Page 52 of Ex in the City
Jessica’s gratitude could not be more apparent as she throws herself at Dylan and plants a lingering kiss on his cheek.
‘Now, see, all the kids that didn’t come are going to miss out on this,’ Jessica tells Joey. ‘And they’re going to think twice about the choices they make in the future.’
Joey ponders this for a moment.
‘I’m going to call Ellie,’ he says. ‘She loves Tay Magenta. She would be so sad if she missed her.’
I smile.
‘Okay, let’s go call her, quick,’ Jessica says, leading Joey away to go call his sister, before she misses the show of a lifetime.
‘See, they’re not all bad,’ Dylan tells me as he smiles widely, clearly getting one hell of a serotonin and dopamine hit from his good deed. ‘I still want some kids of my own, you know. I think about it a lot.’
‘Me too,’ I dare to admit. ‘I do actually really like looking after Archie and Ned. When I was younger, I always felt pretty certain I didn’t want kids, but now that I’ve seen what it’s like…boringlife isn’t so bad after all.’
Dylan smiles.
‘I’m starting to see that,’ he replies. ‘But boring life doesn’t have to be boring. You’re about to attend the world’s smallest Tay Magenta gig – she played the O2 arena last week.’
‘There is that,’ I reply with a laugh. ‘But perhaps boring lifeisboring, without you in it.’
‘Yeah, I’ll drink to that,’ Dylan chuckles. ‘Well, I would if I wasn’t at a kids’ party in a village hall.’
I can’t help but grin like a maniac as I look at him. It is moments like these that remind me just how great Dylan is. He really would make a good dad one day – is it weird that makes him seem even more attractive?
25
I’m in London again which, if I’m being honest, I could seriously get used to.
I’m only here for a few hours, with Dylan and the rest of the band, but I very much feel like I’m back in my old shoes and I’m loving it.
Oh, and I’m quite literally in my old shoes. I’m currently admiring the shiny black pair of Louboutin heels that are gracing my feet. They’re not mine, although, if I keep them on any longer, I could be tempted.
‘These would go great with my outfit for the fundraiser,’ I tell Dylan.
‘I love that you’re going as Cher,’ he says. ‘She’s an icon. I’m not sure who to go as.’
‘I mean, the theme is celebrity, and you are one,’ I point out. ‘Surely you go as yourself.’
‘Well, that’s boring,’ he says with a laugh.
We’re in a private dressing room area of a huge department store, where Dylan, Mikey, Jamie and Taz are meeting with a stylist. It’s not by choice, obviously, this is something their management has organised for them. It just seemed like a funnything before but, now that we’re here, the stylist seems to be implying that she’s here to make them cool again – to get them with the times.
Tara, the stylist, has a reputation that precedes her. Still, you can be as great as you want, but when you’re in a room with rockers who don’t like to be told what to do, I’m wondering how far she’ll even get with them. I’m surprised they’ve taken it seriously thus far.
I’m only supposed to be here for moral support, for Dylan, but with a mixture of clothes and shoes – many of them just my style – it would be rude not to get involved.
Tara looks like a stylist, you can just tell by how effortlessly trendy she looks. She wears oversized cat-eye glasses and has long, dark hair that cascades in loose waves down her back. Her outfit is a mix of vintage and modern, with a chic black turtleneck, high-waisted jeans and a statement belt. She looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine – a French one – so it’s clear she knows her stuff. If the boys don’t want to take tips from her, I certainly will.
So far we’ve been gathered around while Tara explains to us what’s cool and trendy at the moment. She’s mentioning fabrics, patterns and styles – things these guys do not care about. There are racks upon racks of clothes behind her, each filled with a wide variety of outfits. Tara keeps emphasising the need for a fresh look, something that will help rebrand the band, and take them to the next level. I see the boys wince every time she says it, because to them they are cool, they are top level, and a belt isn’t going to change that, right?
‘All right, guys,’ Tara says with a confident smile. ‘So, I’m going to take a quick break, but I want you to try on different pieces and experiment with your new look. Let’s say goodbye to the old and hello to the new. I’ll be back to see your creations shortly.’
As soon as Tara leaves the room, the boys waste no time doing what she suggests – of course, not one of them takes it seriously. They eyeball the racks of clothes with a mischievous gleam in their eyes. The four of them, always up for a laugh, start rifling through the array of garments, and not one of them grabs anything they would actually wear.
Taz picks out an outrageously patterned floral shirt and holds it up to himself, smirking as he poses for the others.
‘What do you think, lads? Can you see me behind the kit in this?’ he asks.
