You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

Straight Up Scared

"Hey guys and welcome back to our channel!" Janelle chirped into her phone camera set on top of a mini tripod. "It's me and Grace, and Ezra, our special guest today!"

I awkwardly waved to the camera, sitting in my makeup chair with my hair tied into a lazy bun. I was already swaddled in the gorgeous red dress Martha had given me, paired with thick black heels that shot me into the six-foot range. All that was left was our hair and makeup that would arrive soon. A.C., or Alex a rapper in the competition, as well as Kristen and Winona, were both waiting.

Including being college students, a waitress and a Best Buy sales associate respectively, and part of Nebula, Apparently, they also did Youtube. 

"So we're here five hours before the show starts and we couldn't be more excited," Grace announced. "I hope that you as followers would be so kind as to vote."

"So kind," Janelle repeated, holding her hands together and shaking them. "We'd first like to thank you for all the support you've given to us. If you guys vote and we make it, we're going to announce our fandom name."

"Ooh," Grace awed for the audience. "So we're backstage waiting to get our hair and makeup done, and personally I think Ezra looks gorgeous."

"Stand up and give us a twirl!" Janelle exclaimed.

I stood up and twirled just like she instructed, and turned around to show the viewers my dress. I loved it so much that I wondered if I should ask to keep it. I quickly shot the idea down in my head. It would be weird anyway.

"I'm so excited for this," I said, inputting to the conversation on my own. "I'm so nervous!"

"But Ezra is a mad good singer," they told the camera. "Could you believe that was her first time singing in front of an audience?"

I smiled in response. Janelle picked up the conversation. "Ours was when we were thirteen and in theatre camp."

"Y'all went to theatre camp?" I asked.

"Of course!" Janelle exclaimed. "That's where we met. If you had only watched us earlier then you would know."

"The horror," I fake sighed, and they laughed.

"Honestly, there's three years of Nebula lore you have to catch up on," Grace said. "Anyway, guys please vote for Ezra too because she's our friend, and women support women."

"Yes!" Winona yelled from the background.

I couldn't help but linger on the word 'friend'. I never did much with my school associates, outside of times when they made plans in front of me and said 'You could come I guess'. It felt so weird being included like this.

They turned off the camera and set it down. "I think that's enough footage for this section," Grace said, clasping her hands. "I'm going to put it back on so that we can have our hair and makeup recorded."

"We'll edit it by tonight," Janelle reminded.

"That's if we're not doing other things," Grace said, wiggling their eyebrows. I almost flinched.

"Anyway, are your guy's families going to watch tonight?" I asked.

Janelle noticeably stiffened. Grace cut in. "Mine are probably going to be all over this. They're very happy for me."

"And I love that for you," Janelle replied. "What about you Ezra?"

"Once my sister hears about Andre being a judge she's never going to stop harassing me to talk to him," I sighed. "I guess I just have to brace myself for it now."

"Honestly, I haven't even met Maria and I aspire to be her when I grow up," Grace said. "She's so iconic."

"Well, that's going to throw off the balance of nature because she's only fourteen," I explained.