As I grab the hotel room key card from the car, full of the pizza I just ate. I look over at the PPG Arena, in Pittsburgh Pa and see his sign on the electronic billboard and get extremely excited and get tingles all in my body and I think back to 6 months ago when I found out about the concert. I start to walk in the hotel room to see so many girls with blankets and makeup bags talking about how they can't believe the concert is tomorrow either, then I look to the other side and see die hard stealers fans. I think you can guess which group I was a part of, I walk towards the elevator and so many people were cramming into the elevator as I was awkwardly in the corner of the elevator, squished by all the people.

My mom slithers her way to the front of the elevator and clicks floor 11 and we finally reach our destination, room 411.We unlock the hotel room and my dad's already in the room on Facebook, while my brother is devouring the leftover pizza as my mom just gives a look of disappointment and doesn’t even try to take it away from him. I walk to the open chair in the corner of the room and pull out my phone and set my alarm for 7:00am. Then I ask my mom to braid my hair so it is ready for tomorrow. After she is done, I walk slowly to the bed and flop on it and the only thing I can think about is I'm going to meet Shawn Mendes tomorrow.

As I hear the annoying sound of my alarm I slowly wake up and my hand is going over to hit snooze without thinking. Then I realize today is August 20th this is going to be the best day of my life, I can't believe it and at that moment I happily freak out. Then I run to the bathroom of the hotel room and look at myself and everything is fine, no bags under my eyes, no acne on my face. I grab for my phone and put some Shawn song's on and put a bag on my head so my hair won't get wet, then I get a shower. Next, I step out and put my clothes on, a navy long sleeves crop top and denim jeans and black converses. I put my makeup on and I'm ready to go.

As I run out of the bathroom, I get my mom up and tell her she needs to get up because we have to go get the tickets. She gets out of bed and stretches and she gets up then goes to the bathroom to get changed. After that, I lay on the bed with my phone and my foot twitching out of nervousness, I begin to get worried that I won't have a friend to stand beside my mom. So, my mom gets up and I completely forgot about breakfast, so when my mom gets out of the shower and changes and we head down to breakfast.

We walk out of the hotel room with the tickets in my right hand and my phone in the other hand. As me and my mom are going down the elevator and we just decide to go to the hotel restaurant. We get down to the restaurant and all I see are old people and 2 teen girls. This nice waiter gets our drinks Orange juice and coffee as I sit there planning my day out and how I want it to go, nothing but good things hopefully happen.

I order my food and my mom orders hers, then we talk about the game plan for the day. I tell her that she has to leave when she shows her ID to the people that gives the tickets, and she will come back when the concert is about ready to start. Then my sunny side up eggs with a side of bacon arrive at my table, and my mom's French toast came. Then at the last minute my mom comes up with just a horrible idea, as I listen to what she had to say

"Why don’t we get your brother and dad food"

Of course, I wasn’t going to argue because that would mean I would be on my mom's bad side for the day and I didn't want that to happen. Hopefully we will have enough time to go at 11:00am when the ticket booth opens up. It was already 9:00am so we had enough time, so my mom orders my dad French toast and my brother the same. The food gets to us 15 minutes later when we finished up our meal. We take it up to my brother and dad, it's 9:30 by then and we sit and wait on the bed till 10:00.

It was 10:00 by then and the whole family heads down to the lobby and my brother keeps annoying me with questions about the science center that he would be going to but I zoned out with the second one he asked me. Basically he was talking to the wall but I didn’t let him know that. We are at the lobby and my brother and dad separate from us to get to the car, and we start walking out to leave.

Suddenly a mom and a girl are walking toward us and suddenly the mom says 
"The VIP isn't open yet" and me very confused says
"what?" Not knowing what she was talking about. 
Until a ding goes off in my head and I knew what she was talking about. 
She says "never mind" thinking I wasn't apart of VIP.
Then before she leaves I say "what" just to make sure she was talking about Shawn Mendes VIP. 
The mom said "The ticket booth for Shawn Mendes is not open yet". 
With that I knew what she was talking about and I reply "Oh okay thank you" with a reassuring nod
"it opens at 1:00pm".
"Thank you". 

With that me and my mom go back to the hotel room.

Great now I have to wait 2 hours, I have nothing to do but be on my phone and wait around. It was finally 1 hour down and I still have 1 hour and I can't be stuck in this room any longer. 

So, I tell my mom " I'm going around the hotel and walking around" before she says anything I shut the door. 
I go down to the exercise room and grab an apple and water and I go back upstairs. I walk in and I looked at the clock great I killed 10 minutes, well better than none. I walk to the bed and just flop on the bed and take a quick 30minute nap and I get up and it's time to go.

I tell my mom it's time to go and she gets up grabs the tickets for me and then we leave together and we are back where we were 2 hours ago in the lobby. We walk out of the hotel and we walk across the street and I see the huge arena and me and my mom wait on a stone for 1 hour and we were the only ones there. Then 1 hour later the girl I saw in the hotel came and I walk up to her and start talking to her to kill time and my mom starts talking to her mom, the girls name was Rebecca.  We decided she doesn't have anyone to hang out with and I don't either so we just stick together the whole time.

By the time it was 1:00 I didn't even know it was, time went by so fast talking to Rebecca. I see a guy in a nice suit walk up to the door and keys and by that time about 15 people are there and the guy opens the door and people rush in and so do Rebecca, her mom, my mom and me. We are finally going to get the meet and greet tickets and then I give the guy my tickets. He says "Oh this is the meet and greet ticket, the receipt is your ticket and he say's the same to Rebecca and I can't believe we have to go all the way across the building to get in the right line for meet and greet and when I peek over the corner and already there's a line of about 30 girls. When we could've been here in the first place and Rebecca and me talk about how the instructions the meet and greet email told us to meet at the general ticket booth to get your tickets.

We just wait in the VIP line which I overheard a girl say that they will start opening up the doors at 2:30pm. Great just more and more waiting, 1 and a half hours until these doors open, I just get on my phone and talk to Rebecca a little more and get to know each other more. We talk about how we can’t wait to go to the concert, where we have traveled to, what clothing brands we like. As I learn a lot about her, I stop talking and look all around and realize how blessed I am to be there waiting to meet my idol. Not a lot of people can do that and I am so thankful for my mom and dad that they got me the tickets, they are the best.

Then I get snapped out of my thoughts, when a big guy in a security suit walks out and says "We are going to make 3 lines silver gold and platinum."

As everyone goes to the line they are supposed to be in I go in gold and Rebecca and me share a look of excitement and we give a very high pitch squeal. The big security guy yells "Everyone welcome to the Shawn Mendes Illuminate experience", and he explains what you need to have to get in and what you can't have in the arena and things along that line, but really, I wasn’t listening. My face started to get bright red and I could feel it, I was so nervous I am about to meet my idol, the love of my life, my everything. 

I collect myself and think straight, the guy wraps up his conversation and about 2 people go up to him to ask him a question and then he starts to let the platinum people in. There are about 7 platinum people and then they start letting gold in, Rebecca and I are close to the front so it's 5 minutes until we go through security check and get our tickets. I show the girl that gives out the lanyard's my receipt and my mom shows the lady, her ID and she gives me the lanyard and the blue wristband. 

I look at my mom and say "bye I love you call you later"
Then she says "love you too" 
Rebecca's mom and mine leave together. I look all around wow this arena is so big and clean, I see huge signs at the top of the arena advertising the Shawn Mendes concert tonight. 
Then Rebecca snaps me out of it by saying " Come on Abby" and I follow Rebecca until we come to a stop in the middle of a hall and I just get on my phone and 15 minutes later all platinum people are in the arena and we all start to walk further. 

We all stop in front of a huge curtain and wait until we all stop and hear a guitar playing. We all listen and we know who it is, it is like the voice of angel blessing all of us with his voice. Shawn Mendes is singing, he starts to rehearse parts of his songs for the concert and we can all hear his beautiful voice. Most of the girls and boys including Rebecca and me start to sing along with the song he was singing. 10 minutes later we don’t hear it anymore, and all the girls and guys are saying how beautiful his voice was, Rebecca and me agreed. Then my eyes wonder off to people starting to set up his merchandise and then they go to the concession stand and how nice this place is.

I didn’t even realize it but the big security guard is back and he starts to let people go into the curtain, I didn’t even know it until the line started to push forward. My face goes completely red again and I am so nervous words can't even describe it and I'm excited happy so many emotions at one time I can't even describe it. I realize there letting ten people in at a time and I was the next people they were letting in. I collect myself and try to get as chill as possible I could at that point. 

The security guard opens the curtain and tells Rebecca and me "You guys can come in".
I squeeze my left hand and squeeze my eyes shut and open them and start to walk forward. I walk into another room and Shawn's friend Matt was collecting peoples bags because you weren't allowed to bring anything into the room while meeting Shawn, except your phone. So I put my plastic bag up on the table, I start to walk into another curtain and I see a room full of Shawn things. 

It's the Shawn mini museum, I grab my phone out of my back pocket and start to record everything, I knew I would forget what was in there when I meet Shawn. I look around and see his guitars he used, the outfits he has worn to award shows, his awards he won, his achievements. Then I am 2 from up next, Rebecca is right in front of me about to meet Shawn, she is freaking out. 

"Omg Abby he's right there behind that curtain he is there!" 
"I know, omg Rebecca I'm freaking out."
Shawn's main security guard is right there in front of us, he tells Rebecca it's her turn and opens the curtain just a little bit so she can get in. 
10 seconds after that he looks in and looks at me, "you can go in."
I take a deep breath and walk in.I see Shawn Mendes, he is right in front of me, we make eye contact and here it goes.
" Oh my god hi Shawn, it's so nice to meet you" 
"hi honey."
I wrap my arms around his whole body, he smells so good and he wraps his arms around me. 
He says "ready for the picture" 
"Yep"
I look right at the camera and hear 2 clicks and I start to unravel my hands from his waist. 
"Thank you so much for everything, bye Shawn love you"
"love you too sweetie."
I lift up the curtain and walk out, I can’t believe I just met Shawn Mendes, It went by so fast I can't believe it's over. 
I look up and see Rebecca waiting for me, the first sentence that comes out of her mouth is "He is even more perfect in real life and I didn’t even know that was possible."
I give a chuckle "right." 

We grab our bags and signed poster and walk into another room for the question and answer, we get the closest spot to Shawn we are about 3 rows back, the room starts to fill with all the people and everyone talking about their experience. Rebecca and I start talking about how perfect and how unreal it was, then silver VIP starts to come in , they didn't get to meet Shawn they are here for the question and answer. 

Soon when everyone is in the room and there are no more people to come in, then Shawn's main security guard comes in, the one that opened the curtain for me to meet Shawn and tells everyone what not to do and what to do. 

Then he says "okay I'll go grab Shawn it'll be probably 5 minutes so just settle in and he'll be out. 
Then everyone starts talking to each other again when he leaves and I look at the curtains start to shuffle.
Then Shawn opens the curtain and walks out, and everyone screams in excitement. I just stare at him in amazement at how gorgeous he is, like how can a human being be that gorgeous. 
I take my phone out and start to record him, he says "hi" and starts to say "just don't speak over people, and ask whatever you want".

I can't hear anyone anymore, the only one I can focus on is him. I just get lost in his eyes for the rest of the question and answer.

Before I know it it's over and Shawn wraps up and everyone cheers and he disappears in the curtain, and everyone gets up and starts to walk out. So, Rebecca does the same and I follow her lead and we go out and turn and go down an escalator to see a lot of Shawn Mende's and Charlie Puth merchandise so Rebecca runs over to the line to get some and I follow her. I decide what I want as I wait in line, all Shawn merchandise I get a hoodie, a long sleeve shirt, 2 t shirts, and a pack of bracelets.

I tell the nice gentlemen what I want and he gets it for me, then he says "That'll be 185$" my eyes get wide and I pull my wallet out of the plastic bag and give him 185$.

Great I only have 15$ left I'm basically broke. Then Rebecca buys her things, and we look to see if any of the concession stands are open. No such luck, so we take a seat in the corner of the lobby in front of the arena, right next to the concession stands.

I ask Rebecca to watch my stuff except my Shawn merchandise I take that with me and I go to the restroom because I haven't gone since the morning at 11:00. Good thing I didn’t drink anything since the morning. I go into the restroom and all the girls are fixing their hair and fixing their makeup, I go into the last stall and go to the restroom and then I decide to change my shirt. So I put my long sleeve Shawn shirt I just got on, and go wash my hands. I walk back to Rebecca and still the concession stands aren't open, I just sit next to Rebecca.
I text my mom and tell her how perfect he is and how I had such a great time. 

She texts me back ''That's so nice sweetie! Glad you had a good time, Rebecca's mom and I are getting drinks at the hotel until the concert then we'll be over.'' 

I show Rebecca the text and she laughs, I stand up to stretch then I look out of the huge glass windows behind us and see that the line for the concert is wrapped around the arena, that is amazing so many people coming out to see Shawn.

Then out of nowhere I hear a voice that's singing through a microphone in the arena, it's not Shawn's voice though I know what his voice sounds like, I can tell it's a man's voice and then he starts singing his song and I realize who it is right away. It's Charlie Puth who is opening up for Shawn, then Rebecca starts singing and dancing to the song and so do I. Then I hear a metal door lift up and I look and it's one of the concession stands. Everyone starts to run over to get food, I do to and Rebecca follows me. 

We both decide to get Nachos, and then we fight over who is paying like adults fight over the check, now I know what it feels like. I end up winning and buy the nachos, we go back to where we were sitting and eat the nachos. Then I don’t hear Charlie singing anymore he must be done with his warm up, I hear my phone ding and get a text from Adelyn one of my best friends to ask if we were still meeting. I text her back and tell her of course we are. I ask her when she will be here and she said 6:30pm because the concert starts at 7:00pm. I text back an ok, I check my phone to see what time it's and it's already 6:00pm. Wow, time goes by fast when you're having the best day of your life.

I hear a door open and people swarm into the arena, "they are probably going to start letting people in for the concert soon if they opened the arena door" Rebecca says, I give her a nod agreeing with her.

We go to a table right before a door to the arena and finish our nachos and threw them out. Then we go down to our seats, I look at Rebecca's seats and see we're not in the same section but she just lets me take up her mom's seat for now.

I sit and see the huge digital sign up on the stage and read it "Illuminate Word Tour" wow what an experience I've had today and the concert hasn't even started, we take some pictures in front of the sign. 

My mom calls me and tells me she's in the building, so I tell Rebecca I have to go, "Thanks for sharing this experience with me it was so nice to meet you, Rebecca" 

" Same to you Abby" 
Then we hug and I say "Have a great time at the concert" 
"You to Abby, bye."
I call my mom and ask her where she is then I see her on the steps coming down, and I hang up and start walking to her, and tell her all about my experience and thank her for making it possible.
Then I tell her I have to meet Adelyn and she says "ok" so we start walking up the steps to where the merchandise stand is. 
I text Adelyn and ask her if she is and she tells me she is and she is coming to where I am, and I turn around and there she is. I hug her and talk to her for a little bit and we take pictures and I talk to her dad. 
Then I tell her "hope you have a good time at the concert"
"you to Abbs" 
"bye"
"bye.''

I start to hear a guitar play and I rush down the steps of the arena and look at the stage and see Charlie playing the piano and singing. My mom and me make our ways to our seat pretty close to the front row 15 and section 3. I start recording the concert and singing along to all the songs. Then Charlie was done playing and it's 8:00pm and then I got side tracked by 2 guys having a dance off. One was on the left side of the arena, and the other one was on the right.

Then everyone gets quiet when the huge moon in the arena starts flashing, and that meant Shawn was going to start playing. I get really, really excited and a video of all his accomplishments comes up on the stage. Shawn then comes up from the huge hole in the floor and starts singing his newest song "There's nothing holding me back". Then everyone starts singing, and screaming the lyrics of the song.

I stand there lost in the moment, singing like no one is in the room and dancing like no one is watching. I don't care who is watching, I scream all the words to whatever song he was singing. I didn’t care who was looking at me like I had a problem or like I was crazy. One person out of the 7 billion who could have done it you did it, Shawn Mendes you made this the best day of my life.