"Neil!" I jumped when two solid arms slapped me on the shoulders. Without turning my head I'd knew who'd be behind me. "Ah the city of angels!"
I raised an eyebrow at him and made my way into the venue. Tonight was our first of four shows at The Staples Center. It was a pretty big arena, not the biggest we've played, but it'd be fun no less. It held up to eighteen thousand people and I couldn't even begin to understand how we sold out four nights of this.
I headed backstage where various crew members said hello and made my way to our dressing room. We'd been here twenty minutes and the room was already torn apart.
"You started the fun without me?" I asked, feigning hurt. Liam laughed and I watched as he tossed another gummy bear towards a red plastic cup.
"No, no," Luke was sitting beside him shaking his head. "It's all in your wrist." I laughed and shook my head. The kid was wearing sunglasses indoors. I wandered around for a bit and finally settled somewhere outside. More crew members were unloading our things and carrying them inside. Lou had all her hair styling things in her arms as she yelled a "Hiya!" at me before disappearing inside. I pulled out my phone and wondered where Harry was.
Harry was the only one out of the five of us that they trusted to go off and explore. Probably because he actually cared enough to come back on time. Not that the rest of us didn't, we'd just lose track of time accidentally. Especially if Louis was with us.
"Shit," my head turned toward the van to my left to try and see who mumbled the swear word. I heard something fall and decided I could see if they needed help.
"Need a hand?" The body turned toward my voice and she grinned. I ignored the slight acceleration of my pulse as I realized who it was.
"Niall, yes," she blushed and swiped her blond hair out of her face. It was warm in California at this time of the year. "Could you grab those two crates?" I pointed to the two black ones sitting in the back seat and she nodded. I stacked them on top of each other and hoisted them into my arms. They weren't heavy, but I could see how it'd be difficult to carry these plus all the other crap she had in her hands.
Adelaide was our makeup slash outfit coordinator. She'd joined us at the start of our tour and was set to only handle the younger boys, but after Lou had a long night at one of the opening shows she'd asked if she could help out. From then it on it just became a thing. She was a quiet one, something we definitely weren't used to. When you practically lived with four other boys for three years, it was almost a shock to be around someone who barely spoke.
"You can set those there," she said. I sat them in front of a mirror surrounded by lights and then leaned against it. She was bent over the couch going through her duffle bag of fun and I was lost. Everything about her made me want her. Whether it was the way her blonde hair stuck to her lips when she worked. Or the way her eyes were even more blue than Louis'. Maybe it was the way she had a permanent pout on her face at all times. I don't know, but standing here staring wasn't helping.
"Need help with anything else?" I asked, not wanting to leave the room yet. She stood up straight and looked around, her holey jumper falling off one shoulder.
"No thanks," she said simply.
Somehow I'd ended up on the stage. I sat with my feet hanging off and was just looking around. It was incredibly insane to think that in a few short hours the place would be packed with screaming girls. Girls who would do anything to get with one of us. I shook my head and found my thoughts back on Adelaide. Unlike the girls who threw themselves at us, famous or not, she was real. Ade wasn't one of those stick thin twigs who ate water for breakfast. No. She had these curves. She could fill a pair of jeans like it was nobody's business. She was natural and she was damn gorgeous.
