Authors: Jacqueline Smith
So it’s pretty uncharacteristic of me to respond with, “Tara, you didn’t step on my toes. You told a flat out lie about me. To the entire world.”
Her big, mascaraed eyes widen. This was clearly not the reply she was expecting.
“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think? I mean, what was I supposed to think? You and Oliver looked awfully cozy last night, huddled together in that corner.”
“You also saw me curled up in a blanket with Sam last week but I didn’t see any Hot New Couple Alerts then,” I remind her.
“Well, he’s Sam. I mean, come on. If he wasn’t interested in Courtney, he’s definitely not going to be interested in you.”
I don’t know what’s more offensive: the idea that I’m not good enough for Sam or what she seems to be insinuating about Oliver. What, Sam can afford to be picky but Oliver can’t? Oliver has about a fifth of the world’s young female population falling at his feet.
I swear, everything about this girl makes me want to slap her.
“Wow,” I finally say. “You know, Tara, you are really something. Tell me, are you always this bitchy, or is it something you save for your boyfriend’s coworkers?”
Oh my God.
What have I done? I’ve never said anything like that in my life! I’m supposed to be the nice one! The good girl who never gets in trouble! I don’t pick fights! And I definitely don’t stand up to Queen Bees like Tara Meeks. My mouth is doing that thing where it totally bypasses my brain and says whatever the heck it wants.
Oh, this i
s
s
o
not the time or place for this.
“
What did you just say to m
e
?” Tara hisses.
I’m not going to lie. I’m terrified. But somehow, I manage to stand my ground.
“Look, I don’t know you, and you clearly don’t care about knowing me or else you’d at least make a tiny effort to remember my name. But you seem really clueless to me, especially when it comes to treating Cory, his friends, and most importantly, his fans with respect.”
Tara looks flabbergasted, if not utterly dumbfounded.
“I can not believe I actually came over here to apologize to you,” she sneers.
“Yeah, neither can I. Frankly, you weren’t very good at that either.”
Wha
t
has gotten into me? I promise you, I am not this person! Something about her is just bringing out the absolute worst in me. I don’t like it at all.
But I also don’t really want to stop it.
Tara, meanwhile, is positively seething. She also seems to be calculating, trying to figure out a way to let me know that I’ve messed with the wrong model.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but let me put things in perspective for you,” she says, her blue eyes cool and narrow. “I’m dating one of the world’s biggest stars. You clean up after him. I have thousands of fans and followers all over the world. You have a camera and a nose that’s too long for your lopsided face. People recognize me as someone they want to be. Those same people don’t even know that you exist. So if I were you, I’d keep those snarky comments and lousy attitude to myself, because you have no idea what I could do to you.”
For those wondering, being threatened by a super model is a lot scarier than you’d think it’d be. But I’m not about to let her think she’s won or succeeded in her efforts to belittle me.
However, before I can dig myself into an even deeper hole, Stan calls over that they’re about to start shooting and that I need to get a move on. Even though I didn’t get the last word in, I’m only too eager to get away and have nothing more to do with Tara Meeks.
I only hope that the feeling is mutual.
CHAPTER 12
“
And she walks like winter across the room
And I can smell her sweet perfume
Snowlight dancing, frozen blue
Winter’s dress looks good on you
The Northern Lights, they shine for you
This winter night was made for two...”
Song: “Snowlight
”
Artist: The Kind of September
From the Album
:
Meet Me on the Midway
Tonight, I just want to be alone.
I’ve spent what should have been a fun and exciting afternoon wallowing in guilt over what I said to Tara.
No, not guilt. Guilt would imply that I care about how what I said may have affected her, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I don’t. I guess that’s what I’m feeling right now. Shame. I’m ashamed that I stooped to her level. I’ve never been that kind of person, you know? I don’t say things like that, no matter how upset I am. But I’m so sick of her spreading rumors and I’m especially sick of everyone else acting like it’s okay.
I haven’t had the guts to face Cory. I’m sure Tara’s told him everything that happened. I think Sam knows something is bothering me, but they were called in for a last minute radio interview after filming wrapped, so I haven’t gotten the chance to talk to him. Besides, he and the guys have got to be exhausted. They don’t need to be dealing with drama, especially drama that I created.
That’s what’s bothering me the most. This is so unlike me! I don’t stir up drama. Especially with people like Tara who specialize in it.
But what’s done is done. Maybe I can apologize to Cory. That is, if he’s still talking to me. I bet you anything Tara has gone crying to him, telling him how mean I am and how I deserve to be excommunicated.
To be honest, I’ve kind of enjoyed having a few hours all to myself. I took a long shower. I painted my toenails. I plucked my eyebrows. I basically treated myself to an at-home makeover. It was nice. So often on the road and behind the scenes, I don’t pay much attention to what I wear or how I look.
Now I’m alone in Joni’s and my hotel room, lounging on the bed and watchin
g
Titani
c
. True, it’s not the best movie to watch when I’m already feeling a little sad, but at least it’s quality. That’s all that really matters.
About halfway through the movie, someone knocks on the door. It’s probably Joni, though it’s not like her to forget her key.
When I open the door, however, Joni isn’t the one standing there. It’s Sam.
“Hey,” I greet him. It’s funny. You’d think right about now, I’d be fighting an impulse to run to the bathroom to check my reflection and make sure I look alright, but I’m not lying to you when I say Sam and I have seen each other at our absolute worst. He stuck by me after my wisdom teeth extraction, and I camped out with him on his couch after he came down with a terrible case of food poisoning. The fact that I came out of that situation still totally infatuated is, quite frankly, a miracle. Seriously, if I saw any other guy puke into a trash can beside the sofa, I’d be gone lik
e
tha
t
.
Long story short, the only reason I’m blushing right now is because Sam showed up unexpectedly. Not because he caught me in my pajamas and post-shower hair.
Sure enough, he comments, “You look cozy.”
“Yeah,” I reply. “Just kind of having a relaxing evening. How was the interview?”
“It was fine. Just talked about the album. Had a few laughs.”
“That’s good,” I say. I’m hesitant to ask Sam if Cory said anything about Tara, because I’m honestly not sure if I want to know the answer. But I also know that I probably won’t be able to face Cory until I find out if he’s upset. “So uh... Did Cory say anything? You know, about anything that may have happened this afternoon?”
“You mean the thing where you accused Tara of being a very non-family-friendly word, a liar, and an all around horrible human being? Yeah, he may have mentioned it.” He says, leaning casually against the doorframe.
“Is he mad at me?”
“Well, Tara definitely is. But you know Cory. He’s on everybody’s side. He told her he was certain you didn’t mean it and said that you were just looking out for Oliver.”
“God, he gives me way too much credit.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Sam remarks. I throw him a look. “Kidding! To tell you the truth, I’m kind of proud of you.”
“Why?” I mean, I’m glad to hear it, but I don’t understand it. I’m not proud of me.
“I think there’s a time and a place for everything. I think you know when something needs to be said and when you need to keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself. And I think that something needed to be said to her. Maybe no
t
exactl
y
the words you used...” Sam does not like cursing. It’s funny, because he is such a guy in so many ways, but unlike his bandmates, three of whom swear like sailors, he prefers nicer words. “But the overall gist, I think she needed to hear. I don’t think she really sees any of us as real people.”
“I don’t think she does either.”
And that brings any and all talk of Tara Meeks to a close. It’s for the best. I’m sick of thinking about her.
“So, is this your big plan for the evening? Sit around and watch sad girl movies all by yourself?”
“Pretty much.”
“That sounds like a terrible night. You know what you should do? Go with me to Josh’s room for a game night.”
“A game night?” I ask.
“Yeah. On our way back from the interview, a few fans approached us and gave Josh all these games, like Twister and Monopoly so he and Jesse and Oliver decided to host an impromptu game night. Now just try to convince me that that doesn’t sound like more fun than watching what might actually be the most depressing movie in history.”
I have to admit, he’s got a point. Thoug
h
Titani
c
is far from the most depressing movie in history.
“I don’t think I can,” I admit.
“Perfect. Let’s go.”
⋯
Here’s the thing about The Kind of September. If you hang out with them on a regular basis, there is a good chance you will end up in a photograph, a tweet, a Vine, or a YouTube video. Sometimes, all of the above. It’s not a bad thing. The guys really love their fans, and they want to share as much of their lives with them as possible without getting too personal.
That, and they just really love performing for the camera, even when that camera happens to be a smartphone.
The point is I am not at all surprised to find Jesse filming Josh, Joni, and Cory, engrossed in an intense game of Candy Land while Oliver giggles over their shoulders. If that wasn’t funny enough, Josh is wearing a red Solo cup as a hat. I’m tempted to ask, but I’m actually pretty sure I don’t want to know.
Sam, on the other hand, looks highly offended and asks, “What the heck is this? You’re playing Candy Land without me?”
“Sorry, bro, we couldn’t resist,” Josh replies without tearing his eyes away from the board.
“If it makes you feel better, we haven’t played Pretty, Pretty Princess yet,” Jesse assures him, reaching up to twirl a lock of Sam’s blond hair. Sam swats him away, but laughs nevertheless.
“Dibs on the pink jewelry,” Josh announces. I can’t tell whether he’s kidding or not.
They actually have quite the impressive collection of games going. Operation, Boggle, Sorry, Clue, Twister, and Monopoly are all in a pile in the middle of the room.
“So, a fan just walked up to you and gave you all these games?” I ask.
“Yep,” Josh replies.
“Why?”
“She said that I once tweeted that I got bored during long bus rides, so she just went out and bought all these game for us.”
“Wow, how sweet of her.”
I remember when the guys first started out, they didn’t know how to feel about all the gifts that fans showered them with. Granted, some of them were pretty strange. For example, one girl gave Sam a T-shirt with a Photoshopped picture of the two of them getting married. I’m not kidding. Sam, though, was very gracious and did an excellent job of acting like he wasn’t completely creeped out.
A lot of gifts are also wildly inappropriate. I don’t really want to go into that, but every time one of the guys receives a gift or a tribute that crosses a line, they go out of their way to remind young girls to respect their bodies and themselves. That’s probably something I love most about them. They really care about their fans and they don’t want to see them degrading themselves or feeling pressured to look or dress or act a certain way.
For all of those reasons, and the fact that they’re just good, old-fashioned fun, these board games are probably the best gift the guys have ever received.
“I hope you gave her something in return,” Joni says to Josh.
“I gave her a hug,” he says.
“Not an autograph? Or a free CD?” If possible, Joni is even more about fan appreciation than the guys are. But for the guys, it’s because they genuinely appreciate the fans. With Joni, it’s more about image. Right now, she’s probably imagining headlines about how rude and unappreciative Josh Cahill is towards fans who give him gifts.
Josh, on the other hand, is unconcerned.
“She just said she wanted a hug.”
I’ll admit, Josh does give pretty good hugs. I feel like there are stereotypes in every boy band. If that is, in fact, the case, then Josh is definitely The Cute One. He knows it, too. He thinks he can get away with anything with a smile and a cuddle.
Unfortunately for us, he usually can.
“So, Mel, the interviewer today was pretty disappointed to hear that you and Oliver broke up,” Jesse informs me.
Seriously? Do we have to keep bringing this up? Can’t it just go away?
“Oh, for the love of - We were never even together!” I remind them.
“By the way, Mel, you should know that Tara really is sorry,” Cory tells me. “Maybe the two of you could talk, sort this thing out.”
Oh Cory. There are so many things I want to say to you right now. Beginning with “your girlfriend is an evil banshee” and ending with “you are so sweet but so naive to think that she actually cares about mending fences with me.”
Instead of all that, I say, “Maybe we can.”
I don’t like having to lie to keep the peace, but I am glad that Cory isn’t angry with me. He’s one of my best friends. The guys are so busy and off with so many people in so many places at so many different times, that sometimes, it can be easy to forget how much they all really mean to me. That’s why nights together like this are so important.
“Alright, I’m going to go set up Twister,” Sam announces. “Who’s in?”
“Me!” I exclaim. Twister with Sam? As if I’m going to pass u
p
tha
t
opportunity.
“I’ll play,” Oliver agrees.
“I am going to whoop all of you so hard, you’re going to have nightmares about it,” Josh announces, thus effectively ending the game of Candy Land.
“This, I’ve got to see,” Jesse announces, phone in hand and ready to record.
Within just a few turns, my right hand is on blue, my left foot is on green, and I’m quickly discovering that I’m not nearly as flexible as I was in my youth. Okay, I’m still pretty young, but twenty-year-olds are a lot less limber than most of the kids who play this game.
It does make me feel better, however, to see that Sam, Oliver, and Josh are, if possible, even less flexible than I am, which is kind of surprising considering how much dancing and jumping around the stage that they do.
“Ow, ow. There goes my back,” Josh groans.
“I thought you were going to whoop us all,” Sam reminds him with a rather pathetic grimace.
“I lied.”
“I can’t believe people actually enjoy this game,” Oliver adds.
I can. It’s because even though my arms are about to give out and I’m pretty sure I’ve pulled a muscle in my leg, my back is also pressed directly against Sam’s lean, muscular torso and his right hand, also on blue, is next to mine. I’m glad I took the time to shower, because I can feel his breath on the back of my neck and behind my ear.
Jesse, meanwhile, is snapping pictures of us on his phone.
“You guys look ridiculous,” he laughs.
“Please don’t post those pictures,” I beg.
“Don’t worry, I won’t. I wouldn’t want to compromise your already tarnished reputation,” he teases.
“Oh, shut up.”
“Ow, ow, ow. Okay, I’m done. I give up,” Josh announces and collapses right on top of Oliver’s leg.
“Agh!” Oliver cries out, toppling into me and Sam. So much for Twister.