Seventeen
Thereâs no doubt about it: my boyfriend rocks âand it seems like heâs got just as many fans in Germany as he does in the UK. Thereâs as much screaming for him here as there was in Brighton. I donât know why Iâm so surprised, but it feels like the levels of Noahâs fame keep rising higher and higher, while Iâm feeling more and more left behind. He awes me with his talent. Heâs only two years older than me, and already heâs accomplished so much.
I remind myself that Noah is not normal . I have loads of time to work out exactly what I want to do. Being âNoahâs girlfriendâ is only one part of my future.
The time between the soundcheck and the actual concert is jam-packed with pre-show interviews and photographs, a string of journalists entering Noahâs dressing room one after the other. I sit discreetly in the corner, occasionally snapping a photograph but mostly just listening. Noahâs a pro at interviews, but I suppose you would be after answering the same questions again and again. Itâs a wonder that not a single journalist asks him anything really interesting. Maybe itâs thedomineering presence of Dean behind him, arms folded, always ready to interfere in case the line of questioning dances too closely to delicate subjects, like his parentsâor, for that matter, me.
A couple of the journalists recognize me, and, because he knows it makes me nervous, Noah is careful not to reveal too much about our relationship.
The closest one of the interviewers gets to an interesting answer is when she asks a question about Leah Brown. âSo, Noah,â a pretty brunette with a hugely popular German music blog asks, âwhatâs it like being in such close quarters with Leah Brown after last yearâs . . . controversy?â
Noah smiles sweetly. âLeah and I are good friends, and I respect her musical talent. After all, I think she got her own back with âBad Boy.âââ He winks, applying his natural charm to the situation.
âAnd Penny doesnât mind?â the blogger continues, undeterred.
Dean moves to interrupt, but Noah shrugs and answers, with a slight shake of his head to let Dean know to stand down. âOf course not. Penny has nothing to worry about.â
His words fill me with a warmth that spreads from my tiptoes to my forehead. I only hope that the blogger will print the statement as is, rather than twisting his words. Either way, the important thing is that he said them, and I heard. If only Blake were hereâthat would keep him quiet.
Dean claps his hands together. âOK, thanks, Rubyâthatâs it for this interview. Itâs showtime!â The room is already a hive of activity, but it seems to pick up tempo at Deanâs announcement.
My stomach clenches in a twist of nerves, but Noah is straight by my side and grabs my hand. He promised this time was going to be different, and already it feels like it is. âDo you have your new phone?â he asks.
âYeah, hang on.â I dig it out of my pocket. He takes it from me and quickly dials a number. After a few rings, the screen lights up with the faces of two of my favourite people in the entire world: Sadie Lee and Bella.
âPRINCESS PENNY!â Bella bounces up and down on the screen, sitting so close her eyes bulge in the camera.
My jaw almost drops when I see herâI canât believe how much sheâs grown already. She looks more like a young lady than the bouncing four-year-old I saw at Christmas. âBella! When did you get so big?â I say, unable to keep the astonishment from my voice. âHi, Sadie Lee!â I can hear Sadie Leeâs warm laugh in the background as she gently pulls Bella away from the screen.
âNow, honey, Noah and Penny can see us much better when weâre sitting down nicely,â she says in her slow Southern drawl. Then she turns her
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