AllFreeNovel
Share Us
From the reporters.
To the bloggers.
To the endless interviews, news stations, and all of the magazines that wanted a piece of me.
I hated being the center of attention, and now I was in the spotlight whether I wanted to be.
Once we were alone, standing outside on the balcony of the hotel, Livvy announced, “Ethan, did you see all the paparazzi downstairs who are chomping at the bit to snap a photo of you?”
“Yeah.” That was all I could say.
“How are you not ecstatic right now? You’re going to become the next big thing! Did you see the article that Forbes wrote about you? They’re saying you’ll be the next billionaire and Fortune 500 company!”
“Yeah,” I repeated in the same tone.
“That’s all you can say?”
“Livvy, I hate all this publicity, and you know that.”
“I know, but this is such a huge deal. I can’t believe my best friend is on his way to becoming one of the richest men in the world, and you’re only twenty-four years old!”
I smiled. “I do appreciate your enthusiasm, but I have no interest in being friends with the press.”
“Have you taken a good look at yourself in the mirror lately? Women all around the world are already obsessed with you, and this is only the beginning of your career. I can’t imagine what it will be like in a year.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Umm… sex sells, and you’re totally going to be the next Hollywood It Guy.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.”
She shrugged. “I think you’ll have to get used to the attention and possibly hire a bodyguard. At least twenty reporters are waiting for you outside the hotel. What do you think it’s going to be like from this point forward? It’s only going to get worse.”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I didn’t think about any of this. I just wanted to develop my app.”
“Ethan.” She beamed. “You were our valedictorian. You graduated in the top 5 percent of your class at university. I always knew you’d accomplish everything you set out to do, and I couldn’t be prouder of you right now. The press is not going to leave you alone, especially afterTimemagazine did that article on you. Did you read that one at least?”
“No.”
“Ethan! How can you be this oblivious to what everyone writes about you? How can you be any more oblivious about how handsome you are and the effect you have on women? Just that, by itself, will skyrocket you into fame. Not to mention, you’re a fucking genius.”
I really did love her support. “I should hire you to do my PR.”
She giggled, and it was still one of my favorite sounds.
“You know what you should do?”
“No, but you’re sure as shit going to tell me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Rude, but I’ll forgive you. You should release a statement on your app that says you want people to respect your privacy during this transition in your life. That may help.”
“Look at you, just full of good ideas.”
“I’m a very smart girl. Plus, I love pop culture, so I’ve been preparing for this my entire life.”
“Are you going to hang posters of me on your walls too?”
She smirked, remembering all the pictures she’d rip out of her magazines that she’d tape to her walls. There wasn’t an actor or singer who hadn’t been displayed in her bedroom from the ages of ten to fourteen.
