Life Is Real

Chapter Six

A week later, we had arrived in the USA. Throughout the week before, Casha and I had many meetings with Queen and their management. The Queen managing crew had agreed by the end of the week to pay for our flight tickets and hotel. Casha and I had nothing to pack for the flight, however. I had got some Canadian passports made for us, fake ones, you understand, so we were set for the trip.

The airplane ride was fairly interesting. Casha, who had an extreme fear of heights, took an extra shot of NyQuil so that she would doze off before the plane got into the air.

"Hadley, dear!" Freddie chirped from his seat as we crossed the Atlantic. "Hadley, come here! I have someone for you to meet!"

I pushed myself out of my seat to follow Freddie's orders. My legs were wobbly and my stomach was tied up in knots. This was my first plane ride, and I had expected it to be less frightening.

"What's up, Freddie?" I asked when I got to his seat.

"See? This was the girl I've been talking to you about," Freddie said to a blonde lady beside him with her face hidden behind a sunhat. "She's from Canadia."

"Canada," I snapped.

"Canada," Freddie echoed.

The lady that sat beside Freddie looked up, her face being revealed from underneath her sunhat. It was Mary Austin! The love of Freddie's life! I gave her a kind smile and reached out my hand for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you Hadley," Mary chimed.

"Same to you, Mary," I greeted her.

"Oh? You've heard of my name?" She asked.

"Um... I-I think Freddie must've mentioned you," I stammered.

"No I didn't," Freddie retorted.

"Yes you did," I argued.

"No, I did not."

"I'm like, one-hundred percent sure you did."

"I assure you, I did n-"

"Well, you've heard of me and that's what matters!" Mary exclaimed as she interrupted Freddie. "Besides, I think it'd be rather sweet if Freddie mentioned me to someone else."

"Oh, in that case, yes Hadley," Freddie hummed, "I definitely told you about Mary."

"That's what I thought," I said before walking back to my seat. I didn't know Mary from Freddie mentioning her, I knew her from going through countless Queen articles and photos.

I sat back with sleeping beauty, Casha, and opened up a magazine. I looked at the first article I saw and immediately threw the magazine down. It was some ridiculous fashion magazine Casha had picked up. I swung over to Brian and his partner Chrissy, who were both sleeping with their heads rested against one another's. I heaved out a disappointed sigh and walked towards John and Veronica.

"Hi John!" I exclaimed a greeting, causing the bassist to jump.

"Oh, hello, Henley," John said with a smile.

"Hadley," I corrected him.

"Oh, Hadley then," he repeated me. "Sorry about that."

"That's alright. Who's this?" I asked, referring to the woman beside him. I knew it was John's girlfriend, Veronica, but I didn't want to make the same mistake with Mary.

"Oh, this is my girlfriend, Veronica," John replied. Veronica was delved in a magazine and looked up only when John tapped her shoulder. "Veronica, this our photographer, Hadley."