Chronicles of Operation Fangirl

Chapter 8: Operation Manipulation

Nicole was waiting side-stage for the band to finish.  One of the perks of being a “VIP” meant that she got to stand and the side of the stage and could see everything clearly.  She almost didn’t miss being in the pit.  Almost.

Half way through the boy’s set, Robert came back.  Nicole was relieved: she was no longer alone and had someone to talk to.  For example, when that girl in the third row had thrown her bra on stage, Nicole had someone to share a glance with before they both broke out laughing. 

At the same time, though, she was itching for the freedom she normally had at smaller venues.  Normally they left her to her own devices.  She had a gut feeling that no matter how much Rose and Robert liked her, it was part of their job to watch her and make sure she wasn’t a crazy fan or tried to do something stupid.   In other words, although Robert was laughing along with Nicole at some desperate fan, he was still there for one reason: to babysit her.

When the boys were done with an amazing show, Luke whipped some sweat off his face, chucked the towel into the audience, and came back stage.  Calum soon followed suit as did Michael, both of which just gave one final wave to the audience before ducking backstage, walking mere inches from Nicole.  Too bad they were talking to one another so that they didn’t even look Nicole’s way. 

Ashton was the last one on stage and gave a cheeky smile to the audience before throwing one drumstick to the left of the audience while throwing the other to the opposite side of the crowd.  When he made the journey backstage, Nicole expected him to ignore her like the other three boys did.  This was, however, not the case.  As if hearing her silent pleas, his eyes snap over to her and he smiles.

When Nicole smiles back he mouthed “I’ll be back” before heading into the dressing room. 

Nicole was smiling to herself when Robert nudges her shoulder.  “I think he likes you,” he hisses like a school girl. 

“Shut up,” Nicole rolls her eyes at him, but at the same time, in sake of her Operation, she hoped there was some truth to his statement. 

After a few minutes, Robert got bored standing at the side of the stage and thought to introduce her to a few crew members, each of them wearing an identical shirt to Robert and Rose.  Once again, as names and faces flew past Nicole, she committed the design to memory.

Everyone she met from the Five Seconds of Summer crew said something along the same lines: how nice Nicole was and how they had thought there was no VIPS for these few shows.  Nicole would smile it off and say the same story as she had told before: her friend worked at a magazine company and got it for her.  The less she changed the story, the better. 

The best part was that everyone seemed to buy the story and even seemed to like Nicole.  As they packed up for the night, they’d talk with her and laugh with her. 

“Excuse me,” Jason, the newest crew member Robert had introduced her to, said.    He started to roll a heavy amp, with some difficulty.  “Can you help?” he asked Robert. 

Robert looked wary, like he didn’t want to leave Nicole behind.  But this was just the kind of break Nicole was looking for.   “Go,” she smiled encouragingly.  “I’ll stay right here.”  I need you gone, she thought.  I don’t need supervision.  I can’t have supervision, not if I want my Operation to work.  Instead of all that, she put everything she had into a smile.  “I promise,” she said sweetly.

Much to her delight, Robert bought it.  “Ok then.  You better be here when I get back,” he said, only half joking. 

“Of course,” Nicole nodded.  Where else would she go, really?  Why would she WANT to go anywhere else when Ashton had basically promised to be back later for her?  Running off was the last thing on her mind at the moment.