Chapter 1: Forbidden Waters
He had seen her staring on many occasions, always waiting backstage but had never spoken to the pretty brunette who was such a crucial part of his life in so many ways. As part of the backstage crew for almost every one of his performances, she was forbidden to speak to him. He knew that - his minor permanent staff were forbidden from forming emotional ties to him in case friendships turned into...well something more. This could not happen under any circumstances. According to his agent, it could be dangerous or at the very least compromising if any relationships formed went wrong.
He found that part of his life difficult - the part where he wasn't allowed to get close to anyone who wasn't famous like himself...anyone real. He'd been through meaningless relationship after meaningless relationship and it was beginning to get a bit tiring, if he was being perfectly honest. Some days, he would give anything just to be another normal person, like any one of his fans. Just to be able to go out and enjoy a burger with his mates.
But he didn't have mates. Not really. It was all part of the lonely popstar role. The only people he could call true friends were all related to him. But, unhappy though he was, he couldn't complain - he had everything...the cool car, the amazing house, more money than any sane person could dream of...he even had an island and not many people could say that. So every day when he felt like running away, he just grinned and bared it, and hoped that the future would be a little less bleak than the present, a little less lonely than before.
She knew she shouldn't stare but she just couldn't help it. The way he charmed the crowd on stage, the way he flicked his hair, the way he caressed the microphone as it projected his voice all around the stadium. Everything about him was charming, everything about him drew her in, just like all the other girls it seemed. The girls loved him because he was incredibly good looking and seemed very genuine. The guys loved him because he was masculine and clearly worked out a lot. It seemed he had just about everyone's respect...including hers.
Sometimes, it seemed like he was looking at her but she knew this couldn't be true...just as she was forbidden to speak to him, he had been strongly advised by his agent to avoid any relationships other than professional ones with his staff. So there was no way he could be interested...no way at all. Besides, she was just an ordinary girl, and he was every girls dream. So even if he was allowed to be interested in her, there was no way he ever would be. End of.
The song ended and the audience burst into applause, many of the onlookers screaming his name at the top of their voice. He played the part perfectly, waving, blowing kisses to all of the girls, and even giving some of the fans in the front row hi fives, before leaving the stage for the interval break and walking right towards where she was standing, leaning against the wall.
Her heart was thudding in her chest as he flopped down on a chair less than a metre away from her. He was close enough to touch if she just reached out her arm. He looked up at her and smiled that cute, lopsided grin that seemed to make everyone go crazy.
"I've seen you around a lot, and yet I don't know your name," he stated, clearly a subtle question. Had my brain been connected with my mouth, I would have replied with something witty and sarcastic but as it was, I could barely manager to whisper my name.
"India," she stammered, "India White."
"Well India, it's nice to meet you...at last. I'm Sam, Sam Cole." India snorted at him, and he raised an eyebrow. "Do you find something funny about my name, Miss White?" he asked with a wink.
"Not at all...I just didn't think you really needed an introduction," she replied, casting her eyes to the ground, not wanting to get lost in his beautiful, blue eyes again. "Everyone knows who you are."
"Not entirely true," he muttered and she stared at him, disbelief all over her face.
"Sam, even my gran knows your name," she said rolling her eyes.
"But just because everyone know my name, doesn't mean they know who I am," he countered, voicing thoughts that had clearly been on his mind a lot.
"True," she continued cautously. "But noone will ever know who you are, if you don't let them." And with that closing statement she left him, deciding to calm herself down before he went back on stage. She would never be able to forgive herself after all, if she did something wrong - put on the wrong lights, flooded the stage with artificial smoke at the wrong time, brought out the wrong props. Yes, there were so many things she could do that would ruin the show - she needed to be fully with it to make sure she didn't screw up. Besides, she decided she had tested the forbidden waters enough for one day, and for now, he had enough to think about.
