"NEON NIGHT"
4.9.2011
We arrived at Montbleu casino about half an hour before we were supposed to meet Sarah and were shocked to find that tonnes of people had turned up to line up ages before our meeting time. As we were lined up, Sarah came around and started handing out our Mars Goody bags which seemed strange. We then found out that we would be meeting the guys BEFORE the show, even though we’d been told it would happen after. Oh well! At least my hair wouldn’t be everywhere!
We walked through the casino, to the curious looks of those who weren’t there for the show, and entered a big room. We formed a circle around the walls of the room and waited for the boys.
We cheered as they entered from behind a partitioned wall and "Mars Effect" hit me A-G-A-I-N. The boys started their hellos directly opposite where we were standing so it was going to be a bit of a wait.
Shortly after they’d come into the room Jared started coughing and had to leave the room. Poor guy, he really didn’t sound well at all.
Shannon was the first to get to me and we did the usual greet before I handed him the shirt that I’d made for the boys. As he unfolded it I told him to look on the back. [The back read "I BLAME JARED!"] "Jared’s says ‘I blame Shannon’" I told him. He smiled and said "That's about right". I was talking to him about something when he signed my poster and he signed it in a strange spot… if I had of been paying attention, I probably would have held it properly so he could sign it in the right spot. Oh well!
He moved along to Katie who was next to me and she was giving the boys some awesome wristbands I’d found while out and about in LA. They read ‘Rockstar from Mars’ and I squealed when I found them! She handed the band to Shan and he said "Let’s get this fucker on!" and proceeded to put it on his wrist. I forget what happened after that, I just remember that he put on his band.
I waited for a bit before Tomo came in from the right.
I did the usual Hello again and held out my poster for him to sign. As he was signing it I said "Don’t worry, I don’t have any more tickets to come see you guys so you won’t have to see me anymore." He looked at me and said "You mean we won’t GET to see you anymore…" Awww Tomo. Such a sweetheart. I gave him his shirt but he had his hands full so couldn't look at it. I told him it was one I'd designed and he had to look on the back when he had time. He smiled and Thanked me and kept moving around the circle.
It was a bit of a wait between the boys now, Jared was still at least a quarter way around the circle from me so I just organized all the stuff I had to give him and get signed before he arrived.
Jared eventually made it to me and stopped. The first thing I did was hold out something I’d bought him in Los Angeles. I’d found a box of peppermints that proudly printed across the front read ‘MAN FLU MINTS’. As he read it, he smiled. "We bought them before we knew you were sick.." Katie chipped in from beside me. "Well I need something!" Jared said.
I was talking to Jared about something and he was trying to sign my poster that I kind of had held strangely because I was also holding his shirt. "Hold it up for me" he said talking about the poster. I was completely zoned out because while I rememeber him saying it, at the time it didn't register and he went to ask again. Kate stepped in and put her hand under the poster so he could sign it. Oops lol.
I handed him the shirt next. I can't for the life of me remember what he did with it or what I said about it. I think I said "It's the melty triad I was wearing on my shirt the first time I met you guys" or something along those lines, which he thought was cool. He Thanked me and he went to move on.
That was when I realized I hadn't got his guitar pick that I got in Highlands signed. I think I just kind of held it out on my hand and was going to call him back but he noticed me put my hand out so he stopped and leant back and signed it before moving along. "Thankyou!" I said with a huge smile.
After waiting for the guys to finish their greetings, we started our photos. We were about half way along this time. As I'd hugged Tomo and Shannon in Taipei, my heart was set on hugging Jared. I know what you're thinking... fangirl wanting to get her hands on him. I swear to God that isn't what it was about. To keep it brief, I feel as though I owe these people my life so it was more of a Thankyou than anything else. Anyway. I knew what I wanted, but my head was telling me that I couldn't just hug him and if I ask, he'll probably say no. I was working myself into a state getting worried and nervous and doubting i'd actually be able to do anything. I was absolutely freaking out the whole time we waited in line. As I finally got to being next, I still had no idea what I was doing. The girl in front of me walked off and they looked at me to go over. I don't know what happened, but I guess my heart just over-ruled my head and I walked straight up to Jared and wrapped my arms around him.
"I'm sorry but I would of regretted it forever if I didn't do it." I said, speaking muffled into his chest. "Oh No..." he said. I don't know when I decided to do it or to say what I said, but it was definately a sub-conscious decision because the last moment I remember was not knowing what to do.
When I let go of him and fell back into place I kept my arm around him, put my other arm around Shannon and the photographer took the photo. As I was standing there, Jared was making a buzzing noise in my ear. I wanted to turn and ask him what the hell he was doing but before I even knew it, the photo had been taken. To be honest, my brain was so crazy and also because I was focused on the buzzing he was making that I don't even remember the photo. I had no idea what I'd done or if i'd even smiled, but I'm sure I did because I was happy. I Thanked them for the last time and sadly walked away from them.
The guys waved and we yelled Goodbye to them as they dissappeared again. I already missed them. Knowing it was the last time I'd meet them in a very long time, possibly ever, was hard. I felt a sad but I just reminded myelf that the show was about to start. I threw my inhibitions out the door and decided this show I was going to go absoulutely nuts and I didn't care who saw or what anyone thought.