"So... who are you with?" The burly security guard steps forward, barring your way.
"I'm with the band," you say, your voice loaded with suggestiveness, and it doesn't go unnoticed.
He raises an eyebrow, taking in your too-tight dress and cherry red...
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It's a four hour drive up to Newcastle and by the time we arrive I'm feeling irritable. All I'd wanted to do was slip in my EarPods, sit back and zone out whilst blasting out my Arctic Monkeys playlist but Larry had other ideas. It was a good job that we arrived when we did as I'd have been tempted to wrench open up the taxi door on the middle of the A1 and throw myself out on to the tarmac.
"If you come out with one more tour ground rule I think I'm gonna scream," I complain as I see a sign for Newcastle City Centre. "What're you expecting me to do? Sit in the tour bus on my own for three weeks whilst you lot are out having the time of your lives?"
"It's not like that at all Bells," Larry tries to placate me. "And I'm not the only one making all these rules anyway."
"Oh? So who is it then?" I ask, but before he can even reply I'm attempting to answer my own question. "It's Van isn't it? Oh god... I can just imagine. He always used to be such a control freak when he was younger and I bet that's not changed. I'm sure he's a nightmare when you're on the road... likes everything done his way I suppose."
"Actually it wasn't Van... it was your mum and dad."
This shocks me, making me fall silent whilst I mull it over. I've been away from home for over a week now and the only contact I've had with my parents was an extremely rushed phone call from my dad as he was on his way to a meeting after I'd texted him begging for an allowance top up, and a brief FaceTime call to my mum that got cut off by a poor connection after five minutes. She'd not called me back. Maybe they were both too busy enjoying a quiet life free from my frequent dramas.
"What? Mum and dad actually rang you? They can barely be arsed to talk to me!"
"Nah, Aunty Sarah rang my mum to find out if you'd been behaving..." Larry gives me a pointed look before continuing. "It's just a good job that none of the parents go on insta isn't it?"
"Portia deleted it!" I quickly cry but Larry remains unimpressed.
"Once something's been put online it never really goes away though does it? I just can't believe Sam was okay with it all. With his career flying the way it is you'd think he'd be trying to maintain a squeaky clean image." He looks slightly puzzled whilst I try to suppress a smirk. "I really thought he'd be mad with ya... thought we'd have to send Bond in to try and talk him round. Still don't know how you managed that one."
"You're really surprised he couldn't resist my charm?" I laugh, quickly distracted as the taxi pulls into a car park and I see a large double decker bus parked up with a small crowd gathered around outside.
When I scan the group I immediately recognise a tall floppy-haired, black-clad figure, an unexpected fizz of excitement shooting through me. I've not seen or heard from Van since I came back from Manchester as he'd travelled up to Newcastle a day early. He'd told Larry he was travelling ahead to meet up with an old friend who was in town and I'd thought nothing of it at the time, but my excitement at seeing him instantly falls flat as I open the taxi door and spot a pretty blonde girl cosying up to his side.
