Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Jimmy Fallon (2)
[Edward POV]
I walked behind the curtains as the crowd cheered for me. I waved at them with a smile on my face and sent them some flying kisses as I left.
Jimmy told the crowd about the final recording session, but before that, they would take a 20 minute break.
"Break?" I was confused when I heard it. "Shouldn't it be time for my performance now?" I muttered to myself.
Suddenly, I heard some strident click clack of an urgent footstep coming towards me, together with the sound of someone bickering.
"You really aren't supposed to be here!" Randall said with a nervous tremble in his voice. His eyes widened in shock as he saw me, but the lady in a yellow diner shirt with red lining lit up with excitement and agitation.
"You! How did you know me by name!?" Max Black asked as she strode forcefully towards me. I turned to her and said casually, not minding her tone in the slightest, "You didn't bring me your cupcakes?"
Max is of average height with long dark brown hair she wears in waves, deep-blue eyes, and pale skin. She was wearing eyeliner and dark red lipstick. However, most of my attention went straight to her bust that popped out from her slightly unzipped polyester dress.
"That too! How did you know that! And why did you send 'Hawaii 5.0' detective to search for me...and my cupcakes!" Max asked furiously. "And tell me honestly! I had been wanting to beat up a teen pop star. "
I smiled and said, "I don't have the answer to that question. You can say that...a being...in the HIGHer dimension, sent the images inside my head. Get it? HIGH-er..."
"What?" Max narrowed her eyes in disbelief, then, she saw my hinting eyes. Her eyes widened in realization and she relaxed instantly, "OHH!!!!"
I stopped her from mentioning the subject and introduced myself, "Hi. I'm Edward."
"Hi. You already know me." Max replied with a slight sarcasm. Growing up neglected and being let down by everyone around her, Max used sarcasm to prevent anyone from getting close to her. She smiled and said, "I don't believe that I shared a pot dealer with a teen popstar. I guess Kim's business is really booming nowadays."
"What was that?" Randall asked as he couldn't catch what Max said. But we ignored him as we stared into each other.
Max turned slightly and asked with a slight nervous stutter, "So, you heard from Kim and you decide that you need to taste some stale diner cupcakes too? Or...were you looking for the 'party' ones? Cause I don't make those..." She whispered, "Anymore..."
"Aww. And here I was looking forward to that." I said with some sarcasm. She seemed taken aback by that, and smiled softly.
"The cupcakes are already sold out. But, if you can wait for a while,I could make some more." She offered.
I paused to think for a second then said, "I can't stay here for long. I need to fly back to California after this. How about, I get your phone number, and when I come here again, I will call you?"
"Wait. There's no law against exchanging numbers with a kid, right? Cause I can't go to jail again." Max joked and seemed a little bit hesitant.
"You know, next time if I come here alone, I may be going to some parties and need an entourage."
"I am IN!" Max replied instantly.
Jimmy Fallon walked backstage and rushed towards me, "Edward, can I talk to you about something– Wait, who's this? Your sister?"
Max chuckled and muttered to herself, "That's a possibility, given that my mom would spread her legs for anyone, and I never knew who my dad is."
Jimmy was baffled but I laughed. "Max, why don't you stay and watch the rest of the filming?"
Max asked, "What's this for? I almost dozed off when I got inside the building, so I'm guessing any late night shows?"
"You...didn't recognize me? I guess I should work harder in the future." Jimmy smiled wearily and dropped his shoulder.
Max smiled and teased, "I don't know any of the new shows, cause I'm too poor to own a tv. And if I want to watch something fun, I go directly to porn websites."
"Underage boy there! Underage!" Randall chimed in urgently while pointing at me, hoping to get Max to behave.
"Ahh calm your tits...Like Mine is! I was in elementary school when I learned about all of that stuff. I'm sure that he already knew more than what he let others believe."
I nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah. She's right. And also Randall, don't be a prude."
"So, you're going to ignore me here?" Jimmy acted depressed but kept a smile on his face.
I chuckled and said, "Right. I forgot about you."
"O-Ouch." He playfully clutched his heart.
"Max. Stay and watch the show. I'm going to get on stage for the finale. We can talk after that." I turned to Max and offered.
She crossed her arms together and said regretfully, "I want to, cause you seem like a cool person...but, I need to go back to the diner. Or else the Russian Mafia Boss won't pay me."
I narrowed my eyes a little, and then remembered a little bit about the plotline of the series. It wasn't until Han– the small Korean man took over the diner and hired Caroline too that Max's life became better.
"Do you really care about the diner?" I asked.
She grinned and said, "No." I laughed and let Randall escort her to the audience seat while I talked about a few things with Jimmy.
"I've decided! I'm going to take a risk, and do something that's different from everyone else!"
"So you decided to take my advice. Good for you! Just don't forget about your promises."
"Interviews for Taylor, Coldplay, Ariana, and who else?" Jimmy asked.
I grinned and said, "I'll send you a list."
Jimmy chuckled for a bit before he said loudly, "This may offend you a little bit, but, I want to ask you another question, about the photo of you and Taylor, while on camera–"
He paused and then laughed, "You know what? This is the first time that I actually challenged how these late night shows work! I could feel the adrenaline rushing down my veins now."
I was a bit startled then I rubbed my chin as I contemplated a decision. "What are you thinking?" I asked, intrigued about his ideas.
...
[General POV]
As Max was seated in an empty chair behind where the Dunphy's were sitting, Haley turned towards her as she recognized Randall.
"Hey Randy." Haley greeted.
"Randall!" Phil greeted him excitedly.
"Ahh. I miss this." Randall muttered to himself. For him, New Yorkers were very mean. "Phil. Haley. Alex. Luke. Please talk some sense into Edward and let me come back to LA with you guys."
Haley chuckled a bit and asked teasingly, "Why isn't he letting you go back home?!"
"Just...He gave me a lot of work to do here. I don't think I can go back until a month later." Randall complained.
Randall was tasked to search for new housing for Edward and the staff members, and also a new office space for Edward's company expansion in the East Coast.
"He saw that you were overpowered by a skinny white girl. I guess he has no confidence in letting you follow him around as protection." Max added mockingly.
Haley saw Max's face, and then, her eyes went to her boobs. She was shocked internally and asked in disbelief, "Umm...You are?"
"I'm Max. Edward wants my cupcakes." Max answered ambiguously to tease Haley as she noticed the girl's jealousy towards her.
[Haley's commentary]
"So. I looked away for one second, and he hooked up with another big breast brunette with an attitude?" Haley joked but filled with a sense of wariness.
[Commentary ends]
The staff members were passing around a white card during the break. The male staff member asked, "Have you guys written a keyword yet?"
"No?" Randall asked in confusion.
"Write down a keyword in this, then, put it in the box up front." He said to Max and Randall.
"I don't have a pen." Randall muttered, but the staff member had already gone away. Max turned to Randall and said, "Here. I got an extra pen." Randall was excited, but then his smile froze as Max reached into her cleavage and pulled out a long pencil.
"Ummm...Phil, do you have a pen?" He asked urgently. "I have. Do you want to borrow it?" Phil replied, making Randall breathe in relief. Max cackled seeing Randall's reaction and asked, "Are you a virgin?"
Max covered her mouth and muttered in shock, "He really used it! And the most important part too!"
"??'Cause I don't care as long as you just hold me near! You can take me anywhere! And you're making me feel like I'm loved by somebody! ??"
Haley listened to the lyrics carefully despite her jealousy.
"??I can deal with the bad nights
When I'm with my baby, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh??"
The Dunphy sisters realized something. Alex muttered, "Wait a minute. Take him everywhere? Bad nights? This.." She turned to Haley and stopped her sentence there. Then, Alex realized that Edward was singing while looking at their direction, further confirming her suspicions.
"??We at a party we don't wanna be at
Tryna talk, but we can't hear ourselves
Read your lips, I'd rather kiss 'em right back
With all these people all around??"
The second Phil heard Edward say the word 'lip', he covered Luke's ear slowly. Then, he sighed in relief after what he worried about didn't happen.
Edward took out the microphone from the stand and went towards the crowd, leaving his loop pedal behind. He walked towards the audience and gave the front row high fives while he sang.
"??I'm crippled with anxiety
But I'm told it's where I'm s'posed to be
You know what? It's kinda crazy 'cause I really don't mind
When you make it better like that??"
"??Don't think we fit in at this party
Everyone's got so much to say, oh yeah, yeah
When we walked in, I said I'm sorry, mmm
But now I think that we should stay... ??"
Edward rushed to the loop pedal as he prepared for the chorus. He held the guitar that he sling to his back again and played it as he sang.
?? 'Cause I don't care~~ when I'm with my baby, yeah!!
All the bad things disappear !!??
??Yeah, you're making me feel like maybe I am somebody!! ??
??I can deal with the bad nights!! when I'm with my baby, yeah!!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh .Oh yeah, yeah, yeah ??
??'Cause I don't care as long as you just hold me near
You can take me anywhere!
And you're making me feel like I'm loved by somebody
I can deal with the bad nights when I'm with my baby, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ??"
Edward turned to the synthesizer microphone and sang the next verse while recording it.
"??I don't like nobody but you, it's like you're the only one here
I don't like nobody but you, baby, I don't care
I don't like nobody but you, I hate everyone here
I don't like nobody but you, baby, yeah??"
??I don't like nobody but you, it's like you're the only one here
I don't like nobody but you, baby, I don't care
I don't like nobody but you, I hate everyone here??"
He returned to the main microphone and continued.
"??I don't like nobody but you, baby, yeah??
The crowd cheered enthusiastically and they stood up from their seats.
??'Cause I don't care
When I'm with my baby, yeah
All the bad things disappear
And you're making me feel like maybe I am somebody ??
??I can deal with the bad nights
When I'm with my baby, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (Oh yeah, yeah, yeah)
Edward played the loop vocal while singing the next verse, merging the two together beautifully and in harmony.
??'Cause I don't care as long as you just hold me near /Loop : ??I don't like nobody but you, it's like you're the only one here??
??You can take me anywhere/Loop: ??I don't like nobody but you, baby, I don't care??
??And you're making me feel like I'm loved by somebody/Loop: ??I don't like nobody but you, I hate everyone here??
I can deal with the bad nights/ Loop: ??I don't like nobody but you, baby, yeah??
The loop played out and he sang, "??When I'm with my baby, yeah!??
??Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh??
Edward smiled toward the crowd as he sang the last verse, "??I don't like nobody but you, it's like you're the only one here! I don't like nobody but you, baby, I don't care!??"
The music slowly fades out, leaving only Edward's vocals.
??I don't like nobody but you, I hate everyone here
I don't like nobody but you, baby, yeah??
"Give it up for Edward Newgate Ladies and Gentleman!" Jimmy Fallon stood up and cheered enthusiastically. The performance ended there, and so was today's filming. \
Edward's forehead was sweaty and he breathed heavily as the crowd shouted his name. He waved towards them, causing more intense cheers. Edward bowed towards the audience, and then made his exit from the stage. The cheers didn't stop even after he had left.
Jimmy couldn't hide his grin from the huge success that today's filming had achieved, and he vowed, "Damn. I should get him here at least once a week!"
Unfortunately for him, he wouldn't ever be able to get his wish.