Ch-177

"Woah." I steadied the teen girl by gently grasping her shoulders. She looked like she was hyperventilating and might go limp at any moment. "Calm down, Miss. I'm not going anywhere."

"All night?" Taylor Swift asked hopefully.

I laughed out loud at her audaciousness. "I wouldn't mind, but unfortunately, my girlfriend would—and she's standing right behind me." I lowered my voice to a stage whisper, making sure everyone could hear.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Taylor Swift," she replied, regaining some of her confidence. "I'm also a singer-songwriter. You were so great just now—I don't think I can match your level anytime soon."

"Sure you will," I said with confidence. "The first step is believing in yourself. Besides, I've got my fingers in multiple pies—acting, singing, film production, and business ventures. If you focus solely on your singing, you'll leave me behind in no time. I can guarantee that."

Suddenly a genius idea bloomed in my head.

 "I need someone to open for my next concert," I said before I had time to think it over. "Would you be interested in opening for me?"

Taylor's mouth fell open so wide she didn't even need to say how shocked she was.

"What if I turn out to be a terrible singer?" she asked after composing herself. "You haven't even heard me. Heck, no one has. My debut album isn't out for another month."

"I like taking chances," I grinned. "I have a feeling you'll be great, and my instincts are rarely wrong. Worst case? You'll just make me look better."

She hesitated before saying, "But I can't do it next week. I don't want to sing someone else's song, and I can't perform my own until the album is out to prevent leaks."

I hummed in thought. That was a valid concern. I was rich and established enough to risk performing an unreleased song like Golden Hour in front of thousands. But for a newcomer like Taylor, if her music leaked before her album dropped, it could ruin her career—especially if critics tore her apart. My fanbase was loyal, but that didn't mean the industry was kind.

"Alright then," I nodded before glancing over my shoulder. Evan and Benji were deep in conversation with Rihanna and my parents, who had flown in just to see my first-ever concert. "Oi! Benji! Come here!"

My assistant came running over like an overeager puppy. I smirked at the thought before turning back to Taylor.

"Exchange numbers with Benji. I'll have these concerts for a few months—whenever you and your label think you're ready, call him and pick a date." Then I turned to Benji. "Taylor's going to open for me at one of my future concerts. Give her any date she wants."

Benji nodded dutifully, pulling a notepad from his pocket to jot it down. He'd picked up the habit from Tobias, who had stepped back from his duties as my assistant to oversee the production of my upcoming films like [Superbad] and [Twilight]. He was present tonight because it was too big a night for me to not have him around, but not here in the vicinity.

As Benji and Taylor exchanged numbers, I moved on to the next fan eagerly waiting for her turn.

It was the pillow girl.

"Hi," I greeted her with a grin, pulling her into a hug as well. "I loved your gift, love—though I probably won't sleep on it. Gotta save your art."

"I'm Serena, but I like you calling me love much more," the girl—who was slightly older than me—said confidently, making me laugh wholeheartedly at her boldness. What was with girls these days?

"I know you hear this all the time, but I'm your number one fan. So even if you somehow ruin the pillowcase, I'll make you another one—as long as you give the used one back to me," she said seriously, with a devious grin hidden at the corner of her lips.

"I like your confidence," I chuckled. "Most of my 'number one fans' don't have the composure you do. Not to mention, your art is so good, it's practically criminal that you're giving it to me for free. You must have spent days on it."

"I did," she admitted. "As for repayment, you can tell me when you're releasing your next album. After today's masterpiece, I'm already dying to hear it."

"Soon," I reassured her. "I have a few songs written already—I just don't have the time to hit the studio for a full album right now. But once I'm done with these concerts and the two movies I'm shooting, I'll definitely whip something up."

"Thank you," she beamed, hugging me again before stepping aside for the next fan—a young boy around ten or eleven, standing with his mother.

"I'm Cody! I want to be just like you when I grow up!" he declared proudly. "I've seen and listened to everything you've ever done. You're just amazing! I've even started taking acting lessons so I can become an actor like you."

I smiled as I bent forward slightly to talk to the enthusiastic boy. His innocent admiration reminded me of something important—most of my fans were young.

Out of nowhere, my parents' concerns about me doing adult scenes in [The Night Of] resurfaced in my mind. Dedicated fans like Cody would watch everything I did, and I wasn't sure I wanted that right now. It was probably for the best that we toned down those scenes in the upcoming show.

But then there was Superbad…

That was a moral dilemma I couldn't easily escape. The only thing I could do for now was avoid nudity and sex scenes for a few years and hope that parents like Cody's would be vigilant enough to keep their kids away from films like Superbad—at least until they were slightly older.

(Break)

"I want to appear skinny," I explained to the two people in front of me. "Mind you, that doesn't mean unhealthy—I just need to bring down my muscle definition so it's not overtly visible when I wear baggy clothes. The role I'm playing is a nerdy teenager who's a little awkward. Think we can do this in two months?"

Ben, my newly appointed personal trainer in L.A., nodded enthusiastically. "Of course. We'll cut out weight training entirely and focus solely on cardio for a few weeks. Cynthia will handle the dietary changes."

We both turned to the nutritionist beside him.

"Don't worry about your diet," Cynthia said confidently. "I'll cut down your excess protein and calorie intake and design a specialized meal plan to help you lose weight rapidly. Mark my words—if you follow my diet and Ben's workout plan religiously, you'll achieve your desired physique within a month."

I nodded at the husband-and-wife duo I had hired to help me achieve my goals for [Superbad]. I knew it was still early, and I could have lost weight in just a month, but I wanted my weight loss to be gradual. I had heard too many horror stories from dedicated actors who dropped weight too rapidly for a role. At the end of the day, my health was my top priority, so I decided to take this approach instead.

I had already spoken with the producers of [Disturbia] about it, and they had agreed to let me proceed. It made DJ Caruso's job a little trickier, though—he would have to shoot the film in a way that made my weight loss less noticeable. Luckily, there were camera tricks to make it work, like using extreme wide-angle shots or close-ups that didn't show much of my body.

"You really think that's necessary?" Evan asked after the two had left our place. "I mean, I know you're dedicated to every role, but this is a comedy—a sex comedy, at that. I doubt anyone would care if you have a defined physique or not."

"I would care," I countered. "You know how much I love [The Perks of Being a Wallflower], but there's one thing that's always going to nag at me—I was way too built for that role. Chbosky should have asked me to lose weight. He didn't, and that's something I'll regret for years. And now? I'm even taller and heavier than I was during [Perks]. I can't repeat the same mistake with [Superbad]. Besides, I'll have to lose weight for [The Night Of] anyway. We can start shooting for it right after [Superbad]."

Evan gave me a dubious look but eventually nodded. "Whatever you say, bro. We all just want what's best for you. Anyway, I had a few ideas for your Golden Hour music video if you wanna hear them?"

I perked up immediately, taking a seat across from Evan as he began sharing his ideas. The original video for the song by JVKE felt bland to me. There were so many creative elements they could have added, but clearly, it was a small-budget production of a new artist, so it made sense that the label didn't splurge on it.

"My first idea is a video showing two kids falling in love and growing old together—until the day they die in each other's arms."

I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head. "That's too similar to the video for Count on Me I shot years ago. I want something fresh."

Evan sighed and crossed it off in the notebook he was holding. "I forgot about that video. It's been years since I last watched it properly. Don't worry, I've got more ideas. How about this: You're playing piano, enjoying a perfect day at the beach with your lady love. The 'golden hour' could be the literal golden hour just before sunset. Throughout the song, you live this beautiful, dreamlike life together. But then—toward the end—you wake up, realizing it was all just a fantasy and that you're still single. Then, right as the video is about to end, you run into the same girl you were fantasizing about, and you both smile at each other."

I nodded at Evan appreciatively. "That's a good one. What else you got?"

"Before I go on," Evan said, "I have to ask—why don't you release a full album this time? Not tied to a movie, just a proper ten or fifteen-track album. Then, drop one or two singles each month with music videos and everything."

I gave him a look. "You know I don't have the time for that."

"You already have so many tracks recorded," Evan pointed out. "The ones we didn't use for [Echoes of You]. You wouldn't need to record a full album—just a few more songs, and you'd be set."

I silently mulled over his idea. While working on [Echoes of You], I had written around twenty songs. Initially, Evan and I weren't sure which ones would fit the film, so we recorded them all. Some tracks didn't match the movie's overall theme, while others felt repetitive in message and tone.

If I included those leftover songs in a second album, I'd only need to record half the album from scratch.

"Let me finish [Disturbia] and [Superbad] first," I said firmly. "In the meantime, let's release Golden Hour. It'll be part of the album anyway, and since the music awards season is over, dropping it a little early won't matter."

Evan nodded. "Okay then. This next idea I have for the video is great."

(Break)

SereneDreamer: Today was the best day of my life! I was lucky enough to attend Troy's first-ever concert, and it completely shattered my expectations. Everything—from security to crowd management—was flawless. And Troy? He was insane. His energy, his voice, his stage presence—it was all perfect. Hands down, the most unforgettable concert I've ever been to. (And trust me, I've been to plenty.)

The moment he brought Rihanna on stage? Unreal. They were bantering like an old married couple—it was hilarious and so sweet at the same time. And then… he dedicated a never-before-heard song to her. Rihanna cried. That's when I knew it was real, not some fake celeb relationship.

Not gonna lie, it stung a little—because, yeah, I've been crushing on Troy for years—but only a monster would be bitter about their relationship. It's so pure. I know it's unrealistic, but I need them to stay together forever.

PixelWarrior77: Holy shit! You got tickets?! I couldn't get any at first, and when they opened sales again, the prices were insane. Luckily, he's doing eleven more shows, and I managed to snag a ticket for the next one!

LunaBliss: Ughhh, I'm so jealous! I live in Boston, and the flight alone would cost more than the ticket. If he ever comes to the East Coast, I swear, I don't care how—I will be there.

SkyDreamer64: @LunaBliss At least you're in the U.S., where you might get a chance to see him. Living in Singapore, I'd have to wait years for him to even consider coming here—if he ever does. @SereneDreamer Tell us more about the concert! Did you get to see him up close?

SereneDreamer: How did you know that? 👀 Actually, Troy holds a lottery for fans to meet him afterward—he did the same thing during his stage musical. I wasn't lucky back then, but tonight, I finally got to meet him! And let me tell you, he was such a gentleman. I made a portrait of him, and he loved it. He even showed it on stage to everyone!

QuantumFox: Wait! That was you?! I was at the concert too! I thought security kicked you out for trying to run up on stage.

NovaKnight: Of course, she wouldn't mention that part. Kinda convenient, don't you think?

SereneDreamer: Fuck you, @NovaKnight. I had to do it. Security gave me no choice. I tried to give my gift to a guard, but he refused to pass it to Troy. That was my only chance to meet him, and guess what? It worked. Troy called me backstage, and we talked for like five minutes. I'm not ashamed.

FireStarter12: Every time I hear about Troy, I admire him more and more. 😍 Btw, what did you two talk about? Anything you can share?

SereneDreamer: He gave me some inside scoop 👀 He's shooting two movies in L.A. right now, but once he's done, he'll record a full album.

FireStarter12: I'm already dying with anticipation.

(Break)

Alicia—better known online as FireStarter12—groaned as she read the latest message on her laptop.

"Why couldn't Troy have done a concert in London?" she whined. "I need to hear his music live."

Charlie, her boyfriend, was already exasperated.

"I don't get the hype about this kid at all," he grumbled. "Yeah, he's a little better looking than average, but people act like he's some god just because he drops a movie or a song."

"Don't call him a kid," Alicia shot back. "He's only five years younger than me."

"Exactly!" Charlie exclaimed. "He is a kid."

Alicia gave him a deadpan look. "I'm five years younger than you."

Charlie opened and closed his mouth, struggling for a comeback. When he came up empty, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.

"There's a new episode of that Ricky Gervais show tonight," he said offhandedly. "Now he's someone I admire. A normal guy from a working-class family who made it in showbiz. That's a legend. Not Troy, who got everything handed to him because of his parents' Hollywood connections."

Alicia's eyes lit up as realization struck. She had almost forgotten what day it was.

A few minutes later…

"What the fuck!?"

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AN: Visit my Pat reon to read ahead, or check out my second Hollywood story set in the 80s.

Link: www(dot)pat reon(dot)com/fableweaver