Chapter 1

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Rachel

I walk into the club, scanning the crowd for the bar. I soon find it and head over. I buy a shot of rum, making sure I ask for the most expensive. I don't want to wake up hungover from some shitty drink tomorrow. I have interviews to go to. My manager, Sam, is making sure I get the most press possible before i drop my first single. Which was a good plan on her part, but it's starting to get a little crazy on me. I just need a night out to have fun and explore the city I'm going to live in and then I can get right back to work.
But not without getting drunk first, I think as I knock back the shot the bartender brings me before ordering another. I look around the room, tapping my foot to the crappy European techno they're playing. The place is full of your average twenty somethings having a cheap night out. Which I don't mind, I want to be with normal people for once.
I sit down and start searching for a decent guy who would want to buy me drinks. I only have a hundred with me and I have to save some of it for the cab ride home.
Guy liner and too many piercings? No, not tonight. Backwards baseball cap douchebag? No way in hell. Hipster glasses and cardigan? Nah. But then I look two seats down from me and see a suspiciously familiar mop of ginger hair. I move over a stool.
"I think I know you," I say coyly, resting my cheek in my hand. He looks up at me and my suspicions are confirmed. "You're Ed Sheeran."
He studies me, taking in my white blouse, pleated skirt and combat boots. "That I am." His brow furrows for a moment. "And I think I might have seen you before as well. You're Rachel McCarthy, right? The one who recently signed with Atlantic?"
I smile. "Yeah, aren't you also signed with them?"
He nods. "It's cool to finally be meeting you! Though I would not expect to find you here. Aren't you only seventeen?" He asks, smirking at me.
"Maybe," I say, and he laughs.
"I know you've only just moved here, but the legal drinking age in the UK is eighteen and I doubt Sam would want you to be breaking any laws your first week in London." He says, a twinkle in his eye.
"It's not like the legality of it has stopped me before," I say, knocking back my second shot. "But you're right, Sam would not be too pleased if she knew..." I look at him expectantly.
"I won't tell her. I started drinking at thirteen myself so it's not like I can pretend to be any more of a model citizen than you," he says teasingly. "Though I am curious. How'd you get in here without an ID?"
I giggled, embarrassed. "I may have flirted with the bouncer a bit."
He nearly spits out his beer. "Are you talking about the fifty year old guy with the bald spot?"
"I might be," I say, biting my lip.
"Oh, don't tell me he bought it!"
"Well I'm here, aren't I?" I say, and we both explode with laughter.
"For someone so young you sure know your way around," he says, wiping his eyes.
"Oh, come on, you're not that much older than me. You're what, twenty?" I ask.
"Twenty two, actually." He says, looking rather smug. I roll my eyes.
"That's only five years. You can't have that much more experience than me."
"Oh, I think I do. Five years makes a difference."
"You wanna bet?"
"Yes, actually. I do. I bet you five pounds I can take more shots than you without getting sick."
"Well that's hardly fair," I complain. "You're bigger than me and I've had two already."
"Alright. I'll have three before we start to even things up, deal?" He says, sticking his hand out.
I shake it. "Deal."
Forty minutes and three shots of whiskey later, Ed is a bit tipsy. The rum has almost worn off so I'm barely affected.
"You should get some vodka, they have good vodka here. I'll buy us some," he says, flagging down the bartender. "Two glasses and a bottle of your finest vodka, please," he says. The bartender looks over at me.
"I'd be careful if I were you, Ed gets a bit touchy feely when he's drunk." he informs me. I raise my eyebrows.
"Be quiet John," he says with mock annoyance, then turns to me. "I prefer to call it 'cuddly'. Just consider me a giant teddy bear. Or an Eddie bear," he says, laughing at his own joke. I grin. I admire a guy with good puns.
After two more shots of vodka each I'm getting giggly and Ed is starting to get drunk. I can see what John the bartender meant by "touchy feely". Ed's arm is around my shoulder and he's playing with my hair. "Your hair is so soft!" He slurs. "How did you get it to be this soft?"
I laugh. "Quality shampoo."
Ed pours another shot for the both of us with his free hand and hands me my glass. "Cheers!" He says, raising his glass, and we both drink. He sticks his face in my hair.
"Why does it smell so good?" He asks. I can feel the heat of his breath on my neck but I'm starting to get fuzzy and I don't really care.
"The quality shampoo is raspberry scented." I say, smiling.
"I have to get some of this!" He says in awe. I giggle and pour two more shots. Before I have a chance to pick up my glass he pulls me into his lap. I gasp and he smiles. "I propose a toast for my new... New mate Rachel for all of her success and whatnot. Best of luck." We drink again. The room is starting to get blurry.
"You know what? I think... I think maybe we should go to my flat. Cause... Cause I want to finish the bet with you, But I'll be too drunk to call... Call a cab later, you know?"
I nod, touching his nose with my finger. "As long as we take the vodka with us."
"Okay, love." He says, leaving a hundred pounds on the table. "Can you call a cab, John?"
"Already done, Ed. Take care."
"Alright then," Ed says gruffly, grabbing the bottle and me before stumbling for the exit.
Once outside, we get into the cab and Ed mumbles his address to the driver before slinging his arm around me and breaking into a rather loud rendition of "Drunken Sailor."
I figure I have nothing to lose and join him.
Apparently the ride to his flat it short because we get there in only four verses. Ed tips the driver and we walk haphazardly up his steps and into his humble abode.
And when I say humble I mean it. The largest space is the one I'm in now, which is a combined living room and kitchen area. There are two other doors which I'm guessing are the bedroom and bathroom.
"Go on and make yourself at home, love," he slurs, grabbing two glasses from a cabinet and filling them with more vodka. I nearly fall down on the couch. He laughs and hands me my cup. I wink at him, downing it quickly.
He finishes his own and pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around my waist. I rest my head on his shoulder. "Eddie is a teddy bear, a great big ginger teddy bear." He sings. I snort.
"You, my friend, are spectacularly drunk right now." I say, looking up at him.
"I could say the same for you," he says, tickling my sides. I laugh and try to twist away but he's stronger than me and I'm not very coordinated when I'm wasted.
Before I know it my glass is refilled and I'm knocking it back. I'm not quite sick, though I will be in a few more drinks. I'm getting to the drunk part where it's like I'm not really there and I feel out of control. This is the part I like.
Ed resumes playing with my hair again and hums a song I recognize from Plus. It's the hidden track, Parting Glass. I sigh, content, and watch the ceiling spinning above me.
"You know what I think, Rachel?" He says.
"What?"
"You know how you tricked the bouncer? I think he let you in cause... Cause you do look old enough, like twenty, and he wishes you were, cause then he could have a chance at you."
I laugh. "Some fifty year old guy wants a chance at me?"
"Well who can blame him, I mean look at you!" He says, and I blush. "I almost wish you were twenty myself cause then I could..."
"You could what?" I say after a minute, swiveling around so I'm facing him. Our noses are nearly touching and I can smell the vodka on his breath.
He searches my eyes for something. "I could do this," he says, lightly touching his lips to mine. "And it wouldn't be wrong."
My breath catches in my throat and I run my hands through his orange hair. I give him a sly smile and say, "You see, I don't think that's wrong and I don't think you really do either, or you wouldn't have done it."
"This is true," he murmurs. "And you said it yourself, I am spectacularly drunk right now."
I laugh, and he cups my cheek in his hand, stroking it lightly with his thumb. "So, are you gonna kiss me or what?" I ask, biting my lower lip and looking up at him through my lashes.
His eyes cloud over with some dark feeling. Lust, maybe? He traces my lips with his fingertips. "Oh, what the hell," he says, and crushes his mouth against mine.
The kissing starts off heavy and only grows in intensity as time goes on. I'm straddling him on the couch and knotting my hands through his hair as he nibbles on my lips. His hands run over body, pushing my skirt up higher in the process. I break away, kissing his neck as he moans.
Then, without warning, he lifts me up and carries me to his bedroom, throwing me on the bed. I giggle before he silences me with his mouth. Its not that i don't know what's happening, but in my drunken state I don't really care. All I want to do is kiss him.
But shortly after that... I can't remember anything.

A/N

Though probably no one is reading this or ever will, I plan to update soon in the next few days and the story will change to Ed's point of view in the next chapter. If anyone IS actually reading, I give you a big thanks and a virtually hug. Until next time,

x

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