Close as Strangers

Confidence is Key

"5 Seconds of Summer? Who're they?" Effie asked, looking at the poster pinned up in the cork board next to them.

Arwen shrugged. "Some band. I saw the poster when I was coming back from class earlier. Looked them up, they are getting pretty big in Australia, and they sound amazing! Wanna go?"

Effie flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder, the blue tips sailing behind her, and shot her friend a look. "I'm sorry, do you see what those boys look like? Of course I want to go!" Effie had been pretty boy crazy her entire life, but it only seemed to worsen when she got to college. She wouldn't say she was desperate, but she certainly craved companionship. A chance to go to a tiny venue show with four hot guys was something she wasn't about to miss out on.

"Okay, okay, who is the hottest? I mean, we might get the chance to actually talk to them, sooo." Arwen smirked back. She was only slightly less boy crazy than her friend, but would certainly pass up the chance to hear some hot guys sing.

"I'm thinking the cute blonde in the front." Effie oddly began to feel shyness creep up on her, she fiddled with the ends of her hair, her pale skin flushing slightly pink. "But they are all really cute."

Arwen laughed, but nodded her head in agreement. "I like the one with the dyed hair. We could be all cute and matchy." She looked to her own hair that was dyed auburn, with bright firetruck red tips. "Yup. Definitely the red-headed boy."

They both made their way towards the small coffee shop on campus, where they show was going to take place. However, once they arrived, the excitement they had turned into nervousness. No one was there yet, except the band, and the two students who volunteered to help set up.

"Go." Arwen whispered, shoving Effie in the door first, causing her to stumble in.

All eyes turned to Effie, and then to Arwen who had walked in very casually behind her.

Effie's cheeks turned a deep red, as she turned to glare at the friend behind her.

"Here for the show?" The curly haired boy behind the drum set asked. His accent thick, and his dimples deep.

"Uh, yeah." Effie mumbled, still glaring angrily at her friend.

Arwen's freckled cheeks raised with her laughter, as she shoved Effie towards a table, which forced her to turn and look at her surroundings. There was a table full of snacks and drinks, but that was it.

"Oh wow, is it really just us?" Effie asked, gaining some of her confidence back, and looking towards the drummer, who had somehow not caught her attention on the poster.

"So far, yeah." The red-headed boy smiled, locking eyes with Effie's red-headed friend. "But I don't think I'll mind." He smirked

Arwen's blue eyes widened slightly, and her cheeks turned as red as Effie's were moments before. She quickly shook away as much shock, and nervousness as she could, and composed herself. "Well, this'll be fun, huh?" Her smile widening the more she looked towards the red-head with the guitar.

"Mind introducing yourselves?" Effie asked. "We want to be able to talk about you while you play." She was shocked with herself, not knowing where the cool demeanor was coming from.

"I'm Michael." Red spoke. "This is Calum, Luke, and Ashton." He pointed to each of his band mates. "Now that you've got all the information you need to talk about us, how about we play you girls a rocking show?"

The two girls smiled brightly and took a seat as close as they could to the band.

♫❧

After the show, both girls were so pumped. The band was good, really good.

"Maybe we could ask them what they are doing tonight?" Effie suggested, as they watched them pack up their equipment. Her eyes constantly flitting between Ashton and Luke. She needed to get to know them more.

"Go ahead." Arwen smiled, not thinking her friend would ever actually go and do it. She was just grabbing the leftover box of donuts from the snack table to take home. Until Effie latched firmly onto her arm and began dragging her towards the boys.

"Hey." Effie spoke with fake confidence as she stopped in front of the band. " We were just wondering if you guys had any plans for tonight?" She asked, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

Luke shrugged lightly, running his fingers through his quaffed hair. "Dunno. We heard about a bar in town. Thinking of heading there, wanna join us?"

Effie's smile instantly fell, the disappointment seeping into every pore. "Oh, I'd love to, but I'm not 21 yet. Still a couple months left to go."

"But" Arwen threw her arm around her slightly shorter friend's shoulders. "We were going to eat these free donuts I got and order some pizza. If you wanted to join in on that?" She shot Luke a smile, but behind the smile was a slightly begging look. She knew Effie would be so bummed if she didn't get to hang out with them because of her age.

"Actually, yeah." Ashton said overhearing their conversation. "Donuts and pizza sounds way better than some college bar." He came to stand next to Luke, dimples proudly on display.

"Great! Finish packing your gear and I'll lead the way." Arwen smiled back.

♫❧

"So, here's our dorm." Arwen led the way inside the giant concrete building, and up the stairs. "Sorry, can't use the elevator."

"No biggie. We're super fit." Calum scoffed.

By the time they all got to the top of the stairs, the boys were panting slightly. \

"Super fit, huh?" Effie laughed, leading them down the hallway to a door decorated in lots of little paper decorations, and stepped away, letting Arwen unlock the door. "Yeah, when she said our dorm, she meant hers. I have a roommate; she doesn't so I basically live here with her."

Arwen shrugged. "What can I say? I'm really good at weirding out roommates." She smiled widely, opening the dull grey door into her room.

"Is that a tiny cardboard cutout of Danny Devito?" Mikey asked, a smile toying at his red lips.

"You betcha!" Arwen grabbed her laptop. "Eff, why don't you take them to the lounge, and I'll order us some 'Zas."

"Alright, this way boys." She opened the door again and led them down a hallway to a carpeted room, with many couches and a large TV.