Eileen Davis is at the top of her class at Stanford, so she gets the internship opportunity no one dares to take. After all, you have to be a genius in order to handle a huge tour for one of the biggest pop artists for a grade. Or stupid. Eileen did...
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Or how to travel the world in a year on a budget of 0 $
Eileen was about to go and meet her first celebrity in an old grey Stanford hoodie. That could have been easily avoided if her plain didn't leave at 7 in the morning, forcing her to wake up at 3 AM. Lena wouldn't certainly be the first person to go to the airport in her pyjamas, but she might be the first person to start a new job in her pyjamas. At least she could change into something more professional in the airport bathroom. Eileen looked at herself in the Uber mirror - messy hair, no makeup save from a hastily applied tinted lipgloss, an oversized hoodie - that's usually how she facetimed Sandra and not how she faced her future boss.
But what Lena was unaware that the first on the plane was never easy. It was clear that she had never stepped foot in an airport - she was fumbling to find her passport and ticket, much to the annoyance of the people behind her. Then the baggage check wasn't a cakewalk either - firstly she had to chug her water as the staff gave her disapproving looks, then she clumsily loaded all her things in the baggage trays. But apparently not everything, as she offset the metal detector, prompting the TSA agent to search her. Eileen felt undignified - she was shoeless, her jeans were sagging dangerously low, due to her metal belt buckle and she was blushing because a woman was touching her. What a great start to an international journey. Lena only hoped that they would be using a tour bus or, as privileged as this sounds, a private plane, so she would not have to go through this again and again. Finally, she was on the plane, she would be able to read up on some research papers and case studies, to be fully prepared. But all her plans were ruined because as soon as she leaned back on her seat she fell asleep.
Eileen only woke up when the flight attendant announced that they had landed. Lena barely wiped the drool from her face before grabbing her backpack from the overhead carry and headed out. Somehow luck was not on her side as they landed near the closest gate to the actual airport exist, so there was no time for her to change. So she had wasted all that time in the cab shifting through her suitcase to find a shirt to stuff in her bag and wrinkled a perfectly good button up. This internship was so not worth it. Remember Lena, pain is temporary but GPA is forever she thought to herself. And you get to meet up with your best friend, eventually. Do it for Sandy. That was Eileen's life motto - the two girls had been through thick and thin, and if they could survive every day of high school together, they could survive everything. The girl was who she was thanks to Sandra - they were inseparable, to the point where they had to deny being in a relationship more than once. The pair was completely platonic to the joy of their parents, Sandy's boyfriend and to Lena's discontent.
Eileen's thoughts were interrupted when she found herself in the airport lobby and she saw a bodyguard holding a sign with her name on it. She walked over to him and was quickly rushed to a big car with black tinted windows. It made sense, not wanting the press to find out anything about this, both for Ariana and Eileen's privacy. But as Lena was signing her 5th NDA, she thought all of this was a bit ridiculous. She knew about client confidentiality and knew that as long as she was working, none of her ideas actually were hers, they automatically belonged to her employee. Guess working with a pop star would be a little different that whatever her classmates were doing at Adidas or Ralph Lauren. Lena was cursing her eyes and her ambition and her eyes right now, for landing her in this situation. Somehow they had reached their destination and one of the men in the car asked her
''Would you like to meet miss Grande.''
''Yes please,'' she replied, not wanting to appear rude. First impressions be damned, so what if Eileen wasn't dressed to impress, she was going to impress the singer with her intellect instead. The tour was already starting tonight and she would have the privilege to watch a concert. Lena came face to face with her boss - Ariana Grande. And what she saw surprised her, even rendered her speechless.
''Oh my God, we're wearing the same outfit. Now she's going to think I'm some weird creepy stalker who wants to get close to her in order to steal her identity. I could already see the headlines - Single white intern.'' Lena thought and she was so in her head that she completely forgot to introduce herself.
''You must be the merch girl. Love your style. I'm Ariana'' the singer introduced herself and while the other girl was still in shock, a member of the staff rudely said.
''This is merch bitch, I was expecting someone who was already repping you, you know wearing the merch they're supposed to be selling. But I'm sure we have a shirt her size somewhere in the back. Come on, time to get changed.''
''Well, actually I'm Eileen Adams, the intern from Stanford. I'm here to help out with promotion, public relations, marketing, all of that. So, I'm not merch bitch, sorry.'' Lena backtracked. ''Anyway, good luck with the show.'' she continued and quickly exited the room, not wanting to endure any more embarrassment. Luckily she knew where she was staying and the reservation was already made, so she had no problem finding a room where she could relax.
Deciding to use what little private moments she had, she called Sandra.
''How's your first day, spill the tea babe.''
''I'm not babe anymore, apparently, I'm merch bitch now.''
''She called you merch bitch? I will rip her fake ponytail off faster than she can say yuh.''
After Lena laughed for a good five minutes, she said ''No, it was someone else. But it freaked me out and I ran out of the room, and now I'm planning to hide out in this hotel room until they leave without me, fail my assignment and flunk out of college, then I move in back with my parents where I'll fall victim to compulsory heterosexuality and eventually lose my virginity on the basement couch with the same guy who called me the d word in high school. And because scientific research shows that you fall in love with your first, thanks to the chemicals in your brain, I'll end up marrying him and probably having a few kids. Do you want me to give birth to Chad Washington's offsprings?''
''First of all -that was oddly specific and I'm scared. Second - none of this will happen. Tomorrow you'll be the badass professional bitch I know, you'll apologise, you'll be your charming self and it will all be okay. I'll see you at your graduation, where you'll be the valedictorian, then I'll see you on the cover of Forbes. Don't forget to take me on that world trip you promised. Finally - you got this.''
''Thanks, you always know what to say, Sandy. I love you.''
''Love you too, Lena. Gotta go, Mikey's calling me. He says hi by the way.'' Eileen had to quickly hang up the phone before she could say something stupid. It was time for her to sleep anyway. Maybe in her dreams, she would have a cute girlfriend who will resemble Sandra, but not to the point where it's obvious. But strangely enough tonight her dream girl was sporting a high ponytail and an oversized hoodie instead.
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