Chapter Nineteen - SuperStar

Rico and Sofia sat in the back of the chauffeured SUV. He couldn't find something better so he had her sign on a napkin but not before she laid down her terms.

"Rico, before I sign, I need to set out two clauses, just two and I don't really mind anything else," she said, pushing some locks behind her ear.

"Ok..." He wondered what she'd say next, already worrying about it affecting their chances.

"First, I don't want to shoot reality TV. I really don't like them, I know you planned The Spark like one but please let's make it more like H.O.S. please..."

Rico exhaled deeply, *D*mn, people usually began with the one of lesser effect. So if this was first then what next?*

"And the second one?" He finally asked.

"The second is just like that clause you already give actors. It's just a bit different though."

*D*mn* Rico swore within, she was scaring him. Something came to mind but he prayed it was not the case here.

"I should be able to get off any project I'm on, with immediate effect, as long as I provide valid reasons for it."

*D*mn. Not what he was expecting but somehow even worse.* "Well um, Sofia, you see, those clauses..." He trailed off, scratching his left eyebrow with his left arm. "You're asking for a lot dear, they could have a huge impact on your salary." He went for the easiest way to break down the impossibility for her.

Sofia shrugged, "They could half it, it doesn't really matter to me. I just need to have these two terms in place. I don't want to find myself in a situation tomorrow where I'm legally bound to do something I don't want to."

Rico sighed and reclined, striking his index finger against his forehead,

"Uhh," Rico exhaled, letting the air out of his puffed cheeks. "Ok, gonna have to make an executive one on this," he sighed. "I had a contract drawn up, even brought it along in hope but it's useless now. We'd have to draw up another one with your terms in it. So now, we have to make do. Um, Harry, pass me a sheet from the glove compartment."

"It's cleared out now boss, today is the 30th."

"Oh," he scratched his head, chuckling. "Tomorrow's worker's day even. Well, get me something."

"Napkins would do?"

"I guess so, it's just something simple," he replied.

"What do you wanna do?"

"Can't believe this until I see your signature on something," he stated, taking the napkin from Harry.

Sofia smiled, shaking her head.

Rico tapped a button and a panel stretched out. He scribbled across it, creating a sort of preliminary contract. He wrote his signature and handed her the pen.

Sofia giggled, her insides mellowing. She'd never done something like this before. She held the pen, she couldn't even recall what her signature looked like.

"A moment please," she chuckled, scribbling across her palm. She made multiple attempts, wiping each one off by rubbing her right thumb vigorously across it. When she was finally satisfied, she drew it on the napkin and leaned back in admiration.

Rico immediately took a snapshot of it and began tapping away on his phone, his feet tapping the floor of the car continuously, he could barely keep it in.

"Um, by the way, what happens on the 30th?"

"Hmm?" Rico glanced at her briefly.

"Harry reminded you that today's the 30th," she replied.

"Oh, that," Rico chuckled, "Thing is, I have all my cars run maintenance on the 29th of each month so, they, as he said, clear out the cars," he said then put his phone in airplane mode and dropped it beside him.

"Oh," she nodded.

Just then, her phone buzzed. Sofia ignored it, it sounded again, she dug it out, and the buzzing became a continuous drone. She was getting so many I*******m notifications. She tried swiping but the phone had hung. The drone continued though, and the phone refused to switch off when she tried.

"What's going on? My phone's not working Rico! I don't know what happened." She was going hysterical, making the sign of the cross even. She kept tapping the screen but nothing was happening.

"Uh... I think that's on me..." He trailed off, an arm in his hair.

Sofia looked at him but turned her attention back to the phone immediately. It was ringing, but there was a problem. The phone was receiving three calls at once. The screen was split into three vertically, each displaying a different number. Just then, the phone tripped off and refused to come on again, despite Sofia's continued attempts.

"Harry, slight detour. She gotta get a new phone."

"You did this?" She faced him.

"Technically, no but I may have posted a picture of the contract on The Gram and this is the aftermath," he chuckled.

"Oh my God, you what?" Sofia asked, "Was that necessary?"

"Yes, your promotion starts immediately. The build-up should have started even before you signed but I wasn't sure you would so I didn't. Besides, I guessed it would only discourage you even more."

"All my girls would've been trying to reach me," Sofia lamented, looking down at her dead phone. "But, since you posted it, why is my phone affected?"

"Oh, I tagged you in the post. Finding you was easy, I just checked Jessi's followers, and voila. You have not been too active though. You haven't posted a thing."

"Well, Tanya helped me create one. She wanted more followers so... Then I asked her to follow Jessi too. I don't think I've been on the app since then."

Rico chuckled, shaking his head.

"By the way though, we have to get a new sim too."

"Why, the old one's still here. Or did it get damaged?"

"It's been revealed someone must've found your number on maybe F******k... You follow Tanya there too right?"

She nodded and he shrugged,

"Well, that explains it. You are a star now. Your direct line is something only your close circle should have."

Sofia chuckled.

"A star..." She muttered, wondering... *What next?*

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The news had taken everyone by shock. The first people to see Rico's post were; Amanda, Jessi, Ryan, James, and David.

Amanda was live on the app when the post notification came in. She viewed it and that mesmerizing smile slowly fell, till it turned over. She went off immediately, turning off her phone. She was still in Ryan's office at Venus.

"D*mn that bitch!" She swore, striking her palms against the oak desk. She was shuddering in rage, her face contorting as she plotted her next move. Suddenly, she sprang to her feet, pushing the executive seat back, she rushed around the desk and out of the office, she had to get this done ASAP.

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Jessi sat in a swivel seat in the stylist department, browsing through reels when she got the notification. She viewed it and shrieked, jumping to her feet.

Everyone around turned to look at her.

"Girls, the studio just signed my home girl!!"

This time they all shrieked in unison.

Jessi immediately started trying to reach Sofia. She couldn't so she shared the post too.

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Ryan was stepping out of the station when he got the notification. He beamed, just then, a lady fell to the floor a few meters away from him and he chuckled, shaking his head as he walked away while her husband tried to stabilize her. He dialed Sofia's number as he walked to his car but he couldn't reach her. The same with Rico.

"D*mn," he swore, looking up from his phone. "Woah," he reared up and immediately leaned against the wall. There were half-naked ladies all over his car. "D*mn," he swore. He turned to sneak back to the station but stopped himself, remembering the female deputy who was on his case.

Ryan swore, taking off his jacket and pulling it over his head, he ran out to the street and got in the nearest cab. He was spotted though so the cab had to make a quick getaway at his request.

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James and David were together when the notification came in. They both looked at their phones, David's face contorting into one of pure rage.

"You seeing this huh? You seeing this Danson? The Studio's shares are still suffering from that little skirmish back then with the video and now this?" He cleared his desk with one swipe of his arm and walked back to the windows, breathing deeply.

"For the last time Danson. You in or not?"

"We have a call to make," James replied, taking a seat.

"Now you're talking," David replied, coming to sit with him.

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The news of Sofia's signing was bigger than anyone had expected. It broke the internet, shooting her into the elite class of celebrities in the limelight. She was being sought after all over the world; agencies wanted to sign her, companies wanted ambassadorship deals, etc. She was now a star.

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"Here," Rico handed her the small bag and she brought out the phone.

"Wow," She muttered.

"That's an iPhone XS Max. The best of the best."

"This is too much," Sofia shook her head, putting it back in the bag.

Rico looked horrified, "This is the best IOS device right now and you're saying? No way, that's your phone."

"Must've cost you a lot."

"No, this is coming out of your signing bonus."

"What signing bonus?"

"The one you get for signing a contract with us. When we sign a contract with an actor or actress, we give them a little bonus as an add-on."

"And how much is this?"

"Well in the contract I had drawn up, it was $5m but I'm not..."

"Oh my God," Sofia made the sign of the cross, "Did you just say five million?"

"Yeah," Rico chuckled.

"No, no, that's too much. What the hell am I going to do with five million dollars? And you said it's just my bonus, so what's my salary gonna look like then? That's much more money than I have spent my entire life and I am... Well, I'm old enough."

"Yeah um, you're gonna need an agent."