Chapter 4

I completely froze. Just hearing his voice again made my heart start to beat really, really fast.

Oh my God! What the hell was he doing phoning me so… soon?!!

“Katherine… that is you, right?” His voice came again.

Ahh, that cute Norwegian voice I loved soooo much…

It had shocked me so much, I’d lost my voice!

I’d completely been expecting it to be Abbie on the phone, wanting to know all about the “snog” details- but then it turning out to be him… ARRAGHHHH!

Oh my God Kate- speak! Say anything! Just respond!!!

“Er… uhuh,” I said really stupidly, and I wanted to slap myself.

Why did I always fall to pieces around him?!! I couldn’t even see him this time, but I was still incredibly nervous.

But it was like I could see him- I was staring at his picture for Godsake! That interview must have been a sign. Telling me he was about to phone up!!

I was soooo not prepared. I felt really dumb and shy.

“Ohhh… phew! I’m so glad- I thought I’d got the wrong number for a minute, there,” he said, sounding a lot more relieved.

But I couldn’t open my mouth to say anything interesting back. My hand was practically shaking just holding onto the phone!

I felt really stupid actually. I’d tried to sound really cool on the phone to Abbie like “oh yeah, so I just kinda snogged Christian a1. Yeah, it was alright- I suppose…”

And yet now he calls me up and I’m like “er… um… what- er… what’s your name again?” !!!

But was he doing phoning me so early?!! We’d only got off the bus- ooh, we’d snogged! – about 3 or 4 hours ago. I’d actually been really worried he wouldn’t call. It seemed so far-fetched that he’d call me, and I wasn’t even sure that he’d got my number.

But obviously, he had.

“So… erm… why are you phoning me already?” I suddenly blurted out.

Arrraghhh!! What the fuck did I say that for?!! I was so angry with myself then, I could have done a whole lot worse than slap myself! What was I trying to do- scare the poor guy off?

Pretend I wasn’t interested?

Duh! Are you crazy?!! This is Christian a1 you’re talking to!

Not the boy next door!

I think Christian seemed pretty taken aback as it goes, and I felt so pissed off at myself!

“I… er… um… sorry,” he mumbled, and I nearly burst out crying.

Oh- I wanted this whole conversation to start all over again!

Ever since I’d picked up the receiver, I’ve either managed to say nothing or the most stupidest thing ever!

Everything was going wrong! Why can’t I calm down?!!

I like him soooo much- I was pleading with him in my head not to hang up on me now!

I had to recover the situation.

“No! No- I didn’t mean it like that!” I cried hastily. “It’s just… God, you freaked me out, that’s all.”

He laughed, and I breathed a little sigh of relief. “I freaked you out?” He said.

“Yeah!” I said honestly. “I’d never expected you to call so early… well, to be honest, I didn’t think you’d even call…”

“Why’d ya think that?” He asked, surprised.

“Erm… I don’t know,” I said, going back to my mumbly stupid self. I thought you’d meet someone who’s better looking on the way home, I thought. Any girl could beat me!

“Don’t be an idiot!” He laughed. “Of course I wanted to phone you! Why would I ask for your number otherwise? I wouldn’t have got it if I hadn’t intended to use it.”

“Really?” I said, gushing. I must sound so pathetic!

“Yeah, really. I phoned quite soon ‘cos I wasn’t sure I’d heard the number right. I had to phone and check I had the right one,” he said.

“Yeah well- you have!” I said, and again, it was too high and over-pleased.

Why couldn’t I be calm like I had been on the bus? It had been so easy then! What a difference 2 or 3 hours can do to your confidence!

“I’m glad,” he said. “I can write it down, now!”

“I need yours too, y’know,” I said, and again, I regretted it.

I sounded desperate! Like I needed to phone him out on a date or something! And too eager. Way too eager. There’s no way he’s gonna want me to have his number this early on.

“You want my number? Which one?” He asked.

I was really surprised. He seemed fine in letting me have it!

“Are you sure you want me to have your number?” I asked, uneasily.

“Yeah- why shouldn’t I be?” He said, again surprised. “You know- you really should stop being so suspicious.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“And stop apologizing! You’ll drive me crazy and we haven’t even go out yet!” He said, laughing, and he made me laugh again.

I suddenly felt more relaxed. I was so grateful to him for making me laugh! Trying to relax me.

It had worked.

“So- erm… I don’t know what number…” I said.

“Well- I have 3. My flat phone, my mobile phone, and the ARMI house phone.”

I shook my head. “The what?!”

He laughed. “The ARMI house phone,” he repeated.

“What the hell is that?” I said, completely confused. He was in the army?!!

“It has nothing to do with the army!” He said, reading my thoughts. “It’s the house where I lived with the other guys. It’s called the ARMI house,” he explained.

“Oh!” I said, kinda relieved. Then I said, “Why?”

“It is weird! Mark came up with the name actually!” Christian said.

“But, why “army” ?” I asked.

“It’s the first letters of all our surnames,” Christian explained. “Put them together, they spell ARMI. Well, with an ‘I’ at the end. But still ARMI.”

“Ohh! It’s spelt with an ‘I’, I said.

“Yeah, that’s my fault,” he said, sounding slightly embarrassed.

I suddenly realised I had no idea what his surname actually was. I only knew him as Christian a1, not as anything else. But he obviously had one!

“What does the ‘I’ stand for, then?” I asked.

“Ingebrigtsen,” he replied.

I raised my eyebrows. Oh- kay. What the hell?!!

“Is that Norwegian?” I asked stupidly.

“I dunno. Scandinavian of some sort,” he replied. Then he laughed. “It’s not that bad to say! In- ger- brig- sten,” he said slowly. “Just like the t being after the s.”

I had no idea what he was talking about now! I didn’t know how you said it, let alone spelt it!

I decided to change the subject. “Er… I better just have your flat number for now,” I said.

“Ok- but I am at the ARMI house a lot. When we’re in London doing interviews or whatever,” he warned me.

“It’s ok. I’ll be alright for now,” I said. It was also pretty daunting that one of the other guys would pick up the phone to me. Arraghhh! Mark, Ben and Paul!!

“Alright, my number’s 492642,” he said slowly.

“Hang on! I need a pen!” I said to him, and I leaned over to the table and grabbed a pen. I hastily scribbled the number down on my magazine, which was the only ‘paper’ I could find. I actually nearly wrote on Mark’s face! Oops! Sorry Mark! But Christian’s phone number was kinda really important to me!

“Got it?” He said.

“Yep! Got it,” I said, putting the pen down.

“So now we can contact each other whenever we want!” He said, and was it my imagination, or did he seem really excited about that prospect?

I know I did!

“Yeah, that’ll be nice,” I said, again sounding stupid.

“Listen, there’s another reason why I’m phoning tonight,” Christian said, on a serious note.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Look, I know you’ve got a free weekend this weekend and I have as well, so I was wondering…”

Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God…!!

“…if you’d like to do something tomorrow or something. You know, like catch a film or something. I don’t know. Only if you want to, that is…” he trailed off.

I was soooo speechless.

He wanted to go on a date- TOMORROW?

Like, the day after today?!!

Oh my GOD!!!

I’d only just met him that afternoon! Yet he’s snogged me already, called me up and now he wants to go on a date – TOMORROW.

Oh God- this was all sooo fast. I mean, I really wanted to. I really did. I just… I felt so nervous about it.

Tomorrow! That didn’t give me much preparation time, did it? In fact, how was I ever going to make it in time?! I’d barely have time to recover from this phone call before I’m with him again!

“Katherine?”

I realised I hadn’t answered yet. And no wonder! I just didn’t know what to say.

Go out with Christian from a1?

Woah!

That was pretty major!!

It’s the biggest thing that’s ever, ever happened to me.

I had to be calm. I had to think straight.

Right: was all this too soon?

I really, really wanted to say YES! YES! YES! But something was stopping me.

“Oh my God!” He suddenly gasped on the other end, and he made me jump! What was the matter?!!

“I’ve just realised!” He cried. “You have a boyfriend, don’t you? Oh, of course you must have! I am soooo stupid! Just forget it, ok… forget I called…”

“No! No! No- Christian wait,” I said quickly. “Of course I don’t have a boyfriend! What makes you think that?!!”

“’Cos you’re taking so long to answer,” he said. “Plus, you’re gorgeous. Of course you’ll have a boyfriend already.”

“But I haven’t!” I said, and then I stopped.

Oh my God. He’d called me gorgeous, hadn’t he? He’d said I was gorgeous.

No one had ever said that to me before in my life.

And it really, really touched me. Oh God- he really liked me, didn’t he?

“You think I’m gorgeous?” I asked quietly.

He laughed. “Yeah! Why do you think I kissed you?!” He said. “I really fancy you!”

Oh my God- he did think I was gorgeous! And he fancied me!

Arragghhh! This was such a dream come true!!

I can’t believe he fancies me!

Christian a1 fancies me!!

I just kept expecting to wake up any second…

“You f-fancy me?” I choked.

“Yeah! Don’t act so surprised!” He laughed. “I just got on well with you. Didn’t you think we got on well?” He asked.

“Well, yeah, but…”

“So, I don’t get on well with just anybody. You’re different. That’s why I want you to come out with me tomorrow,” he finished. “So- you’re single?”

“Uhuh,” I said, still reeling.

“Does that mean you do wanna go out, then? Or is this fancying-thing just a one-way thing?” He asked.

Oh God no! I thought quickly. Definitely- no!

“No- no way!” I said. “I just can’t believe anyone as gorgeous as you could even look at someone like me!”

“Why not? You’re cute! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I got off the bus!” He admitted.

Oh, this was music to my ears! I still felt as though I was dreaming all of this!

“I can’t stop thinking about you, either,” I said, feeling all gooey- inside!

“Do you want to go out, then?” He asked.

“Yeah- ok. I’m up for it,” I said, suddenly with a bit of a boost. What the hell? I might as well go with the flow.

“Cool! I’m sooo pleased you said yes!” He laughed. “So- do you wanna go to the cinema? Do you like films?”

“Yeah! I love films!” I said, enthusiastically.

“I don’t know what we could go and see. I haven’t seen Bridget Jones’s Diary yet- have you?” He asked.

I shook my head as I said, “no, I haven’t.”

“It’s supposed to be really good. Well- Mark thinks it is,” he said, and laughed.

I couldn’t believe he wanted to go and see a romantic comedy! Who was this guy? Some kind of perfect man?!

NO guy likes romantic comedies! They like seeing men get blown up and stuff, or aliens landing and taking over the world!

Not anything romantic, anyway!

“So- are you ok with that? Shall we see that?” he asked me.

He was being really considerate asking my opinion. It showed he really cared!

“Sure, it’ll be fun,” I said.

“What kind of films do you like to watch?” He asked, interested.

“Erm… I’m a bit of a horror movie fan,” I admitted, a little embarrassed. I couldn’t help it! There’s something about a guy dressed up as a psycho killer stalking people with a knife that really appeals to me…!

“Horror movies?” Christian said, almost horrified. “What- like “Scream” and stuff?”

“Yeah! I love that movie!” I said, and then realised he sounded really put- off. “Why- don’t you like horror movies?”

“I hate horror movies!” He said with a real passion.

“Why?!!” I laughed. “You don’t get scared… do ya?”

“N-o,” he said slowly, but it was so obvious he was lying, and I really did burst out laughing.

It was sooo funny! Christian a1 was scared of horror movies! It just struck me as really funny!

“Don’t you start!” Christian said, pretending to be upset. “I get enough stick from the rest of the guys. Just ‘cos I find them scary.”

I thought it was actually incredibly sweet, but I didn’t say so. I didn’t want him even more embarrassed.

“Oh Christian! It’s just… they’re so not scary!”

“They are! Especially “Final Destination” ! Oh God. That was terrifying. I went to see it with Paul and I’d never been laughed at so much in my life!”

I was in complete shock. I couldn’t believe what he was saying.

“Christian! “Final Destination” was crap!” I cried.

“No, it was not!” He defended.

“Christian! That was the crappiest horror flick I’ve ever seen in my life!” I cried. “It was sooo stupid! By the end, I was just not into it anymore. I wanted to walk out of the cinema!”

I remembered that stupid film. I’d gone with my mate Karen to see it- and we both agreed it was ‘total pants’!!

“I just hated it,” Christian shuddered. “It was sooo spooky the way death just kept coming to them…”

“Christian, it was crap, ok? It really is nothing compared to “Scream” or “Urban Legend”.”

“I haven’t seen “Scream”,” he said.

I nearly choked. He hadn’t seen “Scream”?

What was he- dead?!!

Everyone who’s anyone has seen “Scream” !!

No wonder he was terrified at “Final Destination” !

“Never mind- let’s forget it. Bridget Jones’s Diary looks really good. We’ll see that,” I said, changing the subject.

“Alright. The Odeon in Greenwich?” He suggested.

“Yeah- that’s where I always go,” I said.

“Me too! I’m surprised I haven’t noticed you until now,” he said.

I laughed. “Yeah! Pretty hard not to spot me! I’m just a regular nobody who blends in with the rest of the nobody crowd!”

“That is so not true. You stood out to me on the bus,” Christian said seriously.

“Yeah, but everyone else was about 90, Christian!” I laughed.

“That’s not the reason I sat with you. You know that,” he said.

He sounded really hurt, as well. God, this guy was really sensitive, I was just beginning to realise. I must watch out for that.

“I know, I’m sorry. You fancy me,” I said. I was trying so hard not to laugh.

“Look- if you’re not interested, then maybe we should just forget it…” he said. He sounded quite cross, actually.

“No! Christian, really. I’m sorry. I’m really, really interested in you. What time tomorrow?” I asked, hoping he hadn’t changed his mind.

“Erm… the film starts at 2, so I guess… I’ll meet you outside the cinema at half past one?” He said.

I was relieved I hadn’t messed things up with my stupid comments! By the ‘date’ tomorrow, I really must get myself sorted out, I told myself firmly. I don’t want to scare him away. I haven’t had a date in ages. Not since… January! God! 4 months ago!

Everyone around me had a boyfriend- Abbie was going out with Danny, Emm had been with Noel for almost 2 years and Karen had just recently started seeing Ewan. I’d been dateless for almost 4 months!

How sad! And as for when I’d last slept with someone… God… ages and ages ago!

The prospect of sleeping with Christian came into my head and I shivered. Woah, Kate! You’re thinking waaay too far ahead! Concentrate on your first date first! Before you start deciding to have a family with him!

“Half past one’s fine,” I said, trying to get my head back on the present situation and NOT shagging him!

“And then… maybe we could go for a drink afterwards…?” He said hopefully.

“A drink would be cool,” I said.

“Great. I’ll look forward to it,” he said.

I didn’t want him to go yet. I still felt as though there was some frostiness between us.

I hated frostiness!

“Listen- I’m really sorry if I’ve said anything stupid to you just now,” I said apologetically. “I didn’t mean to, you know that. It’s just… you make me really nervous sometimes. I can’t believe a member of a1 wants to go out with me.”

He laughed. “I don’t see what the big deal is. I don’t think of myself as famous. Not really.”

“Oh- come on!”

“No, it’s true. Being famous is a really weird thing. I like it, but I never asked for it. Music’s the most important thing to me. Music and our fans.”

“You work really hard, don’t you?” I said, trying to connect with him.

“Yeah, we do. Really, really hard. We do lots of events and stuff. Yet, we don’t get appreciated for it that much.” He seemed a bit dejected.

“I appreciate you!” I said, trying to make him feel better.

He laughed. “Thank you!”

“You know,” I said, “I’m looking at you right now.”

“Wha…?” He said, totally confused.

“I’m reading a magazine. And a1 have done an interview in here. It says you’re the “Hardest working band in Pop”,” I quoted from the headline.

“What magazine’s that?” He asked, still confused.

I flipped to the front quickly, and then back again. “L&K,” I said.

“You’re reading Live and Kicking magazine?” he said, and I could just see him do his ‘eyebrow thang’ at me.

I was so glad he couldn’t see me blush! Now I was the one feeling embarrassed!

“I know, I know, it’s sad,” I said.

He laughed. “I don’t even remember half the interviews we do! It’s just one after the other, all the time. Same questions over and over again. Really, really boring.”

“You’ve said some pretty interesting things here,” I commented, reading his answers to the questions.

“They’re all lies!” He said, and laughed, making me laugh, too.

“Oh, God- what did I say?” He said. “I never re-read our interviews.”

“Well- you said that you “demand to be surrounded by beautiful women wherever you go”,” I said, grinning.

“ I was joking!” He defended. “And I meant the whole band- not just me!”

“Whatever,” I grinned. “It also says you like sweets and cakes and stuff.”

“Now, that is true!” Christian said, laughing. “I do have a sweet tooth!”

I laughed. “Me too! Something else we have in common!”

“ I think we’re gonna get on really well,” Christian said, and I could see him smiling that cute smile of his. The one with the dimple!

You know- I really was the luckiest girl in the world right now…

“I hope so,” I echoed.

“I better go. I really want to talk to you all night, but I really had better go,” he said.

I was really disappointed. I didn’t want him to go!

Once we got talking, it was like the most natural thing in the world…

But- I couldn’t afford to look too clingy by begging him to not go just yet. Besides, I’d see him tomorrow.

Oh my God! What the hell was I gonna wear…?

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he said.

“Yeah- half past one outside the Odeon,” I said.

“Cool. Can’t wait to see you, then.”

“Bye Christian.”

“Bye!”

I wanted him to put the receiver down first. I really, really didn’t want to stop talking to him.

Him phoning had been such a wonderful surprise. I really hadn’t been expecting him to phone so soon, if at all, and the fact that he had and we were going to the cinema tomorrow afternoon was really, really wonderful.

Again, I had a lovely warm feeling inside- like the time after we’d first kissed.

He just does something to me, that do guy had done before.

Could it be that he was Christian from the famous boy band a1? He was hugely famous and gorgeous and talented and etc, etc, etc…

I didn’t know.

All I knew was- arraghhhh!! I was going on a date with Christian from a1 and he FANCIES ME!

In the past few hours, my life had been completely turned around. Now it had a meaning, a purpose. I had something to look forward to again.

I put the phone down, and then quickly picked it up again.

I was shaking with so much excitement, how I phoned the number, I will never know.

But I did.

It rang for a bit and then it picked up.

“Hello?”

“Abbie! You’ll never guess…!”