Tangerine

Chapter 10

Soundtrack: Dion - Runaround Sue (1961)

Dedication: Lily — I anticipate your comments every time I update. I love reading what you have to say and seeing how excited you get, because you know I'm just as excited as you lol. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey :) — Jen

·

"Over here, please," our interviewer's assistant guides us to a single couch in the middle of the studio. "Take a seat, settle in. The cameras are right in front of you."

"All four of us on one couch?" Keith asks, though he doesn't receive an answer.

The assistant writes something in her notes, then she looks up at us before departing. "We'll get you mic'd up and Leslie will be right with you."

Unfortunately, Harry's birthday is the day our most intense schedule begins. Ten days remain until our announcement with One Direction is released to the public, and both of our management teams want us to get a head start on one of the most important aspects of our lives now: promotion.

"How about our new team, then?" Elijah fits himself onto the small couch between me and Pete. "What do you think about our new publicist?"

"I think she's cute," Pete winks, overconfident.

Keith snorts. "For someone yer babysitter's age, sure."

"What did she say about her two kids?" I openly recall, sarcasm dripping from my tone. "She is married, right?"

"You can shove it," Pete lends me an unaffected smile, eyes as bright as a daisy. "She's cute. I can look."

"Gross," Elijah scoffs.

"She's our publicist, mate," Keith shakes his head.

Pete grins, the blasphemous bastard. "She can publicise me anytime."

"Ew," I cringe, gaping at our bassist. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Don't answer that because I don't care to hear it," Elijah raises a hand. Bless his sensitive ears.

Pete cracks up laughing. "I'm only half kidding, keep your boots on. I think she has a good vision for us."

"I have to say, the new image isn't half bad," Keith agrees for once. "I think Mitch actually did us a good one here."

"I agree," I smile reassuringly. "This whole... everything... is out of this world."

"Shagging a hot boybander is out of this world," Elijah mimics me, voice and all.

"I did not say that," I clearly oppose.

"Aye, but you implied it," Elijah shamelessly teases.

"Hey, isn't it Harry's birthday today?" Pete asks me, while we're on the topic of the boyband. "Are you going to his party worth two-hundred-thousand pounds?"

"No, I'm not going to his party worth two-hundred-thousand pounds," I decline calmly. "I know how much a pound is worth. I know what it's like to get by with practically nothing. To blow away so much wealth in one night like that is just sick."

"Ouch, Scar..." Pete raises his brows. "That's-... you're completely right."

"Really puts things into perspective, huh? That could be an entire lifetime of cash for someone," Keith sighs, having dealt with his own share of meaningful rallies and peaceful protests. "I'm glad you stood up for what's right. Good for you."