Page 94 of Sweet Shots

“Vodka on the rocks,” I order. I started with that, so I’m going to end the night with that.

“Same,” Mikah says, running a hand through his hair.

“You good?” I ask.

“Yes. Will be better after this drink, I hope.”

I chuckle. “Should I have warned you how crazy this would be?”

“Did you actually know?”

“Not really, no. This is my first year here.” He steps closer, his arm brushing mine. “You sure you’re okay?”

“If I wasn’t, I’d tell you. I don’t have to be here, you do. I can leave whenever I want.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” I groan.

“Enjoy your evening,” the bartender says when she hands us our drinks. It’s an open bar; we don’t have to pay for anything. We both turn, drinks in hand.

“It’s going to be a long night,” Mikah says with a heavy sigh.

“Aren’t you glad I sucked your dick earlier?”

“Grateful, that’s for sure. I’d be much grumpier if you hadn’t.” He smiles around his glass, and I lean in to kiss his cheek. Someone snaps a photo, and I try not to frown, not wanting that photo to make the front page of some gossip magazine. Not because I don’t want people to know, but I don’t need our lives being brought into stupid gossip.

“How do people deal with this all the time?” he asks as we walk off.

“Drugs. Sex. Lots of alcohol.”

Mikah chuckles, holding up his glass. “Cheers to that.”

We mingle as other people come in. The show won’t start for another few hours, but there are so many people here, so they have us get here early. Between all the photos and interviews, it takes a long time to get everyone settled. We make small talk with some people and greet a ton of others.

The bar sees us a few more times, and with each drink, Mikah relaxes more and more. Talking to people gets easier for him. He isn’t as tense when hugs are forced on him, and he doesn’t looklike he’s going to strangle someone when they hug me. Though, inside, he probably still wants to, and I find that all really sexy.

I shouldn’t, but I do.

There is an announcement made when it’s time to get to our seats. Some move to the bar to get another drink, but I don’t bother because there will be people going around inside with drinks. May as well get to our seats and have them bring us the alcohol. We take a quick bathroom break, though.

Because I’m nominated, we’re seated at a small table in front of the stage, along with everyone else who has been nominated. Guests are sitting in the rows of seats behind us and up in the balcony.

The tables are covered in sheer rose gold tablecloths, the chairs with black bows behind them. I look around at all the people here. It’s much more than I thought it would be. I’m getting a little nervous, I won’t lie. On the table is an order of events, so I know when to prepare to walk up on stage or not. This isn’t one of those shows where you’re told beforehand if you’re the winner. It’s a complete surprise.

The lights dim, and the giant screen behind the stage turns on, showing the MAIF Awards name and logo. Everyone claps and whoops, and slowly, everyone gets to their feet, the cheering getting even louder until Chelseigh walks out on stage in a shimmering rose gold dress, looking as gorgeous as always. Her blonde hair is shiny and falling down her back in bouncy cascades. She’s smiling and waving at everyone, a proud look onher face, as she makes her way to the podium. She stands there a moment, looking around as everyone applauds her.

She’s just a regular person like us. A popular adult content creator who decided she wanted to have an awards ceremony to celebrate the hard work we do, because no, it isn’t always easy. It’s stressful at times. Exhausting.

The noise starts to settle, and Chelseigh’s smile grows. The screen starts to play in the background, cutting through different videos of her, staying on each for a couple seconds. Blow jobs, cum shots, anal… she does it all. We get a quick glimpse into what she does, and it’s perfect for the setting.

“Thank you,” she says when the noise is at a level we can hear her over. “Thank you so much. I am so grateful for each and every one of you. Without you, this wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t be standing up here, ready to announce the best of the best in this industry.”

People clap again; this time it’s at a more reasonable level.

“There are plenty of awards out there for people, but I wanted to put the focus on those who do it all themselves. Growing up, I was always called Miss Independent by my parents, who are extremely proud of what I do, by the way.” A lot of us chuckle as she winks. “I DIYed everything I could. Growing up in the age of technology, I was able to learn so much in the way of editing videos and photos. As it grows more, we are able to do more right inside our own homes. We have websites, apps, emails… so many things that give us the opportunity tobe a one-person show. Andthatis what we’re celebrating today. In the way of adult content, of course.”

The video behind her ends with her squirting all over some guy’s face, which causes the crowd to go crazy again. The energy in here is buzzing and I can’t help but smile.

“So, without further ado, let’s start the show!” she shouts, raising her hands up and clapping. The crowd follows along.

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