The Fake Empire

Ten years agoRaeleigh CampbellPOV{I've made it, I've finally made, all my hard work was finally paying off. All the hard work, sleepless nights, sacrifices were worth it to get to this moment. I can't believe I finally made it big. Making it with my two best friends meant more than anything to me.Or that's what I thought two years ago, my friends want to go off on their own, they want to abandon me. I feel like I have to start all over again. I don't want to. If my family didn't sacrifice so much for me, I would pack up and start over.I’ve met with someone who could help further my career. I want to be the best the world has ever seen, I’ve got big dreams. I’ve been feeling a lot lately. I thought I’d have at least three more years before they abandoned me, I thought I’d have more time to convince everyone I was good enough.}At seventeen I already have my entire future planned out. I’ve been working myself to the bone, with new music and school. I didn’t have much of a social l

Raeleigh CampbellPOVI nearly stabbed someone to death today. As you know I love all things sour, and I requested gummies at a work thing. Would you imagine my surprise when some jerkward ate all my gummies. I was upset but being the bigger person, I let it go. I was tired and I just wanted to go home and get some sleep.I wish more people were like you. No one is as sweet and considerate as you are Craig...=======I hoist up my guitar, she’s my favourite, Riley got me this guitar for my birthday four years ago, it’s bedazzled. She knows me so well. She knew I would absolutely love this.I make sure my hair doesn’t get caught in the strap. The strap had my name on it in glitter. I believe she did this herself.I begin, strumming the first chord to the very first song I wrote when I became a sole artist. “Being in love isn’t easy...” I start singing softly.The crowd roars, drowning me in the love my fans have always given me. I smile at the crowd.“Loving me is even harder, The mo

Chapter 4Four months later...Raeleigh CampbellPOV{I’m on the road again, the constant travelling and workload I'm under helps, I don’t feel so trapped anymore. I feel alive for the first time in two years.I get anxiety right before I have to go out there, but while I’m there I feel at home. The anxiety before and after hasn’t faded yet.}====="Rae! Rae!"I stare out at the crowd panting as they scream out my name. I plaster on a bright smile on my bright red lips.I wave as my dancers and backup singers make their way backstage.“Thank you everyone, I enjoyed our time together. See you all tomorrow night.” I bow before waving the crowd bye as I make my way backstage.Their cheers are fuel me in a way it hasn’t before, the smile slips off my face once I’m backstage away from the eyes and cheers. My tense body finally relaxes. I do something I’ve been working on stopping.My mind rushes to all the mistakes I made during my performance, when I forgot the lyrics to So break my heart

Raeleigh CampbellPOV“You know when I wrote this song, I actually wrote two versions. I had the one I released and the one I kept to myself. One was released as a pop song for the radio and the other felt like a diary.” I smile at the crowd as I set up my mic.I felt like I was sharing a side of myself, I hadn’t shared with my fans before. There were parts of me my fans never got to see. There was a time I would interact with them daily. I would react to their videos and comment on their videos. Now I stay as far as possible off social media.“I wrote this song about a friend, we we’ve been friends since before my career started and at the time, I had feelings for him but scared to say it out loud in fear of ruining the friendship.”I strim the guitar, I start off singing soft, low register, almost spoken. “I wrote it down like a desperate prayer.Hoping my words might find you there.Hoping my love could reach you.Before it slips through my hands”With the second verse I fill my vo

Aiden WilderPOVThe locker room hummed with restless energy. Everyone was on edge, not just me. We were playing the 49ers those guys played hard and had a good line up this season, they were kicking ass, and this year was kicking my ass.The guys were all buzzing around, I was sitting by myself, trying not to throw myself to the floor. I just felt so numb, tonight I was going to throw myself in the game. I sat at my locker, helmet in my lap, my thumb tracing the dent along its edge. One too many hits…It was my first game back, everyone was going to speak about my loss, my relationship. If I didn’t give it my all, or if I fell short today. I’d be known as a has been. My entire career hangs in the balance.My uncle planned to buy the team in the summer. If I didn’t give it my all this season, people would think I was here because my uncle. I hated using the Jacobs name to get into places. My great grandparents built a legacy many people still look up to the Jacobs family. I may be a W