Robbie
I'm still standing in shock as the door shuts behind Noah and Millie, and the room falls silent for about two seconds, before Quinn catapults himself into me.
'NOAH FREAKING SCHNAPP AND MILLIE BOBBY BROWN JUST TOOK PICTURES WITH YOU!!'
You'd think Quinn was the one who'd been asked to hang out with his favourite idols the way he's shaking me around in his grasp. I'm still trying to process everything which has just happened in the last fifteen minutes.
Cade watches as I get flung around like a rag-doll, smiling to themselves. Quinn finally lets me go, and my eyes lock on Cade immediately.
'Did... Did that just happen?!'
Cade laughs, coming over to me and slapping my back again.
'It's about time you started getting the recognition you deserve.'
I'm struggling to process all of this. Noah and Millie were right here. I hugged them both. And Noah was actually a really good person to hug as well. My phone's still buzzing in my pocket, and I don't really want to go through all the notifications that'll be pouring in. How the hell will I manage to cope with this? Maybe I should ask Noah tomorrow how he deals with all the notifications. The fact there's even a tomorrow where I get to see him is so unreal.
'So what do you wanna do now?'
I look at Cade, and then to Quinn. I know that Cade will no doubt be out drinking with most of the crew till the early hours, and I don't blame them. Cade and the crew all work just as hard as me and I do feel a pang of guilt when I see them calling their families and children, knowing that if it wasn't for me they'd be there with them.
'Honestly, I'm ready to sleep for at least a whole day.'
Cade grins, stepping towards the door.
'Well, you do what you want. Tonight's been a big night so the crew and I will be going out for some drinks. You sure you don't want to join us?'
'I'm fine thanks. I'm sorry I won't be with you guys, but just let them know how much what they've done means to me.'
Cade nods, opening the door.
'There's an uber waiting outside to take you two back to the hotel. I guess I'll see you guys at some point tomorrow.'
Quinn and I head for the door, where Cade gives me another pat on the back.
'I've got a feeling this is just the start of something great. And it's cool to see all the effort you've put in finally come back round. In a positive way of course.'
I flash a small grin at them, before heading out of the door with Quinn, being shadowed by house staff to make sure that there weren't any fans hiding around waiting to catch me leaving.
We've been back at the hotel for a couple hours and it's now the early hours of the morning and I can't sleep. Again. But this time it's for wildly different reasons. I'm still running on adrenaline from seeing Noah and Millie, but mostly from the show. I'm replaying moments from the gig over and over in my head, and this is why I fell in love with music and performing.
I've had my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' mode since we got back to the hotel, and I'm kinda dreading seeing all the notifications that'll pop up when I turn it off. Quinn's been looking at my instagram account and unbelievably I've shot from just shy of four thousand followers to nearly eleven thousand in one night.
Noah and Millie may have just inadvertently given my career a massive kick up the backside, and I know I'm gonna have a lot to thank them for. Quinn looks up from his laptop, also being unable to sleep he'd decided to start editing the photos from tonight.
'Um Robbie. I know this all scary, but you should turn on your notifications again. There's something cool Noah and Millie have done.'
I kinda freeze at the mention of whatever it is they've done. I'm really excited and thankful for the boost they're giving my follower count, but I still feel like I haven't done much to deserve it. I slowly collect my phone from my bedside table, unlock it and turn off do not disturb mode. I nearly drop my phone as it starts vibrating like crazy. I've got missed calls from the family group chat of all things, and I've got a couple of texts from my parents asking when I'd be okay to call them. And that's what I can see right before all the Instagram notifications take over.
[Instagram] NoahSchnapp has tagged you in a post
[Instagram] MillieBobbyBrown has tagged you in a post
I immediately open up the app, ignoring the huge amount of red marks in the bottom of the screen, relating to likes and followers. Noah's posted a few pictures and videos. The first is the group photo Quinn got of us three together and I flinch at how terrible I look stuck in the middle of these two really good looking people.
I scroll across, and see the video taken from his story earlier of him crying during 'Photograph', and the next video is the one Millie took of Noah crying. The final part of the post is one of the selfies I barely had a chance to get ready for. It's the one where I was able to rest my chin on his shoulder, and both of us have these massive grins on our faces. It's kinda cute seeing us together like that in a picture. The caption reads 'Thanks so much robbie.mp3 for an amazing night that we won't forget for a long time! Lots of love and thanks for playing the song I asked for.'
This is unbelievable. I'm in a post on Noah's account. And the post nearly has one hundred and fifty thousand likes already. I double tap it myself, adding my like to the long tally of likes it's already collecting. I keep on flicking through the pictures and videos, but I keep spending more time staring at the last picture in the post, the selfie of us together. I finally manage to pull myself away from the picture, and start checking the comments.
Most are all spam from fan accounts saying how cute or happy he looks, which I agree with. I feel like I should say something. I type in a comment, 'No worries at all man. I'm so happy I got to meet you and that you had an amazing time, it means a lot :)'. As soon as I've posted the comment, it starts racking up replies and likes. His fans are going a bit crazy, and I realise I'm going to have to start dealing with this now that I've started to get a decent following.
I tap away off the post, and check out the one Millie's put up. It's very similar to Noah's, echoing what he said and has a few different pictures from throughout the gig. I also like the post and type out a thank you comment for her, not wanting to seem weird for only liking and commenting on Noah's post.
My phone buzzes again as a new DM flies in through Instagram and I'm almost tempted to ignore it, but I'm glad I don't. It's a message from Noah.
NoahSchnapp: So we talked to the crew and managers, and it looks like we've got the all clear to hang out tomorrow 🙌
My heart is up in my throat immediately. I can't believe it. I'm going to spend some time with two of my favourite idols, and they asked to hang out with me. I guess my reaction wasn't as muted as I thought it was, because Quinn's noticed.
'What's got you smiling apart from you know, the whole new following of people, the fact you met Noah and Millie and you just played your biggest ever show?'
I'm too excited to even roll my eyes at him. I just roll over in my bed and hold out my phone for Quinn to read the message. His eyes widen as he reads it, and I pull my phone away as he starts smiling brightly at me.
'Well I'm glad you've now got something to do tomorrow. I'll no doubt be ferrying Cade's hung over ass every where.'
'You can come with us if you want. Get some pictures if you want whilst we're out exploring.'
Quinn shakes his head.
'I wouldn't want to make them uncomfortable, they're probably used to being shadowed all the time by paparazzi and I don't want to be like that.'
I nod. What he's said makes sense. So I'll be alone with two of the biggest teens on the planet tomorrow. No pressure.
I open Instagram again, and start typing out a message to Noah.
robbie.mp3: Awesome! Dude thank you so much you guys honestly don't have to spend time with me if you don't want to, I'm sure you've probably got much cooler people to hang out with.
Noah responds almost immediately. I like it when someone else responds just as quickly as I do, I'm normally scared to respond immediately cause I might come across as creepy, but with Noah it feels different. Natural.
NoahSchnapp: Don't be silly man, both of us wanna hang around with you. I want to get to know this up and coming musician 😉
I grin stupidly at my phone when I read the message. This boy is warming me up on the inside. He's so completely different to how I thought he'd be, seeing as he's been an acting star since he was little, and I'm a newbie in this unknown star studded world.
My phone buzzes again as I'm still grinning stupidly at the screen.
NoahSchnapp: We're gonna try get into Atlanta for around 12, gives you time to sleep off the paaartaay we know you're probably having after such a good performance haha. Where would you wanna meet?
My mind starts racing. Where can we meet? I haven't exactly explored Atlanta that much, and I barely know anything about what you can do here. Would Millie and Noah want to do something 'touristy' or is that too cheesy for them? I am not the best person to organise stuff like this.
robbie.mp3: If by paaartaay you mean sitting awake at 2am with Quinn watching Tik Toks then yeah, I'm living it up. I don't really know where to go. I'm just a dumb British tourist so I have no idea where to go or what to do haha.
NoahSchnapp: That's DEFINITELY my kind of party. Millie and I haven't had much of a chance to check out Atlanta either, but Millie did google some stuff to do so what if we meet at the hotel you're staying at and go from there?
My mouth dries a little at the thought of them showing up and probably getting mobbed in the lobby by fans. But it has been kinda quiet at the hotel, and most of the people staying here are business folk who probably have no concept of current shows so Noah and Millie might be safe.
robbie.mp3: Yeah that would be really cool! I can't wait to hang out, this is so unbelievable. Thank you so much.
NoahSchnapp: np dude, again we want to hang out with you and I'm just excited as you are. Now get some sleep, you'll need the rest.
robbie.mp3: Says the person whose normally up till the early hours of the morning 😂😂
NoahSchnapp: touche.
I give Noah the name of my hotel, and I tell him again to go to sleep and my phone buzzes. Noah's sent a selfie of him in the dark in bed, shirtless and with a raised middle finger. A snort of laughter escapes from my nostrils, making Quinn look up from his phone with a little smile.
I quickly snap a similar photo, but I'm wearing a grey long sleeve top I use for sleeping in bed after doing stupid shit to my arms, and I make sure the sleeve doesn't ride up my left arm as I raise my own middle finger and send it to him.
He opens it immediately, and I can't help but wonder what his reaction would've been when opening it.
NoahSchnapp: Ok, ok. Truce. We'll both go to sleep.
robbie.mp3: I begrudgingly accept your offer.
I turn off my phone before checking for a reply from Noah. I roll over to one side, leaning across to turn off the bedside lamp illuminating my half of the room. I know Quinn will still be working on his laptop late into the night, but I'm actually so exhausted I don't think he'll disturb me. I remove my glasses, and pull the duvet up around me. It's like I'm trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. I'm going to see Noah again tomorrow, and I don't know if I'll be getting much sleep but I'll try, for him.