Los Angeles, January 2nd, 2023 – 10:42 AM
The morning didn't start with birds singing or sunlight flooding through the windows. It started with a phone vibrating non-stop.
Ethan was lying on the couch of his West Hollywood penthouse, wrapped in a random blanket, messy hair, wearing only a Bulls t-shirt and black Calvin Klein boxers. Billie was sitting on the carpet with a bowl of cereal, scrolling through memes about the previous night's show.
"You're trending in 34 countries," she said, eyes still glued to the screen.
"Only 34?" Ethan mumbled, half-asleep.
"Oh, sorry. Global domination is more your style, huh?"
His phone kept ringing. Kenny. Again. And again.
"If I pick up, he'll put me in five interviews, two meetings, and a photoshoot before lunch."
"Then turn it off and pretend you died."
"I already posted a smiling selfie today. No one would believe it."
Billie laughed loudly and threw a pillow at him.
---
30 minutes later
Ethan finally answered.
"Kenny, if it's about Billboard or Netflix, I've seen it. If it's about Cristiano Ronaldo following me on Instagram, saw that too. And no, I'm not becoming a perfume ambassador now."
"Breathe, genius. First: congrats. Second: Warner wants to close a movie deal now. They saw the raw footage from the film and they're freaking out."
Ethan sat up, now alert.
"Stardust Highway?"
"Exactly. They want a summer release. Red carpet, press tour, the whole thing. And… they want you in the sequel."
"Sequel? The movie hasn't even come out yet."
"Welcome to Hollywood, baby."
---
1:30 PM – Sunset Boulevard – Warner Bros. Office
Ethan showed up in the classic "effortlessly stylish" look: oversized denim jacket, sunglasses, hair in a messy bun, and sneakers worth more than a Manhattan rent check.
Executives, lawyers, and directors waited in a sleek, glass-walled room. In the center of the table, a contract with more zeroes than he cared to count.
"Water? Coffee?" the assistant asked.
"Whiskey, if emotional damage is allowed at two in the afternoon."
Polite laughter. Always.
The director spoke first. "Ethan, your performance in Stardust Highway was... magnetic. You've got presence. You've got what the old-school called it."
"Good to know. I did that with a cold and jet lag."
"Wonderful," the producer replied, sweating a little. "We want to begin pre-production for the sequel immediately."
Ethan crossed his arms. "I've got a tour. Three soccer championships. Two international features. And a Netflix reality show to film. What part of 'immediately' do you think will work?"
Silence.
"We can adjust the schedule," the marketing executive said quickly. "As long as you say yes."
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"And… we'll cast Billie as your co-star."
Now he smiled.
---
3:45 PM – In the car with Kenny
"You basically doubled your paycheck and made demands that would be pure arrogance from anyone else," Kenny said, driving like they were escaping paparazzi (which, technically, they were).
"It's not arrogance if you deliver everything you promise."
Kenny scoffed. "Only you could play a crucial match for the national team, do a two-hour concert, star in a movie, sleep five hours, and wake up looking good."
"Don't forget Billie's cereal."
"Right. Nutrition is the key to success."
---
7:00 PM – Private Rehearsal Studio
The studio smelled like wood, paint, and potential. Ethan was tuning his guitar while Billie tested vocals with a new arrangement. They were crafting a song that didn't exist yet—but already felt like a hit.
"This part here," Billie pointed out, "should go higher. Make it more intense."
"Or we cut the beat and come back with an acoustic drop. Flip expectations."
Billie stopped and stared at him. "You're a musical psychopath. You know that, right?"
"And you're a chaos angel. We make a good team."
They recorded three versions. None perfect. But both knew: when they found the sweet spot, it would be devastating.
---
9:15 PM – Beverly Hills Restaurant
A private dinner with celebrities. Ethan hated these events. Too many famous people, too many egos, too many cameras. But he had to maintain the image.
At the table: Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Dua Lipa, Shawn Mendes, and of course, Billie beside him. Conversations about fashion, films, and "the state of the industry" filled the air.
"Ethan, I heard you turned down a collab with Travis Scott," Dua teased.
"I didn't turn it down. I just said it makes no sense for me to rap about Rolls-Royces when I take Uber Black."
Laughter.
Zendaya smiled. "Have you always been like this? Confident, direct, a little sarcastic?"
"Since the womb."
---
11:30 PM – Penthouse Rooftop
Billie and Ethan sat under the clear L.A. sky, looking over the city lights.
"When did everything become this?" she asked.
"This as in... global, insane, and beautiful at the same time?"
"Yeah."
"Maybe when we stopped chasing and started attracting everything."
Comfortable silence. He looked at her for a moment.
"You know, out of everything I've achieved, the one thing I never planned for was you."
She turned her face, slightly blushing.
"You're getting good at being sweet."
"I'm everything. Even sweet."
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