Hutch or Peck?

Hutch and I arrived at the studio where we were going to take photos at which happened to be the roof of a hotel building.

I exited the vehicle after Hutch did, but not before he outstretched a hand for me to take. I did so and instantly felt my hand be comfortable in his.

Just as I was getting lost, his voice brought me out of my thoughts.

“Earth to Melanie,” he said lowering his head so that my eyes locked with his face instead of our hands.

He quickly let his hand drop from mine once my eyes did lock to his as a smile formed on his lips.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded, plastering a fake smile to my lips. To be honest, this was the first time I was having a photo shoot with someone else other than Sam. Needless to say, I was nervous.

He opened the door for me like a gentleman and we entered the building instantly seeing the photographer, my mouth dropping at the sight.

“Josh? Wh-what are you doing here?” I asked stammering slightly in shock as I saw the camera around Peck’s neck.

A bright smile covered his lips after I spoke.

“Well, I wanted to try something new and I jumped at the chance to photograph you since I’ve never been to any of your photo shoots,” Peck answered easily.

“Oh,” was all I got out. I was beginning to feel awkward and uncomfortable with the guy I was already crushing on and the guy I recently started connecting to in the same room.

But it wasn’t just that; the three of us were going to be hanging out outside of Peck’s house and the photos were going to go to the media whenever Peck was done. Apparently I was thinking so deeply that the two began to worry.

“Are you alright?” Hutch asked before Peck did.

I plastered another fake smile to my lip after a couple of seconds and answered him.

“Of course! Let’s get this photo shoot started, shall we?” I forced out.

“Alright then,” Peck agreed, taking me by the hand, surprising the shit out of me.

My eyes drifted at our hands like they did the previous time, but just like before, Peck didn’t give me time to look up at him. He led us to the stairs and we climbed them with Hutch following us. As we climbed the stairs, I looked back from time to time. His expression was blank and he avoided eye contact with me until we reached the roof of the hotel.

Peck opened the door for me and my eyes landed on the usual busyness of a photo shoot. There were people setting up all over the place. Peck spoke getting their attention.

“Our stars are here,” he said happily.

At that sentence, a group of people walked towards us and wanted autographs. Mind you now, these people are the same ones working on the photo shoot. I wasn’t used to that. Peck let go of my hand and expected me to walk towards the faces that were friendly, but I still didn’t do well in front of new people, but this time something happened; another hand grabbed my right this time and I instantly knew who it was judging by the scent.

Just by seeing the watch on his left wrist, I knew it was Hutch. He smiled at the people first and then at me and we began conversing and signing autographs. Hutch supporting me was a huge relief and just being there was enough to make my nerves wash away.

After a while, we got started on the photo shoot. My stylist was there and had my clothes waiting and ready.

“Monica!” I said happily once I got to her.

Monica was a woman in her late 20s, Asian, and spoke 3 different languages. When she spoke English, there was no accent, but she was able to speak Korean and Japanese as well. Her hair was in a high ponytail and she sometimes wore punk clothing similar to Sam’s usual attire. I guess one could say she was my other sister since she and Sam were nearly identical when it came down to their attitudes.

“Mel, you know that man shouldn’t have left you to yourself like that,” she scolded her eyes glaring towards Peck even though he wasn’t looking at her.

Her eyes landed on Hutch and an eyebrow rose.

“You dating him?” she asked quickly as a smile grew on her lips.

“No, we’re not. We just met last night,” I answered a little too quickly.

Monica’s face dropped and she rolled her eyes.

“Well, I hope you treat her better than her friend over there,” she said to Hutch.

“Thanks, I plan to,” he replied, his eyes flickering to me.

Impressed, Monica added something else I didn’t expect her to say.

“Seems like you already are, young man,” she concluded giving me a slight pat on my left shoulder and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks.

“Come on,” she encouraged and I reluctantly followed in her footsteps to the partitions which were firmly implanted in the ground.

Once my eyes landed on the outfits and as usual, Monica spoke.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but that boy is better than your other friend. I mean, he just left you to those people knowing how you are around new and unfamiliar faces,” she said as I changed clothes behind the partitions.

“I know. I thought he’d know that by now,” I admitted. My phone went off and I read the text I had gotten.

Good luck at your photo shoot. I’ll try not to kill Mom while we’re here.

I texted Sam back as I felt bad. I almost forgot that she and my mom were together now.

You won’t. Just stay calm and you’ll be fine. Good luck to you, too! :D

I gave my phone to Monica after I finished changing into the first outfit. She smiled before sending me to hair and makeup and they went to work. Shortly after that, I was sent to Hutch and Peck, Hutch being dressed now in a Hawaiian shirt and dark pants the same shade as my dress.

“You look great!” Peck said happily as he adjusted his camera.

I smiled as I waited for Hutch’s opinion.

“Great isn’t justice,” he retorted. Once I reached Hutch, he whispered in my ear, “You look beautiful.”

I blushed as Peck began to speak.

“Just because I’m the photographer of this photo shoot doesn’t mean that you have to be nervous around me, OK, Mel? Josh, I’m sure you’ve had plenty of photo shoots so just treat Mel like you would anyone else, alright? Be natural,” Peck concluded.

I smiled at Hutch and he smiled back. Needless to say, that was the beginning of the photo shoot that I was going to enjoy.

~~~~~~~

-Meanwhile-

After I texted Mel after the whole ordeal with our mom, she came back to me practically scolding at me to go into the studio. I needed some air after that so I went on a walk and found myself outside of the studio in the back. I had stumbled across one of the rooms with instruments in it, but it wasn’t a recording area.

Oddly enough, there was someone inside of the room, more like 3 people to be exact; three guys all ranging from 15-20 years old. Two of them had curly hair while the other one had straight hair.

The one with the straight hair had knocked some instruments over for some reason and all three pairs of eyes landed on me.

“Uh-oh,” the straight haired guy said.

“Great, Joe. Now you’ve got us all in trouble,” the oldest and curliest of the bunch said walking over to the previous one who spoke before and helped him restraighten the instruments.

“Sorry about the instruments, my brother Joe was playing around and slipped, knocking them over,” the youngest one said walking over to me.

There was a look in his eyes I couldn’t describe, but I could tell he was shocked to see me.

“Y-you’re Samantha Parker. Guys, it’s Samantha Parker,” he said to Joe and the other guy.

“Good going, Joe. Not only did you knock over instruments, but you humiliated yourself in front of one of the greatest artists of our youth,” the oldest one said.

“It’s no big deal, really. I won’t tell anyone what happened, but what are you guys doing in here?” I asked walking over to Joe and the guy who spoke helping them.

“We were waiting for the surprise artist we’re supposed to work with for a duet, but we haven’t seen them yet. I’m Kevin, by the way,” he said with a hand outstretched and I shook it quickly getting a little starstruck myself.

“Wait. If you’re Kevin, you’re Joe, then you must be Nick. You guys are the Jonas Brothers,” I said with a slight laugh.

“You know of us?” Nick asked scratching the back of his neck nervously.

“Of course I do. I remember seeing you guys video of Mandy a couple of years ago and instantly liking the song. Also, you guys’ most recent album is awesome, despite a few songs,” I said with a smile.

My mind clicked as I remembered running into them on the orange carpet and them performing at the TCA’s as well.

“Hey!” I said getting angry and pointing at Joe, “aren’t you that jackass that bumped into me and made me spill my drink at the after party?” I asked.

“Uhhh-,” Joe stammered, but Kevin came to his rescue.

“Forgive our clumsy brother. He didn’t mean to and it wouldn’t be his first time falling anywhere,” he explained.

I rolled my eyes as I folded my arms across my chest.

“Uh huh,” I got out.

“Please do so. I was being a goofball that night and was trying to impress a girl I knew,” Joe admitted.

None of their attempts worked and it wasn’t until the door opened revealing my mom, some red haired guy, and my producer.

“There you guys are!” the red-haired man said with a sigh.

“Samantha! I see you’ve met your companions,” my producer said with a smile.

The four of us looked at one another.

“WHAT?!” we exclaimed incredulously.

“You four are going to be working together for the next few days on a duet song,” my mom explained with a smile.

“Why? I thought I worked alone,” I protested.

“Your mom thought it’d be time for a change just this once, Sam,” my producer said apologetically.

I bit my lip hard just as Nick spoke.

“It’s new for us, actually,” he admitted staring at me. I stared back at him getting lost in his eyes which looked like they were saying something that I couldn’t figure out at the moment.

I shrugged, tearing my eyes from his before nodding to the others including my mom and the red-haired man. One by one, everyone filed out of the room except me and Nick.

It was he whom spoke once everyone was gone.

“Thanks for wanting to work with us. I could tell you didn’t want to at first,” he said, but I shook my head at his words.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to work with you guys; I wasn’t told about the matter entirely until just now,” I replied.

I began to walk away, but Nick stopped me.

“I really did mean it when it was new to us and thanking you,” he said with sincerity.

I pulled my hand out of his slack grasp and waved my hand with a smile on my face before saying my usual phrase when things were OK with me.

“No worries, Nick,” I said to him, “no worries at all,” I said to myself as the smile on my face remained there as the mere thought of working with a mature person whom was on the exact same page as me made me feel better about the situation entirely.