WestFiction- "The Face in the Crowd" by Sue

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THE FACE IN THE CROWD

by Sue

It was a lovely sunny afternoon. The Westlife boys were getting ready to perform at an open-air concert in aid of a cancer charity. The park was heaving with people. The enormous crowd were waiting for the concert to begin.

Anto appeared backstage and nodded to security. Westlife were ready to go on. The band got ready. Flanked by their own security guards, Fran and Paul, the boys made their way to the stage. The noise was incredible. They could hardly hear themselves as they performed their usual ritual.

They appeared on the stage and the crowd went wild. They took up their positions and the musicians started. They launched into a medley of their number ones and the screams got even louder!

As the set continued Mark’s eyes were drawn to a girl right at the front. She was beautiful! Her long auburn hair cascaded down her back. She had huge violet eyes and Mark was mesmerised by her gaze. She seemed to be really enjoying herself, dancing and singing along.

They stopped singing and Kian spoke to the crowd. Mark wasn’t listening. He seized the opportunity to really study the girl. She seemed to be completely unaware of those around her and her eyes were fixed firmly on Mark. She smiled at him and his stomach did flip-flops. He smiled back, unable to tear his eyes from hers.

Nicky tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped.

“Mark?” said Nicky. “Are you o.k?”

Mark reluctantly dragged his gaze from hers and turned to Nicky.

“Erm, yeah, I’m fine. Why?” he asked.

“Well, Shane’s been trying to get your attention fot the past two minutes. You seem to be spaced out” said Nicky smiling. “Well, more spaced out than usual!”

“Oi!” replied Mark punching Nicky playfully on the arm. “If you must know I was watching a girl.”

“I might have known” replied Nicky. “Which one?”

Mark turned back to the crowd to point her out to Nicky but she wasn’t there.His face fell.

“Oh” he said. “I can’t see her anymore.”

“Never mind mate”said Nicky. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

He had seen the disappointment on Mark’s face. They sang two more songs and then went off for a break while another band entertained the crowd. They went back to their porta-cabin and started to get changed. Nicky noticed that Mark was very quiet, not even joining in their usual banter. He went up to him.

“Still thinking about her?” he asked.

Mark jumped again. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard Nicky come over.

“Yeah Nix” he said. “It’s really weird. I mean we see hundreds of girls but this one’s different.”

“How?” asked Nicky.

“I don’t know” replied Mark looking confused. “There’s just something about her. She seems oblivious to those around her, and the rest of you lads, she has spent the whole time looking right at me. No, that’s not right, it’s like she’s looking into my soul.”

“Sounds like you’ve fallen for this girl” said Nicky shaking his head.

“I feel like I’ve known her all my life but I’ve never even spoken to her!” said Mark.

Nicky was worried. Mark was usually so wary of the girls that liked them. He was constantly worried that they wanted to know him as Mark from Westlife instead of Mark Feehily. It was like this mystery girl had him under her spell.

“Well, you’ll probably see her when we go back out” he said. “I wonder where she went though? Perhaps she disappeared in a puff of smoke!”

“That’s not funny Nix” said Mark. “I can’t seem to get her out of my head.”

Nicky sighed and squeezed Mark’s arm.

“Sorry mate” he said “I was only teasing. I’m sure she’ll be there.”

Mark nodded hopefully and they went back to getting changed.

Ten minutes later they were back on stage. As they began singing Mark frantically scanned the crowd searching for the girl. His eyes lit up as he found her. She was right at the front again! He smiled at her and she smiled back. His heart felt like it would explode! Mark sang the rest of their set just to her!

The show came to an end and Mark rushed backstage to find Fran. He pleaded with him to go out the front and find the girl. At first Fran didn’t want to go but he saw how distressed Mark was becoming so he finally agreed. Mark described her and what she was wearing and Fran set off for the crowd.

Mark waited impatiently for him to return. Nicky filled the others in on what was happening and they all waited to see this mystery girl that seemed to have stolen Mark’s heart.

Fran returned alone. Mark grabbed hold of him.

“Where is she?” he asked, his face pale.

“I couldn’t find her Mark” Fran said.”I even asked some of the other girls at the front but they didn’t even remember seeing her. Sorry mate.”

Mark was confused. He seemed to be the only one who had seen her. How could such a beautiful girl go unnoticed? Mark was devasted. He didn’t know what to do. He had felt sure Fran would have found her. He started to cry softly. The others were shocked. Mark was really distraught. This girl had captured his heart in such s short time and he hadn’t even spoken to her. Hell, he didn’t even know her name! He thought back to when she had smiled at him. It had been like the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. She had seemed so happy. She had radiated happiness.

Shane took hold of Mark’s arm and guided him to their cabin. Mark sat down and put his head in his hands. He was completely drained. Kian went to fetch Anto.

When Anto arrived Bryan quietly explained what had happened. Anto had at first wanted to laugh, the boys were always talking about the girls in the crowd that they fancied. He turned to Mark to tease him about it but stopped when he saw the state Mark was in. Anto went over to him and touched his arm.

“Hey Mark” he said quietly. “I hear you have a bit of girl trouble.”

Mark looked up at him and Anto was shocked by how dreadful he looked. His face was pale and his eyes, normally so expressive, lacked any emotion. Tears were still running down his cheeks.

“I don’t understand Anto” he said. “I really fell for her and I’m sure she liked me. I know it sounds stupid considering I don’t even know anything about her but it felt like something just clicked when I saw her. Do you know what I mean?”

“I don’t know what to say Mark” said Anto looking at the others for help.

“Where did she go so quickly?” asked Mark.

“Perhaps she was with someone” said Kian trying to help.

“No!” said Mark “She was alone. Nobody around her even remembers her. Besides, the front was full of girls, just girls.”

Anto sighed. He patted Mark on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry Mark” he said. “It would be impossible to try and trace her now. I’m afraid there is nothing we can do.”

He turned to the others.

“O.k. lads” he said. “Before I forget there are some booklets here for you to sign for some competition winners. I’ll leave them here.” He put them on the table.

Bryan reached over and took one. He looked at the front cover of the booklet. It was about the cancer charity and there was a picture of a girl on the front.

“Wow” said Bryan “She’s a looker!”

“Bryan!” said Anto sharply.”Remember what this concert is all about. That girl has probably got cancer. She might even be dead for all we know.”

Bryan looked ashamed and hung his head.

“Sorry” he said.

He passed the booklet to Mark.

“Here Mark” he said “You sign it first”.

Mark took the leaflet and glanced briefly at the cover. His heart seemed to stop beating and he found it hard to breathe. He started to shake. The colour visibly draining from his already pale face.

“Mark!” said Shane rushing over to him. “What is it?”

Mark continued to fight for breath as the others crowded round. Anto took one look at Mark’s face and ran for the on-site doctor. He returned with the doctor in record time.

The doctor quickly weighed up the situation and rolled up Mark’s sleeve.

“What happened?” he asked as he injected something into Mark’s arm.

Kian explained and the doctor nodded.

“It seems like he’s had a bad shock” he said taking Mark’s pulse.

The drug began to take effect and Mark slowly calmed down. His breathing returned to normal and he slumped in the chair exhausted. His eyes started to close.

“Mark?” said Nicky. “What is it mate?”

Mark’s eyes opened and he shakily reached for the booklet.

“It’s her Nix!” he said pointing to the picture on the front.

“I don’t understand” said Nicky “How can it be?”

Shane picked up another booklet.

“Does it say who she is?” he asked turning the pages.

The doctor stood up.

“Her name was Jenny.” He said.

“Was?” questioned Kian.

“Yes” replied the doctor.”I know the family. Jenny had bone cancer. She died last week. Her parents agreed to let the charity organisers put her picture on the front of the concert booklet. She was a huge Westlife fan. She adored Mark.”

Mark looked at the doctor.

“You mean” he whispered. “You mean, what I saw was a ghost?”

The doctor sighed.

“If it was the girl in the picture then yes” he said. “Jenny knew how ill she was. Her last wish was to see you boys at this concert. She tried so hard to last. She fought all the way. Sadly, she died last week.”

Mark couldn’t believe it.

“She seemed so real” he said. “She looked so happy.”

Kian put his arm round Mark.

“It seems she got her last wish” he said quietly.

Mark nodded and fresh tears fell down his cheeks. Anto looked at the doctor who nodded. They left Mark alone for a while. Mark thought his heart would break.

Suddenly he felt very calm. He looked up and there she was right in front of him! He stood up and reached out to her. She smiled and mouthed “Thank you”. She disappeared.

Mark sank into the chair. He looked at her picture again and slowly traced the outline of her face with his finger. He felt a great sadness come over him. If only he had known. He could have gone to her. He felt very honoured that she had chosen him as her favourite. He was so glad she had realised her dream, even if it meant heartbreak for him. It was worth it. She had looked at him with such love that he felt overwhelmed by it. She made this hectic world they lived in more bearable. He wondered how many more ‘Jennys’ there were out there?

He felt a bit better. He knew that he would go on. He would find another love. But he would never forget her.

“No Jenny” he whispered “Thank you.”

The end

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