Starstruck

Chapter 16*

Chapter 16

-Alyssa Taylor- 

  "Holy fucking shit," Nima says with a wide smile and bright eyes, "We're going to Billboards."

  "Calm down, we still have thirty minutes before Ryan comes to pick us up," I say as I brush a bit of eye shadow onto my lids. I usually try to wear as little makeup as possible, but today I just decided to put on a tad bit more than usual, while still keeping it looking natural. After all, it is Billboards.

  A loud knock startles me, causing a little eyeliner to go astray. Typical. "I got the door!" I hear Nima yell as I quickly dab at the eyeliner and touched up my eye shadow. "What are you doing here?"

  "Uh, Nima, who is it?" I yell from the bathroom. Really, who would be here at this time of day?

  "It's me!" Ryan says as he and a shorter man enter my bathroom. My neutral expression turns to a frown when he touches my makeup. And it's placed right back on the counter  "And my stylist."

  "Um, why?" I ask, looking him over. I have to admit that for once he does look good. The black sport coat added a more formal element to one of his black v-necks. "You said you would come in an hour."

  "Well, yeah, but I thought you would need help with hair and makeup," He adds cheerfully.

  "Which is why you brought me a stylist, who works with men?" I ask slowly. I hate to say it, but I'm not really looking for some male pop star updo.

  "Oh, I can do women too," His stylist assures as his hands run through my hair. "And since, you're just about done with your makeup, which looks wonderful, by the way, I'll just do your hair. Nothing too extravagent, just a bit of curling and adding some more volume. You'll look wonderful, I promise. If I can make Ryan look good, I can make you look better."

  "Uh, sure," I laugh. Whatever he says it already sounds better than a hairstyle a fourteen year old girl could reproduce. 

-Ryan Fox- 

  "Hey," I hear Nima say, "which shirt should I wear? White dress shirt with a navy blazer or polka dot shirt with a tan blazer? I've never really been to one of these things before."

  'White shirt, navy blazer," I say with a shrug. I'm not quite sure about his style, but I'd play it safe. He thanks me for my opinion and quickly rushes back to his room, stubbing his toe on the corner of the door as he goes.

  "Oh, and one more thing," Nima asks, peeking out from the door frame. He holds up a long red piece of fabric. "Bow tie or no bow tie? I like bow ties, but I don't know if it'd be too fancy."

  "No bow tie: it's too fancy" I nod. He thanks me once again and disappears into room, probably to put back the bow tie.

  About twenty minutes later, Alyssa emerges from the bathroom with her hair curled to perfection. The tropical print dress fell to her knees and then she to disappeares into her room before strutting out with a pair of black suede heels. The dress fit her perfectly and I don't know but it fit her too. It captures attention in the way that a red hat in a sea of blue could; it was the same way her personality works. I sigh, I hate to admit it, but she looks better than I do. "So, when are we leaving?"

  "Uh, we can go now," I shrug. The earlier the better because the press will already be lining up. "But aren't you forgetting a little something?"

  "I don't think so," She replies, pressing her lips into a thin line as she thinks. 

  "Mask," I shrug, lending her a helping hand.

  "Oh, yeah," She squeaks and hurries back to her room to retrieve the mask. She strings the black material over her eyes and we all file out of the apartment.