Page 3 of Starstruck

His smirk formed a bright smile before he gripped the microphonestand and tugged the thing towards his mouth. “This is Neverland.”

This wave of cheers was the loudest, making my insides shudder asthe artist, who had an even thicker English accent than Cora, announced his song, before the rich tones from his electric guitar began to play through the speakers.

And then he started to sing.

It didn’t seem fair that on top of his imperfectly styled brown hairthat fell over his forehead, matching eyes in the same colour, broad build, and intricate tattoos laced down his arms, he also had the gorgeous singing voice that he had. There was something husky about it, almost seductive. The way the words fell from his mouth felt like shards of ice that melted onto your skin the second they graced it.

Although I didn’t recognise the song, I still began to move, as did Cora, Rory, and Daisy beside me. And once the rest of the band kicked in for the song’s chorus, we swayed our hips in time with the music, committing to occasional twirls and basking in what would be the last night we could properly enjoy ourselves before our social lives only existed within the walls of the library.

The entire crowd cheered as the singer, Tristan, finished his firstsong, before swiftly moving onto his next. As the drums kicked in and Tristan’s voice travelled through the mic in a way that made me want to scroll through my music app and add each and every one of his songs to my playlist, there was some commotion behind us.

I twisted my head over my shoulder to see two guys, dressed headto toe in black and both sporting t-shirts for the actual band whose concert it was, that had been led into the VIP area. The taller one had sunglasses on, tugging them from his face as he looked around the section, while the other guy had his attention on the phone in his hand. I paid them no notice as I let my head fall back in front of me, dancing around with my friends and letting the music wash over me.

As Cora took hold of my hand and led me into a spin, I heard one ofthe guys behind us mumble something. “I told you we didn’t have to rush to get here, the shitty support act is still on.”

The other one, still with his eyes on his phone, barely gave him aglance as he replied. "Well how the fuck was I meant to know there’d be no traffic? This is Midtown on the weekend.” He finally puts his phone away. “But ya ain't wrong about him being SHITTY.”

Almost every head in our section turned around to look at the guywho called that; even a few of the girls who were clawing at the barricade took a moment to scowl at him. But once the music registered in my ears again, I ignored them and went back to dancing.

Until a scoff came from behind me.

“I swear, it’s like they’ll let any fucker up there so long as he’s hotand knows how to play more than three chords.”

The other guy boomed a laugh so loud that I flinched, as did Rory.

“Right? I bet most of these idiots just want to fuck him, they wouldn’t care if he just came out and stood there.”

Another gritty scoff made me cringe. “Look at em’. Just hornygroupies with the collective IQ of a grapefruit.”

You know what? We're not doing this.

I froze mid-dance, spinning to face the two guys. They stood there,blinking at me like I’d just slapped them, as if they hadn’t been the ones ruining the mood.

“You know, if you think he’s hot, you should probably just tell him.You might stand a chance with all thesehornygroupies.” As the guy with the sunglasses now resting on his head opened his mouth, I carried on. “But if you don’t shut up, then will you do us all a favour and crawl back into whatever hole you came from?”

The smile I showed them was anything but genuine, before battingmy lashes and twirling around to join my friends. Their jaws were practically hitting the floor, but all I did was shrug, take Daisy’s hand and lead her into a twirl, thrusting us back into our bubble.

Even I couldn’t believe I’d just done that. But this was my firstnight of freedom dammit, and I wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone, ruin that for me.

But just as the adrenalin that was racing around my body settled,both of their cackles sounded and stole back my attention.

“Joe, they’ve put us in the fucking daycare section. Go get one ofthose attendees and see if we can stand with VIP’s who can actually buy a jack and coke.”

I shook my head as a humourless smile spread across my mouth,before both Cora and I turned around this time.

She spoke first, resting a hand on her hip before she spat, “If thisis thedaycaresection, then that explains why you’ve got the manners of a fucking two-year-old. Now will you do what my friend said and either piss off or shut up?”

The taller guy out of the two inched closer towards us, his widebuild and the way he leaned over us made an invisible weight press down on my chest, and my heart pick up its pace. “Or, you two smart asses could leave and let the grown ups have some fun.” His dark eyes fell on me. “You don’t look like you belong here anyway, baby girl.”

His stare turned from menacing to hungry as he said that, his eyespractically undressing me as they glided down my body, in a way that made me feel like a diamond, in the hands of a thief.

I didn’t have time to think before his friend stepped in front ofhim.

“Want me to walk you home, angel?” He growled, a sickening smirkdarkening his face.

But that fire that I knew was deep down in me somewhere began torise, embers spitting out of my mouth as I gagged right in their faces. “I think I’d rather die. But thanks anyway. Now if you don’t mind, I’m gonna get back to drooling over the hot guy on stage.”

Cora chuckled from beside as I hiked a thumb over my shoulder, herarms wrapping over my back and spinning me away from them.

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