I've always loved London, but as I clung onto a sweaty rail while one of its trains hurtled along the underground tracks, it was the last place on Earth I wanted to be.
Young girls crowded the carriage, laughing, singing, squealing with excitement. The train took a sharp bend, and one brunette lost her balance, stumbling into me. My grip on the rail tightened as I closed my eyes, trying to block out the suffocating atmosphere. Only when I felt the familiar presence of a ring-adorned hand on mine, and the unmistakeable scent of Givenchy, did I release a shaky breath.
"Only three more stops," Becca said, sliding in front of me so I was siphoned off from the rowdy girls. "But we can walk the rest of the way if you'd rather?"
"Don't be daft. It's pissing it down outside."
"So we'll get an Uber." She shrugged, her concerned eyes flickering over me. "You're suffering."
The train began to slow as it eased into the station, and a businessman rose from a seat, his lips pressed tightly together as he assessed the best route out of the heaving carriage.
No sooner had he moved from his position, Becca grabbed my waist and hauled me into the empty seat. My thumping heart jolted at the sudden movement but settled down once I had space around me again. The air was only marginally better, still thick and hot, but Becca stood with the back of her legs pressed against my knees, ensuring nobody else could encroach on me.
"You know those seats are meant for people less able to stand?" The same brunette who'd bashed into me earlier raised her eyebrows.
Before I could question why she hadn't called out the businessman who'd previously occupied this seat, Becca spun around to face her, one hand clutching the rail and the other settling on her hip.
"Not all health problems are visible. Fancy going to a Teddy Stone concert and not knowing something like that. Call yourself a fan?"
A hint of pink coloured the girl's cheeks. Her eyes darted down to the top she wore—an over-sized hoody with hundreds of cities and dates listed on it.
"I'm sure he also wouldn't approve of you talking to one of his fans like that," she replied.
"I'm sorry for calling out your ignorance."
Becca didn't seem sorry in the slightest, and although my racing heart had calmed, I still didn't want a fight breaking out in the carriage.
"Leave it, Bec. I'm fine now."
The girl turned her back on us and Becca shot me a smile, her eyes softening. As the train continued to rumble through the tunnels, I pulled out my phone. I needed a distraction, but with limited reception under the streets of London, my browser was stuck on the last page I'd opened. Instead, my head kept me occupied as I replayed our journey so far.
"Do you remember if I locked the door?"
The train stopped at the next platform with a jolt, and Becca edged closer to me as several passengers squeezed through.
"I locked the door," she said. "You were rooting through your bag to check you'd picked up your charger."
"Ah."
"Gabby will be back later tonight, anyway. If she survives the meal." Becca grinned, but that playfulness faded as soon as more concertgoers pushed their way onto the train.
I took a deep breath and reclined further into the seat, even though Becca's body still acted as a shield, protecting me from the crowds.
"These trains arrive every few minutes," I said to Becca under my breath. "Why do people insist on cramming themselves into carriages that are already full?"
"Because people are impatient. Seriously, Soph, we can get off. It's not a big deal. Then we can be the ones to get on a quieter train."
I shook my head. "No, I need to stick it out."
One more stop. And I had a seat plus Becca to stop anyone getting too close. I could do it.
Keeping my eyes fixed on my phone to prevent myself from studying the growing mob around me, I trawled through the webpage. Hundreds of freelance jobs, many of them assuming that the free in freelance meant that writers were happy to work for no money.
"Seen anything?" Becca asked.
"No. It takes the piss. If I'd have known that finding new work would be this much stress, I never would've resigned."
"You did the right thing. Don't doubt yourself. No job is worth damaging your health."
I glanced up with a dry smile. "You won't be saying that when I can't afford my share of the rent."
"If it comes to that, Gabby and I can help out or we can move to a cheaper place—"
"Bec—"
"We'll work something out. I promise. Now, I know you're not a Teddy Stone fan, but even if you don't like his music, he is still ridiculously hot."
Couldn't argue with that.
"So, for tonight, let's make a deal," Becca said. "No more stressing about the real world. Tonight, we are two single girls who are about to meet one of the world's hottest stars. Who wouldn't want to trade with us, regardless of the stuff we've got going on outside that arena?"
With an appreciative smile, I dropped my phone into my bag. Shutting off from the real world didn't always come easily to me, but I knew what she meant. I might hate crowds and fret over whether I'd left the house in a safe state, but millions of girls would kill to be me tonight. And even if I didn't appreciate it as much as they would, this meant everything to Becca.
Teddy Stone had been the most important man in her life for the past few years. That was quite a feat for someone she'd never actually met, but tonight that would change. Armed with Gabby's questionably sourced VIP tickets, Becca and I had a direct line to one of the most famous men on the planet. Becca would meet her hero, and after everything she'd done for me, nobody deserved that more than her.
*
Our VIP tickets earned us a private box, far enough away from the crowds that their screaming didn't drown out the music, but close enough that we could still see Teddy Stone in all his handsome glory.
Becca had been a self-certified fangirl since Teddy Stone first rose to fame in his late teens. By being there right from the start, she felt she had an air of superiority over the fans who'd only begun listening to his music after his first few Top 10 hits.
The politics of fangirling escaped me, but as I observed my closest friend singing along to every single song—word-for-word—with tears streaming down her face, it hit me for the first time just how much this guy meant to so many people.
There was nothing to dislike about his music. In fact, I enjoyed listening to his performance, despite only vaguely recognising the odd song from the radio. He had a sensational voice, belting out the songs live with ease, and seeing that he played his own instruments gave me an appreciation of him as a musician, as well.
But what I liked the most was how he engaged with the crowd. He shared anecdotes of things that had happened to him during the tour, explained the inspiration behind certain songs, and even brought some fans up on stage to sing with him.
From just a few hours in his presence, I could understand why so many people adored the guy. And if he could enable me to understand that in such a short space of time, I couldn't comprehend how someone like Becca, who'd followed him for years, felt about him.
"Are you ladies all good to meet Teddy?"
A man in a dark suit stuck his head into our box just as Teddy left the stage following his encore. Becca jumped beside me, but I didn't for one second believe she'd actually forgotten this part.
"Sure," she said, plastering a bright smile on her face. "I just need to run to the bathroom first."
"Take your time. I'll meet you both back here and show you to the car."
As soon as he'd gone, Becca grabbed my hand and pulled me down the corridor to the toilets.
"I need to tidy myself up for him," she said, dabbing away at the mascara that had leaked across her cheek. "Don't want to come across as one of those lame fans who cries at all his songs."
"But you did cry at all his songs."
She rolled her eyes at my reflection. "He doesn't need to know that. I need to be cool. This might be my only ever shot with him."
"I'm sure he'd be flattered to see that his music brought you to tears. Just be yourself, Bec. He seems like a genuine guy."
"You enjoyed it, then?" She paused with her hand buried inside her make-up bag, waiting for my reaction.
"Yeah, I loved it. Doesn't mean I'll be adding him to my playlists, but it was a great concert. Plus he's hot as fuck. Best of luck to you, girl."
Becca laughed and patted concealer under her eyes. "I probably don't stand a chance. But today is Valentine's Day... Maybe the stars have aligned."
"Whatever happens, you'll be able to brag about your Valentine's date with Teddy Stone for years to come."
"Just one thing, Soph: if you could maybe tone down the swearing a tad... He's notoriously clean with his language."
"Really?" I arched an eyebrow.
"Yeah. He has lots of young fans and didn't want them banned from listening to his music if their parents weren't comfortable with explicit language."
"That doesn't mean his language is clean off-stage..."
She glared at me through the mirror. "Just be careful, okay?"
Holding up my hands, I smiled at her in reassurance. "Best behaviour. I promise. This is your night. I don't want to fuck—screw—it up for you."
While Becca gushed about them arranging a car for us, I topped up my lipstick. Gabby hadn't told us much about these tickets—just that they included a private box and a meet-and-greet at the hotel afterwards. Her vagueness allowed for surprises like the car, and I loved seeing Becca so excited. I just hoped Teddy Stone saw in her what I did.
***
Thank you for reading :) xx
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