During The X Factor (One Direction)

Chapter 6 - The Failed Plan

“Hey…you!” says one of the cameramen, jabbing a finger in Harry’s direction, “Is that your girlfriend?” he jerks his head to the right, and it takes me a few seconds to realise he’s talking about me.

My face flushes with colour. I can’t see my face, obviously, but I can easily assume that I look like a tomato in a wig. I try and laugh it off, but I stop when I get the mental image of some messed-up character from Bill and Ben.

I shake my hair so it falls in front of my face, meaning I have to casually brush it away, giving me something to do so I don’t look frozen.

When I look up, I can see that everyone else in the room has frozen. Well, they all appear to be breathing, but they have definitely stopped moving otherwise. Luckily for me, however, before they stopped moving, they all had the energy to twist themselves around so that their line of view fell directly on Harry and me.

 I don’t know how many people are in this room, but when each pair of eyes are staring expectantly right at you it’s like a never-ending sea of people. In my mind, I can see myself and Harry sat on this very couch atop a huge, snowy mountain, and the millions of people before us stretching out to the edge of the earth.

It’s nowhere near that extreme in reality, but I’m wishing that the couch will open up and swallow me whole all the same.

“What? No, she’s just my friend.” Harry replies coolly, and I’m jealous that his skin does not resemble any kind of fruit (or are tomatoes vegetables again?) when he speaks.

He was always like that, though. He was never embarrassed in front of big crowds of people, so having every eye resting on him never bothered Harry. Loved the attention, like I said before.

OK, I lie. At Harry’s birthday party three years ago his mum brought out a photo album consisting entirely of Harry as a baby, and we all howled with laughter at his ridiculous hats and stupidly adorable facial expressions.

This, he could just about tolerate, but then his mum went one step further,

“Awww look! Harry’s first bath!” she pointed to a picture hidden at the very back of the album which showed baby Harry splashing amongst the bubbles.

That did cause him to turn a very unattractive shade of purple.

I probably imagined the ‘sea of people’ thing, because the split second after Harry finishes speaking each person spins around and continues with their conversations, as if nothing happened at all. And knowing me, it was just my imagination.

Once the camera guys have moved on, Harry turns to grin at me. He starts to laugh, and I immediately assume he’s amused by my still scarlet face, but I quickly learn otherwise.

“BOO!” a voice whispers directly into my ear, making me jump right out of my skin. 

Panting, I turn and see three of Harry’s band mates, Louis, Niall and Zayn, in a heap on the floor, laughing away. Behind them I can see two other people standing, but I ignore them and lean over the side of the couch to flick the back of the three boys’ heads.

They all ‘Ow!’ in turn before standing.

“Haha, I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist!” says Niall, still laughing. “I’m Niall,” he says in his cute little Irish accent.

I blush and smile back at him, “I know.” He looks impressed that I know who he is already, and I blush even more, “I’m Chaz.”

“Oh, we know.” Zayn says laughing at what appears to be a joke shared between the boys.

See? It’s starting already! First sharing jokes, what next?

Oi, brain, shut the hell up, OK?

Behind me I feel Harry moving, and he stands defensively, “Very funny,” he smirks at the boys and then stands in front of them, preparing to introduce them all to me in turn.

“Anyway, Chaz, you know these idiots, Niall, Zayn and Louis,” Niall and Zayn both nod at me, Zayn making a weird face in the process, and Louis flashes me the cheesiest grin ever.

“And I’m sure you know Liam…” Harry points to Liam, one of the two people who had been stood just behind the Three Idiots. It takes all of my strength to ignore Harry winking at me. Liam waves at me and smiles a little, which makes me nearly fall over…from a sitting position.

I try to keep a straight face, one that won’t morph into an aubergine, and pull my eyes away from Liam and towards the final person Harry is pointing at.

“…Louis’ girlfriend, Hannah.” She smiles at me and waves, and I do the same back. Louis then scoops her up and takes her back to the other side of the room. This is when I realise that the room is almost empty. It seems everyone drifted into some other room…maybe for food and drinks?

Check, I think, mentally ticking this off the checklist for my plan.

I turn around and see Harry having a little chat with Liam. Stupidly, I gaze dreamily at the pair, and I only realise what I’ve been doing when Niall calls Harry over to the door.

This is when I see Liam staring back at me.

CRAP.

I blush and turn away, but he takes this as an invitation to join me on the now empty couch. To be honest, I’m not complaining.

“Hey,” he says to me, trying to gain my attention.

“Hi,” I say shyly, suddenly extremely interested in my boots.

I sneak a look at him, I have to hide an embarrassed laugh, seeing as I’m backstage on the X Factor with Liam freakin’ Payne. Okay, Chazza, stay calm.

“So…you and Harry? Just friends?” he asks randomly. I snap my head up and glance over at Harry. He has his back to us, deeply in conversation with Niall and Zayn.

“Best friends, actually,” I smile at Liam, hastily adding, “But, yeah, just friends.”

Talking about Harry and me, Check.

At this, I see Liam relax. He rests one arm on the back of the couch and sinks into the chair. Then he smiles at me,

“Cool,” and he begins to laugh.

“Cool.”

This is where we start laughing uncontrollably at absolutely nothing.

Check, says a voice somewhere in my mind.

Now, if I remember correctly, there’s only one more thing on my checklist…

Don’t start talking about Monopoly…PLEASE don’t start talking about Monopoly…

“Chaz?” I hear Gemma shout from the door, and I wave a hand dismissively in her direction,

“I guess I shouldn’t keep you any longer,” Liam stands and pulls me to my feet, “See you next time.” He says before jogging off into the sudden crowd.

I watch him disappear and curse under my breath.

So close!