Almost Lover
Day Ten: Silent Confession
--
We took a small tourist bus to the venue. Me and Sofie had to wake up early to join Connect Three on their trip over to the Majestic Maui Theatre. We met at the Lobby at 8 o clock sharp, where four bodies were waiting for me and Sofie. It was the entire Connect Three band plus Nate's girlfriend.
"'Bout time!" Shane complained looking at his watch.
Jason motioned all of us outside where the bus was parked. When I got settled at the very back of the bus, I was informed it was a two hour drive just of reach the city of the venue. I had to spend two whole hours with Shane and I was not looking forward to that. Shane climbed in and immediately collapsed next to me.
"So why didn't you stay in a Hotel that was actually in that city?" I asked annoyed.
"Because we still have the MTV thing, and the hotel offered the stay for free." Shane said in a "duh" voice. Like I was suppose to know what's it like to be a celebrity.
I shifted a few times in my seat. Not because I was uncomfortable but because Shane suddenly found a way to entertain himself.
"Shane, quit poking me!" I flinched at his stabbing finger.
"Well forgive me, but your side is so squishy."
"You don't tell girls they're squishy!" Nate's girlfriend said, coming to my rescue. She secured her side by wrapping her arms around her waist, just in case Nate got any ideas.
"Why not?"
She rolled her eyes, "You just don't!"
Shane crossed his arms, sulking and restraining himself from poking me further.
I mouth a thanks to her and she shook her head as if saying, "No problem."
Shane dragged his body closer to me, closing the sitting space between us. He chewed on his bottom lip, in the most adorable way.
"How was it?" There are no words to describe his face.
"It was fine." I flatly said. I didn't want to let him know that I was missing a friend. I sighed, turning away from him. I didn't want to think about it. I felt terrible and I don't want to be reminded of yesterday.
Shane took noticed of this and frowned.
"So you were right then."
Confused, I glanced at Shane who looked disheartened.
"What do you mean…"
"If you gave it sometime, you'll like him. And you do."
"Shane?"
"What?"
"Shut up."
"Well someone's a little grumpy!"
"And?" I sharply replied.
Shane studied me, his eyes bore into mine, searching for something. I looked away, refusing to let him know anything.
"Sorry for being nosey." He apologized, Shane scooted away and drummed his fingers on his knee. The moment he became distant I wanted him near.
Close enough to hear him whisper, close enough to touch, close enough where I can see that small smile of his.
He sat still, so still that it was surprising to see him blink.
"He left, ok?" I admitted, "He left early this morning."
Shane looked up, shaking himself out of his stone-shell. He shrugged it off, his defensive attitude apparent.
"That's nice."
And that was the last thing he spoke to me from that bus. Those hours there were agonizing. I tried to get him to talk by asking questions or showing him the view we were passing.
He nodded.
He "smiled".
He'd seen it before.
So my efforts failed miserably, and by the time the first hour rolled by, I quit. I got up and moved. I sat next to Jason who was chatting away with Sofie.
"Hey Erica!" He greeted as if he hadn't seen me in a while.
"Sofie told me you got home from your date really late." He stressed. "Was the date that good?"
"Yeah, in fact it was so good I wish it never ended." I said sarcastically.
Jason smirked, "What happened? Prince Charming wasn't charming enough?"
I sighed, "Yeah, I guess…"
He looked at Shane before he leaned closer to me, "He got you didn't he?"
My eyes widen and I shook my head so many times I got dizzy. I wasn't even convincing myself, much less Jason. He put a comforting arm around my shoulders, consoling me. Sofie threw some death daggers at me with her glare. I glared back. She owed me, she dragged me here in the first place.
The feeling of "oh crap" sat on my heart who was throbbing lightly for Shane. There was so much inside that wished at that moment I could of chosen Colton. Colton was sweet, he was an ivy-league boy, he was beyond anything I could wish for. But here I was, finally realizing my stupid petty crush on a boy who confuses the heck out of me.
"So I guess your advice didn't work." I said hopelessly.
"Huh?"
"The 'stray away from him, Erica, if you know what's best for you" thing." I outstretched my hands, in front of me, trying to make Jason remember the scene of the Christmas Eve party.
Jason laughed, " I didn't exactly say that."
I sighed looking over at Nate and his girlfriend, "But it's what you meant."
--
Ok, I'll admit it. I've been suppressing some feelings, that I didn't want to have. So what if I like Shane? It's only a tiny school girl crush. Crushes are easy come, easy go, there's no doubt in my mind that I'll get over Shane. Perhaps, he's the reason, the obstacle, why Colton and I didn't work. I mean you can't like a boy when your mind is being occupied by someone else right?
Anyways, the bus drove straight threw a crowd full of screaming girls. No, he didn't run them over, if that's what your thinking. I mean, by the amount of fans that were standing in line, I was surprise he didn't.
As the bus slowed to a halt, we all picked up our things, getting ready to jump off the vehicle. Shane shoved passed me following Jason out. Nate looked at me pushing his unnamed girlfriend forward.
"Um, me and the guys are gonna be real busy today and well Alex offered to stay with you. And yeah…don't cause any trouble." Nate said awkwardly. I remembered the last time I asked Nate about Shane and how he was no help at all. I understand now why he was so secretive about his brother, and he gained my respect for protecting him. But I was still glad I somehow managed around Jason.
Alex wrapped her outstretched arms around me and Sofie, enveloping us in a hug.
"Oh finally some girls! We are gonna have so much fun!"
Nate smiled approvingly and left.
--
We spent our day out shopping on the deserted streets of this new city. I assumed everybody was recovering from the past holiday or they're out in line for the C3 concert. No matter what the reason, we were left with a quiet day at boutiques, eating out and just having a good time. Nevertheless I was surprise me and Alex got along so well. She was so down to earth and quirky. She almost seemed, you know…normal.
The moment we suddenly got bombarded with cameras we took a run for it. I grabbed Sofie and quickly followed Alex to no where in particular.
Almost normal.
Alex whipped out her cell phone and yelled into it.
"Hurry! They're chasing us!"
I looked behind me, a mob of paparazzi were gaining ground. My heart skipped and I frantically caught up to Alex.
"WHERE?…ok!"
Alex shoved her cellphone into her back pocket.
"Intersection of Main St. and Kealoha. We need to find Kealoha!"
We breathlessly kept running from the never ending chase. I began to wonder why Alex was so easily recognized and I have yet to be caught in this mess with the brothers.
"There!" Sofie pointed she suddenly sprinted towards it. Right at the corner was a black car with heavily tinted windows. Alex was the first to reach it and opened the door for us, me and Sofie dived in. Alex jumped in and the car drove off right before the crowd of paparazzi got a picture.
I could feel my heart racing and my face flushed deep red. In fact, we all looked like that. We looked at each other in our helpless state.
"And that's how you walk in the streets of Hollywood" Alex said informatively.
I laughed, holding on to my aching lungs.
--
"Ok, the lounge should be here…somewhere…"
Alex was leading us through a maze of backstage halls. Sofie held my hand while the other was clutching her backstage in awe. We kept on walking passed label-less doors and pitch black windows. Every once in awhile a random person with thick headphones would pass by but mainly we were alone.
"Umm, are you sure, we're going the right way?" I asked, almost scared we were on the road to the center of the earth. Or worse into a fiery pit of paparazzo's.
"Nate said once we pass their dressing rooms that there manager should be waiting for us." She said looking at her watch. We were suppose to meet up with him so he could personally escort us to some seats that were strictly reserved.
A sense of relief washed over me, "Alex we passed their rooms like 5 minutes ago."
I clearly remembered three door's with three distinct names tapped on them. I pointed towards the other direction and Alex sighed.
"Oh my god, that's a relief."
She walked passed me and she looked at her watch, "It's almost time for the show. For a second I thought we were gonna miss the beginning."
We walked back to the calm lounge. A man in his 40s looked glad to see us. "
"I heard what happened." He said giving us each a much needed bottle of water.
"Yeah, Phil, I don't know why I thought Hawaii was different from anywhere." Alex said annoyed, she gulper her water down and sighed.
"This is Erica and Sofie." She introduced us. Phil shook our hand politely.
"So these are the two girls the boys were talking about. Well nice to meet you, I'm Phil, Connect Three's Manager and I think we should be off. The show should start soon."
I looked at my watch, 6:48. I hadn't realize the proximity of the show. A sudden sensation came over me and for some strange reason I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs.
--
The ear pitching scream of 8 thousand girls was death-defying. Well 8 thousand and three, if you count Sofie, Alex and I. There was a certain atmosphere in the theatre that made the anxiety build up so much it feels like you might explode in any second. There was no point on holding back that scream pent up inside of me, Even my best ear shattering scream would be lost in the sea of cries of the girls.
Connect Three fans sure know how to use their lungs.
The stage that was darkly lit was now bathed in a soft blue hazy light. From the theatre balcony where were sat at we had a clear view of everything.
"ARE YOU GUYS READY TO ROCK?" Shane voice boom through the area. Well I'm not sure if it was Shane because there was nobody on stage from what I could tell. But it sure sounded like him.
More screams.
"HAHA WELL I HOPE YOU BROUGHT YOUR EAR PLUGS CAUSE WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOME NOISE TONIGHT."
His laugh was completely adorable but it was way better magnified to that extreme. I watched the stage intensely waiting for them to come out. And in my head I predicted the many entrances they could make but none could ever imagine that they would appear in the mist screaming girls.
They some how "walked on water" all the way to the stage and began their opening number.
I stood there consciously feeling Alex and Sofie jumping next to me, dancing to the music but my mind was somewhere else.
I'm not sure if it was because the atmosphere was contagious or the feeling of euphoria was just spontaneously put there when I saw Shane up on the big screen smiling. My heart swelled seeing him on that stage and hearing his voice. It was more than the tiny crush I was convincing myself. I like Shane.
I really like Shane.
Even thought it was hopeless I screamed out at the top of my lungs, "I love you Shane!"
I knew my tiny cry would get swallowed up in the monster of yells that were produced by girls the age of Sofie.
After that crazy antic Shane looked in our direction, and for a spilt second I could have sworn he saw me, that small smiled of his grew. It's as if he heard me.
"ALRIGHT NOW HIT IT!"
The music began with a tremendous opening and once Shane began to sing I couldn't hear anything else but him.
The sounds of screams melted away and my vision narrowed down to him.
Maybe I was crazy for liking him. Or at least finally allowing myself to like him. Through the whole concert I, along with 8 thousand other girls, fell in love with Shane and I was the lucky one to know, that the possibly of us is higher than any high that any endorphines can take me.
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Sorry for the choppy chapter! I really wanted to post this up to get it out of the way, I have a ton of homework and studying to do now. -sad face- Anyways I do promise to go back and rewrite it just as long and you R&R!