Winning My Ex-Crush

Fenella’s POV

“We are here to voice our rights.” Mallory’s voice echoed through the speakers mounted on either side of the stage.

“The right to get protection, the right to form healthy relationships with others, and the right to live comfortably in our environment.”

“We cannot achieve any of that if we continue to close ourselves off from what can protect us. Avoiding the topic because we consider it taboo will only lead to misunderstandings. By spreading knowledge about the subject widely, I’m confident we can protect ourselves from the diseases affecting our community.”

“Wow! Yeah, I’ve always felt that sexual education should start as early as possible. I really appreciate this movement you’re advocating.” The host exclaimed, clapping to encourage a round of applause from the audience.

Since 8 AM until now, which was 10 AM, I have stood on stage with dozens of celebrities, models, and actresses in Mallory’s circle of friends. We were wearing matching white shirts with a red ribbon logo on the chest, beneath our cardigan, in support of the HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. Alan, Jemima, and Oscar were also present, standing beside me and wearing the same friendship bracelets.

It felt strange. Over time, Mallory’s circle of friends seemed more like a cult, with Mallory as the holy figure at its center. However, I was aware that they were all famous celebrities, while I was just a newcomer to this group.

I didn’t know if the people gathered in Times Square saw us that way or not. One thing was clear: They idolized these celebrities. They cheered and clapped loudly after hearing Mallory’s speech.

“Alright, the moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived. We will now witness the launch of the latest condom that will protect us all from HIV/AIDS. Please, Miss Mallory West and Mr. Alan Schmidt, step forward to lead the countdown.”

My body tensed as they both moved to the center of the stage in front of the microphone. My fingers felt numb, and anxiety had haunted me for several days. I raised my sunglasses with my fingers, hoping these people wouldn’t recognize me on the large screen behind our stage.

Gosh, the screen was enormous! I was sure that if any part of my body was exposed, it would be clearly seen. Imagining my nostrils visible, my pores, or my messy hair-ah, damn, my hair was such a mess in the ad!

“Let’s start! 10! 9! 8!” The countdown began as Mallory and Alan shouted.

Each count made my breath ache in my chest. The production of the ad had taken only two weeks to meet today’s launch date. Everything felt too fast, and I wasn’t ready.

“4! 3! 2!” The smile on my face felt stiff.

Thick smoke sprayed, and colorful lights flashed rapidly. The screen behind it went black and then slowly showed product videos lasting less than 20 seconds. After this, the ad featuring Alan and me was supposed to play with a total duration of 40 seconds.

The product video paused for a few seconds. Sweat began to dampen my back despite the cold December morning weather. There it was!

‘Hmm…’ My face appeared on the screen with a loud mumble.

‘Hi, is there anything I can help with?’ The voice of the woman playing the pharmacist was also clear, and she was now standing beside me, watching the ad on the screen behind us.

***

I sat stretched out on the sofa in my apartment. Jessy was still busy with his phone, answering various questions from reporters. He had also been occupied with various posts on my personal and office social media accounts.

The condom brand launch event was over, and the response had been overwhelming. It was normal for people to see someone buying condoms openly at a pharmacy. The ad was intentionally made to make buying condoms seem as routine as buying vitamin C pills.

Did the ad capture attention as expected? Yes! The ad quickly went viral on social media, and celebrity gossip articles always mentioned Mallory West as the brain behind the idea. Of course, not everyone reacted as the ad creators had hoped, as it began receiving criticism.

The video comments were flooded with condemnation, insults, and verbal bullying. Our supporters were now battling haters on social media. The most sensational controversy became the trending topic of the day in the online world.

“Oh no.” Jessy sat down beside me on the sofa.

His body slumped, and he held his temples as if his head might explode at any moment. He turned off his phone and placed it roughly on the coffee table.

“Is it that bad?” I asked Jessy.

“They’re all crazy! I can’t deal with it anymore! They’re calling for a boycott!”

“Oh, damn.” My voice was weak, and I was at a loss for comforting words.

“Give that to me.” Jessy extended a hand, asking for an unopened can of beer.

I handed him what he asked for. He opened it hastily and drank its contents, coughing immediately.

“Hey, take it easy,” I said, rushing to the kitchen to fetch a bottle of warm mineral water and patting his back.

Jessy set his beer can on the table and drank the mineral water to clear his throat. Once he stopped coughing, I sat back down on the sofa. I took another swig from my second can of beer and began to feel tipsy.

Yes, getting drunk was better to escape all this pressure and madness. The condom ad had been out for less than 24 hours, but it had already received mixed reactions. I knew there was nothing I could do except drink beer to calm my nerves.

Now, I felt high, and slowly, I didn’t care about the fate of the ad anymore. Hey, isn’t it good if the ad gets boycotted? No one would see it anymore. The ad would vanish in the blink of an eye, buried by threats and criticism about public sexual conduct.

Of course, I didn’t express my true feelings in front of Jessy. He had been doing his best to maintain my public image. This might be the biggest blow to his career as my agent. His head must be full of thoughts, and I didn’t want to provoke his emotions any more than they were.

Besides, most importantly, Laird wouldn’t be able to see it again-hell, he had promised not to look into it. I glanced at the wall clock in the room. It was now 5 p. m.; Laird should have finished work by now. I wondered if he had seen the ad or not, as I hadn’t even dared to check my phone since I returned to the apartment.

At least for today. Let me rest for a moment and avoid communication with others after the exhaustion and cold from the Mallory campaign. I grabbed a thick jacket and curled up on the sofa to warm myself.

‘The ad is receiving backlash. I’ll be holed up in the apartment and drinking beer with Jessy if you want to find me.’

That was my last message to Laird.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.