Uncovering Kaitlyn

I dedicate this book to my big sister
Sam,

Without whom this book wouldn’t have
got past the first page.

Chapter One

Kaitlyn

“Welcome
to the Howard Collins show. We have one special line up for us all tonight. All
the way from Hollywood is our lovable heartthrob Jamie Stark! Plus we’re
catching up with best-selling author Mathew Webb with his latest novel ‘Blood
Drops’ and finally bringing music to your ears tonight, for the first time on television,
is Youtube sensation and number one artist, Kaitlyn Fox!”

My stomach
churned. How could I possibly go out there? Millions of people watched the
Howard Collins show, not to mention the hundreds that sat in the live studio
audience. This was nothing like the backstreet café where I had been
‘discovered’ while on a lunch break from my waitressing job. At the café there
were only ever the regulars or the occasional stranger, and three of them were
in their eighties and going deaf anyway. I nervously adjusted my scarf and went
back to watching the screen which had been helpfully set up in my makeshift
dressing room. Apparently there was only a crew room here, and knowing how much
I panicked with strangers my manager, Aaron Quinn, had insisted that I needed
my own space. “Kaitlyn needs a bit of privacy. If she sees loads of celebrities
hanging around, she’ll freak” I had heard him say to the producer this morning.
Of course there were whispers of me being a diva going around, and I wasn’t
going to correct them, I liked my privacy just fine without the interference.

“So
Jamie, what’s this about a relationship on the cards? Has somebody finally
caught our heartthrob?”

Jamie paused
and gave the camera is famous mouth-watering smile. I thought I saw a flicker
of annoyance pass through his eyes, but I quickly pushed that thought aside.
Just because I was uncomfortable with the invasion of privacy that came with
being a celebrity, it didn’t mean that he did. People like Jamie Stark loved
the attention. I was always hearing about his cocky ‘I don’t give a shit’
attitude when he gave interviews to my favourite gossip magazines. Often he
managed to give that impression without the help of interviews too. He flaunted
his life and luxuries to the world and never seemed to care who saw or knew
anything about him. Lucky Bastard. Most of the time, I wished I could have his
care free take on life and be permanently relaxed. Unfortunately life never
granted me that luxury.

Jamie Stark
chuckled to himself softly.

‘I’m
afraid there is no girlfriend. To let you in on the secret, Howard, the last
time I had a girlfriend I was fourteen, spotty and lanky. I think I still had
my braces too.’

The audience
laughed alongside him. As if he could ever have been ugly. He was just over six
foot, had brown hair so dark it was almost black and an athlete’s build to
complete the fantasy of tall, dark and handsome. Every woman wanted to sleep
with him and every man wanted to be him. Jamie Stark will never know what it is
like to be ugly or have the need to hide from himself. He is sexy as hell and
knows it too. Jamie has always had the typical bad boy celeb image with wild
parties and a bimbo on his arm each night. He was the love ‘em, leave ‘em type
and a complete heartbreaker. According to my make-up artist for the day, he
only went on a second date if he was made too for publicity for his latest
movie. How could he want that for a life? If it wasn’t for my passion for music
I would never give interviews, allow my picture to be taken or even greet fans.
I enjoy making music which is why I sell it, because if I can inspire a single
person with a song then I know that what I am doing is right. I can change the
world with lyrics and a guitar string, one note at a time.

I couldn’t
watch the show anymore, not with Jamie Stark making crude jokes about the
latest photo of him and yet another blonde bimbo. Slowly I poured myself a
glass of water, and jumped back when my shaking hand caused me to miss the cup.
I heard Jake, my number one fan and babysitter for the night, sigh and walk
towards me. He pulled me into a hug and I relaxed against his chest. He was
only a year older than me, but he act like he was ten years older; always calm
and mature about everything. He rubbed my arm soothingly, while a frantic
looking assistant tried to mop up the mess I created. I blinked back tears. If
I couldn’t get myself some water, how would I be able to go on stage?

“Miss Fox,
We’re ready for you. Can you make your way to the green room for preparation?”
A voice called out somewhere in the chaos surrounding me. It was an order, not
a question. I got the feeling that Aaron had told them that given a choice I
would more than likely flee to the nearest exit.

I wiped my
sweaty palms on my black skinny jeans and mentally prepared myself. A monkey
could do this, one song and a few measly questions. No problem. I was Kaitlyn
Fox, one of the fasted rising artists in British history; I could handle a
question or two on Howard’s sofa.

“You’ll be
fine Katie. I’ll be with you the whole time. Any doubts just look at me and
imagine that it’s our Saturday night sleepover and you’re talking to me while
we watch Die Hard and eating M&M’s. I promise you, nothing bad will happen.”
Jake whispered to me while his hand guided my back towards the door. I knew
this was to stop me from running, but I couldn’t move myself away from him; he
was my security blanket and had been since I was nine years old. His touch
always soothed me, made me relax enough to focus on my music at the very least.

“But what if
I forget the words, or embarrass myself, or if they’re complete jerks or…” I
felt panic bubbling through me. Jake held me tighter and waved his access all
areas pass to the angry looking security guard. He had managed to persuade the
crew that he needed it, to help with my nerves, it being my first show and all.
I was lucky that Aaron and Jake hadn’t had to reveal too much about the extent
of my nerves. The last thing I wanted was for people to be able to use it
against my career or my reputation.

“Aaron is
here too, he is standing with the crew and he won’t let anything hurt you. If
he wants you out, he’ll make sure it happens. Don’t worry. Go show the world
how great you are.” He kissed the top of my head and adjusted my scarf as the
make-up artist, made a last minute buzz around me.

I could
barely focus on anything other than the bright lights of the stage and the
noise of the audience as I made my way to the microphone in the usual spot a
little away from the dreaded sofa. I fumbled slightly as I lifted Oliver, my
trusted acoustic guitar to my knee and adjusted the microphone to a gentler
angel. My lips found the microphone and silence fell through the studio.

Daddy, please don’t cry

I still want you in my life

Daddy, hold me tight

‘Cause I don’t want you to die

I lost
myself in the song and the emotion of the lyrics hit me as I continued to sing
my heart out. I opened my eyes and searched for Jake.

Mamma, we watch you fall,

Fall, falling

Mamma, I hear you talk,

Talk, talking

I tapped my
foot as I felt the drums start to beat behind me. My eyes watered as they
locked onto Jake’s in the front row of the audience.

Jay, please, I need you here

I still need my friends

Jay, hold me close

Please God, just take my fear.

I blocked my
tears, closing my eyes tightly and leaned further towards the microphone as I
reached the last verse of the song that made me famous. Finally the song came
to an end and I could hear nothing but the calls of the crowd and the whistles
of my fans.  Looking back to Jake, I watched him wipe away his tears as his
smiled back at me. He gave me quick thumbs up as Howard Collins, approached me
and kissed each cheek with slobbery lips. I tried to hide my flinch as he escorted
me to the sofa to begin his interrogation.

Matthew Webb
gave me a peck as he moved down the sofa, whereas Jamie Stark grinned and
scooped me into a hug. I felt a reassuring squeeze on my shoulder as he leant
in and whispered into my ear.

“Relax. He
won’t be too hard on his virgin guest.”

Jamie winked
and moved back to sit the other side of Matthew Webb. I sat down blushing and
took a sip of water, which I still managed to spill on the table. I looked back
into the crowd to find Jake, I needed him. There was no way I’d last the whole
interview by myself. I felt the panic sweep through me when he wasn’t where he
said he’d be.

I felt a
slight nudge, and realised that Howard had asked me a question. I gave him an
empty smile, hoping it read something like ‘I have no clue what you’re talking
about, please save me’, only Howard just laughed at me expectantly.

“Sorry to
interrupt, but if I don’t ask now, I’ll regret this for the rest of my life. I
swear.” Jamie intervened. I smiled my first genuine smile of the night to
Jamie, my knight in shining armour. “It’s just that I’m a huge fan and I would
love for Kaitlyn to sign my shirt.”

“Well, well,
well. A treat for us all, Jamie Stark is going to take off his shirt for us!”
Howard encouraged the audience, and somebody threw a marker to the table.
Shaking, I picked it up, while the sofa was rearranged so that Jamie sat next
to me.

“You ok
there? You look petrified” Matthew joked to me.

“It’s not
often I get to be this close to such a sexy man” I laughed, but it was false.
Jamie seemed to pick up on that and started joking while I went to write on the
shirt. When I pulled back Jamie admired it before removing the white T-shirt
and walking towards the audience. The screams were unreal and several bulky
security guards ran over to push back the girls. My eyes followed him as he
walked up the steps and across a crowded row. He paused and smiled at me,
waving his shirt. People around him started to touch him wherever they could.
One lady seemed to try and grope him, but Jamie just laughed and posed,
entertaining everyone. He must have been so uncomfortable, but he never let it
show. He continued to squeeze down the row. Trying to figure out where he was
going, I glanced ahead of him down the row. There was a group of young guys
around my age and a few had the arms around their girlfriends protectively as
if Jamie was going to grab one and pull them into his arms, the rest of the row
was completed by an elderly couple and two platinum blondes, who wore less
clothing than hookers. I knew he was a player, but could he really get any more
obvious? Hooker look-a-likes? But I was surprised when he stopped before them
and whispered into the ear of a brunette with a tough looking boyfriend. He
shook the hands of the man and the brunette climbed onto her boyfriend’s lap,
then Jamie took the girl’s seat. He waited a few moments for the sound crew to
get into position and shouted for a microphone. Silence fell. I saw the producers
look agitated and somebody who clearly worked for Jamie motion to him
furiously.

Jamie tapped
the mic and gathered everyone’s attention. He turned slightly so he could speak
to the row behind. He reached to a quiet looking girl and held her hand.

“What’s your
name?”

“Amy” she
mumbled. It was so hard to hear her but nobody spoke. Everyone was too
intrigued at what was going on.

“Who is your
favourite hear tonight?” he encouraged.

“I’m not
sure. Matthew web has got to be my favourite author, but I love
Rising
Christ
and Kaitlyn was pretty awesome too.” Rising Christ was the film that
made Jamie famous. It was a sci-fi action that he starred in when he was just
sixteen.

“Well in
that case, I guess Matthew needs to come and sign this too.” He handed the
shirt to a security guard who met Matthew at the bottom of the steps. Matthew
didn’t sign the shirt, but wrote a long passage in biro instead.