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Editor Note: The images used for this story were purchased and used under royalty-free license* from iStockphoto.com . ~Sephrena
Author Note: Please email me at AngelJediGirl (at) gmail (dot) com before posting this story to any other site. Posting to a pay site is prohibited.

Comments and suggestions are also welcome at the above email address.

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Sarah Carerra Book 2: Summer Medley

Chapter 2.34 - Tonight's Headline

I dreamed about Ethan. I couldn't remember most of what the dream was about, but there was one thing that I knew for sure when I awoke. He would always be my friend.

Tuesday had done a lot to rebuild our friendship, even though I knew there was still a lot that we would need to do before he was comfortable around me again. At least he was trying now. I needed to do the same thing. A plan started to form in my head while I got ready for the day. I wanted to go over to his house and try something that the dream had helped me think of for improving our friendship, but that wasn't possible right now. Julia and Stephanie would be here at any moment to help me get ready for the 'Tonight Show'. I knew that I would be over at his house after we got home, though.

I managed to eat some breakfast before Julia and Stephanie rang our doorbell. I let them in and we headed for Sarah's room to get ready. Much like last time, Julia wanted me to look expensive. This time, however, she had a dress for me. I ended up in a slightly formal yellow dress that really complimented my looks. I still looked like a million dollars when I looked in the mirror. I was absolutely certain that Dad would hate the price tag when he saw it, but it was the perfect dress for me.

Instead of heading for the limo that I knew was waiting for me, Julia surprised me by pulling out another outfit.

"What's this for?" I asked her while examining what she had pulled out for me. It looked like fairly ordinary clothes consisting of a pair of jeans and a pretty pink top.

"This is your pre-show outfit," she said. Then she laughed at what must have been a confused look on my face. I hadn't needed a pre-show outfit before this point in time. "Don said that you would be interacting with fans before the show, and we don't want anything to happen to the expensive dress. I let you try it on because I wanted to make sure it fit."

"Oh," I replied, surprised. Dad hadn't told me anything about fan interaction. There was always some interaction with the fans wherever I went, but Julia's description made it seem like this would be a bigger deal.

I reluctantly took off the dress and changed into the other outfit. After I had on the jeans and top, Julia handed me a couple of bracelets and a necklace to act as the glam. As far as Sarah's outfits went, this one had very little glam involved, which led me to raise my eyebrows in question to Julia while looking in the mirror.

She laughed, but came over and took a look from behind me. "You proved me wrong with the album cover," she said. "You don't need a lot of glam to make your outfits work. I think that we still want to continue using it because it will help pull your image away from Megan, but we can probably start cutting back on some of it. If we know that you are going to be making a change from Megan to Sarah, we might want to provide more glam to help cover the difference, but your smile is often enough to get the job done otherwise."

I smiled back at her. The glam had been a part of my life since Sarah had been created, but some of it had been uncomfortable to wear. I liked the idea of wearing less and focusing it more on jewelry or something else that was less intrusive.

"Of course, your stage outfits are a different matter altogether," she smirked at me. "There will still likely be plenty of glam used there." I chuckled back.

When we finally walked into the front room, I was surprised to find two men dressed in suits sitting on the couch talking to Mom and Dad. They all stood up when I entered. Both of the men looked like they could have been in the military, and they both had those earpieces that I always saw Secret Service agents wearing in the movies.

"There she is," Dad said with a smile. "Sarah, I'd like to introduce you to Cole Wagner and Mason Eckles. They have been hired to be in charge of your security."

Surprised again, I looked at the guys one more time. They both looked like they were in their early thirties, and one thing stood out above all else. I wouldn't want to get into a fight with either of them.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Carerra," Cole said while extending his hand. He looked to be about Dad's age, but he was in a lot better shape. And that was saying something, since Dad was pretty fit.

"It's nice to meet you," I said while shaking his hand. Then I turned to Mason. He almost looked like he could be Cole's twin. I took his hand. "But please, call me Sarah."

"Sarah it is," Mason replied with a smile. I had been worried that they would have the same bland personalities as the people in the movies, but he actually seemed to be nice. I wondered if he'd act the same way when we were in public.

"We need to go," Dad said, and everyone was quick to follow him out to the waiting limo. Mom and Dad got in with me, while the others got into their own cars. The two security guards had an imposing black SUV, while Stephanie and Julia got into Julia's Lexus.

"Do I really need security?" I asked Dad while we were driving.

"Yes," he replied almost instantly and with conviction. I was surprised! If he was that sure I needed security, then there must be a reason.

"Have there been threats against me?" I asked him, already knowing the answer.

Dad sighed, and struggled to determine if he should answer that question. In the end, though, he knew that I already knew the answer.

"All celebrities get threats, Megan," he said. "Some people can be really jealous and cold-hearted. I don't want you to assume that anything is going to happen just because you get the threats, just like I won't assume nothing will happen. Cole and Mason are an insurance policy. They are paid well to keep you safe, and they are really good at what they do. Both of them are highly-decorated ex-Marines. We are lucky to have them and their team working for us."

"Do they know about me?" I asked.

Dad's frown told me the answer before he ever opened his mouth. I knew how much Dad hated letting new people in on the secret. But this was something that would be hard to hide from the guys who had been hired to keep me safe.

"Silence is part of their contract, however," Dad said. He didn't answer my question because he knew I had seen his frown. "If you ever go anywhere as Sarah, they won't be far behind."

"What about my privacy?" I asked him bluntly. I didn't really want two guys following me around everywhere I went.

"They will give it to you," Dad promised. "They aren't like the Secret Service. They won't be following you around everywhere. But when we have events where you will be in the public eye, like this morning, they will be around."

I leaned back in my seat and sighed. I could understand the need for security, but I didn't like the idea of having them around. It was just one more thing in Sarah's life I would have to get used to.

*  *  *

When we arrived at the 'Tonight Show' studio, I realized immediately why I was wearing a pre-show outfit. The last time I had been on the show I had arrived and gone in a side door. Today, we pulled up to the front door where a line of people were waiting to get in for the show.

The people in line all turned and started to get excited when the limo pulled up. The line was rather long since the doors were supposed to open in an hour. The limo stopped about halfway down the line, and before I could even reach for the handle to the door Mason was already opening it. His crisp, dark suit was a stark contrast to everyone else around as I climbed out of the limo.

The screams hit me immediately. Every time I heard the shrill sound, it warmed my heart. I never expected to have people care about me that much! I knew what it was like to feel star struck. I hadn't made the best first impressions when I’d met Josh Holliday and Daren Stockard. I couldn't believe that people felt the same way when meeting me.

Dad climbed out behind me, and immediately handed me a permanent marker before helping Mom out. Then they started heading for the doors to the studio. I could see the quirky smile on Mom's face at the attention I was receiving as they walked by.

I immediately walked the short distance between the car and where the line was being held back by a guy dressed exactly like Cole and Mason, but whom I hadn't met before. I uncapped the marker and reached for the first thing that was handed to me.

I moved along the line slowly, autographing items, taking pictures with the fans, talking to them and even giving some of them hugs. There were cameras everywhere. People were trying to hand me things to sign left and right. Everyone was trying to get my attention as I moved down the line. I tried my best to appease everyone as I slowly moved toward the door.

Cole and Mason were there the whole time, keeping the people from overwhelming me. Mentally I thanked Dad for hiring them. I might not have liked the idea earlier, but they were proving themselves almost immediately.

I was pretty close to the door when Cole leaned in and whispered in my ear.

"You're needed for your sound check," he said.

I nodded back at him while still talking to the fans and signing autographs. It took me a couple of minutes before I was ready to step inside the building, and by that time Cole looked antsy. I didn't think he expected me to keep going, but I knew that I couldn't leave the fans until I was ready.

Once we were inside, I was directed straight to the stage where I had performed before. The band was there waiting for me, and we quickly performed a sound check before I was ushered off to my dressing room to change into the dress.

My life was exciting!

*  *  *

Someone knocked on the door while Stephanie was finishing my makeup. One of the band members opened it, and I heard the voice of Todd Thomas shortly afterward.

"Hi, Sarah," he said happily. I struggled to keep myself from turning my head while Stephanie made a few last strokes with her brush. When she was finished, I turned toward the host of the 'Tonight Show'.

"Hi, Todd," I returned excitedly while standing up and walking over to take his outstretched hand.

"Are you nervous this time?" he asked me with a wry grin.

I laughed immediately. The last time I had been here I had only sung a song. I had told him then that I was likely to be nervous if he ever interviewed me.

"No," I replied truthfully. "I'm afraid you are too late in that department. I've done enough interviews this week alone to make me lose my nervousness."

He mock frowned at my answer, but it wasn't long before he was smiling again. "My loss, I guess," he said. "So, exciting stuff tonight. You'll be the first and last guest of the evening."

"Wait," I said confused. "I'm the FIRST guest?"

Todd looked surprised at my question, but nodded. I guess that was probably something I should have known, but I didn't remember Dad telling me that! There had been a number of things that he had either forgotten to mention to me, or that I seemed to be forgetting lately!

"But I thought that the headliners were always the first guests," I told him. He started chuckling at me, which didn't make me feel any better.

"Sarah, you ARE the headliner tonight," he told me. I just stood there, stunned! I wasn't popular enough to be the headliner!

"Anyway," Todd continued. "I just wanted to pop in and say 'Hi' quickly. I'll see you out there shortly."

"Okay," I replied, but I was still confused at how I had become the headliner.

*  *  *

"My first guest of the evening has managed to capture the hearts of America in a very short amount of time. Her first album, 'Intuition', is currently on track to go platinum within the first month of its release. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the lovely and talented, Sarah Carerra!"

I smiled at Todd's introduction while taking a step forward onto the set. I smiled even wider when I caught sight of all the people in the audience. I gave them a friendly wave while walking toward the center of the area where Todd's desk was. He shook my hand before returning behind his desk while I took a seat in the chair next to it. Once I was seated I crossed my legs and pulled on the hem of my skirt a bit to make sure it was decent.

"Welcome back to the 'Tonight Show', Sarah," Todd said once the crowd had quieted once again.

"Thank you for having me back," I replied.

"This is your first time in the chair, right?" Todd asked me.

"Yes," I replied with an excited smile. "Last time I was here, I only sang."

"Well, welcome to the show," he replied happily. "Now, backstage you told me that you weren't nervous, but you're what, 16 years old?"

"I am," I answered. "But I've done so many interviews this week that I'm not as scared anymore."

"Has any of what you've gone through this summer scared you?" he asked next.

"Oh, definitely," I said with a bit of laughter. This certainly had been a scary and exciting summer. "When I took the stage in Salt Lake City, I was scared to death. It was my first concert, but it was only the second time that I had gotten up on stage to perform for a group."

Todd looked surprised at my answer for a moment. "Only your second time on stage?"

"Yes," I replied. "And the first time was the night that I got discovered. My friends forced me up on stage that night. I wouldn't be here without them."

"So you never really sang for anyone before you became famous?" Todd asked incredulously. He had a bewildered look on his face now.

"No, I didn't," I told him. "I was always scared and ashamed of my voice. I never really thought that I was good enough to sing for others." It wasn't the entire truth, since I had been more embarrassed of my high voice than ashamed, but it got my message across. "Chloe always said that I was being stupid. I guess she was right."

There was some laughter from the crowd.

"Well," Todd said with a bit of humor. "I for one am glad that you got over that."

The crowd laughed again, and I could feel myself start to blush slightly. I still couldn't believe so many people enjoyed my singing. It boggled my mind at how popular I seemed to have become.

Todd was a good host, and we bantered back and forth like that for a while. We even took a short commercial break before talking some more. Finally, he had to wrap up the interview.

"You can find Sarah's first album, 'Intuition', in stores now," Todd said while holding up a copy of my CD for the viewers to see. Then he turned toward me once again. "Sarah, thank you for coming by."

"It was my pleasure," I said, smiling widely.

Todd turned back toward the camera again before talking to the viewers once more. "Stick around, when we come back, I'll be talking with Tommy Sinclair."

Once the recording light had been turned off, Todd turned back to me to shake my hand. We shook hands and then I moved over to the couch that I had been directed to. But the entire time, my mind was reeling. Tommy Sinclair was a fairly new actor, but he had been in a number of really large blockbuster hits the last couple of years. How on earth was I headlining this show when he was on it?

When Tommy was brought out, I stood up and after he shook Todd's hand, he gave me a quick hug which sent a thrill through my body. Tommy was in his early 20's, and he was very cute.

Sitting next to Tommy and listening to Todd talk about his recent accomplishments, my mind continued to boggle at why I was sitting where I was. Tommy had been so successful in his last three movies, yet he was appearing after me on the show! I didn't understand why!

I interacted with the two of them for a bit when they would ask me a question or when I had a comment on his excellent movies. But for the most part I sat back and let them speak together.

When Todd's interview was over and the show had broken for commercial, I stood up to prepare for the next part of the show. Both Tommy and Todd shook my hand before I walked across the stage to the area where my band was waiting for me. I smiled at each of them as I approached, and took my position behind my microphone.

Immediately, I started to feel the rush begin to tingle my bones. It had been about a week since I had performed on stage with Josh, and I was ready to perform again. We didn't have to wait long before the red light indicated the show was recording once again.

Todd introduced us. "Back to sing her latest single, 'You Can't Hurt Me' from her new album, 'Intuition', which is in stores now, please welcome Sarah Carerra!"

The band started playing immediately, and all thoughts of being on the 'Tonight Show' or of my newfound popularity were pushed out of my mind as I began to perform. Nothing else mattered other than giving the fans a good show.

But it was when I found my parents in the audience that my performance really took off. Dad had been here alone the last time I was here. He had been so proud of me. But this time he had Mom with him, and she had tears running down her face as I performed. I worried that I was on the edge of having my own tears form, but I managed to hold them back.

When the song ended, and the shrill screams that I had heard when exiting the limo started to make their way around the studio, I realized that there might actually be something to my popularity after all. The numbers all indicated that I was well liked. The fans everywhere I went seemed to be really excited to see me. But I wasn't sure.

I still didn’t believe they liked me that much.

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