A/N: I'm so sorry! You'll never have to wait that long for a chapter again!!! Ah!!!
It's just because it was the end of term and I had assignments to do and events to attend and cute boys to stalk before I go two weeks of holidays without seeing them.
Dedication goes to madmoisellebelle because she left a nice comment on the last chapter c: That's how dedications are going to work now -- If you leave the best comment and I haven't given you one in the past you'll get one. So get commenting.
Song is Secret Door, again by Arctic Monkeys because I think it goes perfectly with this chapter and who can resist Alex Turner's voice?
Enjoy!
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“You know what? Not important. What we really need to be focusing on right now is getting to the venue before the audience do.” Will decided. He wasn’t all light hearted fun and games; he had a serious side of him that shone through when it was apparent that we’d be fucked if someone didn’t step up and take control. It was rarely seen, but we all knew it was buried beneath the surface, and didn’t question it when it made a sudden appearance.
Oliver and Alex quietly agreed that it would be best to get a move on, and Andy stood up and motioned us out the door, holding a look of disapproval on his face when I passed him. Eleanora just stood still while her eyes darted between everyone, only enhancing the fact that she was oblivious to what went on in our band behind the scenes. This would’ve been as exciting to her a getting her mitts on a backstage tour DVD, only she got to witness it live.
“How was sharing a van with the crew?” I joked, hoping it would transfer me back to the good books and stop Alex from not sparing a single glance at me, when it seemed to do the opposite.
“Shit.” Oliver responded without a moment’s hesitation. With the van I’d taken absent, I imagined they’d had to pack themselves into the same one the crew travelled in. “Try being forced to share a single seat with Will and having his foot stuck in your face the whole ride.” But he didn’t say it like it was something to laugh at; he said it in pure annoyance.
As I was ushered out the door of the hotel and in the direction of the van, my eyes drifted back to Eleanora, who stood at the doorway, unsure if she should follow or not. I found myself struggling to escape her magnetic pull. I flicked my head towards the van as a non-verbal invitation for her to tag along. At that she eagerly bounded over to my side and synced her steps with mine.
She was the elephant in the room; I noticed my bandmates’ eyes flicker to her in curiosity but no-one dared to mention her. It was silently agreed that her presence was a matter eligible for discussion once we had completed the all-important gig.
We crammed ourselves into the van; the other boys evidently thankful that they didn’t have to share with the crew this time. We only had one extra passenger with us that night. I could only imagine squeezing in four. Once we were all strapped in securely and the vehicle had begun accelerating, the uncomfortable deficiency of bubbly chatter remained. I looked to Eleanora, who was placed in a grey seat adjacent from mine, and gave her a sheepish look. I wanted her to know that this wasn’t normal.
“You can’t just run off like that, Harry” Oliver decided abruptly, cutting the silence like a knife. My eyes snapped towards him, as did everyone else’s.
“I planned to be back by morning--“
“I don’t care. You still should’ve warned us or something. We were worried sick. We tried calling you but you didn’t answer. And then we saw that you’d left your phone with us, so we had no method of reaching you--“
“Well I’m here now, aren’t I?” I reminded them. The van was yet again enveloped in silence. Accepting that I couldn’t bare it any longer, I spoke again. “Now, could I have my phone? I need to check the score of last night’s Man United game.” I said, holding my hand out
“They beat Everton 2-0. And your phone is in the boot.” Will answered through seethed teeth.
I huffed and buried my face into my cupped hands, finger tips setting stuck in the roots of my hair. Blood coursed hotly through my veins. I was remarkably embarrassed. Why did this all have to happen with Eleanora in the proximity? The one girl who as of recently I’d decided I possessed some kind of foolish teenage hormonal feelings for.
After gathering quite some nerve I dropped my hands, revealing an expected sight. The boys were still gazing out their windows, completely uninterested in partaking in conversation, and Eleanora stared at her feet, golden hair covering a large portion of her face. I wondered what she was feeling. Perhaps she was branding herself guilty for having lead me to the address and causing this whole mess in the first place. But it was I who allowed for the curiosity to get the better of me.
Suddenly, the uncomfortable silence which infiltrated the cabin vanished. Alex, who’d originally been sulky and distant let a chuckle escape his lips; one which he evidently didn’t want out in the open as after we all turned our heads in his direction he was quick to smack his mouth with his hand. Then, they corners of Will’s lips began to lift until he exposed an all-out grin, and Alex didn’t feel the need to shield his laughter. Oliver started chuckling soon after, leaving me in an utter state of confusion. What the bloody hell was so funny? Maybe, without me noticing, we’d passed a funny shop sign or advertisement; one too humorous for them to persist the sullen act they had running. I turned to Eleanora, who like me was unaware of the joke, with a knitted brow and flicked my irises towards the trio now howling in amusement, as if to ask ‘what have they been smoking’.
“Harry,” Alex managed through his now silent hilarity while clutching his stomach. “You should’ve seen your face!”
Without me knowing how it was possible, my features contorted into a further expression of bewilderment. I was well ignorant as to what was happening and I wasn’t enjoying it. “Right, is anybody in the mood to tell me what the bloody hell is going on?” I asked bitterly, practically spitting the words.
“We were only joking Haz!” Oliver exclaimed. Ah, yes, because everything here is merely a joke. Real emotions? What are they? “We knew you were at the address all along. We’d all predicted you’d go last night. I mean, yes, we were a little concerned when you still hadn’t returned by morning, but we were never angry with you.” he elaborated, further making me look like an absolute idiot in front the girl I, might as well say it, really really fancied.
“Right, that’s it. All of you are right twats. It’s official.” I declared while crossing my arms over my chest and making a sour face at the window. Eleanora let free a breezy, harmonic chuckle which made my insides turn into some jelly-like substance.
Everyone was silent for a moment before Alex said “So, are we gonna stop for fish and chips on the way or what?”
And then everybody groaned, including myself; when I was supposed to act all pissed and glum. We all simultaneously chorused “Nooooooo.”
* * *
Walking off the stage, I felt confident that I delivered my best performance yet. I was unable to supress the dimple revealing beam which played at my lips all the way from hitting the final note of the last song to taking the concluding bow. We basically skipped backstage, still recovering from our stage highs and shouted various things at each other which probably didn’t make any sense.
We all formed a group huddle with our arms around each other’s shoulders, panting heavily as we let ourselves rest for a moment.
“You know what it’s time for now?” Will asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye which promised something good.
“What?” Alex asked
“The after party.”
I cheered along with the rest of the boys, but I was a little bit distracted. Remembering the blonde girl we’d arrived with, I cut my cheer short and poked my head out, granting me a clear view of the audience. Everyone had started gravitating either towards the bar or the door, except the girl in question. She remained at the same point she’d viewed the show from, biting her lip and looking around anxiously as if she wasn’t sure where she should be. This was, after all, the first time she’d stayed this far into one of our gigs.
“I’ll be back.” I muttered to the boys, although I was fairly certain that none of them heard me and none of them cared.
Abandoning the circle, I hopped over various chords and wires and dodged sound equipment, eager to reach her. I walked out on stage for the second time, this occasion without an anticipating, large audience. When she caught sight of me approaching her expression softened. I stood at the edge of the platform and kneelt down to her level.
“Come backstage.” I suggested, tilting my head in the direction of the other boys, who were now singing like they were drunk. Just a taste of what was to come, I guess.
“Really?” she asked with a hopeful beam. I forgot; we were her favourite band. She was still getting used to this whole ‘VIP pass into our lives’ thing.
“Yes, really.” I laughed “Now c’mon.” I extended my hand out to her, running my tongue along my upper lip. When her hand connected with mine I relished her touch. Little jolts of electricity surged through me at our skin on skin contact. Pulling her up was easy as she was a naturally petite girl. When it was no longer socially acceptable for me to linger my hand on hers for any longer I tucked it away, instantly longing for the electric sensation to return. We both sort of stood still for a moment before I gestured towards the wings, inviting her to lead the way.
Twenty minutes later and the after party was in full swing. Will had already made one intoxicated speech about how much he loved the band and how ‘fuckin brilliant’ the tour had been. Alex had already done something stupid. I’m still not sure what it was as I was on the other end of the club at the time, but I hear someone mention something about a drinking record. And Oliver already had a girl poring over him, making him one smug little bastard.
Andy didn’t seem to mind all that much that the boys were drinking. He just kept a watchful eye on us to make sure we didn’t drink ourselves to death.
I, on the other hand, didn’t take one sip of alcohol. I already had something that could transfer me into someone stupid who trips over their own feet; Eleanora. I couldn’t be myself around her. I was constantly chocking on my own words and saying daft things and looking like a proper git. I guess it was because now that I’d established to myself that I did fancy her, it started to reflect in my actions. She was composed and normal, but didn’t look at me like I’d grown an extra head.
I clung to her to whole duration of the party. Well, she clung to me. We clung together. And it seemed that we remained among the only few sober people in the vicinity.
I shot daggers at the men who eyed her hungrily as she brushed past them. But I could really blame them. She looked absolutely stunning with her hair cascading down her back in perfect, effortless waves and wearing a white sundress which simply shouldn’t have been legal. I was just lucky that none of them decided to make a move, because then I’d have to throw some punches.
“Psst,” she whispered into my ear over the loud music, startling me a little. We were tucked away in the corner, trying to avoid all the intoxicated dancing.
“Yeah?” I wondered
“Follow me.” she commanded, snatching my hand without permission and dragging me somewhere unknown. My eyes widened and I almost protested, but decided against it. Because her hand was back in mine, and that’s all I could ever ask for.
She weaved us through the crowd, causing for me to feel uncomfortable and restricted. I never branded myself as someone claustrophobic until now. Thankfully we escaped of the mass of people quickly. We found ourselves at a secret door of sorts, and Eleanora fearlessly pushed it open without a care in the world. She pulled me in and the door swinged behind us, but no one was observant enough to notice our exit. She laughed to herself, proud of her little getaway.
We were outside on a semi-busy street. Tall red buses travelled past and people briskly walked in front of us, determined to retreat back to their own homes before the streets truly did become unsafe. It only occurred to me then that we were in London; the largest city in Britain, famous throughout the world. I’d been so focused on Eleanora and the band that I’d failed to notice the scenery. From where we were perched we could see the top of a brilliantly lit Big Ben and the London Eye, contrasting amazingly against the midnight sky.
“It’s just how I imagined it to be; beautiful.” she breathed.
I watched the parting of her lips and the wonder in her eyes as she drank in the sight; all the little lights reflecting on her glassy irises. Beautiful.
We planted ourselves against the wall of a brick building nearby and just watched. The street itself wasn’t perfect -- there was scaffolding around and two doors down was a pub which housed additional drunk people -- but the company was.
Once we’d finished admiring the view was gained the desire to speak again. We talked just like we did at her hiding place the previous night, except this time it was more about ourselves. I learnt that she had an older sister who moved to Croatia and that she chewed on her lip whenever she was nervous and that she could watch science documentaries back to back for a full day and never get bored and that if she had a daughter she’d name it after her grandmother Maisie who she adored and that she was often self-centred and always related everything back to herself and that she used to have a hamster called Duchess that died a week after being purchased.
And the more and more I found out about her the more and more it occurred to me that she was way, way out of my league.
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A/N: I'm actually too tired from writing this chapter to think of any questions so just leave your thoughts. Yeah. And vote too. That would be very very nice.