Publicity: The Dangers of Fame [ON HOLD]

Chapter 1

Publicity: The Dangers of Fame

© Jacqueline Carter. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

The day started off brilliantly for Alison. Rolling out of bed with a huge grin stuck to her face, she looked out the window. The sun was shining, the sky a tranquil blue and the smell of a new adventure just waiting to begin begged at her senses. Smiling with delight, she began to get ready for the start of a whole new life.

Still clad in her pyjamas- a loose teddy bear shirt and shorts- she padded bare-footed over to the kitchen, sunlight streaming through long glass panels, illuminating her pale skin. As she started to serve herself breakfast, the home phone rang.

Rushing over and hoping for the best, she hesitantly picked up the phone and whispered,

"Hello?"

Immediately a loud voice blasted from the speaker, making her yank the receiver away from her ear.

"How the hell could you sleep in on such an important day, Alison?! I've been calling you for the past hour! But it is only now that you decide to pick up, huh?"

Laughing sheepishly, Alison relaxed and put the phone back up to her ear, leaning against the wall. It was so overly typical of the man to get angry at her for such a small thing. 

"Calm down. It's only eight-thirty. You said I had to be there at ten. I've got one and a half hours to get ready. Oh, and my phone must've died. Sorry 'bout that."

The man muttered "only eight-thirty" under his breath. Huffing, he grumbled, "It's fine. But let me in; it's freezing out here."  

Alison pushed the button to allow him to pass through the apartment gates, and only had to wait less than a minute until she heard her door lock jiggle and open, showing a tall blonde man. 

Michael Meyers was Alison's manager, but he was more like an older brother to her. A personally appointed older brother by said person, mind. They'd been through so much together- so much happiness, loss, success and pain- yet he still had that special twinkle in his clear blue eyes when he looked at her, as if sharing some inside joke. Today, his sandy-blonde hair was ruffled and gelled to perfection. A straight nose and thin lips, along with a solid jaw completed his handsome features. 

Alison smiled up at Michael as he walked over to her, already knowing what was coming.

"And you haven't even gotten changed yet, good gods! We need to get going!"

She stared up at him with innocent brown eyes. Tiredly, Michael gave up on his facade of being annoyed at her, and hugged her tightly. He could never stay angry at those eyes. Suddenly, his entire demeanour changed.

"Today's the day," he said, abruptly subdued. She nodded, hugging him back. 

Pulling away, he looked out into the distance and murmured "Do your best, okay? You remember everything we went over?"