As Fortune Would Have It ✔

{Chapter 15}

A/N: I changed the concert date from two weeks to one week, since it'll help speed up the story ^-^

I hope that's okay...

Ryder's p.o.v.

I stared at Mark, my eyebrows raised.

"You're kidding me, right?"

Mark laughed. "Kid, you've been with me for a while. When do I ever kid?"

We were sitting at my kitchen table, discussing the big news he had just decided to tell me.

"But seriously? You want me to do it?"

Mark shrugged, taking a sip of water. "It's gotta be done, kid."

"You're telling me that after the concert, I'm not going home anytime soon? I'm supposed to stay in that stupid city for forever?!"

Mark laughed. "It's not forever, Ryder. It's only a few months."

I scoffed. "Exactly. Forever."

Mark rolled his eyes. "Would you stop being so dramatic? It's not even that big of a deal. Whoever wins this concert is going to be insanely lucky, and you know it."

I didn't say anything. Mark basically wanted me to leave my life that I had here- friends, fame, music- for a while. But, even though a part of me didn't WANT to leave Cali, I had to. It would be a new change of scenery, and that was, in a sort, exactly what I wanted.

Mark patted my shoulder, and I looked up.

"I think its time you do your blog video. After you're done, you can post it, then we'll go tell your family the news. You guys should be packed and ready to go tomorrow morning."

I nodded and Mark exited the room. I grabbed my laptop from the chair in the corner of the room, and set it in front of me. I logged into my account and clicked on NEW WEBVIDEO, then took a deep breath before pressing the record button.

"Hey, everyone." I smiled, all white teeth showing. "Ryder, here. I know it's been a while since you guys have heard from me, and I'm sorry for that. I've been really busy around home, and as you know my parents are divorced, and I just visited my dad yesterday. He's actually coming down tonight and I'm really psyched to hang with him. My friends and I are cool, I guess. Sasha is still mad at me for not paying her 200 bucks, but Eric and I were good."

I cleared my throat. "I know you guys always question me about how being famous feels like, and normally I wouldn't answer that question, but I feel like I should today. Being famous is sometimes a good thing, the money is definitely one of the perks of it, so is the fame, the recognition and if I can make money doing something I love, that's good enough for me. But even though fame seems like the best thing ever, sometimes it has its downfalls, too."

I swallowed and stared at the table for a minute then looked back at the camera. "Everyone I meet wants something from me, whether it's money, like Sasha, or fame, like Eric, so he can get into the coolest under 18 clubs and get laid by hot girls. And-"

I broke off, my voice shaking.

"It hurts, honestly. It hurts knowing thay everyone you talk to is just using you. That all they seem to care about is your status and how they can use it to get something out of it. And I guess that's why I'm not dating anyone, why I've never dated anyone. I want to make sure the girl I pick loves me for the right reasons, not the wrong ones."

I took another breath, ready to release one of my darkest secrets.

"That's why I made this contest in the first place, so I can find someone to be with. I sort of feel like the prince from Cinderella, hosting the 'ball' for many eligible women from all around the U.S. to enter. The concert is coming close, it's in one week from today, and I'm going to be picking the winner of the contest in three days from today, so all of you ladies, get ready. Because I'm coming to Denver, and let's just say I won't be leaving anytime soon."

"She's the main reason I created this contest in the first place. And no matter what, I'm determined to find her."

I looked at my phone that held the last message I recieved before saying goodbye to all of my fans, and heading to the living room where Mark waited, so we could tell my family the news.