35 I could do this all day

Jamie

The first scene we shot was an acting scene, we're all hanging out in a "messy" room, not doing anything, not talking to each other either. We're supposed to reflect the apathy of youth today. We have to look bored.

"I think this guy has seen too many PYD videos," I had to mutter under my breath as Luke, our mv director, yelled "Action!"

In the next second, LJ burst out laughing. I tried not to look at him, because I knew he was laughing at me. The other guys alternately looked at him indulgently (of course, Burt and Steve) and glared at him (of course, Mark). The girl in our video, her name is Angela, couldn't help herself and smiled at him.

"CUT!"

"I'm really sorry," LJ waved his hands at the director. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"It's fine," Luke waved back. He wasn't a primadonna director, he's one of those guys who keeps going, unfazed. Which is a good thing, I guess. He peered at his camera and said, "Steve? Could you move and sit next to Jamie instead? Your color clashes with Mark."

"Yes, sir," Steve said, obediently walking over to my side. I ignored him, though I could feel his eyes bore a hole into my cheek.

"And ACTION!"

I shuffled uncomfortably in my spot, slowly looking around the room. I glanced at LJ, whose main instruction was to give the girl furtive, longing looks. He didn't turn the Rock Star on, instead he was looking at her the way he looked at Rory when he thinks nobody's watching.

He does think this is their song, after all.

Steve put his arm around my shoulder. I bent forward to dust something off my shoe, so Steve had to shift away from me. God, this scene is taking forever.

"And CUT! You guys can take a break except LJ, Mark and Angela. But please be on standby, we're doing the car scene next."

Steve turned to me, about to say something. I walked off the set faster than he could say my name.

—

"So, for the short interview sections, you each have different topics to cover," Mitch, the PD from X Media explained to me as Michelle retouched my make up. "Yours is about your new album and how it feels to still be active after 9 years."

I took Michelle's hand in mine to pause her application of powder on my face and leaned over to look at Mitch's clipboard. "What's everyone else's?"

"Steve's is about the song, LJ's is about the concept of the video, Mark's is about the fight scene and the actual relationship between the members," Mitch enumerated.

"Burt doesn't have one?" Michelle suddenly asked.

I laughed. "Ned advises media in advance not to give Burt serious questions," I explained. "Most likely they'll ask him to describe the weather during the shoot or how he's enjoying it, things like that."

Michelle giggled. "That's smart," she said.

I side-eyed Mitch, who was smiling at Michelle. "What else?"

"Oh," Mitch looked back at his clipboard. "Soon as you're ready, we can go to the car and start."

"The car?"

"The car that's in the video. That's your spot for the interview, we already cleared it, since they're shooting LJ on the rooftop right now."

"Okay," I said and stopped moving so that Michelle could finish undisturbed.

"And can I say it's nice how you seem close to your staff," Mitch suddenly added. "You guys seem very down-to-earth when you're such big celebrities."

I smiled warmly at Michelle, who looked at me and smiled warmly back. "They're the best," Michelle said to Mitch. "And we're done."

"Thanks, love," I said to her and got up. I checked my pocket for my phone, then remembered it was with Mark. I looked at Mitch and said, "Shall we?"

Mitch got up and said, "Can I also ask a question that may sound like I'm a rabid fan, but I noticed that this is your second music video where you're all in a car together and you're the one driving. Are you the official designated driver?"

"Aren't you already a rabid fan?" I laughed, instead.

The door opened before we got a chance to open it ourselves and Steve stepped in. "Hey, Jame, do you have a minute... Oh hi, Mitch, so you're starting with Jamie?"

I let Mitch reply and quickly walked out the room. I could do this all day.