Paparazzi

You found a sweater on the ocean floor.
They're gonna find it if you didn't close the door.
You and the smart one sit outside of their sight,
In a house on a street they wouldn't park on at night.

Dad was a risk taker, his was a shoe maker,
You, greatest hits 2006 little list maker.

~Cousins, Vampire Weekend

EPOV:

I took out my guitar and nodded to the drummer. We began to add the little catchy beat to the deep lyrics that flowed from my head when I was feeling especially without sleep.

Johanna drove slowly into the city
The Hudson River all filled with snow
She spied the ring on His Honor's finger
Oh-oh-oh

A thousand years in one piece of silver
She took it from his lilywhite hand
Showed no fear – she'd seen the thing
In the Young Men's Wing at Sloan-Kettering

I chuckled at the girl who screamed as we played the song. We were filming its music video in a clear, glass box. We allowed all the fans to spread and scream around us we played. The director said it was a way to show how popular we were. I thought it was hilarious.

A fight broke out again but the guards sneakily pulled the two girls out before it could be caught by the camera this time. We had to start all over 5 times because of their hair-pulling habits.

Oh-oh-oh!

I smiled into the mike at the perfection of the music industry. Well at least it's perfect when you were young, hot, single, and a hit. But of course fame wasn't the road to take if you aspired to be bald after a wild party, letting your baby drive a car, suddenly turn lesbian, carry Chihuahuas in your purse and are blonde.

Or a red head because well Lindsay Lohan…

Any who, there I was in my perfection trying to find words to put how in place I felt at that moment. Then I realized that there was a nagging problem at the back of my head.

I couldn't remember what it was but I do remember that I had one. It had been a year since I was at the New York awards and saw Alice and Bella. They weren't a problem considering they were on tour and no big headlines had come my way. They weren't as popular as they thought! HA!

Okay, so what was the problem? What was I forgetting?

"CUT! THAT'S A WRAP! SOMEONE GET THOSE CRAZY GIRLS A COPY OF EDWARD CULLEN'S PICTURE AND SIGNATURE AND GET THEM OFF THE PROPERTY!" The director chuckled.

Oh, shit!

I took out my phone and dialed as quickly as I could.

"Hello?"

"Esme, happy birthday!" I cheered happily into the phone. I heard a deep sigh heaved from the other line.

"Edward, sweetie, my birthday was 3 days ago. Alice and Bella visited but my own son forgot to ring?" She asked, the disappointment seeping through. I flinched.

"Bella and Alice went?" I stuttered.

"Yes, Edward-"

"Let me talk to Alice" I ordered.

"Excuse me?"

"Let me talk to Alice," I ordered again. I heard a loud hiss in the background, and that wasn't Esme.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, you don't order your mother around like if she's a dog." Carlisle's voice filled the phone's speaker. Ouch.

"Sorry, but this is kind of urgent. Tell mom I sent her a present long ago and that it should've arrived on her birthday. I'm sorry I didn't ring and all but can I please talk to Alice?"

I could almost hear my father frowning. "Edward you've changed."

"What? Wait!" I called out desperate to make things right. I heard a bunch of rustling and sighed. That meant I was being switched to Alice.

"What?" Her chirpy voice called out annoyed. I could hear Esme bursting out in laughter.

"Bella, that's genius!" I heard my father call out and Esme continued laughing.

"Hello?" Her voice called out again.

"Sorry, Alice, I'm sorry. Please, please forgive me and let us be friends again! Oh please!" I begged.

I heard her sigh. "Let's meet up for coffee."

I chuckled. "How about tea?" I suggested, not wanting Alice near caffeine.

"Bella has an obsession with coffee just like you. I'll take tea and you two can take coffee." She said.

I paused. "Does Bella have to be there?"

"Yes, I don't like the idea of you two hating on each other."

I frowned. "Why would she hate me? She obsessed over me and suddenly she hates me."

Alice stuttered, "Well, its beca-because she, uh, she just dislikes your…you know."

"No, I don't know, Alice why does she hate me?" I insisted.

"I, Arnold Slazenger, bye see you at star bucks here in L.A.!" She shouted before hanging up. I held the phone to my ear for like 2 minutes before putting it down.

I smiled at how Alice hadn't changed.

"EDWARD, GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF HERE AND SIGN SOME AUTOGRAPHS!"

I jogged over. "I'm going!"

After a heavy session of signing, photography, and flashing lights I managed to sneak away. I sagged in my seat as I stopped at a red light. I was glad that I was secretive in my escape; I couldn't handle a single scratch on my beautiful Volvo.

Oh, no, I wouldn't be able to handle it. This car was my everything. I couldn't handle an inch of hurt against it. I took off to my hotel ready to pack a couple of changes before heading off.

I was in Arizona, (A/N CURSE THE IMMIGRATION LAW!). I shifted back into my car.

"Edward we have a photo session in-"I cut off Jessica.

"I have to go to L.A." I cut her off.

"Edward the photo session is import-"

"I don't really care," I countered. "I want to go wish my mom a proper happy birthday. I had to skip Christmas to make that MTV segment; I had to skip Thanksgiving to perform in the Today show. Please leave me alone to enjoy my family. I don't care if you want me to, but I'd appreciate to be left alone."

"Edward this photo shoot-"She persisted.

I scoffed and hung up. I could take some minutes off fame couldn't I?

I narrowed my eyes as my phone vibrated in my pocket, alerting me of a text.

~Edward,
This is a photo shoot for the Rolling Stones cover! Don't do this now.
~Jessica

I blinked, shocked. This was a once-in-a-life opportunity. I pulled over. I kept my eyes off the temptation knowing how badly I would piss off Alice and my parents if I ditched them.

~Jessica,
Can't we reschedule?
~Edward Cullen

I eagerly waited her answer. I was chosen for the Rolling Stones!

~Edward,
I'm sorry I can't. The editors told me the other artist walked out on them for a birthday and they need you there today.
~Jessica

I grabbed a fist full of my hair. Oh, no what to do? I thought about this carefully it wasn't like I just took off for the photo shoot.

I bit down on my lip and decided. I would go to the photo shoot. I glared at the cell phone. I was fortune's fool, as Romeo put it.

"Hello?" Esme answered.

"Mom, I'm sorry, they called and I can't make it." I begged her to understand.

"It's okay sweetie. You go ahead and pick what's best for you." She hung up.

I didn't miss the double meaning in her words. I headed back to the hotel and put my clothes back away. The next morning I headed off to the company. The set up for my photo shoot had to be simple, with a black background and a bed covered with silver sheets.

You could see the top of a girl's head peeking over the fake window as I strummed my guitar.

I later found out that I was Bella Swan's replacement. She had been meaning to get around but that she had to leave to attend an important occasion and walked out.

Bella Swan had the nerve to pick the birthday of a stranger over this magazine. I couldn't do that for my own mother or best friend.

A/N

In case you misunderstood, Edward is from Los Angeles and Bella is from Forks. They both come from pretty different worlds, like I'll explain later.

Thanks for reading I'd love some reviews!

=J ~it is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

P.S.

I am going through a major love for Jane Eyre right now. If you'd like to message me about the book I'm really up to it! :))