I walked through the aisles, getting a glimpse of the stage before me. I loved walking through the floor seats before a meet and greet, just to get the feel that the fans did, I know that no matter how hard I try though, I'll never feel how they do. But I try.
I followed my manager and my security team to the back of the stage where a long line was formed of screaming girls. I smiled and waved, only causing the girls to scream louder. My manager handed me a mega phone.
"Hello everyone. Before we begin, I ask that we all simmer down and be aware and respectful of everyone here. I am so happy all of you came out to see me today and I will try my hardest to speak with you all briefly with the time I've been allowed. I'm gonna turn on a bit of music so feel free to relax and what not until your turn."
My manager turned on music and the meet and greet began. Meet and greets give me the opportunity to connect with fans on a different level. I am given a small insight to who they are and they are content to be in my presence, rarely do I have anyone asking for insight into who I am, which was fine.
As the meet and greet came to an end, one girl caught my attention. For as long as I could see her, she wasn't drooling over me the way the others were, she was collected and calm. She rested herself against the wall, her dark curls flowing past her stomach beautifully, her expression simple and serene. When it came time to talk to me, she didn't ask for a picture or autograph.
"How are you?" She asked, I smiled at her, "I'm getting a cramp in my wrist. How are you?" She shrugged, "It's not as nice as I expected it to be outside today. And my little sister is sick with stomach flu, so that's a bummer." I smiled, intrigued. Her eyes were hazel in the light but looked almost dark brown from a distance.
She surprised me...Fans never went into detail of their day, they simply said their day was great because they were meeting me.
"Would you like an autograph or picture?" She shook her head no, "Could I borrow your sharpie though?" I nodded, handing it to her. She took the palm of my hand and wrote something on it. She then folded my hand into a fist. "Don't read until the meet and greet is over." I nodded, at a loss for words as she left my presence.
'Michelle' was scribed in the palm of my hand. Hmmph.
"Is that what that one girl wrote on your hand?" My manager questioned. "Yeah, and she kept my sharpie after she bolted." My manager chuckled. "Ladies, their something else." He patted my shoulder before leaving. I pondered her name. Michelle...she didn't look like a Michelle. But it sure is a beautiful name.
"This is my last concert of the tour, so I thank you all for coming out tonight. If it weren't for your undying love and support, I wouldn't be standing here. I love you!" I made a mistake and waved with the hand Michelle wrote on. And the crowd went wild.
I finished my last bite of toast before grabbing the paper. No shock to find my picture of me waving on the front page with a headline: "Shane Grey, Single No More?" I chuckled and tossed the paper in the trash. I plopped down on the couch and turned on reruns of football.
"Man, everyone wants to know who this girl is. Eventually someone's going to ask you directly." My manager said with caution. "Are you prepared to answer that question?" He prodded. I sighed, "No. I don't know." He shook his head "You're a great guy, Shane. But these tabloids are going to keep asking until they get an answer. Even if it's the wrong one."
I exited the studio to be swarmed with paparazzi and TMZ reporters. "Who's Michelle?" "Shane, are you sleeping with this mystery woman?" "Did you meet her at your concert?" "Is she eighteen?"
The tabloids have tried to link me with every possible celebrity within three years of my age, some older, some younger than three years my age. They weren't able to dig up any juicy stories so they started making them up, which was fine. Most of the fans weren't that gullible to believe them, but this one was no denying; they just had no basis behind it. And I certainly didn't want to give them enough time to make one.
"Shane, thank you for taking time to meet with me today" Talk show host, Ellen welcomed me with a warm hug. "Thanks for having me." She winked, "Now, let's just start this off with a bang. Who is Michelle?" Here it was. The direct question. Now, I could go about this two ways. One, I could lie. But that could mean Michelle may not want anything to do with me if I happen to ever find her. Or, I could tell the truth and risk her identity somehow being revealed. However unlikely that may be, it's not so unlikely if someone wants to find her. But maybe I could find her before anybody else does.
"Shane? Who is Michelle?" I snapped out of my thoughts, "Ellen, Michelle is a friend." I spoke clearly. "She's just a friend? A friend for some random reason wrote her name on your hand?" The audience laughed, "Well yes. I met her early on in the day and it was how she introduced herself, a unique way indeed but the truth, nonetheless. The tabloids are simply wanting to make it more than what is is." Ellen pondered my response. "You know, I know when you're lying." The audience laughed again. I smiled and nodded, "I know you know, Ellen." She smiled quizzically, "Hate to break your heart audience, but he's telling the truth. He looked at me the whole time. And this boy can't look into the eyes of a blind person when he's lying."
Ellen and I spoke afterwards, "I want to find her again. Before the tabloids do." Ellen smiled brightly, "I have an idea."
"Hey, Lance" I called my manager, "Yeah Shane, what's up bud?" I filed through a few more papers, "Where is the list of names that you had to file for the meet and greet?" I heard him sigh, "Look Shane, if this is about that girl-" I interrupted him "It is, but I told Ellen about her and I need to find her before anyone else does." Lance sighed on the other line. "It's in the computer, check my recent files, the name of the file is your full name and the password is your social security number. You'll have to look for the date. Her name should be listed there along with an address and phone number."