Page 4 of The Spotlight Effect

I get up and make my way out of my dressing room. Legend Hall is famous not only for having the biggest music legends playing here but also for being one of the biggest concert halls in all of America.

I breathe in and walk into the room of screaming fans. It never gets old. The adrenaline and life rushing into me becauseI know I’m being loved for my music. My music makes people happy and that's all I ever wanted to do. Getting to see my fans and knowing I make a difference for some people makes all this worth it. Even the hard parts.

After the meet and greet, autographs having been signed and thousands of pictures having been taken, I’m finally done. I’m free to do whatever I please for the rest of the night. I love my fans, don't get me wrong, but sometimes, all of it can be too much for me. Overstimulating even. I’m not the biggest fan of being surrounded by people, which may make you wonder why I’m a rockstar.

It’s time for the band meeting and I know it, but I don’t want to go just yet. I decided taking my time and letting my brain calm down is the best thing for now. I’ll go in five minutes.

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“Last as always, Charlie and Gray,”Austin says as we enter the room, almost ten minutes late.

I’m not fazed anymore by Austin being disappointed in the fact I’m late. We all know there is a chance I’ll be late. I casually take my seat on the couch along with the bowl of pretzels he always has on his coffee table and start to shovel some in my mouth. Charlie is already seated on the small lounge chair with his girlfriend.

“So, I called in your promotion coordinator,” Austin says, directing his hand over to Bridgett. “With recent magazine columns, more intense questions coming your way, more press coverage, and then your big summer tour coming up, Bridgett has determined what we need to take each one of your sociallives and how to have more fan interaction. I will give the floor to her now.” Bridgett stands from her seat and walks to the front of the room before us all.

I hate these meetings. All it ever is, is how to answer questions and what to post, which I understand that’s what I signed up for, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying. These meetings absolutely bore me, but then again, it’s better than being at home. A big house with no company is just fucking pathetic.

“Okay, for the band's Instagram account, I think we should work on more group posts. Be more active. You guys have a big teenage fan base. Go out, take pictures and post them, ask them questions, do TikTok’s overall, interact more.” Of course she says that. She says that in every meeting.

“I also think we should start doing online meet and greets. Maybe once a month, one of you hosts a Zoom call, and a limited number of people get five to ten minutes with you, like fifty people at a time, and each month, two of you do this.”

Why couldn’t she just say we need to post more? That was the boring part and now is where she gets into the Hollywood side of things: gossip.

“Now onto what people are saying about you all,” Bridgett changes the subject.

“So, we’re moving onto the gossip,” I interject.

Bridgett briefly turns to me, giving me a disapproval look before continuing, “Scarlett and Charlie, everyone is saying how your affectionate relationship could be affecting the band, and they think this is why the band isn't posting together. You both should address the accusations. Show people the band is doing good even with you together.” Charlie and Scarlett look at each other a few times during this and then they eye the rest of us, but we aren’t listening very much. It’s just we don’t care that they are together. To us, it’s about time they got together. They hadcrushes on each other on and off since eighth grade. It’s been painful to watch them until they finally got together.

“Kenan, everyone is invested in your relationship with Nevea, but we want to put you two out there more. Be more public.” Of course they need more publicity. They’re in love. The perfect couple. I can’t believe their love it’s like a fairytale. Together for eight years and they never really fight. But Kenan has always been the guy who wanted to get tied down early, and he found his one, but recently, she’s been distant. At least that's what he tells us.

She doesn’t want to come to The Fortress as much or go on public dates. It’s weird, to say the least.

“Now for Shawn, your recent interview with Teen Vogue has blown up and is bringing in good press about your relationship with Zara Shane. I know you’ve said it’s completely platonic, but you pick the girl up from school every day and people are getting more curious,” Bridgett says. Shawn is the quiet one out of us but not like Kenan quiet, he’s serious quiet. Zara is his neighbor and best friend, and she is five years younger than him, which makes her eighteen. She’s a freshman in college. They are cute together, ya know, in an annoyingly perfect way.

“There’s nothing going on. We are friends,” Shawn reminds Bridgett. We all know they have feelings for each other, whether they say it or not.

“You’ve said that, but not all sources believe that, so maybe if we explore that gossip, we could make something of it. Also, you should stop flipping off cameras,” Bridgett says, trying to explain how she wants to exploit Zara. He’s never gonna go for it.

“No,” Shawn states.

“No, what?” Bridgett asks.

“I’m not exploiting Zara or leaning into their gossip, regardless of what they think or what may or may not be true between us. That is none of anyone else’s business,” Shawnanswers. Bridgett doesn't push it, knowing it will go nowhere. So, she just moves on.

“Raven, you came out as lesbian and now everyone is curious to see if you are dating Rosette Abrams from the Chosen Ones. I say keep the speculation up. Hang out with her, make people wonder, but don’t start any drama.” We all know over our fall tour last year with the Chosen Ones, they became very popular. It was their big break. Rosette and Raven became close and a picture of them kissing was leaked and Raven came out. Rosette is already out as bisexual. It’s in her Instagram bio. They are close but not dating or so we don’t think. Raven rarely tells us what's going on with them.

“Finally, Grayson, you are the only one with no gossip going around about you. Sure, fans fawn over you, but you have a private life. You are supposed to be our star. We need to find you something to raise gossip.” Bridgett points me out and I sit up at this. “You’ve been very closed off and private since Jazzlyn.”

“You want him to date,” Charlie says, holding back his laughter.

“Well, maybe not really date, but we need to find you someone to stir up talk with. Maybe even a scandal, if you will. To maybe come back from the Jazzlyn situation,” Bridgett starts explaining, but I cut in.

“You mean more drama after Jazzlyn. I’m good. That stuff isn’t for me. Besides, I'm happy by myself.” I shrug and eat a pretzel.

“Come on, there has to be someone you fancy,” Kenan says, trying to help. “Plus, it will be amazing for your image.”

Kenan is the peacemaker. Sometimes I hate it. “I’m fine alone. And I want to bealone,” I say, specifically trying to getaloneacross. Then I sit back on the sofa, eating more pretzels and kicking my feet up on the table.

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