Just Pretend

Chapter 3 - Noah?

"Okay Mum." Cassidy sarcastically replies.

The security check over our tickets and check our bags then finally we're allowed inside. We make our way to drop our jackets off at the cloakroom before it gets too busy. Cassidy puts the tickets in the back of her phone case.

"They'll be safe in there." Cassidy says and we make our way towards the bar.

"Oh yeah, super safe. Hold onto your phone, the last concert we went to loads of phones were stolen and I'd quite like to get my jacket back."

"They stay in there or they're going down my bra. Your choice munchkin." Cassidy winks at me.

"Okay, whatever you prefer. What are you drinking? I'll buy it." I ask Cassidy.

"Well ain't you sweet, Morgan's and coke would be lovely. Thank you."

I grab myself a pint of water and Cass her Morgan's and coke. We make our way into the concert hall and manage to place ourselves at the barrier.

"God I can't wait to see your face when they come out." Cassidy says giddily making me laugh.

"I can't wait to see your face! You're so excited."

"No, yours will be fucking priceless. Ski masks, oh god when they come off you're going to fucking die."

"Okay, okay, I don't think they're as hot as you do Cass." I bump her arm slightly and she starts to laugh.

"You're gonna eat your own words Margo Brown."

                                              *

The first two acts were pretty amazing. They got the crowd riled up and everyone is chanting for the main event.

"Here we, Here we, here we fucking go, here we, here we, here we fucking go!!" The crowd chants Scottish accents crystal clear throughout the venue, and then the lights dim.

"Oh my god, it's happening!!!" Cassidy squeaks and starts recording. Sure enough four figures one by one make their way onto the stage to the intro of "Artificial Suicide"

"I love this one!" I say to Cassidy and she nods her head. We're being pushed forwards as the circle pit has already started. Around the two minute mark of the song the singer takes his mask off, Cassidy still recording turns the camera to me. "Noah?..."

His eyes are scanning the crowd and I'm finding it hard to catch my breath.

"You knew." I said to Cassidy who nods, her phone now away. "Cassidy, why didn't you say anything. What the fuck."

"It wasn't just me, we all knew we thought you'd figure it out. We were told not to tell you. You've spent the past day with him, I think he wanted to tell you himself, when he was ready."

I turn back to the stage, I'm so embarrassed. I knew that people were looking at us and I just thought I was imagining it. I thought the sunglasses were slightly odd for the middle of January and I just thought he was just so used to not wearing them.

"If it helps I think he was trying to protect you. He obviously wanted to tell you himself." Cassidy tries to make me feel better about it.

"I don't do this kind of thing Cassidy. I don't accidentally manage to make spark up conversation and hang out with people who are in a popular band, let alone have a connection with them. I feel fucking stupid." The song comes to a close and Noah finds me in the crowd, his eyes land on me for a minute too long and he gives me a nervous smile. "Fucksake, I'm supposed to be seeing him after this. I fell asleep at his hotel, I told him I love Scooby Doo, we went for pancakes and to the arcade, that's so lame Cassidy. I'm honestly so embarrassed. I want to go, give me the key." She's already shaking her head.