Be My Juliet [on hold]

Chapter 14

“Hello!” Dan and Phil smile into the camera broadcasting to BBC’s website.  I sit behind it, making sure I will not be seen.  The boys continue to talk, and I take a look around the room at the people watching them.  I see a few guests, but don’t get a clear view of their faces so I can’t tell whom they are.  There are various people dressed in black, all of which wearing headphones, and I assume they work here.  One of them, a red headed girl around twenty-five, grabs my arm and pulls me over to the guest’s couch.

“Special guests sit here.” She smiles at me, sitting me down next to a brunette man.

“I’m not a special guest…” I whisper back, grinning.

“But you’re Penelope McIntire…” she starts.  “Why would you be here other than for an interview?”

“Wait, how do you know my name?” I blush.

“It’s all over the internet.  Tumblr loves you!”

“Really?” I ask, astonished. 

“Yes!  You should check the Romeo and Juliet tag.” She beams.

“I will!  But I’m not a guest.”

“That’s alright, you should stay here anyway.” The man next to me says.  I turn my head and see Jack Barakat staring back at me.  Jack Barakat from All Time Low.  I inhale, telling myself to not freak out here.  That would not be good for the listeners to hear live.  “Hi, Penelope.”

“Hi Jack.” I say through an exhale, grinning like an idiot.  I chat with him, being as quiet as possible until Dan and Phil call him over.  He gives me a funny face once he stands up, and I slap my hand to my mouth, covering it so that I don’t laugh too loudly.  They talk about Jack’s holiday traditions, and end up getting him to try to do a Santa impression.  The entire time, Dan keeps flicking his gaze to me, and each time I smile softly and give him a thumbs up. 

“Alright for this next segment, we’ll need someone to play with you!” Phil grins at Jack.  Without hesitating, Dan jumps up and walks over to me.

“No…” I laugh, shaking my head.

“Please?” Dan pouts, and I can’t resist saying yes.  He takes my hand, squeezing it as we walk back over to the camera.  Someone in black brings over a chair for me, and after thanking them I sit between Dan and Jack, placing the provided headphones over my ears.  “We have a very special game for the two of you.” Dan smiles.

I peer at Jack, and see he is grinning ear to ear.  “Basically, we will start playing a Christmas song, and cut it off at a random part.  You two will alternate finishing the line, and whoever forgets first loses.” Phil tells us. 

“Got it.” Jack and I say in unison. 

“Alright, first one: Jack.” Dan says as a song starts playing.  I immediately recognize it as Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer.  However, they jump over the beginning to make it not obvious.

“Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say…” the track plays.

“…Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight!” Jack grins.

“Ding ding ding!” Dan says as the next song comes on.

“There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found…”

“For when they placed it on his head he began to dance around.” I reply.

“How did you know that?” Jack laughs at me.

“I’ve watched Frosty so many times, I could recite it word for word.” I giggle as the next song starts. 

“I want to wish you a merry Christmas, I want to wish you a merry Christmas…”