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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Chapter One

"I can't believe I'm here." Star said. She pulled out her cellphone and took a picture of the sight in front of her. "Harper is going to love this billboard." After graduating from Sims University, Star Upton had indeed, despite her parent's protest, gone to Starlight Shores. They had argued that if she were to go there, they wouldn't support her financially or emotionally. She deemed that if her parents were going to give up on their daughter that easily, they weren't worth her time. She was 21 and ready to take on the world, or so she thought.

The house she had rented was beautiful on the outside. But thats all it was. The inside was completely empty besides a stove, refrigerator, toilet and shower. She had a couch, television and table she had used in her dorm room and the movers would be bringing her bed in shortly. It didn't feel like home. At least not yet. It was missing something (other than furniture).

"Harper, did you get my pic?"

"No hey, hello, hows it going best friend of mine? Of course I got the picture! Tim Levesque is as beautiful as ever."

"Yeah...no. Not what I was thinking." Star rolled her eyes.

"Hows Starlight Shores? Everything you've dreamed of!?"

"Well, not exactly. I've only been here for a day but theres no way I'm going to make enough money to enjoy myself and have all of the necessities for living, just by performing for tips." Star sighed in defeat. "I have to get a real job."

"This is the real world Star. You didn't think you could sail through life with only tips did you?" Harper cracked a smile on the other end of the video call.

"I was honestly hoping so. But in all seriousness, I've got an interview today. I spoke to the guy over the phone and he said I could come to his house and discuss the job opening."

"Woah, woah. Hold on. I know you're excited to be in Starlight Shores and everything, but I don't think going to some guy's house is a good idea."

"No!" Star blushed. Yes, she was that kind of girl. She got embarrassed very easily. "It's a cleaning job. I'm going to be a housekeeper. Apparently, the house isn't lived in that often so I wouldn't need to come daily or anything and then I'll be making money and still have time to focus on what I really want to do."

"Give me a minute." Harper commented before fixing her camera. "Ok, now Star, how do you expect to clean someone's house? Your half of the dorm room was a mess!"

"Well, first of all, it was only like that because I had to study! I didn't have time to clean my side of the room!" Star protested.

"Your half of the room was like a few feet long, so thats no excuse. It would have taken you five minutes to clean it." Harper teased.

"Whatever!" Star sighed. "Like I said, the people aren't in the house that often so I'll only have to clean a few times. If theres nobody making a mess, there will be less to clean."

"Uh-huh sure, keep telling yourself that. What time is your interview?"

"Five thirty."

"Uh Star?"

"Yeah?"

"It's five twenty."

"You can't be serious!" She checked the time on her laptop. Five twenty one. "Crap. Ok, I'll talk to you later!"

"Go go go!" 

"Oh my goodness. This is so sad. This is what I got a college degree for. I can't even make it to an interview in time." Star huffed.

"What is this all about?" Tim Levesque sighed. "It's the first time in our new house. I want to relax."

"Somebody is coming over in fifteen minutes." The dark haired man spoke.

"What now Glen?" Tim sighed irritatedly.

"Let him finish," Caleb said. He was seated across from his slouched room mate and carefree manager.

"Thank you Caleb. Tim, my man...you're the one who wanted a new manager, so here I am. This--"

"I didn't think you'd be inviting people over to MY house. I wasn't aware that you lived here."

"Tim, relax." Caleb sighed. "Who is coming over?" He turned to his manager, Glen Anarbor.

"A cleaning lady. I figured you'd need somebody to look after your house while you're on tour."

"Wait, let me get this straight. You invited some random lady to our house to clean." He used air quotes on the world clean. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"He's right Glen. We're not regular people. Our privacy is on the line. People are out to exploit us for money and their fifteen minutes of fame." 

"I understand that totally, thats why you guys are going to interview her. I already screened her prior to this. We had a conversation on the phone already. Her name is Star Upton and she just graduated from Sims University. She's a young girl just trying to make some rent money. She doesn't know that the house she'll be cleaning is yours. For all she knows its just some rich people." Glen answered back.

"Young girl?" Tim leaned back and groaned. "She's going to recognize me right away and drool all over me like the rest of the other fan girls."

"You're so full of yourself." Caleb laughed.

"Full of myself? No, it's the truth." Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Looks like it's the fangirl herself. Watch guys, I don't choose to have the girls fall all over me, it just happens."

"Yeah, just shut up and get the door."

Star quickly fixed her hair and straightened out her clothes. She didn't have time to change her outfit. She should've known that she would lose track of time while talking to Harper. It was exactly 5:37. What if the family thought she was unfit for the job because she wasn't punctual? Was she wearing a proper outfit? What does one wear to a housekeeping job interview anyway? Why was she worrying so much? It was just an interview right? She could find another job, right? The truth was that she couldn't, even if she tried. She found this job by accident. She had found the number on some website, it was a first person to call kind of gig. She was the first caller by some small strike of luck. She was actually surprised that it was a legit listing. She tried the local spa, bookstore and grocery store, all of them told her that they weren't hiring. She had no other choice. As Harper pointed out earlier, cleaning wasn't really her thing. She rang the bell and waited for the person to come out. Why was she so nervous?

"Hey." Star looked up to see where the voice was coming from and she was shocked. The man standing in front of her looked exactly like Tim Levesque, unless she was going crazy. "Are you alright?" Cue fangirl scream.

"You're Tim Levesque..." She said breathlessly. She wasn't a huge fan of his work but he was everywhere: magazines, TV's, billboards. She couldn't escape his image. She was starting to think that he wasn't real, that he was some kind of photoshopped publicity stunt. But here he was in front of her, very real and even more handsome without all the makeup and photoshop.

"Mhmm..." he answered rather boredly. "That I am. You must be Star, right?" 

She was too shocked to speak and just nodded in response. "This is your house?" 

"Yeah, thats kinda why I answered the door." She felt her heart race. Tim Levesque was living with Caleb Gray. The Caleb Gray, her idol. Was Caleb in there right now? How would she be able to conduct herself in a professional manner? Tim rolled his eyes at the starstruck girl. He was disgusted with the way she was acting. He just wanted to meet a normal person for once. One who didn't stop to ogle him everytime he passed by. "You know, we aren't really looking for any help right now. Our manager, Glen, did this without asking me or my roommate. I apologize that you had to come all the way down here."

"Oh. um...right. Sorry about that then." Star sounded a bit disappointed. It was a mixture of being rejected for the only job available, getting rejected by a celebrity and being so close to her idol and not being able to do anything about it. She should have known that with the way her day was going, she'd never have been so lucky to work for Caleb Gray. She was too embarrassed to stay and ask for an autograph for Harper, she would be mad about it later. She turned quickly to leave, not really wanting to face anymore rejection.

"Wait!" He said quickly, grabbing her arm. She turned around hopefully. Maybe he was going to give her a chance? "Don't go out to the press and blab about where we live. My manager will write you out a check for 5 grand to keep your mouth shut, ok?"

 Of course not, her luck wouldn't permit her to get a second chance. It's not like her survival counted on this job. She wouldn't take his check though, no matter how much she needed the money. "I don't want your money. I'm not like that, I wouldn't go and invade your privacy like that."

"You're not going to get more than five grand for leaking where I live to the public."

Star turned around angrily. "I just told you that I wouldn't tell anyone where you live. Why can't you just listen to me. I'm not that kind of person." At this point she was  practically growling. "Goodbye."

Star went straight for the couch when she arrived home. She thought about calling Harper but she didn't want to deal with the constant questions. She'd never believe that Star just met Tim Levesque and if she did, Harper would only be asking for where he lived and Tim didn't look so nice. What was she going to do? Only one day in Starlight Shores and she was already screwed. She was pretty sure Hollywood's biggest star hated her guts and she had no valuable source of income. She only had enough pocket money for a week's worth of food and then she was out. Maybe she should have listened to her parents and not made the journey out here.
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Well, thats chapter one! Star is in a bit of a mess. Hopefully she can dig her way out of it! 

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Prologue

Hey everyone! I've decided to start a new story! Caleb Gray, a character from my legacy story, A Graying World is starring in this story! It has nothing to do with my legacy story and is completely separate. Yiu don't have to read that to understand what is going on in this story! If you like Caleb Gray and want to read about how he got where he is today (or in this story lol) then you can check him out in my legacy linked above. Thank you for reading!

Meet Star Upton. 
Lifetime Wish: Master Acrobat

She was eighteen and alone for the first time. No parents telling her what to do. Having the freedom to do what she pleased. It was also a time in which she was able to find herself. But through all of the good opportunities, it was a time of loneliness and distance. She was the resident nerd in the dorm, quiet and studious. She kept to herself most of the time. The first semester flew by pretty slow. No party invites were sent her way, and in the rare occasion that they were, she'd have to decline in order to catch up on studying. She was majoring in fine arts. It was a backup to keep her parents quite. What she really wanted to do was become an acrobat and perform in front of people. Her parents wouldn't be happy until she had a fortune and according to them, it'd be through a degree. She couldn't let them down and so she worked her hardest to achieve it, skipping out on club meetings and avoiding social gatherings in order to study. 

It all changed the next semester, only a few short months later when Star met her roommate. She had been late in applying for her dormitory and thus was denied a single bedroom. She loathed the idea of sharing a room with someone, especially someone like Harper Loh, the kind of person who came to University just for the crazy parties. They were constantly avoiding each other and for no reason in particular. Until one day, Harper came into the room screaming about some Professor Higgins, failing her in art history. She was shouting about having to ace the final if she wanted a chance in not having to retake the class over again. With puppy dog eyes, Harper pleaded for Star's guidance, which she couldn't refuse. Star had a tough time saying no as it was. The puppy dog eyes left her with no chance. 

In three days, running only on coffee and cat naps, Star was able to teach Harper everything she needed to know to ace her final, which she ultimately did. Spending more than sixty hours straight with a person really creates a bond. In their case, an unbreakable bond. The next few semesters flew by and they weren't so lonely for Star anymore. Studying was still her top priority, but now she was able to share the struggle with someone else. 
They often found themselves sitting in the student union building, magazines spread across the table, procrastinating studying as much as they could. On this particular day, Harper was ecstatic. She had practically flung the teen magazine across the library table. 

"Look at this!" 

"Wait...he has a new album coming out!? How come I didn't know?"

"Get your head out of a book once and awhile. Forget that, do you see who he's living with? My future husband, Tim Levesque!"

Star rolled her eyes. "That poser actor wannabe?"

"Sim globe winner actually!" Harper smirked. "He and Caleb live together! How cool is that?"

"Not as cool as the fact that he's on tour in Sunset Valley and Starlight Shores!" Star quickly pulled out her phone and searched for tickets. Caleb Gray was her favorite singer in the entire world. His music was inspirational to her. His lyrics helped her through some of her roughest times. She didn't love him because he was cute like Harper loved Tim Levesque. She loved him for his talent and heart he showed to the world. "Oh no! It would mean the world to me to get tickets to one of his shows but he's all sold out!"

"Aww, please cheer up Star! If it makes you feel better, finals are that week anyway, so you'll have to study, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Star sighed. "But I'd give up studying just to see him live."

It wasn't until a week later that Harper came rushing into class with an excited look on her face. She ignored the professor's impatient glances and began whispering to Star. "I got you some tickets!"

"What?"

"To see Caleb Gray! In Starlight Shores!"

"How!? Weren't they sold out?"

"They were, but my cousin had a pair. Turns out she has work that day or something so I bought them off of her and they're my gift to you free of charge, for tutoring me!"

"Really!?"

Thats how she found herself face to face with Caleb Gray himself. She had rushed out as soon as his set was over to meet him. Instead of waiting by his tour bus with the other fans, she waited by the back entrance. Well, she hid. Security wasn't too thrilled about the fans near the arena after the show. 

When she saw him leave she made her move. She was incredibly nervous, but she had to let him know how much his music had changed her life. 

"You're Caleb Gray!" Star tried to calm her breathing.

"Yes, I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Star Upton, your biggest fan! I uhmm...well your music has inspired me!"

"Excuse me, ma'am...you can't be here." Security had come up to them.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I just had to let him know..."

"Wait. She's not bothering me. I enjoy talking to my fans." Caleb smiled, a genuine smile that made Star's heart melt.

The security guard nodded and stepped to the side. His eyes never left them though. 

"Now what were you saying?"

"Your music, it's really helped me move through some really tough things in my life."

"Caleb! We've got to go, now!" A man with aviator shades approached them. He practically ignored her presence. 

Caleb peered over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Well, my manager say I have to leave, so I guess I have to go head over to Sunset Valley now. Thanks so much for all of your support and I'm glad my music could help you. Stay true to yourself, Star!"

Star watched as he walked away. "Oh my...did that just happen?" She whispered. 


"You weren't that close," Esther Atkins, her classmate, commented, after looking at the picture Star took on her cell phone.

"I know, but I'm just happy to have been able to go, and I got to meet him after the show. It was amazing!" 

"I'm so happy you had fun!" Harper beamed. "When you two hook up, set me up with his roommate."

"Tim Levesque? He is SO gorgeous!" Esther gushed. 


"Your go, Esther." Harper said, holding her pool stick. "But, back off. Tim Levesque is mine."

"Ok. Ok. Geez, I'll take any of his hot celebrity friends." She grinned.

"What's with you, Star? You're staring into space." Harper poked her friend with the end of the pool stick.

"Oh um..sorry. I was just thinking about something."

"You were daydreaming about Caleb Gray, weren't you?" Esther teased.

"No! I was just thinking, that when we graduate next year, I know what I want to do. I'm going to pursue  my dream of becoming a famous acrobat by going to Starlight Shores when I graduate."

"What about your degree? You should go now, instead of wasting more money on credits." Esther spoke.

"But, then thats less time with you guys, and I always need a backup plan, especially to keep my parents off my back."

Star Upton. She belonged in Starlight Shores. It was her dream, and nothing would stop her. 

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Well, what did you think? :) 
You can read more about Caleb Gray here:A Graying World