silence the entire ride back, ignoring the others asking what was wrong.

I grabbed my bag and phone and marched through the hallways to my room, leaving Darren with a now more sobered up Natalie and Ryan. Tears prickled at the corner of my eyes, and I closed the door to my room and leaned against it with my arm across my eyes. I tried not to bawl.

But then my phone buzzed again with my father's name across the screen and I declined it. And then, I burst into tears.

~ ~ ~