glitch | jack hughes (rewritten)

chapter 47

josephine lee 

I wake up to an alarm that's not too early in the morning but early enough to make me want to snooze a million times. I don't do that because the functioning part of my brain forces me to not do that and instead, I kiss Jack's temple before rolling out of bed without waking him up. I tiptoe to the bathroom and start my skincare routine as quietly as possible. 

My hands tremble through each step making my nerves more obvious than my trembling voice. I tie my hair back into a high ponytail and leave the house full of all my friends to get ready for my set at Coachella. Technically, I don't go on until later but my team wants me there as early as possible so we have time to straighten things out in case something happens. 

I hop into Marjorie's black SUV, walking around to the passenger side with some under-eye masks on. "Hey popstar, ready for tonight?" Marj says with an enthusiastic tone, trying to lift my nervous spirits. I nod tiredly, trying to rub some lotion on my hands to give me something to do. "Yeah, just shitting bricks." I smile, leaning into the back of the seat. 

Marjorie tucks a loose strand of my hair behind my ear and says, "You know once you're on that stage they're going to love you and you're going to act like you own that festival." She's not wrong I'll be a mess backstage and then get run out with confidence and ease, acting as if playing in front of that many people isn't jarring to me. I thank her for the reassurance and squeeze her hand before driving into the parking lot where all the performers will park. 

My manager makes me take multiple deep breaths before stepping out of the car and walking towards a tent where the rest of my team is. I smile once I push one of the curtains aside, trying to give everyone else a boost of confidence. I'm not sure if they're as nervous as me but in case they are I'm going to do my best to stand strong and act unfazed. 

Energy is contagious, I don't want them to catch whatever I have. 

I start by greeting everyone, giving them hugs, and asking how they're doing before looking to my manager to figure out where we should start for the day just to get ready for tonight's performance. Marjorie digs through her tote bag from my merch collection and pulls a clipboard which just about makes Rome and I laugh. 

She puts her glasses on, looks down at her written to-do list, and then puts us to work. First, we run through our routines with the music, then she'll have me soundcheck a few of my songs- some of the more known ones so they don't get away too many hints about what's in store for tonight. Lastly, we rest. 

Most of my dancers hang out in one of the trailers before heading to makeup and wardrobe while I walk to my trailer with Marjorie and one of my security guards behind me. The second I'm inside I'm put into a chair so I can have my hair done while I ice my legs. I'm not quite sure what the benefits are but it feels nice. 

I put a face mask on my face, drinking lots of water while extensions get put in my hair to add more volume to the hairstyle I'm looking to achieve tonight. Once all of the hairpieces are in I listen to the sound of a curling iron clamp around my dark brown hair. The waves are loose and look very mermaid-y, putting a big smile on my face. 

My hairstylist notices the look plastered on my face and matches my expression as she puts all of her supplies away. I peel my mask off, dumping it in the trash before turning around to give her a big hug. "Thank you so much! It's perfect." I tell her, looking in the mirror and swaying from side to side just to watch my hair move. 

She smiles again before taking a seat in the back while my makeup artist starts on my glam. She swipes through multiple pictures of what she thinks will look best for tonight and lets me pick the one I want to wear. After deciding on a time crunch I pick a bronzy- glowy look and sit back while Stassie applies and blends makeup into my skin.