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Claire nods, her smile beaming as she watches Hugo and Michael walk away.
“Is that Michael Perry, the director?” I ask.
“Mm-hmm. He directedthismovie!”
“Oh, wow. I didn’t know. And he’s dating your boss?”
She nods with a smug smile that doesn’t come off as snobby but full of pride instead.
“Wow, that’s impressive.” I nod approvingly. “You really know how to meet the right people.”
She turns to face me, one shoulder lifted up in modesty as she reaches for my hand. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
TEN
RHYLAN
Blinding lights, ones that temporarily leave bright white spots on the back of my eyelids, are all I see. The shouting surrounds me from every angle, calling my name, trying to get my attention from every direction possible. Photographers, fans, and any other attendees that would be present yelling, “Over here, Rhylan! Can we get one of you two kissing?”
Bella stands by my side, dressed in a floor-length black silk dress slit to her hip and her long blonde hair pulled back in a sleek, low ponytail. She oozes seduction.
As my Louboutin-clad feet move along the red carpet, I choose to ignore the way Bella’s hands glide over my suit. They rest in places that I don’t feel comfortable with her touching, so I attempt to minimize our contact to the occasional hand-holding or my hand pressing to her bare back. All with a smile on my face.
It doesn’t matter how many red carpet events I’ve attended. Instinct always tells me to run. But I don’t, of course. Instead, I become a puppet to any puppeteer taking on the reins. Smile and wave, stand and pose, take a pen and sign, answer questions while hoping they don’t ask about my personal life. Everything done in the name of fame.
My steps are calculated alongside Bella, stopping at little markers, making it easier for the puppeteers to control my movements so I can smile for the cameras a little more gracefully. My waves are deliberate, minimal, and working through what little confidence I have left.
When I feel a familiar hand rest on my shoulder, I relax a bit. A friend in a time of need, just when the overwhelming pressure is making me feel like my tie is tightening around my neck like a noose.
“I guess the circus found us,” a low voice says in a hushed tone.
When I turn, Charles is already looking at the crowd, smiling and mirroring my waves with his wife, Amelia, by his side.
“And it’s a hell of a circus.” I turn to Amelia, extending my greeting with a warm hug. “Hi, Amelia.”
“Hi, Rhy.” She smiles. “I swear, the crowd seems to get bigger and louder each time.”
Charles and Amelia met in high school. The two dated all throughout college and finally married right before Charles’s career took off. Just before they had the first of their two boys, she quit work as a grade-school teacher to stay at home and out of the public eye. As soon as the media caught wind of Charles’s more personal life, they had a lot less privacy along with a much less normal life. Meaning no more day jobs and a lot more of raising a family in secrecy.
We continue our walk down the red carpet, our hands permanently in the air and our smiles never waning, when a young woman with frizzy red hair approaches us. Her clipboard is clutched to her chest, and a headset drapes around her neck.
“I’m so sorry, but we have an interview withE! Newsbefore the three of you head into the theater.” I don’t even know who she is, but we’ve learned to not question those kinds of details. Just follow along and do as the puppeteer commands.
We all duck our heads in unison, following the woman, and move towards the end of the red carpet where the interview is to be held. Director chairs are set side by side, cocooned by the bustle of lights and cameras and people working hurriedly to get the stage ready. Inherent habits take over as I unbutton my jacket before sitting as still as possible while a small mic gets clipped to my collar. I smile politely at the interviewer as her own mic gets clipped to her blouse. She looks more confident than I do as she glances down at her cue cards, her eyes scanning over the words with assurance.
Bella’s glam squad, following her around like little ducklings, touches up her makeup one last time before she sits next to me. I’m sandwiched between Bella and Charles, making me the centerpiece of this interview.
“Charles Bradley, Rhylan Matthews, and Bella Raven, the stars ofUnrestrained, are joining us live for their star-studded premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theater.” The interviewer’s statement is directed towards the camera, towards an audience that would most likely include my own mother. “This movie has already gained an unrealistic amount of buzz, and you three are at the center of it. What has the success of this movie meant to you?”
Charles speaks first. “Well, we have a good team, an amazing production crew, along with Michael Perry, our equally amazing director. I think it would just mean a lot that our work was for something. We created a great movie that the fans will love, and we’re all really proud of it.”
“And Bella, the leading lady of the hour, you look amazing, by the way,” the interviewer fusses, her hand politely pointing towards Bella’s dress. “What did it feel like to kiss one of Hollywood’s hottest men?”
She’s referring to me, obviously.
God, do they really have nothing better to ask?It’s always the same damn questions.
I lower my head and smile, trying my best to remain polite and collected.
