Unscripted Videos = Most unboxing videos or people filming themselves playing videogames tend to be unscripted videos. They just film what happens and tend to fix problems from the recording during edits. I don't do them often, but I know that a lot of people like watching them, for example, the unboxing videos, not just for the products in the boxes but also the reactions from the people doing the unboxing. I mostly don't like editing them, it takes so long.
The week is going a lot faster than I expected it to. It's Friday evening and I'm watching the comments coming in on my new video, one about my new makeup, and I'm responding to some of the comments. My subscribers liked the video and there are some people saying that I should try to do more of them, while others want me to do more makeup looks videos. I'd love to do both, but doing hauls costs money and doing looks costs a lot of time... Both of which I don't have much of.
So I keep trying to find a balance that doesn't seem to exist while also trying to not burn out too fast on all of this. Sometimes it's hard to know what the best thing to do is...
I should be working on more videos and homework this weekend, but I kind of don't want to. I know that Mya is at home right now and that she doesn't have anything important to do, she told me so herself. Which makes me consider if I should ask her to come over, or go over to her, or just talk to her online... all things that scare me. I keep trying to decide what to do when I get a message.
'What are you doing?' It's from Mya.
'Watching comments on my video.' I smile a little. 'You?'
'Reading a manga.' She sends me a couple of funny smilies with it.
'Anything I would like?' I've read a bit of manga these last couple of days, sneaking it in between other things, trying to do something else than always either working on uni or the channel. And also to maybe understand Mya a little better, understand what she likes.
'This is XXX rated, got it from Izzy a couple of days ago. Not sure if you'd be into it, it's pretty high-kink.'
I raise an eyebrow at my phone, but then decide to not ask more about it. I'll trust her that it's probably not something along my tastes. I'm more into the sweet things, not so much into the super sexy stuff. 'I'll leave you to it, then.'
'I'll bring you something cute when I see you next. Izzy got a really cute magical-girl manga from a friend. I think you'll really like it too. Izzy was already talking about doing cosplay from it for an event early next year.'
'Cool.' I'm not really sure what else to say to that.
'What are you going to do this weekend? Any Halloween plans?'
'Not really.' I don't usually have people to celebrate with, so I tend to just watch movies by myself, or just ignore it even exists, apart from picking up some super-sour and funnily shaped candy. Halloween isn't really much of a thing in the Netherlands, though more and more places do things around it, usually just candy though, and scary movies on TV, but little more than that. 'What about you?'
'Elliot and I are going to watch some Japanese horror movies and drink and eat way too much Halloween snacks. Do you want to join us?'
My heart beats faster. Should I? Won't I be imposing on them? But before I can answer I get another message.
'You can crash at my place if we run too late and the last bus has already left, and you can bring Luuk too, or any of the other guys if they're interested.'
'Would that be okay? Won't Elliot mind?' Of course, bringing Luuk with me would be easier, but also, that would make it really obvious how nervous I am around her, and won't that be bad? He'll be teasing me about that for weeks, more than he already does...
'It's Halloween, we can all celebrate together. Just, if you want booze, you'll have to bring it yourself, I have no idea what you drink. Snacks will be here.'
'I'll have to think it over for a moment, talk to Luuk too.'
'That's okay. I'd just like to spend time with you, and this is a great excuse, that's all. No pressure.'
I nod, biting on my lip for a moment. 'I'll get back to you on that.' I really want to spend more time with her too, really want to, and I guess this is a good way without making it into a whole date and everything immediately. This is probably more low-key. Which is good...
Low-key is good.
***
My bag is heavy, way heavier than I had planned on it being, and I glare at Luuk as we step off the bus in the neighbourhood where Mya is supposed to live.
Luuk was all for having a Halloween party. He got pretty excited about the idea, and then told me that we had to go shopping for Halloween stuff this afternoon, no matter how many times I told him that Mya would have enough already, he wanted even more. It turns out that some brands make special Halloween themed cans with drinks, so Luuk wanted some of those, just because they were fun. And 'some' turned into basically a whole bag full of them.
"So, where is your girlfriend hanging out?" He looks around, ignoring my glare.
"She said she'd be here soon." I check my phone, but she's not replied anything since I last messaged her. "And she's not my girlfriend."
"Are you sure?" He grins, bumping his shoulder into mine and then he focuses on something behind me as he lets out a laugh. "Oh, never mind. I guess she's here, with a friend."
When I follow his eyes, I see Mya come down the street, a bag in her hands that looks pretty heavy, and next to her is Elliot, who seems to be in total Halloween spirit, wearing a Gothic Lolita dress and high shoes, plus a very poofy black wig. "Ah, that's Elliot. I'm pretty sure I mentioned him before."
"You mentioned him, but I didn't realise he was cute." Luuk shrugs, and when I look at Elliot again, I guess I can understand the charm, he's just not my style.
"Amber." Mya gives me a quick hug with one arm. "You didn't have to bring so much. Like I said, we've got enough of our own."
"Not my plan, this was Luuk's idea." I roll my eyes, and Mya does the same back.
"I totally understand that problem."
"Hey!" Elliot speaks up. "No complaining about the bringer of food."
"Pretty sure you're not 'bringing' any food. I'm carrying all of it." Mya levels a look at him and he shrugs, smirking.
"Sorry, I'm suffering for fasion." Then Elliot looks at Luuk. "Hi. I'm Elliot, Mya's 'annoying' friend."
"Luuk. Amber's... Ehhh... Study buddy?" He quickly finishes his sentence at my look, he's not going to make this more annoying than it has to be, right?
"Let's get inside." Mya turns. "Before my arms fall off, preferably. My place isn't too far." She starts walking and I walk next to her while Elliot and Luuk talk about the upcoming convention behind us.
Seems those guys have quite a lot of things in common when it comes to the type of games they play. Although, Luuk tends to be more into board games and tabletop things, while it's obvious that Elliot is very much into videogames. But that doesn't seem to stop them from getting really excited about next weekend, even though it's making me more and more nervous.
There will be so many people, and just thinking of that gives me a bad feeling in my stomach, so I try to not think about it. I try to ignore the feelings I get, just pretending it won't be for another couple of weeks or something. Not that it helps much, just thinking about it happening at all is enough to get me all nervous...
***
Mya's room is bigger than mine, though it's also a little oddly shaped, since it's right under the roof, so not all of the walls are straight and it's not very light, since there aren't very big windows. But it's very obvious that it's Mya room, since there is gaming and manga stuff all over the place, especially around her bed, and her computer. The whole place just looks like a nest or something, which is very different from my own room. Although, I can't have my room look like this, since I film in it and you see a lot of what goes on behind me when I film. Plus, I need space to set up the lights and everything...
"Put your stuff wherever you like. I'll go get the TV ready." Mya goes over to the big TV on one side of her room, doing things with cables and going between her computer and her TV all the time. It's kind of fun to watch how easy this seems to be for her, how used she is to doing it.
I put my things on the floor near the bed and then go over to a table a little off. She's got her own makeup table. For someone who doesn't wear makeup very often, she has a very pretty makeup table, and I see quite a few items on it that I recognise, especially from the Rainbow Collection by Curious Cosmetics.
Quiet footsteps come closer, and then Mya is standing next to me. "Pretty, right?"
I nod. "I hadn't expected this."
"I got the table years back, I mostly just use it to store things on, or in." She opens one of the drawers and inside it are not boxes or makeup, but piles of manga magazines that are XXX rated, definitely not something most people would leave out in the open. "The drawers make it easy to keep stuff away from prying eyes.
Elliot laughs behind us. "Is she showing off her manga stash?" He comes over, a lot shorter now he's taken his shoes off, though he's still taller than me. "Honestly, I'm not sure showing up your explicit manga is the best way to impress someone."
"It worked on you when Izzy showed off her stash." Mya grins, an evil glint in her eyes. "I thought it was worth a try. Though, I already know that this won't impress her. This drawer on the other hand..." She now opens a drawer filled with makeup and cute things to put in your hair, even though I've never seen her wear them.
"Oh!" I step closer to the drawer, reaching out and picking up a clip-in rose. "Pretty."
"See?" Mya laughs and she takes something from the drawer, though I can't see what it is. "Close your eyes." She's got a sweet smile on her face, but when I don't immediately move, her smile softens. "I'm not going to do something weird, I've just got something Halloween-y to put in your hair."
"Okay." I nod, closing my eyes and angling my head so it's easier for her.
I feel her fingers move through my hair, and then she slides a clip in, before moving it around a little more, and then she steps back. "There we go. Take a look."
I glance at the mirror on top of her makeup table, and she's clipped a tiny black hat into my hair, and for some reason it's all glittery. It looks so silly and I can't help my laugh. "Thanks."
"My pleasure." Her eyes sparkle, then she looks around to Elliot and Luuk. "Do I need to get some glasses and bowls? And what are we going to watch?"
"Nothing too scary, please." I pull a face. I'm okay with most scary things, but some of the American slasher movies aren't my thing, too much gore and everything, too many jumpscares.
"We won't go super mind-breaking scary. I don't like it either." Elliot shrugs. "But most of what we watch is scary and strange at the same time. You'll probably be okay." He goes over to Mya's computer, probably choosing a movie.
"Go sit wherever you like." Mya touches my arm a moment before she leaves her room.
Wherever I like? How am I supposed to just choose a place when I've never been here before and when I'm surrounded by her things? When I have no idea where she likes to sit.
And then I realise where I am. I'm in Mya's room. I'm in the room of the girl I really really really like... Eep!