Chapter 25- She Doesn't Fall

Ahhh… *sighs* Life is good right now. I went to my very first R5 concert on Tues Sept 23, and had just gotten my Meet and Greet photo. You don't know how relieved I am that I was smiling and looking in the camera. At that time, I was so awestruck that I barely had time to find the camera before the picture was snapped. Anyways, the whole point of this mini life story is that all my creative juices are flowing like crazy and I am writing, well, with heart right now. It also wouldn't be a surprise if I had a new story coming soon…

Okay, let's take a journey in Cheetah Beats HQ's:

Ally's POV

The door slams behind me and I hear a loud click as it locks. Out of curiosity, I grab the handle and pull. It doesn't budge. Great. Now I was locked in. I dismiss the thought to concentrate, and turn to look at the area. The first word that popped into my mind was big. The whole room was huge. It was white, and incandescent lights glowed, casting the room in yellowish light. It outlined the 4 doors leading into other unknown rooms. My eyes whipped to each door, reading the signs quickly, afraid that I was going to get caught soon. They read "Discussion Room," "Lounge," "Presentation Place," and "Hall A." I supressed a sigh; this was going to take a while. I swiftly grabbed my phone out of my bag, tapping the camera app, and walked towards the Discussion Room. Taking deep breaths, I crack the door open, praying like hell that no one was in there. What if they were having a meeting right now? Gah! I scold myself once again for my lack in preparation. Austin I think, remembering his golden hair and childish grin. For Austin. I pull the door a teensy bit wider and cautiously walk in. Nothing. I can practically feel my heart rate slowing in relief as I see no one in the room. Doesn't mean no one will show up later I say to myself, ruining the mood. But, I push myself to hurry up. I walk to the center of the room and look around, scanning the tables, charts and anything else.

My eyes suddenly land on a small board leaning on the ground. I slowly walk up to it, my eyes catching a familiar blond colour. Oh God I suck in a breath. The board was taped and covered in mini pictures of Austin. Austin on the beach, walking out of his house, in his car, during football games… I try not to gag as I look at the arrows pointing to each picture with short notes attached, as if this was a murder crime case: "Moon caught leaving the beach, with a mystery girl. Who could she be?" Underneath that post was a blurry picture of Austin and me in Delilah, that day when we were trying to escape from the paparazzi. Man, just looking at this picture of us looking worried and frantic, I felt violated. I couldn't believe celebrities had to deal with this stuff. Deciding that it was a good idea, I took a shot of the board to show Austin later. When the picture was captured, I officially felt illegalized. I was now a trespasser.

With that dreaded thought in my mind, I slide through the door and go to the other rooms.

Later…

"Stupid… stupid… stupid…," I mumble to myself, exasperated. The rooms all looked the same; the hall was so long, my brain was starting to blank due to exhaustion… In other words: I had gotten lost.

As I had opened the door to the Hall A room, I realized that, in fact, it was a hall. A long, narrow one, with doors lining each side of it. I was like, "how could it hurt?" since every other room I had explored were empty with nothing good to blackmail with. So, my idiotic self had decided to go deeper into the heart of the HQ's. Some point, in some branch of the hallway, though, I had finally realized that I had no idea which way was back out, or where I was. So now, I am currently stumbling forward, or maybe it was backwards, in the hall, trying out a couple doors, still holding my phone.

A little earlier on, I had checked it and it read "2:28." I had fought my hysteria, wondering if everyone had left and I was going to be stuck overnight in here. But then, I heard some voices in a random room, talking, and spun around to go in an opposite direction.

"My God," I groan, not even caring to be quiet anymore. Besides, my voice was so laced with exhaustion, it barely carried down the hall. As I walk, I pass a new door, and automatically pull it open, only to be faced with a toilet. My eyes widen and I flush, charged with some new-found energy. If someone had been in there… I shake my head, and hurry away, glad for the burst of adrenaline.

Sometime around 2:40, I find myself mumbling Austin's name, as I trudge around. What would happen to him if I landed in jail? What if I actually went back successful? How would I tell him my plan without having him freak out? Hey, Austin! I know that you are, like, super scared and worried that the paparazzi will find out about me and start rumours, but, would it be okay if I had a quick chat with them? I shake my head, dismissing that imaginary conversation. My plan wouldn't work if I was tied up and Austin was watching me to make sure I didn't go anywhere.

Finally, finally, a little after 3 o'clock, I got my lucky break. I had just walked into a new hall, this one dimmer and smaller than the rest, when I heard a voice. Masculine, most definitely, and close. The loudness shocked me, and I hugged the wall, bracing myself to see another person. After a second of waiting with nothing happening, I oriented myself and crept forward.

"You don't know, know, know my name, name, name,

"Gonna make, make, make you do a double take," a loud voice wails behind a door next to me. I recognize the song as one of Austin's and surprise washes over me. I quirk my eyebrow and lean against it, to hear better. Now, the voice was much clearer, showing how out of key and horrible it was. Imagine a girl wearing a retainer, singing without knowing the tune of the song, and she was being tazered. Now, multiply that sound by two and you get this unknown man's singing voice.

"Buh nuh nuh," he croaks, trying to imitate the guitar part, "Make you do a double takkkkkke, buh nuh nuh!" At the point, I wince and step back, only to see the small sign taped to the door: PUBLISHER'S WASHRROOM. RESTRICTED USE. My eyes widen, and I almost start dancing from happiness. Whatever the publisher was doing in there, it was going to be the thing I would use to blackmail with. I turn on my phone and hit record as I press my side to the door, ready to shoot whatever sight, along with the singing, was on the other side. Instinctively, I look around to make sure no one was watching, and realize, who would? No wonder it was so empty in this hall. Who would want to be within hearing distance of this awful sound?

"I make you do a DOUBLE TAKKKKKE! DOUBLE TA-A-AKE, DUH-BUL TAYYYYYY-K!" the voice screeches, making me almost drop my phone.

My hand tightens on the knob, wobbling it to make sure it was unlocked, and bracing myself, I silently turn it, crack the door ajar, and step in.

"OH. MY. GOD," I mouth, my jaw dropping. My hand was still, filming the scene, but my eyes were darting around the room. Or should I say the Austin Moon shrine. His pictures and posters were plastered to every visible part of the walls, especially the exclusive ones the paparazzi took; there was a stack of pancakes with his face on them sitting on the counter for after-shower-snacking (seriously, who has a large stack of pancakes inside a bathroom), and I could see a large trophy hanging on the wall with the plaque "Austin Moon's #1 fan." Not to mention the shower curtains: a whole canvas with Austin's face on it, staring at me.

When the publisher shrieks the next lyrics, I almost jump out of my skin, forgetting he was there. I was completely occupied with the freaky secret shrine of my boyfriend. With effort, I tear my eyes away from the hundreds of smiling Austin faces and focus on the shower curtain. There was a lump formed, and I directed my mic there.

"Thank you Miami!" he shrieks, as if he would actually have the population of Miami listen to him. "Now, onto my next number: Upside Down!"

I mentally groan but step closer to record, and thank my lucky stars that I did. The publisher suddenly stops mid- belch in a word, and I catch him muttering under his breath, "The day when my reporters discover all of Austin's secrets, I'll be unstoppable! I can bribe him with his favourite foods and activities. Then, he can write me all the songs I want and we can have sleep overs together!"

I think I actually gaged on air. But, the damage was done. I stop the camera and slip my phone into my pocket, bolting out of the washroom before he can start singing again. In the hall, my mind is completely cleared and I easily maneuver through the building. When I reach the exit where I started, I wait inside the Discussion Room for someone to come and unlock the door. Only a minute later, a man does and I sneak out with him.

"Ah," I sigh when the warm breeze hits my face. I hadn't noticed how stuffy it was in there. I make it to my car and plop down on the seat, taking my first deep breath of the night. I had done it. I had snuck through Cheetah Beat Head Quarters, and recorded the head publisher. As I start my car, I realize that I was dealing with more than a deceitful publisher who only wanted information from Austin to bribe him; I was also dealing with an over-obsessed fanboy.

I shudder at the thought and drive home.

Wow. Chapter= done! I don't know about you guys but I had a blast writing this chapter. What about you? Any funny parts? Any boring parts? Review and tell me!

Also, review me anything else you'd like! Who'd like to read an exclusive summary of my new story? ;)

K, see ya soon!