Stereo Love

She Don't Wanna Know

"1, 2, 3, 4!" a yell went up from the now-lit stage as the four guys ran on. The first chords of their opening number played and the whole crowd cheered and jumped with the beat.

"Went out with the guys and before my eyes, there was this girl, she LOOKED SO FINE!" Aaron's voice blew from the speakers and hit my ears. His eyes raked the crowded hall; fixing on me as he sung, "And she blew my mind, and I wished that she was mine!" I grinned, this boy was soppy. And romantic and gorgeous. But right now a little cheesy, which I didn't mind - I found it cute.

Then he jumped, guitar in hand, still playing. The whole crowd jumped with him as they launched into the chorus; Oscar's voice contrasting with Aaron's.

"Never get her, never gonna get that girl!" we all chanted along with Oscar as we danced wildly. Aaron's voice rose over the top of all of ours.

"But I didn't care. Coz I loved her long brown hair. And love was IN THE AIR! And she looked at ME! And the rest was history. Yeah!"

Then they both sang together, "Dude you're being silly coz you're never gonna get that girl. And you're never gonna GET THE GIRL!"

The whole hall went up in screams and stamps and applause. Arms were waving and girls in expensive dresses no longer cared how they looked as they rushed forwards to the stage, just trying to get closer.

***

The pace slowed down after that; which in-between the swaying and swooning, meant I could speak to Tabby and April and everyone else. Although most still hadn't recognised me.

"Hey!" I squealed as I joined my friends, having sashayed my way through the crowd, now slow-dancing to an acoustic version of 'Falling in Love'.

"You all look amazing! Seriously!" I continued.

"And you!" varying voices spoke back.

"So where is he then? This guy? Let's meet him!" Tabby asked as she twirled by with Luke, not looking altogether happy but still smiling. She took Luke's arms from around her waist and came and hugged me. She looked beautiful in an elegant halter-neck white dress with dark pink chiffon and silk flowers sewn over the bottom of the flowing skirt.

"All in good time Tabs, all in good time," I replied and Tabby harumphed at my secrecy. Soon; soon I will tell you. Then you will know. All of you.

I swayed on the spot and looked across the room, over the people I knew but somehow had never really known all that well except for April and Tabby, over the photographers and cameras clicking away in front of the band, and up at the stage. Dim spotlights focused on Aaron and Oscar and Noah; whilst low lights focused on Seb and his drum-kit at the back on a raised, navy blue silk-covered platform. The beads on the backdrop sparkled as the light hit their smooth shining surfaces and cast reflections back into the hall. Fairy lights were strung from the high beams and glistened in an enchanting way. It really was perfect.

"Out of our minds and out of time, wishing I could be with you, to share the view, oh we could've fallen in love," Oscar's and Aaron's voices sung the lyrics out to the hall.

"So, nice to see you finally made a decision Apes," I whispered in her ear. She grinned at me and pulled Will closer to her, his arms wrapping around her waist lovingly. His dark purple tie matched April's clingy dress perfectly and they looked so cute together. I saw Tabby looking wistfully at the couple, almost sad.

"You alright Tabby Kat?" I asked concernedly. She sighed and nodded slightly. Was something going on that she wasn't telling me about?

Luke snuck up behind Tabby and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, she half-smiled, still looking sad and begun to dance with him again. His tie didn't match Tabby's dress I noted. It was a deep blue like her eyes, but that wasn't really the point. He should've checked.

"I wish we'd fallen in love," Oscar finished, the note still ringing around the room as the opening chords to 'The Heart Never Lies' played. I love this song. Last time we went to their concert Aaron changed the words in the middle, from "it's not always easy, but I'm here forever" to "it's not always easy, but BFU's here forever". The audience went mad for it. But the lyrics are so pretty you can't help but forget about any bad stuff that happens and fall in love all over again.

Every couple in the room clung together and swayed and twirled to the tune as the music swelled. I wish we'd told everyone already so we could be there too, swaying.

"Cause we are the lovers, if you don't believe me, then just look into my eyes, cause the heart never lies,"

A body pushed past mine, sobbing as it ran by out into the entrance hall. Jax and Jamie, and Apes and Will had both stopped as well to look, I notice now, at Luke who was standing alone looking shocked. A bright red hand print was stinging on his cheek. I turned and ran out after Tabby.

I found her in the bathroom, knelt over a sink, and tears streaming down her face. She wiped her eyes quickly.

"I'm fine," was the response I got, despite the obvious fact that she was anything but.

"No Tabs, you are not fine. What's the matter?" I put my arm around her to comfort her, only to have it flung away again.

"Well you didn't care before, did you? Too busy with your stupid dance and your secret boyfriend to worry about your friends. Weren't you?!" She was angry; furious. I don't blame her, it was true. Sure I'd seen her, but not all the time like I used to. I just wanted tonight to be perfect, but I'd spent too much time on this and not enough with Tabby and April to realise that something was up.

"Everything alright Tabby?" a voice came from the door and April walked in.

"No," I said at the same time that Tabs said the complete opposite. "Well it's obviously not fine Tabby. You've just raged at me; you ditched Luke back there and I'm pretty sure it was you that slapped him. So what is going on?" I pushed further.

Tears welled in her bright blue eyes once again and April ran for tissue paper.

"He...he...Luke. He cheated... He cheated on me with...with that skank," she stuttered, "That ginger bitch Macie who was helping out with the paperwork. She and him...and he just went with it..."

Oh Tabby, I thought as I pulled her into a tight hug with me and April. I shook my head, angered by what had happened. How dare he do this to my best friend. What an absolute -. I stopped myself. He doesn't deserve any of my anger. Nor Tabby's upset. April dabbed the streaks of mascara from Tabby's face and smiled at her comfortingly.

"Screw him," I said nastily, "Forget him, ignore him tonight and forget about him. Have some fun and forget that the little git ever existed."

Tabs sniffed a bit, amused but tears were still in her eyes.

"If he treats you like that, he's not worth it anyway. Prove him wrong for being such a prat as to let you go and go out there and enjoy yourself and pretend he never existed," April added. Tabby nodded silently and grinned slightly, before wiping her eyes once more and heading for the door.

In the hallway we passed Luke whose face was still bright red, and would probably remain so for the rest of the night. It should definitely be red from embarrassment and shame at any rate. He tried to move towards Tabby and say something but April and I flanked her sides and stopped him. I paused and told the girls I'd see them in a minute. I had somewhere I needed to be.

"Are you a little slow? She doesn't want to know Luke. Just saying that you love her or want her or need her and thinking it'll all be ok again isn't going to be enough. You should let her go, ok. Time to face the fact that she's gone. I think you've done enough Luke - go home," I hissed as I walked by, down a side corridor. He backed off and turned away from strolling back into the hall after his now ex-girlfriend. Wise decision matey. You don't mess with her. Take the easy way out.