Chapter 3
Hi everyone! Thank you very much for reading! I appreciate it so much. I never thought anyone would ever even see this HAHA it was just an idea in my head that I wanted to get down on paper. I'm still crafting the story so bear with me for the wait between chapters but thank you for being on this journey. I hope you like it XD
The Dolby Theatre
2 hours till the ceremony
A warm golden glow bathed the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. As the sun set, the night was only beginning for Hollywood's biggest and brightest stars. The red carpet meandered around the outskirts of the theater. A sea of photographers, interviewers, publicists lined the carpet poised to swarm the moment the action began. A symphony of camera shutters and a cacophony of chatter enveloped the air.
Slowly but surely, the glitterati arrived ready for the spotlight. Celebrities and their entourage stepped out of sleek limos dripping in diamonds and exorbitant couture.
The air was electric with excitement as reporters, armed with microphones, clambered to reach the guests of honor first.
While the usual frenzy of photographers was ignited, one photographer in particular wasn't paying any attention to the buzzing crowd.
Veteran award show photographer, Tony Fontaine, wasn't fazed by the glitz and the glamor. Twenty-five years in the business he had perfected getting the money shot. "You compliment the celebrities, throw out some generic affirmations, they flash those pearly whites right at you and BAM there's your picture," he would say. But after all these years, Tony wanted more. He wasn't interested in being paid to get photo credits on Getty images. He wanted to be all over the internet in the next 24 hours. He was looking for a story no one had seen coming. He wanted to capture a moment as sizzling as Will Smith slapping Chris Rock or as sacred as Jennifer Aniston reuniting with Brad Pitt.
As Tony was cleaning his lens on the hem of his black shirt, he briefly glanced at his fifteen year old nephew who was helping him out for the evening.
"Alright, Pauly, give it to me - who's on the guest list tonight. Scroll through that fancy phone of yours and give me something good."
Tall and lanky Pauly stood by his uncle's side in his jeans and a t-shirt with the graphic design of a tuxedo on it.
"Uncle Tony," Pauly rolled his eyes, "I already told you in the car. The list has been out for a while - it's all the usual suspects. How surprising can it be? It's all the nominees, their families, their coworkers and a few random guests."
"Tsk tsk, Pauly. I promised your mama you could tag along tonight not for you to gawk at Beyoncé but to do some work too. The least you could've done was your homework. Do you even know which couples are together or not? Which celebrity was canceled most recently? Help your old Uncle out. Use that gizmo in your hands for something good, not just video games your mama tells me you play all day."
"Jeez, alright alright I'm trying." Pauly squints his eyes as he looks at the list for a sign. The deafening sound of the crowd pulls Pauly away from the task at hand. Zendaya arrives accompanied by her stylist Law Roach in a custom gold breast plate top and a matching solid gold skirt. Her hair is in a chic bob and her makeup emulates a modern day Cleopatra.
"Hey look! Zendaya's right there! Don't you wanna get her?" Pauly asks his Uncle.
"Nah, she's too unproblematic for me and I know her boy toy ain't coming tonight so there's nothing crazy to capture. Besides, I've already got Micky on standard shots. He's getting everyone smiling and looking their best. But, here's where I need you okay kiddo? Now, you remember Brad and Jen?"
"Yeah yeah, Brad and Jen - the 90's IT couple. I know about them. I've got Twitter."
"Listen, that rotten Arthur Foreman got a tip that they'd be at the SAG awards and he grabbed that first shot of them interacting. He sold it to a site instantly and what d'ya know he now has a vacation home in Hawaii. Sometimes all you need is that one shot okay kid. You want to pay for college? Get me something good."
"Unc, there's no one like that on this list. There are a few newbies but they're all influencers or Tik Tok people who no one knows. There's a few Disney stars if you care like umm Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, uhh Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron?"
"Hold on, hold on, repeat that?"
"Dove Cameron -"
"Nah, the last bit Pauly," Tony urged as he waved his hand impatiently.
"Uhh Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron?"
Pauly could see the wheels in his Uncle's head turning as Tony caught his work partner Mickey's eyes and signaled him to come closer.
"Pauly, my boy, you've hit a gold mine."
"I have?"
"Do you know who those two are?"
"Old Disney stars? Wasn't he in Baywatch or something"
"They're royalty! I ain't even seen Zac on this carpet for years. This is fate. If you can get a picture of the two of them in one frame that's the gold mine. The golden ticket. Nobody's gotten a picture of them together since the early 2010's. The press will have a field day"
"Okay.. but I still don't get it. Did they go out or something?" asks Pauly, confused at his Uncle's enthusiasm.
Mickey sidles up to the two as he playfully smacks the back of Pauly's head. "Listen to this guy. Did they go out or something!? Pssht this kid. Where'd ya get him from. What a noob!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm babysitting tonight for my sister. He ain't done his homework like I asked him too but right now he's our best bet. Okay listen here, Pauly. You see those clueless looking young guys in the tuxes too big for them? They're ushers. They got this gig probably at the last minute. They're in charge of the press line cue. When I tell you to, the moment they ain't looking you gotta stall 'em, okay?"
"What?" Pauly looks at the ushers standing by the velvet ropes ready to guide guests onto the carpet, "how am I supposed to do that?"
"Don't worry kid, I'll help ya," says Micky mischievously.
"Just wait for my signal. Capiche?" asks Uncle Tony.
Pauly gulps but nods his head at his Uncle. "Capiche."
On the other side of the street inside a black stretch limo Ryan, Dylan and Zac are getting ready to get out.
"Hey are we early? Or have other people started to arrive too? Traffic is pretty light," asked Dylan as he peered out the car window.
"Nah, I think we're right on time. Melissa said most of the people are starting to show up and there's definitely a crowd," says Zac checking his phone.
"Hey, do you know when the rest of the Iron Claw crew are coming?" asked Ryan.
"I think Lily and Max might be there already but Kevin's coming in a bit later. I think Sean's bringing him in.
"That's awesome. Can't wait to meet them."
"Definitely. Oh you guys have to meet Jere too, you'll love him. He's so great."
"So sick, can't wait," said Dylan with a grin.
Several cars behind them, Vanessa and Laura were also getting ready to step out onto the carpet.
"Okay, so what's the game plan, girl?" asks Laura while fixing her dress.
"Well," says Vanessa checking her phone again, "I'm gonna do some interviews, walk the carpet, then Evan said he'll come meet me."
"Okay, great. Ahhh, the glam looks gorg girl. Do you want to touch up your lipstick? I brought a mirror just in case."
"Thanks! Yes, definitely let me check it out."
The limo pulls up to the drop off spot at the entrance of the carpet. Dylan, Zac and Ryan step out. As the fans register who's getting out of the car, the roar of the crowd intensifies.
"Showtime, brother," says Ryan patting Zac on the back.
"Let's do it."
Zac makes his way forward waving to the crowd screaming his name. He meets a few fans outside the barricade and takes a few quick selfies.
Melissa rushes over once she sees him and updates him on which interviews he has to do.
As Zac starts talking to the reporters on the sidelines, Tony, Micky and Pauly step out of the line of photographers. They move to the entrance where the ushers are standing.
"Alright, kid. Here's how it's going to happen. You see that usher? He has a bunch of cards to tell the photographers who's up next to be photographed. Someone just handed him Zac's card to be called up soon after he finishes up a few interviews. You gotta distract him and get that card so he's stalled."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"Like this," exclaims Micky as he pushes Pauly right into the usher. Micky and Tony quickly turn around pretending they don't see what's happening as Pauly crashes into the young usher who takes a fall as his notecards fly out of his hands. Pauly profusely apologizes and gives the boy a hand while the usher gives Pauly a cold hard stare as he takes his hand and stands up. While the usher brushes himself off, and a few other nearby ushers and people from the valet come to check on him, no one notices Micky reaching out to grab Zac's notecard from the fallen stack.
Around ten minutes later, Laura and Vanessa get dropped off at the entrance and head towards the action. Vanessa follows the crowd chanting her name and quickly takes a few pictures with the first fans that greet her.
"She's here!" Micky tells Tony pointing to Vanessa. "We're so close. This might actually work."
"Yeah, well we better act fast. They just handed over Vanessa's card to the usher. Quick, Pauly you gotta go give back Zac's card to that usher and say I think you dropped this. We don't have much time because Zac's publicist is walking on over to the usher probably to ask when's he on next. Go!" With a push from Uncle Tony Pauly nearly crashes into the usher again but catches himself before he does. With a lump in his throat, he tentatively holds up the missing card and taps the usher on the shoulder. Looking relieved the usher quickly grabs the card with no questions asked and puts it on top of the stack.
The few minutes Pauly and the gang had stolen had in fact made it possible for Zac and Vanessa to be called upon to the red carpet at the same time. The first time they'd be at the same event at the same time in the same location in years.
As they went down the press line answering questions and fielding reporters they were only a few meters away from each other. As the ushers called them to the side along with the other guests in their batch to be called up, they still hadn't seen one another.
"You're kidding me," whined Pauly. "All this effort and there are still three people between them and reporters around them preventing them from seeing one another? I thought they'd be called up together! And BAM."
"Patience, nephew," said Tony. "You hear that? They can't escape that. I give it ten seconds before they know exactly what's going on."
The crowd of fans that lined the carpet had been chanting two names at the tops of their lungs.
"Zaa-ac! Zaa-ac!
"Va-ne-ssaa! Va-ne-ssaa!"
All of a sudden the crowd stops chanting their names individually. There's a palpable shift in the atmosphere and pin drop silence before loud chants of "ZA-NE-SSA!" fill the air. They get louder and louder and suddenly everyone's eyes are on Zac and Vanessa. The photographers sense the change and shift their attention to the two stars.
Tony, Micky, Pauly, already prepared are positioned in the prime location for the shot.
Vanessa was used to her name being yelled and fans clambering around her for photos and autographs. But, this chant was one she hadn't heard in a very long time. It couldn't be, could it? Vanessa stops in her tracks as she scans the crowd. Suddenly, her gaze lands on a pair of familiar ocean eyes. OH. MY. GOD, she thinks. Her face remains impassive but her heart races as she slowly processes what she sees. Zac Efron. In the flesh. After more than ten years. He looked the same but very different as well. The mop of brown hair she was used to seeing fall in front of his eyes was in a tamed coif at the top of his head. Time and hard work had transformed his young and lean boyish physique into that of a fit and muscular man. But his eyes…. His eyes were still the same.
Once the shock of the situation wears off, her head brings her back to reality. I need to get out of here, she thinks. He's seen me hasn't he though. Dang. Maybe I should just give a polite smile and walk ahead. But as Zac's gaze lingered on hers, her fight or flight instincts were tempered by an unsuspecting wave of calmness that flooded her body and whispered quietly but strongly to stay put.
Zac had turned his head to the crowd the moment he heard them scream, "ZA-NE-SSA!" Over the years, he had heard all sorts of things coming from his fans but this took him back to a very specific time in his life. To a specific someone. A someone who was staring at him this very instant. OH. MY. GOD. thought Zac. This feels surreal. I knew she was coming but I didn't know we'd run into each other like this.
She looks gorgeous as always. Should I say hi? Will she mind? I want to say hi. She knows I've seen her. I know she's seen me. I can't read her expression but I think she's in a bit of shock and disbelief. Me too. Well, go big or go home.
Before either of them or the crowd behind them can register what's happening Zac goes up to Vanessa with a big smile and sweeps her up in a big hug. Vanessa stands still in shock for a second before she places her arm on his shoulder to return the hug. They embrace for what feels like a few minutes but is a mere few seconds before Zac releases her and plants an affectionate kiss on her forehead. Looking down at her he whispers, "Hey, you…" loud enough just for her to hear.
"Hey…" says Vanessa, gingerly, still in a daze.
For a moment the world around them melts away as they embrace the moment.
"Now!" shouts Tony in the distance as Micky frantically starts clicking his camera.
The spell was broken as the frenzy took over. Their private moment now had thousands of witnesses and probably a million more from across the world in mere moments. It seemed like everyone had their phone up and pointed at them.
Feeling violated by the crowds and slightly awkward, the two took a step apart from one another.
By now, both Zac and Vanessa's friends had figured out what was happening and instantly rushed to their sides.
As Laura pulled Vanessa aside she exchanged a quick "Hey, nice to see you" with Zac and the boys which they returned.
All of a sudden a feeling of disappointment washed over Zac. Ten years can't be condensed in ten seconds. I need to say something else to her, thought Zac as he lightly grabbed Vanessa's wrist. "See you inside?" he asked her while staring into her eyes imploringly. Catching Laura's curious expression he slightly stumbles over his words as he corrects himself, "I mean - both of you. See both of you guys inside?"
"Yeah," said Vanessa grinning at him, amused by his awkwardness.
"We'll see you inside, Efron…"