Chapter 71: Entering the Battlefield

[Chapter 71: Entering the Battlefield]

In the kitchen, a bowl sat filled with seafood, a pot of broth simmered on the stove, and the oven hummed below. Ryan managed everything effortlessly, but then he was interrupted. "Ryan, need any help?" Trey called out as she strolled into the kitchen, her voice booming.

Ryan turned around, ready to shoo her away, but instead saw Trey shushing him with her hand.

"Abigail just asked me about you and Taylor. You better figure out how to handle this," Trey whispered anxiously while glancing towards the door, worried that Abigail might burst in at any moment.

"You're in big trouble, you know that? I've been expecting this!" Trey seemed even more anxious than Ryan.

"This won't have a negative impact on you, will it?" she muttered quietly.

...

With a table full of delicious dishes, Abigail wasted no time digging into her meal.

"Why aren't you eating?" Abigail asked Ryan, her mouth still full.

"I need to talk to you about something," Ryan said, his tone shifting from casual to serious.

He began explaining the "exposure plan" Scott had mentioned at Big Machine Records, the plan involving Taylor.

Upon hearing this, Abigail immediately lowered her head, focusing intently on her food, looking slightly dejected.

Trey shot a knowing glance at Ryan before also lowering her eyes, a smirk hidden behind her expression.

Abigail slammed her metal fork onto the table and looked up sharply. "She's definitely not giving up!"

"This plan has to be something she and Scott concocted to pressure me to step away, right? I haven't even gotten to Kansas yet!" Her breaths quickened as she grew visibly agitated.

"This could really benefit me..." Ryan started to say, wanting to express how this situation was significant for his career.

But Abigail cut him off.

"You don't need to say anything. I know what I'm going to do." Abigail seemed resolute.

"And what's your plan? You've known Taylor for far longer than Ryan," Trey reminded her. She thought it would be best if Abigail and Taylor both rejected Ryan, teaching him a lesson and allowing him to focus on his career and make money.

'Of course, I am not included in this,' Trey thought to herself.

"Of course not. She's my best friend. I'd never damage our friendship over a guy. If she wants him, then good for her," Abigail replied with a slight smirk that held a hint of mischief.

Clearly, it wasn't that straightforward.

"Next week is prom. Ryan, will you be my date?" Abigail suddenly turned to Ryan.

...

After dinner, Ryan opened his computer as usual and saw that his MySpace follower count was nearing 200,000. It should be noted that it took only a short time after breaking 100,000 followers.

Underneath the countdown for the trailer of the new song created by Elizabeth Olsen, Taylor's Gen Z "fans" had begun to swarm in uninvited.

[Boy, TayTay sang your new song!!]

[You have the right to remain silent, but... come on, when did you meet TayTay?]

[RayTayRayTayRayTayRayTayRayTay]

[When are you going to officially announce this?]

[Promise me you'll treat Tay well.]

[No wonder Tay sings your song. I saw your photo, who could resist that?]

Ryan took a moment to check Taylor's MySpace, which was just as lively, with new comments pouring in with every refresh.

...

Then he received a text from Scott. Opening Twitter, he saw his name, Dr. Ray, trending in the left sidebar under "trending topics."

He then opened the Billboard website. In the latest issue of the Hot 100, Leona Lewis's Bleeding Love had successfully topped the charts. Rihanna and other newer artists had slipped slightly, while Taylor's two songs were holding steady at 28 and 29.

The song Bubbly by Colbie Caillat, who Taylor collaborated with on Breath, was currently ranked at 41.

Additionally, Taylor's long-standing Teardrops On My Guitar continued to chart at 49 -- just behind Ryan's Harlem Shake hit, which had surged to 48.

On Beatport, Ryan's Tremor was also climbing rapidly due to the buzz from its music video, now sitting at fifth with daily sales passing ten thousand!

In Europe, Tremor was also rising slightly, maintaining its status. It was safe to say that Ryan had made an impressive debut in Europe with just one song.

This didn't even factor in the upcoming release of Wake Me Up, a country-meets-electronic track poised to capture significant markets in both Europe and America.

Ryan rubbed his hands together in excitement, thinking -- "Taylor Swift, bow down!"

However, it wasn't all good news.

...

Ryan soon found himself on a Reddit thread discussing Taylor Swift, where a person claiming to be a student from Hendersonville High School posted about Ryan's situation, candidly stating he was dating Abigail. This post quickly spread among Taylor's fanbase.

There were also claims from someone identifying as one of Ryan's model peers in New York, sharing scandalous details about Ryan's life, including names of former girlfriends, which attracted considerable attention.

Moreover, someone anonymously claimed to have paid $3,000 for Ryan's "services," even going so far as to describe how skilled his tongue was and mentioned a tattoo on his ribcage.

The truth was, Ryan had never engaged in any "pay for play" scenario, and he didn't have a tattoo at all. It was all completely fabricated.

Rumors could support or destroy, and with the attention came scrutiny, revealing the double-edged sword of "fame."

Ryan felt a chill run down his spine. If he had behaved inappropriately during his nightclub performances, even if it didn't leak today, it would surely come out soon.

He was thankful he had just run into Irina in New York. If she decided to say something after Fizz's influence, it could blow up with Taylor, and that was something to avoid.

Even so, Ryan still received plenty of inquiries.

...

[No wonder you're keeping quiet; turns out you have a significant other.] Paris Hilton messaged him on Facebook an hour earlier.

[????? Taylor Swift? Are you taken?????] a girl from Australia spammed him with question marks.

[Ryan, what's going on?] Elizabeth sent him a flurry of messages, not just one but five or six.

[So that's your girlfriend now. She hasn't figured out about us, has she?] Irina chimed in.

Even Ryan's mom got wind of it, calling him late that night, finally realizing he had become a DJ and artist.

[It's just a publicity stunt for the record label,] Ryan replied to both Elizabeths, while only sending Paris a simple "smirk" emoji.

...

That night, in a ballroom at a hotel near the school, Abigail hooked her arm through Ryan's as they made their entrance, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Abigail was dressed to impress, in the outfit she'd worn to the nightclub with Taylor before, though it had been altered to have an even higher slit. She strode confidently in her high heels.

Ryan was also sharply dressed; it was his first time wearing formal attire, a rite of passage for a lot of young adults at these kinds of events.

As they made their way through the crowd, Ryan spotted Taylor standing off to the side, dressed casually, as she was already a graduate. It seemed like she was a last-minute invitee.

Since it was a prom, dancing was inevitable. Abigail grabbed Ryan and they danced a waltz, eventually winning the title of "Prom Queen." When the crown was placed on her head, Abigail radiated even more beauty.

Seizing the moment, Ryan leaned over to Taylor for a quick chat.

"Why did she invite me? I've already graduated," Taylor appeared confused.

And then Abigail walked over.

"Ryan's told me about your arrangements at the company," Abigail smiled graciously.

"I'm leaving Ryan in your hands for the time being," Abigail continued.

Before Taylor could respond, Abigail leaned in and kissed Ryan passionately in front of her. With the reality of the situation, Taylor could only offer a forced smile...

*****

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