"Welcome, each and every one of you to MGM Grand's fifty-first annual talent night!"

There's an immediate uproar from the crowd that shakes the walls backstage.

Ashton's eyes lock with Gypsy's.

"Holy shit."

The place is packed.

It's like, sold out.

It's like Floyd Mayweather is about to fight, or Celine Dion is about to put on a show there are that many people all awaiting the talent backstage to put on a show. They're all waiting to be blown away by the very best, considering that people from all over the country flock to Las Vegas to be entertained each night on The Strip. From Cirque du Soleil to Britney Spears to The Blue Men Group to Ringley Brothers, Vegas is the place for the weird and talented and extraordinary to put on a show and execute in front of thousands and thousands of people.

Let Luck be my lady, thinks Gypsy, as she watches a woman in feathers and jewels and a tight-fitting dress leaving little to the imagination for the contestants backstage. She rolls her eyes as she catches Michael and Calum and Ashton all staring. She looks to Luke, expecting him to be standing with his mouth agape as well, only for her to lock eyes. She can't even smile at him, because he's cleared his throat and turned away, looking from her to his guitar because after two near-simultaneous confessions about his feelings, Luke feels very uncomfortable and Gypsy can tell he's just as uncomfortable as he looks.

She makes her way towards him.

"Hey."

"Uh," he looks up from the pick in his fingers. "Uh. Hey? Hey."

"Luke," Gypsy sighs, shaking her head, "can you do me a favor?"

His brow raises, teeth on the ring in his lip. "Kinda depends on the favor, Gyps."

She laughs, the feeling weird and forced as her stomach flutters with nerves - she's playing at MGM Grand, tonight. "Can you, for like five seconds, pretend we're somewhere else?"

"Five seconds?"

"Yes," she rolls her eyes. "Like, pretend we're at Ashton's or we're at school, yeah? It's just another day and we're gonna have lunch later like we typically do and we're gonna complain 'cause we've got Dr. Eddison again for Physics..."

He shakes his head. "What're you getting at, Gypsy?"

"I don't want us to be weird. I don't want this to be weird, okay?"

He steps towards her. "Weird? I'm not weird, Gypsy."

"Okay, fine," she huffs. "Then we're weird together and I don't want us to be."

He lifts an eyebrow. "Are you insulting us? Sounds like you're insulting the both of us, now."

"Luke, Jesus," she exclaims. "I'm actually trying to have a serious conversation, here."

He laughs, teeth on his bottom lip. "I'm being serious!"

"You're so not."

"I am!"

"Then why've you been so, so -- "

He steps closer. "Weird?"

She pauses, eyes narrowed. "Yes, you smart-ass. Why've you been so weird, lately?"

"'Cause that's like, us, isn't it?" He asks, coming even closer. He's backing Gypsy against the wall. "Why change now?"

"Because this," she says, pointing between the two of them. "This, is something I'm really not trying to change."

Luke's chest is against hers. He's breathing hard and his eyes are wide and he hasn't taken his gaze from hers. 

His brow furrows. "But, change is good," he whispers, and Gypsy can feel her heartbeat in her ears.  "Isn't it?"

"Depends on what's changing."

"And you," he pauses, "you don't want us to change?"

"I mean--"

"Not even a little?" He asks, pleading a bit. "Like, " he tugs on the bottom of her shirt, "not even a little?"

She catches her breath. "I mean--"

"Dude, get off her."

"Yeah man," Ashton laughs as the two jump apart. "What the fuck? Quit playing. We're like, fourth."

"Fuck," Gypsy exclaims, because this is really real, now. "Shit, that's like," she flounders for words. "We might as well be like, first."

"Deep breaths, Gypsy," and she relaxes a little because Calum's hands are on her shoulders. He's giving her a massage, hair tickling her ear because he's leaned in so close. "We've got this."

She steps from him. "We've got this."

And Ashton nods. "Whatever happens, guys, I'm like...There's nobody else I'd rather do this with, y'know?"

"Ah, shut up, you sap," Michael laughs as Gypsy throws her arms around his neck. 

"Love you too, Ash," she says.

"Thanks, Gyps," he grins. "At least you get it."

The first three acts are over in about 45 minutes, which seems like five in Gypsy's mind. 

Before she knows it, she's standing onstage with 5 Seconds of Summer, staring out into the audience despite the incredibly bright lights, searching for familiar faces. 

She can hear whistles and cheers - very distinctly from both Harry and Justin - and she smiles to herself because even though she can't see them, she knows they're in the audience pulling for her and that makes her feel really good. 

Holy shit. 

Her stomach is in knots as the boys take up their instruments. She stands at the second mic, watching as Luke takes his guitar to the one already set up for the lead. 

"Ready?" Calum whispers in her ear, as Luke takes up his mic. 

She nods, grinning. "As I'll ever be."

And Calum smiles, shooting her a thumbs-up as he trots backwards, falling behind them. 

"We're 5 Seconds of Summer," Luke says, and a little grin plays at his lips as Gypsy's heart hammers against her bones. "And we kinda suck."

"Speak for yourself!" Calls Michael, and the audience laughs. 

Luke sticks his tongue in his cheek, grinning back at his friends. He catches Gypsy' eye and winks. 

Her heart is about to fucking explode now, because she didn't expect that. 

And it's showtime, because Luke waits for the crowd to die down before he grabs hold of the microphone again. 

"We're 5 Seconds of Summer," he announces, "and this is 'End Up Here!'"

And the music comes down - loud and aggressive and uptempo - the boys jumping simultaneously; perfectly as Gypsy rocks out to the song and the boys play the opening chords of the song she and Luke had written together in Charming with Ed's guitar. 

"You walked in," he sings, "Everyone was asking for your name. You just smiled and told them "Trouble-""

"My head spins," Gypsy begins, a smile forming as she stares out into the crowd. "I'm pressed against the wall, Just watching your every move."

"You're way too cool
And you're coming this way
Coming this way."

And Luke is singing into her microphone with her, now. They've perfected their harmonies and totally have this song down. It sounds good. It sounds really good. 

They sound really fucking great. 

"How did we end up talking in the first place?

You said you liked my Cobain shirt
Now we're walking back to your place
You're telling me how you love that song
About living on a prayer
I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there
And when I wake up next to you I wonder how
How did we end up here?"

The boys are singing in the background. 

"How did we end up,

How did we end up here?"

And Calum steps up, head angled at the mic so he can stare up at Gypsy.  "Next day out, everybody thought you were so insane, 'cause you were so far out of my league."

He continues, eyes still on hers as she dances beside him, harmonizing with Calum to his lyrics.

"My friends say I should lock you down
Before you figure me out and you run away
But you don't and you won't as you kiss me
And you tell me that you're here to stay."

Gypsy relaxes completely, now. Hair in her face as she jumps around onstage with the boys. She's teasing Calum on his bass and dancing with Michael.  

"How did we end up talking in the first place?
You said you liked my Cobain shirt
Now we're walking back to your place
You're telling me how you love that song
About living on a prayer
I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there
And when I wake up next to you I wonder how
How did we end up here?"

And Calum goes in for his final verse. 

"Call me lucky 'cause in the end

I'm a six and she's a ten
She's so fit, I'm insecure
But she keeps coming back for more-"

Gypsy lifts her arms, clapping as the audience jumps in. 

"How did we end up talking in the first place?

You said you liked my Cobain shirt
Now we're walking back to your place
You're telling me how you love that song
About living on a prayer
I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there
And when I wake up next to you I wonder how
How did we end up here?

How did we end up,
How did we end up here?

How did we end up,
How did we end up here?"

And the boys play their final chords, dancing to the end of the song as it ends. 

It ends. 

Like that, it's over. 

And Gypsy and Luke are staring at each other, smiling. 

They did it. 

Like, that's it. 

They both turn to the crowd, and as it erupts in applause, Luke grabs the microphone. "We're 5 Seconds of Summer," he says, and before Gypsy can react, his fingers are between hers. 

He grins, lifting her hand above her head. "And you guys are awesome. Thank you so much."

The five of them are bowing and the crowd is going crazy and Gypsy can see Harry and Matty and Justin and the rest of her friends. She can see her grandma crying beside her grandfather despite the very bright lights on the stage, and all she can think about is that Luke's hand is in hers. 

And before they know it, she's being led backstage and the announcer's come back on to introduce the next act. 

"Weren't they just great, folks? How about another round of applause for 5 Seconds of Summer, huh? They didn't suck to me!"

But, Gypsy can't hear. She can't hear Ashton and Michael and Calum and Luke all screaming and yelling and laughing offstage because her hand is still in Luke's. 

And he's swinging it back and forth, as they trail behind the other boys. 

"Gypsy?" He whispers, snapping her from her trance. 

She looks up at him, as the other boys go on about their performance. "Yeah?"

He shrugs cutely. "Nothing," he sings, lifting her fingers to his lips, planting a small kiss along her knuckles. 

And then he drops her hand. 

"Good luck," he stutters. "Good luck, Gyps."

___

Gypsy stands on stage with nine other groups. All of them talented, all of them having just competed at MGM, stand upon the stage beneath the hot, hot brights and wait for the results. 

There's a lot of talking; a lot of deliberating as slowly, solo and group acts leave the stage. Slowly, acts are eliminated until there are only three left upon the stage. 

Gypsy and Michael and Calum and Luke and Ashton remain as one of the final three acts left upon the stage. 

They've at least made third place, she thinks, which is exciting in itself. They'll still go home with money: a cash prize that she'll be able to use to replace that sweater Luke ruined when he threw her in the pool. 

And Gypsy's mind is everywhere. She can't hear the announcer, who is pacing back and forth before them. She can't hear the mixture of happiness and disappointment as third place is announced.  She can't hear Calum, who's whispering in her ear. She's got her hands in his and Ashton's, and it's as if the world has gone mute. She sees her friends, as they stare between each other. She catches sight of Harry, his cheeky smile and his thumbs up as he does, in fact, sit front row. Except, Gypsy is underwater, drowning in sound and questions and those butterflies knocking against her ribcage.  

And all of a sudden there is screaming and confetti and far too much light.

She's being lifted and spun around and hugged and she's in some sort of daze. The boys are jumping around and there are tears in their eyes and she can feel moisture on her face except she isn't crying. Gypsy is not crying. She's smiling a smile that isn't reaching her eyes and watching as announcers ask her friends, the real 5 Seconds of Summer, about their plans for a record deal if they so choose to accept it.

If they so choose to accept it.

Gypsy is not choosing to accept a record deal, and she remains onstage. Flowers are placed into her hands and there's a giant trophy and a giant cheque and more outrageously large things being shoved into her hands as Luke and Michael and Calum and Ashton all joke around and laugh because they've won, although Gypsy is still stuck in her daze.

It's over. 

After the late nights writing and stressing and practicing, it's over. 

All of it. 

Gypsy is not a part of 5 Seconds of Summer, and she's never had more fun than when she was onstage, performing with the boys. 

And that's done, now. 

It's finished. 

She's done. 

But, they're just beginning. 

Gypsy, Gypsy, Gypsy.   

___

"Where's Gypsy?"

Luke turns in circles. He looks like a penguin, in all black, eyes wide as he pivots, staring over everyone's heads.

Where the fuck is Gypsy?

No way she left.

No way.

Ashton laughs, "Where the fuck'd she go?" He asks, because she was just there. They'd won the fucking competition and had already booked their meeting with a real fucking agent and now they were backstage because holy shit they'd just won a talent show at MGM Grand. 

Now, where the hell was Gypsy?

Calum turns. "Bathroom?"

"Where else could she've gone?"

Luke pulls out his phone.

He texts her.

Where are you?

But, a part of him doesn't expect a response. She's gone. That's so fuckin' Gypsy. So typical of her to slip out amidst the commotion. Gypsy hates commotion. Gypsy hates lots of attention. And Gypsy doesn't want a record deal.

She's gone.

Luke knows that she's gone.

So where the hell has she gone to?

"Where's Gypsy?"

Luke turns, because he recognizes her friends from Charming, all of them flooding backstage to congratulate her. She'd probably cry if she knew they were all here to see her.

"She literally just disappeared," says Calum, who's got his phone to his ear. "And she's not picking up, either."

"What the fuck, mate?"

"Shit," exclaims Justin, as he runs his hand through his hair. "What the hell? She went home?"

"Why, though?" Exclaims Matty. "Why when all these blokes are still here?"

"She's probably run off to be alone," Luke pipes, because that's the thing about Gypsy. 

She's gone off to be alone.

So, where's the only place she could actually be completely by herself?

And that's when he gets it. 

He knows where she is—where she's gone.

He grabs his phone and he taps Mikey on the shoulder. 

"Can you grab my guitar?" He asks, "I'll be back," and Michael is confused but he nods anyway and Luke jogs from backstage towards the van since apparently, he's got to find his best friend tonight.

It's a good thing he knows where she is.

-~*~-

***This is hella unedited. 

Sorry guys this felt like it was getting really long so I broke it up.

Also heads up bc I've started a calum story and it's called polarize and i would looove if you read it and left feedback, espesh since this story is almost over and I cannot believe that. 

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT. 

Comment and vote! xx