Just keep breathing

Chapter 3

I can feel the heat rushing into my cheeks as I turn and make a dash down the hallway to catch up with Ben and Mel after Harry's parting comment to me and I'm thankful for the dim lighting backstage which helps to hide my blushes.

Ben leads us to our seats, which it turns out are front row centre of the circle, we have an amazing view of the stage and the sea of people spread out beneath us filling the pit that we stood in last night, clamouring to get as close to the stage as possible.

Ben dashes off quickly, I assume to escape before he is recognised again, and Mel and I make ourselves comfortable.

A light pink floral sheet hangs across the stage as it did the night before with a single spotlight shining at its centre, outlining Harry's silhouette and the energy in the room is palpable as we all wait for the show to start.

Ohh tell me something I don't already know..

As Harry and his band launch into the first chords of Ever since New York, the sheet falls to the stage floor and a thousand lights sparkle off Harry's golden suit.

He looks amazing, standing there guitar in hand, a true showman. As I stare down, slightly blinded by the sparkles, he glances up at me and winks. Of course, he'd know exactly where we're be sitting I think, shaking my head at my own naivety.

"Katie, try and look like you're enjoying it at least! He's watching you!" Mel shouts into my ear.

A couple of the girls nearby spin around to look us up and down, evidently deciding we aren't worth paying attention to, they turn back to Harry and his band, just as he starts crooning the opening lines to Carolina. One of my favourites.

I decide Mel is right, and I can't have him thinking that I'm not having a good time. So I try and forget my surroundings and just let go, starting to sway my hips gently to the melody and sing along with the rest of the crowd.

I think I notice him glance at me a few times during the next few songs, but it's hard to tell with all the stage lights and flashes constantly going off from all the cameras around us. But when he launches into an up-tempo rocky version of a One Direction hit I recognise, he blatantly stretches out his arm and points right at me.

You don't know you're beautiful...That's what makes you beautiful!

My heart jumps into my throat, and I forget how to breathe again as our eyes meet briefly. But only for a moment until I pull myself together. He's just being friendly I chastise myself, stop being silly.

I know from last night that the next song is my absolute favourite, Kiwi, and I can't wait to watch him start running and jumping around the stage.

Halfway through the song, as I am bouncing up and down screaming the lyrics with Mel at the top of my lungs, out of the corner of my eye I notice him lose his footing and slip, he manages to style it out, excuse the pun, grasping the mic stand at the last minute to steady himself. But I am certain he nearly fell over.

I strain my eyes to try and see if there is anything on stage that could have made him lose his footing, but I am too far away, and there are too many lights for me to be able to see clearly.

After the song ends, Harry jokingly enlightens the crowd that he did almost slip indeed. On a Kiwi of all things, that someone threw onto the stage. To my surprise, he then bends down, towel in hand, and starts cleaning it up so that he won't risk slipping again.

"Doesn't he have people to do that for him?" Mel asks me incredulously.

But I can't take my eyes off the man on the stage for long enough to answer her.