Summer of Stars 🌟 [complete - Under Editing]

A Flash of Humanity

"No actually, the first was watching my dad die of cancer," I told her, purposefully keeping my tone low. "That was seven years before I got pregnant."

Briana winced as if I'd yelled, but at least she had the manners to look away for her unpleasant comment.

"So, Lindsey is going to have talking points for me, but she's waiting to hear my side of the story?" I pounced on the flash of humanity in Briana's expression, hoping she'd be willing to trade answers in lieu of an apology.

"It's part of the game," Lindsey admitted with a grateful nod. "We know that the whole thing is bullshit. Miles loves the spotlight, and Lindsey handles the drama he stirs up. Just keep your nose clean, and you'll be famous for being famous."

"You mean infamous." I corrected her.

"No really." Briana insisted, her eyes lit up as if she enjoyed talking about this stuff. "Your silence doesn't look good right now, but Lindsey will fix this if you're willing to play along."

"Play along?" I sputtered.

I don't think it ever dawned on Briana that she and Lindsey were playing with people's lives and careers. And Miles too for that matter!

As a teen mom, I'm no stranger to manipulation. My ex-boyfriend was a puppet master that enjoyed trifling with my emotions to feed his perverse hunger for attention. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only casualty of his cruel intentions and his daughter was living proof.

"Like I said, it's a game." Briana sniffed. "And right now, Stephanie is in total denial that Miles is sleeping around, if you don't pop that bubble, you'll be fine."

My head was spinning by the time we made it to the studio. Lindsey joined us while I was being chaperoned into makeup and hair by Briana.

"Alright, what's the story, morning glory?" Lindsey chirped.

I cringed while someone fit me with a giant bib that covered my legs. "Maddy has pneumonia." I reported.

"That's not what I'm talking about, you cheeky little budgie." Lindsey teased. "What's the tea, mon ami?! How do you want this to play out?"

"I don't want anything to play out! There is no tea!" I cried. "Briana said you could fix this, can you fix this?"

I was begging as the makeup woman slapped lotion on my face and futzed with my hair, but I could see the daggers Briana was throwing at my reflection in the mirror.

Lindsey looked displeased and cocked her head to the side. "Look Mimi, you know if you milk this cow, you could have a number one single by the end of June, right?"

"I don't want to milk it," I responded indignantly.

Lindsey watched me in the mirror while standing right next to me. Our inadvertent eye contact was making me squirm, much to the anger of the makeup lady.

"That's fine," Lindsey said conclusively. She squeezed my shoulder with her talon nails. "You're a sweet single mum who is immune to the bad-boy. I can work with the whole girl power thing. When they ask you about the pictures, just tell them what happened. We'll use the sympathy for your little lamb to pivot."

I wanted to scream and jump out of the chair, or rip off the bib and use it to smother myself. Anything seemed better than my life being reduced to inane tropes that would be used to bolster my image for a bunch of strangers.

The TV station dubbed my outfit OK for the camera because they'd dressed the boys to fit with my grungy-Seattle vibe.

My hair, which usually hung down past my shoulders in wild, kinky waves, had been slung onto the top of my head in an enormous messy ballerina bun fastened with a bandana.