"THIS WAY," TODD SAYS, walking down the corridor at a fast pace.
As I follow the security guard past several sets of frosted glass doors, I remember Beth boasting that her dad got her a suite.If she was telling the truth, it means she and the other Bs are probably somewhere nearby on the same level of the arena.I might even run into them.Oh hell no.Although even if that were to happen, it’s no big deal. Nothing could ruin my good mood. This is shaping up to be officially the most amazeballs night EVER, and it’s only going to get better. I still can't believe I'm going to meet the rest of the band after the show.I'm not too nervous about meeting Lyall or Elliot, because everyone knows that Lyall's a total sweetie and Elliot's super nice. Ben has a bit of a "hothead" image going on but he's really fun, and Alastair is... Alastaire.I have no clue what I'm going to say to them.Todd finally stops in front of a brightly lit room wTHE MOMENT THAT KITTY leaves the suite, the three angels swoop down on me.I shrink back from the cloying semi-circle of bleached blonde hair, fake tan and too-sweet perfume.They look a few years older than me, possibly seniors at another school.I was so worried about running into the Three Bs, and instead I've ended up with another (possibly worse) trio of angels.Unfortunately it's not as coincidental as one might think.Alastaire's fans always seem to travel in packs. All Enfablers are like a big family, a sisterhood that spans the globe – but the angels take it to the extreme.Angels stick together with one goal in mind. Their sole aim is to get chosen. To get noticed by their idol, and to have the honor of being one of the special angels that "Alastaire takes up to heaven" after each concert.That's what the rumors online say, and it looks like there might be some truth to them.The girl in the sparkly gold top is smiling
I TAKE A SEAT AS far away from the angels as possible, at the far end of the row.The view really is incredible, and I sit for a while just looking down at the crowd. Somewhere in the mass of bodies, Grace, Zee and Jamie are singing, dancing, probably crying (tears of joy, of course).I'd love to spot them, but I know the chances are slim.As I think of my friends, it dawns on me that since getting into the limo with Felix, I haven't messaged them even once. They have no idea that I'm even at the concert.I try calling Zee first. Her phone rings for ages, and eventually I get through to her voice mail. When she doesn't pick up I try Jamie, with no luck.It must be so noisy on the floor that they aren't hearing their ringtones.Calling Grace isn't an option – she doesn't even have a phone.Her parents think that cell phones equal sexting, which equals underage sex, which equals teen pregnancy, dropping out of school and a life turning tricks o
KITTY COMES BACK BEFORE the end of the show, this time holding a sparkly silver purse instead of a clipboard.She's changed out of the playsuit and is wearing an elegant black cocktail dress with a plunging neckline.If only I'd put on a pretty dress today. FML."This way, ladies," she says gesturing out the door.The Alastair's Angels push in front of me as we walk to the door.Kitty leads us through a labyrinth of corridors and elevators, all the way to the backstage area on the ground floor.We're ushered into a small, brightly lit dressing room, with several leather sofas and racks of clothes.The walls are covered in mirrors, and the angels quickly whip out their makeup.We haven't been in the room more than ten seconds before they're inspecting their reflections, puckering their lips and adding that all-important final coat of lip gloss.I don't have any makeup or even a hairbrush with me, and there's no way in hell I'd ask
"What the hell were you doing to her?" Felix says, his voice practically a growl.He's looming over the angels as they huddle in the corner of the room. He's lost the top hat, but he's still dressed in the vampiric black ensemble he wore on stage, adding to the air of menace. Even though he's standing casually, almost relaxed as he addresses them, at any moment I could imagine him lashing out and grabbing one of them in a chokehold."Explain," he says. "Immediately.""Did they hurt you?" Alastaire whispers to me, his mouth right next to my ear. He pulls me to my feet and steadies me in his arms. I feel faint."No. I'm ok," I say.I'm not totally sure that I'm telling the truth. The curly-haired girl seems to have blood dripping from one of her hands.Did they stab me with the scissors?My body hurts all over and my mouth tastes like salt and metal. I think I might be sick.The girl in the sparkly gold top bursts into tears whil
I'M ON THE BUS again, dreaming the same old dream I've been stuck on since the accident.Everything starts off the same.The bus winds through the late afternoon sunlight, jagged cliffs and sparkling sea far below.Evan's on my right, looking out the window. Mia's on my left, sharing the iPod earphones. Our favorite Fable song, Déjà Vu, blasts into our ears.Usually at this point in the dream, Mrs. Blythe starts teaching math on a huge chalkboard at the front of the bus. Which leads to me pulling the glassy seaweed out of Evan's hair, and him vomiting up seawater, and everyone on the bus turning around and Mia whispering to me before I wake up.Tonight, however, the dream doesn't run its usual course.Tonight, the dream is different.Tonight, I'm not dreaming.I'm remembering.Just as it happened on that day, Mia reaches over and turns up the sound on my iPod.She mouths out the words to Déjà Vu, her
PANCAKES. PANCAKES WITH CRISPY bacon and syrup.I wake up to the smell of my dad's Saturday morning specialty. The sudden pang of hunger literally makes me nauseous, as if I haven't eaten in forever.What did I have for dinner last night?My appetite is gone in an instant, as the events of the evening come back to me.Oh yes, that's right. I didn't have time to eat. I was too busy having my clothes ripped off by a pack of psychotic girls.And after I went to sleep... I had the dream, but it was different.No. That wasn’t a dream.That was a memory.My mind wanders to the shadowy shape in front of the bus just before we went over the cliff. I'd never noticed that before. I'm sure it didn't really happen. There couldn't have been anyone there. Just my dreaming mind adding little embellishments to my memories, as if the actual event wasn't already horrifying enough. I pull the covers over my head, terrified of falling asleep again, bu
"Is that... you, Felix?" I ask."Obviously," he answers. There's a long silence on the other end of the line.Ok. Calm down. He called my house. That's a good thing, nothing to freak out about. It's impossible to embarrass myself any more than I already have."You left your phone in the dressing room last night," he says. "And your guitar. We're only flying out at noon, so I'll bring them over to you."What? WHAT?"How did you get my number?" It sounds more suspicious than I intended it to."I'm calling from your phone. I just selected home in the contacts," he replies.Oh. My. God. Maybe I never actually woke up this morning."Are you still there?" He asks, irritation creeping into his voice."Yes! I... are you sure it's ok?" I ask. "You don't mind coming here?""It's fine," he says. "What's your address?""10 Ariel Terrace," I answer in a daze. "The double story with th
WE MOVE INTO THE living room to get away from the racket Tammy and Sam are making outside the front door. By the time I'm done explaining to my parents who Felix is and why there are two girls in hysterics on our doorstep, those two girls have multiplied into four.Mallory Wright, a quiet girl around my own age and who lives opposite me, isn't being so quiet at the moment – she's yelling outside my house, calling Felix's name over and over.She must have spotted the other girls from across the street and came over to investigate."Ashling? Mr. Shields? Mrs. Shields? Hellloooo? Is it true? Open up!" she shouts. She's usually timid and soft spoken. I had no idea her voice could get this loud. Another, more familiar voice, chirps up from outside. "Ashling! It's Olivia, you remember me right? I was a year above you at Southwood Lakes. Is it true? Is Felix Lockhart really in your house?"Olivia. How could I forget? We used to carpool together before I move