Previously, At Prestige High's Cafeteria...
...
A few feet away, at the 'Popular Corner', Sonia and her clique stared daggers at Ciara and her friends.
"That bxtch!...", Sonia growled.
"Babe, you look stressed. Relax...", Luke, prince of Prestige High gently rubbed his girlfriend's shoulder to calm her down.
Then his eyes strayed again to Ciara's table... to Ciara...
...
'Was I wrong?...', he wondered.
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Luke stared a little longer at Ciara's flawless smile. He didn't expect her cheerful glow to spread this much warmth through his chest...
He soon found himself spacing out into his thoughts.
'Ciara... She has always been an excellent student: top of the class, excellent in sporting events, national swimming champion, talented designer... I got to see some of her work once, but... Was she always this beautiful?', he asked himself.
His mind recalled only 3 months ago, at the school's track and field events... Ciara, the pretty ginger girl had stayed back to watch him practice late on the tracks a couple times. He found her blushing face in the crowds cheering him on during the final games and she even got him a present for breaking the school record. An intricately designed silver stopwatch. It was vintage, and with one look, you could tell it was invaluable. Expensive.
That stopwatch sat ignored on his bedside table for months, but within the past few days, Luke found that it had suddenly become somewhat indispensable. Priceless. His palm instinctively gripped its new resting place. The pocket of his pants.
'Was I wrong to choose another?', he wondered, finally blinking his bluish-grey eyes.
...
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Meanwhile, another student approached Ciara at the talent corner.
"Uhh... Hi. Ciara. Can you please get me Reo's autograph when you meet him in person? Please?..."
Ciara scratched a nervous itch at the back of her head.
"Uhh... I don't know, Piper. I'm not even sure I can get him to sign one for me. We're not friends you know? I'm just a regular fan like you..."
But Piper urged further.
"Please? Reo is kind. He probably wouldn't say no if you ask. Please?... You know how tough it is to get their autograph. Steam hardly does any fan-signing events these days... Please?... If you can? Just this once?... I'll do anything...", she begged with a sweet smile.
Ciara huffed.
"Fine I'll see what I can do, but don't get your hopes up ok?", she said.
"Ah! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!", Piper showed her gratitude with a swift hug before scurrying away to her lunch.
...
Ciara pinched the bridge of her stressed nose with her eyes shut.
"Ahhh... Everyone wants me to either deliver something to Reo or get them some autographed Steam merch or something. It's hard being this popular!", she joked.
The table laughed.
"Hey, I just got the brightest idea. You know, you could make the most out of your current situation. This entire school is literally begging for autographed Steam merch. Just get some headshots signed and you could make some cool bucks!... I can help you with sales.", Tony offered with a wink.
The table chorused laughter again.
"Hahaha..."
"Omg! Hahaha!..."
"Hilarious character!..."
"Crazy guy! Haha!..."
"Haha! Tony, your ideas never cease to amaze me! Haha! Isn't that against the rules? If you get caught...", Sally started, but Tony cut her off mid-speech.
"Yo! Dude! This is no time to be a wimp! This is direct access to Steam we're talking about here. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Nobody's gonna do anything. Besides, we'll be making dreams come true here! Imagine the joy of a freshman when you light up her boring high school life with glorious, autographed, Steam merch!!", he whispered his speech with passion.
More laughter erupted.
...
"Haha! Well, I am a bit low on cash. I could consider it if I get the chance. Haha! I wonder how much time I'll have with them. Let me cross-check the start time...", Ciara said, sticking 2 fingers in her right sock.
She suddenly pulled out the golden ticket from her sock!
The table roared laughter.
"Hey! It's for safe keeping!", she defended herself to the noisy table before scanning the ticket for the start time.
Pete sitting directly opposite Ciara spotted something scribbled on the back of the ticket.
"Hey, what's that there?", he asked squinting his sharp eyes.
"What? Where?", Ciara replied with a wrinkled brow.
"There... Right there... Back of your ticket, by the barcode. In tiny print. Looks handwritten.", Pete pointed out the spot.
Ciara flipped the ticket to take a closer look.
She found Reo's phone number underneath the barcode!
"A... number... A phone number?... In Reo's writing... Wait... Could this be... Reo's... Reo's number?!! That can't be, right?...", she mumbled inaudibly as she inspected the scribble.
Then her eyes popped wide open with sudden realisation.
'Wait... Reo's phone number?!!! He gave me his phone number?!! No way!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!', her thoughts screamed.
Wide-eyed Ciara clapped her palm over her mouth to prevent a crazy scream from escaping in the crowded cafeteria.
She suddenly shot up from her seat.
"Hold up guys, just give me a minute!", she excused herself to her confused friends and sped to the girls' bathroom to scream freely.
...
In the background, Sonia and her clique who had been watching their prey like a pack of hungry wolves followed her out of the cafeteria.
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******** CID Q&A ********
Surrealish: Well hello viewers! Welcome back to C! I! D! Q&A!!!
We're all hyped up tonight because Ciara finally found Reo's phone number!
Crowd: Woooo! Yaaayyy!! (Applause) Cheering: Call him! Call him! Call him!!
Surrealish: Haha! Yeah! I'm with the crowd, C. Call him now! Please! Haha!
Crowd: (Cheers!) (Applause)
Ciara: Haha! That's probably gonna happen in the next chapter.
Surrealish: No, I mean call Reo now, in this studio. (smug smirk)
Ciara: What?! Nahhh... That phone number isn't real. It's just some fake numbers scribbled on the prop ticket.
Surrealish: (sly smile) (finger under her chin) Is it though?... Hmm... I wonder... How about you check it?...
Ciara: (takes a closer look at the scribbled phone number) Huh... It does look like an actual existing phone number...
Crowd: Uuuuuuuuuhhhh...
Surrealish: Let's dial it shall we?... Try a call?... (pretty smile)
Crowd: Yeah!!! (Applause)
Ciara: ok...
(Ciara dials the phone number on the back of the ticket)
(Riiiiinng... Riiiiiinng...) It's ringing!
(Reo at rehearsals picks up call)
Reo: Hello?
Ciara: Uhh... Am I speaking with Reo?
Reo: Yes. Who is this?
Ciara: (Jaw drops) (mouths a 'What?!!')
Uhh... It's Ciara from the cast of 'Celebrity Crush! In My Head!'...
Reo: Oh, Ciara! Ahem (smiling happily on the other end of the line). It's nice to hear from you. What's up?
Ciara: (blushing) I- It's nice to speak to you too... But why on earth would you put your actual phone number on a prop?! Isn't that a security hazard?
Reo: Hahaha... Well, the Director promised there was a 1 percent chance of anyone finding it and a 0 percent chance of anyone knowing it was my actual number anyway. (Satisfied smile)
I'll save your number now...
Are you on Surrealish's show right now?
Ciara: Yeah.
Reo: Could you please pass the phone to her for a second?
Ciara: Sure. (Passes phone to Surrealish)
Surrealish: (Removes phone from speakerphone mode)
Reo: Thanks. I owe you one.
Surrealish: Anytime. (smiling) (Passes phone back to Ciara)
Reo: Ciara?
Ciara: Yeah.
Reo: Alright. I see you're busy now. I'll call you after the show ok?
Ciara: Sure. Bye (Blushing intensifies)
Tony: (smirking) (whispers, complimenting Reo) Well played man. Well played.
...
Crowd: Murmurs with understanding. Wooo! (Hyped cheers) (Standing ovation)
Ciara: (confused) Wait, what's happening? Why is everyone so suddenly hyped up?
Crowd: Hahaha! Wooo!!! (Applause!) We love you, Ciara!!!
Surrealish: Haha! Yes, we do! Haha!
Alright, that's our show for tonight! Find Sonia's move in the next chapter! See you next time on?
Crowd: C! I! D! Q&A!!!!!! Wooo!! (Applause!)
Surrealish: Goodnight! (wink)
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MORE BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:
- Tutoring The King of Entertainment (romance, comedy, drama, CEO, showbiz)
- Thirsty Royals: NEW (romance, comedy, drama, action, villain, R18)