English Love Affair

6. Ashton's POV

I sit at my drums, feel the familliar drumsticks in my hand, and beat away to Good Girls Are Bad Girls. We run through the opening medley and when we stop for Luke to do a bit of 'revving up the crowd' (aka stage banter), I scan the crowd to my immediate left, infront of where Calum is standing. Loads of girls are vying for my attention but I only want to see one: I saw her when our support act was on - white shirt with my name on it, ginger hair, glasses. I try to find her - but how? The crowd is so thick. I met her gaze by chance, but did she actually see me or am I imagining things?

I hear my name. I look up from the crowd of now giddy fans and see a red-faced Luke facing me. Michael is grinning - I'm guessing they had just embarrassed Luke about his penguin fettish - and I make some sort of smart remark. I guess the crowd screams, but it sounds like a muffled cry because of my incredibly effective ear plugs.

To be honest, the rest of the concert is a blur. Lights. Screams. Banter. Songs. Drum Solo. More songs. More banter.

And I don't see any ginger hair. I do see a girl with dark frizzy hair and I can swear I see a flash of ginger, but I have to concerntrate on my drumming so I couldn't look over there for enough time to see if it was the girl I'm searching for.

Before I know it, the concert is over and we are waving goodbye - always a bittersweet moment. This is the last day of our UK tour, so my arms are pretty sore from drumming the same beats over and over again. 

* * *

Christian ushers us into the dressing room and happily reminds us we are going to be meeting some 'crazed fangirls' as he puts it in five minutes and advises us to 'de-sweat ourselves'. Luke freshens up, as does Michael, but Calum and I just sit there, gulping down a litre of water at a time, cooling off by sitting directly infront of a fan (the one with rotating blades, not an actual person). Me and Calum talk a bit, but I see him massaging his throat - I'm guessing the amount of singing he's been doing has its affects in the end.

Luke and Michael come out, the rosiness from their cheeks gone, the sweat that plastered their faces washed off. They have literally just sat down when a heavy thud rattles the door. Christian must be knocking on the door. I hear girly squeals from behind the shut door and close my eyes, rubbing my temples in an attempt to calm down. I've never met a group of fans backstage before, and these girls sound like the excitable type who are difficult to control. Christian walks in, his sheer massiveness once again intimidating Michael, as he pushes himself into the corner. I've told him that doesn't work as his hair looks like a traffic cone and could be seen from miles around, but he persists nonetheless.

Then she walks in. She is followed by three other grinning girls, all about 16 or 17 years old, and they stand clustered by the door, wringing their hands or biting their lips. They are all quite - well, very - attractive, but my eyes are drawn to the girl who has now pushed her way to the back of the cluster. Christian introduces them to us by name. Brydee, the girl with a pretty smile and wild hair, waves at us, and we smile back good-naturedly. Emma, the girl with Converse, appears to catch Luke's attention. Christian adds that she likes Luke most of all, and her cheeks flush a crimson red. Alice is the shortest one and seems to be the most hyperactive. I can tell her and Michael are going to be friends straight away.

Then Christian rests his hand on the last girls shoulder. "And this is Sarah," he says. He steps back, nodding respectfully to us and waving to the girls, and he leaves. Brydee looks at him like 'is he stupid or overly-confident? Why the hell did he just leave four fangirls with 5sos?'

I look at Sarah. She is trying to avoid my eyes, but I can't tear my gaze away from her. Long ginger hair falls around her shoulders, pale skin flicked with faint freckles compliments her choice of clothing and amber/ginger eyes that are framed with glasses. She isn't fake, she doesn't come across as the sultry/stalkish type, she doesn't wear four inches of makeup or surround her eyes with spider-like mascara. She is a girl, and I feel my heart leap just by looking at her. Eventually, she flicks her eyes up and they meet mine. We just stare at eachother for a minute. She is probably starstruck, and that's why she's not looking away, but I'm looking at her because she is my definition of true beauty. I am totally unaware to the fact that the boys are now socialising with Sarah's friends. I am dreading the moment I have to tear my eyes away. I am dreading the day I'm going to be seven thousand miles away from her.

The girl who is talking to Luke bursts out laughing, I think her names Emma but I'm not sure of anything right now, and that causes Sarah to look down and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I feel butterflies taking off in my stomach, my heart is pumping faster. Why am I so nervous to talk to her?

Calum shoots me a look like 'talk to her you weirdo' so I mentally prepare myself, walk over to Sarah and begin to introduce myself. Actually, no. Why should I? She already knows who I am. I run my fingers through my messy  hair, wishing I had taken Christian's advice to freshen up. Those unusual eyes flick up to connect with mine again.

"I'm Sarah," she says, holding out her hand, a little awkwardly.

"Hi." I reply, talking her hand and kissing it like the mature person I can sometimes-but-not-very-often-be, instead of shaking it. Satin red rushes into her cheeks like flames on oil. Her powder-white complexion with the sudden rosiness added to her cheeks makes her look like a cute ginger doll. She smiles at me and I attempt to smile back but I fear it turned out slanted and unattractive. I can already feel the connection between us.

We break the ice for a few minutes and I find out a bit about her. She's half Irish. She has a sister, also called Emma. She is allergic to oranges and purfume. She's the only ginger in her family. She used to have to earthworms called Lizzy and Bob. I don't spill that much about myself, but I really want to tell her how fond I am of her already.

Calum clears his throat. Brydee, Alice and Emme are all texting. Michael stands next to Alice, trying o distract her, but her thumbs tap away at the screen furiously as she expertly elbows him in the chest. The 5sos members and the three girls seem to have clicked, which I'm happy to see. Sarah walks over to Emma, sees what shes texting and squeals. She pulls out her phone and texts, too.

I send Luke a questioning look. He pulls me to the side and explains, in a quiet tone, that they are texting their parents. 

They are asking permission to hang out with us for a few days.