"Is that... you, Felix?" I ask.

"Obviously," he answers. There's a long silence on the other end of the line.

Ok. Calm down. He called my house. That's a good thing, nothing to freak out about. It's impossible to embarrass myself any more than I already have.

"You left your phone in the dressing room last night," he says. "And your guitar. We're only flying out at noon, so I'll bring them over to you."

What? WHAT?

"How did you get my number?" It sounds more suspicious than I intended it to.

"I'm calling from your phone. I just selected home in the contacts," he replies.

Oh. My. God. Maybe I never actually woke up this morning.

"Are you still there?" He asks, irritation creeping into his voice.

"Yes! I... are you sure it's ok?" I ask. "You don't mind coming here?"

"It's fine," he says. "What's your address?"

"10 Ariel Terrace," I answer in a daze. "The double story with the white roses in front."

"Ok. I'll be there soon," he says.

After he hangs up I just sit and stare at the phone.

Then it dawns on me that I don't actually know where he's coming from, so he could arrive in just a few minutes.

I run into the kitchen and tell my parents I'll be late for breakfast, before dashing upstairs to the bathroom at superhuman speed.

After I'm out the shower I blow dry my hair, something I never do... but today calls for it.

Once I'm happy with my hair I scour my wardrobe for the perfect outfit. I need to look nice, but not as if I've made a huge effort.

I know he'll just give me my stuff then leave, and he might not even come into the house.

I'll see him for like a minute tops if I'm lucky. But still. I'm going to make that minute count.

Eventually I settle on my trusty skinny jeans, ballet pumps and a seafoam green halter-top.

I finish off the look with a good lashing of mascara and some tinted lip gloss. If Jamie were here she'd insist I wear some eye shadow, maybe a dress and cute wedges...

Jamie! Oh my god Jamie and Zee and Grace!

I totally forgot about them. If I call them now, they might make it in time. It's probably the only chance any of them will get to meet one of the Fable guys. Even if Felix is cold and blunt and infuriatingly rude. Jamie has a huge crush on him, and I know Grace sort of has a thing for him too. Along with every other girl on the planet. I can't let them miss this.

I run downstairs to get the landline phone. At the foot of the staircase, I stop dead in my tracks.

There are voices coming from the living room. First my mom, saying something about how much she loves London, then... Felix.

Oh no. He must have arrived while I was in the shower.

I take a deep breath and walk into the room as casually as possible.

Felix is sitting in the middle of the sofa while my parents sit in the armchairs opposite.

He's dressed down in a black v-neck tee and skinny jeans, but he's just as breathtaking as he was last night. So beautiful.

Felix Lockhart is the world’s biggest jerk, don't forget that.

Right now, he looks totally out of place. He belongs in a music video, in the movies, on a poster... not in my lounge chatting to my parents.

Even Muesli, my lazy old cat, got here before me. She's draped over Felix's legs and staring lovingly up at him, something she never usually does with strangers (or even family, for that matter).

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Felix's hair looks shaggy and slightly damp, so dark it's almost black, as if he just stepped out the shower and didn't have time to dry it. The thought of Felix in the shower brings a flush to my cheeks, and I'm tempted to run back upstairs.

"Hey," my voice comes out as a croak.

Felix flicks his eyes over to me lazily. He looks pissed.

"Ashling," he says. Nothing more; he doesn’t smile. He just fixes me with a cool stare that makes my cheeks flush.

He's wearing the same cold, unreadable expression as always. No emotion apart from boredom and maybe a hint of irritation.

I wonder if he's told my parents what happened at the show. I wonder if they even know who he is.

"I'm glad you finally found your way out the shower Ashling," my mom says with a smile. "This young man's been waiting quite a while to talk to you."

My dad stands up and hands me my phone and my red hoodie. It was in shreds last night – now it's miraculously whole again. Sewn up good as new.

"I'm sure you can explain why he had your phone and your grandmother's guitar... not to mention an item of your clothing," my dad says, without looking away from Felix.

My dad's smiling, but his eyes flash with the murderous look he reserves for Alix, Micah and any other boy foolish enough to so much as talk to me.

Think. Get mom and dad out of here.

"Umm... shouldn't you two be washing up in the kitchen?" I say. It's the first thing that pops into my head.

"I don't know what–" my dad start before my mom takes pity on me.

"You're totally right hon," she says, pulling my grumbling dad towards the door. "Come on Brian. Let's go wash the dishes." She winks at me as they leave the room.

"Come on Muesli!" My mom calls out at the cat. "Stop bothering Ashling's friend! We're going to the kitchen now! Come with mommy! Come baby! Fluffbums! Kissywhiskers! Come on!"

Muesli ignores her, and stretches out in Felix's lap with a sigh as my parents shuffle out the door.

Felix just lounges on the sofa looking at me and I stand looking at him. This situation couldn't possibly get any more awkward.

"I–" we both start speaking at the same time.

"You go first," I say, feeling my face burning up again. He must think my cheeks are permanently red.

"I didn't come here just to drop off your stuff," he says, setting a coffee cup down on the low glass table in front of him. "There's a reason I came here personally. I had to make sure we're not going to have a situation."

A situation?

"I don't understand," I say.

He sighs, cool and calm as ever but somehow weary and impatient, like he's trying to explain rocket science to a three year old.

"You could press charges for what happened to you last night," he says. "Not just against those girls. Against the band too. Against me. I came here to let you know not to try that. It wouldn't be in your best interests."

Is he... threatening me?

I bite down my anger, feeling my body start to shake ever so slightly. "I'd never do that," I say. "I'm not blaming anyone else for last night. It happened, and it's over." And it's my fault, I think. If I wasn't such a basket case, so socially inept that I'm practically begging the bullies to have a go...

There's another long silence as Felix stares at me, his greenish-hazel eyes searching my face, looking for something. He visibly relaxes.

"Ok then," he says. "I'm going."

He stands up quickly, and Muesli springs onto the sofa with a disgruntled meow. He heads for the door without even saying goodbye.

I lunge forward, grabbing his arm. Jamie and the others will kill me if they miss the chance to meet him. I've gotta stall.

"Do you have to leave right this instant? Don't you want, um” I rack my brain for something to offer him "coffee? Or a... glass of... uh... fruit juice... or... milk or something?"

Milk? Why am I offering him milk?! He's not a freaking cat.

The doorbell rings.

"I'll be right back," I say, and hurry to the front door, not really caring who it is but thankful for the interruption. It'll give me some time to think about what to say to him next.

I can just make out the blurred outlines of a girl through the frosted glass of our front door.

As I swing open the door, I see it's not just one girl on the doorstep, but two – my thirteen-year old neighbor Tammy, with her younger sister Sam peering out from behind her.

I don't know all that much about them, apart from the fact that they are both massive Enfablers. I know this because Tammy's Fable Tumblr following is huge – just about every fan in Oregon knows who she is.

For just a moment I consider inviting them inside. If anyone deserves to meet the lead singer of Fable, it's these girls.

And the looks on their faces when they find Felix Lockhart in my living room... it's tempting.

But a wiser, more cautious part of me says that's not a good idea. Felix came here to talk to me, not to sign autographs and meet the neighbors.

And if Tammy's record online is anything to go by, she is totally unable to keep a secret. She'd just need to send out one tweet and we'd be mobbed by half of Portland.

I can't trust her.

"What's up?" I ask them as nonchalantly as possible.

"Nothing, probably," Tammy replies irritably.

"I'm not lying, I swear!" Sam whines, struggling behind her sister. Tammy has her in a lock, holding her back.

"I know this is stupid, but Sam just won't shut up about it. She's insisting she saw Felix Lockhart go into your house," she says.

"It was him!" Sam says as she squirms around behind her sister, "I know it was him. I promise."

I force out a nervous giggle, hoping it sounds natural.

"In my dreams," I say.

Tammy shakes her head.

"Satisfied? Honestly, you're such a moron Sam, you really–"

She stops talking abruptly, and stares past me with wide eyes.

I turn around and look behind me, following her gaze down the hallway. The living room door has swung open just wide enough to reveal Felix leaning lazily in the doorway.

"What the..." Tammy says as she steps forward.

The last thing I hear before I slam the door on their faces is Sam shrieking "let me see!" followed by the doorbell ringing and frantic knocking.

All the commotion brings my parents out of the kitchen.

Felix is already walking into the hallway.

"Trouble?" he asks.

"Yes, " I answer. "Big trouble."