100 Things •JB•

Part 1: The Meeting

Today was number eighty-five, and I was excited. This was one of the most exciting things on the list: See one of your favourite artists in concert. When I was writing the list, I'd decided that whichever concert was closest to wherever number eighty-four had taken me was where I'd go. I'd just finished visiting New York, to eat a hotdog from one of the vendors on the street, and the closest performer was Justin Bieber in New Jersey. 

Apparently my timing was perfect, because it was his last tour date for the summer, and he was definitely one of my favourites. But, because it was so last minute, I'd had to pay big bucks to get the front row ticket and backstage pass. It put a bit of a dent in my savings for this adventure I was on, but not a big enough dent to stop me from going. 

As soon as I'd eaten my hotdog, I went to the airport and booked the first flight out to New Jersey. I'd arrived with enough time to rent a car, and get to the concert half an hour early. 

I jumped out of the car with my handbag on my shoulder, and locked the doors, joining the army of people marching towards the entrance. I waited in line for ten minutes, listening in on the excitement of girls half my age, exploding at just the thought of seeing Justin Bieber live in concert. I smiled at their carefree attitudes, and willed myself to follow their suit. That was the purpose of my adventure, after all, to forget about everything, and just do the things I'd always wanted to do. 

The security at the front collected my ticket, and handed me over to a woman with a clipboard, when he saw that I was to be backstage. She was the same 5'4 height that I was, dressed in a pencil skirt and stylish button up shirt. I couldn't quite tell what colour her hair was in the dim light of the stadium; neither could I hear her voice over the screams of the pubescent girls around me. After a few seconds of trying to shout over the noise, she just laughed and signalled me to follow her. 

We swerved through the crowd, and I kept my eyes focused on her black pumps, hoping that I didn't lose her along the way. After a few minutes of weaving around people, we arrived at a huge door, guarded by security. She flashed them her pass, and motioned to tell them that I was with her. They nodded curtly, and opened the doors allowing us in. 

As soon as the doors shut behind us, it felt like there was complete silence. It was only the contrast of the volumes that made it feel that way, because if I listened closely, I could hear the girls still screaming outside, but it was muffled. 

The woman smiled at me and began to speak, her voice bouncing off of the walls of the empty hallway we were in, "Sorry about that," She laughed softly, "I'm Rose, the backstage manager." She stuck out her hand. 

I shook it politely, a smile mirroring hers gracing my face, "It's not like you could do anything about it, no need to apologize. I'm Sofia." 

She dropped my hand, "Nice to meet you, Sofia." She turned and started walking down the hallway, "Lets walk and talk." I scuttled along behind her and she continued, "Now, what would you like to do, meet Justin quickly now, go to your seat, and then come back and see him again?" 

I didn't answer; I was too busy turning my head and looking into all the doors that we passed, seeing outfit after outfit, person after person. I could help but question the fact that this was all for an eighteen year old boy.