Chapter 6: Why?

Just a quick note: Writing in bold italics is Star's thoughts. 

Warm days turned into cold weeks. Star's life had inevitably moved on. It wasn't like she should have been grieving, right? She lost something she wasn't supposed to have in the first place, and as if that wasn't fair enough, she got fame as a consolation prize as well. Many would say she got a good deal, and she had. She blackmailed a celebrity and was not going to jail. She had practically gotten a reward for doing it. The calls asking for her to make appearances at sweet sixteens and proms were endless. They hadn't wanted her to preform. She hadn't been famous for that. The teenage girls wanted to have someone who was close to the famous Tim Levesque. Sure they had "broken up", but as Tim claimed on his social media accounts, it was amicable and they were still friends.

Her voicemail was full and she didn't bother to clean it out. This was what she wanted all along right? Fame. She should have been more specific when she asked Tim for publicity. Next time she knew. One particular voice mail she couldn't ignore. It was from the proprietor of Mick Master's Karaoke, asking her if she'd like to preform an acrobat gig at their annual birthday celebration. According to the proprietor, every year, in honor of the day that Mick Rifley decided to open the bar, there was a huge party thrown at Mick Master's karaoke. Star could tell she had been called for her rising fame on social media, not her acrobatic talent. She didn't know if anyone took her talent seriously, or even believed she had any. She hadn't exactly proved it when she was on Morning on the Shores. If she could get up on stage and show that she had talent, then she'd be able to get people to talk about her skills and not if she was dating Caleb or not.

She would be meeting up today in person to discuss what she would have to do. She had to grasp the opportunities while they were in front of her. There was no time to mope. That would be done behind-the-scenes with Harper, who still didn't know the complete truth.

"Mrs. Upton, it's an honor to meet you." The proprietor outstretched her hand.

"An honor to meet me..?" She asked in disbelief. All she did was "date" the heartthrob Tim Levesque.  It felt weird hearing it said to her, even though she dreamed of a moment like this her entire life.

"Of course. You're extremely beautiful and I know you have what it takes to be the next big star, so I want you to come to our birthday bash. Do you think you'd be able to make it?"

"Well, what would you have me doing? I can perform a few stunts-"

 She was cut off by the waving of the proprietor's hands. "That's not really necessary. We want you to make an appearance, take a few pictures with some of our guests, and then do a brief Q and A."

Well, how did she not see this one coming. She thought about turning the offer down as soon as she heard it but, the thought of a question and answer seemed intriguing and as much as she didn't want to admit it, people wanting to take pictures with and of her, was exciting. "What do you mean by question and answers? Is there a specific theme in mind?"

"Well, this year it's all about fresh young faces. You'll be among some newbies in the show business world. We have some models, voice actors and a band coming along, and together the media just wants to ask a few questions about what it's like to be you."

"What it's like to be me?" Well, she definitely knew some things she would be leaving out.

"Yupp, by that we mean you'll get questions like, 'what's your favorite color?' and 'how do you style your hair?'. These are fan questions and the fans in Starlight Shores are very powerful. They're pretty much the lifeline to your fame. Pleasing them, will help you immensely in this business. Right now you're new, so this event is a great way to draw in some fans and make some cash."

Star's eyes lit up. Cash would be nice. She had almost forgotten that she was still the same poor girl she had been before she met Tim. "A question and answer wouldn't hurt. It sounds really fun, actually."

"So we can count on seeing you this weekend?"

"Yes, I'll be there for sure." Star smiled sweetly.

"We're excited to have you. My people will be in touch with your people, miss Upton."

"Well, I am my people," She laughed nervously.

"That's totally okay. If you keep doing events like this, you'll have your own people in no time."

Star said her thanks and headed straight home. She was glad Tim had decided to get her extra dresses for the gala because she would definitely look amazing at the event. She wouldn't be performing, but she was making money to smile and look pretty, which was definitely much better than working at that stupid salon.

As Star promised, she arrived at Mick Master's Karaoke early on the day of the event. The fans were even earlier (which apparently the staff had instigated just a bit). Star was met with flashes and shrieks. There weren't nearly as many people as there was in the audience at Morning on the Shores or Caleb's concert, but it still blew her away. She was the star of the show. They wanted to take pictures of her, and show those pictures off to their friends. Star was eating it up.

"Hey Star, can you pose for a picture!?" A bold fan asked.

"Sure!" Star threw up two peace signs and flashed her best smile.

"My daughter is going to love this. Thanks Star!"

"No, thank you! Tell your daughter I said hi and thanks for the support."

Thanks for the support. It was a strange phrase. She hadn't thanked Harper for her never ending support, but here she was thanking this stranger for her daughter's support. Support for what? What did she do? What could Star have possibly done in her short stunt to fame that somebody could offer support?

Star shook it off. She was just having cold feet. This was her big day. People were here to see her, and ask her questions.

The proprietor waved Star over and gave her a run down on what she would do. Pretty much smile, answer questions loud and clear, and be polite. As Star had found out the hard way, all publicity was not good publicity.

"Ladies and gentleman, our celebrity representative for the night, a total sweetheart, Star Upton!"
The crowd erupted in applause.

"Hi everyone, how are you guys doing tonight?" Star grinned. The crowd was feeding into her energy. "I heard you guys have some questions for me, and I'm here to answer. So, ask away!"
Hands shot up in the air instantly. "How about you over there in the...oh my goodness is that my face on your shirt? That is totally amazing! Brownie points for you sir! Ok, ok. What's your question?"

"It's not a question, I just want to tell you that I totally love you. I'm your number one fan. Since I saw you, I knew you were meant to be on TV. You're so beautiful." The words were kind, but they weren't really about anything other than what was on the surface. He loved her because he thought she was pretty. She didn't have any real talents that they would allow her to showcase on TV...

"Aww thanks. I really appreciate it!" She smiled sweetly. "Your support means everything to me." She turned to someone else in the crowd, "What's your question ma'am?"

"Hi Star, my name is Angelica and I'd like to know how you feel about having your own clothing line. I fell in love with your look at the Endangered Species Gala, and I totally want to dress just like you."

"First let me start by saying, hey Angelica. Thanks for coming tonight! I never really saw myself as that fashion forward." Star admitted honestly. She had a stylist pick out these clothes. She was a fake and people were eating it up.Ok Star, stop it, you're getting paid for this. 

She took a deep breath and continued on. She answered countless questions about her favorite color, her dream appearance, her favorite store to shop in, if she had any pets. The questions were endless. She was actually having a good time with the crowd, despite that nagging voice in her head that would pop up every so often. It was all going well until that question came up. She had thought it would come up and she prepared for it, but as the word left the young girl's lips, Star forgot everything. "Hi Star. My name is Marina. My question is about your relationship with Tim Levesque. Are you happy with yourself now that you leeched off of his fame?" No. I'm not. I wake up some mornings and hate what I see in the mirror. I look in the mirror and see this glamorous celebrity, but I feel trapped. That's not me. Thank you for your question you hateful little brat. 

"What are you talking about? Tim and I are good friends. I would never ever do anything like that to him. He's such a good person that doesn't deserve that kind of treatment."

"Explain why you guys only dated for a few days."

"Well, you see..." Star thought for a minute. Crap. She got me.

"That's all Star. I think I've made my case." This isn't court. You don't get to judge me. "Tim Levesque is the greatest actor out there right now and I hope you know that you did nothing but disrespect him and his fans by thinking we're that stupid."

"Actually..." A voice arose from the side of the stage. "Star and Tim dated for a while before they became the celebrity it couple. But, Star is too nice to put Tim's reputation on the spot like that."

The crowd began to gasp. "Is that Caleb Gray!?"

"Caleb, oh my gosh. This is such an honor. It's like my dream to meet you, and now I'm having a conversation with you!" Marina gushed.

"It's really nice to meet you too Marina. Star here is my best friend. She and I grew up together in Lunar Lakes. She's kind of the reason I'm famous. I introduced her and Tim,who you might know is my other best friend, and well one thing led to another. Star is like a little sister to me, so I don't think that saying rude hurtful things to her is the right thing to do. I try to relay a message of goodwill to all of my fans, not animosity." Caleb!? What is he doing here. Oh gosh...was her hair ok? Wait a second. Caleb was saving her ass. WHY IS CALEB HERE. 

Marina looked away embarrassed. "I'm sorry." She mumbled and passed the mic back to the proprietor.

"Thank you for the surprise appearance Mr. Gray. I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who showed up tonight. This has been a great birthday event to Mick Master's Karaoke and we can't wait to see you guys again!" The proprietor ushered to the two stars on stage. "Why don't you two 'besties' pose together for a photo? Paparazzi are everywhere." Caleb is a genius. He saved her but and dispelled the rumors of their "scandalous relationship," all at once. 

"Sure, of course, if Star doesn't mind!" He smiled.

"I don't mind!" Star said quickly.

Star and Caleb did a few goofy poses, as "best friends" would and then headed off the stage.

"Are you going home now, Star?" Caleb asked her when the shoot was over with.

"Uhm, yeah. Probably."

"Why don't you stay a little longer? I'll buy you a drink."

"I don't really drink." She shrugged.

He let out a breath. "Neither do I, not much at least. But, I thought maybe you'd like a glass of wine or something. Come on, I'll get us some soda."

How could she say no to a face like his? She decided to stay a bit with Caleb and talk.

"Thanks a lot 'bestie'," She giggled. "You're quick with a wit aren't you?"

"Much better than Tim right? At least I didn't say we were dating."

"The world would go crazy if you said that. Did you see how that girl was grilling me on stage?"

"Some people can really be mean, I'm sorry about that. I've always tried to tell my fans that being respectful is important but some people slip through."

"You don't have to apologize Caleb. Just because she's a fan of yours and Tim's doesn't make it your responsibility. She's old enough to take responsibility for her actions."

"I guess you're right, but everytime I see you, somebody is attacking you. I can't help but feel some sort of regret."

"That's not true." She shook her head. "That first time we met, at your show, nobody knew who I was, so there wasn't a threat."

"I don't understand why you talk like that. As if you weren't anything before your fame. You're special, otherwise I don't think I would have remembered you."

"I feel the exact opposite actually." She confided in Caleb. "I feel like being a nobody was my thing. I wasn't important to everyone, but I had people who cared about my existence. My friends and my parents. Now, I'm famous, for no good reason at all, and I have tons of people who want to talk to me and who care about my existence, but I couldn't feel lonelier. Their love is surface only and the people who once cared about me before are all gone, even my parent's gave up on me, and all I have is Harper." She looked around, embarrassed that she had said all of that out loud. "Oh shoot, I forgot that paparazzi could be anywhere."

"No need to worry about it. The staff here knows me and they're very courteous. We're the only ones here right now." Star looked around, even more embarrassed. She was so fixated on Caleb that she didn't notice everyone leave. "I'm happy that you trust me enough to talk about things like this."

She nodded her head. "You have this soft presence about you. I feel like I can be very open with you." She quickly began to change the subject. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Caleb let her deviate off topic. Some people weren't comfortable sharing everything about their lives. He was just happy that for a second she was being herself. "When I was running some errands, I saw a poster with your face on it. I thought I'd come by and show my support."

"I'm glad you came. You totally saved me out there. Thank you."

"You're welcome..." He returned her smile. "You could have handled it on your own though. You were doing well from the beginning."

"You were here from the start of it all?" She gasped. "I thought you just meant that you popped in!"

"I was sitting in the back watching. I didn't really want to make my presence known because the attention might have been shifted, and it was your day not mine."

Star was about to say something when the proprietor began to shoo them out. She had a question that she needed to ask Caleb. It was important that she knew the answer but now wasn't the place or time. "I apologize you two but, it's almost two in the morning. We're closing up now."

"Thank you Nancy for everything. It was a great event as always." Caleb shook her hand.

"Thank you both for coming. We'd love to have both of you return."

They said their goodbyes and Caleb grabbed on to Star's arm lightly.

"What's up Caleb?"

"How are you getting home?"

"Oh, I'll take a taxi."

"No you won't. It's dangerous for a girl to be out so late. I'll drive you home."

"You don't have to." She shook her head. "It's really ok."

"No, come on. I'm not letting you go home alone."

Again, she couldn't say no to that face of his. The ride was filled with small talk and jokes. Caleb was such an easy person to talk to.

"Well, we're here." As Star began to open the door, Caleb stopped her. "Don't worry, I got it." He came around the side of the car and let her out.

"Caleb..." Star began. He looked at her attentively. "Why?"

"It's the gentleman thing to do that's why." He looked at her confused.

"No, not that. Why don't you hate me? Why are you being so nice? I blackmailed your best friend and the only reason he forgave me is because of you. So why do you care so much about what happens to me?"

Caleb paused for a moment to think before answering. "Tim would have forgiven you on his own, he just needed someone to push him."

"No. He was really nice about it, but he told me before that he hated me. I inconvenienced him and you can't expect me to believe that he gave up that easily can you? You coaxed him and I want to know why."

Caleb let out a sigh. "It's really late. I think you should go inside and get some rest."

"You're my idol. Everything that has happened should be a dream come true, but I just feel so screwed up inside and nobody thinks there's anything wrong with what I did. Those others don't know about what I did, but you do...why?" Star repeated in desperation.

"Your idol?" He whispered. "I..." He stopped for a minute and shook the thought out of his head. "I will tell you,  but it'll take a while and it's way too late right now. You can come over my place tomorrow, I'll pick you up."

"No!" Star answered quickly. "I uh...Tim might not like that."

"He'll probably be out with Mya. They're a thing again."

"It's ok, I rather not. You can come here tomorrow. It'll be more quiet, and I know for a fact that there won't be any paparazzi."

"Alright." He nodded. "I'll be here tomorrow around five. I can pick us up some food if you'd like."

"Don't worry about it. I'll cook something. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight Mr. Gray."

"Goodnight Star," He said softly before heading back to his car. Once he was behind the wheel again he shut his eyes tightly. He couldn't control his emotions. He had a day to figure out how to keep his feelings in check before facing Star again.

Chapter 5: It's Over

It's the chapter of the bromance.

"What the hell is all of this?" Glen asked angrily coming into the room. He held up his tablet.

"Is this a tabloid?" Tim asked, reading the headline.

"Yes, just one of the many talking about this. You guys are all over the news. Can you explain to me this? Please, because I'm dying to know." Glen wasn't happy at all, and he was warranted in that anger.

Tim looked at Glen and shrugged. "It looks like just some fun and games to me."

"Fun and games? Why don't you tell me what kind of game this is?"

"Very aggressive truth or dare?"

"CALEB!" Glen shouted.

"What?" Caleb, sighed rubbing his eyes. "I don't have any appearances today."

"Can you please explain this to me?" Glen handed Caleb the tablet. "Tim seems to think it's aggressive truth or dare."

Tim and Caleb began to laugh hysterically, obviously being on the same page.

"I'm being serious. Tell me now," Glen said sternly.

"We didn't know Mya was going to be at the party. She was a little jealous when she saw Tim with his girlfriend. She just attacked her. it wasn't Star's fault," Caleb defended.

"Ex-girlfriend." Tim corrected.

Glen closed the tab and opened a new one. "What about this one? Is this why the relationship didn't work out so well?" He showed the headline to both boys and waited for a response. "What am I looking at?"

Caleb blushed furiously. "It isn't what it looks like!"

"What the hell Caleb?" Tim said angrily.

"Ex-girlfriend?" Caleb retorted.

"So you guys don't even know what's happening. This is what I was afraid of," Glen sighed. "Sit down guys, we're going to have a talk."

"A talk? This has nothing to do with you!" Tim began to shout.

"It has everything to do with me because I'm the one who has to dig you out of this crap!" Glen shouted back.

"Tim! Calm down!" Caleb grabbed his shoulder.

"What the hell is your problem!?"

"Glen," Caleb sighed. "Can you give us a minute?"

Glen began to rub his neck nervously, "Yeah. Sure. Just don't kill each other. I need you in one piece for tomorrow's interview."

Once Glen left, Caleb turned to Tim. "Don't argue with me here, I'm going to tell you my side of the story. You're going to tell me how you feel and we'll work it out."

Tim nodded to his friend and let him continue. "You went to talk to Mya and you left angry.What happened?"

"I thought you were going to say your side first?" Tim frowned, recalling the moment.

"Well, I figured we'd work the story out together."

"She wanted to know why I never brought her to public appearances with me. I would have never brought her to this gala with me."

"You still have feelings for her don't you?" Caleb asked.

"What?" Tim blushed. "What gave you that idea?"

"For one, you're blushing, which you never do. The other thing is that, I know you. You never took her places because you didn't want her to be exploited in the papers, or taken advantage of right?" Tim only nodded. Caleb was the only one who understood him and looked passed his foul behavior.  They had much more in common than just the fame. "Why is Star different? You weren't cautious with her. Why are you dating someone you have no feelings for?"

"I do have feelings for Star!" Tim defended. He thought keeping up this image in front of Caleb would mean something. But, there was no fooling Caleb. Caleb, because of his past was able to understand and sympathise with people just a bit better than others. It was why he was so famous. No matter what life threw at him, he always took it with a smile and a warm heart.

"You don't. You were trying to make Mya jealous, but all you succeeded in was making Star look bad. You dragged her into a game she wasn't prepared to play."

"Trust me, she dragged herself into this game," Tim leaned further into the couch. He thought about exposing her to Caleb, but what would it matter. It wouldn't change anything that happened. "Besides...why do you care so much about her? You only just met her."

"I've met her before, at one of my concerts. She was telling me about how she was inspired by my music. She just seemed so real and different from the other girls who just throw themselves at me. Fans like her are the reason I do what I do. We're not very different. How she's being treated now by people is how I was being treated when I was growing up. Nobody believes in you, and it's tough. I just felt so bad for her after you blew up yesterday. I wanted her to know that everything gets better. I know that you're upset about what Mya said, but it isn't Star's fault and you need to talk to both of them."

"I didn't mean to be that harsh..." Tim shook his head. "I just...really care about Mya. I mean, look...no one has seen this before." He lifted his shirt and showed Caleb the tattoo. "This is the root of everything."

"Dude..." Caleb smiled sadly. "You're whipped. You know what you have to do now  right?" Tim shook his head. "Apologize to Star and then tell Mya how you really feel. It isn't fair that you led the poor girl on like that."

"This is so stupid....nothing worked out how I planned.I feel kind of...." he paused looking for the right word. "Ridiculous. I feel absolutely ridiculous."

"But you really shouldn't..." Caleb began.

"This is where I'm going to stop you. It's only been like a week since this has happened, but you're my best friend and I don't feel so great lying to you. Star literally means nothing to me."

"That's kind of mean, don't you think?" Caleb frowned.

"No, it isn't. She tried to blackmail me to get me to promote her as an acrobat. She was there when I got this tattoo and I was so drunk I didn't notice. So, I wanted to screw with her for even thinking about messing with my reputation. I got her the gig so I could see her fail in front of millions of people, but when it actually happened, I felt like total shit. It didn't spawn for any care for a person like her, it was me, seeing myself auditioning for these gigs where people wouldn't take me seriously and I saw the desperation in her eyes and I did something so irrational to stop the pain and I forgot we were on TV. This girlfriend thing was damage control and if this fight with Mya never happened, we'd still be pretending."

Caleb sighed. "It sounds kind of ridiculous, you understand that right?"

Tim nodded, "I know, but she really did blackmail me..."

"Not that." Caleb shook his head. "I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but the other day she called herself an idiot and said I wouldn't understand, so with this information, it makes sense. I was actually talking about how ridiculous it sounds that you don't care about her. It's only been a week, but you do care, otherwise you wouldn't have gone out of your way to help her."

"I was helping myself."

"You were helping her. Not only the television thing, but look how she went to the gala. She looked stunning. You had ample opportunity to expose her." Caleb grinned at his friend. "But you didn't"

"I dressed her like that to make Mya jealous!"

"I would believe flaunting Star would make Mya jealous, but you were hoping she'd see it in a magazine. You had no idea Mya was going to actually be there. Otherwise, you'd have thought about staying home and you showed no hesitation. You like her."

"I tolerate her, but I don't like her. It's different."

"Aww my little boy is so cute!" Caleb grinned, poking fun at his friend.

"Just stop...!" He turned away in embarrassment. Caleb was the only person he'd let speak to him like that and the only person he'd actually be 100% with. Why? Because Caleb was real. He understood Tim and he never once judged him or hoped for his failure. Caleb didn't care about Tim's status and never once tried to use him. Tim knew he could be hard to deal with at times and he wondered why Caleb even put up with him.

"Alright, alright. Get your stuff, we're going to go talk to Star. We can't just leave her upset like that. She needs some sort of closure. An official end to the charade."

"Wait...she blackmailed me! You're condoning this?" Tim cried.

Caleb shook his head. "You of all people should know how tough it is to get to this point. She wants to be taken seriously and she can't, because of people like us. We're distracting the world from the small talent because of how big our fame is. Our presence is overpowering. I got extremely lucky to get to this point. I didn't have to work nearly as hard as you did for the fame--"

"But you had a lot to overcome, things that I didn't have to. You got tortured growing up, give yourself some credit. Overcoming all of that is incredible."

"It wasn't that bad. Yeah, I didn't have any friends growing up but I had an amazing family that supported me. I pretty much sailed through the audition process. It was pure luck. But stop changing the subject, we need to talk to her."

"I don't understand why you aren't upset!"

"You didn't see how upset she was Tim. She was falling apart after you yelled at her. The sparkle in her eyes I saw when I first met her was gone. I remember it clearly. She was one of those fans who was genuinely touched by my work. I'd never expected to see her again. Especially not like this. I don't know her that well, or her story. But I know one thing. She regrets everything that happened. She was a broken girl when I saw her and if she only cared about getting ahead, she wouldn't have even been upset by your words. I know it's ridiculous to think I'd be this forgiving, but something in my gut is telling me that with her...there's more than what's at the surface."

Tim sighed. "You really care about me apologizing, don't you?"

He nodded, "I really do."

"Let's go then. I have her number, we'll find her."

Star was enjoying a day at the beach. After the events of last night, the world was abuzz. Star honestly didn't care what the world thought. They were debating over a fake relationship that meant nothing. Tim was obviously in love with Mya. She wasn't stupid. She saw how he couldn't keep his eyes off of her slim figure at the party. It wasn't a look of hunger, like some of the other men at the party. It was different. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew he would never give that look to her. She didn't deserve it. Not from him, or anyone. Star sat by the water, looking out to the sea. Everyone around her seemed to be wrapped up in their own world. It seemed as if nobody in Starlight Shores gave a damn about celebrities. If thats what you wanted to call her. She was thankful for that. All of the hype seemed to be taking place in other neighborhoods. She was not thrilled to Harper this morning telling her she wasn't in the mood to talk about the gala and that she'd get back to her when she was feeling better. Harper respected it and gave her the distance she needed.

Star scrunched her eyes at the screen. Tim Levesque. She groaned, thinking about all the things he would say to her. It was a disaster, and though she didn't do anything wrong at the gala, she had messed up royally by attempting to blackmail him and she knew she would pay for it.

"What do you want?" She sighed irritatedly.

"To talk, in person. I want to know where you are."

"I don't really want to see you."

"I know. I wouldn't want to see me either. I was a jerk to you last night because I was upset. I....well this is hard to say, but...Caleb, relax! I'm going to tell her."

"What is going on over there?"

"Caleb thinks I'm not going to tell you why I was such a jerk last night. But, I will man, so back off. I really care about Mya so losing her made me freak out."

"I already knew that Tim. It was obvious. But, if all you called for was an apology, than I guess I accept it. I'm sorry for everything I did as well. I'll be the one to break up the relationship and look like the bad guy online. I'll tweet something about how I thought you had too much baggage or something and make me look really snobby. Tell Caleb thank you from me. It was nice knowing you both for a few days."

As Star was about to hang up, Tim began to speak."Damn it Star. You're so annoying. Can we just talk in person? I don't want to end it like this and I don't think Caleb will let me either."

"He's right!" Caleb called from the background. "Just talk it out! For me, Star!"

"Ughhh, fine!" Star sighed. "I can't really say no to Caleb. I don't know if he told you, but I'm a fan of his work."

"Yeah, he mentioned it. So, tell us where you are."

"I'm at the beach. you guys can meet me here, it's getting pretty late so theres no barely anyone around. I don't want to risk paparazzi anymore. I saw some pretty nasty headlines this morning."

"We'll be there soon. Give us fifteen minutes, alright?"

"Yes, see you soon."

Star had bounced back to her things and began to dry off. She hadn't really been expecting a call from Tim. Caleb wasn't kidding when he said he'd talk to him. Despite his concern for her, she thought he was just putting on a show to create more publicity. She was finding it hard to believe that he was a real person and not hiding behind a mask.

She turned around at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Hey Star." Caleb smiled sweetly.

"Hi Caleb...!" Star blushed furiously. She was human and seeing Caleb triggered last night's memories. His comforting arms around her were enough to make her swoon. Meeting him did not take away her crush on him, it only intensified it.

"Star." Tim acknowledged her existence.

"Tim." She imitated.

"You have something to say, right?" Caleb pushed his arm lightly.

"Uhh...right. Sorry, about last night.It was uncalled for.I was inexcusably rude and I have no right to treat a woman like that. So, I apologize. I didn't mean to even get you in this mess in the first place."

"I accept your apology and I appreciate the thought Tim, but it's unnecessary. It's all my fault. I can't sit here and lie in front of my favorite singer. This is not who I am. I've been blackmailing Tim this entire time, and it was stupid of me and I didn't mean for any of it to happen. I just wasn't happy being pushed around in the stupid salon I was working in. I studied for four years in college for some stupid arts degree that nobody cares about and I'm making enough money just to survive. I don't even have my parent's support! Coming out here was supposed to be exciting and full of adventure and I saw an opportunity and I took it. I wasn't thinking and I dug my own grave, so let me lay in it. Please, don't yell at me. You can put any charges against me, just please, save my ego. I've been embarrassed enough," Star begged.

"Star, Caleb already knows. You don't think I would lie to my best friend, do you?"


"Waaiit! Don't kick me while I'm down! You told me I couldn't tell anyone!" Star cried,

"Caleb found out right before we came here. I didn't feel right about all of this. And, I'm not going to turn you in or embarrass you." 

"Wait, why not? I deserve it!"

"I'll give you guys a minute?" Caleb asked, taking a step back. Tim nodded in response.

"Star Upton, you're a crazy person. I'm convinced. There's no doubt about it. You blackmailed one of the most famous stars in the world today."

"And that famous star isn't pressing charges, so who is crazier?" She cracked a small smile.

"The truth is this. Caleb really sees something in you. He's convinced that there's a method behind your madness. He was right. What you just said, all of it. I understand. I wasn't born this famous. I know, it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. I had to work my ass off to impress the directors. Not even other actors took me seriously. I'm not saying what you did was right, but I do understand why you did what you did. If you want to make an honest living and have people like you, you need to be real with them. I know I'm the last to talk, but my fans, they don't like me, they like the character that the media has created. You don't want fake fans like that. You want to aspire to be someone like Caleb, who has fans like you. You had a lasting effect on him because his music had one on you. I haven't  met a fan like that."

Star wiped a falling tear from her eye. "It's a happy tear, I swear. My friend, Harper, she loves you so much. She has practically memorized all of the movies you've been in and she watches all of your interviews. She thinks you're incredible and it isn't because you're a pretty face. I mean, yeah, she thinks you're hot, but thats a bonus for her. Just, be this nice guy all the time."

"I'd like to meet Harper one day then." He grinned.

"Trust me, she'd love that. Thank you so much Tim. I apologize for everything I've done to you and I'm just really happy you understand where I'm coming from. I didn't expect you to forgive me, I just wanted you to hear me out and ... just thank you!"

"Listen, I better get going. I've got to prepare this speech for an interview I'm doing tomorrow. I won't make you look bad, I'll just say it was a conflict of interests."

"Goodbye Tim." She gave a slight wave. Tim smiled before turning to Caleb and motioning for them to leave.

"Bye Star!" Caleb called out with a wave. "Don't ever compromise on who you are!" 

"Thank you Caleb!" She waved to him.

She packed up and decided to head home too. She picked up her phone to see how many missed messages she had. Zero. The only person who would actually do that was Harper, and Star told her to give her some space. Star slid down into the corner and shut her eyes. She had just been let off the hook for something that would have gotten her some serious jail time. She could continue living in Starlight Shores, Tim wasn't going to sell her out to the media. She could use this small publicity Tim had given has a kickstart for her career. Everything had worked out in the end, but she wasn't happy. She just felt more empty and alone. Tim's goodbye wasn't a "see you soon" it was the end of a chapter. She would no longer communicate with Tim or even Caleb. Yes, Tim was an incredible jerk, but today she saw a different side of him. Caleb, she had always liked him and meeting him didn't disappoint. She knew it was irrational to think anything more would come from a situation like this, especially since she committed a crime. She should just be happy that she wasn't getting penalized for her actions. She tried to shake the thought from her head but she couldn't. She was so close to them but she couldn't feel farther away.

Chapter 4: The Gala

Warning! There is language that some might not be comfortable with, ahead! It is nothing too bad (to me), and show's up very briefly.

The sun was shining and there was a light crisp breeze coming into the empty apartment. It was a beautiful day but Star felt like absolute crap. Today was the day of the big gala. What for? Some endangered species fund. It was a great cause, but Star didn't belong there with the rich elite of society. She saw herself helping the cause on the ground, rather than at a distance with people dishing out money to maintain their reputation. Tim had no interest in what his money was getting put towards. Glen made the plans and Tim made the appearance...and now apparently, Star had to show face too.

Star's phone had rung for the fifteenth time in the past hour. She had turned her phone off last night to avoid having to talk to Harper. Tim had warned her not to speak about the ordeal to anyone including her best friend who practically worshiped the ground that he walked on. 

"Hello?" She had to deal with it eventually. It was better to sort this out with Harper now than to have it on her mind later.

"Jeez Star, are you alright!? I thought you died, you haven't been answering any of my calls!" Harper practically shouted.

"I know, I know. Things have been extremely hectic. I don't know if you saw Morning on the Shores but..."

"OH. I SAW IT ALRIGHT. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT. FIRST OF ALL,YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME YOU WERE GOING TO BE ON THE SHOW. I WAS WATCHING FOR TIM AND MY SURPRISE WHEN I SEE HIS ARMS AROUND YOU!" Star could just imagine Harper stomping around her room, arms flailing. 

"I understand that you're mad but..."

"Mad? Who's mad? This is amazing!" Harper gushed. "My best friend's picture is all over the internet! Do you know how many people started to follow you on Tweeter? Over 2,000 in the first few minutes of the announcement!" 

"Really?" She was shocked. Tim was really that powerful? Her popularity, according to Harper, had skyrocketed!

"Yes! So tell me, are you and Tim really dating? How did you guys meet? Is he a good kisser!?"

"Breathe Harper. I'll tell you from the beginning." It was time to put her A+ in Creative Writing to good use. "Do you remember how I told you that I worked in a salon?" She had kept in contact with Harper on a daily basis but never mentioned anything about Tim because she didn't want her behavior to change. She was Star's lifeline, her only friend.

"Yeah, Barney's Salon right?"

"Yupp,well Tim came in one day for a quick trim. You know split ends and all that. I was the one who swept up his blonde locks. Later on we bumped into each other at Flying V's Coffee House and he paid for my drink. After that, we just kept seeing each other everywhere. I told him about my dream and he could relate because of how he started as an up and coming actor. We fell in love, and he got me this opportunity." It felt so weird for her to say that she loved him. "He's going to make it out to be much more glamorous on TV, but I couldn't lie to you." Sorry Harper. I hope you'll understand.

"Wow, Tim sounds like such an incredible guy!" Don't make me laugh. "Can you get me his autograph? You know how much I love him!"

"Of course I will. I've told him about you, he's glad to have such a dedicated fan." Star felt terrible. Harper was so genuine and truth be told, she doubted Tim would even care about singling out a fan.

"Oh my gosh! I love you forever Star. I hope I get to meet him one day! What about Caleb Gray!? Did you meet him again?"

"No. He's really busy all the time so we've yet to cross paths. I haven't even told Tim about my semi-obsession with Caleb." Ding Ding Ding. She hasn't lost her ability to tell the truth! "I have to go get ready for this party tonight. Tim wants me to get my hair done."

"Aww alright. Call me later! I want to hear all about it!"

They said their goodbyes and Star collapsed onto the bed. "That was exhausting. I don't know how long I can keep this up."

"Is this really necessary?" This was the fifth dress Star had tried on."The party is tonight.I'll wear whatever you give me."

"No, don't be silly. My girlfriend will be the most gorgeous girl at this entire event. I won't settle for anything less. Marcela, bring these to the front. We're getting all of them."

"All of them!?" Star's eyes widened. "It's one party!"

"Trust me, there will be more parties."

"Let him spoil you Sweetheart. It's not often Tim flaunts his arm candy. He never did that for the last girl," Marcela interjected. 

"Mya?" Star said absentmindedly. Upon realization, she instantly covered her mouth. 

"Wow, Tim you're that into this girl that you told her about Mya?" 

Tim tensed up. "Uh, yeah. Hurry up and pay for that so we can get her hair and makeup done." Once Marcela was gone, Tim shot Star an angry look. "Don't overstep your boundary. Mya is a topic thats off limits. Don't get too comfortable, or I'll expose you." He whispered the last part.

"Uh, sorry! You're right. I appreciate what you're doing." She knew he was protecting his reputation first and foremost but it was benefiting her immensely. He could have been treating her much worse. Or, she was just trying to convince herself that what was going on was right.

"Oh! So gorgeous!" Marcela gushed.

"Thanks..." Star blushed. Looking in the mirror exposed a stranger. Rather than her usually lax clothing, Star was wearing a gorgeous gown, diamond necklace and expensive heels, all totalling to over $1,000. Star would have never been able to produce this look for herself. Having MArcela poke and prod at her body wasn't something she'd ever think she'd be able to get used to. She looked like a Star, but she didn't feel like one. She would have been fine with a cheaper dress and less makeup. Alas, she wasn't dressing up for her. Star was dressing up for Tim. A lot was riding on her appearance alone and it disgusted her.

"What's wrong? You actually look decent for once," Tim remarked, once Marcela was out of earshot.

"Gee, thanks?" 

"Seriously though, is it the hair? Marcela can come and re-do it..."

"How important is it that I look like this?" She motioned towards her outfit.

"Extremely. You don't get gigs off of talent alone. You have to have the look."

"But...can't you change that? You have such big influence on people. If you showed up in casual clothes once and a while wouldn't people follow your lead?"

"If I did that, I'd be out of a job. No job means no fans." Tim shrugged as if it was that obvious. "This is what it's like being a star. There are so many of you newcomers who think they're cut out for the business that eventually just quit because it's too demanding. You have to keep up appearances and EVERYTHING gets critiqued."

Star sighed unhappily at her reflection. When she had first tried on the dress, she felt beautiful. Now, standing next to Tim, it felt unnatural.

Tim held up his phone and shook it in. "He's here, let's go."

"Who's here?" A bewildered Star asked.

"Caleb, he's coming with."

"Caleb Gray!?" Star began to mentally panic. The pressure of the entire event was enough on it's own. This made it ten times worse. She just couldn't look him in the eyes and she would be fine.

"Yeah, he's just as famous as I am. Let's go."

There he was in all his glory, Caleb Gray. Star took a deep breath and followed Tim's lead into the limo.

"What's up man?" Tim grinned, punching his arm playfully.

"Not much has happened in a few hours," Caleb smirked.

Star watched the two banter, in amazement. Tim was acting like a human being for once. It was weird. Suddenly she felt a gaze on her.

"So you're not going to introduce me to your date?" Caleb asked.

"You saw Morning on the Shores," Tim shrugged. False alarm. He was still a jerkazoid.

"Don't be so rude." He extended his hand out. "I'm Caleb, what can I call you?"

Tim rolled his eyes at the unnecessary politeness. He didn't understand Caleb. He already knew her name from all of the hype.

"Oh, um...I'm Star Upton," She said sheepishly.

Caleb was deep in thought for a moment. "I feel like I've seen you somewhere before..."

"Oh, um...maybe it was someone else?" Yeah right, like Star would let Tim know she was at Caleb's concert.

"Yeah, maybe." He shrugged. The rest of the car ride consisted of small talk. Caleb was really nice, deflecting all of Tim's negativity. She saw him as a human being and not some celebrity machine. It felt more natural for her to be laughing with Caleb than "shopping" with Tim.

When they arrived at the gala, Tim had taken over the job of gentleman. he treated her like a complete princess when he saw a camera nearby. When there wasn't, he'd loosen his grip on her waist and opt out for something with much less contact. The entirety of the event felt so forced. She smiled sweetly at all of Tim's friends and spoke highly to all of them. They were certainly impressed with Star. It had all been going well (for Tim at least) until a certain woman called Tim over.

Tim, Star and Caleb ventured towards the seated female.

"Oh my gosh, you guys clean up well. And is this your girlfriend?" Her voice was sickly sweet.

"Mhmm. I'm the luckiest guy of the evening," He laced his fingers with Star's. She forced a polite smile. "Star is amazing." For some reason he was laying on the flirting really thick.

"Caleb, no date for you?"

"Yeah, after what happened last time? No way." 

She let out a melodious laugh. "It wasn't that bad!"

Star had felt so out of place. They all seemed to know each other for a while.

"My name is Mya. Has this knucklehead talked about me?" Tim shot her a glance and Star laughed nervously. She didn't know what to do. A yes would prompt questions, but a no would look bad for Tim. All she knew was that Mya was strictly off limits to her, yet here she was."It's alright, Tim never really liked showing me off to the world anyway," She sighed.

Star wondered why that was. Mya was stunning. She was the exact opposite of what she was picturing. In her small golden dress, she was the picture perfect hollywood starlet. She was the definition of trophy wife. She was a conversation piece and she knew it.

"Let's not talk about that here," Tim said calmly.

She jumped from her seat and pointed at star accusingly. "What gives her the right to be paraded around?"

"Mya, please," Tim begged.

"No Tim." She stated sharply. "I saw her routine on TV, she was terrible. Why would you even promote her? I know the real reason you're with her, and let me tell you one thing...I promise she's not better than me in bed."

"Wait a second..." Star tried to speak up.

"You attention stealing ho!" She shouted as she clutched Star's neck tightly. Star could feel the air leaving her lungs. What the heck was going on? This Mya girl was a psycho! Tim had some unresolved problems and now Star was a part of it. Caleb and Tim pulled the girl's apart. Tim took hold of Mya's arm and dragged her to a secluded area of the venue. That left Star and Caleb alone.

"What the hell?" Star said angrily, rubbing her neck.

"I'm so sorry, she was never like that!" Caleb apologized.

"Why are you apologizing? She was Tim's ex-girlfriend."

"Yeah, but I already know that Tim isn't going to apologize, and it's rude to just let you go on thinking that all get togethers will be like this."

"I hope they aren't..." She felt herself frowning. She was having a miserable time.

"Let's go see if Tim handled everything."

"Well, have a good life without me. No more booty calls," Mya said harshly as she strutted away from Tim.

"Tim..." Star said softly.

"What the hell do you want?" He growled. How convenient, the paparazzi disappeared when Tim was a acting like a jerk.

"I just wanted to see if everything was alright..."

"I told you Mya was off limits!"

"I didn't even know that was Mya and you brought us over there!" Star defended.

"You didn't even handle that like a real girlfriend should have!"

"What did you want me to do? Sit there and be your therapist, while you two worked out your problems? I'm your girlfriend, I shouldn't have to witness that." 

"Don't make me laugh," He said bitterly. "You're nothing but a piece of mooching trash. Why don't you go back to your stupid little cleaning job and stay out of my life? Mya is more important to me than you'll ever be and thanks to this little outburst, she hates me!"

Star felt tears form in her eyes. She bit back a sob and ran.

"Why are you being so mean?" Was the last thing she heard as she ran from the reception hall.

She hated herself more than anything right now. She was running again. She couldn't face the gig and she tried to leave. Now, she couldn't even stand up to Tim. She had so much she had wanted to say to him. She wanted to yell at him for being such a selfish monster, but she couldn't find the words. Having Caleb and Tim stare at her was enough to make her nervous. She pushed passed people who watched her in amazement. She was showing an emotion, something those dolls weren't used to. The stress of it all was too much for her. She'd only been "dating" Tim for one day but she was way over her head. Thoughts pounded her head and all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. Somehow, she thought that Tim and her were actually becoming friends, that maybe, by some twist of fate she meant something to him. But obviously she hadn't.

"Wait up!" She heard faint footsteps and loud panting. "This outfit isn't meant for running!"

Star tried to outrun her pursuer but it was to no avail. She couldn't pick up her speed in heels.

A pair of strung arms wrapped around her torso and held her tightly. "I hope you don't think this is weird, but you looked like you needed a hug."

"Caleb?" Star asked in shock. She held her breath for a moment, afraid to even move.

"I don't know why Tim is being so harsh to you, when none of this is your fault."

"It is my fault. I'm an idiot!" She sobbed into his arms,

"No, you're not." He shook his head. "Tim was out of line. You didn't know that this was going to happen."

"I am an idiot and you'll never understand why!" She shouted, tearing herself away from the singer. She didn't feel like she deserved to be coddled. All of this was ultimately her fault. None of this would have happened if she didn't blackmail Tim.

"Maybe I won't understand, but I can't sit back and let my best friend be a jerk to an amazing girl."

"Stop with your rehearsed speeches!" She said angrily. "You don't even know me! You can't say I'm amazing!"

Caleb grabbed her hand in his. "All of my fans are amazing."

"What?"

"I remember you. You were telling me about how my music had helped you through some tough times in your life.We got cut off last time by my manager. We have some time now, why don't you tell me all about it?" Normally she'd be ecstatic to hear that her favorite singer had remembered meeting her, and even more that he was consoling her. Now, she was just feeling pain and regret, so strong that nothing else mattered.

"Maybe some other time. I just want to go home." She wiped her eyes with the hand that wasn't in Caleb's.

"I can help you with that. Let's go. I'll talk to Tim, we'll get everything sorted out tomorrow." Star sighed. Caleb really was amazing. This moment was playing over in her head for years, but now that it was coming true, she was dreadful. Tim would no doubt tell Caleb all about how she was a despicable person, and he'd hate her for sure. He was the only nice person she had met in Starlight Shores, and probably the last because soon she'd be a public outcast.
___________________________
AN: So, this story may seem like it's moving fast but remember, it's a short series lasting only about ten chapters!

Chapter 3: Uh-Oh!

Star had been awoken by Caleb’s melodious voice. “Look in your heart…”

“Ughh…Caleb. I love you but damn it’s way too early to be hearing your voice,” Star mumbled, trying to find her phone to stop it from ringing. Who was calling her this early? Unknown number. “Probably somebody trying to sell me something.” She slid the end button across her phone, jumped back in bed and closed her eyes only to be awoken by the same thing. Unknown number.

She answered it angrily. “Hello?”

“Morning Sunshine.” The cheerful voice rang through her ears.

It took a minute to realize who exactly the voice belonged to. “Please don't tell me…” 

“It’s me, the one and only Tim Levesque.” Star couldn't help but be suspicious of the young superstar. She rubbed her eyes. She must have been dreaming. There was no way Tim Levesque had called her. She never even gave him her number in the first place. “Wondering how I got your number?” She could practically feel him smirking on the other side of the phone.

“Yeah. Kind of. More importantly, why are you calling me so damn early?” Star grumbled. Celebrity or not, Star was no morning person and Tim was not exempt from her cranky wrath.

“Are you kidding? I'm filthy stinking rich, so getting your number was as easy as getting any other girl’s number.”

“So…you stalk all the girls you like?” Star joked.

“I don’t like you. At all. But…unfortunately I made a deal with the devil and she has something I want. So, I’m calling because I’m keeping my end of the bargain. You said you wanted some publicity right? Well, hurry up and get dressed. I’ll be waiting for you outside of your house in ten minutes. You'll be performing on Morning in the Shores.”

“Wait…what?” Star was taken aback. “Do you know how many people watch that show? I can't do that. I haven't prepared anything! I’m not ready for that.”

“Some people would kill to get the opportunity you're getting right now. I’m giving you what you want. Don't be mad that you have to earn it. Think of it this way. If you fail, people will still be talking about you.”

“I don't want people to be talking about my mistakes!” Star cried out. "That wasn't part of the deal!"

“All publicity is good publicity. But keep in mind if you can't deliver then people will realize you're a fraud.”

“I'm not a fraud. I'm good at what I do. I'm positive that this is my calling,” Star answered.

“So, blackmailing someone to get what you want doesn't make you a fraud?” His frankness hit her like a bullet.

“You don't understand what it’s like down here on the bottom…” Star mumbled.

“Whatever. Don't try to justify yourself. Just get dressed and I'll be there soon.” With that he hung up and left Star to her own devices. She felt sick to her stomach. This wasn't who she was. Using Tim’s attitude as a scapegoat for her actions was wrong. But…the end would justify the means right? Maybe Tim and her would become friends or something and he'd forget all this ever happened. She could hope. Right?

Star quickly rummaged through her dresser for something even remotely TV worthy. She hadn't exactly had the time or funds to prepare for something like this. She had normally been doing her routines with a leotard and some face paint. Star never thought that she'd get this far in this short of time, so her outfit was the least of her problems. She had no other choice but to pack it and hope nobody noticed any imperfections in it. It wasn't flash, but it had character. Her phone began ringing again, it was Tim telling her to "hurry her ass up." She looked out her window and he had indeed been there. Was this really happening? Was this what she had to do all along? 

Star was greeted by Tim's wandering eyes. Any other girl would have loved to be in this situation. Except, Star was sure that if it was any other girl he wouldn't have a look of pure disgust on his face.
"Good thing I hired a stylist for the gig."

"Hey!" Star protested. "What's that supposed to mean? I don't need a stylist!" 

"Well you don't look like you're performing on Starlight Shore's most popular television program."

"My outfit is in here actually." Star held up a bulky paper bag.

"Leave that here, you won't need it. My reputation is on the line. I can't let you go on stage dressed like you're going to the gym or something. My stylist, Marcela is good. She's worked with Katy Belinda for years." Tim casually name dropped as if it wasn't a big deal. Oh yeah, he wasn't a normal human being. How could anyone forget? Celebrity counted as their own category.

"The talk show host, Katy Belinda!?" Her mouth was agape.

"The one and only. So put that bag over there and get in the car."

"But--I can't just leave my only performance outfit in the front of my house! Anyone can take it."

"It doesn't matter. Marcela has a whole wardrobe prepared for you."

"It matters to me. It isn't just something so easily disposed. It's got my memories
 sewn into it." She pulled her keys from her bag. "I'll use your stylist, but my suit is going inside where it belongs."

"Fine. But keep this in mind. You play by my rules, and I'll play by yours. We'll both get what we want." He said, suddenly serious. The ride to the studio was otherwise silent.

"Are you sure this is alright? I mean it's kind of...flashy." Star nervously looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't recognize herself. She still wore her hair up, but it was much more tidy and decorated. Her locks fell to her back in loose curls.Much more of her figure was shown than she'd like. Her long legs were bare, and her chest tightly bound in a corset. "I mean..I don't even know if it's possible to perform in this."

"Sweetheart, why do you hide such beautiful features behind such horrendous clothing? You're a gorgeous young lady, sure to dazzle all who watch the show. As for wardrobe malfunctions, do not worry your pretty little head about any of that. All of my costumes are performance ready. This is truly a masterpiece. I have outdone myself this time, darling. TIm must like you a lot to arrange this. What a nice boy."

Well this nice boy Marcela was talking about wasn't exactly nice...and he didn't really like Star too much, or at all even. "Uhh...I guess?" Star laughed nervously.

"You're on in five minutes Star!" A voice chimed through the speakers around the stylist building. All of the amenities had been located indoors, but the actual show was taped outside in one of Starlight Shore's biggest parks.It was free to attend which is why many spent their mornings there on their way to work. 

"No! I just got here!" Star began to freak out, "I don't know if I can do it!"

"Mr. Levesque wouldn't put you up there if he wasn't sure you could handle the pressure. You'll be fine." Marcela wagged a finger at the young girl. "So at least show the world your smile."

Yeah...you really don't know Mr. Levesque.

Star looked around nervously. There were so many people in the audience, even more watching live at home. She swallowed hard. She could do this. This was her dream. She stared into the vast crowd of cheerful faces, waiting for a performance. She hadn't once thought of what she would do once her feet hit the stage. 

"Do something!" Someone yelled.

"Stop standing there!"

The crowd erupted in loud whispers. "How did she land this gig anyway?" 

"Uhmm, hi everyone. My name is Star Upton. I hope you guys enjoy my show..erm I mean routine!" Star stuttered. There were too many people with eyes on her. She shut her eyes tightly and turned around. She started with a handstand and then began to do more elaborate stunts. She was about to land a front flip when her world came crashing down around her. 

She had miscalculated and fell. The stage was padded and posed no actual threat to her physical being. The only thing hurt was her pride. She got up quickly and looked around. For the most part the crowd looked unaffected except for a few who couldn't hold back their snickers. 

Tim watched on in absolute horror. He was hoping she'd fail, and get a taste of what it felt like to be humiliated. Then she'd leave him alone. What he expected to be satisfaction was guilt and regret. The audience was told to be still and silent at the mishap, but he knew how cruel people could be. It had happened to him countless times. He was lucky to have not experienced a blunder on live TV as of yet. He was used to the editing out of his imperfections. But here was this girl, facing rejection on a massive scale. In a few seconds her fall would be all over the internet, people would be trashing her and sharing laughter at her expense. Tim watched the girl, on the verge of tears, try to run off the stage. She wasn't a professional. Nobody told her to continue on with the show. She was shutting down and trying to escape the world and it was partly his fault. She was the one blackmailing him, why did he feel so bad?

Tim ran part way up the stage to stop the shaken girl. It was as if he had forgotten about the cameras and the curious onlookers. He grabbed her hands and spoke softly to her. She was just a performer like him, trying to make it in the business. He was just beginning to understand. "Hey, it's one performance."

"Are you kidding? I made you look like an idiot. You vouched for me and I couldn't even deliver...I'm a fraud." She cried softly. 

The people leaned in trying to hear what was going on, to no avail. Neither of them had microphones and they were both practically whispering. 

"You're not a fraud...there's a ton of other negative things I'd call you, but a fraud isn't one of them. It's my fault. I threw you in there too prematurely."

Star cried even harder. "I'll never make it in the business! I was stupid to even come to Starlight Shores. My parents were right. You were right. The audience is right. I need to get a new dream.."

"Look at me, Star." He tilted her chin. "It gets better, I promise."

The television host bounced back on stage and began to cheer. "Alright ladies and gentleman, there you have it. Looks like Tim Levesque is off the market!"

"What?" Star asked, shocked.

"Tim...you don't have to hide it. Your fans know that a guy like you can't stay single for long. It's so cute that your girlfriend was so nervous to impress you that she messed up."

"Right..." Tim mumbled, pushing Star backwards protectively.

"Aww, they're so cute, aren't they? You've heard it here first on Morning on the Shores! Until tomorrow!"

Tim didn't wait for the host to step down. As soon as the cameras cut, he grabbed Star's arms dragged her to his car. They were going to get out of here before they were swarmed with paparazzi.

"What just happened!?" Star asked in disbelief.

"Great, just great. I thought I'd be rid of you after that one show," Tim sighed, obviously irritated.

"Hey! This is your fault technically. I thought you were the professional, why did you grab me?"

"Because...for one second I remembered what it was like being this hopeful kid trying to make it big in the industry, I remembered how scared I was to take the leap of faith and how ruthless people can be. They want to see you fail. So, excuse me for being a human being."

"Thank you..." Star whispered. "I appreciate that. Even if your intention wasn't with me in mind. You  lessened the blow and you didn't have to. I'm the one making your life hell. I'm sorry. I won't show that picture to anyone."

"It's a little too late for that. Do you know anything that the media says about me?" Star shook her head no. "I'm elusive to the media when it comes to my personal life.  I'm trying to protect the people I care about and my privacy. That's not so unreasonable is it?"

"It's not. But...what do we do now? Damage control? You go on a talk show and clear all this up?"

"No. It's not that simple. They'll look further into the situation and you'll be exposed even more."

"So what? It was my choice. I did this to myself." Star shrugged.

"You'll get blacklisted. Normally, I wouldn't care, but this is kind of my fault so, I have an idea that'll work for both of us. You may not like it..."

Star shook her head. "No...I will not pretend to be your girlfriend for the media."

"Why not? Do you know the amount of publicity that you'll get? Trust me...it'll all be worth it. You won't look like an idiot either because I don't want to be seen with one. It's a win win. Unless you have another idea?"

When they reached the house Star sat as far from Tim as she could, opting for a separate couch altogether. They had been discussing several options before being interrupted by the presence of Tim's manager.

"Hello there young lady. Tim." Glen nodded in acknowledgement of them both and settled in the recliner between the two. "Whats this I hear about a new relationship?"

"You heard about it already?" Tim sighed in annoyance.

"Are you kidding? I heard about it mere seconds after it happened. You know you're not supposed to do publicity stunts without contacting your manager right? There is a such thing as bad publicity. What you did had the potential to ruin your career. Explain to me what you're trying to achieve by bringing this girl into the light?"

Star sat quietly and watched the two. Tim's manager had found them out so easily, there was no doubt others would as well.

"I'm not trying to do anything," Tim defended. "This isn't a game where you get to control my life. I love Star....there's nothing more to it than that. I couldn't stand seeing her upset after messing up her routine so I jumped in."

"Star? Why does that name sound so familiar? You can't be the girl we were going to hire to clean the house, can you? Oh goodness Tim, what are you doing?"

"Why do you think I won't let her clean the house..." Tim sent a playful smirk her way. Even she was convinced he was in love with her. He was a terrific actor.

He stood in front of her, eyes gazing into her own. He grabbed her hand and led her to the couch next to him. She saw why so many girls swooned over him. She was seeing a different side of him. He took his acting seriously. He pulled her on the couch next to him and held her face lightly. Just as Tim was about to crash his lips onto hers, Glen stood up. "Ok, I get it. You know that gala you're attending tomorrow night? Make sure you bring her with you. I'll go call everyone and let them know."

When he left, Tim released her quickly and Star slid to the far right of the couch.

"Don't be mistaken Star, I still don't like you at all."

"I know, but your intention wasn't selfish earlier, at least not for a few seconds." She smirked at him. "The great Tim Levesque does have a heart."

"Yeah yeah. Just try not to really fall in love with me."

"You were the one about to kiss me," she corrected.

"One of us has to be convincing." Tim said before gathering his car keys. "Let's go...we have a gala to shop for. You're my date and you have to be the most stunning one there."

"Alright King Levesque." Star rolled her eyed and followed him. Why...why was she doing this? More importantly, what would Harper think?

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Next chapter we'll see the return of Caleb and Harper. Wonder whats in store for Star at the gala?