Above The Trees
chapter one
“I can’t believe this is actually happening!” Millie squeals with delight as we walk down the sidewalk to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan—my hometown.
“Calm down, Millie,” I say with a laugh. “You’ll give yourself a freakin’ heart attack.”
On the drive over, Millie had blasted One Direction. I was shocked that I actually liked the music. They weren’t just a bunch of pretty faces. They had talent and magnificent harmonies. My favorite songs are “Rock Me,” “Heart Attack,” and “What Makes You Beautiful”—even though it makes me want to cry because I’m so fucking insecure and I want to find a guy that actually feels that way about me.
“Oh, my God!” Millie exclaims. “Niall’s ‘ow’s’ in ‘Heart Attack’ are so cute, I could just die!” She jumps up and down, fumbling with her words. “I think I actually am going to have a heart attack!”
I stop her in on the sidewalk in front of Van Andel Arena. I face her and put my hands on her shoulders. “Millie, hold it together. Do you really want to act like this in front of Niall?” She shakes her head. “Inhale,” I tell her. She does so. “Exhale.” She exhales. “Okay, let’s go in. Do you have the passes?”
“Yup, right here.” She pulls two lanyard badges out of her messenger back and we turn to head into the venue.
A group of gross older guys stop and look me up and down. Their eyes stop at my Nine Inch Nails Starfucker shirt. “Hey, I’m a star. Wanna fuck me?” The tall one with greasy longer hair says with a cackle.
“Yeah, how much?” Says the shorter one, staring at my ass.
“Fuck off,” I respond flatly and unimpressed. Millie wraps her arm around my shoulder and leads me into the building next to us.
“Don’t listen to them,” Millie tells me. “They’re just jerk-offs.”
I sigh deeply. “I know. I just don’t get why I have to attract so many shitty guys. It’s so frustrating.” I flip my hair out of my face.
“Forgot all about that because you know what? You’re about to meet motherfucking One Direction!” A grin spreads across Millie’s face and she starts jumping up and down again.
We are led by security down multiple hallways and corridors to the meet and greet room, where about fifty other girls are waiting. Most are younger than me and are adorned in One Direction memorabilia. Some even have their faces painted with “1D” and other related things. I feel incredibly out of place in my Nine Inch Nails tee, leather pants, six-inch booties and fiery red hair with purple tips.
“Oh, geez,” I mutter uncomfortably.
Millie grabs my hand and squeezes it. “It’ll be okay, Ellie! Just focus on the 1D. Wait… what’s this?” She walks over to a booth across the room. “What’s this?” She repeats to the woman standing there.
“This is a raffle to win a ‘night on the town’ with One Direction,” the woman explains. “Just fill out one of these cards and we will contact you if you win!” She hands a card and a pen to Millie.
“Are we allowed to bring a friend with us if we win?” Millie asks, taking the card and pen, glancing back at me.
“Of course! You’re allowed to bring one friend with you.” She smiles brightly.
“C’mon, Ellie, do this with me!” Millie calls over to me, already filling out the raffle card.
I sigh again and stomp over to the booth. “Alright,” I grumble. “It’s only ‘cuz I love you.” Millie elbows me and a smirk breaks.
“I told you I would hook you up with a member of One Direction. Well, here’s our chance!” Millie says proudly, crossing her arms and accepting all the credit.
We get in line to wait to meet the boys. I have never been so intimidated in my life with all these super fans around me—and I’ve moshed at Asking Alexandria and Of Mice & Men concerts and have been to Warped Tour in 103 degree weather. But Millie just continues to comfort me until we hear high-pitched screams towards our right.
“The boys must have come out,” Millie states with a grin.
We wait in line for about twenty-five minutes. They must have wanted to get through the girls as fast as possible. Surprisingly, I feel a cold pit of excitement form in my stomach. But finally, it’s our turn to step up and meet the guys. My booties make a clicking sound against the tile as I walk toward them with my arm wrapped around Millie’s. My breathing grows shallow once I see them. I smile weakly and put my left hand on my hip.
Once the five young men see Millie and me, their eyes widen; Millie with her bright pink dreadlocks and me with my intimidating presence. Niall bites his lip as if he is nervous… or maybe he likes what he sees? I watch their eyes travel up and down my friend and I. I understand that we are not “regular” One Direction fans but I just was praying to God that someone would say something.
Finally, Harry speaks up. “Hello there, I’m Harry,” he says in that beautiful accent of his. He holds out his hand to Millie.
“I know who you are,” Millie says awkwardly. She takes his hand daintily, smiling like a total dork. Her eyes are bright and almost misty. “I’m Millie.”
While Harry and Millie are preoccupied, I feel the other four members staring at me. I put my right arm on my hip and stand cock my hip. Then Niall speaks up: “What’s your shirt mean?” He asks in his adorable Irish accent. It was the elephant in the room.
I look down at my chest; observe the white star and the word “FUCKER.” “Uh, actually it’s a shirt for my favorite band, Nine Inch Nails,” I answer nonchalantly.
Zayn puts his hand up to his chin. “But what exactly is a… starfucker?” He raises an eyebrow and I try not to blush. I mean, they are all staring at my chest.
I suddenly relax. They are actually not that scary and they don’t seem to find me too intimidating. “It’s a person who sells out in the music industry. They basically fuck their way to the top.”
“Are ya trying to say we’re starfuckers?” Louis asks, trying to act all tough and offended.
Liam punches his shoulder lightly. “Knock it off,” he commands. He turns to me. “He didn’t mean it.”
“It’s fine,” I assure him, smirking. I then realize that Harry and Millie had joined in on listening to the conversation. Everyone is looking at me. I laugh nervously. “So, Millie, didn’t you want them to sign your poster?”
“Oh, yeah!” Millie pulls out her poster that she had shown me earlier and a Sharpie marker. “Here,” she says as she hands the items to Harry. Once the band signs the poster, she thanks them.
I notice that Liam is still watching me. I don’t mind because he is super cute but I really have my eyes set on Zayn. I liked the way he said “starfucker.” It was pretty hot. We talk just a few more minutes. I still pretty awkward but I try to talk to Zayn, Liam and Louis, while Millie drools over Niall and Harry. But then Millie and I were moved along by security so they could finish the meet and greet.
“Bye, guys!” Millie says happily, hugging each one.
“Bye,” I say quietly.
“Aw, c’mon, no hug?” Harry asks me with an over-exaggerated frown.
I feel my heart skip a beat. “I don’t really hug…” I murmur.
“Well, too bad!” Louis says with a smile.
The five band members—along with Millie—circle around me and give me a big group hug. “No-ooo,” I mutter, cringing at the feeling; on the inside, I was screaming with joy. The warmth of the gentlemen made me melt. God, I hope I win that contest so I can talk with them again.
“Calm down, Millie,” I say with a laugh. “You’ll give yourself a freakin’ heart attack.”
On the drive over, Millie had blasted One Direction. I was shocked that I actually liked the music. They weren’t just a bunch of pretty faces. They had talent and magnificent harmonies. My favorite songs are “Rock Me,” “Heart Attack,” and “What Makes You Beautiful”—even though it makes me want to cry because I’m so fucking insecure and I want to find a guy that actually feels that way about me.
“Oh, my God!” Millie exclaims. “Niall’s ‘ow’s’ in ‘Heart Attack’ are so cute, I could just die!” She jumps up and down, fumbling with her words. “I think I actually am going to have a heart attack!”
I stop her in on the sidewalk in front of Van Andel Arena. I face her and put my hands on her shoulders. “Millie, hold it together. Do you really want to act like this in front of Niall?” She shakes her head. “Inhale,” I tell her. She does so. “Exhale.” She exhales. “Okay, let’s go in. Do you have the passes?”
“Yup, right here.” She pulls two lanyard badges out of her messenger back and we turn to head into the venue.
A group of gross older guys stop and look me up and down. Their eyes stop at my Nine Inch Nails Starfucker shirt. “Hey, I’m a star. Wanna fuck me?” The tall one with greasy longer hair says with a cackle.
“Yeah, how much?” Says the shorter one, staring at my ass.
“Fuck off,” I respond flatly and unimpressed. Millie wraps her arm around my shoulder and leads me into the building next to us.
“Don’t listen to them,” Millie tells me. “They’re just jerk-offs.”
I sigh deeply. “I know. I just don’t get why I have to attract so many shitty guys. It’s so frustrating.” I flip my hair out of my face.
“Forgot all about that because you know what? You’re about to meet motherfucking One Direction!” A grin spreads across Millie’s face and she starts jumping up and down again.
We are led by security down multiple hallways and corridors to the meet and greet room, where about fifty other girls are waiting. Most are younger than me and are adorned in One Direction memorabilia. Some even have their faces painted with “1D” and other related things. I feel incredibly out of place in my Nine Inch Nails tee, leather pants, six-inch booties and fiery red hair with purple tips.
“Oh, geez,” I mutter uncomfortably.
Millie grabs my hand and squeezes it. “It’ll be okay, Ellie! Just focus on the 1D. Wait… what’s this?” She walks over to a booth across the room. “What’s this?” She repeats to the woman standing there.
“This is a raffle to win a ‘night on the town’ with One Direction,” the woman explains. “Just fill out one of these cards and we will contact you if you win!” She hands a card and a pen to Millie.
“Are we allowed to bring a friend with us if we win?” Millie asks, taking the card and pen, glancing back at me.
“Of course! You’re allowed to bring one friend with you.” She smiles brightly.
“C’mon, Ellie, do this with me!” Millie calls over to me, already filling out the raffle card.
I sigh again and stomp over to the booth. “Alright,” I grumble. “It’s only ‘cuz I love you.” Millie elbows me and a smirk breaks.
“I told you I would hook you up with a member of One Direction. Well, here’s our chance!” Millie says proudly, crossing her arms and accepting all the credit.
We get in line to wait to meet the boys. I have never been so intimidated in my life with all these super fans around me—and I’ve moshed at Asking Alexandria and Of Mice & Men concerts and have been to Warped Tour in 103 degree weather. But Millie just continues to comfort me until we hear high-pitched screams towards our right.
“The boys must have come out,” Millie states with a grin.
We wait in line for about twenty-five minutes. They must have wanted to get through the girls as fast as possible. Surprisingly, I feel a cold pit of excitement form in my stomach. But finally, it’s our turn to step up and meet the guys. My booties make a clicking sound against the tile as I walk toward them with my arm wrapped around Millie’s. My breathing grows shallow once I see them. I smile weakly and put my left hand on my hip.
Once the five young men see Millie and me, their eyes widen; Millie with her bright pink dreadlocks and me with my intimidating presence. Niall bites his lip as if he is nervous… or maybe he likes what he sees? I watch their eyes travel up and down my friend and I. I understand that we are not “regular” One Direction fans but I just was praying to God that someone would say something.
Finally, Harry speaks up. “Hello there, I’m Harry,” he says in that beautiful accent of his. He holds out his hand to Millie.
“I know who you are,” Millie says awkwardly. She takes his hand daintily, smiling like a total dork. Her eyes are bright and almost misty. “I’m Millie.”
While Harry and Millie are preoccupied, I feel the other four members staring at me. I put my right arm on my hip and stand cock my hip. Then Niall speaks up: “What’s your shirt mean?” He asks in his adorable Irish accent. It was the elephant in the room.
I look down at my chest; observe the white star and the word “FUCKER.” “Uh, actually it’s a shirt for my favorite band, Nine Inch Nails,” I answer nonchalantly.
Zayn puts his hand up to his chin. “But what exactly is a… starfucker?” He raises an eyebrow and I try not to blush. I mean, they are all staring at my chest.
I suddenly relax. They are actually not that scary and they don’t seem to find me too intimidating. “It’s a person who sells out in the music industry. They basically fuck their way to the top.”
“Are ya trying to say we’re starfuckers?” Louis asks, trying to act all tough and offended.
Liam punches his shoulder lightly. “Knock it off,” he commands. He turns to me. “He didn’t mean it.”
“It’s fine,” I assure him, smirking. I then realize that Harry and Millie had joined in on listening to the conversation. Everyone is looking at me. I laugh nervously. “So, Millie, didn’t you want them to sign your poster?”
“Oh, yeah!” Millie pulls out her poster that she had shown me earlier and a Sharpie marker. “Here,” she says as she hands the items to Harry. Once the band signs the poster, she thanks them.
I notice that Liam is still watching me. I don’t mind because he is super cute but I really have my eyes set on Zayn. I liked the way he said “starfucker.” It was pretty hot. We talk just a few more minutes. I still pretty awkward but I try to talk to Zayn, Liam and Louis, while Millie drools over Niall and Harry. But then Millie and I were moved along by security so they could finish the meet and greet.
“Bye, guys!” Millie says happily, hugging each one.
“Bye,” I say quietly.
“Aw, c’mon, no hug?” Harry asks me with an over-exaggerated frown.
I feel my heart skip a beat. “I don’t really hug…” I murmur.
“Well, too bad!” Louis says with a smile.
The five band members—along with Millie—circle around me and give me a big group hug. “No-ooo,” I mutter, cringing at the feeling; on the inside, I was screaming with joy. The warmth of the gentlemen made me melt. God, I hope I win that contest so I can talk with them again.
Notes
So this is my beginning. One Directiton finally come into the picture! Woo! I know this is kind of awkward but the next chapter will be much more exciting. Btw, I'm really look for some more 1D fans to talk to so feel free to send me a message if you want to help a newbie out!Ellie's Outift: http://www.polyvore.com/ellie/set?id=87809809
Millie's Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/millie/set?id=87811209
I am in no way biased but update.
12/30/13