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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 3: Concerto in A-

Chapter 3.04 - Starshine

I was smiling as my plane landed in Denver. Instead of being stuck in Chorus, where I would have been if I was still in school, I was on my way to perform a concert! There were very few things in the world that could bring a smile to my face more than walking out onto the stage at the beginning of a concert. It had only been a week since I had last performed, but I was already missing the adrenaline rush that performing produced. I actually wouldn’t be on stage again until tomorrow night, but just being in Denver was enough to start the tingling in my bones.

Unlike my previous flights to concerts, I garnered a lot more attention as I walked through the airport. This was the first time I had traveled by plane as Sarah during the concert tour, and it was the first time I had flown since my face had become nationally recognizable. Besides my family I also had Amy, my personal assistant, and Mason, one of my security guards, with me. Mason was somewhat nervous as we walked through the concourse toward the train that would take us to the terminal and the baggage claim area. Usually I had two security guards with me at all times, but Cole, Mason's partner, was already working to prepare the security for the concert. I got the impression that Mason felt vulnerable without him. There were enough fans screaming when they saw me and rushed toward us, whether for an autograph, a picture, or just to say 'Hi', that I thought Mason was going to force me into the bathroom to take off the wig. I could tell that he didn't like being the only security guard travelling with me.

But unlike my fellow students at school, there were only smiles and excitement from those surrounding me. Once I put on the wig, people stopped hating me. Nobody called me names. Nobody tried to push me down or hit me. I didn't necessarily want this type of attention at school, but I still wished that people would treat me like a normal human being.

I signed a lot of autographs and took many pictures with the fans while we rode the train from our gate to the terminal, and again while waiting for my suitcase to make its way to the baggage carousel. All of the troubles and tribulations that I'd had to endure at school were gone from my mind as we stepped outside the terminal. Then things got even better when I saw my tour bus again!

The white bus was sitting in a designated area waiting for us. With my name plastered across the side of the bus it too had garnered some attention and there were a number of people standing around it taking pictures. When they saw us coming, the airport security officers who had gathered to make sure there was no disruption to the flow of traffic stepped in to help keep some order. Cole was there too, much to Mason's relief. Dad took my bag from me and followed the rest of my family boarding the bus while I took the time to once again take pictures and sign autographs for the small crowd. Then I boarded the bus for the 50 minute drive out to the amphitheatre.

Staying in Denver was definitely going to be a different experience than staying in the other cities on the tour had been. Instead of staying in a nice hotel like we had done for the first half of the tour, I would be spending the next two nights in my tour bus while it was parked at the venue. Both Dad and Amy had agreed that it would be easier to stay on the busses instead of driving back and forth from a hotel. I didn't mind. I had a large room at the back of my bus with a queen size bed. It was almost as comfortable as my room back at home. However, Austin, who only had a small bunk to sleep in, was not happy by the prospect.

"You'll have a couple of hours to get settled," Dad told me while we were travelling down I-70. "Then you have the first Starshine meeting tonight."

I nodded, but I continued to watch the city pass by outside the window of the bus. Starlight Cosmetics was one of my major endorsements and they had become a major sponsor for the second half of the tour. This sponsorship included two new "events" around the concert. The first, called Starshine, was nothing but an endorsement opportunity. Ten lucky girls would get the chance to spend some time with me and with my makeup artist, Stephanie, while we discussed what Starlight Cosmetics could do to help them shine in their lives. It sounded like a lot of fun, but I was worried that it would feel more like I was trying to push the makeup on them instead of spending time with fans.

The second event was the Star Party. Normally a star party consisted of a number of people gathering to watch the stars in the sky. Starlight Cosmetics had taken the term and applied it to the ‘meet and greet’ that I always had after one of my concerts. Starlight Cosmetics had paid to decorate the room and it was supposed to be really cool. Instead of peddling their wares, the Star Party would be just that, a party. There would be a few people who had passes to attend the party before the concert. The rest of the attendees would be composed of the fans at the concert who seemed most excited to meet me. I had a feeling that they were trying to mirror what Taylor Swift did with her T-Party, and I was worried that people would label me a copycat. I adored Taylor Swift, and I hoped that this wouldn't be a problem. In essence it wasn't anything more than commercializing the after party I always had after a concert. A few advertisements and product placements would be around the room, but nothing else would be changed.

Either way I was excited to see what 'The Observatory' looked like. The Observatory was what they had dubbed the room where the Star Party would take place. It was supposed to have a three-fold purpose. First it would provide a place where the people involved in my concerts and I could hang out before the show started. Second, it would be used as the backdrop for the Starshine meeting. And third, it would provide a memorable experience for anyone lucky enough to meet with me backstage after the show had ended during the Star Party.

Dad continued to go over my schedule as we drove, but I honestly was only paying half attention to him. Denver was the first city where I had performed on the tour that I wouldn't get to spend some time in. We were going straight to the venue, and then we would be heading straight back to the airport Sunday morning. The only thing I'd get to experience about the city was the drive between the airport and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, so I was trying to soak in what little I could.

Eventually we started making our way up into the red rocks that surrounded the amphitheatre. Just being in proximity to the venue was starting to get my heart pumping, and I felt an adrenaline rush. I knew I wouldn't be performing tonight, but that didn't mean that I couldn't be excited.

The bus continued up the small road until we reached an area where I saw the other busses and the tractor-trailers that made up my tour convoy. There was also a small group of people gathered around. Some of them were holding up signs as Eddie, my driver, pulled the bus into a prominent parking space, which indicated that they were fans waiting for me to arrive. To come out the day before the concert showed how dedicated they were to meeting me, and I was thrilled!

"Wait five minutes," Amy told me as the bus came to a stop.

"Why?" I asked. I had no idea how long these people had been waiting for me. I was just surprised to see anyone here. I didn't even know how they knew I was going to be arriving today, let alone when.

"It will help reinforce how lucky they are to meet you," she explained. I frowned. That sounded like a stupid reason to wait. When she saw my expression she continued. "Besides, Mason and Cole want to make sure it's safe."

That reason I could understand, and I nodded while I watched Mason and Cole step off the bus. Dad was right behind them, with Austin on his heels. The bus had parked with the door on the side opposite of the group, and I could hear the cheer that escaped the crowd when the three men stepped around the back. It died quickly though when the crowd realized that I wasn't with them. Dad walked toward the crowd while the others watched. My dad said something to the crowd that caused them to cheer again. He had probably informed them that I would be coming out.

"Why are they here today?" I asked, still struggling to figure that out.

It was my mom that answered. "They want to meet you, Megan," she said. "Haven't you ever wanted to meet someone famous whom you adored?"

"Yeah," I replied. "But why would they come all the way out here today?"

"They probably think this was the best chance they would get to meet you," Amy answered. "You have to admit that it is hard to get your attention on concert days. But if they are the only ones here, then you might be more willing to meet them."

"I'm always willing to meet fans," I told them truthfully. Both of them nodded.

"But you don't always have the time to," Amy replied. "Your schedule today isn't nearly as busy as it will be tomorrow."

I nodded in agreement. That was logical but I still couldn't believe that they would spend that much time waiting for a chance to meet me.

I sat impatiently, waiting for the chance to go out and meet them. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and stood up. I saw Amy frown and knew that she thought I should wait. I looked into the mirror quickly to make sure I still looked okay, then turned and headed for the front of the bus and exited it.

I heard some of the crowd screaming my name as I walked along the side of the bus. I doubted that they could see me coming, so it was nice to see their enthusiasm to encourage me to get out of my bus. When I turned the corner, the screaming rose to another level. A shrill sound by some of the girls pierced the air. Mason and Cole looked back, surprised. I knew that they were unhappy that I had come out unannounced, but I didn't care. Then they really freaked out when some of the crowd surged forward.

It didn't take long before I was mobbed by the small group. There were only about 20 people there, but they were very enthusiastic and well-behaved. It was no different than any other time that I interacted with my fans. Some of them were happy to just touch me. Others relished in the short conversations we had. Everyone wanted a picture to commemorate the occasion.

I spent about 20 minutes with the group before a blue van pulled up nearby. It was another two minutes before my dad was able to get me inside. I loved spending time with fans, and I could have stayed there for much longer. I continued to wave as we pulled away and drove up the road toward the venue. We rode in the van because the road up to the backstage area was too steep for the bus to drive.

Once we reached the actual amphitheatre I was given a short tour of the Visitor's Center. There was a lot of history at this place, and I was honored to have the chance to perform here. As I walked through the Performers Hall of Fame, I was amazed at how many celebrities in whose footsteps I was following.

After the Visitor's Center we headed back down toward the stage, where the crew was setting up for the show. It seemed so peaceful and quiet, but I knew it would be totally different tomorrow night.

We continued down into the backstage area. I barely had enough time to get something to eat before the Starshine meeting. When I walked into the cafeteria that was located under the stage, there were already a number of crew members, staff, and dancers eating. The room was nearly full, and every one of them was employed to make my concert a night to remember for my fans. I felt overwhelmed as everyone cheered at my entrance, and as I made my way over to get my own food. I greeted nearly everyone I could by name. They all were wearing security badges that had their names and pictures on them, but I had made the effort to learn who every single one of them was. There were a few faces that were unfamiliar to me. Some would be temporary help for this concert, while others were new. I decided to make the effort to get to know each of them before the end of the weekend.

After getting my food I followed Amy to a table where a few of my favorite individuals were already starting to eat. It had been a week since I'd seen them, but I returned their large smiles as I sat down.

"Hi guys!" I greeted them happily. "How was the trip?"

"Long," Jason Olson, the lead guitarist of the band ‘Pop Fly’ replied. The other members of my band were nodding their heads in agreement. While I had left New York City to make my way back to Los Angeles for the week, the band and crew members had slowly made their way cross-country to be here tonight.

"At least we made it," Stacy Miller, drummer, added. "I just wish we didn't have to do it again."

I grimaced. While I got to fly back and forth because of school, everyone else was making two more trips cross-country before we finished the tour in the western United States.

"I'm sorry, guys," I told them. The concert tour had been put together quickly. I knew that my schedule had been determined by what dates were available, and not by determining the easiest way to move the equipment around the country.

"It's not that bad," Sophie Lund, one of my two harmony/backup singers, supplied. "I think it's kind of fun traveling around the country like this."

"Yeah," Holly, Sophie's counterpart, added.

"They're right," Connor Christiansen agreed. "I just miss my family and my gym."

Everybody laughed at his words. All three members of 'Pop Fly' were quite muscular.

"Sarah!" we were interrupted by my dad. "Eat quickly. It's almost time for Starshine."

"Okay," I replied and turned my attention to eating. Even if I wasn't as involved in the conversation that followed, I was still glad to once more be back in the company of my band.

* * *

The Observatory had been set up on the top floor of the North Tower. I was excited to see what it looked like. I heard the noise coming from the Observatory as I walked up the stairs toward it, and I smiled as I climbed. Stephanie, Amy, Sophie, and Holly were with me. I'd asked my mom if she wanted to come too, but she had declined saying that having someone as old as her there might dampen the festivities. Mom was only 36, which wasn't very old, but I secretly agreed with her a bit.

As I reached the top of the stairs and headed toward the door, I could hear that the girls were already having fun. I couldn't see inside the room, but the laughter and the excitement coming from inside was enough to let me know that this was going to be a good night.

When I stepped into the door, a wailing, screaming cacophony greeted me as the girls caught sight of me. They stopped whatever they were doing and rushed toward me. I could see tears in the eyes of some of them, and I did my best to prepare for what was to come.

I was still amazed by how excited some fans were to see me! When we actually met, it was almost like they went crazy with excitement. I had never met any of my biggest idols, so I'd never been in the position most of these girls were in now, but I still didn't understand how excited they became. But I wasn't complaining; it was a great feeling to get to spend time with fans like these. For whatever reason, they looked up to me, and I wanted to make sure that I lived up to their expectations and set an example for them.

It took about 10 minutes for them to settle down enough so that I could actually say something. I hadn't made it more than 5 feet into the room.

"Hi everyone," I greeted them. They were all still staring at me. The giddiness on their faces hadn't subsided at all, but at least most of them weren't jumping up and down anymore. "Welcome to Starshine!"

A small cheer rang throughout the assembled girls. Before I could say anything else, Amy took charge.

"Can I have everyone take a seat," she ordered. That led to a mad scramble to the soft chairs that had been arranged in a circle in the middle of the room. As I studied the arrangement, it was obvious where I was supposed to sit, leaving the chairs nearest to mine highly contested. It wasn’t cat fighting, but for a moment I did worry someone was going to be injured.

As the girls settled in, I spent a few seconds looking around the room. The room was softly lit, but I could still see everyone clearly. The walls had been covered with a number of panels or something that had turned the area from a dressing room into what felt like we were in the middle of a field at night time. The ceiling had been turned into the night sky. Stars glittered and blinked all around us. There were a few televisions around the room playing scenes from my concerts. There were also a number of other attractions like a pool table that had been keeping the girls entertained before I had arrived. I was truly impressed by how awesome the whole room was. I felt like we were sitting outside at night, even though I could still see the evening light coming in through the still opened door to the outside.

After the girls had started to settle into their seats, I made my way toward mine. The informal gathering had us sitting closely in a circle. The two girls that I sat between squealed once more, and I could see some disappointment in the others.

"Everyone will get a chance to meet with Sarah this evening," Amy explained. "Please be courteous of everyone else. I know you are all excited, but I promise you will get a chance to talk with her."

She paused for a moment to let that sink in before she continued speaking. "My name is Amy Martin. I am one of Sarah's personal assistants." She then pointed to the chairs on her left. "This is Stephanie Allen, Sarah's personal makeup artist. To her left are Sophie Lund and Holly Anderson, Sarah's harmony singers." Each of them waved and said hello before Amy pointed at me. I'd had to learn everything that I needed to know about this party over the last couple of days, so I was ready.

"The ten of you were specially selected to be here tonight," I told them. "And I'm very honored to meet all of you. Every single one of you has the power to be a star, and when you leave here tonight I hope that all of you shine as much as I try to."

I looked around the circle again. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces. "Now, to start I'd like to get to know all of you. I'll start, and then we'll go around the circle, okay?"

When they nodded their understanding, I continued. "My name is Sarah. I'm from Los Angeles. I've been a Sarah Carerra fan my entire life!" The girls started giggling at my comment. "Seriously though, I'm just a girl like the rest of you. I have the same problems that many of you are probably facing. Boys, body image, and bullies - I've had to deal with them all. I still deal with them. Those things are not going to go away in our lives. We need to learn how to overcome them. We need to learn how to let our inner light shine."

I felt bad trying to pawn my makeup off on these girls. I knew I had agreed to promote the makeup brand, and I really liked what it did for me, but trying to sell it to these girls seemed slightly wrong to me. And it didn't take much to sell them on the makeup. Anything I endorsed was probably what they wanted to use. However, I wanted them to use what worked best for them, not what worked best for me.

The next hour was spent giving each of the girls a makeover. Stephanie and I would separately move around the room to each girl, give her some advice, and move on to the next, with Sophie and Holly supporting us. We must have met with each girl at least ten times. There were plenty of product samples provided by Starlight Cosmetics for the girls to use. At the end of the night they would be able to take home over $100 worth of makeup that they had learned to use during the meeting.

I felt silly trying to give girls, who had undoubtedly been wearing makeup longer than I had, advice on how to do theirs. I left that job to Stephanie. Instead, I spent the time talking to them about what made them beautiful, and I wasn't talking about makeup. The age of the girls ranged from 12 to 17, and each of them was so unique and wonderful. I listened to each of their stories and got to know them. We took a ton of pictures that I was going to put into a new scrapbook that Mom had suggested I make. Mom and I had already decorated the cover of what we were calling 'Inner Light' and I knew that Amy had also run the idea of including a section on my website that contained the same pictures by Max, who was in charge of my marketing.

In spite of the marketing spiel that the night was all about, I knew that all of the girls were having a good time. When we had finished with makeup we moved on to some real fun. We spent the second hour working on a song together. We only ended up with one verse, but once we had the song written we recorded it together. I knew that the video of our performance would be included on the page on my website, and I knew that it would help each of these girls relive the night. It wasn't a song that Scott would ever let me put on an album or release it as a single, but involving the girls in the music process brought even bigger smiles on their faces than the free makeup had.

When I had to leave them, I almost felt as distraught as they did. I'd gotten to know each of them over the course of the evening, and I was happy that I was able to share a small glimpse of their lives. I knew that I wouldn't be able to remember them as well as I wanted to because I would be doing this at least five more times. That was a lot of girls for me to remember, but I wanted to remember each and every one of them.

They were what made everything I went through worth it.

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