"...Stay tuned for a live performance by McKenzie Brooks -"
Tom clicked the power button on the T.V. remote in his trailer. That was all he ever heard about now-a-days: McKenzie Brooks. Every since the Movie Awards last month, it felt as though he could never rid of the girl. Since her album had just been released, she was in all the stories, on bus advertisements, billboards, benches, on possibly every late night and daytime show out there, played constantly on the radio, and, Tom's personal favorite, now on MTV. Yes, McKenzie had gotten her own reality show, as if there weren't already enough of them. He had also overheard his co-star, Ashely Greene, talking about how McKenzie and her had just landed roles in a movie based off some girl book series. In just one year, this girl had gone from arm candy to Robert Pattinson to her own individual level of celebrity. Her husband probably loved it, especially with his new twenty-million dollar home, equipped with indoor and outdoor pools, an indoor sport court, personal recording studio, miniature movie theatre, and touchscreen sound system programmed around the house. Tom had heard about it the night before during McKenzie's interview with David Letterman.
The worst part of all this was that even Jade was into all the hype. Tom had hoped that his girlfriend would be a safe haven from all the madness, but every time she heard McKenzie's name, she began begging for concert tickets that, little did she know, would never come. Tom could handle the ten minute interviews but going to a two hour concert with Jade would not be tolerable.
"Hey, Tom, you almost ready?" Ashley asked after knocking on Tom's cracked open door.
He jumped and threw the remote on the couch. "Yeah, just about."
"Okay, cool. Oh my God, I just remembered that McKenzie is performing on Good Morning America today! Ugh, she'll be pissed if I don't watch it. Do you mind switching it on just so I can see what she's wearing if she asks if I watched it? That's always what she asks."
Tom used turning on the T.V. as his reply. Ashley seemed to have forgotten that they had to film the final scene of The Apparition in a few minutes because she sat down right next to him and began to watch McKenzie perform. Tom leaned back in the couch and looked down at the remote, beginning to play around with the buttons.
"I don't know why I torture myself watching these performances. She always wears stuff that makes her legs look so amazing and then I remember that I don't have that. Oh, and not to mention her butt. Maybe I should go to some of those kick-boxing classes with her..."
Tom wanted to stand up and shout, "You're tortured? That's my ex-girlfriend who got about ten times hotter since we last dated and she's all I ever hear about. Did I mention that I desperately want to reconcile with her, but every time we see each other she either slaps my hand or ignores me entirely?" But of course he didn't. He just nodded.
"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't be talking about this with you since I'm basically asking you to check out another woman when you have a girlfriend."
"It's fine."
"So," Ashley sighed, looking away from the show, "what are you doing when we're done filming? Heading back to London?"
"No, I actually have to do a bunch of comic-cons and autograph signing sessions."
"Oh, yeah, I have to do those when the Twilight movies come out. I have a few more months until that begins again for me, though. Breaking Dawn Part One, whaddup!"
"Harry Potter started the double movies, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, shut up Mister Part-of-the-most-popular-film-franchise-of-all-time." Tom laughed. "I'm not saying that Twilight is better at all, but hey- it got me a job. So, where are autograph signings and comic-cons taking you? Anywhere exciting, like, let's say Jacksonville, Florida?"
"Is that by chance your hometown, Ashley?"
"Maybe..." Ashley admitted then laughed.
Tom laughed too then explained, "No, I'm actually headed to Chicago."
"Hey, that's where McKenzie's from." Ashley pointed at the T.V. as if Tom needed a reminder who McKenzie was.
He had completely forgotten that McKenzie was from the suburbs of Chicago. He knew that she had told him back when they went to school together. In fact, she had to tell basically everyone their age when she introduced herself on the first day of classes. After that she just always complained how much she missed the deep dish pizza and Portillo's, which was apparently a restaurant only found in the Chicago-land area.
"Really? I should have figured she was a city girl."
"Well, she's from the suburbs, but still."
"Ah, that makes more sense. I wouldn't think there would be too many private schools in such a big city."
"How did you know she went to a private school?"
Tom forgot that Ashley didn't know that he knew McKenzie. "I heard you two talking on the phone once. You should really try and talk quieter," he covered.
"Yeah, it's a horrible habit I picked up when I was a kid. I thought the person wouldn't be able to hear me," she laughed. Suddenly, she hit Tom's shoulder. "Oh my God, you two should totally meet there! I think that McKenzie is headed there to do some big hometown concert thing next week."
"Oh, I don't know. I'm only going to be there three days and I'm really busy."
"You'll have free time. I know how those things work, remember? Plus, McKenzie would be able to show you all the good restaurants and stuff. Nothing's worse than going to a city for the first time and not knowing where to eat."
Tom felt clueless on what to say. Should he just tell Ashley the truth? No, she was McKenzie's best friend and would most definitely tell McKenzie. That would mean not just a slap to the hand, but to the face next time they ran into each other. So he would have to go along with this and pretend like he didn't know McKenzie and call her to meet up. Maybe this would be the perfect chance to reconcile. After all, she couldn't refuse or else she would have to tell everything to Ashley and probably a lot of other people.
"Yeah, why not? What's her number? I'll give her a call after we're done for the day."
"Awesome! Ah, this is so exciting! My best friend is meeting my favorite co-star -- don't tell Stan -- and they're totally gonna become friends. Hey, if you and McKenzie end up getting along, maybe we can do a triple date thing: you and Jade, her and Jeffry, me and Joe."
No. Never in a million years would I go on a date with McKenzie and Jeffry. "Yeah, definitely."
Ashley smiled and told Tom McKenzie's number. He would have to call her because otherwise Ashley would interrogate him and he wasn't about to answer. Tom had to keep the mindset that everything would work out in the end. Maybe McKenzie would accept the invitation and they could become friends again. That was all he needed. It had bothered him for years: ever since he received McKenzie's apology text from the airplane. All he really wanted to do with this opportunity was let her know he read it and forgave her.
"We should get going. They'll be pissed if we're late."
Tom agreed and they two turned off the T.V. and went to go film the final scene of the movie. Tom wished that it had been a longer scene so he could put off this call. How would he start the conversation? Just with a simple hey? People don't just say 'hey' all casual after not talking for five years. Maybe 'hello'? Yeah, that sounded more proper. 'Hello' would suffice.
"It's call time," Ashley exclaimed. "I expect to be hearing about triple date plans soon, got it?"
Tom nodded and pulled out his iPhone, beginning to scroll through his contacts until he got to McKenzie's name. This was it. He began to call her.
"Hello?" She picked up after the third ring.
"Is this McKenzie Brooks?" He had to make sure it was actually her.
"Yeah... who's this?"
"Hey, uh, it's, um, it's Tom Felton."
