CHAPTER 1: THE PR STUNT

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6th February 2023

"seriously??" i groaned slipping down in my seat
"we just think it'd be best right now with all the publicity you're getting" my manager eyed me and i almost growled.

"this is so unfair." i said like a actual child

"well, what do you WANT me to do, Anastasia?!" my manager, Henry, eyed me "you've done this to yourself." Richie, my lawyer shrugged at me

"oh so it's all my fault?" i question them with raised brows, making my other manager Elizabeth laugh
"you slept with him willingly" she told me and i chuckled

"yeah well... you win some you lose some" i joked and she shook her head

"can't we call it he withheld the contract until i slept with him?" i say making her laugh again "no, because, and i will repeat it again, you willingly slept with him. it was consensual." she replied back to me

"exactly. so why are we making a big deal out of this." i eyed her

"we aren't.. everyone else is." Henry sighed at me

"why tonight though?!" i groaned "this is the biggest night of my career so far." i almost begged
"and that's exactly why we are doing this." richie replied "this is for you, anna, this will save your arse" she told me.
richie is my lawyer.

"will it though?" i made a face "or will it just save his arse?" i roll my eyes "hes getting and press too, not just me." i say

"exactly, so if we bring you two together for a pr stunt then the news should die down about you sleeping with zayn, and whatever he's getting his bad press for" henry shrugged slightly

"i don't see why it's such a big deal" i sighed softly

Henry, Richie and Elizabeth started talking at me, but i soon zoned out.

let me roll this back for you.
my name is Anastasia Destiny Jade Jones i was born on the 30th June 2003 in Leeds, so, yes.. my yorkshire accent is strong as hell!
my dad, Frank Jones, is a white man from leeds, uk.
my mom, Destiny Jones, is a black woman from houston, usa. so yes, i do have an american twang.
they met while my mom was on vacation in england, she went to london and my dad was there for work, as a personal assistant for Mikel Arteta, Arsenals football coach.
he went to a bar one night after work to release himself and ended up meeting my mom and her best friend. now, they're married.

from the age of 14 i have been posting covers online, on twitter and youtube.
and at the age of 16 i was noticed by louis tomlinson and zayn malik.

they said how they needed more talented people like me in the industry, especially if they're yorkshire born and bred, their words not mine!
with louis being from doncaster, and zayn being from bradford. they rep yorkshire very well in the music world they showed us aspiring singers and performers that we CAN get out of here and make something of ourselves.

both zayn and louis discovered me, but louis was the one who got me to sign to a label after he was spreading my name around.
every label was wanting me, they were bidding for me.
but i eventually signed to Island Records under Universal Music Group.

he changed my life.

i debuted into the music industry at the age of 16 years old in 2019.

throughout 2020 i released songs.
then, in 2021 when i released my debut album.
i was getting a lot of shit from people.
like celebrities.
for no reason.
maybe because i was a force to be reckoned with..
i thought we was supposed to be supportive of each other in this industry, especially women.
but most of them looked down on me.

olivia rodrigo started talking shit on my name, ella henderson, ava max, gwen stefani, lana del raye, ellie goulding and more. even nicki minaj has said some questionable things about me.
luckily, i have some great support around me and i am forever grateful for that!

but, the hate train only got worse when everyone found out i hooked up with zayn.

yes. zayn malik.

we have been linking for about 6 months now and having sex.
yes. it's crazy because i am only 19.
even though i am a adult i am still being butchered for it because hes a lot older.

yes. i was the one being butchered. because we always seem to blame the women.
but i don't see the problem in it.
we're both consenting adults.
we aren't in a relationship.
he's not forcing me or mentally abusing me to get me to have sex with him.
it is fully consensual.

it may be slightly weird because he knew me when i was 16. but we haven't been in contact really, not properly anyway until i turned 18 last year.
i am 19 now, a adult, and can make my own decisions. i am turning 20 in the summer.

but, still, i was slut shamed and hated on.

"are you listening to us?" i was snapped out of my thoughts by henry.

i shook my head quickly and sat up "yeah.. yeah" i nodded.

i really wasn't listening to them. they know that too.

"yeah sure." he rolled his eyes at me making me chuckle

"so are we doing this then?" he asked me and i sighed

"its a contract and you both have to full fill it.." Richie spoke up sliding the contract to me
"we've already spoke to Jude"

"who?" i look up from the contract quickly

"the young guy who we are getting to be your pr stunt for the grammys today"

"yeah but... who?!" i ask them again

JUDE?!

you might be thinking why haven't you asked who is supposed to be your pr stunt yet.. but i haven't been interested in who it is.
all i've been interested in is that fact i am not doing it.
but a contract is written up and EVERYTHING.

my team mean business.

"Jude. Jude Bellingham. footballer for Borussia Dortmund? he played for england in our last euros and world cup.."

"yes i know who jude is." i made a face

"why him, please? out of everyone in the world."

"we already told you that we was gonna pair you up with someone who has been getting bad press also, works then doesn't it. it's like a win win. his team were wanting to scout you for him too, we met in the middle it was great, really." henry smiled with a shrug

"great! oh yeah!!!" i said with a fake happiness "how exciting!" i threw my hands up

"and what do you mean his team was wanting to scout me. this isn't football." i narrowed my eyes at him "im not a object." i scowl almost

"calm down, i just meant his team was wanting you to be his pr stunt.. and we wanted you to be his pr stunt."

"we aren't gonna be posh spice and david beckham why try so hard." i roll my eyes sarcastically

"he's a good looking, talented, charismatic, rich young man. why wouldn't anyone want this?" henry said and i rolled my eyes

"this guy!" i laughed about henry, while looking at richie and elizabeth

"anyway," henry shrugged "it's set in place now, we just need your signature and it's down. jude is already in america at the hotel sorting himself out for the grammys tonight" henry looked directly into my eyes "something you should be doing also." he gave me a look and i signed

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