Wanted

“After your interview on Thursday, we’ve got another photoshoot for you to do.”

“Okay, what company?”

“Metal Mulisha wants you to do some photos for them. They say your work with Affliction and Sinful and want you to do a couple for them, just to see how you do. It looks like Thomas has been doing some work,” Chris said, smiling.

“Alright. Man, it seems like I need a freaking personal assistant.”

“Almost,” he said, chuckling. “I’ve also been in contact with Good Charlotte’s managers. It seems as if Joel’s been trying to get in touch with you.”

“He could’ve just called,” Eliza said, frowning. “He’s got my number. Hell, he was just in California with me!”

“Why don’t you call him, then?” Chris said, tilting his head.

“Okay, I will.”

“Well, that’s all I have for today,” Chris said, standing up. “I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow at our meeting.”

“Alright,” Eliza said, grabbing her purse. “See ya, Chris!”

Three days after all of the Halloween excitement, it was back to business for Eliza. She’d come back to New York on Sunday with everyone, after they’d slept off their hangovers. She could happily say that her alcohol tolerance had been built back up due to the amount of bourbon and whiskey and vodka they’d consumed.

She shook her head and smiled at the memory of the last night at Jimmy’s. So many people had been there for Halloween it was unreal. Somehow they’d found Jonathan Davis from Korn and invited him along with some other members, all of the guys from Bullet For My Valentine were there as well as the guys from Good Charlotte and a bunch of other bands. Jimmy’s house had been packed and the alcohol flowed freely.

Eliza stepped out of the building into the New York sun and pushed her purse higher on her shoulder. A buzzing inside of her back pocket made her stop and pull her phone out. She read the text and then turned around, taking her phone off of vibrate. Thomas was leaning against the wall of the building she’d just walked out of. When she spotted him, he pushed away and walked closer, handing her a cup of coffee he was holding.

“So I figured we should go get you acquainted with some of the stuff you’re going to be wearing on Thursday,” he said as they started walking.

“I swear, you’d make the perfect personal assistant if I needed one. I was just telling Chris about how I feel like I need one,” Eliza said, smiling.

“I know. I’m just that great. Too bad you don’t need one, though. You haven’t reached diva status yet,” he said, teasing.

She stuck her tongue out at him as he laughed. They walked for a few minutes down to a giant store where Thomas held the door open for her.

Her phone chirped and she looked down, seeing a text from Brian. She smiled and replied before placing the phone in her back pocket to catch up with Thomas who was already picking out different pieces of clothing.

When they got finished and Eliza had paid for her things, they walked out of the store, discussing where to go next.

“I need more coffee, I know that much,” she said as they got closer to a Starbucks.

“Fine, we’ll go get you some.”

Just as they approached the door, the door opened and out walked a very blonde girl with a smirk on her face. Eliza raised an eyebrow, recognizing the girl from the picture in the magazine. Emily Summers was standing in front of her.

“Oh, hello, Eliza.”

“Hi.”

“I’m Emily Summers,” she said, sticking her hand out.

Eliza just looked at the girls’ hand and then back at her face. “I know who you are.”

Emily rolled her eyes and retracted her hand. “It’s nice to see you looking decent today. I actually do like that top you’re wearing.”

“It’s nice to see you looking more like a bitch than ever,” Eliza said with a fake smile. “Thank you for the compliment, though.”

“Oh, that reminds me!” Emily said and went searching for something in her purse. She pulled out what looked like a CD case and handed it to Eliza. “I figured you might want to hear before anyone else my new album. You know, in case you want to hear what real music sounds like.”

“’Summers Records’. What, did daddy buy the record company because they knew you suck?” Thomas asked with his head cocked to the size.

“Don’t you have AIDs to give someone?” she asked and walked away.

Eliza’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “Did she just fucking say that?”

Eliza handed the stupid CD to Thomas and started to walk after Emily. Thomas pulled her back.

“I’ve been dealing with assholes like her since I was in high school. Trust me; that bitch does not faze me and she shouldn’t faze you, either.”

“You’re going to let her go?!”

“Yes, Eliza. It’s called being the bigger person.”

“Fuck that.”

“Eliza, let it go,” Thomas begged, letting go of her hand.

“Fine,” she said, but she narrowed her eyes at the girl’s form walking away. "I can't believe Arin dates her. That's nasty."



Hours later, she settled into her apartment with her findings for the day. She took her iPod with her to the kitchen to begin the search for something to make for dinner. She’d just pulled a few items out when her phone went off.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Eliza.”

“Oh, hey, Joel! I was going to call you in a few minutes, actually. Chris said you’d been trying to get in touch with me.”

“I have. I forgot that I had your number, actually, and I just remembered it a few minutes ago. Listen, I’ve got something I need to ask you, but I don’t want to do it over the phone.”

“Alright,” Eliza said, frowning.

“Are you doing anything tonight?”

“Uh, just making dinner.”

“Oh! You haven’t eaten yet. That’s great. I’m going to pick you up in an hour and we’re going out to dinner.”

“Oh, alright. Well, how should I dress?”

“Uh, nicely. I made reservations for us, so definitely nice.”

“Okay. You said an hour?”

“Yep, I’ll be there.”

“Alright, see you then, Joel.”

She hung up and looked around her kitchen. She put away the ingredients and snatched up her phone and iPod before heading upstairs. She started out by curling her hair, and while the rollers were setting, she moved to her closet to pull out a dress.

“Look nice,” she mused, looking through her closet.

She spied a black lace dress and pulled it out, setting it on the bed, dancing slightly to the Rob Zombie her iPod was blaring out. She picked up a pair of black heels to go with the dress and went back to her bathroom to finish her makeup.

Just as she was adding the final bracelet to her outfit, her doorbell rang. She pressed pause on her music and picked up her coat and clutch before cutting the light off in her room and heading downstairs. She pulled the door open to see not only Joel, but Benji standing there as well.

“Benji!” she said before launching herself at him, hugging him. “I didn’t know you were coming, too!”

“Yeah, I kind of decided to tag along.”

She moved to Joel and hugged him, too, before pulling her door shut and locking it.

“So where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” Joel said as they walked out of her building.

Benji opened the passenger side door and Eliza moved to sit in the backseat.

“Whoa, where are you going?” Benji asked.

“I was going to sit in the back,” she said, frowning.

“No, I’ll sit in the back. You can have the front. You’ve got the skirt on.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling as he got into the car.

He fixed the seat and she slid into the front beside Joel. He started up the car and took off down the street.

“So, how have you been?” Benji asked.

“Well, kind of flustered, actually. There’s a lot of stuff the band has to do in order to get ready for our album release next Tuesday. I didn’t realize that taking four days off for drunken debauchery would cost me so severely.”

“Doesn’t the company take care of shit?” Joel asked.

“Well, yeah, they do, but I’ve got to get with the band and figure out what songs we’re gonna play. They want us to play at least two songs from the album, just to give everyone a taste or whatever, so we’ve got to meet and decide and then practice. I’ve got a bunch of meetings to go to this week, not to mention they’re setting me up with a bunch of photoshoots with different clothing companies and shit.”

“That sounds awesome as fuck,” Benji said from the back seat.

“Are the guys coming out for the party?” Joel asked.

“They’re supposed to,” Eliza said. “I’m not real sure, though. I know Jimmy and Johnny are coming for sure, though. I’m not sure about everyone else. You guys have to be there, too.”

“I’m coming,” Benji chimed in.

Joel and Eliza laughed.

“I’ll get Chris to set it up for you guys.”

“Can we bring someone?” Joel asked.

“Absolutely; the more the merrier!”

“Sweet,” Joel said, just as they pulled up to the restaurant.

The Palm was a small building located on 2nd Street, but it was a major restaurant. Eliza hadn’t been there before, but she’d heard about it and wanted to go. People told her their chicken and veal Parmigiana was to die for, and she was excited to be trying it out.

She took Benji’s arm as Joel handed the keys to the valet and then joined them. He told the hostess his name and she handed menus to a waiter that led them to their seats. She sat with Benji and Joel on either side of her as they ordered drinks.

“Moscato for me,” she said, taking the napkin off of the table and crossing her legs to place it on her lap. “Why are we sitting at a table meant for six?”

Joel ordered his drink and ignored Eliza’s question.

“Excuse me,” Benji said and he pushed away from the table, standing away.

Joel struck up a conversation while the waiter brought their drinks. When Benji returned, there were four people with him.

“What the hell,” Eliza said, seeing her band mates.

“Yeah, that’s a great question,” Wiki said, sitting down across from her.

Dominic and Hunter sat on either side of Wiki, looking just as confused. The waiter took their drink orders and disappeared again.

“So, why are we here?” Hunter asked, taking his napkin from the table and setting it on his lap.

“I mean, trust me, we’re honored you asked us to dinner, but really…Why are we here?” Dominic said, accepting his drink from the waiter who’d just returned.

“Well, we were gonna wait until after dinner, but you guys are getting too antsy,” Joel said, looking at Benji. “We want you guys to open up for us on Saturday night. We’ve got this huge concert to do here and we want you to be our opening act.”

“Are you shitting me?!” Wiki and Dominic said at the same time.

Eliza choked on her sip of wine and Hunter just stared at them.

“Dead serious,” Benji said, smiling.

“I’m so fucking excited!” Wiki all but shouted, banging her fists on the table.