"I can't believe my baby sister is here!" Zayn pulls me into another hug.

"If I remember correctly, I was born first." I correct him.

"Yeah, but you're smaller than me." Zayn laughs.

"True." I agree. "Tell me everything. I need to catch up on two years." I step out of his arms.

Zayn pulls me over to the couch in the middle of the room. "Where to begin?"

I sit down next to him. "Start from the X Factor. I hated not being there for you."

"We could have auditioned together." Zayn says.

I shake my head. "No, you are a way better singer than I am. If I auditioned then you may have never met these guys."

"You can sing?" Niall speaks up in his Irish accent.

I'll never tell Zayn this, but Niall is my favorite in the band. His voice is absolutely amazing. I really wish he had more solos in One Direction. Back at LFAA, there is this group of girls who think Niall doesn't deserve to be in the band. I've told them countless times that he belongs in the band just as much as the other guys.

I've never really had true friends. When I first went to LFAA, everyone only wanted to be friends with me because Zayn is my brother. They didn't care about me. I was constantly being hammered with questions. After a while, people began to leave me alone.

I nod my head. "And dance."

"She's a fantastic dancer. She is going to London's Fine Arts Academy." Zayn tells the guys.

My face heats up. "I'm not that great." I mumble.

"Let's hear you sing." Louis grins.

"I don't think so." I shake my head.

"Yeah. Let's sing together. It's been two years. Please Nat." Zayn begs using his nickname for me.

"Please!" Louis clasps his hands together.

I look at all the guys. They are all doing their own puppy dog face. "Fine!" I give in.

"Yes!" Louis and Liam high five.

"Let me get my keyboard from my car." I stand up.

"I'll get it." Zayn pushes me down gently. "Keys?" He holds out his hand.

I grab my keys from my pocket and drop them in his hand. "Red Mini Cooper." I tell him.

Zayn, Harry, and Louis walk out of the flat leaving me alone with Liam and Niall. Liam is sitting in an armchair and Niall is on the other end of the couch.

"So." Liam drags the word out. "Zayn is extremely protective of you."

"He has a reason." I say pulling my legs to my chest.

"What would that be?" Liam questions me.

I stare at the carpet not wanting to bring those memories back up. "It's a long story." I whisper feeling my throat tighten up.

"I'm sorry." Liam apologizes quickly. "You don't have to talk about it."

I try to smile at him. "When is your next tour?" I smoothly change the subject.

"After summer." Niall answers. "So, you're a fan. What's your favorite song of ours?"

"One Thing." I answer automatically. "I think the video is hilarious."

The door opens again and the guys walk through carrying my keyboard. Zayn carries it over and sets in down in front of the couch. They place it on the stand for me. Louis hooks everything up.

"What song are you going to sing?" Zayn sits back down next to me.

I turn my head to look at Niall. "You play the guitar, right?"

"I'll go get it." Niall walks to one of the bedrooms. He comes back carrying a light brown acoustic guitar. "What song?"

"Do you know Payphone by Maroon 5?" I ask grabbing my iPhone. I search for the band I'm looking for. "Like this." I click on the video and hand my phone to Niall.

He watches the video intently. "I can do that." Niall smiles handing my phone back.

"Zayn, can you sound like the guy with the guitar. He is patting his hands on the guitar. Use the table or something." I order my brother.

"Gotcha."

"If I sound bad don't laugh." I tell the guys. "I've been taking singing classes in school."

"We're not going to laugh. I remember you being a good singer when we were younger." Zayn says.

I rest my hands on my keyboard. "That was two years ago." I point out. "A lot has changed." I give a nod to Niall.

Here I go. I hope I don't make a fool of myself.

"I'm at a pay-phone trying to call home." I sing and start playing the keyboard. "All of my change I spent on you. Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong. Where are the plans we made for two?"

Zayn starts hitting the table like a drum with his hands.

"Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember. The people we used to be. It's even harder to picture that you're not here next to me." I sing closing my eyes.

"You say it's too late to make it. But is it too late to try? And in our time that you wasted, all of our bridges burned down."

Please don't let me sound bad. They are probably comparing me to their band.

"I've wasted my nights, you turned out the lights. Now I'm paralyzed, still stuck in that time when we called it love. But even the sun sets in paradise."

I sing the chorus. I'm doing the clean version of this song. I prefer not to cuss. I hope they don't laugh at the rap. I'll be using it from the band Paradise Fears. I sing the chorus again getting ready for the rap.

"Pick it up. Looks like the futures calling. Ripping from a farm state, we went from balling to balling. Change my phone number because too many labels was calling." I rap lifting my hands from the keyboard.

I keep my eyes closed starting to get into the rap. "Career on the gas, non-stop, we never be stalling. Rolling ten deep in a passenger van, non-stop til it's Paris all the way to Japan. Every song that we drop becomes the latest trend. And I know we ain't Brittany, but 'Oops we did it again'."

"Call your boy Peeta take the game with a hunger. YouTube channel blowing up with every cover. Whiter than Macauly was in Home Alone. Too young to ever seen a pay-phone."

I rap forgetting the guys are in the room. It feels like I'm back in my dorm again.

"Not sure who the heck still uses one, but if Adam L says it, his will be done. Maroon 5 til I die, so forget my cell. This will work just as well."

"I'm at a pay-phone." I sing the last verse.

I finish singing, but keep my hands on the keys. I take a deep breath and open my eyes. The guys are all staring at me with different expressions on their faces.

Zayn is grinning at me. Liam looks rather shocked. Louis's jaw is dropped open. Harry is staring at me with wide eyes. The corner of Niall's lips are curved up and he still has his fingers resting on the strings of his guitar.

Oh gosh. I was horrible, wasn't I? That's why no one has said anything yet. Their eardrums must be bleeding. I knew I shouldn't have done this. I should just stick with singing in my dorm room when my roommate is out.

"Well this is awkward." I remove my hands. I place them in my lap awkwardly.

"I'm so proud of you!" Zayn pulls me into another hug.

"What?" I ask him in confusion.

"That was incredible. Your voice has gotten even better over the past two years." Zayn says.

"I thought you were going to say I sounded terrible." I let out the breath I was holding.

"You two are definitely related." Harry states. "You can both rap."

"Thanks." I laugh.

"Can you play any other instruments?" Louis leans forward on the couch.

"Does the triangle count?" I smile.

"Definitely related!" Harry yells.

"She's too pretty to be related to Zayn." Louis looks from Zayn to me.

I'm not pretty. Cute, maybe. Cute like a puppy. But definitely not pretty. I've never been pretty.

"I wish I could play the guitar though." I glance at Niall who still hasn't said anything.

Liam throws an arm around Niall. "You should have Niall teach you." Liam wiggles his eyebrows.

Zayn slaps Liam on the head. "I have a rule that everyone must follow. No one is allowed to flirt with my sister. Or try to set her up with anyone." Zayn declares.

Louis stands up and walks over to me. "Does that mean I can't do this?" Louis bends down and kisses my cheek quickly before running away.

"Louis!" Zayn chases after Louis.

Liam leans over. "He's this protective for a reason?" He waves his hand at Zayn running right behind Louis.

"Yes." I answer with my cheeks bright red from Louis kissing my cheek.

••••

AUTHOR'S Note:

The song is-

Payphone by Paradise Fears