Shivley: A Now United Story

Ch 2: California Dreaming

"Name?"

"Shivani."

"Full name?"

"Shivani Paliwaal."

"Age?"

"15 years old."

"Why are you traveling to Los Angeles Shivani?"

"I am auditioning for this pop group called Now United."

"I see and this is your first time in LA?"

"Yeah...it's actually my first time outside of India."

"I see. Well Shivani, on behalf of this beautiful city, welcome to Los Angeles."

Shivani smiled as the TSA agent stamped her passport, and she walked towards the LAX baggage claim, a place she had only pictured in movies.

After grabbing their bags, Shivani and her mom made their way to this bearded man holding a sign that had her name on it.

"Hello Ms. Paliwal. I am Edward and I will be taking you to meet Simon Fuller and the rest of XIX Entertainment very shortly. We are waiting on three more people to arrive and then we will be off!" As the man turned to talk to Shivani's mom, Shivani began looking around.

America was already so different than India. People were talking on their phones with their fancy American accents (though Shivani felt as though they were communicating solely using the words "like" and "for real though"). The brands were also so different – Lays Potato Chips replaced India's Magic Masala Chips and Kurkure. She heard people drinking "Chai Tea Lattes" and everyone was wearing airpods. Something caught her eye and it looked like someone waving at her. Shivani blinked a few times and sure enough as the person came closer, it looked like he was waving at her.

After several moments of smiling at people throughout her journey and saying "thank you" and "excuse me" for the simplest actions, she figured this was yet another display of the American kindness she had come to love. She waved back and started walking to this person who turned out to be a boy. She was about 5 steps away from him when this girl ran past her and into his outstretched arms, as the boy gave Shivani a confused look.

Shivani stared at them confused and then as realization set on her that the boy was waving past her at this other girl, she could feel the embarrassment of this awkward interaction set on her. Oh well, she told herself. At least I won't have to ever see this boy again. She started to turn around when she felt an arm reach out to grab her from behind.

"Um..." Shivani turned around staring into a pair of deep brown eyes. "Hello?"

"Hi, I'm Bailey. Can I help you?" Shivani took a step back as Bailey's hand left her shoulder.

"Yeah so funny story I was uh waving at uh someone else and you must have thought I was waving at you so that's awkward so yeah." Shivani wanted to slap herself. Sometimes she wondered why she was allowed to speak if she was just going to say stupid things.

"Mhm yeah." He smiled, mockingly almost, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, I really was. Anyways enjoy your time with your, uh, friend. I have to go." Shivani did not understand why this boy could not just let it go. She was about to walk back to her mom when the girl standing beside Bailey smiled and said, "Hi my name is Ylona! I'm Bailey's hometown friend. Sorry for my friend here, Bailey stop being such a guy and bothering -What was your name again?"

"Shivani."

"Bailey stop bothering Shivani please."

Shivani smiled, Ylona seemed nice and she could not imagine why Ylona would ever want to be friends with someone like Bailey who did have nice eyes and...Shivani mentally scolded herself for even thinking Bailey was attractive. "It's okay, I have to go meet my mom now. So bye!"

Shivani practically ran back to Edward and her mom who asked who she had been talking to. "Just some random rude guy. I think he was British maybe but a real piece of work."

"That's not a very nice thing to say to someone who could be your bandmate now is it?" said a deep, British voice from behind her. That voice sounded very familiar. Wait a minute. Shivani turned around and gasped. "W-what?"

"Shivani meet Bailey and Ylona representing the Philippines, and..." But as Edward introduced the final girl, Shivani couldn't process what he had just said. Instead she focused on avoiding all eye contact with Bailey who was no doubt shooting her that annoying smirk she had already come to hate.