Chapter 210: VMA (3)

[General POV]

Outside the venue, K was escorted to his car under heavy security due to the angry fans who were throwing objects in his direction. Frustration and expletives escaped his lips as he vented his anger at the chaotic situation unfolding around him. 

"FUCK YOU GUYS! I DID NOTHING WRONG!" Still drunk, K almost started a fight with the fans there, and the scene was captured by the reporters outside the venue. 

Countless fans were crowding around the area and were watching the show through a projector set up by Entertain because Edward wanted the fans who came to support him to still be able to see his performance. It was a thoughtful gesture that won him a lot of points from his fans, that's why they were being extra mad at K– even if they weren't initially Edward's fan.

K mood took a further nosedive when he caught sight of a billboard display featuring Edward flipping the middle finger during his performance. Pink saw the scene while her car was driving past, and she laughed while appreciating Edward's 'spunk'. 

"Stop the car! Let's go back in." Pink said to the driver.

To K, this gesture felt like a personal affront, an added insult to the already tense situation. He seethed with anger, his veins pulsating as he contemplated rushing back into the venue to confront Edward, however he was stopped by security immediately. 

Meanwhile, inside the awards ceremony, as Edward defiantly raised his middle finger, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The song seamlessly morphed into the opening notes of Edward's hit track, "ENEMY," catching the producers off guard. One of them anxiously questioned whether they had agreed on a different song, suggesting a potential interruption to the live broadcast.

However, Carl, one of the producers, snapped back in frustration at his incompetent colleagues. "Are you insane?!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with anger. "Just let him be! My god, how many people do you want to piss off today!? Besides, I told him he could do it!"

The tension both inside and outside the venue continued to mount as the unexpected turn of events unfolded, leaving everyone on edge, uncertain of what would come next.

[Imagine Dragons - Enemy || Arcane - Orchestral Version (Extended) – On Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RJ0COQU5gI&ab_channel=mercurialkenny ]

"♫♪Look out for yourself!♫♪" Chris Martin of the Coldplay band sang. The beatings of drums made the audience's heart beat faster. The camera panned out to a confused Eminem– as he thought that he was a part of the song, but Edward had never called for him.

Edward took a deep breath before singing while looking upward and his back slightly bent and taking a few swaggery steps, "♫♪I wake up to the sounds of the silence that allows, For my mind to run around, with my ear up to the ground. I'm searchin' to behold the stories that are told, When my back is to the world that was smilin' when I turned♫♪"

"♫♪Tell you you're the greatest

But once you turn, they hate us♫♪"

Suddenly, ROBIN played a familiar audio along the music, "I Love you, and I'mma let you finish, but–"

People gasped and were stunned by Edward's unscrupulousness. Beyonce covered her mouth with disbelief as she watched the show, her eyes full of questions. 

"The whole thing is like a giant middle finger to K. BAHAHAHA!" Pink laughed maniacally. 

The beats dropped, and the entire audience was mesmerized. Even Han Zimmer who was among the audience was entranced while seeing the performance.

Edward turned to Chris Martin and they sang together, "♫♪ Oh, the misery!!

Everybody wants to be my enemy~!!

Spare the sympathy!

Everybody wants to be…my enemy♫♪"

♫♪Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint, no way

My enemy♫♪

♫♪Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint, no way

My enemy♫♪

*GUNSHOT*♫♪(Look out for yourself)!

Some members of the audience were startled by the gunshot sounds, and they cheered soon after. 

"♫♪But I'm ready♫♪" Edward sang the bridge while a lightshow of Iron Man logo flew all over the venue. In California, RDJ was extremely satisfied when he saw the performance, "He didn't forget us after all!"

The stage turned red and golden, and Edward walked to the audience. The illusionary girl came back and danced ballet in front of Ed.

"♫♪Your words up on thе wall as you're prayin' for my fall. And the laughter in thе halls and the names that I've been called. I stack it in my mind, and I'm waitin' for the time. When I show you what it's like to be words spit in a mic♫♪"

Taylor realized that Edward wanted to encourage her, and she screamed his name out loud. 

♫♪Tell you you're the greatest~~!

But once you turn, they hate us~~!♫♪

♫♪Oh, the misery~~!

Everybody wants to be my enemy~~!

Spare the sympathy~!

Everybody wants to be my enemy~~!!

♫♪Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint, no way

My enemy♫♪

♫♪Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint, no way

My enemy♫♪

*GUNSHOT*♫♪(Look out for yourself)

In California, as Haley watched the performance with Tara, her friend asked, "Is he going to shoot K?"

Haley rolled her eyes and replied, "A lot of people thought "Look out for yourself" is for his enemy. It's not. It's…for himself."

Edward walked to the orchestra and mimicked the conductor as the violin solo started playing.The sight of him evoked a sense of nostalgia in both Ted and Miranda, although their emotions diverged sharply in every other aspect.

♫♪Oh, the misery 

Everybody wants to be my enemy♫♪

The audience danced together to the performance, and they even sang together with the choir. 

♫♪Spare the sympathy ♫♪

♫♪Everybody wants to be my enemy♫♪

♫♪Oh, the misery ♫♪

♫♪Everybody wants to be my enemy

Phil suddenly said, "I got to be honest. I kinda hate this song." 

Claire was astonished and asked, "Why did you say that?"

"Because…if everyone is his enemy… then, doesn't it mean he's alone against the world? I don't know, I hate if that is really what he thinks."

♫♪Spare the sympathy ♫♪

♫♪Everybody wants to be…my enemy♫♪

As Edward poured his energy into the performance, the intensity of his movements and the heat of the stage caused him to become increasingly sweaty. 

The combination of perspiration and his vigorous performance caused his shirt to become partially unbuttoned, inadvertently revealing a glimpse of his well-defined abs. It was an unexpected fashion incident, a result of the shirt being hastily made for the occasion.

Unbeknownst to Edward, this particular moment turned out to be the highlight for many fans and the media alike. The cameras captured numerous screenshots and photographs during the awards show, and the images of Edward's sculpted physique quickly circulated online

"♫♪Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint, no way♫♪"

"♫♪My enemy♫♪"

"♫♪Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint"

♫♪(Look out for yourself)♫♪

As soon as Edward finished singing, the crowd exploded. The celebrities gave him a standing ovation, and every single doubt that they have about him being a commercial artist disappeared. 

"BRAVOO! BRAVOOO!" Pink shouted before she whistled.

Miranda Cosgrove who was presenting Edward at the beginning was stunned speechless, making it only Adam available to close the show.

"Edward Newgate, and a special appearance from COLDPLAY, and LA PHILHARMONIC EVERYONE!"

The crowd erupted into cheers once more. The members of the Philharmonic Orchestra took a bow, and Edward did the same thing together with Coldplay before the curtains were drawn.

However the cheers didn't stop even after that happened. On Twitter, Edward's performance was trending worldwide.

@KimKardashian: That performance was insane! #MTVAwards #EdwardTheGoat

@HaileeSteinfeld: AH! I WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN!! I GOT GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER! EDWARD MARRY ME! #MTVAwards #EdwardTheGoat

@Pink: K is the biggest ASSH*LE in the world! IMAGINE he didn't do that stuff! That performance will be the greatest there is in MTV HISTORY! #FuckKW

@ScarletJohanson: Edward, Taylor, you guys are awesome!! And Congrats for winning both MALE and FEMALE BEST VIDEO!! #MTVAwards #EdwardTheGoat #FuckKW

@JayZ : Putting that audio in is STONE COLD! But, he deserved it! Congrats Edward Newgate, Taylor Swift, and Britney Spear for your awards!

@BritneySpears: I know now why people are so obsessed with Edward. He's so dreamy! And I totally know he's going to hit K if he was on the stage when he did that. 

@PresidentObama: What K did was extremely disappointing. @TaylorSwift, you earned that award. No one could tell you otherwise. It seems that the hip hop music industry needed to have a reflection on itself so that this would not happen ever again.

@RDJ: Um, is no one talking about the fact that the president is calling K out? Also, Congrats Ed! You were so awesome in that performance!

The reporter outside of the venue interviewed Justin Timberlake just moments after the curtains were drawn, "What do you think about Edward Newgate's orchestral performance?"

Justin Timberlake replied, "It was phenomenal. Not many people know about this, but Edward was actually named a musical prodigy at the age of 7… And today, he showed us what that is all about. You know? The way he blended his past and his current career together effortlessly, made me a bit jealous. Maybe someday, NSYNC could get back together again?"

The reporter and Justin Timberlake laughed at his joking sentence. While the world was clamoring about the performance, Edward was backstage, wiping off his sweat as he stood in front of the orchestra.

…

[Edward POV]

"Thanks a lot guys. It was worth it that we practiced hard for a week before the show." I said to the 30 members orchestra. 

The lead conductor, a balding middle aged man, said, "It was the first time someone practiced with us through Skype. And what's more amazing, we didn't even do Believer but Enemy. We only played that for fun twice before. You can't imagine how nervous I was during the show." The guy had an almost crying face, as if to tell me about his suffering. 

"Sorry Sorry. For my apology, I will foot the entire bill for you guys when you guys hang out at the bar today!" I announced, making them cheer silently. Excitement filled the air, although we had to keep our celebration muted as the awards show was still in progress.

Sam, the conductor, changed his face instantly to a happy one. I already knew he was fishing for rewards, but I still gave it to him even if I realized it. They were super helpful and friendly during the practice. I knew every single one of them. 

Most of them also already knew me from my classical music era, therefore they were looking forward to collaborating with me. After the performance, I returned back to my seat after changing my clothes again, this time wearing only a simple black suit without a tie.

…

After our moment of celebration, the awards show swiftly progressed, showcasing the talent and achievements of various artists. Eminem's captivating music video for "Without Me" earned him the accolade for Best Hip Hop Video, while Beyoncé's iconic choreography in "Single Ladies." secured her the award for Best Choreography. Lady Gaga's visually stunning "Paparazzi" triumphed in the Best Special Effect category.

Notably, both my music video for "Believer" and Taylor's "You Belong with Me" were nominated for the same Best Special Effect category.

Then, Lady Gaga performed her song Poker Face. Her out of the ordinary choreography was really eye catching. Shortly after that, Taylor performed two songs, 'Love Story' and 'You Belong with me', wearing a short, frilly red dress. 

As the evening progressed, the awards were announced, and Lady Gaga continued to make her mark. Her exceptional artistry and attention to detail in the visual aspects of her work earned her the award for Best Art Direction. 

Beyoncé's music video for her song secured the award for Best Editing, showcasing her meticulous craftsmanship. 

Lastly, Taylor Swift's talent as a co-director was recognized with the award for Best Music Video Direction, underscoring her ability to bring her artistic vision to life on screen. Both of us were called to the stage, as I was the overall director for the music video.

The narrator said, "The song "You Belong with Me" by Taylor S was well-matched with the message and cinematography presented within its music video. The song's lyrics and themes beautifully intertwined with the visual storytelling, creating a cohesive and impactful viewing experience.

The music video for "You Belong with Me" effectively captured the essence of the song's narrative, showcasing a story of unrequited love and longing. The cinematography and direction skillfully conveyed the emotions and storyline, which was a genius move by both Taylor and Newgate."

The crowd cheered thunderously as Bryce Dallas Howard presented the award to Taylor. She was hesitant and wanted to give the award speech to me, but I said, "You should do it. I'll keep a lookout."

I stood next to her while crossing my arms menacingly, making an exaggerated gesture of scanning the crowd which made a lot of people laugh. 

Taylor burst into laughter too, and she finally gave her speech. 

As she stood in front of the crowd, they stood up and cheered enthusiastically for Taylor. "Um…Maybe we can do this again?" She said, causing the crowd to explode into supportive chant and cheer.

She looked towards me with a smile on her face, and I smiled back at her. Her voice became a bit shaky, and she continued, " As I wanted to say before, Thank you so much to MTV for giving US the award. It meant so much to me. Um… I also wanted to thank my dad, my mom, my agency Entertain, Edward, Selena, and everyone else who supported me.. My fans, and everyone else who came out to my shows over the summer. I loved every single one of you. "

 She took a glance at me before finally continuing with the award she got, "When I first made the storyline, I thought it was just a silly idea. A teenage girl fantasy you can say. I was a bit embarrassed by it. But Edward had no hesitation about it, and… he brought the video to life! Ed, do you want to say something?"

Taylor then offered me the microphone, giving me an opportunity to speak. With gratitude in my voice, I addressed the audience, "Thank you, MTV, for honoring us with this award. Although Taylor tried to put the credit on me, it was she who conceived the relatable storyline. She may not have realized it yet, but it's one of her greatest strengths. With this award, I hope she believes in herself even more. "

Amid the playful atmosphere, Eminem chuckled from his seat and jokingly shouted, "Are you guys flirting right now?" The remark sparked laughter and playful jeers from the celebrities in attendance. Taylor blushed, making the crowd laugh even more.

The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart took the stage to announce the next set of awards. The first award announced was for Best Rock Video, and the tension in the room grew palpable.

"And the winner is... Edward Newgate!! 'Believer'!" their voices rang out, filling the venue with excitement and applause. The room erupted in cheers as my name was called. 

In my commencement speech this time, I mentioned, "I thank the creator, for he gave me thinking capability surpassing those of a 3 years old child, throwing tantrums every time things didn't go the way they wanted it."

Everyone knew exactly what I was referring to here. But the surprises didn't end there. As the evening progressed, it was time for the Best New Artist award, a category that celebrated emerging talent and fresh voices in the industry. Once again, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart announced, "And the winner is... Edward Newgate!!"

The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause, celebrating the recognition of my work as a new artist. The consecutive wins for both Best Rock Video and Best New Artist further highlighted the reception and impact of "Believer," solidifying its place as a standout music video. I had beaten Lady Gaga in the votes, and promising artists such as Drake and Kid Cudi.

Right now, I have taken the lead in the overall amount of awards achieved by me for the 2009 MTV VMA with 3 awards!

When I returned to my seat, Taylor said, "Congrats Ed!"

"Yeah. Remember our deal. One girl to add to our night session for each one award– Ouch."

She secretly pinched me after I said that. Selena heard what I said and asked with disbelief, "What– You guys are degenerates." Both of us turned to her and laughed at the same time.

Following the exhilarating wins for Best Rock Video and Best New Artist, Beyoncé took the stage to deliver a remarkable performance of her iconic song "Single Ladies." The audience was captivated by her electrifying choreography and powerful stage presence, reaffirming her status as a consummate performer.

As the night progressed, the final three awards were eagerly anticipated. The category for Best Cinematography was announced, highlighting the visual artistry and technical skill employed in capturing the essence of a music video. The moment arrived, and it was revealed that "Single Ladies" had won the award for Best Cinematography.

Andy Samberg said, "Tonight, we are honored to present a very special award that recognizes the exceptional music videos that have become worldwide sensations through platforms like YouTube and Vevo. We proudly present the Fastest to Hit 100 Million Views category!"

Jimmy Fallon added, "And let me tell you, the competition was fierce! A music video like 'Believer' managed to hit the incredible milestone of 100 million views in just nine days. But today, we have an even more remarkable achievement. The winner of this coveted award managed to accomplish it in a mind-blowing six days! That's less than a week!"

The crowd buzzes with excitement as anticipation fills the room.

Andy Samberg and Jimmy Fallon, in perfect sync, announce, "Without further ado, please welcome to the stage the winner of the Fastest to Hit 100 Million Award... Taylor S. 'You Belong with Me'!"

Taylor's jaw dropped as she heard her name called out. At this moment, she also received 3 total awards, and whispered to me, "We have the same amount, so you cannot add 3 girls."

"Damn it. And I was so close too." I joked.

Our conversation wasn't captured by the camera as it only captured me giving Taylor a hug before she went to the stage. As Jimmy Fallon gave her the award, she teared up. I shouted her name and whistled, making her chuckle for a second as she heard my voice.

Suddenly, Andy Samberg said, "We all know what had happened before, so in addition to this award, we have a very special person who wanted to come upstage today."

Taylor was surprised, and as she turned back, her jaw dropped as she saw Beyonce walking towards her with the award Best Female Video in her hand.

Andy Samberg gave the presenter microphone to Beyonce who explained her intention for coming up there today.

"Taylor, I remember my first awards. I was 17 at that moment, performing together inside the group Destiny's Child. I know how special those moments are, how much they mean to you… So I would like you to relive that moment without interruption this time. Will you accept this award for Best Female Video?"

"I will." Taylor replied. Beyonce finally breathed in relief and then gave her second trophy on the stage. The incident that had unfolded at the beginning of the show was now tied up neatly, bringing closure to the situation.

I was happy for Taylor, and shortly after, they announced the award for Best Video of all times, and it was deservedly won by Beyonce. With that, the awards show finally ended for tonight.