After I hung up the phone, I pretty much started freaking out.

Sure, it's a performer who I've been wanting to see live for years, and I'm already dressed and ready to go, but now that'd I'd agreed to go, I didn't know if it was the right decision or not. I'm fairly certain that Jessica would be pissed as hell if she knew I was even debating going to a concert with the guy she's trying to get with.

On the other hand though, he had specifically said that he wasn't trying to take me out. Also, if I continue to make it weird, then he's going to think that I think he's trying to hit on me, which he obviously isn't. He can't even remember my name. He probably really is just one of those super sweet guys that is fun to hang out with and that makes everyone feel special when they're around him.

That thought sent me right back into thinking this was the wrong thing to do.

Does Hunter make me feel special?

He certainly makes me feel something, which is clear in the fact that I'm even still standing here trying to figure out the right answer. Jessica would be crushed, and she'd probably never trust me again.

My phone buzzed and I checked the incoming message.

No bailing.

I exited back out and shook my head. Am I that obvious that I have no clue what I'm ever doing? I straightened my back, looking directly into my reflection. "You can do this." I told myself. "It's just a concert."

I turned out the light, grabbed my bag and my keys and got out of my apartment before Macy could arrive home and start grilling me on where I was going. Traffic was heavy on the way downtown. I eased in and out of lanes slowly and carefully, hoping God wasn't going to strike me down for going behind my friend's back like this.

It took forever to find a good parking spot, but finally someone pulled out from a curb spot that wasn't even a block away from the venue and I swooped in to nab it before the group of teenagers in the black Mercedes could get to it.

I walked triumphantly to the ticket gate, losing some of that confidence again as I got closer and saw all of the people. Crowds have always made me a little nervous, especially if I'm alone. I bobbed and weaved through the throngs of people, wishing I could catch some of their excitement, but the thought of seeing Hunter in a minute and being here without any of my friends made it hard to do that.

After securing my ticket I made my way into the building, getting knocked and elbowed left to right. It wasn't a super big place, The Showroom Theater was mostly used for small concerts or ballets, but the place had the right vibe for Ed Sheeran. The walls inside were all draped in a red velvet fabric and there were sculptures and murals all throughout the lobby and around the small bars. The lights were already turned down low and I rushed to get to my seat, having to have someone help me find them. I almost cried when the man pointed down to the front. I checked my ticket two more times as I made my way down to the fifth row.

I hadn't even thought about how close the tickets might be. Usually when you win them they stick you in the far back of the venue up in the nosebleed seats, but not this time. I'm literally going to be able to see Ed's sweat I'm so close. Another shot of guilt wracked in my stomach when I thought how much Jess would have loved this. However, she did tell me I should find someone else to go with, and giving the ticket back to the original owner was just the right thing to do.

My nerves subsided a little as I slid passed people to get to my seat and I found Dave sitting to my left, and the seat to my right vacant.

"Hey." I half waved to Dave and he smiled, he was surprisingly better looking without the jock gear, and he actually had a nice smile when he bothered to use it.

"Lucky you, you get to sit by me." He said and his attractiveness went back down because of how cocky he was. "You look hot."

I furrowed my brows as I sat down, inching as far away from him as the seat would allow and trying not to notice the way his eyes roved my body greedily. "Where's your girlfriend tonight?" I asked pointedly and he rolled his eyes.

"I don't have girlfriends." He replied simply. "Chelsey and I have an open relationship."

I raised my brows. "Really?" I asked. "She didn't seem like she was too open early today."

Dave shrugged his shoulders and turned to check out the girls that were sliding passed us.

I sat anxiously, still feeling conflicted over whether I should just get up and leave or if I should stay. On the plus side, at least Hunter isn't around anywhere. I glanced back over at Dave and found him staring at me. He smiled again and I couldn't deny the cuteness in it, even if the personality attached was lacking.

"So you're pretty into this ginger guy?" He asked gruffly.

I felt a small thrill of excitement pulse through me. "Yeah, I've been a fan of his since before he even became a big deal in the US. He's amazing and the lyrics to his songs are always just so spot on for me."

"Cool." He nodded. "So do you have a boyfriend?"

I was stunned for a second at the question and just stared at him dumbfounded. "I, U-uh...no?"

"No?"

"No." I said more firmly. "I don't have a boyfriend."

Dave shocked me even more by throwing his arm around my shoulders and grinning. "Good, then you can be my date tonight."

As much as his forwardness had put me on edge, something in the air around me seemed to have changed too, and I felt that buzz in my veins as Dave smiled at someone behind me. I smelled the cologne that I'd been thinking about again and I turned to see Hunter plopping down in the seat beside me, passing Dave and me both a drink.

"See," Hunter smiled, making my heart creep up into my throat. "you were worried I was going to hit on you, when really, all you needed to worry about was Dave's horny ass." He laughed.

I laughed along, determined not to show how awkward I was feeling. Hunter leaned back in his seat, his broad shoulder almost touching mine and I sat up quickly, letting Dave's arm fall from my shoulders and he pulled it back over into his side of the seat while Hunter smiled, shaking his head.

"Hey," He leaned in on me, his dark blue eyes digging deeply into mine. I was locked on them like I couldn't turn away even if I wanted to. He reached into his pocket, dropping his gaze from mine and pulled out a mini liquor bottle. "I'm kicking our cokes up a bit if you want to join." He winked. I looked around to be sure no one was paying attention and I held out my cup for him. "'Atta girl." He said pouring a little of the dark amber liquid in my cup, then he reached over me, his smell wrapping me up as he did the same for Dave.

After a moment the lights went out, bathing us all in an electric darkness, and then a blinding spotlight hit center stage as a girl who looked around my age walked out to the mic with her guitar slung over her shoulder. The crowd cheered and she introduced herself before opening her mouth and letting her deep soulful voice echo around us.

Dave leaned over me. "She's fine, man." He said to Hunter.

"You say that about anyone with a-." He dropped his sentence and bit his lip as he looked at me, almost like he was ashamed of what he was about to say in front of me. "She is cute though." He shrugged, turning back to face up front.

I started to relax more and more, and not just because of my drink, but because I really did feel like I was just out with a couple of guy friends. I used to like hanging out with guys more than girls when I was younger, especially before my brother died, but now I am only ever with the girls. It felt nice to be back in the middle of things and Hunter had been right. This only had to be weird if I made it weird.

"These seats are amazing." I smiled when the girl finished her set and walked off stage while the crew came out and changed up the layout for Ed.

Hunter had to lean in closer to me for me to hear him over the crowd chanting for Ed Sheeran to make his appearance. "Aren't they?" He agreed, his hot breath blowing close to my ear. "I thought I'd heard them wrong when they told me I won tickets this close. I'm usually stuck in the back forty just listening," He laughed. "I've never had such good seats to anything before."

Hunter turned his head so that I could lean in to yell back to him. "I had front row seats once to Aaron Carter when I was fourteen." A giggle escaped my lips.

"Well, look at you, Miss fancy." He chuckled, drinking his drink. "I took a girl to a Backstreet Boys concert once."

I turned so quickly our faces almost touched. "Shut up." I groaned. "I used to love them and I never got to go see them."

"If it makes you feel better we weren't actually close enough to see anything and it turned out the girl was an NSYNC fan anyway." He shrugged.

Strobe lights started to flash across the crowd and everyone started screaming and losing their minds. Even Dave and Hunter were cheering. We all stood up, but the whole row in front of me was full of girls in forever high heels and dudes that belonged on the defensive line, not parked in front of me.

Everyone started jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs and I was having to lean from side to side to catch glimpses of Ed as he walked out on stage. I was getting frazzled that I couldn't see, in the fifth freaking row, and I tried standing up on my tiptoes, but it was still too hard to see around the three dudes in front of me.

I was getting beyond pissed when everyone started standing in their chairs, making it even harder to see anything. My heart was slamming in my chest and I knew I probably looked flustered as Ed started to play the strings for one of my favorite songs of his.

Before I had a moment to register what was happening, there were hands around my waist and I was suddenly off the ground and standing in the chair behind Hunter.

"Now can you see?" He asked loudly.

I looked over him and to the stage where I could still barely see since the guy in front of me had decided he'd stand in his chair too. "No!" I yelled back.

"Get on my back!" Hunter yelled, backing up to me.

I shook my head. "I can't." I objected, but he yanked my arm forward and turned around, forcing me to catch myself on his back.

I was going to jump down, but my eyes finally locked on an uninterrupted view of Ed and I swear it looked like he smiled right at me, so I didn't try to get away.

I was giddy with excitement, hardly even noticing that my arms were wrapped around Hunter and that his hands were wrapped around my legs, holding me up effortlessly.

"This guy isn't half bad!" Dave yelled over at us.

"Yeah, pretty good for a ginger." Hunter agreed.

I laughed as the song ended and we rolled right into the next one. "I told you guys he was amazing!"

"So I found one of your secrets!" Hunter called to me over the music and I leaned my face down beside his.

"What secret?" I asked, heart beating fast.

"You have a pretty decent taste in music." He laughed, his body shaking around it.

I laughed too, I'd thought he'd actually found a real secret from Jess or something. "That isn't a secret." I told him, having to put my mouth close to his ear. "Everyone knows I've got great music taste."

He turned fast, our faces almost touching again. "Guess I'll just have to keep digging to find a real secret then."

"I don't have any secrets." I replied.

"Everyone has secrets." He said almost somberly and for a second I saw that hint of grief in his eyes again and my heart pulled for him. Before I could say anything about it though, he turned back to face the stage, a big grin plastered back on his face. "I'm going to bust you on yours eventually."

"No you aren't." I said confidently then cheered as the next song started.

"You'll see." He said simply, almost not loud enough to even be heard.