Shadowed By Her, Now Free

architect of her fame, ghostwriting her witty caption

nnounced her new brand deal, her arm l

find your own spotlight,

a gentle nudge, landed like a phys

ting for me to nod, to accept my

ing inside

cutting through the cel

erfect smi

our posts, done composing your j

e gracious influencer rep

' !" she hissed. "I'

. She shoved me, then roared, "Your parents gave me

d my sanctuary invad

ized vintage Martin guitar, another gigg

I called 911, Brody snatc

s just because his parents have money,"

p sting as she slapped me, the meta

bed a bottle of sticky red liqu

ted, phones flashing, r

er' s hand-carved wooden bird neck

as just some trinket she found l

top making a scene over nothing.

most precious thing I owne

. "That was my mother' s. It w

"You shut your mouth!" she

pen laptop. "His laptop is still on.

application

ng against the men holding m

with a cruel smile, clicked, erasing

, holding up my laptop before

liced my cheek, the warm trick

s in fifteen minutes," Brod

e d

the basement u

. My deepest

asement. Do anything else. Ple

sealed my fate: "He'

hardened to st

ling, pleading, towards

king stairs, landing on

lammed shu

ck echoed in the su

ousekeeper, explaining she' d found me

appen. We brought a monster i

ad. She didn' t

r from Juilliard two months

ed last night was the last b

d was declined. She tried to call me.

I was play

"You are the protagonist of your own life.

broke, would keep waiting f