Live Again // Bradley Simpson

Chapter 6: The Concert

The Teenage Kickers had finished their performance, and once they had quickly removed themselves from the stage, they effortlessly plonked themselves into various places around the venue. Charlie was daydreaming on the couch, Shania and Jason were in Short Stacks room, and Buns was with Chandler. 

Charlie had realised that she has not messed up once during her performance and was quite proud of herself. She also felt a lot happier after the experience. After seeing the audience sing and jump along as they sang. She even heard people calling her name. 

It came to her realisation, she felt loved again. People hadn't forgotten about her.

The band were allowed to leave the venue during the concert. However, Charlie was getting a lift home with Shania, who insisted on staying so she could watch a bit of the show. 

With that thought in mind, Charlie got up off the couch and walked out of the change room. She could hear someone get up and follow her out. 

"Hey, where you off too?" Jason asked as he caught up.

"You're not my mum, geez." Charlie rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm your brother though." Jason elbowed her.

Charlie rolled her eyes again and followed the floor directions around the venue and out to the stage area. She knew it was going to be loud and even stuffier than before, regardless she wanted to head out. Infront of the pair, was the First Aid area. There were several girls lying on the floor, and some sitting on chair to the side. Charlie watched as one waved at her and tried to say something. Charlie smiled in response, however couldn't hear over the screaming fans.

"What are you doing?" Jason yelled into Charlies ear.

"Watching The Vamps." Charlie yelled back at him.

Charlie made her way towards the mosh pit, making sure to not go in and remained to the side of the stage. She looked at and could see Brad as he shook his hair around and the sweat that dripped off his face. She could see James, singing his backup, jumping around and Connor who was strumming his Bass madly and singing too. Tristan was drowning in his own sweat from what Charlie could see, but he looked like he was enjoying himself a tonne.

Charlie just stood there watching Bradley sing, dance and laugh. She didn't know why she was interested she just was. The way he moved to the beat, the way he his lips moved as he sang. She couldn't help but notice all these things.

While Brad sang he caught Charlie's eye, she was there standing to the side of the stage, mouthing the lyrics as he sang. He couldn't help but feel a nudge in his stomach.

Cheesy, he thought to himself. 

"Come on." Jason nudged her. "Encore will end soon. We gotta get out before the mad rush." 

Charlie nodded and followed her brother back behind the stage. They went and sat back stage in the couch area, Short Stack was gone and so was Buns and Chandler. Just Shania was sitting and chatting with their manager. 

"How was it?" Shania asked as soon as she saw Charlie and Jason walk in.

"She was staring at Brad the whole time. I reckon she's in love!" Jason pointed at me and laughed.

Charlie scrunched her eyebrows and went and sat on a couch. "Rude." She replied.

The three lay around until a few minutes later, when they could feel the building shake with the screams from the audience. Charlie shot up like a weed and looked around the room.

"What the fuck." She groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"Just the boys leaving the stage." Shania shrugged and continued to look at her phone.

Not long later, the boys walked in. Sweaty, smelly and very good looking. Their hair was slicked across their faces with their sweat and they had red faces and red fingertips.

"That was the loudest show I've ever done." Bradley croaked, his voice nearly gone after all the singing. 

"Haven't you heard?' Charlie laughed. "No matter who performs, Melbourne always has the loudest audience." 

Bradley came and sat next to Charlie on the couch, Tristan and James sitting with Jason and Connor sat next to Shania. Bradley moved a little closer to Charlie once he sat down, looking over at her and grinning. Charlie didn't understand. 

"So Charlie? Did you enjoy the concert?" Bradley asked, leaning towards her. 

"Yeah, yeah I guess." She shrugged. Charlie wasn't being honest. She actually enjoyed herself for once. To be more exact, she hadn't felt so alive in her life. 

"So you didn't?' Bradley fretted. He just wanted to impress Charlie.

"Ahh, It was good?" She said, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

"Good." Bradley smiled, getting up off the couch. "I gotta walk off all the excess energy. Anyone in?"

Nobody said anything. James was already half asleep on Tristans shoulder. Tristan was sleeping on Jason, and Jason was dozing off. Then there was Shania who was too busy talking quietly to Connor to even realise Bradleys question. 

"Charlie?" Bradley asked, hoping she would come.

Charlie just awkwardly looked at Bradley. "Um, I'm fine."

"Awh, come on." Bradley insisted, pulling a sad face at Charlie.

Jason looked over at Bradley and shrugged. He knew his sister was stubborn, but when it came to flirting, she might as well have been a rock. 

Charlie looked at Bradley's put-on sad face and smiled. She could see the effort he was putting into his attempt to get her to walk with him. As stubborn as Charlie was, she saw something in those big brown eyes that reminded her of their performance earlier. How he danced, how he sang... How he caught her eye. Charlie patted herself off and slowly removed herself from the couch. 

"This is only because you begged." She claimed.

Brad grined, "I work hard for these things!" 

Charlie let out a little laugh, and pushed him aside a little as the two made their way out the door and into the hallway.