Public Relations // Michael Clifford

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'I've got that summertime, summertime sadness, I got that summertime, summertime sadness. Kiss me hard before you go, summertime sadness. I just wanted you to know, that baby you're the best.'

I belted out the last of the lyrics to my new single in the recording mic. I loved things like these. No pressure. Just in a small box room in the recording studio, alone, isolated walls which let me hear myself better - which sent jitters of content through my body; distracting me from the fact that there's actually my manager, Sal (who's actually been my best friend since high school too) and George, the music producer who was watching me through the glass window of the wall that acted as a partition to separate the actual recording place and the music producing side of the room.

"That was amazing." George said, as I entered the other side of the room.

"Thank you. I'll see you next week for the next single then?"

He nodded,"Yes, off you go."

Sal and I hugged him goodbye and collected our belongings before heading out.

"I think that one's my favorite." She said, the excitement radiating off of her.

That was the thing of having your best friend as your manager, she actually truly supports me and you could see that and I could also properly trust her with everything in my career.

"Is it really?" I laughed,"Does it make you think of Mister Derek Rush... Your crush?" I teased.

She rolled her eyes,"Good one Hails. But I've already told you, I find him attractive but I don't have a crush on him."

"Sure." I shrugged my shoulders,"Where to next?"

Sally took out her phone from her back pocket and looked through our schedule,"Meeting with your publicists."

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the office complex of my publicists. Weirdly - there were another two sets of cars in the staff only parking lot when usually there were just four. Someone else was here. And there's barely anyone else here.

I disregarded the thought and just remembered how grateful I was for the fact that this office had a parking lot or else there would be paparazzi surrounding us at this very moment.

"Lenny, Ben, are you guys coming?" I asked my two bodyguards.

Ben shook his head reluctantly,"Lenny and I will stay here, Regina gives me the creeps."

I laughed at his response and quickly got out of the SUV.

"Hey Hailey, Sal, how are you today?" The receptionist, Anna greeted.

"We're good, thank you."

"Head on to room five."

I nodded and muttered another thank you.

Sal knocked a few times and we heard muffled come in from the other side of the door.

"Hailey Martinelli, Baby! how's our princess doing?" Regina, the head publicist greeted.

"I'm fine."

"Nice to see you too Sally."

Regina gestured her hand to the two seats in front of her.

"So the management and I have discussed a few things about the media and all the publicity you've been getting here and there..." She trailed off.

"And?"

"You've been in the industry for about a year now, am I right?" I nodded.

"Well, we don't want that spark between you and the media to go and nowadays they're looking for juice! You don't have much of that right now, dear. So this is where the PR stunts begin. If you know what I mean... Get some romance going."

I raised my eyebrows about to speak but Sally beat me to it,"I've discussed this with them too but I thought it would be later on, not so instantly."

Regina shook her head,"They meant until they found the perfect boy and they already have. In fact, he's waiting in the other room with his manager."

"Wait - so you're," I pointed at Regina,"Telling me that I have no say in who I have to do this stunt with - the stunt already being enough to handle with all the kissing and crap, who is this guy exactly?"

Just as I said that - someone knocked on the door, I looked back at Sally in alert, she mouthed a sorry as the door opened.

"Adam Wilkinson, manager of Five Seconds of Summer, great to finally meet you miss Regina."

My eyes widened as I just looked straight forward, not wanting to look back because it was one of those boys behind me... Those boys who I did not want to see at all.

"Sal..." I whispered,"I can't."

She held my hand, not knowing what to say.

"Hello boys, meet Hailey Martinelli and her manager, Sally Cooper."