VIRAL | JSCHLATT (stopped)

Six

Thank you so much for 500+ reads!!! My heart is bursting fr I luv u

////

  "Fucking finally!" I heard Charlie burst through the door of the VIP Access Room. I was scrolling through my phone as he plops down next to me. "What are you doing here?" He raised an eyebrow, confused at the numerous other influencers scattered around the immense lounge.

  "I was, uh, invited." I responded in confusion. Wasn't everyone supposed to be here?

  "By that bearded guy?" He quizzes and I nod, as do some of the other people sitting around once Charlie has turned to them to ask them the same thing. "Fuck are we even here for?"

  I shrug, which was the most I could give in response from an entire day of acting hyper for my fan base. This was the only calm moment I would get today, judging by some of the YouTubers walking through the doors.

  The room was soon packed with tens of celebrities, all with several tens of thousands, if not millions, of subscribers. They chatted amongst themselves whilst pouring drinks that have been laid out for us, and Charlie soon politely left my company, saying he would quickly be back, to greet and chat with the rest of the Lunch Club boys. I glanced at Schlatt, and got a shy smile in response.
  It's about fifteen minutes and the chatter instantly stopped when a large, tall man clinked a spoon on the side of his glass. He was accessorized by a beard.

  "Hello everybody! Could I have your attention please?"

  Anybody who was sitting down stood up to face the man, and we all attentively stared.

  "As some may have suspected prior, you're all here for a reason," His British accent ran thick. "My team and I have gathered you all here because we would like all of you to participate in a huge project that we think would break the internet."

  People 'ooh'-ed and 'ahh'-ed in response to his comments, and he continued after they've halted.

  "Firstly, I would like to say, this was an amazing event and thank you very much for making PAX East a lovely convention," He excitedly pronounced as certain influencers erupted with howling and cheering.

  "But that's not it. I can see how curious you are, so, without further ado, to put it in brief, we're shooting a movie!"

  More cheers came out of the audience, seemingly having been invited to be involved in something worth their hours for the first time in ages. All of the celebrities were now partaking in creating ruckus. I yelled out as well, and then looked to my side, noticing Charlie glancing my way. I shrugged with a smile as he did too, and then saw Schlatt mimicking my moves right back to me after the latter had turned to face the front once more.

  "We have been spectating during all of the PAX East days on who would fit each role. This is a documentary-like fictional take on reality of the lives of people involved with YouTube. You'd all be playing yourselves, but the twist would come in when we tell you the significance and the love interest of your role, if you have one."

  Oh, here we go.

  "But all of that, we will let you know this evening, by email. And to round this off, today, at about 8 p.m., you will all be joining my team and I at a dinner, just so we can really get to know you guys as much as we can." His team was huge, and so was the frequency of YouTubers in the room, so imagining the seating arrangements was nearly impossible.

  The man put down his glass and turned to talk to a woman behind him, giving us a sign that we were able to finally increase the volume of our chatter and ease the tension in the room. I was so mesmerized by the idea of participating in a group project that I didn't even notice the drizzling rain droplets tapping on the window beside me, something that was always the first thing that caught my attention.

  For a while I continue to observe the man, blankly staring at the wall behind him in the process, but a hand on my shoulder disrupts my spaced out appearance.

  "Bloody exciting," Wilbur purrs sarcastically. "A scheduled dinner in the rain."

////

  "You really think that's gonna give you the impression of 'main character'?" Dan asks sassily, taking the jeans and top that I had pressed against my body and throwing them onto Phil, who was sitting in bed. I furrow my brows - "That's my favorite outfit!" - but he puts his palm up to stop me. "Now, you know, I hate to be the typical 'gay best friend' trope, so in no way am I a fashionista, but I can tell 'good' from 'meh'."

  I turn to Phil behind me, who shrugs, seemingly agreeing with Dan, and I groan, "Fine."

  "And no black."

  "How hypocritical," I throw shade with a smirk as Dan snatches one of the numerous tops scrunched up on the bed and throws it at me. I laugh, as we all do, and rummage through the hung up clothes in the hotel room wardrobe.

  "If I knew we'd be shooting a movie, I would have brought a fucking gown, fuck me," I fake my anger and start to take each piece of clothing on the hangers out, dropping them onto the floor beside me. That earns a few giggles from the boys, when finally they stop after I take out the final piece, which was hidden away far in the closet.

  "Alexa, you're wearing that," Dan states after a pause and Phil nods with widened eyes. I went to the bathroom mirror to see, and it seemed that Dan was right. Against me, I had pressed a white sundress, with a barely visible pattern throughout and a flowing bottom bit. I knew that I'd stand out this evening like a sore thumb, but it's all about impressions. If I wanted to be the main character, I have to believe it myself first.

  Quickly I close the bathroom door and change, even though that has no difference from me changing in the bedroom with the boys, but once I'm done, I study myself. Within moments, Phil puts on some music and Dan pulls out my makeup bag and they both aid me to find where my makeup was lacking for an evening outing.

  After more eyeshadow, contour, and fake lashes, Phil picks out a soft pink lipstick for me to try on. "I'm terrible with all this girly stuff, but at least I know my color theory."

  Dan forces a cough and Phil laughs, and edits his comment. "Somewhat know."