The Hollywood Effect (20 page)

“Just what?”
 

“I don’t know.”
 

“Spit it out, Pike.”
 

I sighed. “This is silly.”

Liam just looked at me, waiting. I took a deep breath.
 

“I look amazing, but I don’t even look like me. I don’t think my own father would recognise me at the moment.”
 

“Bullshit. Of course he would. You don’t look that different. Just more…polished.”
 

“Right.” I rolled my eyes. My smokey, eyes that didn’t even look like mine anymore.

“You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?”
 

Now it was my turn to stare at him in silence.
 

Liam shook his head softly. “Come on, let’s have some bubbles before we go.”
 

I followed him obediently out. Raquel and Mike were sitting on the couch, a bottle of champagne and four flutes sitting on the coffee table.
 

Mike gawked at me as I came out, and then wolf whistled. I laughed, slightly embarrassed.
 

“Well, you scrub up all right, Aussie Girl.”
 

“Thanks,” I almost mumbled.
 

“Oh, can I get some pictures? I promised Fi I would.”
 

I stood and posed obligatorily for the photos, feeling slightly awkward. Thankfully she was satisfied with just a few photos.
 

Liam popped open the bottle of champagne bottle, and poured us all a glass.
 

“Cheers,” he raised his glass and we all clinked and echoed him. I took a sip. It was a delicious champagne.
 

The four of us stood around chatting, and I almost forgot I was dressed up like I was, when Liam’s phone buzzed. He peeked out the window.
 

“Show time! Are you ready?” He turned to me. I nodded. “Time to go.”
 

I just don’t know what to think anymore, dear readers! Who has Liam’s heart? Is it still Holly? His old high school sweetheart, Jen, or is it his co-star the lovey Lily Bristowe? Lily was spotted at an intimate gathering at Liam’s house recently and we have to admit, they would make an adorably cute couple. Quite a few of you have pointed out that Lily would be a much better match for Liam. We’ll see what happens at the after party! We are expecting a few juicy stories to slip out. Stay tuned!
 

I blinked. Camera flashes were going off in my face, and it made it hard to see properly. Liam climbed gracefully out of the limousine, and a loud cheer went up. He turned and held his hand out to me, smiling softly.
 

I smiled back and reached out my hand.
Don’t trip, don’t trip
, I sternly told myself.
 

Somehow I managed to keep my feet. The heels felt too high, and I was glad I had Liam’s arm to cling to. I would have surely tumbled without him. The camera flashes were starting to make me see dots. Our limousine pulled off, to be quickly replaced by a new one. Another loud cheer went up from the horde of screaming teenage girls lined up against a pop up barrier. I turned to look behind me to see who was in this one; it was Lily Bristowe and her brother, Billy. She waved at the crowd who all but swooned, and then to my surprise she waved happily at me. I shyly waved back. I still couldn’t believe I’d met, talked to, laughed with, and gotten drunk with Lily Freakin’ Bristowe. Crazy.
 

Liam had a charming grin plastered on his face as he led me slowly up the red carpet.
 

“You look great,” he said to me again. I glanced up at him. He was smiling softly down at me, ignoring the people around us.
 

“You don’t scrub up too bad yourself, Mr Burns.” I felt like I’d already said that a few times, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Compliments were not my forte.
 

“I always feel like I should steeple my fingers together evilly whenever anyone calls me Mr Burns,” he said quietly to me. I laughed. I couldn’t imagine anyone who looked less like Montgomery Burns than Liam. Definitely less yellow and stooped, and much more hair.
 

“Liam! Congratulations on the new movie. We’re sure it’ll be a great hit.” A blonde woman in a busty red dress leaned over and shoved a microphone near Liam’s face.
 

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
 

I resisted the urge to snort and managed to stand there dutifully while Busty McReporter flirted with Liam in the guise of running an interview. She asked him about the film, and Liam spieled off a statement that he’d probably practised in the mirror, because I heard it a few times that night.
 

“And who is this lovely, lucky lady you have on your arm tonight?” I zoned back into the conversation when I realised they were talking about me.
 

“This is Jen,” Liam said, and shot another smile at me.
 

“Oh, come on. Is that all you’re going to give us?”

I felt strangely invisible. She didn’t direct a single question to me, just to Liam, about me. It felt very strange to be talked about when I was standing right next to him.
 

“Jen’s one of my oldest and best friends. She’s visiting from back home,” Liam relented after a moment. He started to pull me away, up the carpet. I trotted faithfully after him, one foot in front of the other.
 

“Don’t go too fast,” I muttered to him. “These heels could murder me. And I have little legs.”
 

“Sorry.” Liam slowed down for me. More cameras were thrust in our face. We were asked to pose in front
 
of the studio and movie logos.

“You all right?” Liam whispered to me.
 

“I can’t pose. I don’t know what to do with my arms. Or my face.”
 

Liam laughed and grinned down at me. “Just be yourself.”
 

“Easy for you to say,” I grumbled. I should have practised smiling in the mirror, or something.
 
I glanced around me to see what other women were doing. Some of them were posing for the camera, looking graceful and deliberate. A few others looked just as awkward as I felt. Lily was a natural, switching between laughing with reporters, fans, fellow actors and photographers, and then standing still and poised, looking directly at whichever camera she’d been told to.
 

I stood back while Liam talked to some of his fans, signed pictures for them, and subjected himself to group selfies. Perhaps it had something to do with growing up in the middle of nowhere, but it had never occurred to me to go to these kind of events, even when they were in Melbourne. Maybe it was because I wasn’t a screamer. My ears were starting to ring from the collective noise of the mass of teenage girls. Oh to be that enthusiastic about something. The teacher in me hoped that they were also that enthusiastic about their education, but I somehow doubted it.
 

Eventually Liam extracted himself from the clutches of the girls and swaggered back over to me.
 

“I can see your head expanding under all of this adoration,” I said with a slight smirk. He just rolled his eyes at me and grinned.
 

“I still haven’t entirely gotten used to it,” he admitted as he reached for my hand and we started walking slowly towards the entrance again.
 

“It’s a weird thing to get used to,” I said. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to. This was such an alien experience, and I didn’t even have anyone squealing in my direction. Just a few curious looks and glances, and a few death glares. I let it wash over me.
 

We were shown to our seats. Liam reassured me that no cameras were allowed in the theatre, so we could relax a bit. I lost track of all the people Liam introduced me to. They became a blur of
 
faces and names. Most of them had worked on the film. I just smiled politely, and made small talk with the few that stuck around long enough to make their way down to me. There was an excited hum of conversation over the theatre.
 

Liam turned to me during a brief lull where he didn’t have anyone trying to get his attention or congratulate him. “Do you want popcorn or a drink or anything?”
 

“Some popcorn would be good. Although I’d better not spill any on this dress.”
 

“Let’s go get some then. You always need popcorn when you’re at the movies.”
 

“The popcorn industry sure did get their marketing right,” I laughed. Liam started leading me towards where I assumed the concession stand was.
 

“And the good thing about premieres is the popcorn is free!”
 

I laughed again and shook my head. Just what over-paid celebrities needed - more free stuff.
 

“That’s the only reason you got into acting, wasn’t it? So you could go to premieres and get free popcorn.”
 

“You’ve found me out,” Liam said with a wink.
 

“Liam! Mate!”
 

We both turned. I vaguely recognised the bearded man waving at us. At Liam. Liam grinned and dropped my hand, striding over to the man. They hugged each other.
 

“Hugh! Great to see you. I didn’t know you were coming to this?”
 

“Ah, bit of a last minute decision, honestly.”
 

“We were just going to go grab some popcorn.”
 

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll go and get it. You stay here.”
 

Liam smiled gratefully at me and turned back to Hugh. I wove my way through the crowd. They didn’t seem to part as easily now I was on my own and didn’t have a burly 6ft 4 guy’s wake to follow in.
 

I left the theatre, walking past security guards who were checking peoples bags and confiscating cameras and phones. I had a brief moment of panic when I realised I didn’t have my clutch with me, before I remembered putting it under my seat. Hopefully no one would steal it, but it just had my Australian driver’s license which wouldn’t be much use to anyone over here, and some lip gloss and an eye-liner pencil that Raquel had given me just in case I needed a touch up during the evening.
 

I quickly spotted the concession stand, and sure enough there were buckets of pop-corn being lined up for people to take. I tottered over there, promising my poor feet that we’d soon be able to sit down and that I wouldn’t make them wear anything like this ever again. I grabbed a bucket (it really was a bucket, Americans must feel very ripped off when they came out to Australia and saw how small our coffees, soft drinks and popcorn sizes were, I decided) and started my slow, careful walk back, now worried about both keeping my ankles intact and not spilling buttery popcorn everywhere.
 

“Ticket please,” one of the burly security guards stepped in front of me.
 

“Sorry?”
 

“Your ticket, ma’am. Or your pass,” he said, holding his hand out. “You need it to get in,” he said with a slow drawl when I just blinked at him. We hadn’t been asked on the way in and it hadn’t even occurred to me.
 

“I don’t have one.”

The man frowned at me.
 

“I’m with Liam Burns,” I amended. “I’m his guest.”
 

“Uh huh.” The man looked me up and down, skeptically. “Well, I’ll need to see your pass. Or get Mr Burns out here.”
 

“But I don’t have my purse…” I stared helplessly at him, and looked hopefully over his shoulder, but I couldn’t see anyone I knew, let alone Liam.
 

“I’m sorry but I can’t let you in without-”

I could feel tears start to well up, and bit my lip to make them stop.
 

“It’s okay, I can vouch for her.” With a swish, Lily Bristowe glided up next to me and put her hand comfortingly on my arm. “She really is with Liam Burns. I can go and get him if you’d like?”
 

“That won’t be necessary, Miss Bristowe.” He tuned to me. “You can go in.”
 

Lily grabbed my free hand and all but dragged me into the theatre.

“Honestly! Sometimes they take their job too seriously, although it is nice to know not any random stalker can get in, but still!”

“Thanks for your help,” I said, feeling very out of place again.
 

“Oh, no problem, Jen. Come on, the directors going to start things off in a couple of minutes. Let’s get back to our seats.”
 

I obediently followed the actress back through the throng. It was rather slow going, as everyone seemed to want to say hello to Lily. Eventually we got back to our seats - Lily and her guest were sitting next to Liam and I, along with some of the other stars.
 

“I was starting to think you fell in a toilet or something,” Liam joked when I handed him the popcorn. I shrugged. “Security didn’t want to let me back in.”

“What?” Liam frowned, handful of popcorn halfway to his face.
 

“It’s okay. Lily came to my rescue.”
 

Liam turned to her and thanked her.
 

“Pfft.” She waved away his thanks. “It happens. I remember my first premiere, I only had a tiny bit part and I -” Lily was cut off by the emcee calling for everyone’s attention.
 

“Welcome, a big welcome to you all. Welcome to the grand premiere of the film
Gertrude’s Promise.
We are privileged to have the director, Archibald Douglas here with us tonight to introduce the film. Please make him welcome.”

Polite applause rippled out.
 

A scruffy looking man with thick, black glasses took the stage and microphone.
 

“Thank you all so much for coming. This film has been very close to my heart, and has been in production for over a decade. To see it finally up on the big screen is a privilege and wonderful achievement. I’d like to tell you a bit about the film before we get started…”