𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐞 → 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝐢𝐢)

thirty [s]

monday,
june 10th, 2020

SHAWN MENDES

"London!" I shout into the microphone, grinning like a crazy person after my performance of Lost in Japan, "This one's called Nervous. Scream it!"

Today I'm playing the Summertime Ball in London, England. This is the first show of my festival run and on Wednesday I'll be in Liverpool to perform at Fusion. Afterwards, I'll leave the UK and perform at multiple festivals across Europe. I also have a few scattered across North America.

My management advised that although I am quite a popular artist, worldwide isn't the goal for the festival run. I'm fine by that because I have a world tour in two months. Well, I only have 49 shows, but they're still all around the world. Europe, North and South America, Canada, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. We cut out a lot of shows planned because of my personal insecurities. I didn't think every show would be full and lively and that worried me.

A few hours later I'm at my hotel in the heart of London City just after a refreshing shower. It's only 5pm since I had a daytime performance. I sang six songs and the energy was just insane. I loved every minute, it really took my mind off of the paternity test and the stress that it fuels. 

I quickly calculate the time difference and work out that it's only 12pm back in New York. Still, I message Trinity quickly. Hopefully I'm not disturbing her at work.

Shawn:
  Just got back from festival #1!! Text or call during your lunch break?

I know that she has an hour for lunch from 1pm to 2pm, so hopefully she'll fulfil my request and get in touch properly then. I still receive a short reply though.

Trin:
  yay!! i'll call you in an hour and we'll talk

Shawn:
  Can't wait baby.

With a satisfied grin, I toss my phone on the luxurious hotel bed. I pull on a t-shirt and some checkered pyjama bottoms before grabbing one of my many acoustic guitars. I relax on top of the neatly made bed, resting comfortably against the suede headboard and strumming at my guitar mindlessly. I play around on the strings for about thirty minutes before spontaneously deciding to go live on Instagram.

I load up the app and start a live, slowly watching the number of viewers in the corner increase by the minute. When I reach nine thousand viewers I greet everybody properly.

"Hi guys," I smile, "Just thought I'd go live for a sec to thank everybody who attended the Summertime Ball today in London. The crowd was crazy! If you were there, I love you."

With a happy smile, I scroll through the comments. Compliments upon questions fill the comment section and I answer a few questions, wasting away the time before Trinity calls.

"Do I have a girlfriend?" I chuckle, reading the next comment that catches my eye. I shake my head, "Not yet guys. Maybe soon."

I spend another fifteen minutes answering questions and informing my fans on the festivals I'll be attending within the coming month. I see that a lot of people watching are coming to some of the festivals, which makes me feel even more excited.

A knock on my hotel room door interrupts my livestream and I quickly thank everybody watching again before blowing them a kiss and ending the live. I sigh, standing up from the comfortable bed and sauntering over to the door. I open it wide and there stands Andrew, all alone.

"Hey man, can I come in?" he asks me.

I nod my head, "'Course."

I step aside and he enters my room, watching as I shut the door and take a seat at the foot of the bed. He folds his arms across his chest with a firm look on his face that leaves me feeling quite unsettled.