The pavement was crawling with fans, some of them standing on dustbins just to try and get a glimpse of their idols through the large gates.
“This is ridiculous!” Steph muttered, “we leave behind a load of English craves and instead swap them for Norwegian ones!”
The situation around them did look rather hopeless, the crowd was a lot bigger than anything they had ever seen at home, there were mad fans everywhere, some of them with the names of various band members etched across their faces, (hopefully in eye liner and not permanent pen), and others were dressed head to toe in black bin liners that were covered in mini pictures of a1.
“We’re never going to get anywhere near them!” Karen agreed, the gates to the radio station were thick with fans, the crowd so dense that there was no way anyone could beat their way through it, they were also lining the roads.
She sat down on the pavement and opened up her Mc Donalds bag, admitting defeat.
“Looks like yesterday at the airport was the best we are going to get on this trip!” Steph admitted, still trying to find a way to beat the crowds. “Shall we give up?”
“No! We’ll find a way” Mel said, her voice strong with determination, walking confidently she started to move her way round the edge of the crowd and bending down slightly crawled her way under the car park barrier that lead to the other side of the gate.
“Mel what are you doing?” Steph asked in disbelief as her friend reappeared on the other side.
“Come on!” she urged, “its easy.”
“I’m sure it is,” Karen agreed, “but we’ll get caught”
“There’s no one here to see,” Mel said, looking quickly round her shoulder, “come on, while the coast is clear.”
Turning to each other Karen and Steph made a decision and joined Mel on the other side of the gate.
“And what are we going to do now we are here?” Karen asked, this was the most ridiculous and stupid thing they had ever done.
“Doesn’t matter, look they are coming over.”
Luck seemed to be on their side as the boys left the radio studio and made their way over to the gates to see the fans.
“Hey guys,” Mel grinned over at them, enjoying their shocked faces as they noticed them on their side of the fence.
“Oh mi god!” Paul exclaimed, “how did you get over here?”
“Skill” Mel replied proudly.
“I’m impressed,” Christian grinned at her in admiration, “that took some guts.”
“You never cease to amaze me,” Paul agreed, taking a stick of chewing gum out of his pocket and putting it in his mouth. As he shoved it back in his pocket the wrapper fluttered to the floor.
“Oi! Litter!” Karen exclaimed.
“What?” he asked in confusion
“You left litter on the floor”
“Oooh I’d better save that,” he commented, quickly bending
down and picking it up, “one day when I’m stranded on a desert island that’ll
really come in useful.”
“Eh?”
“Well I could use it as a table,” he exclaimed, twisting it into a shape that vaguely resembled at table and ambling back to where the rest of the band were signing at the gates.
“Strange man,” Mel muttered to no one in particular.
“He sure is,” Chris responded.
Turning towards his voice she saw that he was stood behind her, his eyes fixed at her.
“You want a chip?” she asked him shyly, offering her Mc Donalds bag to him.
He smiled and accepted her offer, gratefully taking a chip and watching her thoughtfully as he ate it.
“Oooooh Mc Donalds!” Ben appeared from nowhere, his hand reaching into her bag to pull out the biggest chip he could find.
“I’ll see you later,” Chris said, winking at her and going over to sign for the fans.
Bloody Ben! She thought to herself as she watched him chewing his way through the chips without a care in the world, not realising that he had just broken up another moment.
“Oooh Mc Donalds!” Another voice echoed and Mark appeared, “you got any free toys?” he asked.
“Yep” she sighed, holding up a small plastic packet.
“Wow!” he exclaimed, his eyes widening, “you mind if I take a look?”
She shook her head and offered him the packet.
“Wow!” he repeated.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Woody,” he replied, “I only have Buzz at the moment and I really wanted Woody as well.”
“Well you can have it if you like,” she said graciously.
“Really?!” he jumped up like a small child and ran off to show the rest of the band his new pride and joy before returning like a flash and giving her a huge kiss on her cheek.
“Mel! You are the best!”
“Don’t! You’re embarrassing me,” she replied, blushing slightly.
“You sure I can have it?” he asked, “I mean you don’t want it for anything?”
“Mark, what could I possibly do with a Woody, I’m 19 for heavens sake!”
Mark glared at her slightly, clutching Woody tight to his chest, “you’re never too old for a Woody.”
“Nope, that’s right,” Paul commented appearing from behind them, “you are never too old to have a woody.”
He raised his eyebrows suggestively and winked at Mel.
“Paul!” Mel screeched in horror, placing her hands tight over her ears.
“What?” he replied, his face a pure picture of innocence.
“You’re disgusting,” Mark agreed, also placing his hands over his ears.
Both of them started to hum really loudly to themselves, refusing to stop until Paul had gone back to join the other fans.
“Right I’ll catch you later Mel, looks like someone more interesting has come to speak to you,” Mark turned to leave, passing Christian on his way back towards the gate.
“Alright?” he asked as he approached Mel.
“Yeah, you?”
“Great.”
He studied her for a moment before his mouth curved up into a massive smile, “I still can’t believe you came all the way out here you know, it’s amazing!”
“It is?”
“Yep!”
She smiled back at him.
“What you doing tomorrow?” he asked.
“Going back home,” she replied, her smile faltering slightly, “I have college.”
“Ahhh,” he replied, “now that’s what I like, a girl with brains.”
She nodded at him politely, if only he knew exactly how much her college work was suffering, in all honesty she was in a mess, she hardly ever attended and she was never going to pass.
“Why you ask?” she pressed him, her thoughts returning to the conversation.
“No reason,” he replied mysteriously, “I’ll see you next time then yeah?”
“Sure will,” she replied, reaching forward to give him a quick peck on the cheek.
As he walked away her mind began to race, constant little replays of their conversation were echoing in her head.
Was it her imagination or had Christian been about to ask her out?