Page 46 of Someone Just Followed You

‘Go find your sister, sweetheart,’ I say. ‘Before she drinks all the lemonade.’

Ash’s eyes widen as he realizes that’s exactly what Aspen would do, and he scuttles off toward the kitchen.

‘I know you think you’re helping,’ I start. ‘But Ella Hart isn’t a girl, she’s a nineteen-year-old woman. And she’s not your problem. Why would you ruin your career for her?’

‘I’m not ruining it,’ Maple mumbles. ‘I’m evolving it.’

‘Well Maddie called yesterday. She’s fired you.’

‘Huh?’

Maple looks so shocked that I feel the slightest ripple of guilt for breaking the news so bluntly. But this is her doing; why should I sugarcoat it?

‘Yep. Which means no more modeling work with Azione.’

‘Okay.’ Maple drops her gaze to her feet, and I sense an opportunity.

With gargantuan effort, I soften my voice. ‘Listen, we’ve been working with Maddie for a long time. I’m sure I could get her to change her mind if you dropped this “find Ella” stuff. And Azione did love you, didn’t they? It feels a shame to miss your big chance.’

Maple looks up. ‘But I’m doing something good, Mom. And all the comments we’ve had point to Ella being in real trouble. I can’t just abandon her now.’

‘Of course you can!’ I take a breath. ‘I mean you’re not a detective, or a social worker, or even a friend of Ella’s. And you’re a kid. Your content should be about having fun, showing your followers how awesome the world is, not how scary it can be.’

‘But that all feels so fake now.’

‘Oh, Maple!’ I wail. ‘We’ve been over this! Brands don’t want regular or normal. They want thrill and pizzazz, just dressed up as authentic.’

‘Like Dylan and me supposedly kissing, you mean? Pretending we’re dating when it’s all complete bullshit and the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever had to go through?’

‘Exactly!’

The sound of the study door slamming open against the wall grabs both of our attention. Then Garrett appears in the hallway, his fists clenched.

‘What’s happened?’ I ask.

Garrett scowls. ‘Who the hell is Meg Jackson?’

Chapter 54

Maple

@Taylrtrix666, TikTok

Anyone else think it’s weird that the Harts have said literally nothing about this whole shitstorm? Just turned off their comments and carried on like they live in a fucking bubble. Although I guess they do live in a bubble, looolll

Mom throws me one final dagger stare, then sighs and turns to Dad. ‘She’s a journalist with the New York Times,’ she mutters. ‘She just accosted me outside the salon after my facial.’

Even in this crazy tense atmosphere, I feel a jolt of excitement. A journalist from New York is talking to Mom. It must be about Ella. And if they run her story, then a whole load of new people – the old people who read newspapers – will find out that she’s missing. And maybe even Ella will see that we’re looking for her too.

‘Did you give her my number?’ Dad asks, giving Mom an accusing stare. ‘Because she’s just called me. Throwing all these personal insults at me.’

‘Of course I didn’t,’ Mom spits back. ‘What insults?’

‘Questioning my parenting! When this shitstorm is nothing to do with me!’

Slowly, quietly, I back away. Maybe this isn’t such great news after all.

Mom throws Dad a dark stare. ‘You better not have told her anything, because they’re snakes, those kinds of journalists. They hate people like us.’