Maya mixed something in the beer bottles and kept them inside the fridge. She left for work after that. After some time, Ethan got up and looked around "Oh, I slept." He looked at the time. It was evening. He moved towards the fridge and opened it "Beer? I thought she threw it. Well," He took a can and drank some of it.

He threw up immediately "Gross!" He threw it in the dustbin and tried another can. He threw up again. Then, he tried another and then another. He finally gave up and slept back.

Vivian kept the piece of paper inside an envelope and pressed the stamp on it. Sejok pressed the horn.
"Hurry up, Vivian!"
She took a deep breath and kissed the envelope. She posted it on her way to the party. They got down on the red carpet. Every celebrity she knew was there. The paparazzis surrounded her and camera flashes followed up. Other celebrities began whispering among themselves.

Maya looked over from the crowd and saw Vivian surrounded by the paparazzis and news reporters. The body guards surrounded her as they pushed her fans away. She looked around herself. It was all such a chaos, people were fighting to reach her. They would push and scratch. She moved a step back but there where people behind her too.

Their shadows suddenly appeared bigger. She felt cold hands touching her and she shouted. Everyone became quiet all of a sudden.

"Don't touch me!" She shouted "You creeps!" They all just stared at her as if struck by lightening.
"I'm human too, okay? Give me a break all of you."
"You chose to be famous." Someone in the crowd shouted and all of them started speaking.

"One day," Vivian finally spoke up and everyone became quiet again "When I won't be able to sing, none of you would be around. I'm not a cash machine! I didn't wanted this! I never wished for it then why did I get it?!"

Maya looked at her with the rest of the dumbstruck crowd. The usually happy and smiling Vivian was suddenly so rude and such a handful. Sejok came towards her and grabbed her arms.

"Vivian--"
"I said don't touch me!" She pushed him away "You're just like them! You people have no heart! I have seen it-- I worked and worked and worked! I'm left with no other hobby but sing and that isn't a hobby anymore either!

I sing not because I want to but because I have to-- That's not how it works! Somehow it's not about just singing anymore. I'm a singer not a model or a "way-of-life'. I'm here to make music, nothing else. I'm not going to cure your depression or become a girlfriend or a God-- All I need is my voice. But no-- Everyone wants the full package!

You should sing and dance and be pretty and have a nice personality and be happy and must have other talents-- Like what? Am I a muse of perfection? What do you want-- Chose one of these.

Let's be real, the people who are judging don't even have one fourth of these characteristics. They just sit around and create a persona of how this particular person should be or look like and when you try to meet that persona-- You're suddenly fake.

If I don't change then I'm imperfect and if I do change then I'm fake. Millions of people love me, huh? They love who they perceive me to be-- They don't love me-- They love the image I present to them. I'll tell you people what they do to so many poor and young souls out there.

People fight their families to achieve their dreams-- They fight their competitors, they fight their insecurities and incapabilities, their spirit and when they finally are on the stage-- They fight the world, the expectations, the pressure, the haters. We chose to be popular-- That doesn't make us less human. Or if you chose a job and are treated like shit-- Is it because you chose that job or because they are jealous-- That they can't be you.

Those whom you recruit-- are young children-- Merely how old-- nineteen, twenty, twenty one? You recruit them for their looks and mould them to fit your mental image of "perfect" and looking at those idols-- All teenagers feel insecure just because they don't look like them? But I ask you all-- have you ever tried to know what's behind those thin bodies and pretty faces? Under those layers of makeup, we are rotting, just like you. It's just that atleast you're comfortable and treated like real people not dolls.

Our agencies don't care how we perform-- we need to take care of that ourselves or people will say that "Oh, she's not talented enough" or "Why is she even there?" Because all they care about is how we look-- They don't care if we're healthy or not, we should just be thin! Because thin is perfect.

There's a thing called genetics-- Every person can't look the same, it's creepy if they do. You build up certain standards that people look upto and feel bad about themselves. And then to cover that up-- You create motivational themed songs and spread these vague messages to reduce insecurities when you're the one who created them in the first place. How hypocritical can you be?

It's like you're selling the disease and the cure. We, are the disease, our songs are a temporary cure but the damage we leave to your self esteem is permanent. So, some people hate us to feel less insecure and point out our flaws as if we don't see them ourselves. What a beautiful industry, indeed. It takes minutes to turn into haters. It's scary how fast people flip.

And even after that, if you manage to survive-- You're suddenly too old and you know-- "out of trend". A new idol takes your place and you're dispossessed off by the agency. You waste your young years on this and what are you left with? Loneliness.

No one is there for you. No one, absolutely no one. After that, you just wait for the end. This isn't love because true love lasts. You're never bored of it.

I don't want this love! I don't deserve this cheap love. I've deserved Ethan! I've earned it but I never looked at it that way. Thank you for teaching me what I deserve. I couldn't be more grateful." She walked out of the party while everyone just stood there.

Maya clapped "Wo! Diva." She said "Way to go, miss Vivian! You're my inspiration!" Everyone stared at her and she covered her mouth with her hands.

Vivian entered her apartment and fell on the huge bed "I missed this peace. It's all over now." She whispered on her pillow and fell into deep sleep. Fate sat beside her and pressed her head "Well played, now it's Ethan's turn."

Ethan woke up in the middle of the night. The food was wrapped in a plastic wrap and left on the table. Maya sat beside it "Oh! Sorry, did I wake you up?"
"No." He walked towards the table and sat on the chair. He took a bite of the bread "It's good."

"It's top notch" She ate a piece of it and drank some beer "Want some?"
"Yeah..." He said but as soon as he took a sip, he threw it up again. "What the hell! What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything!" She said "Damn! You made the entire carpet dirty" She rebuked. He apologised.

"I can't drink anymore?" He said to himself.
"That aside, you saw the news? Vivian is all over it!"
"That's not something new for her." He took another bite of the bread.
"Actually, it is. Well, she blew up at a party. Omg-- That was so lit! She's my idol now!"

"Blew up?"
"I'll show you" Maya switched on the TV and turned to the news channel. It was literally everywhere on the Internet.

"Today's hottest celebrity reveals to us maybe the most shocking dark secrets of the entertainment industry."

"I don't want this love! I don't deserve this cheap love. I've deserved Ethan! I've earned it but I never looked at it that way. Thank you for teaching me what I deserve. I couldn't be more grateful." Vivian shouted on the TV.

"This could be one of the biggest revolution the entertainment industry has ever faced. Many of the sites are crashing because of all the uproar it has caused and many other ex- idols are validating her points. We're here with Ms Lilac."

Ethan was lost in a daze 'I don't deserve this cheap love. I've deserved Ethan!' He didn't know how to feel-- The emotions just ran in all directions. He heard his name after such a long time and that too from Vivian's mouth.

"I wonder who Ethan is," Maya said "Lucky guy... Is she dating him?" Ethan switched off the TV. Let's continue eating.

"Sure~ You know I farted during the shoot today and blamed it on our manager! That man was about to cry!"
"You shouldn't be so mean."

"Well, I'm a woman of etiquette!" She continued babbling. He wasn't listening anymore. He was wondering if Vivian was seeing this news too and how would she feel. They were commercialising her again. He didn't feel any urge to drink that night and slept peacefully after eating heartily.

Kurosava looked at the news and bit his fingers "This didn't go well. She is still not over him, huh. Fine then, I'll use Plan- B."

As the sunlight struck her face, Vivian opened her eyes slowly. Everything was so peaceful and quiet-- Just like she wanted. She checked her page which was filled with hate comments.

"God! She's a two faced plastic bitch!"
"She was faking that smile all the damn time!"
"Cheap love she says?! She's surely taking us for granted!"
"Man! It's a shame. I loved her"
"She's disgusting"
"I hated her from the start!"

Vivian smiled as she read those "I'm sorry, I tried. But you will never know because you don't know me that deeply. Only Ethan does."

- To be continued

Death
My Heart Hates Me