Page 94 of The Spotlight Effect

Ihave better places to be than here, like at the hospital with my critically injured mom or with Alexia, but here I am, walking into Golden Star, already ten minutes late for the meeting, not that I care. They are lucky I’m even coming to hear this bullshit.

I walk inside the gold mirror elevator, pressing the 22nd floor where everything MorningStar is. I never thought I’dnotwant to see this floor. The elevator takes me up, and I exit in front of all our albums and records before turning right and seeing the big doors at the end that go to the office of Austin that connects to my father’s. He may be a shareholder of Golden Star, but he insists on having an office on this floor.

I enter Austin's office where everyone is already seated, I’m the only thing out of place. “You’re late,” my dad states.

“I didn’t want to be here,” I respond and take a seat in the leather chair beside Shawn.

“Due to the recent press,” Bridgett says, turning on the pull-down screen that’s beside her. there is an article out about me and Alexia, and the headline is“Famous Rockstar Grayson Archer Leaves Alexia Kirby on beach?”That makes me fume.

“We think you should play this off as true. It would be good press and re-boot you from the Jazzlyn mishap,” my dad says.

“I don’t want to,” I say.

“This could be big for you. You need this,” Bridgett says.

“What does this have to do with me?” Shawn asks.

“We think it’s time you lose Zara. Having her attached to you is losing your views. We could play off like a scandal,” Austin says. That sounds like something my dad would say. Shawn cocks his head at him.

“No,” he states. “Shawn, she is holding you back, plus you left her at the dance yesterday,” Austin says.

“You’re an idiot if you think she’s going anywhere. I left because Beatrix and Gray called and then after going outside, I came back and got her. I would never leave her,” Shawn says.

“Maybe we can play her off, use her. Maybe you can love her differently,” Bridgett tries to bargain.

“Don’t tell me how to love her!” Shawn yells at them. Shawn gets up, fixing his suit jacket. “Now if you excuse me, I must get Zara. We have lunch plans.”

“Nothing is changing with Alexia. I like her and I’m not using her,” I say, standing up.

“Good luck changing the press idea. I heard they are already airing my storyline.” My dad smirks. So this is his payback. Getting rid of her.

“I can try. And if you two insist on backing him up I will talk to Mr. Hayden about replacing you,” I state before leaving.

I have no idea how I will fix this. I can’t change what they put out. It’s about views to them but I can tell Alexia I amnot agreeing with what they are saying and try and fix what is happening with Alexia.

ALEXIA

The next morning was not what I expected. I definitely didn’t expect to wake up and find on Hollywood Insider that a segment was going on that Grayson so-called “left” me at the beach, but of course, what did I expect when I got surrounded after he left?

We’re not even together! What the hell is this? But they are making up this story that we were secretly dating, and he broke it off. I tried calling him all morning but got no answer, which only makes me worried that something is actually going on and maybe he’s doing this, but as much as my head is punishing me, I push those thoughts away.

Fez picks me up this morning and takes me to set. Today is the last day of filming, and then I go home the day after tomorrow. Fez pulls up in front of Hayden Productions, and I bid him goodbye before jumping out and running inside, dodging the paparazzi.

“Did you make it here okay?” Emerson crushes me into a hug as I enter.

“Have you been waiting for me to get here?” I ask her.

“Maybe,” she says, pulling away and hooking her arm into mine.

“Look, I know things are crazy,” Emerson tells me, and I nod.

“I want to get this over with,” I tell her, unlocking our arms and heading to wardrobe.

“Well, the best way to get over this is to get to work,” she says positively.

I wish I was that positive. I figured something like this would happen. You just have to love Hollywood. I reluctantly get dressed in my final costume and move onto set.

I’m standing at my filming marker waiting for Garner to call “Action” for me to start and walk into the room, when Garner when me the nod, I start walking through the door and the background actors let the threw and some get in my way as I make it to the door that’s Gray’s characters dorm.

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