“Oh God,” Andrew says. He looks a little pale. “This is out of control.”
“Andrew, it’s my fault I trusted someone like Ruby. She was too new and too green for this — she didn’t understand what was at stake,” Derek says. He turns to Naomi, “I will do whatever I have to do to keep Andrew’s name and personal life out of the media. Your client destroyed that by sneaking around and getting caught by the paparazzi.”
Naomi leans across the table. “My client did no such thing. She ran into a friend from school and visited a writer from her movie. She had legitimate reasons to see both of them. Your client was caught out with the wrong person. Someone he doesn’t want to be seen with in public. Stop acting like you have the upper hand.”
“A friend from school,” he rolls his eyes, “sure. An ex-boyfriend. And Gabe? Those two have been flirting for months. Anyone on set can attest to that. I’d take bets they’ve been sleeping together this entire time. Ruby has been using Andrew to boost her image and career.”
“Flirting! That is not true.” Is it?
Naomi shoots me a look. “You’re joking, right? Boosting her image? You started this, Derek. You need to own it. Your client’s personal life is a time bomb waiting to explode. You need to figure out a better plan for him. Banking on an 18-year-old, first-time actress to sweep his dirt under the rug was a bad move on your part.”
“Stop.” Andrew holds his hands up, but it’s useless. Derek has a plan for my ultimate celebrity demise.
“A cover story goes out tomorrow in Celeb Magazine about Ruby breaking Andrew’s heart, and how he went to his old friend James to talk about his sorrow. James, who happens to be working here on his own project. This will get his movie some extra promo tied to Andrew’s name. There is no way anyone from James’ project will object. Photos will be included of Ruby sneaking in and out of Gabe’s home, plus one of her canoodling her ex-boyfriend in the parking lot of the Mini-Market.”
“What?” I blurt out, trying to figure out how this got so out of control. My parents will kill me. “Canoodling? We were talking! We ran into each other.”
“Derek,” Andrew says.
“It’s a done deal. All they need is my final approval, which I’m making as soon as this meeting is over.”
“Derek, stop,” Andrew says, again, louder this time. “Isn’t there something else we can do?”
Derek looks at Andrew and shakes his head. “This is what you pay me to do. I know you like this girl, but this is business. You can’t let this one stupid moment ruin your career. Think of everything we’ve worked so hard to accomplish. You may be willing to let this little girl take it away, but I’m not. I’ve had people following her for months gathering dirt. It finally paid off.”
Naomi sits up and says, “If you do this, we have no choice but to counter with our own story of Ruby being taken advantage of by an older, more successful male. Are you prepared for that?”
“My client wasn’t the one whoring around town.”
“No, but you’re the one tarting her up like a sorority girl on Halloween! I saw the dress you sent her — the very, very short, inappropriately sexy dress for an 18-year-old girl. Not to mention matching panties.”
“Oh my God.” Andrew pales. I cover my face with my hands. Make. It. Stop.
“No one made her wear that,” Derek scoffs.
“Interesting. You must have forgotten the note attached specifically instructing Ruby to wear the dress and accessories that night.” Naomi stares at him hard. “Not to mention the receipt attached to the package I’m more than sure can be traced back to your credit card.”
“No, Naomi,” I say. “I don’t want that. I don’t care — whatever.”
She looks at me. “Ruby, if you take responsibility for this you can be fined for harming the film. You signed a morality clause — that, yes, protected you from the movie, but also protects the movie from you. If you embarrass Zocopalypse publicly, or if they think you risk future profits, they can sue you.”
“But,” I look at Andrew. “Don’t let him do this.”
“At least I gave you fair warning,” Derek says. “How you choose to spin this is your call.”
“Andrew?” I say.
Andrew is hunched across the table, his massive body crammed into this tiny booth, but right now he doesn’t look so big. He looks confused and lost. “I’m sorry. I’ve worked too hard for this.”
“Then you leave us no choice,” Naomi says. She slides out of the booth. “You’re not the only one with contacts, Derek. You may want to think this over before you approve that cover. I’d hate to see what people think about Hollywood’s biggest leading man seducing a young woman and then throwing her to the wolves the minute the movie wraps.”
I scramble out of my seat as fast as I can since my legs are stuck to the vinyl cushion. Once I get out, I stop and say, “I can’t believe you’re willing to ruin this for everyone else because you’re too scared to stand up for yourself. I know I’ll survive this, but you’re hurting the entire cast and crew, not to mention Gabe and Nick.”
Naomi pulls me out of the diner, arm around my shoulder. I barely make it outside before I start to cry.
g
Chapter 18
“I don’t understand,” I say. This comment earns me a well-deserved eye roll.
“Let me try,” Gabe says. He picks up the laptop and begins scrolling through pictures. “Iris has downloaded this series of photos from the set. We will send these photos to Reid’s legitimate website, with a message attached that he has 10 minutes to get them posted before any other sites receive them. There will be one photo in the batch that has not and will not be released elsewhere. Ever.”
Iris interrupts. “Since he’ll believe everyone has the same pictures, he won’t worry about posting them.”
I sigh. “I’m still confused.”
Iris groans and walks away from the two of us. Gabe stares at me for a moment and says, “Give me a minute.” We wait as he types into the computer. “Okay, read this.” He turns the screen toward me.
Iris sends Reid a series of photos
He will receive 26 high-quality, legit photos from the set
Only Reid will receive a 27th photo
This photo he will hold back from his fan website and post instead on ZWankHard
When he posts this one photo on ZWankHard, we will know it is him because he is the only one who has this picture, except us
“Oh! I see!” I smile at Gabe. “I’m still not convinced. Reid’s not an idiot. Why do you think he’ll post it?” I ask.
“And give up his lead time? Remember, we’re only giving him 10 minutes before the series goes to everyone else.” Gabe smiles. “Plus, we plan on giving him something he can’t resist.”
“What? Catching Andrew is about as big as it gets. He has the script already and even if he posts the ending, you and I both know you changed it.”
Iris frowns. “You changed the ending?”
“Our goal here is to catch Reid in the act. It’s too late to save face for Andrew, that’s up to him and his team to repair,” Naomi says, keeping us on task.
Gabe nods in agreement. “The best way to harm someone like Reid, who has taken his fanboy obsession to a dark place, is to embarrass him in front of his followers — making him seem like the one who is the actual sell-out — not you guys. Outing him as ZWankHard will make him enemy number one of the fandom.”
“How do you plan on doing this?”
“Lucky for us, he’s a creature of habit. His prior postings all revolve around a favorite topic.”
I shake my head. “Seriously. For someone who couldn’t wait to break up with me, he sure seems more than a little obsessed with harassing me online.”
“Which is why we want you to be our bait.”
“Me?”
Naomi, Iris and Gabe all nod. Naomi smiles, not the creepy, leery one Derek has, but it’s scary enough. “Yes, you. Between Iris’ computer skills, Gabe’s f
ormer life as a fanboy and my penchant for ultimate revenge, we’ve come up with the perfect plan.”
A thrill runs through me. “Tell me more.”
ZWankHard
Folks, we’d really love to write you a fascinating article today, but the truth is, we are speechless.
I KNOW. IT’S A FIRST.
Mere days after scandalous reports of zombie fighter Andrew Xavier being seen compromised with another man (not that we judge), Ruby Miller appears ready to move on. And by ‘move on’ we mean ‘prepare for warp speed, stand by transwarp drive!’
So, finding Ruby Miller lip-locked with another member of the Zocopalypse family was a bit of a shock, you see, but what gets us is the set of lips she’s so steamily attached to.
They belong to none other than creator and writer Gabe Foster.
We’ll give you a moment to fully absorb this (and to look at the picture below taken during a break on set two days ago).
Done?
So, you understand the whole being speechless thing. We’re all pretty bummed, you know? We had all this great material passive-aggressively questioning Ruby’s wholesome girl-next-door reputation, not to mention how her getting the leading role in this movie suddenly makes a lot more sense, but we have no words.
Well.
Except for those, of course.
“I still can’t believe you took that picture.” I click the mouse and enlarge the photograph ZWankHard has posted at the bottom of their article. Just like Reid described, Gabe and I are in an undeniable lip-lock, next to the prop truck on set.
“That’s what you get for thinking you can be sneaky with a hundred cast and crew members nearby. It’s a movie set, Ruby, there are more cameras there than people,” Iris says. She clicks her mouse, moving from page to page. “Well, I guess we caught him. What a dumbass.”
“I know. I really didn’t think it would work. I thought he was smarter than that.”
“He is smarter than that, but his ego is even bigger.”
“True.” I stand up and go to the closet, pulling out some clothes. Gabe and I have a rare night off and we have movie night at his apartment planned. Godzilla. I’ve never seen it. After a minute, I ask Iris the question that has been on my mind all day. “Do you think it cheapens what Gabe and I have started by using it this way? Look what happened last time I let the media get involved.”
Iris turns away from the computer. “I think there are two ways to look at this. Everything about the movie industry is about PR, which means either you can use the media or the media can use you. Reid used you to gain his own twisted sense of celebrity in the fandom. It may seem like he still has the upper hand with that post, but it was intentional. We wanted it out there and we were prepared with the counter-spin. In fact, I had already written, edited and submitted my own version before ZWankHard hit the air. You still look a little skanky jumping from one guy to the other, but in the end, you and the movie will be fine.”
“What’s next?”
“Next, Gabe and Nick talk to the lawyers. Reid is in serious trouble. The script and the hacked photos. It carries a fine, if not jail time.”
“Wow.”
“It’s possible, though, that they will settle with him. He does still have a major, fan-based website. I don’t know. It will be interesting to see, don’t you think?”
I dig through the pile of clothes on my bed and settle on some jeans and a black tank with a robot on the front. “It’s weird though, having everyone know about me and Gabe when it’s so new. The thing with Andrew was always fake. It was like another day at work.”
“For what it’s worth,” Iris says, tossing me my phone I left on the bed. “I think this is real. Really real.”
I smile at my friend. “Me too.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
QueenAlex
@z.net Ruby + Gabe! Wut?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wyattsbabe
@z.net Told you. Andrew dropped her like a bad habit. I knew it was sketch when she got the part.
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Hatchetlover
@z.net I don’t care. I want to see the movie! Have we forgotten this?
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Queenwannabee
@z.net@alexkicksZass what was that? R-U-B-Y-M-I-L-L-E-R skank? Big surprise *eyeroll*
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wootyeahboys
@z.net I will use this moment to say “I told you so.”
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Zombieprincess
@z.net Gabe Foster? I’d take a hit of that please.
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Hatchetlover
@z.net so who’s behind @ZWankHard anyway?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Andrewspants
@z.net So what you’re saying is we GET TO SEE ANDREW IN CHAPS? Right? #onetrackmind
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WyattluvsAlex
@z.net ha ha ha I knew they were faking. KNEW IT!
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Z.net
Despite all the drama, filming continues as usual! Things are wrapping up — last week on set!
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g
Gabe’s fingers latch onto mine the minute I get to his place. I don’t mind. There’s nothing better than the sweet spot of a new relationship. The days when a touch between skin feels like a hot bolt of lightning rushing to the heart. Besides our hands, our legs tangle together on the soft leather couch and, more than once, I feel Gabe’s breath on my neck. Bliss.
“Goblins Vs. Unicorns is way better than this,” I say, watching the monster-dragon-lizard thing destroy Japan. Gabe insisted on the original 1954 version, which is fine, although it’s hard to read subtitles when the person next to you is being so distracting.
Gabe shakes his head. “You have no respect for the classics.”
“I really don’t.”
“When I was 12, I wrote an entire series about Godzilla coming through Atlanta and wiping it out. The final scene was him on top of Stone Mountain being attacked by fighter jets and helicopters.”
“What you’re saying is you have a thing about destroying this city.”
“It was all I knew. I’d never lived anywhere else. The first time I left the south was when I went to school.”
School. My orientation is in three weeks. And Gabe? I suppose he has to go home. “Do you like New York?”
“New York is great. Constant movement. There’s something going on 24/7.” His grip tightens around my waist, pulling me closer. “Will you come see me?”
I flick my eyes to the television and say, “Do you think this will work?”
“What? Us?” I can see his frown when I sneak a glance. “What’s going on?
“Nothing,” I say, removing my hand from his and pulling the blanket we’re sharing protectively over my waist. “Everything. So much has happened this summer. I have school and you’re leaving and I’m not sure I know how to have a long-distance relationship. I mean, the last guy I dated, not including my fake showmance, ended up exposing my flaws across the Internet. I may be jinxed.”
“Well,” he says, taking back my hand, “I promise not to talk about you on the Int
ernet, other than in purely fictional, Alexandra-related ways. And I’m not hiding anything except 73 pristine comic books under my bed, all in plastic sleeves, but that’s more for their worth than out of shame.” He shrugs at his admission and I can’t help but laugh.
“Nerd.”
“Proudly.” He kisses me. “I’ve never done the distance thing before either, but I’m willing to try.”
I nod. “Me too.”
“I’m sensing a pattern here.”
“What kind of pattern.”
“You — and these freak outs. Before you can firmly commit to something, you have to have a meltdown.”
“I do not!”
“You do. And I love it. I’m glad I figured it out now, before I ask you to move in with me or get a dog or marry me or something.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks at the possibilities, but all I can think about is his smile in the flickering black and white light of the television and his lips, soft and warm on my own.
Movie Buzz
Filming wraps this week on Zocopalypse, a six-part miniseries based on the popular graphic novel series. But more than zombies are dead on this set. Reports have surfaced that Andrew Xavier and long-time manager Derek Masters have split ways. Word is, the star and his manager have had differing views on how to handle his personal life and recent rumors in the media about the actor’s relationship with co-star Ruby Miller. Neither Andrew or Derek would comment for this story.
Other than a sense of dread in the hollow of my stomach, the last day of filming has little in common with the first. My new-girl nerves have vanished. I’m no longer scared and nervous about proving or making a fool of myself. Today is more sadness than fear. I’m going to miss this.
Our call time is at the unholy hour of 4 a.m. Despite this, a group of paparazzi and fans line the street, held back by a security officer and some weak-looking barricades. The crowd is our biggest yet, but I suppose it’s not unexpected after the media frenzy surrounding me and Andrew, and me and Gabe, and Andrew and James. Rumor has it someone caught wind of us being down here and spread it all over Facebook and Twitter in a matter of minutes. In the makeup tent, I overhear Andrew telling David that by the end of the day, there would likely be twice as many people out there.
FanGirl Page 20
