Paparazzi || Luke Hemmings

Chapter 2: picture taking

  his fucking smIle I WANT DEATH^

Once again I'm awoken by John.

I groan, rubbing my sleep-deprived brown eyes tiredly, before unplugging my phone from its charging place on my cheap Ikea nightstand.

"Hello?" I say.

"Charlotte, did you fall asleep, again?"

I glance the blue alarm clock on my nightstand.

"Dude it's 7am on a Friday. Who would be awake right now?"

He chuckles, but then continues on,
"Anyways, Charlotte you're  needed at The Nice Guy tonight at 10pm. You're gonna need to be undercover, but still look hot. If the bouncer gives you a hard time about going in, tell him you're John's girlfriend."

I choke on his last words, "Um John, why in the world would I tell him that I'm your girlfriend?"

I can hear him shrug over the phone, "Eh, we knew each other back in highschool so I've got connections."

"Um okay, is that it then?" I ask.

"Yup! Just remember to be looking fine, yet still look different." He says.

"Hey John wait-"

"Yeah, Char?"

"Who is it I'm taking pictures of tonight?"

"Oh, it's that band again."

"5 Seconds of Summer?" I ask.

"Mhm, that's the one. They just got over their big world tour or whatever so you're gonna be after them a lot." He says.

I hang up.

Oh this is just gonna be fantastic (note my sarcasm)

-

8:30 PM

I'm at my vanity, looking in the mirror and wondering what I should do to make myself look "undercover" as John had put it.

Scratching my chin, I first open up my makeup box that I don't use very often.

I'm not a huge makeup fanatic, so hopefully it makes me look a little different since people don't see me in it much.

I decide to put on an "evening look makeup tutorial" on YouTube, so at least I'd know a little bit more about how to apply some of this stuff.

The girl in the video first instructs me to put on liquid foundation all over my face.

I carefully apply some of it, brushing it in to look more natural,  and well applied.

Next up is "setting powder" whatever that is. Luckily I find some in my makeup box.

After some dark (a little too dark for my wanting) but characterizing eyeshadow, it's time for eyeliner wings and mascara.

And lemme tell you, the struggle of making the perfect eyeliner wings is real.

I'm applying the dark  liquid eyeliner very carefully, being sure to lean my pinky finger against my cheek as the girl in the video had instructed to do so.

"Careful, careful, careful, and per-"

RINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

I drop my pen of eyeliner, and it spills all over my plain white t-shirt. I swear to god, if this is John calling-

"John what the hell do you need! I liter-"

"Um, Char? It's me, Noah."

Oh. Noah, as in my bestest guy friend in the whole entire world.

"Hi Noah! Sorry, I thought you were John, he literally calls me 24/7." I complain to my best friend of 17 years.

He laughs the airy, boyish laugh of his.

"No worries, Char." I can practically see his lopsided smile over the receiver.

"Anyways what are you doing talking to me on the phone, don't you have homework to do?" I giggle.

Noah unfortunately doesn't live here in LA, instead he goes to college in Stanford. Approximately  5 hours away from my apartment building.

"I called because I'm here in LA, Charlotte! We got let out early today, and I figured I'd come and visit you. Thought we could go out to eat, maybe catch a movie. Just hang with eachother, it's been two whole months now!"

I'm about to be very excited, until I remember my job. My god damn job.

Noah must hear my fatigued sigh over the phone, "What is it, Char?" He asks, concern evident in his voice.

"John scheduled me to work tonight. I'm so sorry, Noah! You know I would if I could." I really am sorry.

"It's fine, Char. I can just do something else." I can practically see his apologetic smile over the phone.

"Awh okay, next time for sure. Love you, Noah, bye!" I try to be cheerful, but it's hard and my voice cracks mid-sentence.

"Love you, too, Char. See you sometime soon." The phone clicks off, leaving me drenched in silence.

I sigh, upset that I always seem to be having to work.

Anyways, I suppose I better get back to my disguise/new look.

9:30 PM:

I had curled my brown hair, then twisted it up above my head, into some sort of updo, or curly bun.

Then with my makeup, my head and face area were looking pretty darn fancy. I don't do myself up very often, and it's not like I know too many people here in Los Angeles.

Now it was just time for the dress...

Opening up my closet, I was looking for something that I wouldn't normally wear.

My hand hits something lacy, and I pull it out.

Wow.

It's a short, and I mean short black dress, with a low neckline, and lacey, sparkling long sleeves.

Okay this can only be described as sexy, and sexy is one thing I never usually wear.

This will be perfect.