Chapter 1: The Live

With a schedule that's packed to the brim, mornings are not Beck's favorite. Between a hectic routine and dealing with dull-witted people, she's desperate for an escape. The plan is to save up for the next decade, quit acting, and travel the world incognito. Beck craves freedom, peace, and the luxury of an uninterrupted 8-hour sleep. But for now, she'll grin and bear it.

"Let's leave at 5:30 AM so we can reach the set by 8:00 AM. Just have breakfast in the car, I can grab you a sandwich if you like," Trisha, her assistant, said.

Beck agreed, "Yes, please. What's the last thing on the schedule for today?"

Trisha checked Becky's schedule on her iPad, "We have to go to Roma's event for the launch of her new products at 9 PM. It's a 2-hour event, but she said we can leave at 10 PM if you want."

"We have to. I need to finish my school project tonight," Beck replied.

She's a student, an actress, and a martial arts enthusiast. She's also wealthy and in a relationship with Marcus, a charming Englishman with curly ginger hair, blue eyes, a muscular build, and a chiseled jawline. They met when Beck was studying high school in England and have been together for three years, but they haven't seen each other in almost a year due to their busy schedules. Beck plans to fly to England in May, but her calendar is packed for the next few months.

Beck arrived at the set at 8:15 AM, panting as she ran to the dressing room to meet the director.

"Sorry, the traffic was terrible today," she said, nervously smiling.

"Please be early next time. I'll let it pass this time," the director said, understandingly.

Beck breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the director for his leniency before sitting on the chair and allowing her makeup artist to work on her.

Filming ended around 5 PM, and Beck returned to her van to rush to her next appointment without having eaten lunch. Luckily, Trisha handed her a cheeseburger. But, when Beck saw a message on the wrapper, she was baffled.

"Mornings are the best gift we get every day. Good morning, and keep a smile on your face!"

"What the hell? Where did you buy this burger? Morning is the best thing? There is no way that person is serious," she said, taking a bite of the burger. "It's good, though."

"Hey, Mike, please hurry up! I was late earlier because you're driving so slowly!" she almost shouted.

Beck is typically kind, but stress and pressure can make her spit words she doesn't mean-or maybe she does.

They arrived at the event for Roma's cosmetic product launch at 5:30 PM, where Beck met her fans, signed their stuff, and conversed with them. Beck believes she owes her fans for her success, and they like Marcus just as much. She flaunts him all over her social media accounts, and he's even been proposed to for modeling and acting gigs. But Marcus only wants a peaceful life and can't wait for Beck to quit her celebrity job and join him in England.

"Here's the burger that's trending right now, just for you, BecBec. It's not only delicious, but there's a message behind the wrapper too!" one of her fans handed her the same cheeseburger she'd eaten in the van.

Becky's smile widened as she took the T-shirt from the excited fan, signed it, and took a picture with her. The event was a success, and Becky was grateful for her fans' support.

"Thank you all for coming out here today. I appreciate you all and love you guys so much," she said, taking the mic and addressing the crowd.

As the event wrapped up early, Becky had two hours of free time to relax in the van. Feeling hungry, she grabbed the cheeseburger her fan had given her. "This is trending?" she mumbled.

She opened the wrap and read the message behind.

"You're my home, my favorite person, the one behind my favorite song. Please give me your forever."

Beck grinned. "Too cheesy, but good marketing strategy."

Curious, she went over to TikTok and searched for the trending burger. She saw the owner, Freen, doing a live stream.

"Hey, guys, I'm going to my friend Roma's event with your favorite burger. Come over, and we'll cook a lot! If you don't come, I'll put bad messages in your burger, hihi."

Beck smiled. "The owner is pretty," she thought.

Mike started driving to the event for Roma's newly launched cosmetic products. While stuck in traffic, Becky noticed a girl driving a mini-van with open windows. It was Freen, and she was singing a song that Becky couldn't hear. Freen looked cute and jolly, and Becky stared at her until Freen suddenly picked her nose.

"What the heck?" Becky laughed.

"Why?" Trisha asked.

"Don't mind me. I just saw something funny," Becky replied.

Becky grabbed her phone and took a picture of Freen picking her nose.

"Why would you do that with your windows down in heavy traffic? Strange lady."

Beck arrived at the event before 9 PM. Freen arrived at the same time and quickly set up her stall and utensils to get ready for cooking burgers.

As soon as Becky arrived at the event, fans began to notice her, and they flocked to her booth, asking for autographs and photos. Becky felt a little overwhelmed but still kept a smile on her face. As she was taking a break, she saw Freen walking by, and their eyes met.

Freen smiled, and Becky felt a strange sensation in her chest. She wasn't sure what it was, but she couldn't stop thinking about Freen's smile. She tried to shake the feeling off and went back to attending her fans, but every once in a while, she would glance over at Freen's booth.

As Roma greeted Becky with a warm hug, she could feel the excitement brewing inside her. Becky had practiced tirelessly for weeks to perfect her singing and dancing skills.

The crowd roared with enthusiasm as Becky took the stage, feeling the energy of the music flow through her body. She sang with passion and danced with grace, captivating the audience with her every move.

But then something strange happened. Becky's eyes caught sight of Freen, who was standing at her stall watching her performance. For some reason, Becky suddenly lost focus and put her hands on her head, as if experiencing a sudden pain. She collapsed on the ground, leaving the audience in shock.

Freen, a registered nurse, quickly rushed to the stage and checked Becky's vitals. "We need an ambulance," she shouted urgently.

Becky woke up in the hospital, surrounded by Trisha, Mike, Roma, and Freen. "Where am I?" she asked, still feeling disoriented.

"You're in the hospital," Trisha replied gently, placing a hand on Becky's shoulder.

"I haven't finished the show, have I?" Becky asked, feeling a sense of panic rising in her chest.

"You need to rest, Becky," Freen said firmly. "You're experiencing over-fatigue, and you need to take it easy for a while."

Becky was surprised to see Freen there. She couldn't look her in the eye, feeling embarrassed and vulnerable.

She doesn't understand the reason behind it. She is a simple person, not wealthy, and lacks the same level of fame as the other person.

The silence in the room was broken by the sound of a ringing phone, indicating that someone was calling Freen.

"Hey, I'm heading back. Just give me a few more minutes," she said before placing the phone back in her bag and bidding farewell to Becky and her staff.

"Make sure you get some rest, alright?" she smiled, tapping her head lightly. "Oh, before I forget," Freen quickly reached into her bag, grabbed a burger, and handed it to Becky. "In case you haven't eaten yet."

Freen and Roma hurriedly left the hospital to return to her booth, which was currently being supervised by Deo.

Upon arriving at her booth, Deo greeted her with complaints. "Yo, who do you think I am? I've been here for over an hour. You should pay me," he grumbled.

"I'll give you five burgers to take home. Thank you so much, my best friend," Freen smiled as she hugged Deo and patted his back, expressing her gratitude for his hard work.

Deo and Freen had been friends for years, inseparable from each other. Freen's mom even had a whole album of pictures featuring Deo and Freen from ten years ago up until now. Freen's mom hoped that Deo would become her son-in-law. In truth, Deo liked the idea too. He had developed strong feelings for Freen over time, feelings that surpassed mere friendship. He wasn't certain when his feelings had changed, but he knew that Freen was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

On the other hand, Freen was in love with money and sleep. Her childhood hadn't been easy, and she had to work incredibly hard to complete her college education. She was currently juggling multiple businesses, including her burger venture, with plans to expand it into a chain of restaurants in the future. Immersed in her business pursuits, she rarely managed to get a full eight hours of sleep.

"Someday, I will be wealthy. I'll buy a big house for myself and my parents. We won't have to worry about money anymore," she would constantly remind herself whenever exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her.

The event is nearly finished, and Freen is preparing the final batch of burgers before concluding the night.

Becky expressed her frustration, saying, "How am I supposed to complete my school project?"

"Don't worry about school for now. Your parents are on their way, and your mom has already spoken with your professors to inform them about the situation. They understand that you need to rest for a week," Trisha reassured Becky while cutting apples at the table.

"Thank goodness," Becky sighed with relief. "You and Mike should go home. I'll wait for them here. I'll call if anything happens. It's already late, and both of you should take a week off," Becky commanded.

"Are you sure?" Trisha inquired.

Beck smiled and nodded.

"Okay," Trisha placed the apples she had cut into a container and set it on the table next to Becky's bed.

"Eat whenever you're hungry. Get some rest, and I'll see you in a week," she said before leaving the room.

Becky was left alone and received a text from her mom, notifying her that they were stuck in traffic. She let out a deep sigh of disappointment. Leaning against the headboard of the bed, she looked around the room and noticed the burger Freen had given her.

She picked it up and opened it, sarcastically remarking, "Third burger of the day. So healthy."

She read the message on the wrap:

"You're the beacon in my failures,

The guiding light in my darkest moments,

The truth amidst my lies,

You give purpose to my existence,

You're the reason I keep going,

So just be yourself, because that's enough."

Becky quietly wept. How beautiful it was to have a reason to live. On the surface, it might seem like she led a perfect life with a loving family, privileged background, and a charming boyfriend. However, little did people know, she was currently experiencing immense pain.

Her parents had fallen out of love, a fact she had known for some time. The only thing holding their family together was her. As the only child, her parents tried their best to reconcile and stay together for Becky's sake. However, she recently overheard them discussing the possibility of a divorce. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Marcus had met someone in England and confessed that he was developing feelings for her, demanding a breakup. It had been a week since Marcus shared the news, but she hadn't responded or answered his phone calls. And now, here she was, feeling utterly helpless in a hospital room.

***Becky's POV***

Seeing everything you cherish crumble right in front of you is tough. It feels like the world is moving too fast, without any mercy or sympathy. I can't help but wonder if I did something wrong in a past life to deserve this.

"Hey, Honey,"

A loud voice broke the silence as my parents walked into the room. Finally, they're here.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? How are you feeling?" my mom asked, her eyes filled with worry.

"I'm feeling better now," I reassured her, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.

They spent a few minutes talking to me, trying to ease my worries before allowing me to get some rest. They stayed in the room, keeping an eye on me to make sure nothing went wrong.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

My phone started vibrating, and I glanced at the screen to see who was calling. It was Marcus.

I looked at my sleeping parents. I dont want them to wake up and I don't think I'm ready to answer his call right now too. How could he throw away all the time we spent together for someone he just met? Am I not enough for him?

[Hey, I heard you're in the hospital. Are you okay?]

I can't help the tears from rolling down my eyes. Am I okay? If the world won't judge me and allow me to be a normal human being, would I still say I am okay? Am I required to be okay in situations that hurt me? Why am I required to smile even in situations where I just want to scream and cry?

Marcus was my shoulder, my best friend, and the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. But why can't he stay with me? My parents did not like him in the first place. He worked so hard to prove himself to my parents. Why did he have to fight for the love he is going to give up afterward?

Get yourself together, Beck. If he is willing to leave you, then that means you don't mean that much to him, so just let him go.

I took a deep breath while wiping the tears from my eyes before I started typing a response to Marcus.

[Let's call it.]

While typing my response, a notification popped up on my phone. It's Freen doing a livestream. Oh yeah, I subscribed to her TikTok account earlier using a dummy account. I looked at the time on my phone; it's past 2 AM. She is really strange for being awake at this hour.

I postponed my response to Marcus and clicked on the notification to watch Freen's livestream. I quickly plugged in my earphones and listened to her talk.

"Hi, everyone. Thank you for coming to my stall earlier. You all are so nice for ordering a lot of burgers," she stated before she yawned.

Haha! She is so cute yawning. She looks tired, though. So she has been up since earlier? Why is she working so hard?

I quickly typed in [You should rest now. Looks like you're tired] and sent it.

And lo and behold, she noticed it. I can't help but smile on my face as she started reading my comment.

"I know I should rest now, I will, but I just want to thank everyone first. And also, earlier at the event, a celebrity collapsed. I also want to tell you all about it. I personally don't know her, but they said her name is Becky,"

I rolled my eyes when I heard that. How could you not know me, Freen? I am all over social media, I am on TV, and I am on billboards. How could you not know me?

"She collapsed due to over-fatigue. She was probably working hard. We took her to the hospital earlier, and she should be doing better. I hope she'll be okay soon. It makes me sad to see people collapse due to exhaustion. That's why I'm telling this because I want you all to take care of yourselves. Drink lots of water, okay?"

She smiled while showing a thumbs up.

"Do you have a boyfriend? No, guys, I don't. I am focusing on the business right now. No time for that. I would marry an 8-hour sleep first before I say yes to a boyfriend."

She laughed before taking a sip from a bottle of water.

"What do you think of Becky?" Freen read a comment. She looked at the ceiling as if thinking deeply. "She is pretty, very pretty, but she needs a lot of rest," she said, smiling.

I smiled hearing that from her. She's right, though. I am pretty and I need a lot of rest.

"Do you have a crush on her? Guys, why are your questions like this? Take it easy on me, okay?" She laughed. "You know what,

it's late and we should sleep now. Love y'all, goodnight."

Wait, what? That's it? Why did she not answer the question? Hmm, she probably has a crush on me. I mean, what's hard about saying no? Lots of girls and boys like me, so I'm definitely sure she does too. She was probably stunned by my beauty; that's why she kept looking at me earlier at the event. Freen Sarocha, I am going to blow your mind tonight.

I went over to Freen's profile and sent her a message [Hi, this is me, Becky. I normally don't watch fans' lives, but I have nothing to do right now, so I watched your live, and you did not answer a fan's question. I think it's rude for you to close the live like that. So tell me, do you like me?].

Author's Note:

Hi guys, this is the end of Chapter 1 I did an early update because I will be busy tomorrow. I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think Freen will tell Becky 😂😂

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