Paparazzi AU
AU in which Cress is a famous singer and Thorne helps her when she's in a bad situation. Andy Meraz
Cress felt it coming up again. The nervousness, anxiety of being in front of so many people always caused her to do this. She tried to continue singing the song, "It's only in my dreams. So, I'm pouring some whiskey. I'm gonna get drunk."
Cress knew she couldn't hold it back much longer, but there were only two more lines to get through. She looked at her fans, all the eyes on her. And then she missed her cue. Everybody was waiting. Cress dropped the microphone and turned away from the audience. She felt the bile raising up in her mouth, and she knew she couldn't hold it back any longer.
Cress felt the crowd staring at her, and she felt the teardrops starting in the corners of her eyes. Cress ran offstage, the tears coming down in hot strokes. Finally, after pushing past stage managers and choreographers, she found the perfect hiding space. A closet nobody would notice. Cress grabbed the door to the closet and flung herself inside, locking the door behind her. The closet was dark and covered in dirt, but she didn't mind. Anything to escape the raging the reporters and cameras. Cress fiddled with her phone, deciding whether to turn it on and face the consequences. She turned the phone on and waited for the stream of texts and calls to face. The messages started to pop up. Texts from her manager, agent, choreographer…friends. She ignored the messages and the voicemails too, choosing to check the Internet instead. Cress opened Google and looked up her name. She quickly regretted this decision as she saw the news feeds and pictures. All of them had similar headlines. Pop Singer Crescent Moon Gets Nervous Onstage, Stage Fright Tragedy Struck Crescent Moon. Those were the nicer ones. Cress threw her phone across the closet and curled up into a ball. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. This was no time to cry; she had to get out there and face the crowds. Cress opened the closet door and was immediately met by her agent and assistant.
"Okay Crescent, time for a recovery. Tell them you had a bad meal or something. Okay, sweetie?" her agent asked.
Cress nodded, knowing no one would believe the story.
Her agent snapped at the assistant, "Emelie, makeup. Now." She turned her attention to Cress as Emelie applied a fresh coat of makeup, "Everything's going to be all right. Just keep your head up."
Cress nodded and continued walking forward.
"Okay," her agent said, "Showtime."
As soon as the door opened, Cress was faced by blinding flashes and pushed through the door into the crowd.
"Ms. Moon, what caused this episode of stage fright?"
"Crescent, what are the next moves for you and your agent?"
Questions bombarded her. Cress tried to calmly respond, "It wasn't stage fright, just a little bad food," but the crowd overtook her. Cress felt her throat tighten and the anxiety attack her again.
"That's all, thank you," she replied and pushed though the crowd.
"Crescent wait!" she heard people calling, but she continued pushing her way through. She ran through the crowd as fast as she could. When she rounded the corner, she breathed a sigh of relief. Hands on knees and breathing hard, she heard footsteps nearing her. A hand grabbed her arm.
"Crescent, why did you have this anxiety attack?" the reporter asked.
Cress turned to face the reporter and met the flashes of light, "Let go of me."
"Guys, she's over here," she heard reporters yell.
Cress struggled to get free, "Let go of me!"
"Did you have stage fright because of your recent breakup?"
"No, stop, leave me alone!" The crowd seemed to suffocate her. Cress finally broke free of the hold on her and ran across the street, stopping LA traffic. She spotted Griffin Park and ran as fast as she could over the fence and into the park. She turned to see the paparazzi following. Cress ran up a dry hill, tripping on a rock on her way up.
"Whoa, where are you going in such a hurry," she heard a voice say as it helped her up.
Cress turned to face the stranger. The man's face filled with recognition as he saw her face.
"You're Crescent Moon, the singer," the man said.
"Yeah," she said as she tried to push past him.
"And you're trying to run from the reporters," the man inferred.
Cress nodded and got up to run again.
"Come on, I know a place," the man said.
Cress considered the dangers, but quickly followed him as she heard the reporters coming.
The man ran to a small at the bottom of the hill and pushed Cress in first. Cress kicked off her black heels as she climbed in and pulled her hair out of the intricate hairstyle as she climbed into the cave. Her blond waves hung loose just past her shoulders. It had been two years since she cut it in rebellion of her foster mother. Cress pushed away the thoughts as she climbed in and sat down on the dirty floor.
"It really was a good performance…. I mean, until the end," the man said.
"Thanks," Cress replied curtly.
"I'm Thorne."
Cress raised her eyebrows at the man, "Who's named Thorne?"
The man shrugged, clearly not wanting to discuss it more. Changing the subject, the man asked her, "They don't give you a break, do they?"
Cress shook her head.
"Sorry, but is your name really Crescent Moon?"
Cress nodded and turned away.
"Really? That's such an unusual name…"
"Coming from the man named Throne?" Cress snapped.
Thorne turned away, obviously blushing.
Cress immediately felt bad, "Sorry…. it's just… yeah, my name really is Crescent Moon. But I changed it after escaping my foster mother. My real name was Andy Meraz."
"Andy Meraz?" Thorne says, raising his eyebrows.
Cress nodded, slightly embarrassed.
"Nope, Crescent Moon is definitely better for you."
Cress laughed. "So Thorne, what lead you to kidnapping a celebrity in the park at 1:00?"
"First of all, it isn't kidnapping. Second, my girlfriend loves you, so we came to your concert."
Cress examined Thorne better. He was pretty good-looking. "And where is your girlfriend now?"
"None of your buisness, Andy?"
Cress flinched at the memories arisen by that name. "Don't call me that…"
Thorne examined Cress's face, "Sorry, what would you prefer?"
"Cress, please."
"Cress?" Thorne questioned.
"Yeah, Crescent sounds… weird."
"Oh," Thorne said. After a term of silence, Thorne butted in again, "The song you performed was… really good."
"You don't like it?" Cress inferred.
"No, it's just…"
"It's okay. I don't like it either."
"What?" Thorne asked.
"It's not my song. I didn't create it."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Cress nodded, "I wanted to perform something else, but my manager wouldn't let me."
"Will you sing what you wanted to perform for me?" Thorne asked.
Stunned by his request, she nodded. Cress started out softly
" Until you I've believed that I was nothing.
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Sitting, just talking, no expectations.
Search your heart - search your soul."
Cress paused, looking at Thorne for approval to continue. Wide-eyed, Thorne nodded.
"No one sees past the outside into me.
Well, it's always better when we're together
When I can lean my head on your shoulder, without words.
You let me be me.
And when you find me there you'll search no more
The way I'm comfortable with you, no matter what.
At last search your heart - search your soul."
Cress finished and looked at Thorne, cautiously.
"Wow, that was really good. Was that about Ranko or whoever you were dating?"
Cress sighed and turned away, "No, I mean me and 'Ranko' was just set up by our agents for publicity for our new duet. I've never met someone that really… knew me." Cress scooted further away from Thorne.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize…"
"I know. It's okay."
"So that was for…"
"Someone in my future," Cress said dreamily, "Someone who can look past the fame. I mean, two years ago I would have never imagined this happening. I was just a girl whose foster mother locked her in her room." Cress felt the tears starting and stopped abruptly.
Thorne put his hand on Cress's arm, and Cress moved closer to him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to let that all out."
Thorne smiled, "It's okay. I want to know."
When the sun broke the night sky, Cress got out of the cave, followed by Thorne.
"Thanks for…um… helping me," Cress blushed.
"Anytime."
"Well, goodbye, Thorne."
"Carswell," Thorne corrected.
"What?" Cress asked.
"My name isn't Thorne… it's Carswell. Carswell Thorne."
Cress smiled.
"What?" Cardwell asked, somewhat knowing.
"Nothing, Carswell," Cress couldn't help but burst out laughing. She was relieved to see that Carswell was laughing too.
"Well, goodbye Carswell Thorne," Cress said, knowing full well she'd be seeing him again.
Thorne smirked, "Goodbye Crescent Andy Meraz Moon."