Emma Watson watched the news that day. Seeing Billy dancing in a run-down pub made her feel a little uneasy, but watching his glorious hair swaying from side to side, his charm making deals with everyone around him, and the way he sang amidst a crowd of strangers—who appeared to be farmers—she couldn't help but feel something stir inside her. Though she tried to deny it, a part of her wanted to be there, to be part of that party, to have fun. She wanted to take the place of the redheaded girl he was hugging so joyfully.
The interview arrived, and the way Billy handled things, the way he sang, made her heart stumble. It pounded in her chest like a drum, and she couldn't help but dream about the times she had been part of Billy's life. She wanted to reach out and feel his kiss again, imagining it as she pressed her lips to her pillow.
She sent Billy a few messages.
...
Emma: You should pay more attention.
Emma: Hey.
Emma: I saw your interview, and I saw you singing. Are you sure that won't cause any problems?
She typed, foolishly, but received no response until the next day when she was attending her last weeks of classes. The message made her blush, and she replied as quickly as possible, but she completely fumbled when she didn't know what to say.
Billy: Hey, what's up?
Billy: No way, it's no big deal… not as much as beating you at everything I do. Have you decided to be my fan yet? I know you liked my interview.
Emma: Nonsense, I'm not your fan.
The message made her bite her tongue with how badly it was written, so after five minutes, she took a breath and sent another to correct it.
Emma: You're just trending in the media, you've been in several magazines, and I have friends who would die for an autograph.
Billy: Darling, there will always be autographs for you… the "it's for a friend" thing is so outdated.
That condescending attitude of his annoyed her.
Emma: In your dreams.
...
When he didn't respond, she hesitated but decided to keep her distance and wait. She re-read the conversation, even with all its mistakes, and didn't care that her phone was almost confiscated.
***
Among the many fans, and among the women who found Billy's aura irresistible, was Juno Temple, a rebellious blonde whose mischievousness and wild spirit were already apparent, even at 16. She embodied a woman looking for fun, recklessness, and moments of gleeful abandon.
For her, he was a summer dream. A person with that kind of freedom was what she craved—the liberty to express herself. She had pictures of Billy saved on her devices, and she would stare at them during her free moments. She was just a rookie actress with few minutes on screen, but she was already a step ahead of many due to her work, although her appearances were minimal.
-Juno, come down right now! - shouted her mother, but the girl was still mesmerized by Billy's Burberry-clad image, with his elegant clothing.
***
It was laughable that even Leighton Meester had seen the news. She felt hurt and resentful, unable to do anything but despise Billy Carson's smug demeanor. From love to hate is just a step, and for the girl who had watched him betray her and lie, the rockstar and she had ended up making her feel like a fool. If that was heartbreak, it was a complete tragedy.
Her heart shattered into a million pieces, and she couldn't separate herself from everything he said. His way of speaking, even his new music, seemed to depress her further. She used Billy's second album as her own form of venting. His powerful voice and the way he sang were everything she needed.
Luckily, a friend of hers joined her in hating boys. Her face, already forgotten by many, gave her enough space to make plans with her friend. Now, they rested in oversized sweaters, sharing a giant tub of ice cream, taking turns with each bite.
-I hate men, - Leighton muttered, listening to "The Reason" by Hoobastank. Her friend, a girl with long braids, sighed along with her, both wounded and with much to say but few people to trust.
-Sometimes, we can't control what they do. We're stupid for thinking their words are always sincere, - Jenny said.
-Well, I still can't believe it. -
-It's different. Your guy is famous, hot as hell, and, well… he's so him that no one can help but swoon over the idiot, - Jenny commented.
-But he cheated on me, and I think he'll do it again whenever he can. We heard him. He lives his life, and it's better to understand that we're from two different worlds, and his… it's one I never want to be a part of. One that might just break my heart. -
The song ended, and "Here Without You" played, making Leighton feel more crushed. The two girls waited for something to make them feel better, this song being one of her favorites, though it felt awful to process her heartbreak with her ex-lover's music. Ex-boyfriend… even that wasn't clear; they didn't have enough time to define the relationship.
Her life was a series of wrong turns. But no one could predict where that path would lead her.
***
Where there are lovers, there are always critics who refuse to be part of the media circus, who see it as suffocating, and believe the guy is lying through his teeth.
-He's just a silly kid trying to act like a rapper, - Jay Z commented at a party.
-Well, that kid has won 10 Grammys, so I think he's earned the right to be a little arrogant, - Eminem chimed in. The rap crew was strange, and for now, these were the ones who were most connected. Eminem had once thought about making a movie with Billy, but due to personal reasons, the kid declined.
Smoke filled the room.
-He's beaten us these years, and he might beat us next year… Will he rap, or will they sing for him? - 50 Cent added.
-That bastard surely has ghostwriters, - Kanye muttered, dragging deeply on his cigarette. -Nobody's that good at everything. -
***
-He did the best he could, - Jerry said, not having much else to add. There were some things Billy would understand with time, but his sharp words were part of the charm. Polished better than some people he knew and worse than others, but his confidence was already fantastic.
Jerry was thinking at a thousand miles per hour.
-I don't think it was enough, Jerry, - Ahmet remarked.
-Tomorrow we'll know if we have trouble on our hands. We'll sell the album in the UK and see if this was just a push or simply a warning shot, - Jerry concluded.
Pondering tomorrow, the album sales were crucial to keeping Billy out of the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
...