E L E V E N

The first thing I notice stepping out of the limo is the noise - camera clicking, cameramen shouting for people's attention, reporters doing interviews down the carpet. Gorgeous women and men pose for photos and speak to interviewers, flashing bright smiles and repping high end fashion labels. I recognize a few faces from my TV shows and feel like I'm in a dream. The flashes and sounds combined make me dizzy. I look to Beau, and notice how tense he is, jaw clenched and shoulders tight. For my comfort or for his, I take his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers tightly.

Val grins at us, clipboard in hand and earpiece in. "Okay, so we have to wait here for a bit, Fiona really wants the boys talking to that woman," Val points a pretty woman with auburn hair out to us and explains the process of waiting for the right interviews and taking pictures in between. The interviews aren't so scary - I mean, they won't waste their time asking me questions, I'm sure. I pull at the itchy fabric of my dress, painfully aware of the straps on my heels and the heaviness of my earrings.

"Why aren't we getting pictures?" Jace isn't completely sober and I can tell Val is out of her element. Where are Fiona and Rocco? They were right behind us on the drive over. She shushes Jace discreetly, trying to keep him still.

Zach tries to get Jace to quiet down, but his voice only gets louder. "Let's get some fucking pictures, man!" I roll my eyes at his drunkenness, partly wondering how it's Beau that gets them in trouble, but mostly still dizzy from the whole environment and unable to really focus.

"Ready?" Beau whispers into my ear so only I can hear. Before I can respond, Val is ushering us along the carpet, pointing to our exact spot. "Too late," he chuckles into my hair.

The camera flashes never stop, they only lull as the boys get themselves posed. I look to Val, unsure of what I should be doing but Beau pulls me closer to him anyways. Val follows closely, helping to straighten my gown behind me and adjust the guys ties. Staring into the lights like this is blinding, so I focus on not squinting, assuming that won't look great in photos. I feel Beau's long arm wrap around my waist, bringing me close to his body. I wonder if I should smile...  Beau as normal, is not smiling. I can tell he's uncomfortable, but he looks confident... or at least like he doesn't care. I focus on that, hoping to project the same energy in my expression.

The posing lasts only a couple of minutes, but it feels like much longer. The boys make it look effortless - their movements in sync to change position naturally together. They're at ease, soaking in the attention. Beau almost nails the part but his eyes give him away. Between the hair and the makeup... no one is able to see them that well anyways - maybe that's the point.

"Okay, we're up," Val nudges us forward, towards a pretty young woman I recognize from a show Nadine talks about. "Oh, Emma. You did great," Val smiles at me warmly before urging me onward. I give her a soft smile back, grateful that she's here with me.

The actress introduces the band and they chat for a minute or so about the upcoming album and tour. Zach and Tyler answer most of the questions, while Jace throws inappropriate jokes in when he can.

The actress turns to Beau. "Should we expect more of the same like from your first album?"

"Nah. Well it'll be similar to some of the heavier stuff on the first album," Beau answers another question about their sound before they move on.

My ears perk up when I hear Zach answer a more personal question. "Oh, no. Sophie was supposed to come with us to LA but she's actually not feeling too well," Zach smiles, an innocently handsome grin. Sophie is his girlfriend, I remember from all my Instagram research before. She's in a band, too, if I recall correctly.

"And you are?" I realize the actress has the microphone on my face now.

"I'm Emma," I smile into the camera hesitantly.

"Emma, hi Emma." The actress eyes the camera. "Emma, let me ask you - are you this mystery girl we've been seeing around with Beau? The fans want to know," she pushes the microphone closer to me.

"Yep, that's me." I look to Beau and force a wide smile, hoping to sell the story.

Beau also breaks out into an uncharacteristically wide grin and eyes the camera mischievously, "Hell yeah it is," He makes a show of wrapping his arm around my neck and pulling me in for a kiss. The kiss is gentle and tame and I can feel that it's just for show. Hopefully, it doesn't look that way.

The woman's face tells me that it didn't. "Well there you have it everyone! Beau Lewis is officially off the market. Anyways boys, we'll see you in there all right? Have a great night,"

The guys say their final comments and we continue down what seems like the never ending carpet. "Think she'll be happy?" I lean closer to Val, finally noticing that Fiona arrived while the guys were being interviewed.

Val stifles a laugh. "Moderately satisfied maybe, but happy? Never."

The guys stop again for more photos, but we're close to the end now. From here, we'll go to the dinner venue, which surprisingly, is at another location. It will also apparently require a wardrobe change. My mind goes to Gemma - she would love something like this. What if Gemma had been at the cafe that day I met Beau? What if he met her before he met me?

The guys take band photos as I stand back with Val, watching the process. I turn my head and am met with a camera flash right into my eyes. "Oof," I groan immediately, wishing the lights weren't so bright. "I looked right into that one," I explain to Val. We wait another minute before the guys finally wrap it up and we exit the carpet area. As we get farther away, the crowd begins to thin.

"So now we go to dinner?" I ask to no one in particular.

"Hell no baby, now we drink," Jace pushes forward into the venue, which looks like a fancy hotel or something. Tyler follows, steam practically coming from his ears. He looks the youngest, and the sweetest... but I really think the guy might lose it between Jace and Beau.

"There's a cocktail hour. Didn't you read your itinerary?" Fiona snaps, checking messages on her phone now that it's quieter.

"There was nothing there about a cocktail party," Beau argues. Part of me thinks he does it only to disagree with her, I'm not sure I believe he even read the itinerary they sent.

I did, though. And I know there wasn't anything about a cocktail party. I shift my attention to Val and notice the nervous lines between her eyes.

"Then someone did not give you the updated information." Fiona's tone cuts through the air and I feel the anxiety rolling off of Val beside me. Her head falls, dark waves covering her face.

When she finally looks up, her dark eyes are glassy. "I'm sorry, I thought I sent it out but -"

"Too late for it now." Fiona cuts her off without even glancing her way and my anger builds as I see Val's lip quiver. Fiona continues, "This isn't a party - it's a cocktail hour. Behave accordingly." Her blue eyes send daggers at Beau. "Keep Jace in check." She nods at Zach to go help Tyler. "You two, make yourself visible. Get in selfies. Post on all your accounts." I nod simply, biting my tongue. I don't like her one bit, but this seems hardly the place to do anything about it. Random groups of luxuriously beautiful people keep popping by as they all head to cocktail hour.

Fiona turns to Rocco to discuss setting up other interviews this week, but Beau stops her. "Fuck that. You said red carpet and dinner, and dinner is bad enough. I'm not doing a 'cocktail hour' with these pricks when you won't even let me get drunk," he throws his hands up, letting go of mine.

"Beau," I try to calm him down, but he ignores me. This doesn't even seem like that big of a deal, I think to myself. He can never just cooperate.

"Lower your voice." Fiona speaks to him like a child, and I can't help but glare at her, too.

"Or what?"

Fiona takes a few steps closer, a professional smile planted on her face. "Or, Mr. Lewis, I can promise you that MisFits will find another guitar player. You are in no position to test us, I can assure you."

Beau scowls at her with a look I've never seen before. He turns to Rocco but the older man shakes his head, unwilling to go against Fiona. "Just straighten up a little, kid. It'll be fine."

"Screw you both," Beau snaps before stalking down the long marble hall. My heels clatter loudly as I follow him, leaving Fiona's smug face behind.

Finally catching up to him, I offer a sympathetic smile. "How about a drink?"

Beau squints at me. "You suck at your job."

I ignore the comment. "We can't get drunk, but one or two to take the edge off?" I shrug. "Maybe we can even make it through dinner without you losing your job." I smile at the frustrated frown on his face and add, "If we're really lucky, we'll make it through tonight without me telling Fiona to go to hell."

Beau lets out a shocked chuckle, and his pace slows so I'm not jogging beside him. "Shit, Emma. Aren't you a tough guy?" I roll my eyes and he nods to the entrance to the door signed "Banquet Room." "So how 'bout that drink?"

***

I glance at the mirror once more, still not grasping the situation entirely. Maeve kept my makeup the same, we only had a short window to change before dinner, but pulled my hair into a high fashion bun, leaving mock bangs in the front. Bobby picked something elegant for dinner, but more casual than the black gown I'd worn on the red carpet - a white colored pant suit, tailored the way models where them in magazines, with bright blue shoes.

"Will you stop staring at yourself already?" Beau leans against the bathroom door frame, a small smirk on his lips.

"Sorry, I'm ready. It's just... wow. Today's been a lot, that's for sure." Beau and I managed to make it through the cocktail hour, the drinks making him a little more docile. I met some of the other bands he knows and hangs with some times, although he was more in the mood to be alone. As long as it kept him calm, I went along with it.

"It's going to get worse, bigger, I mean. The tour is soon and that's a lot more than this," He takes a few steps forward, still in the suit from before, just without the jacket.

"I know," I sigh, focusing on the money I'm making. I'll get to go to school sooner than I ever thought possible and that's the whole point, right?

"But," Beau makes eye contact with me in the mirror, rolling up the sleeves of his button up to reveal his tattooed forearms. "Tonight sucked less than it normally does." The words are slow to leave his mouth, like he's fighting against himself even saying them.

"Is that a compliment?" I tease.

He shakes his head stubbornly, "Just an observation."