First things first, I take a photo for Instagram. Second, I fall asleep answering comments asking "Omg my punk rock idol!!!!! marry me bae <3 <3 <3" Third, wake up at two in the afternoon wondering why there's red strings everywhere. Then I realize that it's actually my hair, which I dyed red. I have about thirteen texts from Dan, Phil and PJ asking the same things as my followers on Instagram, but also, "Why didn't you tell me?!" They seem worried. I guess this is like back in Year 10 when I told one friend I was going to buy drum set behind my parent's backs. I guess I can be a little impulsive sometimes.
I text back, and figure this calls for a video. New hair, new video. Makes sense. Anyways, I've heard that hair dye videos get really popular, and if I want anything to get popular it's my newfound sense of rebellion from my past self. I take a shower, watching as all the extra dye runs down into the drain. The pillowcase I slept on is pretty much ruined, weird and smeared and red.
Makeup, clothes, now all I have to figure out is what to do with this new color. I figure since it's so bright, and this is a video where I'm literally showing it off, I might as well wear it down in a massive sort of "mane." Not huge or anything, like some MySpace girl, but bigger than my old style.
There's a lot of people still confused and worried about me and my hair, but this video will explain it all. Not the "I wanted to impress Gale" thing, but I do really want to have a change in style after the past three years of jumpers and skinny jeans. Not like I'm going totally emo or anything, but I need a change.
"Hey everyone! Yeah, I know. My hair, holy shit. I feel like a lion with firetruck hair. But um, yeah, let me explain all this... It's been a long way coming, actually. Anyone who knew me as a teenager knows all I would talk about was getting my hair dyed some bright color.
"Basically, I've looked the same for over three years. I was sick of the kind of normal, jumpers and skinny jeans thing. So around three AM this morning I threw on a sweatshirt, ran outside, and bought some bleach and dye. After that, I posted a photo on Instagram, the one that made all of you flip your shit, and went to bed! So now I'm here... Red hair, looking absolutely mad, making a video." I go on a little more about my week and things, but nothing of real importance.
After I turn off the camera, I take a few more photos for Twitter and such, and maybe to add to the thumbnail. Who knows. I'll probably take a few hours before editing, not get too tired of anything and make myself sick of this.
Pj is the first of my friends to text back about my hair. I think it looks great. Want to hang out or something? I smile.
Sure. I'll come over later? I type back. I don't really do much, so most times are great for me. Plus I don't have Uni most days, due to brilliant planning by me.
Pj and I decide to meet up around five-ish and go from there. I'm thinking we'll make up some kind of challenge or something, or maybe he's just lured me in so we can work on a script or something. It's probably the first, but I do want to start working on a new project soon. We haven't collaborated on something big in forever, and I've been itching to get my hands on some new ideas.
Since I've been lying around the house all day, rubbing my face against things and messing with my eyes, it's a good idea to do my makeup again. Also change, since showing up wearing the same thing in two close together videos is tacky.
So I head over to PJ's house, feeling pretty great. Even when a little boy stares at my hair in the street, I brush it off with the confidence that I'm only kind of faking. I guess I do look like a fire hydrant, though. Whatever, I'm the greatest fire hydrant that has ever walked the earth, that's for sure.
I get to PJ's flat at "five-ish" and text him that I'm there. Doorbells are for losers or something like that. I don't know anymore.
We sit on the couch for a bit, just chatting. Neither of us can just start a collab, we have to start chatting and warming up first, otherwise things are just awkward.
"Any new projects?" I ask, curious if I can help out with something. I'm always looking for a way to not sit in bed all day and make myself depressed.
Pj shrugs. "I was thinking of starting something, but I don't have any ideas at the moment. You?"
"I was thinking of a few ideas. Nothing big at the moment. It's been a while since we've made any films or anything."
"I guess we should start something up. I've honestly been a little bored recently."
"Haven't we all?" I ask, "But we need some ideas. I was thinking something realistic-y? Just a thought. Maybe we've been drowning everyone in all the magical realism... Something serious?" Pj and I have made about two short films together, not counting the few of his I've made appearances in or helped produce.
"Maybe someone at Uni? Who's bored?" asks Pj. I shrug.
"We need a conflict, though. A death? Something internal?" I ask, racking my brain for something. Ideas aren't easy. "What about this," I say, "There's this group of friends who have gotten together after a long time, like they were childhood friends who haven't seen each other in forever. But a lot of them have changed a lot and a few are lying about like, everything."
Pj seems interested, and after a moment adds, "Two could've been dating. But now one is married and it's all really awkward." I open a new notes page on my phone. This stuff is good. The only challenge might be getting enough people, but then again we've never had a problem with big casts before. If worse comes to worse, we have enough combined friends to give us a good cast/crew of fifteen.
In the next few hours we get the whole plot, theme, summary, and potential casting for this thing done. Basically, five friends all meet back up just after finishing what would be four years of Uni. Three have graduated, one is a dropout who's trying to make a living in art, and the other is kind of a fail at life. There are two guys, three girls, Pj and I might be in it but we're not sure yet. Once our prospective actors get back to us we'll make those decisions. We've also figured out that none of them dated except for the two we decided on. They'll add lots of drama. Pj and I are proud of what we've done, even if we haven't been able to actually film a video. I head home late again.
Now that I have something to do, the world doesn't seem so terrifying. I guess it's totally unrelated and dumb, but filmmaking and music has always been my distraction. There's something comforting for me about having something to do. Not anything too intense or pressing, but something to look forward to finishing or starting. I'm probably going to come back to Pj's house tomorrow to work on the script, but if one of us isn't feeling up to it we'll just open up Google Docs or do it over Skype.
I'm excited. Even though I have to do editing, I'm excited.
// guys sorry if this is late I'm on vacation so my priorities right now are like roller coasters @ Disney > updating. Also I think I've caught the plague as I can't stop coughing and have eaten unthinkable amounts of cough drops in the last 12 hours. I might be a bit high from it I think. Oh yeah, and pj lives in Brighton irl but... eh. But yeah, hope you enjoyed this thingy, have fun with your spring break (whenever that may be), and damn this was a long-ass authors note I'm sorry.
PS, in the end I had strep throat, plus a 102-103 Fahrenheit (not Celsius lol, I'm not a demon) fever and had to go to the ER. I'm great now, but while writing this I was kind of bedridden and feeling disgusting so there ya go! I promise im good now, they filled me up with tons of antibiotics. Not flucloxocillin though. oh yeah and the photo is something mia would usually wear, i just kinda felt like putting a photo for once.
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PPS from 2016: so this author's note was a very important part of my life tbh also this was like exactly a year ago jfc
but yeah i mentioned veeoneeye in the original chapter which obviously isnt being mentioned because he's a horrible person and deserves NO support
ANYWAYS yeah that's my author's note from the future //
