I smoothed down my dress, pulled on my high, black, shiny, boots and looked at myself in the mirror. The hair and makeup team were packing up behind me, I didn't know they were coming, but Donna said to expect them before most events.
My hair fell just over my shoulders and my makeup was mainly neutral, instead of eyeshadow, they had added some kind of tinted jelly-like stuff to my eyelids, which made them shine and 'made my eyes pop'. I liked how I looked. I looked like the new Haley Whited.
"Your driver must be here." One of my makeup artists, Louis, told me.
"We'll escort you down." Monica, who did my hair, smiled.
"Oh, thank you." I nodded. It was almost as if I had an entourage, they surrounded me as we walked down to the lobby where a swarm of cameras were outside, and started to violently flash when they saw us.
Ron got out of the car, and helped my crew push back the cameras so I could get into the car. I let out a deep breath just as Ron got in the car also.
"And it's begun." He sighed.
"I'm sorry." I apologised.
"It's fine. It's my job, after all." Ron smiled. I gave him a sympathetic smile back as we started to drive off. "Do you know who's concert it is?"
"Um... no, actually," I said. With everything that had been going on, I hadn't even thought of whose concert is actually was. "Do you?"
"Afraid not." Ron frowned.
"Well... I like surprises." I shrugged with a smile. We arrived at the Radio City Music Hall where there were fans outside, and a bunch of paparazzi. I got out the car and taken aback fans erupted into cheers and flashes started being fired my way again. I suddenly felt bad, I hope I wasn't stealing the spotlight from whoever was performing.
I walked into the building and I was left alone.
"Miss Whited?" A tall, dark man approached me.
"That's me." I smiled, shaking his head.
"I've been told to bring you backstage, where there'll be an array of food for you. You will meet the performers afterwards." He said with a nod.
Performers. So they must be a band.
"Oh, ok. Cool. Thank you." I grinned. He led me along the dark, red carpet, into the lift, and then we had arrived backstage, "Where is the band?"
"Waiting on the stage, behind the curtains. They will probably come back here to have a quick change halfway through, and to do a mic check." The man told me, "But you have been advised not to talk to them during this process, as they can't faff around. They've been told not to talk you during this stage either."
"Do they know I'm here?" I asked.
"They've just been told they have a guest." The man shrugged, "Are you ok if I leave you here?"
"Oh, yes." I smiled, "Thank you."
"It's my pleasure." The man nodded, before leaving. I looked around the low, ceiling, black painted room. There were boxes everywhere, mirrors, chairs. A few people walked into the room.
Why Don't We? Why did that name ring a bell? If gave me a bit of deja vu as well, but from what?
"Hello, I'm Haley." I grinned, shaking her hand.
"Oh, we know." A man with a camera smiled, shaking my hand also, "They're gonna go crazy when they know it's you here. I'm Zack Caspary, Why Don't We's official photographer."
"Hi." I smiled.
"And I'm their hair and makeup artist, Tove." Another woman shook my hand, "The rest of the crew are somewhere having a break. I see you've been prepeared food and drink." I looked at the huge buffet behind me.
"Yeah. I've been spoiled." I smiled, "Will Why Don't We be eating off this too?"
"Yeah." Tove nodded.
"Cool." I grinned, "I couldn't even eat half of this alone."
The three of them laughed. Tove and Lauren left to go check up on the guys and Zack lingered back.
"Do you mind if I take a picture of you?" He asked.
"Not at all." I smiled. He took some up-close photos of me, I remained neutral for one, and smiled for the other, turning my head and different angles. Then, he took some from farther away.
"Thank you." Zack smiled, "And do you mind if I post those on my account? I post most of my photography on there."
"Of course." I grinned.
"If you don't mind my saying, you are much nicer than I imagined. Not like I didn't think you were nice, just most people are quite..." Zack went red.
"Full of themselves?" I asked.
"I guess so."
"Yeah. I get what you mean. Quite a few people are surprised by how I act." I laughed, "Thank you for the pictures."
"My pleasure." Zack smiled, before wandering off. My face fell when he was out of sight. So everyone did think I was some shallow celebrity. Good to know.
Suddenly, I heard another eruption of cheers and I knew it must be starting. I heard them singing, they were actually really good.
"...Tryin' to cut the tension, but you're blunt with your sentence. And I just wanna end it every time." The fans were shouting the lyrics along with them.
I found myself nodding my head to the music with a grin on my face. I'm glad Donna had given me this opportunity.
