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

Okay, awaking to the noise of electric guitar blaring from downstairs isn't a pleasant experience, but waking up to it and you're suffering from lack of sleep is worse.

After I'd gotten the couple having sex off of my bed the night before, I'd grabbed my bag and clothes and fallen asleep in Ryan's armchair in his room. He'd snored all night and I'd had to open a window to clear the stench of alcohol out of the room. Which made it unbearably cold.

I open my eyes with a groan and squinted at the light, then rolled over and clutched my pillow.

Pillow?

I sat up. I was in a unfamiliar room, and it didn't smell or look like Ryan's. Someone must have carried me here.

I threw the covers off, then stomped down the stairs to the game room. Ryan was playing Guitar Hero with a group of vaugly familer boys. A couple of them looked like the ones I saw on the day of my audition.

The boys introduced themselves to me as Nathan, Charles and Jamie They were one of the two boy-bands that got put together in boot camp. There was a girl group too.

I talked for a while longer, then went to look for food.

I nearly squealed with delight and ran to the refrigerator and started looking for food. I grabbed a bagel and cream cheese and orange juice, and on my way to the toaster I nearly ran in a very sleepy and very shirtless Harry Styles, who pushed past me on his way to the fridge with barely opened eyes. I ate my bagel quickly and left him to be grumpy on his own, then made a cup of coffee to take with me back to my room. I stripped the messed up bed of its sheets, then flipped the mattress. I then got fresh sheets and Frebreeze and sprayed it, and opened a window as it was warm. I lay on my bed.

I opened my laptop and began searching for songs. I had no idea what to sing to get past the judges houses. And there was still the daunting prospect of the changes that were being made.

One celebrity, and one music category a week, what was I thinking?

I sighed, then searched Christina Aguilera. After some deliberation I'd decided not to do an Adele song. I felt like people were comparing me too much to her. She was my favorite artist, but I didn't want to be known as 'The Girl Who Sings Like Adele.”

I liked singing songs that you had to really work at, with your voice rising and falling over the scales.

I made a note on my phone on a few songs, then a thought struck me.

If there's a different category every week, why don't I go ahead and find songs for them?

It seemed a good idea as any, so I got to work. It would be useful for other people, anyway.

A faint tremor ran through the house. I waited a second, and it happened again. Someone was playing electric bass.

I put my earphones in and turned on a play list of the songs I had listed to get familiar with them.

The bass being played down stairs made it where I couldn't concentrate, so I gave up. I plugged my phone into my laptop, then worked on finding the piano sheet music for Stay by Rihanna, which was my new obsession. I got the guitar chords for everything else, including karaoke off of iTunes.

I saved everything to a file and made another play list. I then sent the sheet music to the wireless printer in the main office, then shut my laptop down and went to retrieve the music.

I ignored the bass pounding through the house and went to the basement. It was nice down there, and you could barely hear anything downstairs. The reason I had come downstairs was to play the black grand piano gathering dust in a corner of the room.

I pulled the sheet off of it and tossed it behind me. I trailed my hands over the keys, it had been nearly a year since I had last played. I had taken lessons for nearly six years before I stopped, and I was very good at it.

I arranged the music on the stand and began figuring it out and then, when I was sure, I started to play. Softly at first, then more quickly as I figured out Stay was supposed to sound like.

After I had practiced for a while, I started just having fun, playing classical music, and a few personal favorites like Music Box Dancer and Fur Elise. I stopped playing when I heard people come down the stairs.

I looked up and went back to playing Stay when I saw it was just Ryan and Niall. They had Koolaid Jammers and sandwiches.

“Some bloke got hold of a electric guitar and has no idea how to use it so we're hiding!” Niall informed me. I cringed. That was never good. I messed up on Stay and started over again.

Niall collapsed on the couch with his phone and sandwich, and Ryan wondering over chewing loudly. I popped his jaw with the back of my hand when he sat on the bench next to me, and he closed his mouth.

I started to sing softly as I got the rhythm again.

“All along it was a fever. A cold sweat hot headed believer. I threw my hands in the air, said show me somethin'. He said if you dare come a little closer. Round and around and around and around we go. Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know.

“Not really sure how to feel about it. Something in the way you move. Makes me feel like I can't live without you, yeah it takes me all the way. And I want you to stay...”

“Its not much of a life you're living.”

Ryan had sat there and drank his drink and watched me sing, and started singing Mikey Echoes part. His voice was just a little lower than was needed, but it honestly fit it better. He sang out again, a little stronger when he saw I wasn't going to make fun of him or stop him.

“It's not just somethin' ya take, it's given. Round and around and around we go. Oh tell me now tell me now tell me now you know. Not really sure how to feel about it. Somethin' in the way you move. Makes me fell like I can't live with out you, and I want you to stay.”

I joined him in harmony. “Oh, the reason I hold on. Oh, cause I need this hole gone. Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving
Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving”

We sang the chorus together, then I hit the final high notes, and the piano chords faded out. Ryan put his head in his hands and leaned on the piano with a torrent of noise that ended as quickly as it had came.

Niall started clapping, I had forgotten him. Ryan shook a little, and I realized he was holding back tears. I rubbed his back soothingly and made shushing noises.

Finally Ryan wiped his face and sat upright again. His eyes were red and puffy, and I gave him a awkward half hug.

He hugged me back briefly and kissed the top of my head.

“We can sing Fifty Ways To Say Goodbye if you want.” I offered. “Or I'll Pray for You.”
Ryan laughed and sniffed. “I think I have my song to sing.” He said. “Oh yeah?” I asked. Ryan grinned and drew in a shaky breath.

“I think I'll do when I Was Your Man, Bruno Mars.” He said timidly.

I busied myself with the sheet music, then pulled out several sheets of paper.

“You're in luck, I can play this for you so you can practice.” I told him. Ryan's face brightened. “You think I should do it?” He asked excitedly.

“It describes your situation, so yes.” I answered, starting to figure out the music. “Leave me be for a few minute so I can figure this out.”

Ryan went and sat with Niall, who immediently began talking about football to distract him.

I felt awful for Ryan. I knew guys don't like to cry, at all. He was having a hard time with Natalie, and I was determined to help him. As soon as I got this song right, anyway.

~ ~ ~

“Sweet love, sweet love. Trapped in your love. I've opened up, unsure I can trust. My heart, and I are buried in dust. Free me, free us. You're all I need, when I'm holding you tight. If you walk away, I will suffer tonight.

“I've found a man I can trust, and boy I believe in us. I am terrified, to love for the first time. Can't you see that I'm bound in chains, and I've finally found my way, I am Bound to You. I am Bound To You.”

The piano was playing, I could hear the ocean, the breeze was making my hair flutter. It was warm and beautiful, and I couldn't ask for a better day.

I kept singing, keeping my eyes on the figure in a chair fifteen feet away. Simon Cowell had his hand under his chin, and was contemplating something while I sang.

I was painfully aware of the cameras capturing my every move. I was sitting, on a movie director style chair on the patio a few feet from the piano.

I was wearing a red dress and nude pumps, sitting with my legs crossed. I poured my heart out into the song, standing at the end in the intense part.

I finished with a long high note, and the song faded through the air. I lowered my microphone and shifted my weight nervously from foot to foot.

After a moment of silence, Simon spoke.

“Thank you Kelly.” He started. My heart sank. The tone of his voice...

“That was beautiful. Absolutely stunning. You've got something, something not many people have. And that my dear, is pure, raw talent.”

I stood there, stunned as he went on. “You need work, certainly on not letting your voice go over. You hit the notes and sour over them, but that's easily retrained.”

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and brought my hands to my face as Simon said the words I'd been praying to hear.

“You're through.”