One Heart | Friends to Lovers

Chapter 3

"Hello Atlanta! How's it going tonight?" Aaron speaks loudly into the microphone raising his fist into the air, the thousands of screaming fans hoping for a chance of being noticed and I can't help but scream along. Seeing them all up on that stage never gets old. The bright lights, their instruments, the live sound, the buzz of the speakers and the screams of the crowd. It makes me so proud to know that's exactly where they belong.

Their opening song 'Dance' went almost perfectly. Their entire concert setlist was on point, the only reason being because i'd been in charge of ordering it.

"It's an honour to be here!" He pauses, flashing a perfect smile at the audience sticking his microphone into the stand. The amount of girls freaking out behind me makes me laugh. The atmosphere, the screamers, the criers and everyone in-between. Every single concert was the same but at the same time completely different. Different people, different accents, different cities, different stages but I loved it. I hated being up on the stage with a passion and I couldn't sing to save myself but I loved being around this.

The night continued. They ran around, pulled a few fans up on the stage and sung to them, they ditched their instruments for a few songs their backup musicians coming to take over from them to give themselves some time to interact with the crowds.

By the end of the concert my ears feel like they're bleeding- just the way I like it. The screaming becomes even louder as one of the last song finishes.

Influx don't even stop to talk and launch straight into their final most iconic song 'Begin' off their first album. By the chorus everyone including myself are jumping up and down singing and dancing along.Then my least favourite part comes, the goodbyes. I mean it doesn't matter to much to me since i'll get to see them immediately after the show but today I knew it would be my last one until near the end of their tour. They all come together at the front of the stage and bow, hand in hand smiling. The overwhelming sense of pride coursing through my veins. Its at times like this I realise how far they've come. From performing on the streets busking nearly major LA record labels, in train stations, at parties and functions. After one viral clip of them on the internet they blew up, signed with a major label, stayed together through and through and now look at them. They've sold out arena after arena across the states and the pressure for an international tour was growing substantially.

The crowd are still screaming as the house lights come up and my eyes are shocked by the brightness, I had been so caught up in my own thoughts I hadn't noticed they'd disappeared off the stage.

I hurry back to the door to backstage, Dave lets me through immediately and I run into the dressing room.

Everyones lying on the floor, hands over their eyes, panting like they've just run marathons.

"The amount of sweat in here is disgusting," I comment stepping over them to give Dad a hug. His phone glued to his ear but it doesn't stop him from wrapping one arm around me and glancing down to flick me a quick smile. I hear movement behind me, everyone slowly pulling themselves together. After a while I let go of dad turning around to find Aaron's moved up onto one of the couches, Kylie tucked into his side and both their eyes closed. Jae who gets extremely drowsy after concerts is attached to Connor. Connor tries hard to move across the room towards the food table, an extremely floppy half conscious human hanging off his back slowing his movement.

Eventually everyone awakens except for Jae who's now been shifted to Connors lap, his head tucked into C's neck, mouth hanging open in true J fashion. We all wait for the go ahead to go back to the tour bus.

The fans can be quite hectic outside, we have to wait until enough of them leave before we can make our appearance. It was getting close to midnight and I let out a yawn, Aaron pulls me onto his lap the opposite side to Kylie, I snuggle into his chest. I shut my eyes and I find myself drifting off.