"Stuck In The Friend-Zone Again and Again"

"Everybody Wants To Take You Home Tonight"

I knew a few of the boys' friends, but not many, which led to many slightly awkward introductions.

"(Person), this is Paris. Paris, this is (person)."
"Hi, I'm Paris." *shakes hand*
"Hey, I'm (person)."

Then come the awkward questions about how old I was, where I lived, what I did and how I met the band.

When I said that I was 16, still in high school but was planning on becoming a writer, and that I met them at a meet and greet, I got some pretty strange looks from everyone that asked.

Yes, I knew that it was strange for a 16 year old Canadian aspiring writer to travel the world with her favourite band and best friends, but that didn't mean that I was some random groupie.

Finally, someone (I think it was Michael) turned on the music, distracting their friends from judging me any further.

As more people arrived, the crazier the party became, and even though I was a mile outside my comfort zone, I managed to have a good time.

I danced along with the drunken teenagers and young adults, desperately clinging to their wild years on a Sunday night.

I started the night with Luke always by my side, him grabbing me a drink, whether with or without alcohol, every so often despite my protests that I could get them myself.

After many dances, multiple yelled conversations resulting in booming laughs, Luke spotted some friends he hadn't seen in a while.
Despite his urging for me to come along and meet them, I declined, saying that I would be fine on my own for a while.

Soon after Luke left a tall black haired guy who looked to be around 18 came up to me, taking my hand in a chivalry fashion.
"Hello," he greeted.
"Hi," I smiled. "I'm Paris."
"I'm Shane," he replied with a flirty smirk. "Care to dance?"
I laughed. "I'm not a very good dancer."
"Oh come on," he chuckled, giving me a spin. "You can do it!"
"This song is way too punk rock for that kind of music," I shook my head with a wry smile.
As if on cue, the song switched to Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor, which I knew for a fact was only on this playlist because I had been constantly raving about it and singing to or around them it ever since I met the guys.
"How about this?" Shane asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"This'll do," I giggled, Shane putting his hands in my waist, my arms looping around his neck.
I hummed along quietly as we spun, listening to the sound of the song blaring through the metal speakers and enjoying the feeling that that moment was giving me.
After the song was over, I cast a casual glance around and saw a rather desolate looking Luke.

3rd Person:

Luke, upon hearing the song that he himself had put on the playlist to please Paris, had whirled around to see the one and only Paris dancing with one of Calum's football (soccer) buddies.
She looked happy, and Luke didn't want to intrude on her happiness no matter the personal cost, so he did nothing but stare, and when the song ended, and he locked eyes with Paris by accident, he faked a smile to cover his frown instinctively.
Her eyebrows turned down, having seen his troubled expression beforehand, but when Sad Beautiful Tragic by Taylor Swift started to play, another one of Paris's favourites, and Shane continued to work his charm on her.

Luke knew there was something that Calum had said about Shane, something nagging him that he felt he should remember, but for the life of him couldn't think of it.

So he put the thought out of his mind, and continuously looked over at Paris for the next few songs.

Eventually, when another slow song came on, and Paris was once again looking up into Shane's chocolate coloured eyes, she smiled.
"This has been really fun," she told him.
"It could be even more so?" Shane said, sounding like he was asking a question.
"How so?" Paris said, brow furrowing.
"So innocent," Shane practically growled, his handing sliding down her body to her butt and giving a squeeze. "I like it."
Paris jumped away from him as if she'd been burned.
"Aw baby don't be like that," Shane said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him again until her body was flush against his. He put his mouth next to her ear: "You're the best looking girl in this place and it's only fair you let me give you what you deserve."
"No!" Paris said, struggling against his grip. "No, I don't want to!"
"Yes," Shane said forcefully, starting to drag her in the direction of his car.
"No!" Paris shrieked, praying someone would hear her over the sound of the loud music. "No! Let me go!"
Luckily for Paris, though he did not hear her over the blasting tune the speakers were emitting, when he turned to look at her again and found her gone, his eyes scanned the yard until they found her.
And when he focused and could finally hear her screams of fear and protest, he finally remembered what Calum had said about Shane.

"Shane's a nice guy, but he's a fuck boy, and can get pretty nasty if he's turned down."
"How nasty mate?"
"Apparently he nearly drugged a girl so he could sleep with her. Only didn't because she finally agreed."
"That's rape, man."
"I said apparently, it's probably not true, he's really nice."
"Whatever you say, mate."