Chapter Five

                                    

                                          
The movie trailer came to an end, and Jason leaned back away the computer screen. “That looks awesome.” The three guys were sitting around the table in the kitchen, where they usually did their homework. But instead of being stuck in study mode, they were about to head out to their very first movie premiere. Richy had snagged tickets to the Divergent premiere and Layla had surprised them this morning, telling them to get ready for a boys’ night out. The doorbell rang, and Madison hopped up to get it. “Richy’s here — time to jet.” Mikey adjusted his suit jacket — he was rocking the jacket, no tie look — and headed for the door. “I call shotgun!” 
                          
Jason brushed past him. “Race you for it!”
                          
“Oh, it’s on.” Mikey and Jason broke into a sprint, but stopped short once they got outside. Madison was already chilling in the front seat beside Richy, plugging his iPod into the stereo. Music filled the air, and Jason recognized it: it was the Skrillex song from the Divergent soundtrack, which they’d been listening to on repeat all day.
                          
Once they were on the road, Richy launched into a few red carpet pointers: this was the first big Hollywood event they were going to. “Expect carefully controlled mayhem,” Richy said as they inched towards the Regency Theater. The guys could already see throngs of fans who’d lined up all day. “And don’t let the photographers screaming at you throw you off. This will be good practice for you three.” The car stopped, and Richy hopped out, handing the keys to the waiting valet, and the boys followed his lead toward a guy wearing a headset and holding a iPad, checking in the VIP guests just under the big old-school marquee. 
                          
“Maybe one day we’ll have our name in lights like that.” Madison nodded up to the sign that read Shailene Woodley and Theo James.
                          
“Yea,” said Jason, “we could have our own concert movie like Bieber.”
                          
“And by that time, Selena would be my girl, not his.” Mikey did a quick scan of the red carpet — no sign of his celeb crush.
                          
Richy motioned to the guys, and they gathered around him. “Time to walk the carpet.”
                          
Even though the fans were there for Shailene and company, and not for a To Be One show, the crowd started hooting and hollering as the guys took position in front of the bank of photographers. The light from all the flashes at once was blinding, and Richy had been right: these dudes were screaming at them to get their attention. After what seemed like an eternity, another guy wearing a headset politely ushered them along to where Richy was standing waiting for them off to the side. 
                          
“That was so surreal,” said Madison, as Jason rubbed his eyes trying in vain to erase the flashbulbs’ echoes. As they headed inside the theater, they walked past a line of interviewers each talking to one of the stars of the film. Jason nudged Mikey as they walked past Kate Winslet, and they tried not to look starstruck. Inside, the lobby had been transformed into a Divergent themed pre-party with a big sign that said “Choose Your Faction,” over a display of swag bags. Without any hesitation, the trio headed for the “Dauntless” section. “Oh man,” said Jason, pulling out a copy  of the Divergent book. “I just downloaded this on iBooks.”
                          
“I bet it’s good,” said Mikey, “but it’ll never be as good as Harry Potter.”
                          
“Nerd.” Madison rummaged in his swag bag past the t-shirt and pulled out a bottle of Pop Water. “Sweet.”
                          
There was a giant movie poster beside them, and Jay read out the slogan: “What makes you different makes you dangerous.” He knew the guys would be thinking the same thing he was thinking. That while they sometimes acted Dauntless, they were really Divergent. That they understood what it felt like to be out of the ordinary and had since they’d been boys. When you choose dance and devote your life to it, other kids don’t always get it. Though it was beyond amazing now to be in To Be One and chasing their dreams, it hadn’t always been easy when they were younger to be a dancer among classmates at school who’d rather make fun of what they didn’t understand than celebrate the “divergent” ones among them.
                          
That was one reason why the trip home to perform in New Jersey had been so great. They’d seen some of their old schoolmates there — alongside their friends and family — and they’d looked impressed. Mikey, Madison and Jason knew how important it was to stand your ground and not follow the pack.
                          
“I have a feeling we’re going to dig this movie,” said Mikey.
                          
Richy walked up with a bag of popcorn, just as the house lights flickered. “Let’s go grab seats.”
                          
Inside, the theater was packed and buzzing with excitement. Richy smirked when he saw the boys’ faces fall as they looked around for available seats and saw nothing but the last row, back corner. “These VIP passes come with perks,” Richy said. “Follow me.”
                          
Right in the very best spot in the theater were two rows marked “reserved” and Richy led them into prime real estate. Just as they got settled, the audience started clapping and cheering. The stars of the film filed into the theater and sat in the row directly in front of the guys. As the lights dimmed, Madison raised his Pop Water bottle to cheers the other guys.
                          
“To being divergent.”
                          
***
                          
In next week’s chapter, we’ll follow To Be One as they…
                          
A — Hit the dance studio to rehearse 
                          
B — Host a special event for their fans 
                          
Vote in the comments!