Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Elena and Ryder were teenage lovers who met in the entertainment industry eight years ago. It was love at first sight for these two mega stars, but unbeknownst to them, there was someone else lurking in the dark, waiting for the right time and opportunity to destroy their love.
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My Bully's Crush is created by Jordan Silver, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter 1
*Elena*
“So, how was it being a child star? One of the very few who made it out on top?”
“Well, it had its ups and downs, if I’m being honest with you.” I fought hard not to pick at my nails or bounce my legs nervously, knowing that the camera never misses anything, and neither does the eye of a well-trained reporter on the hunt for the next big scoop.
“Explain.”
“As a child, I didn’t know anything more than that I was doing something I loved. How many people get to be on television and see themselves portrayed in a fun, wholesome way throughout their formative years?”
“To me, it wasn’t a job. It was just something I loved doing and had so much fun doing. I didn’t think about or understand that it was so out of the normal realm. I guess I thought that all little girls and boys got to do what they loved, and we were all special.”
He nodded his head but didn’t respond with another question, which left me in the awkward position of having to fill in the gap. This is the one thing I hate about doing these interviews. Well, it’s one of the things I hate anyway because there’s plenty that I absolutely despise about having my life picked apart for the whole world to see.
“That seven-year-old only knew the joy of the fairy tale she was living. Even when the days were long, and I was tired, someone was always there to distract me and keep me on the course, usually my mom.” I smiled over at her in the corner where she stood, always watching, always waiting to scoop me up if I fell.
No one knows the signs better than she does, and no one is more prepared. I long for the days before my life became the hell it is now. The days when our biggest worry was how many calories I could afford on any given day because there was a show coming up. As a teen, I used to think that was hell, but now I know better.
“Was it hard then, being a child star? Do you feel like you missed out on being a child?” Why do they always ask that? No, be fair, Elena, there are plenty of reasons for them to ask because unlike you, who chose this for yourself, though you were too young to know, there are plenty who had been forced into the spotlight by money-hungry parents who saw their talented child as a cash cow.
“No, I didn’t mind much because I was living my seven-year-old dream. I was the one who wanted this, who pushed my mom so hard to help me get here. I have no regrets about the way things were, not really. The first few shows I did, which had very long runs, were all fun and light. I guess they were what you would call age-appropriate, so in some ways, it was no different to being in a classroom, except you were doing it on a set, in front of cameras.”
“And then? What happened when you moved on to more grown-up shoes? When did you get into that teen phase?”
“Then, I grew up fast. That child starts to grow. She’s sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen, and the world looks completely different in her eyes.”
“My mom, who was my manager and the one who’d shielded me all my life, can no longer keep me away from all the darkness that comes with the profession.” There was a hitch in my voice, and I struggled to hold on, to hold it in. Each time I do one of these things, it’s like reliving my past. But Mom and the others say I must do it to stay relevant, so here I am.
“That teenage me got to see a new side of the industry that she’d been guarded against before, and things are not as rosy as they used to be. You realize that you grew up in the public eye and that when you were that young girl living out your Cinderella dream, there were grown men and women critiquing everything about you. From the clothes you wear to how much weight you’ve gained and lost in any given year.”
“I see. What’s the worst thing about the industry that you’ve found? Or rather, what was your lowest low as you see it?”
“Having my whole life be center stage. Having my every achievement and failure broadcasted for all the world to see.”
He looked down at his notes and back up at me again, and I knew what was coming next. It’s the question they all ask. The one they’ve been asking for the past three years, the worst years of my life, and the question that cuts me more profound than any other.