The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 789: [THE SHADOW WITHIN]’S RED CARPET (I)

THE crowd gathered behind the barriers was much larger than the IndieFlix staff had expected. People pressed against the rails, holding up phones and small signs with Astrid’s name on them. Some had arrived hours early to secure a spot near the front. The noise of their conversations created a steady hum that grew louder whenever a vehicle approached. Staff members exchanged quick, worried glances as they looked at the number of people watching. The security team they had hired suddenly seemed too small for this event.

A small press area had been set up near one end of the red carpet. A handful of media representatives stood there, their tiny floating cameras hovering beside them. A couple of entertainment news bloggers held small recording devices, speaking quietly into them as they faced the theater. The media presence was modest, nothing like what a big studio production would draw, but it was more than the IndieFlix staff had initially expected.

It was only then that they truly realized how much pull Astrid Townsend actually had.

The actors from the film arrived one by one. Most of them were relatively unknown. The crowd did not immediately recognize them. But the people in the crowd still cheered and waved as each person walked the carpet. A few actors looked surprised by the warm reception, smiling at the crowd before moving toward the theater entrance.

Before they went inside, each stopped briefly at the media area to answer a few quick questions from the press. The floating cameras hovered close, capturing their responses before they disappeared through the doors.

***

Astrid sat inside the car with Rhett and Director McCann. Ellis didn’t accompany him, she was probably already in the theater by now. He had suggested that he and the other two all walk the red carpet together. He didn’t want to sound full of himself, but he was the most recognizable face in their crew. If he walked alongside their main lead and their director, some of that attention would naturally fall on them too. That could only help the movie.

He glanced at the two other men in the car. The stylists had smoothed out Rhett’s usual rough edges. His hair was neatly combed back, and his suit was dark and perfectly fitted. The sharp lines of his clothes and the way he held himself made him look less like a street thug and more like someone who ran the streets from a high rise office. Director McCann sat on Rhett’s other side in a plain black suit with a white shirt underneath. It was simple, practical, exactly what you would expect from someone who spent more time behind a camera than in front of one.

Rhett kept adjusting the cuffs of his suit jacket even though they were already straight. He pressed his lips together and looked out the window at the crowd gathering near the theater. His fingers tapped lightly against his thigh. Director McCann sat very still, his hands resting on his knees. He stared straight ahead at the back of the driver’s seat. Every few seconds, he swallowed. Neither of them spoke, but it was obvious they were both very nervous.

Astrid glanced at them and offered a small smile. "My first red carpet, I was so nervous I kept repeating the same thing in my head over and over. Just breathe and act natural. Don’t think about the crowd. Don’t think about the cameras. Just focus on putting one foot in front of the other. And in the end, it worked out since I didn’t make a fool of myself that day."

Of course, he was talking about his first red carpet experience in his past life. He had been so nervous that day that it was a wonder he hadn’t tripped over his own feet. So he understood exactly what Rhett and Director McCann were feeling right now.

Rhett tugged at his collar again. He knew Astrid was trying to help, but it didn’t make the tight feeling in his chest go away. This was his first real red carpet, and he didn’t want to mess it up. Part of him was regretting agreeing to walk in with Astrid. With all the attention Astrid would bring, any slight mistake he made would stand out even more. If the way Director McCann was bouncing his leg was anything to go by, the man probably felt the same way.

Astrid noticed how tense they both still were and leaned forward, a hint of amusement in his expression.

"You know that trick where you picture something silly to calm yourself down?" he said in a playful voice. "I go with imagining the funniest looking vegetable I can think of. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it actually works. At least it did for me my first time."

"A funny looking vegetable..." Rhett repeated under his breath. Then, without warning, he burst out laughing. "Yeah, I think that would actually work."

Even the director seemed more at ease after that, which Astrid was relieved to see.

It didn’t take long for their car to finally come to a stop. Rhett let out a deep breath, then stepped out of the vehicle. He turned and offered his hand back toward the open door. Astrid took it and stepped down onto the red carpet.

The moment Astrid’s feet touched the carpet, the crowd behind the railings erupted. Screams cut through the air from every direction. People pushed forward against the metal barriers, stretching out their hands and waving signs with his name. The noise grew louder and louder, a wall of sound that seemed to come from all sides at once.

The screams hit Rhett like a missile, and his nervousness came rushing back. His eyes swept over the crowd, taking in just how many people had shown up. It was more than he had expected. Much more.

"Whoa," Director McCann breathed out from behind them. He had already gotten out of the car and was staring at the crowd. "That’s definitely a lot of people."

"Just remember," Astrid said, flashing a gentle smile toward the screaming crowd. "Think of funny looking vegetables."