and back again.

Ella Winters ran her fingers through her brown waves and let them fall down over her bare shoulders as she examined her reflection for what felt like the hundredth time. This wasn't her first concert. Not even close - in high school, she'd spent almost every Friday night at a local all-ages venue and had eagerly waited in line for front-row spots at nearly every concert that had rolled through town. But she wasn't in high school anymore. Now she was twenty-three, with a full-time job at a bank, a mortgage, and a long-term boyfriend who she assumed she would spend the rest of her life with. And she had butterflies. Big, winged butterflies fluttering around in her stomach at the thought of seeing a boy band, of all things.
"El, it's three o'clock," her boyfriend, Eric, called up the stairs as she brushed on a final coat of mascara. "Aren't you supposed to pick Nicole up by four?"
Ella frowned in the mirror. Oh, how things had changed indeed. Three weeks ago she'd been lucky caller one hundred to a radio station and had scored two VIP passes to tonight's One Direction concert in nearby Indianapolis, including a meet and greet with the band before the show, but she hadn't had a single person to invite along with her. She couldn't explain what it was about their music that made her so antsy but her friends had made it obvious that they didn't share her enthusiasm, leaving Ella to invite the daughter of one of her coworkers, a fourteen-year-old diehard fan who Ella knew would embrace the true spirit of the meet and greet. Ella planned to stay to the side, let Nicole do her thing with the other superfans, and then enjoy the concert on her own terms.
Ella flicked off the bedroom light and bounced down over the stairs, "Okay, I'm leaving."
"When will you be home?" Eric asked without so much as a glance up from his iPad.
"By ten." Ella shrugged as she pulled her favorite striped blazer over her navy tank, "Love you!"

***

"Have I told you how much I love you for these tickets?" Nicole Abraham squealed gleefully as they gathered for the meet and greet two hours later, "I'm so excited! Oh, my God! I hope I can get a picture with Niall. Do you think I'll get a picture with him? Or Harry?"
"I think that's the whole point of this thing." Ella laughed as Nicole joined the squeals of a dozen other preteen girls being held in a small room in the back of the arena. Scattered parents stood against the walls of the room, holding cameras and CD cases, keeping their distance from the pandemonium that was due any moment. Ella felt anticipation flow through her veins. She had no interest in a photo or signature - that would just be awkward, what with the boys being younger than her and all - but it would be a lie to say she wasn't excited to see them in the flesh. She was sure that the hours she'd spent scouring Pinterest and Tumblr sites just didn't do them justice.
"Okay, ladies, listen up, please." A small woman with red hair announced from the front of the room, where she stood atop a plastic chair, "I'm going to bring the boys in here in just a few minutes, but we need to lay down some ground rules first."
Ella zoned out as the woman ran through some standard rules. She shifted her weight from one foot to another, glancing down at her aged orange Converse Chuck Taylors and wondering whether she should uncuff her jeans. She'd seen members of the band wearing cuffed skinny jeans - would it look like she was trying too hard?
Ella placed her hand on Nicole's shoulder, "I'll be sitting back here, okay?"
Nicole nodded, surely ignoring whatever Ella was saying, and Ella took a seat in a string of parent-intended chairs in the back corner of the room. The red headed woman opened the main doors at the front of the room, and in an eruption of squeals and tears, Ella spotted the heads of five boys trotting into the room.

***

"Hi."
Ella spun her head around quickly to find Harry Styles standing behind her, a coy smile playing on the corners of his thin lips. "Hi."
"Can I sit here?" his accent was gentle, and somehow sexier than on film. He looked exactly as Ella had expected, in black jeans with torn knees and a thin black t-shirt, with his hair styled back in his signature quiff.
Ella nodded and he sat, "Enjoying yourself?"
"Ah, yeah," Ella smiled, "and you?"
"Of course." Harry nodded, "Are you here alone?"
"Ella. Hi." Nicole approached quickly, a frenzied glow on her face.
"You're here with Nicole." Harry inferred, "Sisters?"
"No. Ella is my mom's boss." Nicole offered quickly.
Harry's eyes travelled from Nicole to Ella, and back again. They were bright and intoxicating - the greenest eyes Ella had ever seen. She could hardly focus. What the hell was wrong with her? He'd remembered Nicole's name. How sweet.
"Niall's free!" Nicole shrieked, turning her back to Ella and Harry as she made a beeline for the autograph table across the room.
"You're her mum's boss?" Harry asked, "How old are you?"
"Twenty-three."
"And you're her mum's boss." He repeated, "That's impressive."
"I could be her mother's pimp." Ella pointed out, "Would it be as impressive then?"
"Kind of. Maybe even more, actually." Harry admitted with a loud laugh, "Are you? A pimp?"
"No, nothing that glamorous. I work at a bank."
"Very similar environment to the streets." Harry smirked and offered his hand, "Ella, right? I'm Harry."
Ella glanced at Harry's hand before shaking it. She enjoyed his firm grip and the gentle flexing of his arm muscles. She caught a glimpse of his things I can tattoo and smiled to herself. Was this real life?
"I know who you are."
"Has anyone seen the curly headed one?" Liam Payne called above the crowd, "Seems we're missing the curly headed one."
"Sounds like I'm being beckoned." Harry stood, "It was nice meeting you, Ella."
Ella nodded, "You, too."

***

INCOMING TEXT: UNKNOWN NUMBER
I'd like to see you after the show.

REPLY: You would?

INCOMING TEXT: UNKNOWN NUMBER
Yes, please.

REPLY: I have to get Nicole home. School night.

INCOMING TEXT: UNKNOWN NUMBER
After that. I'm staying at the Prince George.

REPLY: I don't know if that's a good idea.

INCOMING TEXT: UNKNOWN NUMBER

Notes

hey guys i'm new to this site & transferring my story over from wattpad! i loveee this site so far!

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