His Biggest Fan

[ c h a p t e r ᐧ s e v e n ]

As soon as Harry spotted Calli, he immediately stopped singing. He shielded his eyes from the stage lights and whispered something she couldn't hear to someone onstage with him.

"Alright, sound check's over, people, see you all Saturday night," he shouted over their heads to the sound guy.

Calli watched him hop down off the stage and make a beeline for her, all the while pulling his earphones from his ears and wrestling them from out of the back of his shirt.

"Hey, Calli. You busy tonight?"

She recoiled inside but tried not to show her surprise. He was volunteering to hang out with her? After everything he'd said? Her nails dug into the palms of her hands and she began to feel a little hot.

"Uh, I'll have to check my schedule... I'm probably busy, I don't know," she replied.

Calli thought she saw disappointment flash in his eyes, but she was sure she just imagined it. Still, she felt bad. She really should stop trying to wish his romantic feelings for her into existence, especially when he had a girlfriend.

"Well let me know, because there's a party tonight at Shelby's, and she said she'd love to meet you," Harry explained.

Calli's brow furrowed in confusion. "Shelby?"

Harry suddenly looked uncomfortable, but he replied, "My girlfriend. You left as soon as she showed up, and so she doesn't know who you are, only what she's heard from me."

The way he phrased that sentence made it seem like she'd ran off in tears, which wasn't wholly untrue, much to her embarrassment, but still. Something twisted in Calli's gut, but she gave a smile that she hoped seemed legitimate and nodded. Though, she was a bit surprised. Harry had talked about her. She wondered if he'd told Shelby that she was a weakling who cried at every opportunity and who spilled her papillon energy drink all over him the first day they met.

Mandy seemed to sense Calli's discomfort and stepped in.

"Sorry Harry, Calli will be with me tonight. A promise is a promise." She shrugged.

Thank you, Mandy, she thought.

•••

"You've gotta have something in this closet worth wearing to a party!" Mandy exclaimed, rummaging through her closet and tossing articles of clothing -mainly t-shirts- onto the bed.

Calli shrugged. "I've never been invited, I wouldn't know."

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Never? You mean you've never been to a party?"

Calli nodded, and a thought came into my mind. "Actually, I think I have a something good from my hot cousin's engagement to a very attractive man named Callahan last month." Mandy looked at her with a strange face and she simply offered, "What? An old lady at the party called him an 100% Prime USA Beefcake. It's true!"

"Okay, well let's see the dress!"

Reaching into the back of the closet, Calli pulled out a sparkly long sleeve black dress came down to mid thigh. She could see Mandy's eyes widen as she nodded in appreciation.

"Is it over the top?" Calli asked, fidgeting with the sleeves.

"Over the top catches eyes, Calli. And it's not that fancy, plus it'll be dark so no one will notice."

She laughed. "Who's eye would I be trying to catch?"

Mandy sent her a 'you know who' look but said nothing, and for that Calli was glad. The time of the party was fast approaching and she wasn't sure what people did at parties. Dance? She couldn't dance for her life! Suddenly she remembered the energy drink Harry had bought for her and downed it within five minutes. Her new friend eyed her suspiciously.

"You were jumpy enough without the caffeine, honey," Mandy said with a slight smile.

"It calms me," Calli protested, but that wasn't wholly true.

When it was time to leave, Calli got a good look Mandy's stunning blue dress and headed outside with her.

"Liam will be here in a minute."

Her stomach twisted in a knot at the word. Liam's presence usually meant Harry's, and though he was her neighbor, she'd managed to avoid him all afternoon.

Fortunately, when she hopped into the backseat of Liam's jeep, Harry was nowhere to be found. As Mandy put her seatbelt on, Calli could see Liam gazing at her like she was the love of his life. When she finished, she sat waiting.

"Staring is rude, Liam, and we have a party to get to!"

He snapped out of it quickly, a red flush coming to his face. She really had no idea, did she?

When we got to Harry's girlfriend's house, Calli took in the massive scene and gorgeous landscaping. She smiled when Liam rushed out of the jeep to open up the door for Mandy and shortly after, me. As her friend walked across the grass to the house, Liam lagged behind and fell into step with her.

"Just so you know, when I pointed to her, I meant I'm emotionally unavailable. She doesn't actually... notice me," he said, dejected.

Calli pressed her lips together, unsure of what to do, so she just patted him on the shoulder awkwardly.

"I'm sure she'll notice you eventually."

"Anyway," he began, perking up. "We have a party to get to!"

a/n: i made a cameo in this chapter!!! only the most dedicated reader can find me!