CHAPTER 2 – ARRANGEMENTS
The meeting went well. Justin and I showed our folders, Markus (their manager) looked through them, liked our work, talked and now Justin and I have to start getting things together. We have 2 weeks to do it but it's surprising how hard it can be to make all these arrangements, just finding a way up to London with all our stuff is hard enough. Yes, we could drive up but where could we leave our cars or about 3 months or so? Yes, we could get the train but somehow I doubt other passengers would appreciate a tripod jabbing into the back of their head or shoulder. And then comes the arrangement of items of clothing. Justin laughed at me because this was one of my main concerns but it was alright for him, whatever he wore he looked great in it.
"Just take jeans and t-shirts to wear." Justin said while he spread out across my bed looking through one of my magazines which was probably of no interest to him. He preferred books. Always has done and probably always will. It's one of his unique features that I love so about him.
"Yes but the question what jeans and what t-shirts do I take?" I said shifting through my wardrobe once again.
"Take your whole wardrobe, the clothes that is, because you'll end up taking everything anyways." He said now sitting up and tossing the magazine to the floor. I sighed and went and sat on the edge of the bed next to him.
"You know me to well." I said.
"I do. Now come on get your things into your suitcases we're leaving in the morning." He said lifting himself off the bed and taking an armful of clothes from my wardrobe, the hangers still intact.
"Don't just chuck them in." I said quickly going over to him.
"Don't tell me you arrange your clothes in a certain way." He said.
"Of course I don't."
"You so sure about that?"
"Yes." I replied and started to fold the clothes up and place them in. Not arrange them in a certain way. It wouldn't bother me what to take and wear if it was just me and Justin in a hotel room for the whole period and seeing the band every now and then but we actually had to live on their tour bus with them for most of the time.
The arrangement was to meet at the band's tour manager's office at 1 o'clock, then meet the band and then go and find our hotel where we'd be staying for 9 days and then after that Justin and I move onto their tour bus and live their for God knows how long. Am I feeling nervous? Yes. Justin is happily next to me with his nose in a book while I'm sat in my seat spinning my thumbs round each other because I'm so nervous. The guy in the seat on the other side of the train keeps staring at me because I'm concentrating so hard on twiddling my thumbs. This is ridiculous.
"Justin this is ridiculous." I said turning my body half way to face him.
"Hmm, what is?" he said not turning to look at me.
"How nervous I am. I should be relaxed about it like you are and treat this as a normal job." I replied.
"But it's not a normal job."
"Exactly which is why I'm so nervous but I shouldn't be because this is a normal job." I said sighing against the back of my seat. Justin now turned to face me.
"You must be nervous your sentences are starting to make no sense again." He said. That was something that always happened. If I got nervous and I started talking then the chances are what I would be saying would make absolute no sense to the person listening but complete sense to me in my head. Justin gave a soft laugh next to me.
"We've got about half an hour until we arrive in London just close your eyes and rest for a bit to calm your nerves." He said.
"Yeah," I replied relaxing my whole body. "I might just do that." I closed my eyes and slowly melted into the silence that had now fallen over the train. Peace, no nerves.
"Ellie, can I ask you something?" Justin said as we got into the lift. The receptionist made us leave all out suitcases and things at her desk until we came back down.
"You can ask me anything." I replied as the lift doors slid together.
"What actually is their tour manager's name?"
"Markus, you know that."
"I don't remember him telling us his name."
"Well I do and it's Markus." I replied with a laugh. Justin was a smart guy but he often has dumb moments like these. It didn't take long to reach the ninth floor and once out of the lift it was a short walk down the pasty corridor until we came to Markus' office. I could hear voices from within, all of them male, and I went to grab the handle but I stopped halfway in mid air. I was hesitating.
"Are you alright?" Justin asked.
"The nerves are creeping back." I replied letting my hand drop back down again.
"Just pretend the band isn't as famous as they are. Imagine them naked I'm sure that'll make the nerves disappear completely." He said and I could hear the laugh in his voice.
"I'll try but if I burst out laughing you'll know why." I said and knocked on the door. A voice said something and then suddenly the door was open and Markus was stood there smiling at us both.
"Early, that's what I like to see. And nice to see you both again." He said stepping to one side and gesturing for us to come in. Justin went first and I followed stopping halfway across the office and halfway across from the band. Four members, all male and all looking this way.
"Right then you lot this is Justin and Ellie the two people I was just informing you about and I don't know if you know their names but here we have Dean, lead guitarist and vocals" Markus said indicating the tallest of the group with dark brown hair in a haircut that suited him very well. His eyes connected with mine as I looked at him and he held it and even though he didn't physical smile I could tell he was beyond his eyes.
"Next is Joe, guitar and vocals." He said now indicating the next one along the line. Taking me out of the trance I had with Dean. Joe had light brown hair and sat casually against the edge of the desk. He gave a small smile as he was introduced.
"Then we have Daniel, the bassist and his brother Owen on drums." You could tell they were brothers. Daniel was the older of the two and they both had dark blonde hair and matching eyes.
"And I'm sure you guys know which one is Justin and which one is Ellie." Markus said an the whole band laughed softly.
"Nice to meet you both." Joe said stepping forward and shaking our hands. The rest of the band said their hellos but soon enough we were all sat down and talking many things through. I don't know why I had gotten myself so nervous because I now felt fine. It was like I had known the guys for years like I have Justin because we all connected straight away.
"Was it worth getting all nervous like that?" Justin asked as we walked down the hall, key cards in hand, searching for out hotel room.
"No it wasn't." I replied stopping outside one door.
"Yeah it's weird because they're famous and probably anyone of our fans would kill us to do what we're doing but I think we'll get along quite well with them all."
"I think so too." I replied watching the light go green on the door. I pushed it open and there before us was our hotel room. It looked more like a mini apartment, but, that was only probably because Markus and Mr King were paying for all our accommodation and such things.
"Because this isn't just amazing." I said wheeling in my suitcases and stopping by the sofa.
"I hate to think what this is costing for 9 days." Justin said appearing at my side.
"It's just a good thing we're not the ones paying then." I said wondering over to where two doors were shut. I opened one and found the bathroom complete with a separate bath and shower, sink, toilet and white towels ready for us and a large mirror. I shut that door and went into the next where two singles beds were made up and two wardrobes on either side of the rooms. My clothes could quite easily fill both those wardrobes. A small flat screen TV said on the wall opposite the beds and lying on the bed was paperwork for breakfast in the morning if we wanted it in our room.
"If all our hotels are like this then I'm content." I said smiling as I walked out from the bedrooms and back to where Justin was looking through the mini fridge already.
"You'll be happy they've got galaxy chocolate bars in here." He said standing back up. I laughed and walked over to where the balcony doors were and unlocked them. I walked out onto the wooden floor and leaned over the edge staring out across London and the busyness that sounded below us.
"Wow, at night in the darkness the city would just glow and make an amazing picture." Justin said walking out and to the edge as well.
"We don't start our work until tomorrow." I replied.
"I know but that's with the band. I'm still taking photographs for my album." He said and walked back in. I watched as he went. Justin had this album that he was creating and he has been working on it for a while now. Only choosing certain types of pictures to go in there but he never showed me these pictures only told me now and again one or two that he might take for this album. How he was managing to keep these photographs from me I don't know since I have never even seen the cover of the album. All I know is every now and then a new picture is taken and he adds it in.
"Actually thinking about it the work does kind of start now." Justin said as I walked back in sliding the balcony doors shut behind me.
"It does?" I questioned.
"Yeah we've got to get some ideas together for the photo shoot tomorrow and plan how we're going to put together and structure this programmed thing Markus wants us to do."
"Hmm true." I said sitting on the sofa. One of the main parts of this job was to take as many pictures of the band as we could and of the things they do so we could create this large booklet of photographs where throughout it the band will write various things about themselves and being on tour. It sounds like quite a good idea.
"How about I get us some drinks and then we can unpack a few things and then go out and explore a bit of London?" Justin said leaning over the back of the sofa making his head come to level with mine.
"Now that, sounds like a good idea." I said giving him a kiss on the cheek and then getting back up to drag my suitcases into the bedroom. A job that sadly has to be done.
"I brought my video camera as well." Justin said, quietly, as I got to the doorway of the bedroom. I turned round and faced him.
"Really?"
"Yeah I thought we could do a mini video diary of this whole thing. A little memento for us both."
"Good thinking." I replied with a smile. That was the thing about Justin the little things mattered to him so much and then the bigger things did.