ZigZag [Dan Howell]

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Only a week passed before my face was caked with makeup yet again. Similarly to last time, it was for my job. The next coincidence was that Dan would join me. Wasn't I just lucky?

I mean, sure, he was great. He seemed like a gentleman to me, at least. But when Phil mentioned how he kept talking about me when I went there, I didn't know whether to be flattered or creeped out because of that. It didn't matter, I guess. I didn't get, you know, kidnapped or something. 

At seven fourty-five PM, Dan arrived (in a cab, so, yeah, chivalry is quite dead.) We walked formally towards the street to call another cab. Formally. It was all formal.

I made sure to have my notebook with questions prepared. I.E., Who is your inspiration for this? What words come to mind when you're asked to describe them? When will they be available?, et cetera. It wasn't much, but I did do research on her. I watched, like, nine of her videos and they were a total bore. I didn't care for beauty and fashion, but apparently other people (her fans, young teenage girls) did. Fine, whatever, to each their own.

"You seem quiet," mentions Dan. I turn left to look at him and raise my journal a bit. I was reading it. Didn't he see? "Oh." He says quietly.

I sigh. "Sorry, Dan, I'm just nervous, ya' know? This is my job we're talking about here," I smile, like an apology.

He nods. "I work with the BBC myself, I should know. I didn't know, however, that they had a magazine," he says, raising an eyebrow. I smile wider. Maybe he wanted to know something about it.

"Oh, it's not that much, but I would appreciate if you bought a copy-y-y," I sing, nudging him. He laughs and nods and says 'of course.'

Sooner or later, we arrive towards the venue where the party was going on. Formal party. It seems almost inappropriate to call it a party, really, since this was my job, sort of. We walk in and go upstairs where Dan is greeted by many, many people.

First, of course, was Zoe. The one and only. She greeted Dan by hugging him (she was really excited.) Then, she came up to me.

"Hi, hi! Who are you?" she asks. A bit rude, she sounded, but excited nonetheless. I grin.

"I'm Eleanor Winslow from BBC's Bear Paw Magazine? We talked on the phone this morning. Well, my boss did. I'm here to give you an interview?" I hope she remembers and doesn't kick me out or anything. Technically, I accompanied Dan. I had a right to be here. Ugh, why was I getting so stressed over this?

Zoe stares for a moment, looking like she's not breathing. "Oh! Oh, yes! Um, Eleanor, just a second, yeah?"

I nod, turning back to Dan. I release my breath that I was holding for a long time. "Oh, God, that was intense." I say, holding my stomach.

Dan laughs. "You did fine," he pats my arm. Phil walks towards Dan, holding three glasses of what I think is champagne? Chardonnay? Wine? Who knew, but it was something alcoholic. He takes it and gives it to me and gets one for himself.

"Thanks, Phil," I thank him. He nods and smiles. I can see why Dan and Phil are best friends. They're, like, made for each other.

Zoe returns finally and taps my shoulder. I turn around. "Ready, Zoe?" I ask as she nods. I give my drink to Dan and head off into a corner of the room with a white couch. Good thing I didn't have anything to spill on it.

"First question. Who-who was your inspiration for-for making-designing these products?" I ask, stammering. She thinks for a moment.

"Everyone on YouTube. My fans, my friends. Louise- or Sprinkle Of Glitter... erm, yeah," she answers, smiling. I write it down quickly.

"Second question. In one word or phrase, how would you describe the Zoella Beauty Line?" I look only at my paper, not to make things awkward.

 "Erm... Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice," she replies. I write it down again.

"Third question-"

"You're here with Dan?" she interrupts me. I look up from my journal and furrow my brows, looking around the room confused.

"Excuse me?"

Zoe straightens up. "You're here with Dan Howell. Are you dating or something?"

I grimace and shake my head. "Miss, let's just get back to the interview."

"Seriously, Eleanor."

I glance up. Who was she to call me Eleanor and look into my personal life? Maybe she was Dan's friend, but not mine. She didn't have to care. I wouldn't care about my- not even best- friend's relationship. It's like she had almost no respect.

I lick the inside of my mouth and look down. "Let's just not," I say, getting to the next question. If she asks for attitude, I'm all in. "So, when will the products be available?"

She sinks down in her seat again, sipping on her wine (or champagne or Chardonnay), defeated. I smirk internally. I won. "Soon, I think, I don't really know," she shrugs.

I close my journal (loudly) and get up, smirking. "Thanks, Miss Sugg," I grab my purse and walk back towards Dan and Phil. They're talking to someone, a lady who I identify as Louise Pentland. I saw her in some of Zoe's videos (and her brother Joe, and her boyfriend Alfie. Honestly, is there any other content than Someone Does My Makeup and OOTD?)

I greet her nicely. No time to show sass, right? "Hi, Ms. Pentland."

"Oh, honey, call me Louise. What's your name?" she smiles politely. She was so nice. Whatever, it was fine. I still smile.

"I'm Eleanor, I've seen some of your videos before," I say. I'm smiling so much that my cheeks actually hurt. I shrink slowly back to Dan's right side and gulp. 

Louise grins and nods awkwardly. I want to wince as Zoe comes up to her and gives her a hug. I watch their interaction.

"Oh, I'm so proud, Chummy!" Louise states something among of those lines into her camera (vlogging or something.) More of that, the nickname 'Chummy' and lots of tears before they finally stop. I sigh, taking a sip from the glass of Chardonnay (or champagne or wine) that I earned back from Dan.

"How many of your friends am I gonna meet?" I laugh to Dan. He points to a man (with dyed hair, may I add, my gay-dar's just exploding) who's wandering towards our little group. I recognized him as Tyler Oakley, who on Tumblr is seen as problematic for saying some things on Twitter and stuff. I didn't really want to talk to anymore of these people. I didn't want to be rude, but they were all annoying. "Oh, more of them, yay."

Dan nudged me as Tyler greeted us. He gasped at me and put a hand over his mouth. I almost choked on my champagne-Chardonnay-wine. What was he about to say.

"Daniel... is this your girlfriend?" he asked, like he was feeling something. I sighed.

"That's about the ninth time I heard someone say that," I mumble into my glass, taking another sip. To be completely cliche (and honest) I needed to take the pain away. My head hurt.

Dan nudged me again. "What would be so bad as having me for a boyfriend?" he whined. I chuckled.

"Honey, please," I start, scoffing. "Don't try to make a pass at me."

The group (Dan, Phil, Tyler) giggles at my small joke. Of course it was a joke. Hell, I'd make a move on Dan if I wasn't so busy and dumb and awkward. It was weird. I mean, I was still social, but still awkward. It was like I was zigzag or something.

~~

ur so lucky i updated. this chapter was fun to write. i mean, no offense, tyler and zoe but come on, man. plus i need plot lol. COMMENT. -izabel