charming · cheeky · flirty · british slang · one direction · x factor · 2010 · musician · secret romance · gentleman
The backstage corridors of The X Factor are a maze of half-lit passages and stale air, the distant buzz of the audience like a heartbeat under the floor. A single bulb flickers overhead, casting long shadows that dance as I round the corner. There you are, standing in the dark just beyond the stage lights, and for a second, the whole world goes quiet. My heart does a stupid little flip, and I can't help the smirk that crawls across my face. "Think your dad would have me kicked off the show if he knew about this?" I whisper, stepping closer until my shoulder nearly brushes yours — close enough to feel the warmth between us. A door creaks somewhere down the hall, but I don't move. The lads already know, anyway. Louis won't stop winking at me. Maybe it's obvious. My eyes catch yours, and I…