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Adam's Prologue

  Adam doesn't remember much of his childhood. He knows it's because he blocked most of it out. You would too if the only memories you had were of your dad wishing you didn't exist and not trying to hide it. Not to mention the constant bouncing back and forth from his real house to his fake house, where he was then bombarded with cameras and instructions on how to act in front of them. He can't remember the last time he felt relaxed or happy.
  If the stuff that he remembers makes him sad, he can't imagine the stuff he's pushed away. He figures it's probably better forgotten anyway.
  Adam has tried so many times to remember good things. There had to be at least a handful of happy memories inside his brain. He thought little Adam had to have had at least one happy moment with his father or his siblings. But every time he closed his eyes and tried to remember good things, all he remembered was how confusing and unhappy his childhood was.
  He just remembered always wondering why his dad didn't look at him like he looked at his siblings. Why he never held him. He spent so much of his childhood wondering why he was treated differently and just being so confused about how his dad could love his siblings and not him.
  "Adam, sweetie, are you packed?" His mom asked, peeking into his room.
  Adam simply pointed over to the bay window, where his backpack and tote bag were sitting, both full and zipped up.
  "It's only a month, baby. It'll be over before you know it." The way his mom barely smiled was a tell in itself. She knows it won't fly by and she knows only a month doesn't make it sound any better. She stepped fully into his room and smiled gently. "Remember our little game?"
  Adam looked up from his hands and nodded. "It's just a performance. An acting job."
  "Coming to a cinema near you, Adam Anderson playing the cute, loveable Adam Rochester." She took on a commentator-like voice.
  Adam exhaled a laugh and stood up from his bed, slowly walking over to his bags. He loved that his mom saw him that way; with her last name. But he still knew that it wasn't him. He was a Rochester by blood. Everyone knows him as a Rochester. Even though he doesn't feel like one, he has to be. He is.
  "I'm sorry I can't go with you this time." His mom said, a frown evident in her voice.
  Adam grabbed his bags and turned to face her, forcing a smile. "It's alright. I like separating here and there as much as possible anyway."
  "I know, but you're turning seventeen. That's a big deal. And I'm gonna miss it. You're gonna be an adult next year and...I'm just missing it all."
  "Mom, it's alright. We'll celebrate when I get back just like we always do." Adam said, trying his best to give her a reassuring I'm okay look.
  She nodded with a closed mouth smile. "We should get going or you're gonna miss your flight."

  Adam would like to think that he's gotten pretty good at assuming his role. Stay stiff, tight-faced, and slightly bitchy and you're a Rochester. He's learned to never expect anything. Attention, affection, clarity, and love. They were all off the table, among other things. Like your family picking you up from the airport. Not a Rochester move. Where they're not needed, they send a manager or security guard in their place.
  "Adam, how was your flight?" The manager asked, grabbing Adam's bags.
  "It was fine. Thanks, Jeff."
  "Today's a fairly busy day. You have to meet with your social media manager first to go over what the next month should look like. Then you have a family lunch. After that, paparazzi photographed golf with your dad and Aleksander. There's a meeting at the end of the day to go over the events and tasks this month." Jeff said as they walked out to the black SUV.
  Adam just silently nodded along.
  He wasn't excited about seeing his brother again. He was quite the opposite. He tried to not be angry about it, but he had to share his birthday--a day supposed to be about him--with his brother. Not even his actual twin brother, his half brother. It was total bullshit.
  All he's going to do for the next month is wait for his dad to even acknowledge that he exists, just to have him never look at him and instead give all of his attention to his brother Aleksander. What a fucking pretentious asshole.
  Adam knew that the meeting with his social media manager was going to be the last second of relative calmness for the last month, so he tried to enjoy it. Even though it was just forty-five minutes of her lecturing him on what he can post, what he can't, what he has to say, how many times he has to post, and how many of those posts must include his brother.
  He was at least glad that she always gave him a list of the objectives, otherwise he would completely forget them all.
  "Thank you for the thoroughness, as always." Adam said, standing up from the dining room table and pushing his chair in.
  "Adam, I didn't know you were here already!" Alice's gentle voice was accompanied by a smile that looked too much like his own.
  "Yeah, landed about an hour ago."
  Alice looked to the piece of paper in his hands. "Social media objectives?"
  "Yeah, I have a hard time remembering them all." Adam said, chuckling lightly.
  "Me too. You get the hang of it eventually." She waved a hand at him.
  "I've been doing this for four years and I've yet to get the hang of it. How many more years until I do?" Adam looked up from the ground.
  Alice's face seemed to fall, meaning whatever expression he had on wasn't good enough.
  "Alice, where is Aleksander? We have to leave for lunch soon and he's going to make us late." Michael appeared. His professional tone and dressed-up style hasn't changed since Adam last saw him. It was impressive how consistent he was.
  "I think he's in the bathroom. He should be ready. I can go get him-"
  "No, I'll get him." Michael's voice lowered a bit.
  Alice nodded, her face back to the way it was before Michael showed up. She looked back to Adam, seeming to compose herself. "Is that what you're wearing?"
  "Why? Is it bad? Should I change?" Adam looked down at his jeans and the button up he threw over a t-shirt.
  "No, it's not bad. We're just going to a nice place and I don't want you to feel out of place. You know Angie would have your head if we were all dressed up and you weren't." Alice chuckled.
  "Right, yeah. Should I go raid Adam's closet, then? Find something really nice that costs as much as my mom's car? No, I bet there's something laying out on the bed for me. A nice designer outfit that'll really make me fit in, huh?" Adam scrunched up his face, a sarcastic half-smile on his lips.
  "Adam, I didn't-"
  "No, thanks for the tips. I'll remember to dress up next time I fly over to my fake house with my fake family to impress people who think all of this bullshit is real." Adam said, then walked past her before she could respond.