A crash of thunder and a scream wake me up suddenly. Peering with groggy eyes at the clock, I note what time it is. 12:38 A.M. Wonderful.

I quickly get out of bed, but before I'm halfway across the room my door bursts open and a small boy is launching himself across the room and into my arms.

"Make it stop, Ni, please make it stop," Liam moans. He presses his face into my chest and wails as another clap of thunder sounds.

I settle him on the bed and grab my beat up old six string. I start to play the opening notes to Give Me Love, playing so loudly that Liam can't hear the thunder. Within ten minutes, the storm is over, Liam is curled up with his thumb in his mouth, and I am slumped against the headboard, falling asleep with my guitar in my arms.

It's a lucky thing that it's Sunday the next day and I can sleep, since my shift isn't until five. Zayn is coming over, and he and Liam will probably play video games on his console that he brings while I write songs in the hope of one day not being mute and performing for millions.

I haven't spoken at all - not even to Zayn and Liam - in five weeks today. I haven't even let a single note slip from my throat. I've kept the melodies in my head, communicating via sign language, mouth glued shut.

Zayn arrives around ten, and he and Liam sit down and begin playing video games after I hook up the console. "You finally going to break your vow of silence today, Nialler?" Zayn says. He means it as a joke, but he's also asking me a serious question.

I look at him, then slowly exhale, "If.... you want.... me to." My voice is cracked and the words hurt my throat. Zayn is so shocked that he momentarily forgets his game, allowing Liam to blast him in the head and claim victory.

"You see what you did, Niall!" he yells, adjusting his headset and turning back to the game while Liam laughs at him.

Even though I know he was being sarcastic and kidding around, it still stings. I made him lose his game.

While they're busy with their rematch, I slip up to the attic. There's a guitar in here, and I slowly remove it from the case, strumming a few notes softly. The I pull out my green, leather-bound journal and start to write a few lyrics.

The side of me
You think you see
Isn't who I really am.
I want to show you,
And I could, too,
If you'd just give me the chance.

Let me show you
A different side of me
Let me show you
The guy I wanna be
Let me show you
The life I wish I led
Let me show you
What goes on inside my head.

You think you know
Just how things go
But no one really does
The mask I wear
To conceal the tears
Fits me like a glove.

Let me show you
A different side of me
Let me show you
The guy I wanna be
Let me show you
The life I wish I led
Let me show you
What goes on inside my head...

(A/N: I wrote that poem up there^ I thought it fit:)

There's a knock on the attic door, and Liam appears. He's got a tray with a cup of tea and some toast on it.

"Eat, Niall, please," he begs. I shake my head.

"M'not hungry, Li."

"Please, Nialler? For me?"

I concede and take a bite of toast. Liam encourages me quietly as I eat. He picks up my song-writing notebook an reads the song I've just written.

"I like this song, Ni," he tells me. "Sing it for me?"

So I strum the first few chords and sing the first verse for him. Liam smiles because he's gotten what he wants. Because I can't say no to him.

I wouldn't be talking - I wouldn't be HERE - if it wasn't for Liam. I might hate all of humanity, but Liam is the only exception.
___________________________

A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

How was the poem? Yes, I wrote it. The title of this chapter, The Only Exception, is a song. First commenter to tell me the band who sings it wins a dedication!!

And @mrenderman111, I'll PM you, k?

~ Mollie xxxxxxx