AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But then my time was taken up rehearsing and recording all the new material he arranged for me, making appearances on talk shows and networking with anyone he saw fit to boost my career. I was to be the next Britney Spears. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t even born when she got her first number one. When my best friends leave, it will be just me. Me and Grams, who lives in a bloody locket.
“Where is Billy?” I ask, changing the subject. “He took off while I was in the press briefing.”
“Oh, he just found out one of his cousins is staying downtown. He’s gone to meet them for a coffee. He’ll be back later. Anyway, what do you say?” she asks, reaching for the wig and waving it in my face. “Fancy being someone else for an hour or two?”
I sigh in surrender. “Fine. I’ll give it a try. But it won’t work. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
* * *
Ten minutes later,Ana has transformed me into a sophisticated French woman with a glossy chestnut bob, thick black shades, a crisp beige trench, ankle grazer jeans and white sneakers. She’s dressed the same, but with a navy jacket, a blonde elfin wig—a total change from her usual long dark plait—and geeky red-rimmed glasses. Ana has been with me for so much of my career, she’s almost as recognizable as I am, so we agreed she should disguise herself too.
“No!” I hiss, as she propels me through the lobby towards the main entrance. “Are you crazy? There are about a thousand people out there.”
She turns and lowers her voice. “We can’t exactly take a back exit, can we? It will look so suspicious. Like, who are these two girls sneaking through our kitchens? The best deception happens right under the nose.”
“Whatever you say, Sherlock,” I groan. I follow her but make a point of seeking out one of Chuck’s security team standing near the entrance. At least I can run to him if this doesn’t work.
“Chin up,” Ana hisses under her breath as we near the doors. “If you look as though you’re hiding something, people will suspect you are.”
I hold my breath as a doorman opens the heavy glass doors and Ana steps through, me following close on her heels. We may be wearing disguises, but they are eye catching ones at that, so we attract a few glances as we make our way through the crowd. But, I do as Ana says and keep my chin up, looking straight ahead, willing my heart rate to slow the hell down. I haven’t ventured anywhere without security since I first hit number one and almost immediately, half the state of Massachusetts seemed to be camped out on my doorstep. That was five years ago. I haven’t been without security for a quarter of my whole life. But now, with the crowd thinning out, and no one having seen through the disguise Ana has wrapped around me, I’m beginning to feel an unnerving combination of excitement, freedom and almost paralyzing fear. Ana seems to sense this and reaches behind her to hold my hand. I take it gratefully and she tugs me through the last row of fans all waiting for a glimpse of the popstar who’s just managed to sneak past them all unnoticed.
We make it two blocks and turn a corner before we cover our mouths and scream at each other.
“Oh my God, Ray. I didn’t think we’d do it!”
“What?” I squeal. “You thought it might not work? And now you tell me?”
“Blind optimism,” she giggles, taking my hand and pulling me along the sidewalk. “It’ll get you everywhere.”
I let her drag me another two blocks until we reach a park with a large marina beyond it. Ana leads me to a quiet spot on the outer edge of the park and we sit down beneath a cluster of palm trees. I breathe in deeply and stretch my legs out in the shade.
“This couldn’t be more different to Middlesex County.”
“Right? The vibe for a start. It’s just gorgeous here,” Ana sighs. She removes her giant sunglasses and rests them on the grass beside her.
I watch her close her eyes and hold her face up to the sun peeking through the leaves. “I envy you, you know.”
She snaps her head back to me. “Why?”
“You can just take off your glasses like that and, I don’t know, be yourself.”
She looks around. “You can do it too. No one’ll see. It’s really quiet here.”
I feel both courageous and petrified as I do the same, removing my glasses and placing them on the ground. I lean back on my elbows and relish the anonymity, the freedom of my face being uncovered and open, in public. “This is awesome. Thank you, Ana.”
“What for? Thank Miami, not me,” she grins, laying back and stretching her arms overhead.
“I would never have done this if you hadn’t been so persuasive.”
She gives me a sidelong glance. “I was as desperate to get out of that place as you were.”
I lay back too, relaxing into the warm grass. “Are you looking forward to going home?” I ask, quietly.
Ana rolls onto her side to face me. “Would you be upset if I said yes?”
“Of course not.” I stare up at the palm leaves dancing in the blue sky. “I’m sad you’re leaving but I think it’s great your mom has you to help her out. Will you give Mrs. Willis a big kiss from me?”
“You know it. She sends her love—I can tell you that already,” Ana grins. She rolls onto her back again and takes a breath. “I hate leaving you,” she whispers.
