Mr. Bad Influence

Chapter 15 - Part 1

Kerri couldn't have been more nervous on the drive to the awards. It was a big night for Nick. She had been exchanging texts with him all day. She had assured him that everything would turn out well, but she couldn't help worrying that it wouldn't.

The whole third party issue revolving around Nick, Hannah, and her wouldn't help the situation either.

Photos of her and Nick kissing had leaked, and those photos, along with the photos of Hannah grabbing her and of the scratches on her arm, had gone viral.

No. She shook her head. His performance will be great. The response will be even better than he can imagine.

"There's been a change in the seating position," Dana said.

"Oh?" Kerri turned to Dana, who was seated next to her in the limousine.

Dana nodded. "You've been moved to the middle of the row, still in the first row."

No doubt the producers wanted to capture both Nick and her on the same screen during his performance. Kerri looked out at the crowd. Almost all the fans had their cell phones in their hands, some screaming at every car passing by while waving different signs and showing support for different stars.

She didn't smile back in return. There was no point. Dana had chosen a car with tinted windows, so no one could see who was inside.

When the limousine came to a stop, Dana put a hand on her shoulder. "Eugene and Tyson will exit the car first." Dana looked over at the two security personnel in suits.

Kerri smiled. "Yes, I've done this before."

"You've been rather preoccupied all day. I was worried that your mind was elsewhere."

That was true.

Once the door opened, Kerri could hear the screaming outside. Shoulders back and relaxed. Back straight. Smile. Dana went out after Eugene and Tyson, then held her hand out for her.

Kerri stepped out and flashes went off immediately. She smiled and paused outside her car while Dana adjusted her dress.

"Okay," Dana said.

Kerri moved forward with her silver clutch purse in her hand. A few steps in, she spotted a group of girls screaming at her while waving her posters about. She moved over to them and leaned forward to take selfies with them while Eugene and Tyson kept straying hands away from her.

"Kerri, please sign this!"

A marker popped up next to her, and Kerri turned to find Dana holding the uncapped marker. She grinned at Dana, then took the marker and signed the posters the girls were holding.

"We're so glad you and Nick got back together."

Kerri looked up and gave them a small smile.

"All right, we need to move on," Dana said and placed her hand on Kerri's shoulder.

Kerri signed the poster she was holding, then returned it to the girl. "Thanks for coming." She moved along the carpet while photographers, all in suits and tuxedos, shouted her name, asking her to look at them. Dana was quick to disappear before the same photographers had to yell at her to move away.

She posed and smiled, angling her face to the right, then slowly rotated toward the left. When that was done, she moved forward and grinned at Benny Donagher, the host for the red carpet event. "Hi, Benny."

"Hi, Kerri! Are you alone?" Benny bent forward, then tilted back, pretending to look around her. "I thought you'd be here with Nick."

"I'm sure he's already here."