You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

Premiere

I found myself pushing my lips up to make the perfect smile like Thalia said. It rose and stayed permanent as I stepped out of the car that brought me to the movie premiere.

As soon as I stepped out, I felt the wave of bodies and the quick lights of the camera snap at me all at once. There's a huge red carpet that stretched from one side to the street from the other, with the new movie poster as the backdrop. Tons of celebrities I recognize immediately pose and smile for the camera and I try not to gawk. Thalia, the media trainer they brought in, told me not to look like a star-struck teenager.

No offence to Martha or anything, but I think I looked unremarkable compared to everyone. Martha put me in a black velvet shirt, leather pants, and thick heels that once again shot me up a couple of inches. The stylists slicked my hair back into a low bun that tickled my neck. I looked okay. But not regal like everyone else did.

I slowly trudged out of the car, flanked by Lennon and some performative bodyguards. Nobody makes a fuss that I'm here, but I kind of enjoy that. A couple of cameras turned towards me, and I smiled at them all.

The action was a welcome break from vocal lessons. We were going over "Burn" and I'm pretty sure we spent just an hour trying to memorize the lyrics and style. It was hard because I had barely ever listened to the song and musical theatre songs were so different. They'd be talking halfway through the song, putting their emotions in it and acting and stuff.

I'm not sure where to go, so I follow the current of the crowd, and I try not to fangirl when I see the new cast posing together. All my favourite actors Maria and I have watched on the screen since we were young stood just metres away from me. I snapped myself out of it. Listen to Thalia. I couldn't have a new embarrassing moment.

A sudden stab of guilt hit me as I thought of Maria. We promised that whenever the movie got out of pre-production purgatory, we would see it as soon as we could. Now I was here at the premiere. If I win, I'll buy at least a hundred copies just for her.

Lennon came up behind me and ushered me through the crowd.

"Ezra!" someone with a microphone called to me. "Over here!"

I got ushered over there to a clear spot. A guy who must've single-handedly caused a global hair-gel shortage greeted me alongside cameras.

It was time to put my media training to the test. I shouldn't be too eager. If they asked me a negative question, I was just supposed to divert away from it.

"Ezra!" he yelled again, excited. "You're here at the 'I Envy U Too' premiere!"

"I am!" I yelled back in response. "I'm very excited to be here tonight!"

"I'm sure you are," Hair-Gel responded. "I just have to say I love this outfit. Who are you wearing?"

I stopped. "I don't actually know."

Hair-Gel broke out into a chuckle I couldn't tell was real or fake. "Wow, I love that. What are you excited about for this new movie?"

I smiled. "I'm a really big fan of the first movie. I think I've watched it about a hundred times, not going to lie. I'm excited about where they take the story!"

"Wow," Hair-Gel said. "Is there anyone you're excited to see?"

"I am just excited to see everyone who contributed to the movie!" I exclaimed. "I just can't believe I'm here."

"Okay!" he exclaimed. "What about you? How do you feel since your win on Finding Solstice?"

"I feel ecstatic and I can't believe it happened to me," I said, sticking to the gratefulness schtick Thalia told me to. "I am so grateful to the fans of the show who voted for me! Love you guys so much!"

"Alright," Hair-Gel told me. "Have a good one!"

He walked away from me, waiting for another celebrity to interview. That wasn't that bad. Thalia thought she was throwing me into the trenches. Turns out it was shallow ground.

I walked again, trying to get to the red carpet because Lennon told me we were going there.

A glimpse of locs strategically placed over his head in a calculatedly messy way appeared in my vision. All four members of Dilemma posed on the red carpet, giving their trademarked smiles to the world. They all wore maroon suits, each styled uniquely. I think they were here because of a song they sang for the movie. I wouldn't know.

I locked eyes with Andre suddenly, and he sent a subtle wink my way. I spun away, not trying to freak out that he noticed me in a crowd.

I was suddenly aware of how average I must've looked in this crowd. I was also aware of why people liked him so much. All he had to do was smile and then send their stomach flipping more than a gymnast on crack.

Hence, what was happening to me?

I was eventually ushered to the red carpet and thrown in front of a whirlwind of cameras. Thalia taught me how to pose, and after an agitating attempt, she told me to simply stand at an angle and move sometimes.

I pushed up my smile, adjusting more angles of myself and posing. The cameras flashed at me, and I fought the urge every second to flinch when the camera clicked. Hell, there are people crouched down below the barrier, telling everyone where to move and how to pose.

I left and as I was about to swim through the crowd of people again, Lennon tapped my shoulder.

"You're supposed to go into the theatre," Lennon said. "Your name will be on a seat somewhere. Don't sit where you're not supposed to."

"Are you coming with me?" I asked.

"I will, but I'm sitting somewhere else because I'm not a babysitter," Lennon hissed. "You'll find it. You're smart."

She wasn't wrong. But I was still nervous. This was a place of flashing lights, swarming with celebrities and people way beyond me. It felt like when I was younger, playing in Mom's makeup pretending to be a movie star.

Now it was real.

The theatre was domed, and its exterior reflected off the Los Angeles sunset. I entered with everyone, into a dark theatre, with Lennon trailing behind me.

There were two areas. One area was higher up in a balcony guard with security. The bottom area curves upwards in the lower dome area, where everyone else sits.

I climbed the velvety stairs, then walked through the rows of the seats looking for my name. I found it, and right there was a small gift bag. I took the paper off and sat down, holding the gift bag.

"Don't open it," Lennon whisper-yelled. "Wait until you get home, okay? It kind of looks tacky when you open it early."

"Okay?" I said, putting it below me.

Lennon left me to my own devices, as I sat there alone waiting for the higher pew to fill up. Soon, celebrities started filling up the area, and I tried not to fangirl at every single one of them.

I'm pretty sure I just saw Steve Lacey just walk past me too, and I fought the urge to fangirl manically at his feet.

Andre and the Dilemma members all arrived, all looking snazzy, if I must admit. They hovered around my area, and I sat stiffly before they all sat beside me, Andre being the closest.

"It looks like I am following you," he whispered into my ear before he set off into a deep chuckle.

His cologne covered the surrounding air in a heavy, woody aroma. Wait? It almost smelled like–

I turned to Andre, who turned to me in the same dramatic fashion. "Hey."

The theatre went dark.