Beyond The Spotlight

Chapter 2

Two weeks had past, and her career was done! It was over. Three years of making people happy and having everything was just over. The harsh reality hit her: three years of hard work and a legacy now reduced to ashes. Her i********: and Twitter followers have decreased from ten million to one hundred thousand. People cared less about her, and she was tired because she was harassed everywhere she went. Walking around her apartment, she got a call to come to the recording studio; she knew what they were going to say, but she went anyway."Hey PetASS and Freddy, why did y'all call me? Ya miss me? Awww, I feel fine," she slumped into a chair, trying to be happy and not letting anyone steal her joy."Vanessa, please be serious," Peter begged. "We called you here because we wanted to tell you that it's over; your career and you being here with us are making us lose money, so...""Say no more, Freddy. It was a hell of a ride. Bye, y'all," she rushed out before anyone could make her feel worse than she already does. That night she devoured a whole carton of Fritz Chips and watched a sad documentary before staggering to bed weakly. "I need a drink." She went back to the minibar in her apartment and grabbed a bottle of red wine and a wine glass to drink away her sorrow. She scrolled through her i********:, and the insult was much; she went to Twitter, and it was still the same. They even had a hashtag to protest against her: #Vanessa Harrington thought she was above the law. # I can't believe I ever idolised Vanessa Harrington before. Then she saw a tweet from Freddy stating that Vanessa Harrington no longer belongs to their record label."Gosh, they messed me up big time." She drank a full glass of wine and opted for more, then decided to speak for herself since she has no career anymore to protect."Are you all crazy? Just one moment that I needed y'all to stand for me, y'all abandoned me and believed the first thing you heard. I've given you good music, day and night. I've had a sleepless night just to make you happy, and this is what I get: bashes and insults from every corner. I've lost it all, and the part that hurts the most is that I lost the most important thing to me; y'all," she tweeted, throwing her phone on the sofa, and she couldn't control herself anymore; she let the tears out. She cried to her heart content and slept on the floor drunk. The next morning she woke up lightheaded with a very strong headache."What the hell!" She muttered before heading to the bathroom to wash up.After washing up, she went through her Twitter, and she was getting backlashes from her fans, and it really hurt her, but the part that hurt her the most was when Amanda posted a picture with Peter with the caption 'My new manager' with an hash tag big dreams."F**k y'all," she muttered as she knew her trial would be up in a few days. She was lucky she knew some people; if not, she'd be in prison by now or even worse. She picked up her phone and wanted to call in a favour. After ringing for a while, the person picked up."Hello Judge Judy," Vanessa teased. "It's Juliet, Judge Juliet," she corrected over the phone. "Yeah, right, I need a favour,"" she said after an eye roll."What do you want, Vanessa?" Judge Juliet asked. Vanessa helped Juliet out of a big mess earlier, and Vanessa was ready to collect now."What do I want?" Vanessa repeated with obvious humour in her voice."I'm a busy woman, in case you forgot, so get straight to the point," Juliet said angrily."Fine, you know what I want—just you to make this trial go away and your debt to me would be paid," Vanessa grinned, knowing she might just be able to convince her.Juliet sighed. "My hands are tied, Vanessa. I'm sorry I can't help you." "Fine,. I guess your husband would be thrilled to see you frolicking with another man, which isn't him. I'd be sending the pictures in a few minutes. Happy divorce, Judge Judy," she attempted to hang up. "You can't do that; it would kill him, and it's Juliet, Judge Juliet," Juliet begged as she was shaken."I know, that's the whole point, so bye.""Fine Vanessa! I'd see what I can do, and using drugs and sexually abusing children isn't cool," Juliet agreed and scolded also."I didn't do anything; I was framed," Vanessa defended herself."Okay, I'd talk to you later, and after this you destroy those pictures, promise!". Girl bye," Vanessa hanged up and released a sigh of relief. She brought out the pictures and smiled."Not yet, Judge Judy; we still have one hell of a ride," she kept the pictures back in her drawer." Hours later, Vanessa got a call from judge Juliet that she has worked some magic and the court would let her go on community service on the ground that she is mentally dysfunctional and would be sent to a psychiatric home."What that? I'd rather go to prison than do that s**t," she yelled."Vanessa, you can escape and be a different person and live a normal life; you are mentally dysfunctional, so they'd look for you, but you have to disguise yourself," Juliet explained."! I hate this running s**t; it freaks me out all the f*****g time, and I'm an artist; what about my career?" She questioned and rolled her eyes. "It's our only option," Juliet said lowly. "Fine, but where would I go to?" She asksd. "I don't know, maybe somewhere quiet and where you can disguise yourself easily," Juliet suggested."Okay," Vanessa smiled as her mind darted to her hometown. "You got two hundred hours of community service, so happy serving," Juliet said. Bye." Vanessa hanged up and knew where she needed to be. After thinking for hours, she sipped on her wine and decided to call her mom. "Hello, ma," she said as her mom picked up. "Vanessa, is that you? I've been trying to call your ass since I heard about what happened," her mom said, obviously happy that Vanessa was safe."Nothing happened, ma," Vanessa shrugged. "You crazy girl, it's all over the f*****g news." "Mama, you ain't going to tell me you believe those s**t," Vanessa replied."I don't know; I haven't seen you in years; since you moved to the big city, I don't know you anymore," her mother said truthfully."You are so the best mom of the year; I'm coming home," she announced."What? No! Someone is going to recognise you here, so go someplace else," her mom advised."I'm not stupid, mama; I'd disguise myself; with a little bit of makeup and some good wigs and changing my style, I'd be invisible," Vanessa replied."Fine, just be careful," her mom advised. "Thanks, mom. I love you. Bye," she hanged up. Barnes, be prepared; your girl is coming home.After completing her two hundred hours of community service, she was to be taken to a rehabilitation centre, but with the help of Juliet and some insiders in the police force, she escaped and was on the next train to Barnes City. With her heart racing, she settled into her seat, and her mind was filled with fear. Hours passed, and she finally arrived at Barnes City. She stopped at the train station and took a taxi to her home. Walking towards the porch, she realised how much she had missed this and sighed. She pressed the doorbell but got no answer; she did it again, and the fourth time, the door swung open and revealed her mom, who seemed not to age at all. "Hey mom! I'm home," she smiled.