Behind the Camera Lens [On Hold]

Chapter Two

Sorry for the lack of updates! School has been kicking my butt as usual. I hope you guys will come to enjoy the story more, though. I'm trying to blend some themes from Hayleywood & She's Got the Rhythm so we can all get the best of both worlds. Let me know what you think of this in the comments (:

5:30 P.M., Starbucks- Seattle, Tacoma International Airport (Miranda)

            I probably shouldn’t have overreacted on that guy. I mean, even if he did spill coffee on my camera, I could always get a new one with the warranty. I couldn’t take back what I had said to him though. Way to go, Miranda.

            “Miranda!” I heard someone from behind me squealing my name.

            I turned around to find Jaz, her arms wide open. “Jaz!” I exclaimed and gave her a tight hug. It was to the point where we were both barely breathing.

            “Oh my gosh, it’s so good to see you,” Jaz tucked back a strand of her crazy, curly blonde locks, “I have lots to tell.” She emphasized on the word ‘lots’ and raised her eyebrows so I knew it had to be something good.

            “Do tell,” I took a sip of my macchiato.

            “Not until I buy myself a pumpkin spice latte. Oh, Starbuck’s, how I’ve missed you,” she rummaged through her purse and pulled out her debit card. “So, how have things been with you?”

            “Eh,” I shrugged my shoulders. I decided not to tell her about the guy who almost spilled coffee on my camera. It wasn’t a big deal anyway, right? “I was sick for the past weekend and I haven’t gotten a chance to go to any shows.”

            “Awww, don’t worry. I’ve got a show lined up for tomorrow,” she whispered in my ear right before she ordered her drink.

            “What? You’re kidding. You’ve only been in the country for less than an hour and you’ve already booked a show?” I was puzzled.

            “Actually,” she said as we stepped off to the side to wait for her drink, “I’ve had us on the waiting list for a few months now. I didn’t think we would get it, but-“

            I frowned. A few months? It had to be some big concert we were taking pictures for. There was no other explanation. “What concert is it?” I asked.

            “Oh, you know, just Brighter Lights,” she smiled as she grabbed her coffee.

            “-but I hate them…” I trailed off.

            “Hate is a very strong word.”

            “Fine, I strongly dislike them. How’s that?”

            “Better, but you’ve got to do this with me. Do you realize how much exposure we would get? There’s only three other photographers doing the show besides us. Just imagine: as soon as we upload our pictures, we could have them used on the cover of newspapers, magazines, websites!” she explained.

            She had a point. The band was a typical sugar-sweet pop band though, and I wasn’t quite into their music. It didn’t have much meaning besides “let’s go kiss and have fun and get wasted”. Like, no. Just no. But-then again, if I could get my pictures recognized, then that was enough of a reward. “I’ll do it,” I simply stated.

            “Yes! It’s going to be awesome, don’t worry,” she reassured me.

            “Well, when should we get there?” I questioned.

            “Probably six-thirty. That way we’ll be an hour ahead of the crowd.”

            “Okay,” I agreed.

            “Thank you so much for doing this, Miranda. You’re not going to regret it, I promise,” she smiled.

            I took a deep breath and let everything sink in. We sat down and I asked, “So, what else have you got to tell me?”

            She gave me that knowing grin and I felt right at ease.

5:40 P.M., Outside the Airport  (Wes)

            I couldn’t stop thinking about her. What the hell was wrong with me? She’d been kind of a bitch at that moment, but it didn’t mean she was always like that. Oh, well. Like it matters. I probably won’t ever see her again.

            “Hey, are we going yet or not?” one of my band mates, Chris, asked as he loaded some merchandise into the back of our van.

            “Yeah, yeah, let’s get going,” I tucked my phone into my pocket and hopped inside. It was good to be in the smelly van with the guys. I would take it any day over a limousine.

            “Ready for the first show of the tour?” our merch guy asked us.

            “Ha, as ready as we’ll ever be,” Tony, our drummer, piped up.

            “Don’t worry, I know we’re gonna kill it,” I reassured the rest of the guys. It was always important to keep everyone in high spirits before a show. The worst thing would be for our fans to come and not get their money’s worth.

            And so we began our journey to a hotel near the venue where we could at least get some rest before the show tomorrow. I sighed and buried myself amidst the random blankets and pillows we had. I put my ear-buds in and let the music sing me to sleep.