Lost on You [Lewis Capaldi]

Chapter 3 - Rush

After the show finished, Lewis bowed his head, said a final joke and left. Some stupid part of her wished he had turned around one last time to look at her. But instead, she was left staring at his back as he disappeared off stage. That small flicker of hope guttered.

"That was amazing!" Tara squealed beside her. "I wish we could watch it all over again. Forever."

Keira feigned a smile, tearing her eyes away from where Lewis had once been. "Yeah, it was so good."

Tara tilted her head, as if she could see straight through her friend's act. "How are you feeling? Maybe we should wait here for a bit, just until the crowd thins."

Keira would always be grateful for her best friend, even if she had been the one to drag her through the thick of it earlier. But with the concert now over, and everyone beginning to move, her fears begun to creep back again. She could already feel her chest tightening.

"Yeah, if that's okay with you?" She puffed out a deep breath, gripping tightly onto the barrier again, trying to ignore everyone moving around her.

"Of course," Tara said, worry plastered across her face. "If it helps, we can talk about something that will distract you. First of all, let's discuss just how much you and Lewis kept ogling each other. Don't think I didn't notice."

Despite everything, Keira felt the corners of her mouth begin to twitch upwards. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me," Tara lifted a brow. "He totally couldn't keep his eyes off you."

Keira immediately felt her cheeks flush pink, and knew it wasn't just the heat of the arena that caused it. "I was just in his line of vision, that's all."

"Oh shush! I bet it doesn't happen to everyone. You were on his radar the entire time! I felt like I was the third wheel."

"Don't be ridiculous," Keira chuckled, her fear ebbing. The majority of the crowd had left now, filtering out of the back exit, chatting frantically about what they had just seen.

"Is it me," Tara leaned forward, whispering into her ear, "Or is he so much hotter in person?"

That was it. Keira erupted into giggles until it made her stomach ache.

"I'll take that as a yes," her friend crooned.

Keira opened her mouth to reply when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, Miss," one of the security guards began from behind the barrier. "Are you Keira-Marie?"

Shit. Shit. Was this about her being along the corridor she clearly shouldn't have been down? Would they arrest her? Was that even possible?

Her mind was in over-drive, heart suddenly pounding at the thought of being scolded by security. In fact, she was so shaken that when the words did eventually come out, they were barely audible above the booming background music from the speakers behind them.

"Y-yes," she stuttered. Keira felt Tara's gaze burn into her.

"I have a message from Lewis Capaldi, he was wondering if you wanted to come meet him backstage."

Her heart stopped. Was she dreaming? Had she passed out earlier and was now in one big elaborate dream?

It was hard to form words as she said, "I . . . uh . . . sure."

Tara was watching silently, her jaw hung open, eyes the size of golf balls.

"Your friend's welcome to come, too," the security guard said before turning to a man in high-vis behind him and muttering something beneath his breath. The man quickly nodded his head before disappearing through a pair of black swing doors.

"You ready?" the guard asked, unhooking the metal gate and shifting it to the side.

Without replying, the girls slipped between the barriers and followed as the security guard guided the way. As they walked, their hurried footsteps echoing through the corridors, they turned to each other, and Keira knew they were both thinking the exact same thing.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.