BED CHEM

Los Angeles, Eight Years Ago Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

Elizabeth Arden stood just behind the velvet curtain, clutching a lukewarm bottle of water like it was the only thing tethering her to reality. The air was thick with bubblegum perfume, confetti residue, and the screechy sounds of influencers practicing their acceptance speeches. It wasn't glamorous — not really — just sticky and bright and too loud.

She checked the time again. Just one song. One tiny, heavily-edited performance of her debut single, sandwiched between sketches and dance-offs. This was not how she'd imagined her singing career would begin. A stagehand brushed past her, nearly knocking her off balance. She pulled her cardigan tighter.

She still wasn't used to this version of herself — Elizabeth Arden, Actress Turned Pop Star — the label her PR team had pushed. She'd been an indie film darling once, praised for her quiet performances. Now, she was trying to prove she could do more than cry on cue, and she was failing.

Her label had poured money into her image, but wouldn't fund a proper music video. It made her feel fake. Hollow.