“Okay, they said to drive through the back.” Liane stuffed her phone back into her pocket, and Abigail quickly touched up, primping up for what seems to be someone in the band. The car came to a quick halt, and we all climbed out before a loud buzzing sound filled the small alleyway.

“Do you think Calum is going to notice my outfit?” Abigail smirked, pushing a strand of hair behind her.

“Please, it was a one night stand, not ground breaking sex,” Nica the girl who hadn’t spoken throughout the whole ride, scoffed.

“He will,” She laughed, disregarding Nica’s statement, and walked through the back door.

“She’s so blind, it’s ridiculous.” Nica huffed before trailing along behind her.

“Let’s go, I think you’ll like the band.” Alice smiled leading me into the dark backroom.

The door behind us slammed shut, and after a few minutes of what seemed to me as aimless wandering we reached an empty stage.

“Aw looky here. Luke’s girlfriends here.” An Australian voice spoke beside me.

“Alice is here?” Another spoke, and soon four tall boys stood in front of us.

Lianne walked towards one with bright red hair, Alice warmly smiled at Luke, and Abigails arm latched onto the tall tan boy, with a blonde streak that ran through the front of his hair. “Boys, this is Mia. Mia meet Michael” She pointed at the red head. “Luke, Ashton,” She motioned over to the blond curly one, and lastly pointed towards the last boy. “And Calum,”

They all chimed ‘Hello’ before Alice had left my side. Calum stared me down, and Ashton had a wide smile making me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I averted my gaze quickly. “Don’t worry. I’m here,” Nica smiled over at me before walking me over to another section of the venue.

“Alice, and Luke are inseparable. You have me though,” She smiled pulling out two beers from a nearby fridge. “The boys are like brothers to me. Plus I already have someone,” I wiggled my brows at her to relieve some of the tension, and she immediately laughed, handing over a beer. “If we all hang out more often, maybe you’ll meet him,” I smiled at her before I felt a hand wander around my waist.

My smile seemed to vanish, and my grip on my beer bottle tightened. “Hey beautiful,” Rolling my eyes at the comment, Nica ripped his hand off of my waist, and pushed him back. “Back the fuck off Calum,” She growled, and I turned slightly to see Calum with a smirk plastered across his face. “Aye leave the poor girl alone. First day here, and you’re already mauling her,” Ashton laughed before grabbing himself a beer, and wandering to the other side of the room.

“Am I not attractive enough for you, babe?” Calum snickered, and I scoffed taking a swig of beer.

“Not even close,”

An echo of ‘oohs’ erupted, but Calum kept a determined face as he draped an arm around a very jealous Abigail. “You’ll loosen up to me soon babe,” He laughed before walking off into the distance.

“What is his problem?” I turned to Nica.

“He likes to tease the girls he’s attracted too. Just make yourself comfortable, I’m sure in no time you’ll get along with the band.” She smiled motioning for me to go sit on one of the nearby couches.

“Nica stop hogging up the new girl,” Ashton smiled cheekily before plopping himself between Nica and I.

“Hi I’m Ashton,” He held out his large hand, and I slipped mine into his shaking it as I smiled back. “You’ve got tiny hands,” He laughed.

“Um, thanks? I guess.” I fiddiled with the empty beer bottle in my hand before Ashton spoke up again.

“Are you going out with us tonight?” I nodded, and he smiled. “Calums going to get a kick out of that,”

“Isn’t he with Abigail?” I questioned.

“Nah, just erm. What do you call it? Ah friends with benefits. Nothing more than that. Well at least not to him,” He smiled, and my phone buzzed beside me. “Well I have to preform. Hope to see you out there.” Ashton winked before heading off into the distance.

I glanced down at my phone, unlocking it to find a few messages. All from Harry of course.

Where are you?

Emilia, I’d like for once to be tranquil. Tell me where you are?

So help me, if I find you.

Goddammit Emilia. Answer.

Chuckling at his texts, I pressed call as the band began to play. And after two rings, Harry picked up.

“Where the fuck are you?” He spoke, panting heavily as if he were just running.

“Well hello, nice speaking to you too.”

“Emilia. Where are you?”

“That’s none of your business,” I bit back.

“Ah, found you,” The phone call ended, and I stood confused for a few seconds.

“Found me, my ass.” I muttered, before turning to find Harry by the entrance to the stage. Jumping in fright, I placed a hand over my heart trying to regain composure before looking up to see a very displeased Harry.

“Must you always show up when least needed.”

“I told you I would find you, and here I am,” He shot a cheeky smirk.

“Here you are, now if you would excuse me I have a band to listen to,” I pushed past him but his fingers quickly laced around my upper arm.

“You’re going back now,” He pulled towards the exit, as I dug my feet into the floors to stop myself from moving. “Emilia.” He warned.

“Let me enjoy myself for once. What happened to the carefree, frat boy I used to hate at campus,” I attempted to bargain with the grouch.

“I am still me, Emilia.” He looked quizzically at me before letting me go.

“You want to go have fun? Go ahead. I’ll be with the band,” He huffed in annoyance stepping around me.

“Wait,” And he halted turning his head slightly. “You know the band?”

“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me Emilia. My friends are one of them.” He responded coldly, before walking off into the venue.

He knew the band?


“Oh come on it’ll be fun,” Abigail loosened up to me a bit popping a blue pill as she downed a shot. “I’m not forcing you. But it’ll definitely make the night feel a hell of a lot better. I know I need it,”

“You need it?” I questioned her, staring at the little blue pills she held in her hand.

“Of course I do. Calum is after you, and I need to be extra fun to find someone interesting for myself tonight.”

“You make men sound like dinner,” I laughed, as she separated three for what seemed like Lianne, Nica, and Alice.

“Men are dinner,” She stated. “Some a bit more exquisite.” She winked before hollering for the girls to come inside. “Here, one for each of you.”

Each of them quickly took the pill and swallowed it down, not bothering to ask questions, so I gulped back my pride, and took the remaining pill. Plopping it in my mouth, I gulped it down with the little liquid left in the bottle of dark liquor left on the table. When I turned back towards the girls, each of them looked shocked. “Never thought she’d take an X,” Lianne laughed, but nodded her head in approval. “You’ll feel like you’re on clouds. You won’t get a bad high, I promise.” Lianne reassured me before grabbing her belongings to leave.

It seemed like a few minutes, until I looked over to see the clock displayed the twelve thirty. “Has it really been that long?” All the girls eyes meet mine, and shake their heads. “Times flies like that,” Nica laughs. “That means another pill before we leave.” I shook my head in disapproval. “Don’t you think one’s enough?”

“Hell no, they wear off,” She passes one to me before plopping hers in her mouth. “Oh come on, don’t be a wuss,” She laughed.

The mix of alcohol and pills made me feel a bit risqué, and before it registered in my mind, the pill was already swallowed. “Atta girl,” A male voice spoke, and I turned to see Calum pressed against the door frame.

Abigail’s eyes rolled in disgust as she pushed past Calum. “You’re disgusting,” She muttered, and he aww’d in response.

“Don’t be like that Ab,” He laughed, and she turned around and scoffed.

“She won’t stoop low enough to look at you. The most you’ll get is a pity dance. It’s okay Calum, I already know you’ll come back to me, I mean I am the prettiest,” She laughed, and Calum glared at her. I gasped, but kept shrugged the insult off. Lianne was quick to shoot me a sympathetic look, but quickly returned her gaze to the argument.

“Just because I won’t date you doesn’t mean I won’t date her,” He quipped clenching his jaw. “And for your information, I shagged you for a bet not because I find you attractive, because lets be honest…” He paused and glanced between Abigail and I. “It’s obvious that I’m attracted to her,” Abigail’s whole demeanor changed as she stormed out dragging Lianne along with her.

I awkwardly glanced at Alice, and she and Nica both shared the same shocked face. “Uh, let’s go?” She smiled to relieve the tension. “But,” I tried to reason with her, as she shot me a glare and headed out.

“You’re coming with me,” Harry’s unmistakable voice spoke.

Luckily Calum walked right past me in time for me to come up with a escape plan. Reaching out I grabbed his arm, and pulled him back towards me. “Hi,” He smiled, but before he could say anything more I glanced back at Harry. “Calum, and I are going clubbing together,” I tease, and Calum smirks to himself before draping an arm around my waist.

“Yeah, Harry. Thought you had someone already. What was her name? Kate. Haven’t you and her been going strong for a few years now,” Calum asked, and my jaw almost hit the floor. “You brought her to London’s venue right?” My mouth still hung slightly, and Harry’s color drained slightly, before he grabbed me and pulled me out the door. “The clubs called Rare, see you there babe.” Calum smirked again, and I simply nodded my head before pulled to the side of the back venue.

“I was going to tell you about Kate,” Harry looked tense, and nervous.

“Were you really? Because I’m finding that awfully hard to believe, considering I didn’t know a Kate even existed up until now,” I looked up at him as he towered over me.

“It’s an open relationship, she lives here. Nearby.” He corrected himself, before sticking his hands in his pockets.

“Do you love her?” I asked feeling brave, as my surroundings blurred from the mix of things I consumed,

“No,”

“Why not?”

“Stop asking me questions,” He growled, but I raised a brow at him scoffing at his remark.

“Answer me,” He sighed, as I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently.
“We dated when I was in secondary school, but she never liked my aggressiveness and we didn’t last long. We’ve been friends since diapers,” He looks at me as if his revelation had cleared anything up, but it didn’t.

“What the hell does that have to do with anything,” I yelled.

“Because she only has a few years left to live! I promised I would be there for until she passes,” He shouted back at me, and I stayed quite letting the newfound information sink in.

“Oh,” Was all I could manage at the time. “When can I see her?” I hiccupped, and he shook his head.

“Never, now let’s get back to the hotel.” I gasped in shock pulling away, and walking down the alley.

My legs felt a bit light, and it was hard to keep an eye on the road ahead but I made it with Harry walking behind me. Waving a hand, a nearby open cab pulled up, and I glared back at Harry. “Go find Kate, and have fun with her,” I mumbled telling the cab driver to drive to Rare.

“You’re not- Emilia !” He shouted running back into the alley, as the venue slowly faded in the distance.

Notes