Chapter 4

Again...I do not know the guys. All rights reserved to respective owners. Bex is MINE. Story line is mine. Some events are factual...most are not. No copyright infringement intended.

Enjoy!

                                                 Live While We’re Young

                                                            Chapter 4

Bex

Louis deposits me safely back to Cal in just enough time to be escorted to the band’s guest seating.  I sit bravely through the opening act and the screams from the crowd.  The sound system pumps in the macarena, along with music from bands I have no idea about, which has the crowd on their feet. After a delay of about half an hour, the young girl across the aisle from me informs me the safety video would be coming on and then the boys intro video.  It was kind of interesting to listen to their conversations as they wait for the quartet to take the stage. It seems to be a running joke that they are never on time.

“So, Elsie...ya know my friend...the one that had the meet and greet,” a french braided redhead says loudly behind me to her neighbor. “Well...she was in line and Hazza came out of his dressing room with some ugly ass brunette.”  

“No way...I thought he was with Nadine,” the friend gasps

“See, that’s why I’m a Niall girl. He would never cheat on his girlfriend. She also said that Louis was whispering in her ear.  I bet she’s either some slut or she’s a beard for Larry,” the girl continues.  

Who in god’s name is Larry?

I keep my head down for fear someone will recognize me. Just about a half hour later, as predicted, the boys make their way on stage.

Truly knowing only one song, I listen as best as I can while watching the big screens.  The boys chat to the audience, especially Harry and Liam.  My phone vibrates in the pocket of my denim jacket and I pull it out just as Liam begins his next turn.  It’s a text from Cal telling me to make my way down to the stage. I can watch with him.  Paddy spots me coming down one of the aisles and waves me through the security.

“Ms. Oliver, Cal is over on the other side of the stage,” he says pointing me in the right direction.  I walk along the catwalk with my head down hoping no one recognizes me from earlier.  I make my way around and find my friend changing out his memory card.  

“Johannnneesssbuurrg!” Liam begins.

“Thank you so much for having us in your beautiful country. We’ve enjoyed a few relaxing days in the South African sun. We learned Nando’s was invented here!!”  The young girls around me scream at the mere mention of this nando’s.

“Are you going to be louder than yesterday?” He asks causing another wave of screams. “I do believe this could be true! SCREAM!!!”  The entire stadium bursts into blood curdling  screams.   

“Enough with the pleasantries...anyone have FOUR, our latest album?

“This one is...anyone’s favorite song Stockholm Syndrome? Mr. Harry Styles gave us this one,” Liam says causing the crowd to cheer.  I figure by the time the show is over I’ll be deaf.

“This one’s good,” Cal says nodding his head to the beat of the song.

Harry begins the song in his raspy baritone, singing about being held hostage.  

Niall takes over along with a low beat that reminded me almost of an old Tears for Fears song.  The crowd screams “Oh!” making the boys smile.  Harry works the crowd on either side of the catwalk, singing to them and pointing to himself.  Liam dances around like a man on fire while Louis stands on our side of the small stage singing and pointing at people.  I find myself dancing a little more freely than I would normally.  My moves seemed to be the highlight of Cal’s evening because he stands there smiling broadly at me.

“What?” I scream over the crowd at him.

“Nothing, B...nothing,” he smirks before walking toward the main stage.

I stay where I am keeping on eye on the stage and screens. A shot of cold hits the back of my jacket taking my breath away.  Wetness seeps down the back of my clothes. Looking at the ground behind me, there is an empty water bottle I suspect was full moments before. A young girl glares at me while the one next to her yells, “Poos! Loop Naai!”  I casually remove the wet denim and lay it on the side of the stage. Through the next few songs, I’m screamed at and things are thrown at me. Even when I move around to the other side of the stage.  

The thousands of girls go ballistic when Niall feels himself up during the next song.  I still have no idea what the name of it is and make a mental note to ask for a set list.  I try to watch the show and keep an eye on Cal.  If I am going to be photographing these boys, I want to get an idea of what he finds interesting.

Finally, they sing the one song I, and probably millions of other people, am familiar with.  Cal and I stand on the right side of the catwalk casually swaying to the catchy tune.  

“Everyone else in the room can see it...,” I sing along softly.  I clap along with the audience at all the appropriate times.  My involvement in the song garners the attention of Harry and Liam, the two smiling and pointing at me. Nonchalantly, I flip them both off.  Liam laughs and then cocks his head at me.

He leans down and mouths, “Why are you wet, babe?”  I wave him off not wanting to cause a scene. Cal wanders onto the stage while I remain near the stairs as Harry begins to speak.  

“I’m gonna give you ten seconds to throw whatever you want up here.  I want you to make it rain! I’m gonna cover my eyes and you can pelt stuff as hard as you want. Please don’t throw things that are hard... ‘cuhz that would hurt.”

Liam answers with, “Oh no! I’m really scared about this. This is a bad idea!”

Harry motions to the sides of the stage, “If all of the lovely people down these sides...OK, if all you people down here...please shield your eyes. There’s a dad over there who wishes this was a Metallica concert who was throwing more things than anyone! He’s like GO! GO!!!!” He kneels down covering his head.

Liam is hit hard with something and falls to the ground,”Man down! MAN DOWN!”  

Louis stands over him, getting hit with water bottles and god knows what else.  I’m pelted sharply with glow sticks and bottles myself, although I’m pretty sure their being aimed directly at me.

Harry stands back up and further instigates the crowd further, “That’s pathetic!  Throw! Throw! Throw!” and has to dodge things. Liam is whining on the floor.

“I hate this game! Oh my god! Why can’t these things be plush toys?” He says covering his head.

“Alright guys...Stop!” Harry yells covering himself.

“I hate this game! Oh! Jesus Christ,” Liam screams.  Louis continues guarding Liam and looks to Harry.

“People are throwing bottles! It’s starting to hurt!”

“The moment has passed!!” Harry says quickly.

“It’s not gonna pass! EVACUATE!” Liam cries from the ground.

Harry walks towards the end of the walkway and points to the crowd, “The minute someone throws a bottle filled with urine the concert is done!  OK? No urine, please!”

Liam buckles down again, “Oh! That really hurt! Right on the bone.  There’s an Ed Sheeran phone case...anyone for an Ed Sheeran phone case?”  Louis grabs it aggravating him, “Give me that!”  Louis tosses it into the audience.

Harry regains his composure, “OK!  Everybody calm down!  Look at all the free...look at all the free stuff we have! Heh? So much room for frolicking and hats!  Thank you to any parents, grandparents, boyfriends, girlfriends...anyone who brought anyone to the show tonight.  Thank you very much! You’ve been a perfect audience. Thank you so much!  We’ve been One Direction! We’ve got a couple things left. This. is. Little White Lies.”  He picks up a bucket hat from the stage and dances around wearing it.  

They sing a few more songs before leaving the stage.  I grab Cal’s camera and go through some of his shots.  I can't find rhyme or reason with his pictures.  Not that they aren’t amazing, they just seem to be of anything that caught his eye. Random shots of Niall and his guitar. Louis and Liam laughing while sitting on the rails on the main stage.  Harry dancing like a madman to the last song.

A few girls scream obscenities at me as they leave.  It all stops when a balding man, no bigger than me, appears next to me.

“Um...I’m supposed to be here,” I say tentatively to him.

“I know. I’m Dale. Harry sent me over.  It appears you’ve had some trouble tonight,” he says glaring at a few girls passing by.  

“Yeah, you could say that.”  

He stands next to me for a bit until the place clears out.  Once it’s empty of anyone not authorized to be there, he leans on the stage and plays with his phone.

“So, what did you think of the show?” the familiar voice says from behind me as I stare up into the night sky.

“It was good.  Loud...but good,” I answer Louis as he stops next to me.

“What has you so engrossed in the night sky?”

“Don’t you ever just stare up at the moon?” I said glancing at him quickly.

“Can’t say I have...”

“I do it a lot,” I shove my hands in my pockets and shrug.  “In my line of work, you can’t...or I should say, shouldn’t have travel companions. It’s not safe. The moon is always there. Whether it’s a sliver of light or a full moon.  It’s just me and the moon.”

“That sounds sad, Love,” he says looking at me with a frown.

“Why? I’m never alone.”

Louis stares at me for a few seconds and then shakes his head, “I guess not.”  He looks up at my companion and cocks his head slightly.  

“We’re clear.  There’s a group waiting outside but we shouldn’t have any problems getting to the hotel,” a huge man says who seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

“OK.  This is Rebekah, or Bex as she prefers.  Bex, my constant companion of a sort, Alberto Alvarez,” he says motioning between the two of us.

“Hello,” I stammer just from the pure size of him.

“Hello.  You’re working with Cal.  He’s been talking about you for the last few days,” Alberto smiles extending his hand to me.  His giant paw envelopes mine as we shake.

“We should get moving,” Louis says motioning for me to follow Alberto.  

Author note: Yeah...this one is short. But it was great re-living the mess in Johannesburg, Night 2. Please feel free to leave me some love. You can tweet me at @ladyhstyles1. All the Love, L.