I looked around cautiously, making sure no one had saw me pick up Harry's phone. Glad that no one had paid me any attention, I slipped the phone into my back pocket and walked over to the security guard standing in front of the back stage entrance. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before facing him. This was going to take some serious acting skill, which I didn't have, to make it past this guy. I opened my eyes, put on a semi-convinving confident grin and strolled over to stand next to the security guard.
"Um, excuse me, sir?" I fumbled over awkwardly. "I...I have to give something to someone backstage."
The guard raised his eyebrows and looked me up and down. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "Sorry miss, no fans are allowed backstage before the performance without a pass."
I shrugged. "I'm not even a fan. I just need to give Harry Styles his phone back." I held the phone up for the guard to see.
"Nice try." He winked and turned back around. I glared at his back. Dammit. Time for Plan B. My vision blurred as I realized; this was my only chance to talk to Niall. If I blew this...well, I couldn't blow this.
"Ohmigosh. They're back there!" a girl behind me whispered. She and someone beside her screamed obnoxiously. "I love them so much! Ahhhh!" A lightbulb went off in my head as I heard the two girls. I bit my lip, trying to channel my inner rebel.
"Hey." I turned around and looked at the girl. She was a strawberry blonde, who looked about fourteen or so, and she stood next to her tall black-haired friend. She was chewing gum loudly and trying to capture a picture of the stage from where she stood. "He's not looking. Go ahead. I know you want to see One Direction." I tried to be as convincing as I could but, sadly, as far as acting goes, I'm about as good as the average fish.
The strawberry blonde popped her gum. "We'd get caught, obviously. Not worth it."
"Who are you, anyway?" the black-haired girl piped up. "Do you want us to get kicked out?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I don't. Not at all, actually. I just can't stand listening to you two fangirl; it's annoying," I lied, twirling a lock of blonde hair around my index finger. "I bet you couldn't get in anyway. I shouldn't have brought it up. You are just children after all."
The strawberry blonde made a face. "Uhm, excuse you. You'll see, bitch. Come on, Olivia." The black-haired girl, Olivia, followed the strawberry blonde back over to the security guard. Strawberry stood behind him and Olivia took the front.
"Oh. Ehm. Gee. Are One-Dee really back there?" Olivia fanned her cheeks wildly. I snickered.
The security guard crossed his arms over his chest and gave Olivia a sympathetic look, yet his voice was firm. "Take ten steps back. No one's allowed near the stage."
"But I wanna go see them!" Olivia protested, her eyes filling with tears. She stomped her foot and let out a blood-curtling scream. The security guard winced and put his hands over his ears. At that moment, Strawberry saw her opportunity and slipped by the guard, racing down the backstage hallway.
"Hey!" the security guard chased after her, and Olivia followed, splitting of into a different direction.
Yes. I grinned. It worked!
Carefully, I took off after Olivia, Harry's phone carefully secured in my pocket. As I rounded the corner, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Now... to find the boys.
Just as I was deliberating my ideas, I turned around and found myself face to face with the security guard.
"Crap," I mumbled under my breath. The security guard's face was pulled back in a sneer. He reached out to grab my arm, but I flinched backward. Without thinking, I ran. I ran as fast as I could, my heart racing and my eyes wide. Only one clear thought formed in my head.
Niall. Niall. Niall.
This might be the last time I ever get to see him. Whether or not he'd recognize me...I guess I'd just have to see for myself.
"Hey! Get back here!" the security guard called from the other side of the hall. I picked up speed, swinging around the corner so fast that I knocked into someone, sending both of us tumbling to the ground. Crap.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I said quickly, averting my eyes from my victim's. I imagine I had been blushing furiously, but when I got the courage to look over at the poor person I had just barrel-rolled, I clapped my hands over my mouth. It seemed strange, but I was instantly starstruck by this green-eyed, curly-haired boy underneath me. Harry. Harry Styles. Just the lad I was looking for.
Okay, this was too easy. I was beginning to doubt my plan.
"Don't worry about it, love," Harry said, smirking. He helped me up and, for a moment, I was speechless. Then, the security guard turned the corner. I froze.
Fumbling over his boots, the security guard made his way over to where Harry and I were standing. His glare was jaw-droppingly vicious. "You. You think you're smart, huh? The charade's over. You're time's up." My heart died a little bit inside.
"Phil, it's okay," Harry told him cautiously. "She's with me. Seriously, just get back to the entrance."
"She's not allowed back here," Phil the security guard boomed. He grabbed my arm firmly and I winced.
"Let go of her," Harry said, firmly this time. "I let her in here. Let her go!"
Phil stared Harry down, and, reluctantly, pushed my arm away. "Get out of my sight."
My eyes were wide with fear, and my heart was pounding in my chest. "Harry, I'm so sorry, oh my gosh--"
"Stop. Seriously, don't apologize." He smiled lightly. "That git. If it were up to me, I'd go outside to see every one of you." He stuck his tongue out, making me laugh.
"Actually, I just have something to give to you. You dropped this when you walked by me, and I wanted to return it," I said shyly. I bit my lip. What had gotten into me? I was never shy.
I took Harry's phone out of my pocket and held it out to him. "Here."
Harry's green eyes widened as his hands flew to his pockets. "Shit. I'm surprised you weren't mobbed or killed."
"To be honest, I kind of am, too," I admitted. "No one else seemed to notice it."
"I'm glad you did. If anyone else had found it..." Harry shivered. "Well, let's just say we'd certainly be getting a lot of prank calls. What's your name then, huh?"
"Allie," I said softly. "Allie Hunter." I paused, waiting for any recognition on Harry's face, but there seemed to be none. So, Niall hasn't said anything about me, I guess. I shot away feelings of disappointment. You can't be upset, that's ridiculous. It's been seven years, Allie, I told myself.
"Right," Harry replied, grinning. "Got a Twitter, Allie Hunter?"
I shook my head. "Technology's not really my thing. Anything electrical that I touch is cursed to a very, very short life."
Harry laughed. "You're a funny one, Allie Hunter." He looked at his watch; a very nice one, which didn't surprise me. The boys probably got whatever they wanted for free. "We've still got a half hour before the show. You should come hang out with us."
Instinctively, my heart pounded. Us...that's all of them. I smiled, trying to keep my cool. "Sure. I'd love to."
- - - - - - - - - -
Niall's POV.
"Ew, erase it, Lou."
I threw a pillow at him from across the dressing room. Louis had painted a picture of the five of us onto the mirror using the makeup that was strewn across the floor. An American girl group was opening for us, and Louis had done an excellent job of snatching their coloured lipstick to create a portrait.
"I think it looks sexy. It's a good look for you, Nialler," Lou said, in reference to the large French mustache picture-me was sporting.
"I second that," Liam chipped in, chomping on a goldfish cracker. The crackers were one of Liam's new favorite American snacks.
"Nawh, I think the mustache's a bit much, honestly," Zayn replied, yawning. "You should be the one with the mustache, Louis. It fits the whole 'random'-ass thing you've got goin' on."
"Ay-men," I howled, grinning. Louis covered his hands over his mouth in shame.
"You hate it." He frowned.
"No, baby Lou. I love it," I insisted. "I just think that ... Mustaches are more of a ... British thing."
Zayn made a face. "To think, I defended you, mate."
There was a knock on the door and, in a rush, Louis crossed out his portrait in a big eyeliner X, probably hoping that no one would notice it if it was X-ed out. Of course, this made me crack up.
"Come in!" Liam called out, popping another cracker into his mouth.
Harry slipped into the room through the doorway with a huge grin on his face, followed by a very pretty blonde girl. She looked tall, but was still shorter than me, with her long, tanned legs giving her the illusion of height. Her sandy blonde hair fell in waves around her smiling face, which seemed to light up the room. But then, I saw her eyes. An emerald green; the most lovely, breathtaking shade of emerald green that I had ever seen. I was engulfed into a flashback of cheek-kisses, laughter, and a certain friendship with a certain little girl that I thought would last forever.
I stood up quickly. Suddenly, there was no one else in the room except me and her. I looked into her blonde tresses and saw the time where Greg and I had gotten chewing gum stuck into this hair, and she had screamed at us for twenty minutes straight until she stopped and laughed so hard she started to cry. I looked at her smile and saw my birthday party, where she taught me I could sing, though next to her beautiful voice, mine was nothing.
I looked at her and saw ... myself.
"Allie?" I whispered, my eyes burning holes into hers'.
"Hello Niall," she said slowly, a weak smile spreading onto her face. "It's been a long time."
