Fame in all its Glory

“When you get out there make sure to smile and wave. You do not answer any questions unless it is an actual reporter on the red carpet in a fancy outfit. Pose and be your stardom self.” My publicist Adam says to me in the limo.

   My name is Ashley Cook. I was the biggest star out there at the moment. I became famous overnight as my new movie “Ava” came out a few weeks ago. I was one of Hollywood’s “it” people. People loved me, I had all the money I wanted, I was hot, and I was a star. There was nothing that could stand in my way. And all the while I was still dating my boyfriend Tyler Jones who I met when I was here and broke trying to make it big in California. This was the world that I wanted for me. I finally made it in life. If my parents were here, they would be so proud of me. 

   “I got this Adam. I know what I am doing.” I smiled at him. “I’m Ashley Cook, there is nothing I can’t do.” 

   “Then go out there and sell yourself and your new movie.” 

   The limo door opens and a man in a suit helps me out and onto the red carpet. I was standing on a red carpet, and I felt as if I was on top of the whole world. I was unbeatable. I was unstoppable. Watch out Hollywood, you won’t be able to handle me. 

   I watch as another man in a suit wearing a pass over his neck is guiding me to an X taped to the carpet. I stand there and some lady in black flows out my red sparkly dress. I was wearing a red tight long sparkly dress. The sleeves were spaghetti straps, and I was wearing a nice diamond necklace to compliment it all. My hair was in very old-fashioned Hollywood curls. I felt like a princess that was being drowned in adoring fans. 

   I could feel the heat of all the lights flashing in my face as the paparazzi tried to get the perfect picture. Everything was going to be perfect as long as I was in the photo. They were all yelling at me to get my attention. I couldn’t focus on just one person as they were all overwhelming me. I stand there and just smile. Just smiling is all Adam told me to do. 

   “Who are you wearing?” One paparazzi asked me from the crowd. 

   “Are you in love with your co-star?” Another guy yells over the noise. 

   I don’t do anything. I just stand there and smile. Eventually, the same guy in the suit tells me to move along so another star can get her picture taken. I walk over to another big crowd. This crowd was calmer. More manageable. I walk over to a nice lady in a ball gown white dress and a microphone. The cameraman gives me a microphone and I stand in front of the camera with the lady. 

   “I think we are all asking the same question tonight. Who are you wearing?” She asked me loudly over the crowd. 

   I smile with poise and stare into the camera. “I am wearing Chanel. I wanted to go for something very elegant and poise.” I say into the microphone. 

   “Well, you've certainly got what you were wanting. You look incredibly beautiful.” She clears her throat. “So, you just came out with a blockbuster movie, and this is your big break. How are you handling all this newfound fame? What is going through your head as you are going through your new life?” 

   “I mean what can I even say.” I look around and take in where I am. “I have always gotten what I wanted. I always dreamed about being one of those gorgeous ladies on the screen talking about the movie they just acted in. Those people were living the dream. They were living my dream. I feel as if there is nothing I cannot achieve now.” I was grinning ear to ear.

    “So, in the movie it appears that you are really close with your co-star Hayden. I mean with all the romantic things his character does in the movie and all those kissing scenes; I would fall in love with him in real life. Is there anything that is going on between you two?” She stares at me waiting for me to answer the question. 

   “I mean I do love him like a co-star. We have been close, but there is nothing going on between us two. He has a girlfriend, and I have a boyfriend. My boyfriend is a cute man that I met when I first got here and trying to make it big. He has always been my biggest supporter and there is nothing I couldn’t do without his support.” 

   She didn’t look too interested. “But if you and Hayden were both single, wouldn’t you want to go out with him. I mean he is Hollywood’s biggest heartthrob at the moment.” She wasn’t going to live it down. 

   “I guess so. I mean I am right where I am with my life. I have an amazing boyfriend, and I am living my dream of being famous and rich.” 

   “Well, thank you so much for taking time to come and talk with us. We will go back to the red carpet.” She smiles and gently takes the microphone away from me. 

   I walked away with a smile, but on the inside, I was not happy. It was as if they were not interested in my new fame and career and just wanted me to admit that I was dating my co-star even though I’m not. What was Tyler going to say? How was Hayden going to react?

   I see my publicist walking up to me and he snaps me out of my deep thoughts. “We need to get a photo of you with Hayden.” He touches my back to guide me. 

   “What?” I asked him very confusedly. 

   “The paparazzi is going to want a photo with you and your co-star. It’s going to look really good for your movie and your career.” 

  I walk up to Hayden, and he smiles and pulls me in by the waist. “Hey stranger.” He whispers to me. 

   “Oh, Hayden. I don’t know if I can do this. It’s going to look like we are dating.” I said to him with a serious face and tone. 

   “Relax, it’s Hollywood. All the fans want is for us to feed into it and pretend like we are a perfect pair just like in the movie. I have done this plenty of times with other co-stars so it’s all good.” 

   “Won’t your girlfriend get mad?” I asked him, still uneasy.

   “This is what you get when you are famous. You just have to accept what you have to do to get money. This is all just work, Ashley. Don’t worry about it and certainly don't overthink it.” He pulls me in tighter and smiles at the cameras. “Smile.” He told me.

  I do what he says, but on the inside, I was dying. What is Tyler going to say? 

   The next day I was sitting in my apartment drinking coffee and watching Friends on Hulu. I was so tired after last night and all I wanted to do was relax and not do anything for the rest of the day. The coffee I was drinking has never tasted so good. Friends had never felt funnier at this point in time from stressing about everything else. I could still feel the pain in my feet from the heels I wore for hours. I was in a state of mind that just felt so good.

   Tyler walks into my place and kisses me on the lips. “Hey baby.” He smiled at me. 

   I sit up from the couch and take the blanket off me. “Hey, how was your double shift at the restaurant?” I asked him. 

  “Oh, you know, work is work. I made lots of tips which was nice, but there was this one lady that was crabby because she got her food cold, and I guess I was the target for that one even though it wasn’t my fault.” 

   “Sorry to hear that.” I said putting my mug on the coffee table. I pause the TV and sit there with him. “My red carpet was fun. I got more attention than I thought. I guess getting famous overnight from a blockbuster movie is more intense than you would think.” Other celebrities have talked about it, but you never know what it is like until you’re the person going through it. 

   “So, it wasn’t overwhelming?” He asked me. 

   “Oh no, it was, but I can’t complain about it being a lot since this is my dream and I got what I asked for. Fame and money can really make a person feel good.” I smile. 

   “Right, well there was something that was brought to my attention when I woke up this morning.” His face turned serious. 

   I knew that this wasn’t going to be a happy talk. My facial expression changes as well. “What is wrong, babe?” 

   “So, I woke up this morning and you know I went to go for a run then I came home to watch the news and eat breakfast as well.” He paused for a moment. “Then when I was watching the news, they showed last night’s red carpet. I thought that I would love to see it since my girlfriend was the star of the night, but when they talked about it, they made an announcement that the two main cast members, you and Hayden, were officially dating.” 

   “What?” I gasped. “No, that can’t be right. I never told them that I was dating him. You have to believe me, Tyler.” 

   He pulls out his phone and shows me what he found. “So, then I did a little more investigating. I thought, well surely my girlfriend, the woman I have been dating for two years, would deny these allegations, but then I found this article.” 

   I take the phone and see that it was a photo of Hayden and I embracing each other on the red carpet. I read the article.

Is Hollywood getting their new IT couple? 

On the red carpet at the premiere of their new movie Ava, Ashley Cook came out and officially and stated that her and her co-star and on scene romance, Hayden Quentine, are dating. “We have been close, and I do love him.” Ashley stated to a reporter. “I am right where I am with my life. I have an amazing boyfriend, and I am living my dream of being famous and rich.” She added on. Apparently, they just can’t get enough of each other on and off the screen. 

I stopped reading. I gave Tyler back his phone and I avoided his gaze. What should I say to him? Tears started to fill up my eyes. “This is all taken out of context.” 

   “Is it?” He runs his hands through his hair. “I barely could handle you kissing him for the movie, but this is really taking it too far. I mean even if this is all taken out of context, I don’t think that I can be with someone that is thrown into a spotlight and forced into an on-screen relationship and then have it blown out of proportion. What could you even say to me at this moment that would make this okay?” Tears started to glisten in his eyes. “You said that you were happy and right where you were meant to be. You didn’t thank anyone for getting you there and you didn’t even shut down the rumors and say that you were dating someone else.” He gets up and starts to head for the door. 

   “But I did. I said that I was dating you and that Hayden had a girlfriend. That’s the truth.” I stand up. 

   He turns around sharply. “Then prove it.” 

   It was at that moment when I realized, I couldn’t prove it. It’s not like I had any recording of my own and the press certainly wouldn’t save that footage since they are trying to get me to seem like I am dating Hayden. “I’m sorry.” I whisper. “You’re just going to have to trust me.” I choke on my own words. This hit like a brick to the face. 

   “Where is that sweet girl I met two years ago that was so hopeful? It didn’t look like she was there last night. Maybe it was just all an act until you got what you really wanted.” 

   It felt like a million needles were stabbing me all over my body. His words were the needles. “No, it’s not like that. I am innocent. I never said anything about dating him.” I slowly walked up to him as he inched closer to the front door. 

   “Maybe this has all gone to your head. We haven’t even been on a date in almost 4 months.” 

    “Because I have been busy with my movie.” I explained. 

    “I am so sorry, Ashley. This is not how I wanted it all to go down between us, but I don’t think I can handle your fame. I think it’s just best we walk away from all of this right now before it gets too ugly. I really am sorry that this all happened to us.” He opens the door and walks out, shutting it behind him. 

   I start to break down. I smash my fists into the closed door. “Tyler, come back. I love you, Tyler.” I sob. “Tyler.” I scream. I turn my back to the door and fall to the ground. I clutch my heart as it starts to hurt. 

    My phone chimes and I take it out of my pajama pocket and see that there was a new news update about last night. I open the article and see what it says. 

Is the new star Ashley Cook letting fame get to her head already?

Last night at the red-carpet Ashley Cook spoke to our interviewer, Jasmine Miller, about her newfound fame. “There is nothing I can’t do now. I am living my dream by being rich.” She spoke. When asked about her new fame she failed to speak about her story of getting there and being grateful for the people that got her there. Does she only care about the money? 

I scroll to the bottom and see that there are already two thousand comments on the article. I press the read more button and I read the comments. “No,” I cover my mouth as tears go down my cheeks. 

Crystal2354: can’t believe she would say that

Dapz: I hate Ashley Cook

Rmusic: watching her movie made me realize that everytime she talks I just want my ears to bleed

Rant3963: guys why are we still letting narcissists be famous they clearly dont care for the people that made them famous #hateashley

I got a text from Hayden.

Hayden: This is not what I meant when I said you do what you do for money in Hollywood.

I throw my phone at the living room window. The phone goes flying through the glass and down the eight floors and onto the street. I fall to the ground and scream. “This isn’t what I meant when I wanted fame.” I scream into my hands. Isn’t it though? Fame comes with great responsibility.