Another concert. Ah, man, do I love the fans. I was an idiot, I knew that, but I was everyone’s cute, Irish, adorable, little idiot. I was dancing around, doing my leprechaun dance everyone loves to see. I was cracking up so bad I had to stop and bend over. Too bad laughter doesn’t build a six pack, I’d of made one years ago.

Being up on stage, well, it was fun. There was nothing to it. Every concert came to an end though, sadly. I hated that. I actually liked being on stage and goofing off, making fans laugh and scream. I don’t know. I was the kind of guy that liked to make everyone around me happy. I wasn’t like Louis though. That boy was nuts.

I was putting my original pants back on, feeling the familiar journal bouncing in my back pocket. I fished it out, holding the thing in my hand. I don’t know, I’ve been carrying this thing around like it was a bible or something. I haven’t read a word after yesterday. I wanted to read a little, but it was hard to find the time.

“You boys got a half-hour before you take off on the bus again!” I heard a staff member yell. “Rest up a little until then.”

We all fell into the nearest available seat. I was up in a director-like chair, facing a mirror. The book was in my hand, and I was opening it up. “Finally taking my advice, eh, Niall!?” I heard Zayn ask.

I ignored him. I knew I needed to concentrate on what I was reading if I wanted to understand. I vowed to myself I would read this. That was what the girl wanted, right? I wanted to make fans happy, so I flipped to the next page I was on. I let my eyes focus on the cursive handwriting that followed, ignoring the boys that were horsing around behind me.

Lacy Gem McDaniel. That was her name. Strange name, huh? Guess her parents had nothing better to think about. Anyways, she was born in the Ides of March. March 15th, in case some people don’t know. She has a thing for Shakespeare. Who knows why? Maybe it was the constant tragedies he always came up with. They were so exaggerated, but somehow they always related to her life. Some favorites: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Julius Caesar. Funny, it seems those three stories indirectly make a mark for her life.

Oh, shit. More references to other novels, plays at that. I rubbed my eyes, already feeling the lack of knowledge from Shakespeare come to my mind. Romeo and Juliet was probably the only familiar story that came to mind. Two love-struck teenagers falling in love that was forbidden or whatever, everything leading them to dying. I snorted at how stupid it sounded.

”Niall, you okay?” I heard Harry ask.

I looked behind me. His curly hair seemed messier, probably because of Louis that was sitting next to him. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“What was that snort about then? Did you read something funny?” Louis asked. “I wanna hear!”

My reaction was about to tell him, but I froze.

“Only you can read this. I wrote this for you to read.”

“Can’t say, mate. I don’t really get it myself.” I replied, offering a small smile.

Louis made a face. “That’s no fun.”

He somehow got back into messing with Harry again, him and the rest of the lads leaving me alone. I went back to reading the book.

Of course, her life goes a lot farther than her hobby of reading Shakespeare. She draws. It could be random little things, from animals and small objects, to more complex stuff, like drawing people and places. Sometimes, she would paint too, but that was very rare. Her paintings were something people didn’t understand much though. They’d always look and only see random platters of paint or a poorly colored-balance portrait. They didn’t understand though, not even her Art teacher that was so fond of her. No one understood the feelings she put in her paintings. Why? Because they didn’t know. They didn’t know her past.

It seemed only Shakespeare would.

I scratched my head, utterly confused. A staff member stuck their head in, indicating it was time to go. Yeah, it would take me a while to read this little journal. The lads and I got up, and I stuck the small book in my back pocket once again. “Hey, Zayn…” I called out to him. He was the book nerd of the group, maybe he could give me something to look forward to.

“Yeah?”

“Do all books start out confusing?” I asked.

He stuck his hands in his pockets. “Well, sometimes. Depends really. Mostly the author wants to foreshadow a connection that’s going to happen throughout the book.”

I gave him a dumb look. “Foreshadow?”

He shook his head, surprised by my lack of knowledge. “It’s an indication to a later event.” I was still confused. Zayn just sighed. “It’s simple book logic, Niallers. If you really want to know what the author is trying to say, read the book. Cover to cover.”

I pouted, not really satisfied by his advice. “Fine…”

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “But try to remember one little thing.” We locked eyes. “Sometimes, not even that is enough.”