Followers

by Raziel Reid

  I like thinking of you lying there thinking about me, Patrick texts back. Don’t think about anything except me.

  Valeria replies with a wink emoji, but she’s not into his game and doesn’t think about him. She tries not to think at all, but her mind can’t stop worrying about how her agent hasn’t called all summer.

  An hour passes and Patrick still hasn’t shown up. Valeria gets bored and turns on the TV. TMZ is on. She half watches, simultaneously scrolling through Instagram. A story about her dad comes on the show, drawing Valeria’s eyes up to the screen. Luis Leon was kicked out of the Hard Rock Cafe in Vegas for counting cards. Valeria isn’t surprised. Her father is a mess. He’s the reason why she’s here. He took out another mortgage on their family home. Hopefully her mother manages to grow a backbone and stops giving him money. He always takes it and doesn’t ask any questions. He doesn’t want to know.

  Valeria doesn’t want to know either. She turns off the TV and stares at the blank screen.

  A text comes in from Patrick. What are you thinking about?

  You daddy.

  idrismorcos1

  570k followers

  kingchrisss U fine asff

  xnmlex I just realise you where still alive lmao

  b.goldden marry me

  zsazayngabor What a vampire

  Idris goes to a Nylon #YoungHollywood party at Avenue, but he’s bored and thinking about that time he posted how he loves making people who already hate him hate him more and how transparent that was.

  Greta is ghosting Idris because of #selfiestickgate, and it’s not like it’s the first time she’s ignored him: they’ve been hot and cold all year. Idris didn’t think things were going to last as long as they have between him and Greta, and he’s been waiting for it to all implode since they got together last summer. Idris’s dad is in real estate development but Idris won’t join the family empire. He’s busy burning bridges.

  Idris watches Fortune in his element, posing for photos and telling fans that he doesn’t use a stylist. Fortune’s wearing a rainbow fleece from Jaded London and the shortest shorts ever. His legs are tanned and as shiny as his silver hair, which is up in a topknot. No one really knows anything about Fortune but there are so many rumors. He slept on the beach when he first came to L.A. He’s still homeless. But he’s such a social butterfly that he has a way of attracting luxury accommodation. He crashes on the couch in Idris’s room all the time.

  What Idris likes most about Fortune is that he can always tell exactly what Idris is feeling. Like he knows Idris is literally suicidal right now and doesn’t want to be at this party, he’s bored and angsty AF and drinking too fast and he’ll probably need to take some pills if he’s going to get through the night. He’s not even hitting on any of the girls. Fortune knows that Idris is just in one of his moods where nothing is good enough; too much of everything is never good enough. And Fortune doesn’t make it worse by getting mad at Idris for ruining the vibes or whatever; he just adapts to Idris’s mood, and it’s chill. Fortune is soothing, sort of like a cat purring on Idris’s lap.

  They ditch the party and drive to Idris’s house in Bel-Air in his classic 1956 Packard Four Hundred painted hot-pink with white and baby-blue stripes. At the house, they go up to Idris’s room and flop down on the couch. They’re lit up by the glow of the TV as they take bong rips and play Fortnite until the sun comes up and they finally fall asleep, Idris’s face buried deep in Fortune’s fleece.

  paleyhailey

  1m followers

  princepaley Hailey you are iconic

  princepaley

  princepaley YOUUUU SLAYYY ME!!!

  princepaley Epic

  princepaley

  princepaley Love you so much beautiful!

  Hailey is sitting out by the pool of her house with Bea, who just came from shooting a Tommy Hilfiger campaign with Kaia Gerber on the Malibu Pier. Bea’s agreed to be in Hailey’s Dress for Success charity fashion show.

  “I can’t thank you enough for modeling,” Hailey says. “I know you have legit work so it means the world. Especially since I can’t depend on Greta. She’s been so self-destructive lately. It’ll be a miracle if she manages to walk down the runway in a straight line.”

  “Oh my God,” Bea laughs, “selfiestickgate will not die.”

  On the upcoming season, Greta and Bea will fight over Hailey’s friendship. Greta is the old friend and Bea is the new friend and they compete to see who knows Hailey the best and who is closest to her. Hailey just sits back and watches them duke it out, every once in a while saying things like “I don’t like her more than you, I swear. Can’t we all just be friends?” while secretly lapping it up.

  Hailey and Greta have been friends forever. It’s, like, social media platforms suggest friends, right? And maybe the universe does, too. Greta and Hailey come from similar backgrounds, both precocious Beverly Hills princesses wearing Kate Spade for kids. Their nannies liked to gossip with each other at the playground, so they followed each other. And they’ve never questioned it because that’s the way it’s always been.

  Bea became Instafamous over the controversy surrounding her paternity, and Hailey collected her like a Judith Leiber.

  “How’s Brandon doing since the fight?” Hailey asks. “I’ve never seen Joel lose it like that before…”

  “He has a black eye but the swelling’s gone down. I think Brandon’s depressed,” Bea says. “His parents get back from Switzerland tomorrow. I know he’s worried about his mom.”

  The teen cast tries to keep out of their parents’ drama on the show. They have enough of their own. Brandon hasn’t said anything to Hailey about Whitney accusing Morgan of faking cancer. Hailey goes way back with Brandon and the Cadogans. She lost her virginity to Brandon’s older brother, Conrad. Unofficially. The virginity storyline is, of course, a huge arc on the first season of Platinum Triangle. Hailey and Patrick were filmed as a part of a ceremony at Hillsborough Church with fathers giving their daughters purity rings and the daughters taking a vow of chastity. Never mind the fact that Patrick is Jewish. Hillsborough is trendy and everyone wants to be spotted there.

  “I still haven’t heard back from Valeria.” Hailey checks her phone. “I have no idea if she’s modeling. Why do I feel like I’m always chasing that girl?”

  “She’s been so secretive all summer,” Bea says.

  “It’s because the Leons don’t have a storyline and everyone knows it,” Hailey says. “Gloria refuses to air her dirty laundry. She’s determined to pretend like there’s no trouble in paradise, but have you seen the latest?” She shows Bea the TMZ article on her phone about Luis getting kicked out of the Hard Rock Cafe. “I’d hate to have a dad like hers,” Hailey says.

  They hear voices and footsteps coming from around the side of the house. Hailey goes cold when she sees that it’s Lily—and that Joel is with her. She can tell Bea is looking at her to see how she’ll react.

  “Hey, guys!” Lily waves over at them. She’s still dressed in her lifeguard uniform. “What’s up?”

  “Just helping Hailey with the Dress for Success show,” Bea says. “What are you two up to?” The good thing about Bea, aside from her 11 million followers and iconic lineage, is the way she loves to stir the pot.

  “Bumped into Lily on the beach today,” Joel says. “So I gave her a ride home.”

  Hailey doesn’t react but inside she’s screaming. Did they spend all day together? And didn’t Lily’s shift end a couple hours ago?

  “Will you volunteer for the fashion show, Joel?” Hailey asks, keeping her voice light. She’s not even looking over at Lily. “I’m short male models and we were donated the cutest pair of Vilebrequin swim shorts with a sardine print.”

  “It’s for a good cause,” Bea adds.

  “Sure.” Joel shrugs. “Count me in.”

  lillianrhode

  33k followers

  officialluca Real life Cinderella xx

  yann_boisjeaubault94 tu es magnifique m
a princesse

  levi.rambo1 Try my magical wand..

  ediebliss You are like Cinderella but you are much more beautiful than Cinderella

  nicolasmorales1424 Hermosa, mi amor, amo a la Princesa Lily.

  After Joel leaves, Lily goes into the pool house through the sliding glass doors that lead to the bedroom. She leaves the door open and the lights off and falls on her back onto the bed, the Land of Hopes & Dreams sign above her, glowing neon blue above her head. She can’t stop smiling to herself. Joel surfed until the end of Lily’s shift and then they went for a drive along the coast. They drove back into L.A. and stopped for dinner at In-N-Out Burger, sitting on the same side of the booth and sharing a Neapolitan shake. Joel kissed her again before they got back in his Targa in the parking lot.

  Lily sighs dreamily and rolls out of the bed. She changes out of her lifeguard uniform and into her old jean shorts and a plain white tee-shirt. It doesn’t matter how many fancy clothes she has; she’s still the most comfortable in her old things. Being in her lifeguard uniform reminded her of that. She didn’t feel self-conscious once all day, and maybe a part of it was because she enjoyed being around Joel so much, but it’s also because she was in her own element, doing her own thing, not dressing up for someone else’s life.

  Joel’s face was sunburned as they sat in the In-N-Out booth—his HUF hat bumping into her head, they were talking so close. She could smell the mustard from his burger on his breath. He told her things she’s never heard him say on camera. Like how he’s worried about the new season and how the viewers are going to react to his dad’s transition. Joel confessed that he thinks Greta’s about to snap from the pressure.

  Through her open bedroom door, Lily can hear Hailey and Bea still talking by the pool. Hailey won’t shut up about the fashion show.

  “With Greta out and Valeria a question mark, we may be short of female models as well as males,” Lily overhears Hailey saying.

  “You’re opening the show, obviously,” Hailey tells Bea. “But I can’t model every other look myself! No way will the dresses I selected for Greta and Valeria fit me.”

  “Any idea what I’m wearing yet?” Lily asks, stepping out of the pool house and sitting on the edge of a chaise next to Hailey and Bea.

  “I told you,” Hailey says. “You’re modeling the showstopper. It’s this gorgeous Nicholas The Label. You’re the guest of honor, silly! All eyes will be on you. I promise.”

  Hailey checks her phone and looks over at Bea. “We should get going.”

  Lily can tell by the blank look on Bea’s face that she has no idea where to.

  “Soho House?” Hailey prompts her.

  “Right!” Bea jumps up from her chaise. “I almost forgot.”

  “Sorry, Lily,” Hailey says. “We’d invite you but it’s members only. Catch you later?” She flashes Lily another smile before shuffling off with Bea and leaving Lily sitting alone, staring into the pool. Lily doesn’t know why she bothers. Hailey has made her position clear. Off camera, Lily is irrelevant.

  Lily gets up and goes into the main house looking for Whitney and finds her up in the master bedroom. Whitney is in a “wellness bubble,” which was set up by Nurse Jamie and supposedly creates an atmosphere of 99.9% pure air to help the skin fight free radicals. Whitney’s been in it getting a facial and massage. It’s literally a translucent bubble that takes up most of the bedroom. Lily can see Whitney’s blurred image through the plastic. She’s lying on a massage table wrapped in a white towel.

  “Hailey, is that you?” Whitney asks. Her voice sounds muffled.

  “It’s Lily. Can I come in?”

  “Quickly!” Whitney says. “Don’t let all the good air out.”

  Lily unzips the entrance to the bubble and steps inside.

  “I decided to pamper myself.” Whitney sits up on the massage table to face Lily. “I deserve it.” She touches her earlobe and stares off. “I think Patrick is having an affair…”

  Lily doesn’t know how to respond. She read in one of the tabloids her mom left lying around the trailer that Patrick didn’t want to do the show. He doesn’t think it’s good for his acting career to do reality TV so he’s featured as little as possible. He said on ET that agreeing to the show was his “gift” to Whitney.

  At first Lily didn’t know what Patrick meant by that, but then there was that scene in the final episode of Platinum Triangle season 1. It was such good reality TV because it was real. You couldn’t make it up! Whitney drank too much at a party thrown by Morgan Cadogan and picked a fight with Patrick. She started crying and said she gave up her career to be his Hollywood housewife.

  It was the only time all season that Whitney acted like her life was anything but perfect. Patrick lost his temper.

  “What career?” he shot back. “Just because you modeled a swimsuit in Sports Illustrated once doesn’t mean you had a career!”

  Whitney’s hand drops from her ear and her eyes snap back up to Lily, standing at the end of the massage table.

  “But enough about that,” she says. “You wanted to see me? Please, sit.” She motions to a chair.

  “Why are you wearing your old shorts?” Whitney asks. “Don’t you like the new things we bought?”

  “It’s not that,” Lily says. “I’m just not sure that they’re me. To tell you the truth, I’m not sure that any of this is.”

  “I know what the problem really is. You’re just feeling unworthy. I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Lily. No one believes they deserve it. We’re all just pretending that we do.”

  Lily came up to talk to her aunt because she wants to know the truth. Is it all for show? If it is, then Lily will stop trying to make the Paleys be a real family and continue to let them be co-stars, and Lily will consider her time in the Paleys’ pool house a guest spot. Nothing more.

  “I talked to Sam tonight,” Whitney says. “She said she got some great content of you at the beach today. Production’s happy.”

  “What about Hailey?” Lily asks. “She only seems to want me around when there’s a camera on us. What happens when we stop filming? Will I stop existing to you, too?”

  “Of course not! How could you even think such a thing? Hailey hasn’t been too tough on you, has she? I hoped that you taking the fall for her over the coke would’ve softened her up.”

  Whitney gives Lily a wink. “Hailey wants desperately to be the protagonist but she always falls a little short. She has villain written all over her. The girl used to quote Regina George as a toddler.”

  “She hates me,” Lily says quietly.

  Whitney gives Lily a little smile. “You just have to be patient with Hails,” she says. “She’s really gone through it this season. You’ll see once the show starts airing. She finds out Greta has been selling stories about her to the press. Can you blame her for finding it hard to trust people?”

  Lily holds a breath of the pure Beverly Hills verified air. She tries not to choke on it.

  “You’re exactly where you’re meant to be, Lily.” Whitney lies back down on the massage table. “The camera loves you. You’re a natural. Maybe once you watch how right it looks on the show you’ll see that you belong.”

  * * *

  —

  Back out in the pool house, Lily pulls out her phone and checks Instagram. She’s shocked every time she opens it and sees how many followers she’s getting.

  Lily feels like she’s on the precipice of something. She isn’t exactly sure what. But she knows there will be no turning back.

  She opens her DMs and replies to Mia’s latest message, promising that they’ll hang out soon, before the end of summer definitely, but deep down Lily knows they probably won’t. She can already feel herself letting go of her past to make room for her future, like a snake shedding its skin.

  Her phone pings. Someone is requesting to send her a DM. She opens it and stares down at the messages, a chill running down her spine.

  princepaley Sleep with one eye open bitch<
br />
  princepaley You’ll NEVER be Hailey

  beagetty

  11m followers

  bemyaesthetique I cut myself because I’ll never be as pretty as @beagetty or have as many followers

  “Sorry to disturb you so early, Miss Getty, but your…car has arrived.”

  “My car?” Bea says sleepily. She’s only half-awake, curled up in bed in her bungalow at the Chateau Marmont. She and Hailey partied late at Soho House last night. “I didn’t arrange for a car,” she tells the concierge, rubbing her eyes. She picks up her phone from the nightstand and opens her e-mail to see if her agency booked her for a gig. “Tell them there’s been a mistake.” Bea yawns. “And that I’m sleeping.”

  She’s about to hang up when the concierge’s voice stops her.

  “If you don’t mind telling the driver yourself, miss. He doesn’t seem interested in listening to any of the staff, and the vehicle needs to be moved. It’s blocking the entrance.”

  Ugh. Life.

  “I’ll be right there,” Bea says.

  She hangs up the phone and sits up in bed, the room spinning from her hangover. Her agent always sends the tackiest cars. She doesn’t need a stretch limo to take her to shoots! And why did .no one tell her she’s working this morning? Bea doesn’t get out of bed for less than 10k new followers a day.

  Bea puts on a white terrycloth housecoat and a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses and leaves her bungalow. She exits through the gate that separates the pool area and bungalows from the château and stops in her tracks when she sees what’s parked at the entrance.

  An RV honks. What the hell’s happening? Is she doing the shoot inside that thing?

  The RV door pops open.

  “Hop aboard, princess.” Brandon climbs down the steps and beams at her. “We’re going camping!”

  greta.strom