Publicity - Chapter 7 - Meeting
After Tempe, Magcon goes to Fort Lauderdale, then to Orlando, then Washington and now we're in Philadelphia.
The last few events have gone extremely well. I feel like the crowds just keep getting bigger and bigger, and the guys, Mahogany, Haley and I keep going on more fun adventures together.
Jack and I haven't talked at all about what happened the other night, actually we haven't spoken in general. The only time we've been in contact with each other is when we're on stage together, because for some reason Shawn still isn't off vocal rest.
When we're on stage together, we dance around with each other and sing in perfect harmony, but I only do that for the strict purpose of entertaining. After we're off stage I walk off with Haley, and when we're all together with the other guys, I stick by Haley or any of the others and avoid Gilinsky at all costs.
I don't mean to seem rude or make it seem like I don't like him or something, because that's not the case at all. I'm actually avoiding him because I like him, which seems so childish but whatever.
Ryan and I have been texting, Facetiming, etc. for the past week or so, and he's completely back to normal now.
He hasn't been mad at me, and he wishes me luck before every event so I guess you could say I'm pretty content right now.
I'm walking down the hotel hallway, heading towards the elevator so that I can go get some breakfast when I run into Jack coming out of the elevator.
I look up at him and get flustered, and instead of saying anything I just walk past him straight back into the elevator.
I figure that he'll just continue on his way and I'll continue on mine, but I'm wrong. He hops in the elevator with me and waits for the doors to close before speaking.
"So you wanna tell me why you've been so bitchy lately?" He asks.
I stay silent for a second.
"Well I mean you tried kissing me the other night even though you know I have a boyfriend.."
"Well correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm almost 100% sure you didn't tell me to stop. In fact you leaned in a bit, too so"
He's completely right, but I don't want to admit that because that would be admitting that I like him in some sort of way, and I can't do that.
"I was just shocked. I get that way when I'm surprised by something, what was I supposed to do run away? You shouldn't have even tried anything"
He goes to fire some comeback, but the elevator dings and the doors begin to open. I scoot up to be ready to walk out, but Jack reaches his arm in front of me and presses the button to go back up, causing the doors to close and the elevator to move.
"Trapping me in an elevator? What are you gonna try kissing me again?" I can tell that he's getting really pissed at this point, which makes me feel kind of bad but there's so many thoughts running through my mind right now and I'm so confused I just need to stay away from him, and the best way to do that is to make him not want to be around me.
"You're ridiculous. You could have just told me to stop, you don't have to act like some stuck up bitch because someone likes you" He raises his voice now, and I can't think of anything else to say so I keep my mouth closed until the doors open up again.
Jack stays in the elevator with his jaw clenched and his eyes glued to the buttons on the side while I get out and march off down the hallway and back to my hotel room. Guess I won't be getting breakfast after all.
We only get to spend one day in Philadelphia, so instead of spending it pissed off inside a hotel, Haley and I decide to get out and explore as much as we can before the event.
We go to a few different stores and buy a few things then we just sight see for a while and talk.
"So it's obvious that you have your eyes set on both Sammy and Jack J" I say before nudging Haley's arm and she immediately starts blushing.
"Jack J is the sweetest person ever and he's so attractive and Sam is kinda like a bad boy but he also has a sweet side, too"
It's so weird how she came here with me eager to meet Cam and Nash, and now she's here and she's barely even talked to them, she's spent all of her time with the Omaha crew.
We talk about a few other things until I get a call from Bart. He wants me to come back to the hotel for some meeting, which is strange because usually Bart notifies everyone like a day early about meetings.
Haley and I walk back to the hotel; she gets on the elevator to go back upstairs while I walk down to a conference room.
I open the doors and walk in to see management, the Magcon publicist, Jack G and Bart all sat down at a table.
"Am I late?" I ask before walking over and taking a seat next to Bart.
"Nope, just in time" Bart replies.
I look over at Jack, who's clearly trying to avoid eye contact with me by looking all around the room except anywhere in my general direction.
I roll my eyes before turning my attention to the publicist woman who begins talking.
"So I'm sure you're both wondering why you two only were called to this meeting and I first want to start off by saying try to be open minded about what we're going to talk about today, okay?" She asks then looks at both Jack and I. We nod our heads.
"So since Shawn has been on vocal rest, you guys and Jack have been performing together and that's sparked a lot of commotion on social media for some reason" She starts to say, then the management dude butts in.
"We've been keeping an eye out and it seems like a lot of people like the idea of Jack and Whitney. Something about the way you perform together on stage, so that's why we want to propose an idea"
The publicist takes over talking again now.
"We think it'd be a great idea to have you two as a couple. It'll spark a lot of new fans for the both of you, and it'll get some great promotion for the whole tour in general. We'll let you guys know when to go out, etc. We'll stir up some drama for the headlines and it'll be great for the both Jack and Jack and you Whitney"
No no no no no no. I cannot fake date Jack, that just can't happen.
"There's no way I'm doing this. I have a real boyfriend in California and I just don't think that'd be a good idea" I start to protest, then look over at Jack for some sort of back up but he just sits in his chair with a smirk on his face.
"Well I guess we kind of exaggerated when we said this was a 'proposal' you signed a contract with us that says management and publicists can make decisions final if they believe that it will truly benefit the artist/entertainer and we believe this will benefit you both so I hate to sound so short and demanding but you guys don't have much of a choice" The publicist explains and I scoff.
I should've had someone read over that contract for me before signing it. If I'd known that I was basically signing for my life to be taken over, I would have declined the Magcon offer the minute Bart asked me about it.
"Well then whatever. I guess we have to. Great meeting, but I'm leaving now" There's no way I'm sitting through another minute of this ridiculous meeting, so I stand up and storm out of the conference room.
I didn't even know publicity stunts like this were even real? This is gonna be so awkward considering the whole almost kiss and whatever flirting thing was going on. And how am I gonna explain this to Ryan? Even if it's fake, he's gonna be so pissed. I just can't believe this.
I continue to think about all of the negatives about the situation as I make my way up to my hotel room.
Once I'm back on our floor, I barge into the hotel room where Haley is laying on the bed on her phone.
"I have to fake date Jack Gilinsky for publicity. This is absolutely ridiculous" I start to rant to Haley and she just stares at me while I do.
I go on and on and on about how dumb it will be until eventually I run out of breath and flop down on one of the beds.
"C'mon it can't be that bad. You just gotta act a little bit while you're out in public, that's all" I know she's trying to comfort me but this is one of those times where it'd just be better if she'd agree with me.
"It will be bad. Ryan is gonna go ballistic and it's gonna be so weird. Like how do I act like I like someone, kiss them in public, go on dates and be all smiley and giddy with them when I'm actually mad at that person and wanting to avoid them? My uncle is a lawyer dude, maybe I can get him to look over this Magcon contract or something" I continue to rant some more before Haley interrupts me by grabbing my shoulders and shaking me back to reality.
"It'd be stupid to make some big case out of this. Ryan will understand and it won't be that bad.. It's just publicity. It's not like you'll have to date him behind the scenes"
"I guess you're right" It does help a little bit knowing I won't have to date him for real. We only have to act in public, and with our situations we don't find ourselves in public all that much. We're usually in hotels or something, so that's good I guess.
The rest of the day is spent sitting on my bed thinking until now.
It's time to go down to the event room and wait backstage, like always.
Haley and I get ready and walk downstairs to the big room. We snack on all of the food set up around us and chat until Bart walks over to us, with Gilinsky next to him.
"So we're putting this dating thing into place today. While you two are performing together we want to guys to act kinda flirty, flirtier than usual. That'll spark people's curiosity then we'll schedule some dates over the next couple of days and tip-off some paparazzi so that rumors will float around, then one of you will confirm the rumors in an interview or on Twitter"
He looks at us both, waiting for some sort of response, but neither one of us really respond. I roll my eyes and Jack just stares blankly at the wall behind Haley and I.
"You guys are gonna have to meet halfway or something here. You're up now, go out there and make it obvious, but not too obvious, got it?" We hesitantly nod our heads before walking on stage with Jack J.
I perform the usual songs with Jack and Jack; Distance and Cold Hearted but instead of just performing like we normally perform, I stand in closer range with Gilinsky and he turns up the winking, body rolls, and flirting a lot of notches, making the audience a mixture of surprised, slightly mad and mostly happy.
Once we're done performing the Jacks and I walk backstage where I immediately separate from them and stand next to Haley.
"That was so awkward. We literally JUST started doing this thing and I already feel guilty and stupid and I can't go through with this fake dating thing" I start ranting to Haley and she just stands there and watches me, as usual.
I go on and on about how much I just want to avoid Jack and talk to Ryan until eventually Bart and Jack approach the two of us.
"That was great guys! Exactly what we're looking for. Tomorrow everyone gets a day off so you don't have to be together tomorrow, but after tomorrow we'll probably set up a few dates or something, cool with you guys?" Jack nods first, then I nod, even though I REALLY wish I could just say 'no, that doesn't sound cool' and storm off, but unfortunately I signed a legal contract.
The rest of the day after the show is spent packing up my things so that I'm ready to leave tomorrow, and hanging out with Haley.
At around 7, Haley and I get hungry so while Haley watches some show on the hotel TV, I put on a robe over my shorts and tank top and head down to the lobby to see if there's anything to snack on while we wait for a pizza to be delivered.
After getting an armful of different chips from vending machines and a couple of sodas, I head back upstairs but I'm stopped on the way when I run into Jack. Of course.
He apologizes for bumping into me, but instead of saying sorry back, I snobbishly speed walk past him and into the elevator.
The elevator doors start to close, but just as they're about to shut completely, a hand pops through, they re-open and in walks Jack.
We stand next to each other silently and awkwardly while the elevator moves up, and once it's on our floor we both get out silently as well.
We walk next to each other up until I reach my door. I put my hand on the doorknob, I begin to twist it to the right, but I get stopped by Jack lightly tugging on my arm. I look at him blankly, waiting for him to speak.
"Can we talk?" He asks. I hesitantly shake my head, then we walk to his hotel room which is only a few doors down.
I walk into the hotel room and sit down on his hotel bed, then he sits down right next to me and it's pretty strange for a minute before Jack talks.
"Listen I'm sorry for trying to kiss you. You were right, I should've controlled my lips. You have a boyfriend and I was wrong for trying to pull anything"
I didn't think he'd actually ever apologize for the other night, and hearing him apologize actually makes me feel guilty now.
"Well you were right too. I didn't exactly stop myself, and that was so so so so sooooo wrong because I have a boyfriend..."
We don't actually say anything after that, but I can tell that we both kind of accepted each other's apologies.
"So you high or somethin'? All these snacks kinda makes it seem like you have the munchies" Jack states before reaching his hand over and stealing a bag of Doritos.
I glare at him for the Dorito stealing for a second before I bust out laughing.
"Haley and I needed some snacks to eat while waiting for our pizza"
"Damn. What a coupla' fatties" Jack teases while shoving Doritos in his mouth.
We chat and laugh for a few more minutes before I stand up and head over towards the door.
"I just want you to know that none of this fake dating thing was my idea. And it's going to be strictly publicity and business, I'm not going to try anything ever again. But I'd like it if we could at least be friends behind the scenes, it'd make acting like I love you so much easier" He says before I open the room door.
"I'd like that too. Hey our pizza should be here in like 15 minutes, we got a lot of it so you should come to our room and have some. And Jack too if he comes back up"
"I would never turn down pizza. See ya in 15" He says, then I give him a small hug before walking back over to my hotel room.
Part of me feels so weird and regretful about that little moment, because making up with Jack means I can't avoid him behind the scenes but at the same time I'm relieved because Jack could be a really great friend and if you put aside his looks and flirty personality, he's a really great guy.
What do you think is gonna happen? What do you want to happen? Leave your thoughts/feedback in my ask or on Wattpad (jjgilinsky)
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