Georgia And Mika

X Factor Mornings

Mika and I arrived In Rome on the hot summer evening, as soon as we got off the train a few fans came up and said hi, One wanted a picture and two or three wanted autographs. Luckily the hotel was not too far from the station and Covid made the streets of Rome quite empty so we could walk in peace.

It was incredible seeing Rome so empty but yet even here I could not escape Mika's stardom as there was a big billboard right in front of the train station With X factor and his face plastered all over it. I looked up at him. Surely this life of being a celebrity and seeing your own face everywhere got tiring sometimes. Mika seemed not to take any notice of the board however, his mind must of blanked them out due to them being everywhere he looked.

We soon arrived at the hotel, Or more accurately, two apartments that where letted out to both of us. "Yours is Number 12,Mine 13." Mika juggled some keys about and passed me a key with "12" written on it. I went up to the room and opened the door, It was very similar to mine and mums new apartment in Florence which made me feel right at home, On the bed was a bunch of flowers and a bottle of bubbly and a card 'To Michael Penniman and Family'  The note read in Italian. 

Soon enough there was a familiar knock on the door, I opened it to see Mika with two delivery paper bags.

"The restaurant rules in Rome are slightly different to those in Tuscany so I got us some take-out, Its not perfect but It reminds me of big family get togethers. May I introduce you to Shawarma!" He  handed me a bag.

"Mum said she hates this dish, so my hopes arent overly high." I looked at the paper bag. Mum had told me many times before how shawarma was a horrible dish and that its my Dads fault she hated it. "But thats just mum being mum, I bet its actually ok." I looked up at Mika, he seemed confused with what I had just told him but he quickly shrugged it off and pulled out a Red wine.

"This is A special red wine from mine and Andy's collection, I had to bring it to our Rome trip because it's too rich not to share with you. Mika headed to the kitchen and came back with two crystal wine glasses. He first poured me a wine and then himself one. "To Rome!" Mika toasted. I had a sip of the wine and it was truly the best wine I had ever drank. I had some of the food and immediately had no idea why my Mum said she hated shawarma!  It was gorgeous.

"I love the Wine and the shawarma!" I stuffed my face and gulped the wine.

"I knew you'd like it! Not the best Example though, There was a stall in london nearly 19 years ago where I went most days to get the best Lebanese food outside of the middle east. I wonder if its still there." Mika looked at me with a reminiscent smile.  

"So are you ready to go to X factor tomorrow, It's only rehearsals but I'll make sure we put on the best show for you." Mika stuffed the last bit of food in his mouth and finished his wine. "11pm Best get off to sleep, I will come get you in the morning after my workout." he said sweetly and walked out the apartment. I soon fell asleep hoping the morning could hurry up and come as I couldn't wait for X factor.

Soon enough the morning came and Mika knocked on my door with a big smile on his face. He had a long lacoste jacket and black suit on and a flat cap covering his hair. "You ready?" He said to me. I was more than ready as I had woken up early and gotten ready for the day. 

"I'm ready, But we better have breakfast when we get there." I said Putting my Red hoodie on over my white t shirt and jeans.

As we left the apartment a private car waited outside for us with a few members of press and one or two fans surrounding it, the press seemed to want to get a picture of me, Mika seemed very unhappy with this and shielded me from view whilst I got into the car. We sped off into to the city centre and to the x factor studio.

"Time for breakfast although we may have to talk to a few fans. I don't mind though these people are brilliant and wonderful for getting up so early just to say hi!" Mika smiled out the window of the car as we pulled up outside the studio and saw about 100 people waiting outside.

"I'll make sure they behave" He said to me reassuringly as we got out the car. Mika made a beeline for some fans who had made him a scarf and hat and was having a conversation in Italian with them. I hid behind him shyly again as I didn't want to know how these fans would react to me. "Georgy, look what the Italian MFC fans made for you!" Mika stepped out of my way, exposing me to his fans who looked at me with beautiful smiles and kind eyes. They handed me a pink suit jacket with a broach with two dogs on it and doodles representing Mika's albums on the sleeves with a matching baseball cap that said 'Georgia' on the front.

"Thank you so much! I love it!" I wanted to lean over to hug the fans but covid meant I couldn't so instead I posed for a picture with them before heading off for breakfast.

"It suits you!" Mika smiled as we headed inside and to go get breakfast.

We went and had breakfast with the cast, I met up with Emma again who was more than pleased to see me and asked how My life had been over the last few weeks since finding out who my dad was. She did an Instagram Story with me and gave me her number.

Soon Mika, Emma and the other judges and crew hurried off to the dressing rooms, I followed Mika to his dressing room, It was only rehearsals so he just had His hair sorted out and rehearsed a script whilst being mic'd up. soon it was midday and he was ready to step out into the stage.

"The rehearsals are quite long, atleast 4 hours but you can come and go as you want and sit in the audience." Mika smiled, I was slightly disappointed that I'd just have to sit and watch him or find something to do for four hours but I didn't mind.

I sat around in the Audience for a good hour before I got bored, I decided it was a good idea to explore, There could be a piano or something that would help with the dragging rehearsals.