stepped into the elevator alone, the doors closing in her security’s face once they caught up. So she would be mobbed by fans – what was the big deal? They loved her, they didn’t want to hurt her.
The solitude of the elevator was peaceful. Gemma couldn’t remember the last time she was alone as Queen Bee. She relished every second as she rode from the penthouse floor to the lobby. She knew the doors would soon open to madness – to either an infuriated security team or a swarm of screaming fans.
Ding . It was both. The crowd spilled into the elevator and Gemma quickly felt a bodyguard’s hand on her wrist. As he pulled her out of the mob, Gemma blew kisses to her wailing fans. She even managed to kiss a teenaged girl on the cheek, sending her into joyful hysterics. Despite the pandemonium, her team joined forces with hotel staff and managed to create a path for her to exit through.
“Why did you do that?” Andro demanded when they reached the outside area safely. Even he felt compelled to reprimand her, which meant that she was in for one hell of a tongue-lashing from Mira. Gemma just smiled complacently as she caught her breath.
“I had to run,” she answered simply.
~
After the premiere of The Current at Tribeca Cinemas, attendees made their way to The Strathorne on Church Street. The swanky boutique hotel was illuminated in the glow of spotlights and flashing cameras. A brilliant red carpet rolled out from the hotel entrance to the edge of the sidewalk. Roped off to the right was a large crowd of media and photographers. To the left was the army of Tyler Chasers, covering half the block as they held up giant Tyler portraits and other memorabilia.
While her car waited to pull up, Gemma gazed out through the tinted windows. The cameras flashed nonstop though Tyler had yet to arrive.
“Who are they going crazy for?” Armand wondered aloud.
“Oh Lord have mercy,” Penelope squinted out her window. “It’s Zoe Mercury and her crazy friend.”
Gemma immediately began searching the busy red carpet for the two girls. She found them standing towards the hotel entrance, holding hands and posing towards each other for photographers. Gemma raised her eyebrows at the transparent lace top on Harper’s dress.
“At least Crazy Friend has fantastic taste in lingerie,” Armand said.
Gemma was too busy gawking to notice a bodyguard standing outside her car door. They had pulled up to the red carpet.
“What are you waiting for, Bee?” Penelope asked as the door opened from the outside. “Go get ‘em!”
Gemma sat still. She watched Zoe and Harper make their way into the hotel before taking her bodyguard’s hand and stepping out.
“Bee! Queen Bee!”
Her name was called from all directions. Gemma smiled for the cameras and posed expertly. She was on Queen Bee autopilot. It was perfect yet mundane.
“What do you think? Is Tyler Chase a future Oscar winner?”
Gemma forced a laugh with her interviewer. “He has my academy vote!”
“Of course he does. We know what a special relationship you two share.”
Gemma pursed her lips into a fairly convincing smile, praying that someone from her team would whisk her away from the interview. Just then, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her towards the middle of the carpet.
“Why don’t you come with me, Bee?”
Gemma turned to see Tyler holding her, smiling at her with both his eyes and his lips.
“Hello you,” Gemma giggled.
“Hey.” Tyler looked at her devilishly. “Do I dare?” Before Gemma could ask what he meant, he planted a kiss on the corner of her lips. The response was immediate. A buzz quickly circulated the carpet and his fans howled at them – in either approval or disappointment. Gemma figured it was both, but mostly the latter.
“You can’t go kissing me in front of your crazy fans,” Gemma hissed at him playfully.
“It was
The solitude of the elevator was peaceful. Gemma couldn’t remember the last time she was alone as Queen Bee. She relished every second as she rode from the penthouse floor to the lobby. She knew the doors would soon open to madness – to either an infuriated security team or a swarm of screaming fans.
Ding . It was both. The crowd spilled into the elevator and Gemma quickly felt a bodyguard’s hand on her wrist. As he pulled her out of the mob, Gemma blew kisses to her wailing fans. She even managed to kiss a teenaged girl on the cheek, sending her into joyful hysterics. Despite the pandemonium, her team joined forces with hotel staff and managed to create a path for her to exit through.
“Why did you do that?” Andro demanded when they reached the outside area safely. Even he felt compelled to reprimand her, which meant that she was in for one hell of a tongue-lashing from Mira. Gemma just smiled complacently as she caught her breath.
“I had to run,” she answered simply.
~
After the premiere of The Current at Tribeca Cinemas, attendees made their way to The Strathorne on Church Street. The swanky boutique hotel was illuminated in the glow of spotlights and flashing cameras. A brilliant red carpet rolled out from the hotel entrance to the edge of the sidewalk. Roped off to the right was a large crowd of media and photographers. To the left was the army of Tyler Chasers, covering half the block as they held up giant Tyler portraits and other memorabilia.
While her car waited to pull up, Gemma gazed out through the tinted windows. The cameras flashed nonstop though Tyler had yet to arrive.
“Who are they going crazy for?” Armand wondered aloud.
“Oh Lord have mercy,” Penelope squinted out her window. “It’s Zoe Mercury and her crazy friend.”
Gemma immediately began searching the busy red carpet for the two girls. She found them standing towards the hotel entrance, holding hands and posing towards each other for photographers. Gemma raised her eyebrows at the transparent lace top on Harper’s dress.
“At least Crazy Friend has fantastic taste in lingerie,” Armand said.
Gemma was too busy gawking to notice a bodyguard standing outside her car door. They had pulled up to the red carpet.
“What are you waiting for, Bee?” Penelope asked as the door opened from the outside. “Go get ‘em!”
Gemma sat still. She watched Zoe and Harper make their way into the hotel before taking her bodyguard’s hand and stepping out.
“Bee! Queen Bee!”
Her name was called from all directions. Gemma smiled for the cameras and posed expertly. She was on Queen Bee autopilot. It was perfect yet mundane.
“What do you think? Is Tyler Chase a future Oscar winner?”
Gemma forced a laugh with her interviewer. “He has my academy vote!”
“Of course he does. We know what a special relationship you two share.”
Gemma pursed her lips into a fairly convincing smile, praying that someone from her team would whisk her away from the interview. Just then, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her towards the middle of the carpet.
“Why don’t you come with me, Bee?”
Gemma turned to see Tyler holding her, smiling at her with both his eyes and his lips.
“Hello you,” Gemma giggled.
“Hey.” Tyler looked at her devilishly. “Do I dare?” Before Gemma could ask what he meant, he planted a kiss on the corner of her lips. The response was immediate. A buzz quickly circulated the carpet and his fans howled at them – in either approval or disappointment. Gemma figured it was both, but mostly the latter.
“You can’t go kissing me in front of your crazy fans,” Gemma hissed at him playfully.
“It was
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