The Day I Met Leon Jackson

Stephanie Grierson

I remember Monday the 13th October, the day I met Leon Jackson winner of X factor 2007. It was an amazing day.

On the Sunday, I was staying with my best friend Zoe. That was when she told me that Leon was doing a signing at HMV in Almondvale centre. We practically had to beg our mums to let Zoe stay with me so we could go down to the centre in the morning to get Leon's CD single. We were so excited! We couldn't get to sleep that night.

5.30 am. My alarm went off and Zoe and I woke up and got ready. 6.30 am. Zoe and I ran down to the centre and saw the queue for HMV. There were barriers everywhere and lots of people. Immediately we both ran into the queue and waited. We were waiting for over 1 hour and 30 minutes until HMV opened, then we were allowed into HMV to buy the CD. With every single, there was a wristband that they gave out and that was what you had to have to see Leon. I'd got one!

I was ecstatic I couldn't actually believe that I got a wristband and so did Zoe. At that moment we ran back to school and told everyone in our sight. During the day I was very tired but it didn't bother me because I was so excited about meeting Leon. A few or my friends also had a wristband and were going to see Leon.

3.25 pm. 5 minutes until the end of the school day. I'm almost bouncing off the edge of my seat in IT. The last 2-5 minutes were pretty much the longest 2-5 minutes of my life, but they eventually passed. When school did finish I ran to get Zoe to go and get her mum to take us, but first we had to go to Zoe's house so she could get ready first. Then Zoe's mum took us down to the centre. At this point all me and Zoe felt like doing was screaming. But we didn't because we were in the centre. When we got to HMV we ran into the queue and waited, and waited, and waited. For 2 hours we waited in that queue. And then eventually we were let in.

I almost couldn't breathe! I stood up on my tiptoes and saw Leon. Then I screamed, but it was OK to scream then because lots of others were screaming too. We had to wait in another queue for about 20 minutes, but we were standing in front of Leon and got lots of pictures and videos of him. The queue was moving slowly but eventually we got to the front and Zoe and I were about to burst! The bodyguard took the blue rope away from us and let us through. We ran up to Leon and I said the first thing that came into my head: 'I Love You Leon!' Leon asked me what my name was and then I told him. Then I asked for a picture with him and then he said 'Yes of course you can, would you like a hug too?' Obviously, I said yes! After Leon signed my CD, he moved round and I gave him a hug and then he asked me if I was OK and I said yes. I then handed my phone to Zoe and she took a picture of me with him, I then did the same for her. We both waved to Leon and then ran away screaming.

I saw my friend Kerryann and then I burst into tears and gave her a hug. Everything was just so overwhelming to me. When I was with Kerryann, we along with a group of other girls, stood at the HMV doors screaming for Leon. It was about 8.30 pm when Leon finished and went out the back door of HMV. Kerryann, Zoe, Lisa and I all ran to the back of HMV, climbed down the wall and ran into the car park. It was like madness. Everyone was screaming for Leon and he was waving at us all. Every time Leon would even look and smile at us, we would all go mental. Then Leon got into his car and drove away.

That night was the best night of my life. I will never forget it.