The Chosen One
The Change-Up
Chapter 9: The Change-Up
It took me awhile to get to sleep on the bus between the loud voices of other crew members and the millions of thoughts rushing through my head. They all probably thought I was some sort of freak. I mean, here was this new girl who on her first night showed up late to work, didn’t really talk to any of them a whole lot, and then cried for most of the bus ride to Raleigh. To them I was most likely some bratty girl who was homesick after one day during this once in a life time opportunity. I needed to do some damage control.
I woke up the next morning to find most other people on my bus eating breakfast consisting of cereal, yogurt, and juice. I joined in with Lola and another girl sitting at the table. I introduced myself to the other girl and she told me that her name was Lacey. She was the same age as me, had short lighter brown hair, and was rather short. It turns out she got on the tour because her mom has some sort of connection with whoever chooses crew. Her job on tour was pretty simple and quite awesome I must admit. All she had to do was to get the boys stage outfits in order before the show/ pack them away after the show, and pretty much change them in between the songs. “I bet there are about a zillion girls out there who would love to be in your position.” I said cheekily.
She smiled and shrugged, “Yeah, I guess so, but you kind of get used to it after a while.” I didn’t believe that for a second.
We chatted a bit and then she must have felt comfortable enough to ask me what was wrong the previous night. I didn’t really know what to say. Harry obviously didn’t want anyone knowing his feelings, and I was kind of embarrassed about the whole situation. So to answer Lacey’s question I glanced around the room and said, “Well, I just, ummm…. Wasn’t feeling well.” I guess it didn’t sound too convincing because she gave me a look that suggested she knew it had to deal with the boys.
She half smiled and said cheekily, “Come on Madeline. You can trust me. Also, I give great advice!” I laughed at her and decided to let it all out. Nothing was going to get better if I couldn’t confide in someone, and she seemed nice. It sort of seemed like we knew each other for much longer than a morning.
So I told her everything. How Harry and I met. How I ended up getting on the tour. How it all came down to me feeling heart broken. She looked stunned by the time she was done. “Wow! I can’t believe you stole Harry’s heart, just like that.” she said.
I replied, “Well, not really. Obviously I didn’t, otherwise I wouldn’t feel so stupid for thinking that he actually liked me now.”
Lacey shook her head, “No, I think there is more to it than you think. From the sounds of it, you did cut him off after all. I think you should talk to him.”
“What else is there to say?” I asked.
“You see, I am not Harry Styles. So, I don’t have the answer to that.” Lacey said as she smiled.
I laughed with her, but I was thinking to myself, “There is no way I am going to talk to him.” I was going to avoid him at all costs. It was just too embarrassing.
Later that afternoon, I was helping set up the merch tent. I had managed to avoid all five boys so far today. I assumed most of their day was filled with interviews and rehearsals. There was only one close call with running into Louis. I had to run backstage to grab the signed t-shirts for the night’s show. I walked into the dressing room and grabbed the box. Soon I saw the door knob turn. I didn’t want to face anyone so I hid in the closet while Louis rummaged to find a water bottle and walked back out. I waited a few minutes feeling even more embarrassed and ran out the door with the box, my mission was complete.
I was hanging some of the shirts up in the tent when Lola walked over to me and said, “Hey Madeline. I know this is short noticed and you are just getting the hang of the merch stand, but Lacey suddenly got sick after breakfast and she asked me to tell you to just fill in for her at the show tonight.”
Not hiding the surprise in my voice I asked, “What?!”
Lola gave me a questioning look and continued, “Yeah... She said just to meet her on the bus and she would run through everything you will need to do tonight for the show.”
This couldn’t be happening. Why would Lacey personally ask for me to do her job of helping the boys, knowing what had just happened between Harry and me last night? It was going to be so awkward. How could she forget that quickly? Unless…. Something was giving me the feeling that Lacey was bluffing through her teeth about being sick.
I dropped what I was doing immediately and stormed off to find Lacey on the bus. Lacey was laying on her bunk all covered in blankets and going through something on her phone when I entered the back of the bus. “There is no way you are sick Lacey!” I practically shouted because of how upset I was.
She half smiled and said, “No, really I am. It was something I ate, I think.”
I quickly replied, “We had the same thing. Cereal. How does one get sick from cereal?”
She paused for a moment to carefully think out her response. “Okay, okay. I’m busted.” She frowned a little.
“I knew it!” I smiled happily.
Lacey began to explain herself. “After you told me everything that happened between you and Harry, I thought I could get you guys talking again if….. if well, you were forced to be together.”
I laughed at her reasoning, “Yeah. In the most awkward way possible.” “It’s not that bad. Sure you see them in their underwear for a few seconds, but they are dressed again so quickly you will barely have time to take a mental image!” she laughed. There was a brief pause after our moment of giggles resided.
I started again, “Well, you better get off your lazy butt and get the boys clothes ready. The concert will be starting a few hours.”
“No, no, no. Just because you know I am not really sick doesn’t mean you are off the hook. I am still going to tell everybody else I am sick, so let me tell you what you will have to do” she said.
“No way!” I half shouted.
She laughed and said, “Yes way! I already told everybody I needed to that you were covering for me tonight. It’s all arranged, so there is no way out. The boys are counting on you.” A cheeky grin appeared across her face.
I groaned, “Fine, alright. Just tell me what I have to do.”
I didn’t even want to think about how awful the situation was. I didn’t know if Harry was still going to want to speak with me, or if he was over it already. I didn’t know if Harry had told the other boys about it, or what they thought about me after what I said to Harry. To make it worse, there were going to be tons of other stage crew right there witnessing all of the awkwardness. Great. I could hardly wait.
It took me awhile to get to sleep on the bus between the loud voices of other crew members and the millions of thoughts rushing through my head. They all probably thought I was some sort of freak. I mean, here was this new girl who on her first night showed up late to work, didn’t really talk to any of them a whole lot, and then cried for most of the bus ride to Raleigh. To them I was most likely some bratty girl who was homesick after one day during this once in a life time opportunity. I needed to do some damage control.
I woke up the next morning to find most other people on my bus eating breakfast consisting of cereal, yogurt, and juice. I joined in with Lola and another girl sitting at the table. I introduced myself to the other girl and she told me that her name was Lacey. She was the same age as me, had short lighter brown hair, and was rather short. It turns out she got on the tour because her mom has some sort of connection with whoever chooses crew. Her job on tour was pretty simple and quite awesome I must admit. All she had to do was to get the boys stage outfits in order before the show/ pack them away after the show, and pretty much change them in between the songs. “I bet there are about a zillion girls out there who would love to be in your position.” I said cheekily.
She smiled and shrugged, “Yeah, I guess so, but you kind of get used to it after a while.” I didn’t believe that for a second.
We chatted a bit and then she must have felt comfortable enough to ask me what was wrong the previous night. I didn’t really know what to say. Harry obviously didn’t want anyone knowing his feelings, and I was kind of embarrassed about the whole situation. So to answer Lacey’s question I glanced around the room and said, “Well, I just, ummm…. Wasn’t feeling well.” I guess it didn’t sound too convincing because she gave me a look that suggested she knew it had to deal with the boys.
She half smiled and said cheekily, “Come on Madeline. You can trust me. Also, I give great advice!” I laughed at her and decided to let it all out. Nothing was going to get better if I couldn’t confide in someone, and she seemed nice. It sort of seemed like we knew each other for much longer than a morning.
So I told her everything. How Harry and I met. How I ended up getting on the tour. How it all came down to me feeling heart broken. She looked stunned by the time she was done. “Wow! I can’t believe you stole Harry’s heart, just like that.” she said.
I replied, “Well, not really. Obviously I didn’t, otherwise I wouldn’t feel so stupid for thinking that he actually liked me now.”
Lacey shook her head, “No, I think there is more to it than you think. From the sounds of it, you did cut him off after all. I think you should talk to him.”
“What else is there to say?” I asked.
“You see, I am not Harry Styles. So, I don’t have the answer to that.” Lacey said as she smiled.
I laughed with her, but I was thinking to myself, “There is no way I am going to talk to him.” I was going to avoid him at all costs. It was just too embarrassing.
Later that afternoon, I was helping set up the merch tent. I had managed to avoid all five boys so far today. I assumed most of their day was filled with interviews and rehearsals. There was only one close call with running into Louis. I had to run backstage to grab the signed t-shirts for the night’s show. I walked into the dressing room and grabbed the box. Soon I saw the door knob turn. I didn’t want to face anyone so I hid in the closet while Louis rummaged to find a water bottle and walked back out. I waited a few minutes feeling even more embarrassed and ran out the door with the box, my mission was complete.
I was hanging some of the shirts up in the tent when Lola walked over to me and said, “Hey Madeline. I know this is short noticed and you are just getting the hang of the merch stand, but Lacey suddenly got sick after breakfast and she asked me to tell you to just fill in for her at the show tonight.”
Not hiding the surprise in my voice I asked, “What?!”
Lola gave me a questioning look and continued, “Yeah... She said just to meet her on the bus and she would run through everything you will need to do tonight for the show.”
This couldn’t be happening. Why would Lacey personally ask for me to do her job of helping the boys, knowing what had just happened between Harry and me last night? It was going to be so awkward. How could she forget that quickly? Unless…. Something was giving me the feeling that Lacey was bluffing through her teeth about being sick.
I dropped what I was doing immediately and stormed off to find Lacey on the bus. Lacey was laying on her bunk all covered in blankets and going through something on her phone when I entered the back of the bus. “There is no way you are sick Lacey!” I practically shouted because of how upset I was.
She half smiled and said, “No, really I am. It was something I ate, I think.”
I quickly replied, “We had the same thing. Cereal. How does one get sick from cereal?”
She paused for a moment to carefully think out her response. “Okay, okay. I’m busted.” She frowned a little.
“I knew it!” I smiled happily.
Lacey began to explain herself. “After you told me everything that happened between you and Harry, I thought I could get you guys talking again if….. if well, you were forced to be together.”
I laughed at her reasoning, “Yeah. In the most awkward way possible.” “It’s not that bad. Sure you see them in their underwear for a few seconds, but they are dressed again so quickly you will barely have time to take a mental image!” she laughed. There was a brief pause after our moment of giggles resided.
I started again, “Well, you better get off your lazy butt and get the boys clothes ready. The concert will be starting a few hours.”
“No, no, no. Just because you know I am not really sick doesn’t mean you are off the hook. I am still going to tell everybody else I am sick, so let me tell you what you will have to do” she said.
“No way!” I half shouted.
She laughed and said, “Yes way! I already told everybody I needed to that you were covering for me tonight. It’s all arranged, so there is no way out. The boys are counting on you.” A cheeky grin appeared across her face.
I groaned, “Fine, alright. Just tell me what I have to do.”
I didn’t even want to think about how awful the situation was. I didn’t know if Harry was still going to want to speak with me, or if he was over it already. I didn’t know if Harry had told the other boys about it, or what they thought about me after what I said to Harry. To make it worse, there were going to be tons of other stage crew right there witnessing all of the awkwardness. Great. I could hardly wait.
Notes
This is another in-between chapter! I hope you like it all the same though! :)Lots more Harry in the next!
Please, please, please comment your thoughts and subscribe/ vote if you are liking it!
-Jen
11/16/13