Rocker's Rivalry

Chapter 38

The set was busy, hectic almost. There were people pacing from place to place, set designers dashing about like headless chickens and cameras being dragged all over the place. To all intents and purposes, it looked like a zoo escape, and there was Astrid, standing in the middle of all of it absolutely clueless. To Astrid, it looked like complete and utter, unorganised chaos. People zoomed from place to place, looking as though they had a semblance of a plan for their actions, but soon running back when realising they had no idea what they were doing at all. There were more people here at the set than Astrid had ever seen in one place, and the thought bubbled inside Astrid's stomach like an overflowing soup pot.

This was all for her band and Hayden. All this chaos for one short, 3-minute song. It seemed utterly ridiculous.

There was a tent for the makeup artists, and there was another tent for set designers. There were tents, lights, and cameras scattered all over the place. Equipment placed as various trip hazards across the set, there seemed to be no ordinance of function or necessity for some of the objects Astrid saw laying about the set. yet, it was all there. Astrid could barely see any recognisable faces in the sea of black coats and passing figures as they seemed to race past in a hurried motion.

"Astrid!" A shrill, excited voice screamed out to her from within the crowd, their voice easily portraying their eagerness to get started with this whole ordeal.

Astrid turned around to face them, a relieved smile appearing on her face at their arrival, and her arms opened up into a hug. Relief washed through Astrid at the sight of a familiar face amongst all of the chaos. Rachael raced into her friend's arms, her sudden embrace causing Astrid to become slightly unbalanced, but she steadied herself. It was apparent that Rachael was eager and excited to get started, but Astrid was far from matching her energy about the whole ordeal. Rachael tore herself away and beamed at Astrid, her excitement bursting through the seams as her friend couldn't stop smiling.

"You okay, Rachael? You're starting to look like the joker with your face all smiley like that. You might snap it in half!" Astrid commented humorously, gesturing to the uncomfortably bright smile stretched across her face. Rachael giggled and wrapped an arm around Astrid's and began wandering around the set together, the boys appearing behind them.

"I know, I know. But I'm excited! Aren't I allowed to be? It's the day we've been waiting for. To have our own music video! It's crazy!" Rachael announced quietly to Astrid, acutely aware of all the confused and intrigued glares being thrown their way as they made their way around the set. "I mean, all of this! For us!"

"And Hayden!" Jack called out from behind them, startling Astrid at their random appearance. But she was happy to know they were there behind them and not lost in all the chaos.

"Whatever. Come on and lighten up! This is a big day for all of us. Even if we have to share some of that glory with Hayden. It is him that we should be thankful for!" Taine chimed in, joining in with his sister's overenthusiastic excitement. Astrid glanced back over to Jack, hoping for some kind of reservations on his part, but he seemed to be in silent awe of the things around him. "I mean, I don't even know what half of these tents are for."

"Well, I can tell you that." Hayden's voice appeared in front of them, his figure flashing into view and almost blocking out the sunlight glowing overhead. Astrid couldn't meet his gaze and looked to the floor, still embarrassed about that night and her subsequent runaway in the morning. "I see you all made it okay!" His voice called out like a siren in the darkness. Astrid felt herself freeze as his voice got closer to her, as though he were stepping closer. She saw his feet enter her view as he stood before them all, yet he too was unable to look upon her face.

"Hayden! Are you here already?" Jack called out to him, making his way over to his newfound friend wearing a wide smile on his face.

"Of course I am. This is like my playground. But it's much busier here than it ever has been when I've been shooting alone." Hayden joked, hugging his friend with an energetic pat on the back. "I guess you guys haven't been shown around at all, have you? No one told you where you need to be?" Hayden asked as he tore away from his hug with Jack and turned to look at the twins, who bounded up to him like excitable puppies.