Shot In The Dark [Book 1]

0.2 - The Golden Girl

"Are you ready to leave? We're behind schedule." Jeff asks, checking his watch.

"I guess, I don't have much of a choice either way." I set the glass down and push past them, walking towards the front door. I pull my phone out of my pocket, hearing Jeff call out from the kitchen.

"Cut the attitude, we talked about this. Put a smile on before you leave the house. Nobody likes a snobby rich kid." His orders cause me to snap my head around, looking him dead in the eyes.

"In that case, how did you get so high up on the food chain? I think you're forgetting that I give you a job, Jeff. One bad mention from me and you're done for, the media loves me." My words cause a slight smile to appear on Abe's face and all of the colour leaves Jeff's face. "Keep talking Jeff, let's see where it gets you."

———

"Turn." The makeup lady orders me to turn my head, trying to get me ready for my interview. I do as she says as the interviewer walks into the room.

"There she is!" She smiles, sounding ebullient at my presence. "The woman of the hour, how are you?"

She takes a seat in the chair across from me and I smile, the makeup lady walking away from us.

"I'm alright, a bit tired but what's new. How are you doing?" She beams at my return of the question as the sound guy hooks her microphone up to her.

"I'm doing amazing, I've been looking forward to this interview all week." She opens the notebook she walked in with, reading off of a page filled with writing. "Let's get into these questions, I heard you have a new movie coming out? How is everything with that going?"

"It's going amazing, the cast really influences the experience in a positive way. I'm so happy to be a part of it by not only starring in it but also directing some of it." I answer honestly, noticing Jeff nodding off camera in my peripheral vision.

"That's always good, how did the music video go the last few weeks?" She refers to the music video shoot where I encountered Calum and I feel my stomach knot up like a pretzel.

"The band was super sweet, if they offered I would definitely work with them again. As we both know, I do my own singing and song-writing so if they wanted to collaborate I would definitely agree." I answer, slightly hoping Calum or someone that has some type of contact with him will watch this interview.

"That will definitely help them get coverage and help you step out of your comfort zone, working on a different genre of music." She nods, looking back down at her notebook. "An inside source claimed to have seen you getting close with the bassist, how was that?"

"Oh, well I know him from back home from before I came to the states so it was nice. Seeing a familiar face and all."

"You've been here for a few years, but he just arrived. You left him back home, in Australia?" She asks and I sigh.

"I didn't want to, of course. It would have just been so hard bringing anyone here with me. Besides, he and I weren't on the best of terms when I left." I respond, immediately regretting that response because I already know Jeff is going to eat me up for it.

"Well the two of you are on good terms now, right?" She asks and I smile.

"Yes ma'am, we are. You'll definitely be seeing more from us in the future."

The rest of the interview is filled with normal boring questions regarding my social life and business stuff. I get out of my seat and give her a quick hug, thanking her for being so kind and down to earth. I turn to Jeff, noticing that he looks beyond pissed.

"What is it now, stuck-up Suzy?" I roll my eyes, walking past him and towards the snack table. I grab a water and a cookie as the lecture from him begins.

"You told her too much, she's going to twist your words."

"No she isn't, she was really nice." I shake my head, not believing him. I don't know if he wants me to have the same superiority complex as him, or what his problem is with everyone that crosses my path, but I'm not as dumb as I look.

"No, she wanted you to think that she was. That's the first step." He tries to explain his ridiculous reasoning to me.

"Yeah, and Abe is the muffin man." I roll my eyes, mocking his insanity and finishing my cookie before walking towards the door.

Before I'm able to touch it, someone swings it open knocking me off balance. I fall to the ground and my water rolls away as two pairs of feet stare back at me.

"You idiot, I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" A pair of hands helps me up and I laugh.

"Yeah, I needed to be humbled. Are you-" I look up and notice Calum holding onto my hands. I quickly pull away and glance behind him, locking eyes with Mikey.

Mikey hands me my water bottle and mutters an apology, causing me to shake my head.

"It's fine, really, it adds a bit of excitement to my day." Before our conversation can lead to anything more, Jeff places his hand onto my shoulder and my body tenses up. My smile almost immediately fades and I look down.

"I'm sure it would be great to stay here and chat, but we have to go. she has a meeting to get to." Jeff slightly pushes me forward and I walk away, keeping my eyes on the ground.

"Okay, Margo I'll talk to you later yeah?" Calum asks, looking hopeful and I smile in response so Jeff doesn't get upset.

We walk out to the car and I quietly get in, fastening my seatbelt as everyone else does the same. Jeff rides in a separate car from Abe and I, leaving us time to talk shit.

As soon as Abe gets in the car and I begin my rant, his head turning to me.

"I can't believe him. Right when I finally get the chance to make friends he just has to go and ruin it." I cross my arms, throwing a tantrum and Abe laughs. "What? I'm upset with him."

"Friend ships are distractions, especially at your age." Abe mocks the phrase that Jeff always tells me, both of us know that it's exactly what he would say if he was in the car right now.

"Yeah, especially for Margo Roberts. I might as well act like every other rebellious teen and do crack in a public school bathroom." My anger causes Abe to laugh again before speaking.

"No, you have it all wrong, we do meth and heroine here in the states." He feeds into my rant and I roll my eyes, already in a better mood.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that lesson in media training."

The rest of the ride is filled with aimless small talk. I try to avoid the idea that I'm about to be the only person under eighteen years old in the meeting for a few hours, since the thought only raises my anxiety level. We approach the building that is eighty-percent windows and park behind it to avoid paparazzi.

"Mr. Azoff said you have to wait before getting out of the car, he noticed some paps trying to climb the fence." Abraham informs me and I gasp, my head snapping in his direction.

"That fence is electric, Abe." My jaw drops at the realization of how far these people will go to get a single blurry photo of me.

"And you're the golden girl, people will jump at the chance to see your face." Abraham shrugs and I furrow my eyebrows.

"I don't know if I'm cut out for this celebrity thing." My stomach knots up and Abe sighs.

"You're more cut out for this job than anyone else I've worked for, don't doubt yourself. You're just getting started."