Fanzoned | Calum Hood

1. Fanzoned

It's a rainy morning. The clouds are spilling their contents all over the cement sidewalk as my best friend and I hurry down the streets of LA to try to find their hotel. We had the address, but her phone didn't have any service. 

"I got it!" Maddy screams in delight, while still trying to protect her phone from the rain with her hand. "It's just around the corner, Haley, come on." Maddy drags my arm around the corner of a street, called Knoll Drive. With many trees aligning both sides of the street, you could hardly tell we were minutes from downtown Hollywood. With the clouds and mist draping over everything, it gave me a nervous feeling in my stomach. Or maybe it's the fact that we are trying to meet our favorite band.

"Why did I wear a dress," I complain, my wet and dripping body numb from the cold.

"Because we're going to meet our future boyfriends, Haley. You gotta stay strong." Maddy's burgundy hair and green eyes seem to be glowing in the rain. I hate how pretty she was, and how confident. 

I'm dressed nearly as nice as she was, and my hair and makeup is already ruined, thanks to the rare rainy weather. 

Before we see the hotel, we see a bunch of girls, which is totally to be expected. We keep walking, and notice the hotel is on our right. It's long, and only two stories. 

Maddy goes up to some girls and starts talking to them right away. She's always so social and knows how to talk to basically anyone, and I have no idea how. I kind of just follow her and listen to what the group is talking about. Being social wasn't my best quality.

"Okay, so they're doing a twitcam right now," a girl in a jean jacket and glasses starts. "Ashton came out on that balcony," she points to a balcony on the second floor, "and he yelled 'Why aren't you watching the twitcam?' and he's so stupid because are we just gonna bring our laptops or something?"

Maddy rolls her eyes. "He's a dork. How long ago was that?"

"Like, 30 minutes ago," jean jacket replies. I watch Maddy glance at the time on her phone.

"Okay, so it's about 11 right now. If they're going to go record today, which they have been every single day lately, they should be leaving soon. 

Another girl chimes in. "Yesterday it was Michael and Calum, so today it should be Luke and Ashton, if they are still switching every day."

People don't realize how serious this fangirl crap is.

- -

The gate to the garage starts opening about an hour later. All of the girls in the driveway start to move out of the way as a minivan starts to emerge. 

"Guys that's Liz's car!" Someone squeals from behind me. I'm not sure how, but I am definitely in front of the crowd, and I could definitely see Liz. And Ashton Irwin.

A handful of gasps were heard throughout the group as the van started to pull out of the driveway. People start yelling Ashton's name, and from the other side people were screaming for Luke, who must have been in the back seat on the other side.

Maddy, usually one of the most talkative, loud people I've ever met, is standing completely still, her eyes open in shock at Ashton.

People who aren't in fandoms don't understand us. They don't believe us when we say, 'That boy is my life.' If I was able to take a picture of Maddy's face in that moment, the look of pure aw, love, dedication--too many emotions to describe--those people might begin to understand. 

Someone's voice cuts through my focus, and it's yelling, "Maddy, grab your friend and get your asses in my car!" Maddy seems to finally hear it too, and grabs my arm for what seems to be the millionth time that day, and drags me into a stranger's car.