CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY

MILAN'S P. O. V.

I'm still in the hospital and feeling weak as hell due to the injections Khushi has been giving me and getting Real out of my mind just seems impossible right now. My parents want me to either go to Spain or Italy and start afresh for at least a month or two. Right now, I don't feel the pressure of doing anything at all. Final exams are in two months' time. The best part of going to either Spain or Italy is that there's a possibility that Khushi might let me hang with Real, it's not for sure though, but in order to survive I just need to forget her. but after all we had, it's just so hard.

The sound of sharp heels fill the air around and in no time, Sasha shows up in a purple off shoulder blouse and a pink skirt. She's carrying a white cake box and she gently puts it on the table and turns to me.

"How you feeling now sweetheart?"

"Well, if I'd been okay, I would probably be home or somewhere else."

Sasha agrees with me and takes out her phone and asks someone to come in. She tells me she's brought someone special and in no time a Mexican figure with the low fade on the sides and fluffy curly hair on the middle with a black earing on and black skinny jeans ripped at the knee calf and his black hoodie.

"The fuck, Cameron!" I shout upon seeing him and he comes to offer a side hug and handshake.

Cameron was my childhood best friend who moved to Manhattan when we were fifteen and he's an actor and also does a bit of music. I haven't been in contact with him for a really long time.

"It's been long man." Cameron says as he seats next to me. I ask I'm what he's doing here in LA and he tells me he has come to attend the awards and I ask him if he'll stay afterwards.

"I don't know, I'm still trying to find the reason why I should stay here in LA, but it's a 50/50 chance. So, when I heard you were in the hospital, I was like damn; what's wrong with my guy. I mean you're always careful on the court and I also remembered what you tried to do at twelve. Come on dude, you're better than this." Cam holds my hand.

"Sometimes shit forces us to a lot of things, especially when you're the cause."

"So, this is concerning a girl, right?"

Sasha changes the topic which I'm grateful for, making Cam think it's about me and Sasha which is to my advantage because I don't want to explain the entire story to Cam right now because it'll just hurt even more. Sasha uses a pink plastic knife to cut the cake into three pieces; it's chocolate and has some strawberries.

"I hate strawberries." I say.

"Of course, you of all people should know that." Cam reprimands Sasha and Sasha removes the strawberries and tells us both to chill and she later hands me the cake.

Cam starts talking of how much he can't believe I and Sasha are still together and I tell him the truth that she's not my girlfriend anymore and Cam tries really hard to find out about Real and as expected, Sasha comes to my rescue to save herself from the embarrassment.

Sasha asks Cameron about his girlfriend and he says he doesn't have any and Sasha being Sasha tries to match Cam up with one of her friends; Zoey or Chloe.

"Come on miss super model, your relationship is sinking and you wanna ship mine?" Cam asks and I laugh at that as Sasha hits him with embarrassment and Cam in the end admits that he was joking. He's always been like this.

"I missed you guys a lot, especially you Milan. I couldn't find a better best friend than you in the whole Manhattan, Milan. I just wish you'd come with me to the awards." Cam says and I feel the sincerity in his voice.

I assure him that I'll watch the ceremony from here.

It's the day of the awards, and as I promised Cam, I wanna watch and unexpectedly, a lot of people from my school are here to watch it with me. Brandon turns on the TV and the awards are midway, some lady named Prudence on the stage about to call out a name.

"So, the next award goes to…" The lady checks the golden envelope and looks around.

"Have the nominees already been mentioned?" Chloe asks.

"I bet." Dylan replies.

"So we're late aren't we?" Chloe says again.

"SHHH." Zoey says wit her index finger to her lip.

I look at the screen as the Prudy lady is about to mention the winner. I don't really care about these events. I'm only watching because Cam asked me to.

"It goes to Reality Heatherway! 'Being Real!"

There's a lot of noise and my mood just blasts off and I'm filled rage which I'm unable to control. I look at the screen and it now has a lot of cracks and it's just black and everyone in the room is just staring at me concerned and I'm having troubles breathing.

"What was that noise?" Khushi asks looking at mom who is now holding me.

"As soon as she just mentioned her name, Milan couldn't take it anymore and he just took the plate and through it to the screen and breaking it." Mom explains almost crying.

Khushi puts her palm on my cheek and tries to call me out, but my vision is now blurry and I've lost control of seeing and breathing. Khushi starts to examine me and I can hear the other students discussing that I'm having a panic attack and Khushi tells them that I need space and that they can wait outside.

NARRATOR'S P. O. V.

Khushi gives Milan and injection and Misha decides to ask Khushi a few questions about her son's health. Misha explains that due to Milan's bipolar disorder, it may cause his love for Real to turn into hate or vice versa that's why she insisted the stay away from each other.

Khushi warns not every situation will produce a different one because Milan doesn't even know what he does ad doesn't have any control over it.

"But he's been through a lot already, last year he ended up in a rehab after his mental breakdown. Why is this happening to him, when will he finally be awake?" Misha cries out.

"I know this is really stressing, but you need to remain strong for him."

"I can't no more. I only have one child and it's all too much for me."

REALITY'S P. O. V.

As soon as Prudy mentions my name, I go upstage with Joey and my look today is inspired by Vogue. It's a black Vaux crop and a black matching pencil skirt with a long sleet in front and some black sparkly gladiator heels. My hair's tied into a long pony tail and I have some cute baby hairs fixed on my face and some two side curly hairs and the shout outs I'm getting are crazy. My song is playing right now and I can see a lot of people singing along, I just feel like fainting because it feels like a dream come true. Prudy hands me the trophy and I scream in excitement; it's just that magical moment.

"What would you like to tell the world?"

I look at the crowd and it's all crazy and even though I spent the night practicing my speech, it all just fades out of my head.

"Wassup guys?" I say to the mic and the audience starts giving out remarks making me even more confident and happy.

"I just wanna thank each one of you present here for voting for me and I don't take it for granted. I can't believe we've come this far." I say as I point to my trophy.

"Coz without your support and someone who believed in me but couldn't be here today; I wouldn't have done it. So, I dedicate this trophy to you guys, especially those who voted. You guys deserve this trophy. Love you guys a lot, piss out."

I walk down the stage and everyone's shouting as hell, telling me how beautiful I am and how much they love me. I meet some reporters who ask me how I'm feeling after the award; and I tell them I feel great because it's my first time being here and receiving a trophy and meeting some big artists I've always idolized and listened to as a child is just crazy. The ask me about the song I'm performing tonight and I tell them then go into the changeroom.

CAMERON'S P. O. V.

I look at the number of people seating in the stadium and it's just crazy; that like half a million. I'm so excited about the awards this year and I'm seeing a lot of new people. I take pictures on the red carpet and my attention later shifts to the girl on stage. She's so cute and has everything I want my woman to be. She has this nice dimply smile and I saw her go for an award earlier on. Her voice is amazing.

As soon as she gets off the stage; I follow her back stage; I meet Pretoria whom I saw talking to her earlier on. So I decide to ask her and she tells me that her name is Real and that she's an artist. Pretoria plays me a song and I immediately recognize it. I go back to searching and just bump into her in the corridors.

"Sorry."

I realize we just said it at the same time. I look at her and she looks even prettier up close and her stage performance is just top notch.

"Real, right?" I point at her like I've known her for a long time and she gives a confused look.

"Yeah."

"I'm Cameron."

She replies with okay and is about to leave, so I run after her.

"Just okay?"

"Cameron right, hi I'm Real." She imitates pointing at me.

"Doesn't it sound weird?"

I now realize how awkward I sounded and decide to switch the topic. Damn, she can make a guy nervous.

"A'ight, I'm a singer too and I really like your music. So, I was wondering if we collaborate."

Guess what, I don't even have a song on the line. She puts her index finger to her lips to think about it.

"Thanks, so we start tomorrow."

I tell her as she seems undecisive and she looks at me wide eyed.

"Hey, I didn't even give a reply!" she says.

She curses but then agrees and tells me that tomorrow she's going to be busy so she suggests I meet her on Friday and I ask her about her Instagram handle and she gives me. then some girls start calling her and she leaves just like that.

REALITY'S P. O. V.

After the heartwarming performance I just had; I meet this guy who calls himself Cam and asks me to collaborate with him; though I kind of agree; I don't think I can really, besides I'm feeling sick these days.

I meet with some more celebrities and upcoming ones who are really interested in knowing about my body. In case you don't know, I got really wide hips and that pitchy butt a lot of guys and some girls find really attractive. Plus, I have this small waist and flat tummy which has gotten people asking whether I went under the Lazor, but I was born this way. A true version of my mom.

The girls invite me to their fancy parties and tell me to attend.