oh, anna [-hs]

honestly

37.

"Ms Quinn Bellini!" A voice chirps into my headphones. I grin into my video camera and give a small wave. "Welcome to the Radio Chat Room with Georgia Clarke! So glad you could make it!"

"Yeah thank you for having me," I twist my earbuds around my finger nervously. Behind me is the rustling of cardboard boxes. In the background of my shot, I can see the afternoon light flooding in, Emma's body dancing back and forth, happily decorating.

"Where are you right now?"

"Ah me and my friend just moved into a new place this weekend, we're still unpacking." I hold my laptop up to show them around the space. There's a chorus of oohs and ahs from the hosts. "Really exciting stuff."

"Really exciting!" Georgia agrees. Her thick British accent cuts through into my ears. On the screen I see a small picture of her telling me she's the one speaking, but I can't see her face clearly. I know they can all see mine though. I try not to forget that. "For those of you that don't know," she begins rattling off, "Quinn Bellini is an up and coming music video director--well actually maybe I shouldn't say up and coming anymore! Because I think we can all say that you've made it!"

I laugh and feel my cheeks glow. "That's very kind of you," I murmur.

"But it's true isn't it!" She continues to shower me with praise. "I mean Janelle Monae, Louis Tomlinson, Beyonce, there are rumors you're collaborating with Harry Styles and Ariana Grande. Those are some big names."

"I like that you use the word collaborating," I offer up. "Because that's really what it feels like a lot of the time. I'm not so much directing, as I am translating someone's vision."

"What a wonderful way to put it! There's a lot of Grammy buzz around the Apeshit music video that got released earlier this spring, which must be a dream come true for you."

"It's very surreal," I answer honestly. Truth be told I'm trying not to think about it. The Grammys seem like a practical joke someone's playing on me. Yesterday I had a meeting about promotion before nominations are chosen. Today I'm on the radio, doing my first interview ever. I called Harry right before to ask for some support and advice. He told me to be honest and smile. That's what I'm doing. "It all feels like it happened overnight, I know it didn't, but it does."

"That's how we all feel too. A couple of months ago not many people would know the name Quinn Bellini, but here we are now. You've gained quite the following on your socials. I think many people are familiar with you because of your mysterious relationship with our favorite post-boyband rockstar, Harry Styles."

My mouth twitches back and forth to hide the smile growing on my face.

"You see that! She's blushing, Georgia!" One of her co-hosts says. I laugh and shake my head.

"It's not something I see any point in hiding really, we've been hanging out quite a bit, yeah."

There's a moment of hesitation over the line. I furrow my eyebrows together.

"Can you guys still hear me?" I mumble.

"Oh, we hear you loud and clear, Ms. Quinn." Georgia gasps. I lean back.

"Okay good."

"So where did you two meet?" They ask hungrily.

"Um," I drum my fingers on the table. "New York Fashion Week, so about a year ago I suppose."

"Oh my gosh," Georgia laughs. "How cute! So you both must be quite into fashion."

"Not exactly," I mull over my words. "I was hired to film it, we just kind of ran into each other," I keep my answer short. I don't mind talking about Harry. It makes sense that they're curious. They're reporters, it's gossip. But the story of how we first met is kind of something I want to keep between our close friends.