🚨🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 🚨
The Thursday posting schedule has a good run for the summer time but now that I'm back at school it's not working for me at all! So we're back to the old days when I get to post whenever I want. It's a lot less stressful and if I'm super excited about a chapter I get to post it right away. With everything being taken into consideration, please expect me to post once a week!
Now please check out this new Chapter
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Most of us have to wake up at the crack of dawn to leave to head to the airport. Kalani and Brynn are flying back to Arizona, Jojo is flying back to Nebraska, and last but not least I'm flying back into Los Angeles. Hours later of sleeping on the plane and the plane touches down on my home turf. My mom and I immediately head to the house and prepare to leave for the Target shoot.
"Hot shot, you're gonna be on national television." My mom nudges me before we get into the car.
"Um, mom we both already are on national television." I point out because of Dance Moms.
She just rolls her eyes, "Fine. You'll be on national television where people aren't fighting all over the place."
"That's more like it." I laugh as I sit down in the passenger seat of the car and buckle the seat belt. Within no time we're off to the filming studios for Target. I'm put in a dressing room with a bunch of other kids getting their hair and makeup on. I've already been through wardrobe and in the commercial I'll be wearing a grey green half sleeve button up top, a navy skirt with a brown belt, and lastly a pair of plain white tennis shoes. My hair is styled into a beautiful pony and then my natural makeup.
I chat with the other kids while we're waiting to start shooting. They all seem pretty cool and all have very different background than me so it's cool to hear their stories. Majority of them come from strictly modeling careers with a few occasional acting jobs when the time is right.
The Target dog is here because he is actually going to be in the commercial. It's name is actually Bullseye and he is so cute! He is currently getting the paint drawn around his eyes and I can't help but watch him as the makeup artist do so. While getting ready we begin filming some behind the scenes stuff for Youtube.
When everyone is ready the director has everyone come out to the shooting space. The shoot is explained and we find out everything that's going to be going on. To summarize things I'm going to be dancing then Bullseye the dog runs by and I chase after him. I pass by a bunch of the other kids doing various things and I get sort of distracted but keep chasing the dog. Finally I catch the dog pick him up and act relieved, then the commercial ends there. There are high expectations here and especially with me being the lead. I have my name to uphold, along with Abby and the rest of the ALDC's reputation since I'm here representing them.
The shoot starts and I first learn the short dance I have to do. It doesn't take long until we actually start shooting scenes. At break Abby calls me to see how I'm doing and what's going on and I tell her that it's going great and we're almost done filming. We then talk about how tonight I'm doing the ALDC apparel and bags shoot later. Such a busy day for me especially since Liv, my mom, and I are leaving for New York tonight!
While waiting to resume filming I post a picture I took earlier with Bullseye captioned, Bullseye and I are up to something... What do you guys think? After posting the picture I like a photo Target posted of me at a point where I was dancing.
"That's a wrap!" The director shouts after the last scene and everyone cheers. I leave my hair and makeup as is but change back into my own clothes, a white off shouldered flared selves top with some semi ripped blue jean. Once I'm back in my own clothes I am allowed to leave.
"Everything I saw looked really cool, good job." My mom high fives me before getting into the car.
"Thanks, I can't wait for it to be in tv!" I exclaim buckling my seat belt.
"Awe my little baby's gonna be in a Target commercial." My mom coos.
"Mom stop." I laugh embarrassed as she begins to drive.
I get dropped off at the studio and my mom goes back home. She deserves all the rest she can get with all this dragging me to and from places. The shoot for ALDC is later but I have nothing to do right now so I might as well hang out. I walk through the back entrance and I see Aiden and some other kids sitting on the red bleachers so I decide to go over and talk to them after placing my bags in the office.
"Hey guys." I smile at everyone and sit down next to Aiden.
"Hey." Aiden smiles back, "I thought you weren't going to be here until later tonight?"
"Well I wasn't suppose to be here until then but I had nothing better to do so I decided to just come hang out."
"Fun... It's suppose to be a good time tonight." Aiden replies leaning back against the bench stair behind him.
"Why?"
"Some kid is gonna be celebrating for something they've been working on with Abby."
"Oh cool, who?"
"I don't know." Aiden puts his hands up confessing he doesn't know. "So how was the Target shoot?" Aiden asks.
"Awesome! It was so cool and there was a bunch of other kids there. Plus the Target dog was there and it was so cute and it literally loved everyone."
"I think you were more excited to meet the dog than to be in the commercial." Aiden chuckles.
"Maybe." I joke along shrugging my shoulders.
Everyone in the group is waiting for one of their classes to start. Not all of them are in the same classes through so the dancers are staggered. New people join us as their classes end or they arrive for a class and people leave to go to their class or leave completely.
Aiden eventually has to leave for one of his classes and I chat with some of the dancers that are here on the daily because we've had quite a lot of time to get to know each other since I basically live at the studio.
"Hey girly." Abby waves at me from down the hall and it looks like she just came in through the back entrance. "I didn't know you were gonna be here this early... I just went to get my nails done." Abby shows off her newly painted black nails.
I explain to her how I wasn't originally going to be here this early and we talk about how the Target shoot went. The two of us chat for a bit until Abby says some random kid's parents paid a lot of money to be able to have a private with her so shes got to go do that.
Most of the dancers I knew had since left after I started talking to Abby. The other dancers I don't really know so I decide to go into the shoppe and see what's going on. To my surprise the shoppe is absolutely packed with a line going outside. A bunch of people must have thought this was a good day to swing by the ALDC for some dance clothes. I get swarmed by people saying hello and wanting pictures. I take a couple pictures but it's really overwhelming so I fast track it back into the studio. I definitely wasn't expecting such a crowd on a Sunday.
"Any idea why all these people are in the shoppe?" I stop Gianna when I find her strolling down the hall.
"Kat are you serious?" Gia looks at me sideways.
"Uh, yeah...?"
"Aiden's releasing his music video today and he's going to have a meet and greet in there and that's where the video is being released."
"No." I look at Gia sideways.
"Yes."
"Are you kidding me?" Aiden would've told me about this right?
"Katie did you not see all the Aiden posters and shirts while you were in there?" Immediately I understand what Aiden was talking about earlier when he was saying some kid is celebrating something they worked on with Abby.
"No!" I say in disbelief.
"You're blind."
I cross my arms, "I'm my defense I was swarmed and couldn't really see that much."
"Geez Kat." Gia laughs at the fact I had no idea what was going on.
"Anyway why didn't he tell me? I'm in the video after all." I ask clearly confused.
"Sorry but you're asking me questions I don't have answers to." Gia pats my shoulder, "Anyway I'd love to talk more I've got to go teach a class.
"That's okay, thanks anyway Gia."
"See ya later Kit Kat." Gia clicks her tongue as she does a little solute and walks on down the hallway.
"That nickname is old!" I shout teasing.
"It's not old it's, timeless!" Gia shouts back before walking into the tumble track room.
Now I'm left alone to try to figure out why Aiden wouldn't come right out and tell me the music video is being released today. What could be his reason for not telling me though? Also why is everyone reacting like its crazy that I came earlier than I originally had said. It's really not that big of a deal.
***
Aiden is now out of class and after freshening up after class he and I talk some more. I try to poke around a bit to try to figure out why he hadn't told me about the music video.
"So have you heard anything about when your video is suppose to be released?" I metal.
"Uh... Yeah actually management emailed and said it'll probably be released very soon."
"Oh cool can I see the email?" Was that too much of a privacy invasion? "You know so I can have actual confirmation because this doesn't seem real, being in a music video and all." Did I make it better or worse?
"I don't have access to the email right now and I think I accidentally deleted the email anyways?" He's lying right through his perfect teeth.
I fake laugh, "Why'd you say that like question?"
"I didn't?"
"You just did again."
"No? This is how I always talk?"
"You're acting really weird Aiden."
"No I'm not?" He won't confess to anything and it's so frustrating. It's like I end up hitting brick wall every time I try to get him to admit his video is coming out today.
"Okay..." Let's try to take a different approach at this. "Can you believe how many people are lined up outside the shoppe today?"
"You were in the shoppe weren't you?" Aiden's face drops.
"Yep."
"That's what you were talking to Gianna about in the hallway wasn't it?"
"Yeah... Stalker much."
"I got bored waiting for my turn to do my combo with my group and I was looking in the hallways."
"Stalker..." I drag out the r teasing.
"Anyway so you know about the music video?"
"Yes."
"Ugh, it was suppose to be a surprise. Why'd you have to get here early?"
"Awe, and you really think I knew I wasn't suppose to get here when I did?"
"Uh yeah you're suppose to be a mind reader or something." Aiden taps my head. I swat his hand away and give him a look. "You were suppose to get here and somebody was going to tell you that everyone is in the shoppe. Then you would come in the shoppe where the meet and greet is and we'd watch the video with everyone for the first time and it'd be cool."
"That would've been so cool! Why didn't you tell me not to come early!" I pout.
"I'm sorry I'm not a mind reader and didn't know you were coming earlier!" Aiden expresses.
"Oh but I'm suppose to be the mind reader?"
"Yes."
"Boy get out." I point to the door.
"Well dang I kinda wanted to see my video before the rest of the world does, but if you insist." Aiden begins walking to the exit I pointed to.
I grab ahold of his arm to stop him, "Quit." I laugh at him.
"Quit what?" I roll my eyes at him and just laugh. He's such an idiot sometimes.
We go into the office and sit on the comfortable couch. Much better seating than the benches in the dancers den or in the main hall. We both are on opposite ends of the couch scrolling through our phones and my feet are on his lap using him as a footrest. Abby has really got to invest in an actual footrest so I don't have to keep using people.
"I can't believe you're going to Australia for like eternity." Aiden groans looking at his phone, "Do you know how boring Hip Hop is gonna be?"
"First of all I'm not going to be in Australia for eternity." I use air quotes to mock what he said. "Second, for like the five billionth time you'll be fine in Hip Hop."
"No I won't."
"Shut up! Yes you will."
It's quiet for a while until Aiden talks once again, "How many days do you have left in LA?"
"Well..." I begin to count up the days in my head. Completely excluding the days I'll be gone in New York and such. "Wow."
"What?"
"Only a little over two and a half days here."
"Katie don't leave!"
"Aiden don't stay!" I tease him.
"I'll come with if I can fit inside your carry on."
"Have fun with that."
We banter a bit more about Australia until Abby comes in and tells us that Aiden has got to get to this meet and greet because its finally time to start. "Just come in when I announce you." Abby says then enter the shoppe herself. Aiden and I listen to her introduction carefully.
"Hello everyone, thank you so much for coming! I'm so excited to introduce to you one of my favorite students which is why you're all here. Today we are releasing Aiden Kol's music video for his new song That Smile featuring another one of my favorite students, Katie Rose!"
Aiden and I both walk into the shoppe and make our way to the cashier desk where Abby lets us stand on top of so everyone can see us. She hands us each a cordless microphone as well.
"Hey guys." Aiden says casually as everyone cheers for him. "I just want to say thank you to everyone for coming out today, and it's a very special day because I'm releasing my new music video for all of you to have first access to." Aiden gives a little speech about how he loves all his fans and he can't wait for everyone to see the video. "You want to introduce yourself?" Aiden looks to me.
I nod, "Hi I'm Katie Rose." I laugh at my awkwardness.
"Like we don't know who she is!" Somebody shouts above everyone else.
"True." Aiden agrees and I hit his shoulder lightly. "Well I think it's time for us to hand this off to Abby real fast." Aiden look to Abby and she adjust her own microphone.
"Okay so this is how things are going to work. If you purchased some Aiden merch or Abby Lee Dance Company merch you can get in line for the table and Aiden, Katie, and I can sign your stuff. You have to have bought an item to get in this line or have payed to get pictures. Let me remind you that it is not too late to buy stuff now. Otherwise you can wait around for the video to start." Abby instructs. She's always trying to get that extra buck.
Abby, Aiden, and I meet everyone in line and sign their things. I love getting to talk to people even if it's only a few minutes. We take pictures with everyone and even get gifted some items which we are so thankful for. It's so insane for people to buy you stuff just for existing I feel so blessed and tell them they don't need to give me thing but they insist every time.
Once we get through the line, assistants all over the ALDC bring the crowd into the actual studio to fill studio A. There is a projector set up in there where the video is going to play and Aiden and I are going to be able to watch it for the very first time.
Abby and I sit on two stools on one side of the screen while Aiden sits on the other side. Everyone that came out today fills the rest of the room.
"I don't think you guys understand how excited these kids are to finally have this video released. Neither of them have seen it yet so this is something new for both of them. We put in lots of work into this video and you're sure to like it." Abby says then a countdown pops up on the screen.
Everyone counts down from ten and I can't help but be nervous about how it turned out. The video starts playing and I can't stop smiling the whole time.
The video looks amazing! I can't believe how good it turned out and how good the vocals sound. "It looks so good!" Aiden gets pumped up. He gets out of his seat and the three of us stand in front of the screen.
Aiden thanks Abby and I and everyone who came out then we say final goodbyes and leave the room and go into the office where Abby is having us quote on quote lay low until everyone leaves.
Aiden and I talk about how good the video looked and random things about the event that just occurred. I even post a picture to Instagram of Aiden, Abby, and I sitting at the table in the shoppe when we were waiting to start greeting people. Captioned, Go check out my friend Aiden Kol's new music video That Smile featuring me on YouTube now! The link is in my bio. You can also get That Smile on iTunes and Spotify! @Aiden_Kol @TheRealAbbyLee #ThatSmile 😄🎶
About an hour later Abby gives us the clear to be able to leave the office. "Awe my babies!" I gush and run over to Lilly and Ari who just got here for a night class. The minis left Pittsburgh the night of the competition the same time Abby did so some of them are coming for classes today.
"Awe my mother." Lilly jokes and jumps into my arms as I hug Ari at the same time.
"What am I?" Aiden asks from behind me alone.
"You're just a random sad lonely dude." Lilly shakes her head once I set her back down.
"Wow that's comforting." Aiden says not assured.
"We know." Ari laughs.
"Hey cuties let me get a picture of all of you." Abby comes up from behind us.
"You have to make Aiden stand off to the side." Ari jokes pushing Aiden away. We then have to explain how Lilly called Aiden a random sad lonely man. Abby take a picture of me holding Lilly on my hip with one arm and my arm around Ari on the other side of me. Not to forget Aiden awkwardly standing to the side. Abby also makes us take on normal picture all together. Abby sends us the pictures and I post the one of Aiden standing off to the side on my Instagram. Captioned, A mother and her daughters... Oh and "some random sad lonely dude" @LillyKOfficial @AreanaEvaniLopez @Aiden_Kol
The four of us talk for a while until Abby informs me that the photographer is here and I need to go get ready for the shoot. I go into the den and change into my first outfit and meet Abby in studio C where the backdrop and all the camera equipment is set up. Aiden is in the room with Abby and the photographer as we take pictures. Aiden makes stupid comments when he knows he's not going to get reprimanded by Abby or when Abby and the photographer are chatting.
The shoot goes well and eventually it's over and my mom arrives at the studio with Liv. We say goodbye to everyone and Liv takes a pictures with people around the studio including Abby, Aiden, Ari, and Lilly. We then get into the car that is filled with suitcases and go to the airport. Here we come New York!
***
"Liv look at this view!" I point out the window at New York. Last night we got to the hotel so late you couldn't see anything out of the window because of how dark it was. But to add to that we were so tired we dropped our luggage and went to bed.
"I know!" Liv looks out the glass. There is glass all around our room providing us with the most aesthetic vibes ever. "How many cars do you think are on that road?" Liv points to the bush street below.
"Too many." I say looking at the seemingly endless flow of vehicles. We just came back upstairs from having breakfast in the lobby and we cannot get over the fact that we are in New York together.
"You girls are crazy." My mom shakes her head then continues sorting out her belongings from her suitcase. "While I'd love you two to stare out the window for hours of entertainment, we've got things to do."
"Oh right Vogue." I nod completely forgetting the reason we're here.
I put on a comfy but stylist long sleeved burgundy hoodie dress and and some cute flower adidas. I do my hair up in a cute messy bun knowing very well I'll be styled to look completely different later. Liv does her perfect makeup as I curl her hair down to her shoulders. She wears a lavender quarter sleeved loose sweater and some blue skinny jeans.
"Ready to go?" My mom asks and sure enough we are. We exit the hotel and hail a taxi to take us to the building in which vogue's headquarters are in.
Once we get out of the taxi, flashes appear all around us and I'm very confused with what is going on. People are shouting at me and I'm dumbfounded to what is happening. Then I realize this is paparazzi. Maddie has warned me that with being in New York paparazzi usually swarms buildings like Vogue and places celebrities go so he cautious. Liv, my mom, and I make our way inside the building nearly being blinded by the cameras.
"That's something you don't see everyday." Liv comments as we reach the inside.
"You sound like Phineas and Ferb." I reply as my mom leads us inside the elevator to get us to the right floor. Also known as the very top one.
"No I don't." Liv defends as the elevator starts moving. "Anyway where's Perry?"
"Stop it." I laugh at her.
"Fine."
We arrive at the top floor and are eagerly welcomed by a lady that has the most put together work clothes I've ever seen. "Hello and welcome I'm Uma and you must be Katie Rose. You're an amazing dancer by the way." We shake hands with firm handshakes. Props to Abby's professionalism teachings.
"Yes I am Katie and thank you so much!"
"No problem we are so excited to have you here."
"And I am so excited to be here." I say and Uma laughs.
"Well the pleasure is ours. You must be Katie's mom?" Uma looks to my mom.
"Amanda, yes." Uma and my mom shake hands.
"You are?" Uma looks to Liv.
"I'm Katie's best friend Liv." She says and then shakes hands as well.
"Ah yes, nice to you meet you all. Katie you've probably got the best support system here with you today." I agree smiling. "Well let's not waste time, we're going to get you into wardrobe then hair and makeup as quickly as possible to get the ball rolling." Uma leads us down the hallway.
We arrive at the styling room. I'm brought in and I'm given clothes to change into for the first section of the shoot. I'm put into a gold tank, a pink faux fur jacket, a leather skirt, and statement boots. My hair is put in a precise updo with perfect makeup.
We do the shoot with several clothing changes. It's spectacular! We take pictures in the picture studio with and without various props, we go up on the roof, we go down on the street, it's amazing! I can't believe this is for Teen Vogue!
Lunch is provided by caters for the break before we resume to film video's for Teen Vogue's Youtube. I'm put into my thousandth outfit of the day after lunch, get my hair and makeup touched up, and it's time to film the videos. The first video is a rapid fire question video where I have to respond with as few words as possible.
"Hello this is Katie Rose and you're watching Teen Vogue Word Play."
"Dogs?" Uma says next to the camera guy.
"Maliboo." I answer with the first dog that comes to my head.
"Dance?"
"Life."
"Abby Lee Miller?"
"Tough Love." I answer carefully.
"Aiden Kol?"
"Friend."
"Gino Cosculluela?" Uma asks straight faced.
"Dancer."
"Fashion?"
"Necessity."
"Instruments?"
I scrunch my nose, I have played several instruments but I've always ended up quitting for one reason or another. However the most recent instrument I played I only had to quit because of Dance Moms. "Violin." I decide to say.
"Candy Apples?"
"No." I shake my head and scrunching my nose.
"Band?"
"Five Seconds Of Summer." I grow a bigger smile just saying that.
"Mom?"
"Much love."
"Cancer?"
"Horrible."
"Your fans?"
"Grateful."
The words continue flowing until the last one, "Teen Vogue?" Uma says.
"Fabulous." I laugh because this is obviously for Teen Vogue.
We film more videos and I take a couple of pictures with the people from Vogue. My Snapchat and Instagram stories are popping today! Boomerang galore!
I post one of all the camera people, wardrobe, etcetera all together in front of a red and black Teen Vogue sign and post it on Instagram. Captioned, Thanks @TeenVogue for having me! I can't wait for everyone to see the pictures from the shoot! 👠📸
We wrap and say goodbye to everyone then head back to the hotel room. Liv is completely going insane with getting to be here. I'm so glad she got to come. After relaxing at the hotel room for a bit we get dressed up to explore New York. I wish we could have more time but at least we have tonight.
Liv and I get all dressed up and head off with my mom to go to dinner. We're going to a very fancy restaurant inside the Empire State Building then we are going to go see Hamilton on Broadway. Liv and I joke around as we try to hail a taxi. We are not very good at it but we finally are able to get one. My mom was videoing the two of us and she couldn't stop laughing.
Our lovely taxi driver that seemed so in love with his job dropped us off at the front entrance of the Empire State Building. We are planning on eating at their rooftop lounge which is the very top floor before the outside rooftop area. After eating we'll head up there.
"Excuse me, how fast does this elevator go?" My mom asks a lady at the front desk after buying the roof observatory tickets.
"About a floor a second ma'am."
"Thank you." We step away from the desk astonished. The elevator is going to go a floor a second and we are on the one hundredth and second floor.
We enter the elevator with a bunch of other people ranging from tourist to business people. I bet these business people are ready for the tourist season to end. Liv and I record on Snapchat as we exaggerate what's going on.
"If we die tell my mom I love her." Liv jokes folding her hands together like she's praying. The whole way up we mess around and eventually we get to the lounge floor after a lot of panicking.
"Right this way." The waiter leads us to our seats. Before us our table everything here is fancy but that's not even the best part. The entire room is lined in windows. We are so high up. You can see just about everything from here. We order our food and look in awe at the view.
Liv and I have my mom take several pictures of us and we even get some other people are to get a pictures of the three of us. Once we get some taking pictures and boomerangs like crazy tourist we continue to sit and look out at the city while we wait for our food.
"We're quite literally on the top of the world." Liv looks at all the surrounding buildings.
"No kidding." My mom replies.
My phone begins ringing and I'm getting a FaceTime from Abby. I answer knowing she's going to ask about my day. "Hey Katie." She says when her face pops up onto my screen. She's quite evidently in the office at the studio.
"Hey." I smile.
"How's New York treating you?"
"Great, I'm actually in the Empire State Building right now."
"Oh really? Let me see." I turn the camera around at the view of the skyline.
"Wow, are you in the lounge right now?"
"Yep, how'd you know?"
"I've been to New York a few times in my days Katie." Abby laughs and I turn the camera back around, "Did Vogue go well?"
"It was amazing." I reply without thought.
"Great, I can't wait to see the cover."
"Me either, I still don't think it's sunk in yet that I'm going to be on the cover of Teen Vogue."
"Well you've got more things coming your way Katie, anyway I don't want to hold you from having fun so I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye."
"Bye." The call ends.
The rest of the night is a whirlwind of memories. We have an amazing dinner then go up to the very top of the building to see off. Then we go once we're done we exit the building going back down the scary elevator of doom as Liv and I called it. We take a double decker bus to the Broadway show. Hamilton was definitely as good if not better than what people have reviewed it. After Hamilton we go to Time square late at night then finally make it back to the hotel. The hotel's pool is open twenty four seven so we convinced my mom to let us go. She agrees but stayed in the hotel room to go to sleep. We had the entire pool to ourselves. We did a Live and talk to fans and old friends until we finally decided we should go to bed. It was a long night but it was so much fun.
####################################I know I know geez I'm a trashy writer and haven't posted in a while. IM AWARE TRUST ME! If I'm being honest this chapter has been done for five days but I didn't have the energy to edit the second half of it so I put it off. Plus I put off writing half of it in the first place... So basically I was half way there! Go me! Kinda... Not really... I'm sorry. Can I use the school just started excuse? No. Alright. Sorry. Really. I'm actually sorry.
Love you guys! 😘
- xoxo Taylor
Personal Links:
Instagram- @Taylor_Smiles
|This story is updated REGULARLY|
•Word Count 5409•