The Price of Paradise (Mack)

[Esmeralda Mendez]

Ezzie sighed as she placed her stylish red hat on her head. Her hair had been straightened and magically lengthened to fall comfortably past her shoulders. She had been doing this a lot. Using her magical hair straightener was fun when she got to look back into the mirror and find her hair a completely different length. She couldn’t do it too much though, for she might be discovered by the muggles. She shrugged as her eyeliner flew out of her hand and applied itself to her eyes. She looked in the mirror. She looked beautiful with her red tank top and jean jacket. Her jeans were getting a bit tight, but Ezzie took no notice. She might have to break out her old pair of sneakers and go jogging again, but Ezzie doubted she could just go out running anymore. It was a hobby Ezzie used to enjoy, but she hadn’t had much time for running lately. All her plans and activities were centered on her new career. It was either attending a premiere, or doing an interview, or spending hours at a time in the recording studio working on her album. She was excited about all this, but sometimes it was just too much. She wanted time to herself again, she wanted to be able to go out and run without being mobbed by fans or paparazzi. She couldn’t forget about the life she left behind, however. Her life now was paradise compared to the life she was living in the past.

Being on live television was far more exciting than spending hours at a five star hotel making beds and cleaning toilets. Ezzie remembered the first time she stayed in a hotel. As a guest, and not a maid. She had the horrible habit of making the bed and folding the towels just the right way. She washed all the dishes, did all the laundry, and tried her best to make the maid’s life as easy as possible. Ezzie still remembered walking into some of the suites during the six out of seven days of the week. Some of them took hours to clean, and she was almost fired for spending too long on them. Some people could just be so inconsiderate. She hated it. She had even left a large tip on the already made bed. The maid could not have been happier. She remembered hearing a fight in the hall between the maids as to which one would get to clean her suite. She also couldn’t forget her other problem. Being followed by hundreds of fans and random paparazzi was nowhere near as scary as being followed around by that creep. He was still out there somewhere. He knew she was famous. Hopefully her extra tight security had been enough to tell the man to back off. If it wasn’t…then Ezzie had a real problem. She smiled a bit as she fixed her hair in the mirror.

Paradise has its price. Ezzie said to herself as she walked out of her large bedroom and into the family room where the fireplace was. Ever since the day the paparazzi were found taking pictures outside her window, her manager had told her she wasn’t allowed in the house alone. Ezzie protested, claiming she would keep all the windows closed, but it wasn’t enough. Alyssa had made up her mind. Once Alyssa made up her mind, there was no second guessing.

“Are you ready Ez? “ Alyssa asked from next to the fireplace. She was off to see a friend of hers, who was also a producer. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs were both at work, Ethan was with friends, and Jessie was at a doctor’s appointment. She hadn’t wanted to tag along with either, so she was stuck going with Alyssa to visit her friend. They were to visit her at work, and Alyssa would discuss some business matters privately while Ezzie waited outside her office. She had taken a novel along with her, one written by Mr. Jacobs. It was awfully good so far, but Ezzie was dying to know what happened in the end. Ezzie had asked Mr. Jacobs a dozen times but he just smiled and told her to read on. Mr. Jacobs had zero tolerance when it came to spoilers, so it was a complete waste of time to even ask him what was going to happen in the end. He believed that the experience of reading a book is not as fun if a person already knew what was to happen in the end. Mr. Jacobs seriously disliked re-reading a book, so his opinions on spoilers were understandable. Ezzie smiled.

“Eh, I’ve got my novel, so let’s just say yea, I’m ready to go.” Alyssa laughed as she held out her arm. They were to apparate to her friend’s office. Ezzie grabbed it, and with a loud crack they were gone. Ezzie barely had time to blink before she was an office with a small desk at the end and a few lounge chairs around. There was a large door next to the desk. Alyssa shared a quick conversation with the secretary before she was admitted in. Ezzie sighed as she went to sit down on a comfy looking armchair and opened up her book. She was very disappointed to see she had taken the wrong one. She had already finished this Alex Jacobs novel. She sighed again as she heard the door open into the waiting room like area. She was surprised to see the figure of Mackenzie Holden emerge from the door. Mack Holden had been famous for a while, but hadn’t been seen in public for quite a while. She also went to Hogwarts, and was a sixth year Slytherin there. Ezzie didn’t know the girl personally, but had heard a lot about her. Rumor was that Mack had gotten quite sick of life in the spotlight, and sought to quit. Ezzie watched as she approached the secretary’s desk. She made herself comfortable in the chair. Mack was sure to be turned down by the secretary. Alyssa had made it clear that her meeting with her friend was no social call. Unless Mack had something very important to do, she wouldn’t be allowed in. Ezzie shrugged and watched to see if she would be admitted in.

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack kissed Alex quickly before stepping into the floo fireplace at the Promise residence, “I’ll be back later,” she told him with a small smile as she tossed down the powder, “Diagon Alley,” she paused, “I love you!” she was surprised she had managed to get it out before she was whisked away in the green emerald flames, speeding passed many fireplaces – perhaps too many fireplaces for Mack’s liking. She had no idea why she had agreed to meet Tommy today, she had no idea why she didn’t have him just owl her the paper work she had to sign to release her songs over to G-Major. She should’ve just said that she signed over everything without having to meet him. She wasn’t looking forward to it. Mack’s feet slammed on the ground and she coughed, waving her hand in front of her face to send away the rising soot. She stepped out of the fireplace and brushed the soot off her jeans and fixed her pin striped vest before pulling her blonde hair over her shoulder. She had to look at least decent enough for this stupid meeting. Ugh, Mack thought as she left the Leaky Cauldron and stepped into London, I wish I could just say at home with Alex… Staying at home with Alex had become Mack’s favourite thing to do lately and she loved it completely. She was not looking forward to the start of term, but she figured they’d deal with the whole separation thing.

She hailed a taxi and rattled off the address of G-Major before relaxing into the seat of the cab, her eyes drifting to look out at the city. Mack didn’t miss this. She didn’t miss it at all. She didn’t miss the pressure of the deadline, nor the pressure to be perfect and accepted. She didn’t miss the media tearing her down and she didn’t miss the drama it brought about. She didn’t miss being nearly stalked by paparazzi and she didn’t miss Tommy giving her evil looks when she didn’t do something the way he wanted them to be done. Mack didn’t miss it at all. She did miss writing and playing her music, though, and she knew that soon enough she’d be able to do that just for Alex. Just for Alex. Everything was just for Alex these days. He had become her world so quickly that Mack hadn’t even really had time to breathe once it had happened. But it had happened and she embraced it completely. She only wished that everyone else could find someone they were so complete with like she had. Maybe then the world could start to heal itself. Mack ran her fingers through her hair before handing the cab fair to the taxi driver and stepping out of the car to stand in front of G-Major. The building always clashed. Purple and orange. Hideous colours. But they were definitely Georgia colours. Mack took a deep breath and opened the door to the record label building.

The moment she stepped inside a wave of nostalgia hit her, but it disappeared almost immediately at the sight of the receptionist. Mack scowled, it was the same girl who hadn’t believed she was Mackenzie Holden the first time she had shown up. Hopefully she’d recognize her this time. Mack stepped toward the circular orange desk and leaned on the top of it, eyeing the woman with intimidation; “Hi, remember me?” she asked in a cool tone of voice with a raise of her eyebrows. The woman looked up and looked Mack over a moment before sighing and nodding, “Mackenzie Holden, Tom’s waiting for you in his office – but he has a meeting with someone else first… an old friend.” Mack snorted, “Tommy’s got friends, wow, that’s a shocker.” The receptionist rolled her eyes and gave Mack a pass. Mack looked at the pass, she hadn’t had one of these since the first time she had stepped inside G-Major. “Looks like I’ve come full circle,” Mack muttered to herself as she clipped the pass to her vest and moved to sit in one of the waiting lounge chairs. She sank into one comfortably, slouching low and crossing her arms over her chest. She hated having to wait. Especially since Tommy was the one who asked for this meeting. It was flat out rude.

Mack let her eyes travel around the building for a moment before they landed on someone else waiting in one of the lounge chairs. She raised a quick eyebrow at the young girl, a Gryffindor from Hogwarts, and then realized that this was Esmeralda Mendez – the girl who had gotten famous quicker than a blink of an eye. Mack looked at her a moment and then shook her head, pitying the younger girl; “You’ve no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, have you, Esmeralda?” Perhaps it wasn’t Mack’s place to say anything, but she couldn’t help it. When she looked at the 4th year, she saw herself 3 years ago. Eager for the fame, but completely unaware of where it would lead.

[Esmeralda Mendez]

Ezzie seemed to loose interest with seeing whether or not Mackenzie was going to be able to get inside, and decided maybe it was a good idea read her book again. It was a good book, and unlike Mr. Jacobs, Ezzie found it rather fun to read books more than once. Ezzie felt she learned more about the book that way. The first time around, the reader has to follow the plot-line. If the reader already knows the plot-line, they can focus on the little details missed the first time around. She opened up the book and started to read. Not a page had gone by before Ezzie realized this really was an Alex Jacobs novel. This seemed like a rather stupid thought, as anyone who could read the cover knew who wrote this book. Even if Ezzie didn't know already, she would learn now. An author's book is often a direct connection to the author themselves. Alex Jacobs novels were no different. His main character faces similar challenges, similar problems to Alex's. Neither of them liked their family much, and sought to get away. This wasn't the only one either. The main character's best friend was often wild and rebellious, and got in serious trouble because he didn't think before he acted. Ezzie smiled. That character reminded her of a certain boyfriend of hers. She turned the page and continued reading. She was stopped however, when she heard a voice from not too far away. Slightly startled, she looked up.

Ezzie was right. Mackenzie had in fact not been able to enter. Therefore, she was confined to this waiting room for the next half hour or so with Ezzie. She smiled at Mackenzie, who had just made a very interesting comment. Her words were obviously filled with knowledge and pity. Ezzie didn't want to be pitied. She was happy with her life. She knew exactly what she was getting into. Or so she thought. Mackenzie's words were starting to scare her a bit. She couldn't see anything wrong with wanting to be a star. Aside for the constant pressure from everyone, the crazy deadlines, the limited private life and...Ezzie gasped mentally. Mackenzie was right. She had no idea what challenges lay ahead. The crazy camera crews and the constant pressure was probably only just the beginning of it. Ezzie brushed away the dreadful thoughts and smiled.

"Well, to be honest I like to think I know what's going on. Most of the times I'm just taking life as it comes to me. So far, I like this fame thing. It can get a bit annoying at times, but I like it. I'm pretty sure I can deal." Ezzie marked her page and set it down on her lap. She didn't want to end up like Mack Holden. She didn't want to grow up to hate every aspect of a world she once loved so dearly. She wanted everything to be perfect. She wanted to be famous without the price. Ezzie wanted a lot of things, but she wasn't exactly sure they were all going to happen. Ezzie noticed a magazine lying on the table. t was another one of those teen gossip magazines, and guess who was on the cover? She was. She didn't even know why, but there she was smiling at herself. Taking a closer look, Ezzie realized she was on the cover because of her performance the other night in Wales. At least it was good publicity. She would have hated if that magazine was a repeat of the issue where they caught Ezzie and Ethan kissing in the park. That had been completely embarrassing. She didn't like things like that. The peak into Ezzie's private life was nothing she wanted or needed. That was one of the prices Ezzie had to pay for the this paradise.

[Mackenzie Holden]

“Deal?” Mack questioned with a scoff, she eyed the young starlet. She didn’t know how much the girl knew about the music business, but ‘deal’ was not in the vocabulary. Mack shook her head and slouched even more in her seat, crossing her arms even more across her chest, “You can’t just deal with it, Esmeralda. Trust me, I tried.” Mack ran her fingers through her hair and sat up straight, leaning her elbows on her knees and eyeing the younger girl, “You probably see the glory of it, don’t you? The money, the fame, your name in lights, all of that jazz? It’ll take you about a year in this business to see the ruthlessness behind it all. The tabloids – you think they’re brutal now?” Mack shook her head, standing and moving to sit beside the girl, “Last year, the tabloids spread around that I was in a romantic relationship with my step-brother. It took a lot of damage control to get the tabloids discredited. They only get worse. They never get better. As long as you are in the eye of the public, you will be photographed, gossiped about, and just pretty much drug through the dirt.” Mack looked Esmeralda straight in the eye for a moment before offering a sad smile.

“Of course that’s not saying there aren’t perks to the music business. As long as you love music, you shouldn’t have a problem with that – as long as your producer isn’t like mine was. As long as your manager doesn’t try to change your sound. See, my first album was pretty much poser bubble gum pop rock. As I grew, though, my music tastes changed – well my manager changed as well and my new manager wanted my old image back. He tried to change my sound, my look, everything.” Mack lounged in the chair and looked around G-Major. It hadn’t changed much, but there was new furniture. Nelson type furniture, Mack assumed. No longer red couches or arm chairs, they were black and leather now. Georgia had loathed leather. Stupid Nelson. Mack was glad she had gotten out of the business while she had. She would have driven herself insane if she had stayed in it. Not only that, but she wouldn’t have been able to been with Alex. And Alex was an important part of her life.

She looked at Esmeralda again; “You can’t have a relationship in this business either. The tabloids and the paparazzi have a field day. The moment you step outside, they ask really personal questions. ‘How serious are you two?’ ‘Do you plan on getting married in the future?’ ‘Does he support you with your career or is he sulking all the time because you’re more famous?’ Things like that. You literally have to have noncommittal answers implanted in your brain so you don’t pause in thought. If you pause – they eat you alive.”