The Rise of Billy Jones

The Rise of

Billy Jones

Created by Stevie Mac

Written by Stevie Mac and Chrys Phillips

COPYRIGHT ©2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PREFACE

Britain’s aristocracy; be it small and frowned upon by the general public due to elevated rules towards these sequestered, landmark, pompous lords. From the press we learn of favored treatment concerning tax evasion, sizable portions of land being controlled and owned by aristocratic families, generous wages and gifts being donated towards children within the families, and as such we frown upon them as irrelevant statues. Such dutiable integration of their names, their legacies and their charities amongst prolific education gestates a subliminal knowing of class position. And yet, whilst an underpinning of social distains for their alchemy, an equal and opposite inquiry into the lives of the privileged charms our social interest. As everyone desires to have their easy existence, we also hope for their social demise to find equality upon their calamity and ruin.

Whilst we have a gathering of emotional response such as desire, jealousy and judgement, the lives of the wealthy children heir to the fortunes harbored by birthrights of these privileged few, the thirsty speculation upon these figure heads spears into fascination and we are at the mercy of their public movements, in whatever fashion they take. Such fashions create an insatiable invasion into their daily movements should the imbalance of their dramas of be lessened by their succulent adroitness.

Bedfordshire, whilst not being the most prestigious land areas outside of Hertfordshire in Britain’s east, is known for one aristocrat family controlling 70 percent of land and trade. The family is small and with a common name of Jones. Recently there has been much attention given to this small family, with its heir son leaving Britain and becoming a music artist in the genre of Rock and Roll. Whilst the press was tailored for some time under the ruling of the family to squander his movements, the families allies and acquaintances are feeling very uncomfortable as the title of his earl can affect them in several capacities; financial and socially.

Bedford Ethan William Jones is son of Earl William Ethan Jones and is Marquess lord to inherit all of the Five Hundred Million Pounds his family as past the age of 35 years and their income from most of Bedfordshire. Whilst until the age of 55, he will only have a wage of Four Million Pounds a year, although his influence over the family’s estate and its ability to purchase and invest doesn’t require his father’s approval. Thus, his mother understands her position being futile in any negotiation. This doesn’t sit well with Beatrice Jones. She feels that she deserves to at least be in the loop of major events, given her upbringing.

With Bedford Ethan William Jones, now changing his name to Billy Jones, and becoming a very popular Rock and Roll Artist in Los Angeles, the pressure from the families forged allies and acquaintances, takes effect of Beatrice, and she leaves Britain to find Billy and beg him to return to the family. Within her panic of losing access to the only life she knows, she seeks out assistance of her Sister Gwen to gain assistance with controlling her Son. Lord only knows what can of worms she has just opened.

Chapter One

It’s a warm summers night in Los Angeles, and the noise coming from the Staples Centre is one to remember. This sold out concert with forty thousand Rock and Roll Fans has an electric atmosphere, and the anticipation for the main event is unbearable. The lights are flaring up and teasing the crowd, mopping them into a frenzy. The security guards are making way for VIP pass holders, checking their passes for any arms, and their dress code of short dresses for girls and singlets for guys. The star of the show is very particular about how women who will be coming to the after party are dressed. The VIP passes show a date in 2020, a time where Rock and Roll gave people a strong political identity. So many people are taking photos of this concert as they’ve been waiting for this particular show to come back to their city of Los Angeles. The Staples Centre is at absolutely capacity, and the security has their hands full with handing the crowd. Extra policing is called in to mark the surrounding streets and give directions to press waiting outside for when the show is over to get a glimpse of the stars when they leave in the tour bus.

The atmosphere is electric and the crowd know that something auspicious and historical is about to be experienced, As the lights play with the crowd’s emotions, going up and down, smoke fills the stage and as one little spot light champions above the hysteria of it all, the soft tears of a piano anthem that is all too familiar with the hearts of the crowd mask the crowd with unison. It is the start of one rock and roll anthem which the crowd all know well. The cheers are deafening and the eruption of unison embodies forty thousand strangers into one body. Suddenly, the stage starts to peel out into a screen that is 4 meters high showing the silhouette of a figure everyone recognizes. Underneath symphonic laser effects masking this body with markings of the union jack, to bring the voice of a nation to its consciousness.

The chants from the audience start. “Billy, Billy, Billy!” The main event is here, and a number of beautiful women wearing black leather and grant tartan skirts start to emerge from darkness onto the stage.

The overwhelm canter from sheer energy oozing out of everyone with the piano theme that has become a national lullaby, the screen starts to fixate on this silhouette into the loved recognizable figure. It’s a man white almost pasty man dressed in a grant tartan kilt

He has succinct make up on. It’s a specific look that some of the crowd has copied. It’s red eye shadow, and black lines down his face with doll eye mascara. His hair is forced up and out at the back, showcasing a semi punk mohawk, yet shaved sides highlighting earrings and custom-made glasses. He has socks around his hands and black nail polish on. The video is live as this man moves from the backstage area to the positioning of where this iconic show will take place for the forthcoming two hours. The camera stops as the man stops and we see a gorgeous woman with long whippy hair signal his attention to a clip board. As he is significantly bigger and still within the shade of fixed light, we see his hand take aim to sign what is on the clipboard. She approves this signature with a gentle nod. This isn’t a fan, this is his agent Monique. She has the crowd’s fascination as normally agents aren’t this attractive.

His large rock and roll boots, gives his movements choices to launch loudly, yes timed to amplify the heartbeat of the piano chimes. He chest is bare, ready for all the women on stage to touch. His rippling muscles grab their attention as the piano chimes move into a large onslaught of symphonic rock and roll accompaniment, as his escape from the backstage loft, pours his symmetry and reveal to the forefront and his all girl band appears behind a large screen showing the muse of the music’s pivot.

In the whirlwind of euphoria, the crowd beckon the knowing of the tune; a staple anthem for American pop culture. It’s the title song for this Rock Stars Number One Album, ‘Vanessa.’

Vanessa isn’t just the song title, she’s the iconic girlfriend of this Rockstar. Their relationship forged in every magazine over the past year, as the public wanted a marriage and divorce story to be of marvel as the wonderous wealth of Billy has stained his career in manners to take focus off his musical offerings. The undecided claim of buying his way into further notoriety, and paying people to write his music has overshadowed his ability and whilst within the elation of the live interaction with this forty thousand strong crowd, the familiarity of Vanessa’s video succession with the over bearing rock and roll music sweeps up the audience into further frenzy pushing the crowd into a sea like motion. From Billy’s chest he picks up a very expensive guitar and hands it to a security guard and points to a jumping fan. The animated ecstasy within the fans move the dancers choreograph into formation around Billy and the words of the song Vanessa propel a united voice from the crowd.

‘You knew right from the Start, You would break my heart, you couldn’t go without me, it’ needed to be about you, I couldn’t ever win, You’re nothing but Sin, when I fell you told me, you suddenly, felt cold, Tear out my hair, it is not fair, we will never share, the ending star, but I love you, LIAR! Billy is moved by the sound of the crowd chanting these words, almost like it’s the first time he’s heard the song. But’s the showman in him. Whilst he’s in the moment of this fascination with how what he heard in the lonely song writing process has taken form as a binding crowded assimilation of successional mortar, he signals the stage hand to propel his stage riser to start and pulls focus to temper his start.

Singing his verse, he connects with the words, and finds the emotion that formed them. His love for Vanessa has been turbulent. Love is something that has been a conflicted emotion for him. And his understanding of being in love has been laced in the poison of his parents’ example, and the concept of love being a trap for archaic traditional stampede upon cyclic existence within a manner of confinement.

‘She said I couldn’t hide, all the pain I had inside, its haunt’s me every day, the choices you made, I couldn’t get it right, even for you I would fight, but loving you forever, we’ll never be together’ these words tear at his heart as his desire to fight for Vanessa is conforming collapse in his energy. Billy can’t hide that his inability to express the bounty of joy at the idea of having a girlfriend is overcast with a shame as to what it may mean for his class. He is longing to have a simple joy, but nothing can be simple if you’re an aristocrat. Any formation of officiality between a public union comes at a cost of formality. This formality has been an undoing for any creative strain that he has strengthened in rebuke against his family. The conflict of learning an instrument and languages in his education took on a passion that had divided his family. He felt a small guilt for leaving his family, but he was chasing the desire of being a simple man with choices and the collapse of hereditary genes upon the succession of formality was tying together his anger to the point of numbness.

The decay of his soul was evident in his face. It wasn’t a face that could be ignored by the band. Tanya, his main singer knew that face all too well. Within rehearsals she had made it clear that she was interested to get to know Billy more, but his turbulent emotional responses toward any closeness with any female led to all verbal interactions being extinguished with a measure of denial for connection. Billy dripped a pompous sarcasm which hinted at his grasp on areas of flirtation, although through the filter of estranged knowledge of words offending people, as his selfish rule through his alchemy of sole child experiences alienated him from most people in Los Angeles. This strength of self-sustain under a sky of loneliness was also his weakness as it estranged him from being close. The walls of his sarcasm deflected meaning from words that left his mouth, as the riddle like phrases that marked a new way of existence. Whilst he felt in control of allowance to chase the music that filled his head, and give them passage to leave his body into the instruments and into the mass public as anthems, the host of his body was riddled with anguish for self-sustain with his own navigation. He felt a confusion as to how to manage the ritual of duty to his family whilst harvesting a duty to purpose in creativity. The shallow depth of aristocratic rule appalled him. In fairness he felt no one could feel a bond to his purity of desire for living without guidelines that were so forged over hundreds of years. A purity designed out of a belief in his originality and calibration with the music gods.

Having an embodiment of controversy, for futile resurgence of duty being lacquered with propriety for honorary convulsion to family assumption, rivaled against aim for purity within honor of giftings to hear musical canter to aid mass holster for audio relevance. Billy was more than a figure head of social illusion. This depth couldn’t be conceived by a ferocious audience that aimed trivial stewarding on any would-be star. Silently, they assumed Billy was just a bad boy with money. Nothing more or less, but someone who’d just gotten lucky Their awarded acclaim towards Billy stemmed as deep as an iconic marvel for a kilted rock and roller with attractive symmetry who has a fantasy life. The salient underpinning of his marketing of a famed British rebel against a system only gave cause to his following being fueled against a system they didn’t quite understand. Their interpretation and reinforcement through marketing is that British rule is corrupt, and seeing this appear from an aristocrat, meant that he was one of them, and whilst born into it, annulled it.

The crowd felt they were allowed to love him for this. Nor did they care that really, his unwritten laws that he lived by was more selfishly felt. However, the fact that Billy saw that a crowd could be led by finding a common desire to be standing for freedom regardless of it being pure meant that his purity could at least be exonerated. Their identity in being against a system where love was the only true leader was enough to spur his indulgence for freedom gave cause to continue. Billy wasn’t just an icon for that illumined agenda, but caught within the internal franchise of its illusion. He felt his connection to music very strong but heavy on his ability to enjoy it. Such as this heaviness weighed on him, the less his ability to express anything but an objectivity and pardon for emotional discourse become more detached. The moments on stage was where he only could enjoy a freedom from his over analysis and a soaking in the adrenaline of the moments created out of his ability to listen to the music gods.

With the music and energy of the music moving quickly through these moments of assumed joy, Billy’s belting for the word Vanessa came into his awareness and with muscle memory of positioning air from his lungs to caution the pitch of it, he raised the microphone to catch it leaving his stomach. The echo of the word partitioned throughout a sweep in the forty thousand strong audiences capture and relay was a true measure of the torturous collection of love synergy. This promoted a reinforcement in Billy’s notion of love being ever so summed up. From the song writing constructs that would fuel a word to position itself using the vowel of ‘A’ at the end of phrase with a musical support to project it into the subliminal mind, the satisfaction of forty thousand fans emulating their endurance of the word connecting to Billy’s pain of her was the only smother of meaning he linked to what should be family. He was not alone. He had brothers and sisters within this landscape of framed musical echo.

But of course, Billy believes that to feel this tie to humanity, more concerts and more songs need to have this effect. It’s a spurring on of attention, and this propels an addiction as it’s only a burst of emotional harmony. But with every equal measure of emotional force, the closeness that he can only feel here, on stage, in this moment is exactly here; only here. This is the divide from assumption of attention to the elation of how attention to what Billy’s void is. Whilst off stage, Billy is immersed in women, money, toys and anything available, it’s the completion to his soul, his amour down that is interwoven in the moments shared with the crowd’s echo. Certainly, an illusion of adoration from the crowd projects a propensity to sustain the mold of leader amounts of the sound anecdotes to amplify identity fruition, yet Billy is never far from yearning those feelings achieved on stage in those moments, regardless of the symbols of prosperity that distract him in day to day existence.

The vortex of musical assimilation and its practice suspend a polarity for Billy. While he feels the trenches of art hold their caveats, he enterprises in the freeing audio intricacies that syphon and acknowledge his value as a contributor to the transmission of frequencies that connect him with his fellow men and women. The life of a musician at most times can be lonely, however with Billy’s ascension of wealth and title, his loneliness should he continue pursuing a career leaves less for him to share without consequence of flung back into the duties of his legacy.

The dancers take Billy into the bridge section of the song, and the connection that’s rehearsed with the dance captain is now if focus. The lights move to harness the position of this part of the song as with the timing of the set. One minute, forty-two seconds into the number and this is the part of the up and down choreography and a harmony backing vocal that is has been imprinted in Billy’s mind over the past year after he recorded it.

‘FOREVER,’ Those words meant so much to Billy, when they came out of Vanessa’s mouth at the time of reflective writing the song, suitably matching his intent to be loyal to her in every way, even with Billy’s inability to mask his frustration with love and what it could mean for their future. Belting it out in the fashion of ritual doesn’t ruin the potency of the reflection of Billy’s feelings, however minimal they are becoming under the weight of his frustrations. The crowd was waiting for this moment, it’s a full 14 seconds of holding this note. They all synchronize around it with an assembled allegiance that doesn’t need a rehearsal. It’s a cry for their ambition set onto a love story that doesn’t exist. The Love story that is held in the imagination of everyone in the crowd.

Now for the final rounding off of the first Song. The feelings are now open and left in that moment shared. It will take another concert for Billy to find those feelings again. Whilst the next parts of other songs will bring up similar exposure, the space that Billy has opened will now close until then.

Tanya leads the band into the final pre-chorus.

One last cry over the name ‘Vanessa’ will send Billy’s feelings out into the stratosphere under the chanting of the bellowing crowd.

The noise is unlike anything previously match. A certain satisfaction follows his hand rising to punch the air. It’s not the first time Billy’s felt relevance and free, but this time, knowing it’s at the Staples Centre and his decision to remain in Los Angeles and not go back to his British Estate means more. Something is final. And it’s the rise of the dexterity of his musical ability. It’s sunk into a fabric that’s interwoven into social sentences. The construct of all artistic evolution is felt by all on stage and looking on. And arrival indeed for Billy Jones to catch himself in this moment and say to himself, he is home.

Chapter 2

Billy looks into the crowd as the music dissipates into a synthesizer sustain, and marvels at the roaring fans. They have breathed his air and mimicked enough affirmation that Billy believes himself now Successful. He will allow the adoration to wash over him for brief moment. He turns to his left to see his dancers in position, and beyond the lines of the amplifies and technical crew, Billy catches the eyes of Monique, and she smiles slowly with a nod. She sees his value, not to music label, but as a human finding his calling. Whilst she won’t acknowledge to Billy, she finds him interesting in the least as to why he must perform and not remain an aristocrat. But for now, her eyes are fixed on Billy’s fans as her connection to affluence in her job comes from the fans ability to spend on Billy. And her motivations are for a promotion.

She has been told that if Billy’s album hits platinum this month she will receive a bonus. She was the one who saw Billy playing at a club almost a year ago and it was her introduction to Rebel Records that saw Billy get a five-year contract for three albums and tours.

As Monique is satisfied with the first number of the show, she then proceeds to make a call. ‘Daniel Collins,’ the voice on the phone. ‘Hi, it’s Monique Cruise from Rebel Records here, I’m just confirming tomorrows press call at 6pm at the Microsoft Theatre.

The next day the red carpet for the 56th Annual Musical American Music awards is vibrant with loads of fans, press and celebrities filling the theatre as the limos and security guards roll in. The press is forming a line where the celebrities and stars will stand in front of the media walls.

Flashes of camera lights create white zones, and blinding rays over the walls of the theatre. There is a different kind of atmosphere here, as the crowd is hungry for selfies and attention from all attendees. There a small burst of screaming from fans standing behind the lines of the red carpet and press fill every corner. Monique and Billy enter the theatre carpark with several girls. It is Billy reputation to always be surrounded by tall gorgeous women. It’s also something of his fantasy, that he would always have options with girls after what he experienced as a younger boy with the girls his family would have over.

Billy standing in front of a media wall on the red carpet.

At the most illustrious music awards of the year. The world is watching. A lot of people from Britain tune in to this annual event and Billy isn’t the only British pop name there.

People are yelling out his name to take his photo and he

gives an uninterested pose and walks away, to the media area.

The expectation of an aristocrat Rock Star is such that people are going to make up their own minds of Billy regardless of his polite nature. Being born into privilege meant that his lengthy education within a boarding school offered him the most prestigious exposure to elocution and presentation skills, so denying any form of conduct that would be expected of an aristocrat would take some evaluation.

Billy has a persona built around the consistency of a fantasy that he desires. To be somewhat bulletproof, outspoken and controversial should the opportunity present itself. Interviews with celebrities have their way of attracting all kinds of infamous attention, so to not be deliberate in the manners that contradict his education would in Billy’s mind be unbecoming.

“Daniel Collins from Pop Press! Tell us Billy, how do you feel about getting this award?” A good looking African American man leans forward with a microphone. He can see a few more reporters coming over to him now that he is stopped. For a moment Billy hesitates, and looks the reporters up and down seeing them as merely the people who become his necessary enemy.

He can’t waste this opportunity in any manner of delicacy. Billy bites, “I think it’s overrated... I mean, who gives a shit about some shiny object? At the end of the day it’s all about the music and the story

behind the music and how we feel when we hear the music.” He taps the microphone for effect. “Are you reading me?

The girls on Billy’s arms are amused. Billy is then encouraged by this bad boy look. He knows it’s suitable to his Rock and Roll and celebrity persona, although it is almost counter intuitive. His Education of being propelled into gentlemanly behavior would normal result in any question being met with a sentimental regard for and excusing of one’s ability to handle associations between classes for the holding of good will. This is a new world. A world that Billy is falling heavily in love with. One without rules. One that he can manipulate based on fantasy.

For once Billy has control over what happens next. In his past 35 years feeling like a piece of furniture in the museum of his family; the Bedfordshire manner, he’s known every day to have its routine meetings and clockwork. No unexpected questions, nothing said between any party that would seem out of character publicly. Quite a sleek and unseen existence between the hours that the Bedfordshire house wasn’t open to the public, and no press to discuss much of the discourse of the family’s affairs.

Interrupted by this little reflection, “Billy, your fan base is crazy always wanting for any and all social media content of you.”

Can you tell us when do we get to see that? “Daniel Collins is back in Billy’s face. “Can you start an account?”

Billy isn’t aligned with handling his own marketing for this new brand of rock star that he is. His instincts being that of a 35 year old man is that he hasn’t really used a social media account outside of someone else’s control. And at best the photos on the platforms have only shown him in classic centennial masking, in display of the expectation of his family. He thinks as to what an adequate response would be without pardoning his ignorance.

“Social Media, Man! Get a life!” He is happy with this response and also feeling that a lot of this is coming natural to him. It’s the resurgence of some teenage tenacity for rebellion that he had be sequestering for so long just lashing out. It’s now time to allow this anger into a filter, and new identity. He knows that the press will only be an amplifier for anything he says. For once there is a freeing of his emotion, and it’s not just captured through his instruments and through his songs. It’s also an untampered landscape where the rules aren’t so blurry that they can’t exist. It’s what the polarity of his birth now is offering. A way for him to be seen not just by everyone, but by himself.

As an equal opportunist and no stranger to conflict media, Daniel Collins lets out a smile. And pursues Billy with more questions to elevate the questioning. “When can we expect you to start an account?” I know your fans are crazy for it! He’s hoping this may throw Billy into a frenzy of anger. Or at least get his interview ahead of his co-workers as they are more likely to single out interviews that are heated in debate. And with no hesitation on Billy’s behalf, he cuts in, “Man, I’m a musician, not some stupid clown posting shit on my phone!”

“But the fans love you, they want more of you!” Amanda banks chimes in. She’s been waiting for a moment to get the scoop off Daniel this entire time. Billy’s seen her on the television in his tour bus talking about his guitarist Zoe, and how Billy and her are just some of Billy’s affairs with model girlfriend Vanessa off in London for fashion week. Billy feels some emotion come up and snaps, “You really are an annoying wanker!” He catches himself. Can he say that to a woman? This is completely out of his aristocratic nature. A feeling of exhilaration comes over him. This feels completely empowering. It’s close to the feelings he has on stage, when he is looked at and people scream out his name. So addictive this power is as it’s a fast-moving adrenaline-fueled rocket.

In juxtapose to having rule and power of people’s houses and land titles, the interactions with his tenants in the family’s holdings is minimal and thus the power of a spreadsheet holds little bounty on emotional rollercoasting.

In this outburst and wording, the ladies behind him leave for more photos on their own as the photographers from the magazines are getting their attention, and Billy feels a need to further his rebuke.

“I said, I don’t do that! And in relation to the press, they will say anything they want about me, regardless of if’s it’s true.” He stares at Amanda. He feels some anger about presenting him on television in the light of someone that would cheat on Vanessa with his guitarist Zoe. Whilst the presentation of a Rock and Roll star would suggest that a necessary formation to have several girlfriends, with no strings attached in light of the touring and glamourous light, he feels that should Vanessa see this report, it may hurt her, and in turn hurt him. He asks himself, is this now getting out of control in terms of hurting the people I care about?

This question plays some guilt in his mind. Why isn’t he asking these same questions regarding his mother and father. What of their response to this sudden exposure in the referencing of calling people ‘wankers’ on television? It’s a new world for Billy, however freeing, the shackles of affliction towards others feelings will never not be encumbering. Billy decides the price for his freedom, must be hefty indeed and thus if only feelings which can be mended in time must be hurt for some duration in order for acceptance, then it should be considered a fair trade.

Interrupting this train wreck of an interview, “Sorry, No More questions!” She grabs Billy’s arm into a lock. “Billy has to get inside to the event and we will be holding a press conference for any other

questions you may have. Thank you!” Her eyes are locked onto Billy. He shimmers with some resistance. He doesn’t want to be seen as baby sat. The feelings of empowerment are starting to fade. The vaporous illumination of importance now is being retreated into a slither of longing for more as the façade of it impulsive shove starts to stow into another woman overshadowing him. He questions the feelings of her taking charge into their possible offence, brought on by the similarities Monique has with Billy’s mother Beatrice.

He cannot go backwards with Women overshadowing he importance.

His reluctance to allow this over shadowing is going to be seen by all in his mind. Whilst taking a moment to decide how to deal with this sudden rage of familiarity with a powerful woman taking charge, the press move onto another celebrity under Monique’s advice. The swiftness of the moment has gone. With the inference of Monique’s power playing on his emotional connection to his mother, there is a definite attraction that Billy can’t ignore.

But Billy must fight any recourse of her action affecting him if he is going to endure and sustain this life of no rules. How to manage Monique is really now the only scope of work and agenda. He feels he needs to explain his actions in the moment, but then questions this against the fact, his education and expectancy of being an aristocrat whilst carrying exemplary motions of discourse, the analysis of character would only be subject to explanation should it affect a legal matter.

Drawing lines between what is emotion and what is the nature of Billy’s freedom of speech is now in question. Only by Billy and only in his head. There is a ratbag, a juxtaposing conflicted rebel hiding inside the heart of Billy that has been squandered for so long, that this cracking of the surface with the slaps of moments that beg the conformism to be questioned. As Monique takes Billy’s arm and holds firming, leading him away from the red carpet and press, she pulls his arm down so she can force his eyeline into hers.

“I’ve told you, you have to stop swearing and acting so disgruntled

by everybody. These are the people that buy the records, that keep

your contract going with us, is that too much for you to understand?”

Her eyes are fixed. She is so completely focused. Billy feels a slight crossroad. Does he clamber out an apologetic laced overture with the narrative of his sparing of darted words to the press was not of his true nature and that whilst of course he knows better how to not affect anyone in keeping with traditional adjustment, it’s best to be stoic and

Unaffected at all times. Why, if not to pass the buck in any deduction to reduce attention towards him, that would have been passable and expected. But alas, the notional consideration for any means of being at fault would in turn be a normally intuition for a man less that what Billy was raised to be, nor would this questioning from Monique have occurred if Billy wasn’t allowing this delivery of unchanged discharge to run.

Billy quickly decides he is not at fault, and these questions are beneath him. Having to be questioned at all, generally would be frowned upon by his peers at college and the parliament where he spent some of his time back in Bedfordshire. He makes a quick choice as to simplify a response, “It’s just so condescending and I don’t care about this shit! He feels that he has summed up all of this preceding through processes are holstered within these few words. And should any emotion be in tact to the nature of their delivery than he can now be disassociated with them.

Unperturbed by this flash of remorse, or injunction of sentiment, Monique chimes back fast with further offerings of alarm.

“Fans care about this shit! These are rich bastards investing in this

album, now care about this shit you need to care about it! You’re

becoming a problem and I can’t keep saving your ass! She grinds to a halt. Her stare starts to rattle Billy. He doesn’t want to back down from this, although he is noticing an allure with her. Is it that she cannot be moved away from any control? Is it that she doesn’t care about his stature, his family, and who he may have been? Of simply is he finding someone challenging him for the first time, is something he has never had.

These questions are perplexing his frames of adjustment. He feels a voice in his head say, “Just follow your instincts” This is the process of how the music speaks to him. So, Billy does, and stops thinking and just opens his mouth to any response that will connect with her last word. “Frankly Monique I’ve been told on many occasions, that it’s quite a great ass” Billy takes a breath, and waits. He is certain that whatever she comes back with, he must not endure and commit to this sudden flirtation.

Monique looks to the ceiling and laughs. “Hah, honestly you’re incorrigible. Come on, we’ve got to get inside.” Billy feels a sense of relief. Her sudden unarming of worded arrows being put into a slight feminine energy warms him, and he feels that he may have just gotten a little closer to Monique. She is without question in Billy’s mind a high value female, with the wit, business acumen and personal strength he always found to be attractive in his assessment of women in the aristocratic families. The many banquets where there was little to do, but ponder on the possible ties to other families with arranged marriages, managed to surface here a usable qualification for determining class.

Chapter 3

The next day, Billy is pouring himself a drink and heading over to play the piano in his Los Angeles Mansion. It has been a big night, and several models from the show are waking up on Billy’s couch. He really cannot determine when he will get inspiration to play piano.

It comes in waves, and time of the day cannot play a part. He bought his 1192 square foot mansion based on having no sound restrictions. Nor does any consideration for the hung-over state of any other person in Billy’s household effect when the piano is calling Billy.

He feels an urge to reminisce over Vanessa. Especially with the prolific exposure and its effect the interview may have on her, should she see it from London where she is currently working. Billy does feel that he is constantly drawn to her. He is feeling a longing for holding her again. It’s been four weeks since he saw her, and their last conversation became a little heated, as Vanessa wasn’t feeling enough relationship security. Billy has found it difficult to express complete and utter devotion to Vanessa as every time he feels that he wants to give all of himself to her, he is reminded of a certain scenario that shaped him into a mild chauvinistic misogynist.

His upbringing certainly doesn’t frown upon any aristocratic behaviors to be lenient to the domination of gender, however in his heart he doesn’t bleed the same rhythms of his peers to take absolute refrain from female equality. This enlightenment contrast from the repulsion of his mother’s significant heavy hand upon him in times of his father’s absence. In light of this, his anger towards what women can be, should they have an ounce of power, somewhat heretic in dominion concerning potential union with a female. In fairness, Vanessa is concerned about the possible future with Billy. Whilst she has found herself in love with him, and loving so much of who he is, she is needing more emotional availability from Billy. And media stunts such as these interviews with Billy surrounded by models, doesn’t add much certainty to Vanessa’s position.

The little grand piano perfectly suiting Billy’s frame, although Billy is six foot four, his large hands look made for the keys. Vanessa’s theme is bursting out of Billy, and he vigor of thinking of her turns to a passionate seduction as he stomps the sustain pedal to lengthen the

sitting on the top of his piano.

One of the only things that Billy allows from his past to his future living of his Los Angeles mansion, is photos of certain guitars. One guitar in particular which meant something to him when he turned fifteen, as he learnt to turn his ideas of a girl form a basis for a song. It was the first time that happened. He felt an overwhelm of creative source. And it seemed effortless. He monitored the sort of words that came from the shape of the chords, and their support to the vowels in the words. It was satisfying in the least. It was incomparable to any soccer or polo match that Billy had attended and won trophies in. This was something that was completely his, and something that he created on his own.

The guitar in the photograph has specific relevance to sitting on the piano. As a cause of attainment of personal growth and stimulation but also as a point of pain. What happened to that guitar was something Billy will never forget. This memory only pushes Billy to play slightly louder. He is waking up some of the people on the couch, and hears his Butler Christopher move towards the room. None of these slight peripheral distractions can intervene his memories of that guitar and the events that unfolded back on the day after his fifteenth Birthday.

As Billy allows the memories to suspend time and go back into that particular day. It was a fairly warm day, just starting around 10.30am when a number of Billy’s family acquittances were sitting in one of his guitar rooms back in Bedfordshire. His mother had allowed Billy to hang several of his guitars in one of the sitting rooms in the manor, as a birthday present. She felt it was a phase that she could allow Billy to entertain for a certain period, only if he was achieving at school. She only saw him for three weeks out of the quarter as per the schedule from boarding school, so it was little bother for her to have one of the butlers to attached several of Billy’s guitar to the walls for his birthday. From her point of view, the more guitars on the walls, the less he would play them, as they were a silly distraction, however young he is.

Young Billy and his friends are seated on the large couches that have a big coffee table and chess board. Amongst the party of young adults is Edgar and Thomas. They are relatively new to the group in terms of their acquaintance and frequency at such gatherings. They are from Switzerland, and whilst their English is good, their cultural differences in terms of their slightly boisterous manners are noted amongst the group. Their parents hardly acknowledge them, as usually they are accompanied with one of their male nannies. The others generally find it difficult to talk to them, although Monty, Billy’s closest friend takes pains at including them in any activity.

Ellisa West croft is the most head strong and spoilt girl of the group, and undoubtedly the most attractive. She then gets the attention of all the boys, especially Billy, as in terms of their breeding and culture, Billy’s wealth would determine a preference on any of the girls based on his eligibility for dating. The candidacy of courting within the aristocrats must be somewhat transparently organized in the layers of wealthiest to less wealthy for distribution of family assets upon prenups are of priority for future considerations.

Edgar and Thomas are starting to get restless. They start shoving each other as their handler, isn’t there. The girls start moving chairs, and Billy sees an opportunity to sit closer to Elissa. He moves to talk to her. There has been a great deal of chatter about the upcoming ball, and Billy is now pushing up the guts to ask Ellisa to allow him to be her escort.

Edging towards her, he catches her attention and sits close to her. She moves slightly away, but acknowledges Billy in with a slight smile and nod. “I’m glad you could come over today.” Billy leads and then is relieved to have the words come out without any stumble. He is finding puberty to have some woes with the tonality of his breaking voice.

“Sure, why not? I thought it could be a blast to hang out at your

place and it gets me away from my parents, getting me ready for the

Queen Charlotte ball.” She slurs in a downward which Monty can tell from looking on, that she’s carrying some sarcasm in her tone. Billy is more concerned about continuing the conversation and his own breaking voice to notice her sarcastic manner. Optimistically he boasts, “Yes, …I could be your escort to the Queen Charlotte ball.” His longing eyes are staring at her with anticipation of her agreeance.

Ellisa adopts a less subtle coy sarcasm, “Well, that depends Billy.”

Billy being bewildered as to what could be a depending object surrounding the courtship interjects, “Depends on What?”

“If I still like you by then! And I haven’t made up my mind, if I even

like you.” She has a seething smirk as these words lace up Billy’s brain with confusion. Billy is unsure of what the response should be, and his feelings are starting to push his heart to a faster beat. He’s worried he’s now out of his depth, even though concerning rank, she should be nothing but pleasing his requests. He isn’t sure whether to seek council from Monty as Monty is several years older and has had a girlfriend before. Billy’s mind is racing as he glances over to see Monty is looking very confident with another girl in the group.

He doesn’t want to look unable to woe Elisa, especially as it was his birthday yesterday. He decides the best sentences moving forward are ones where he could possibly impress her.

“Have you seen my new guitar? I got it today, well yesterday, but on my old guitar, which I had from a year ago, I wrote a song for you...

actually, about you.” He stutters. He feels another slight calmness about the words getting out, yet then feels a little heart race as now could be the time where he performs this song for not just her, but the entire group. “You can write a song about me, can

I hear it?” She says with some inflection alluring excitement. Billy now feeling more confident that she seems to be completely taken by this idea, feels a sense of confidence.

Elissa looks around the room and see’s the new guitar near the

sofa. She looks back at Billy and her eyebrows suggest the question of knowing that that guitar is the one. Billy goes to nod; however, she already gets up and moves towards it. Billy assumes she is going to retrieve it to bring it back to him so he can perform the song.

She is certainly not anything like Billy is presuming. She has an agenda to be the focal point of the group at all times, and thinks that any form of emotional peeling from a boy would be more entertaining.

In her movements towards the guitar, another girl in the group who is sitting next to it moves out of the way. She knows that if Elisa is doing something than she better gets out of the way. Elisa is not a girl to mess with, or not do what you’re told to as Elisa is a strong personality.

She picks up the guitar and awkwardly starts to strum it. Billy’s not sure why she is trying to play it, but likes the idea that she certainly is not able to and that it’s obvious that she has never played a guitar before in her life. Billy thinks maybe he should move over to her and assist her finding a chord at least as the sound she is making is quite terrible. He’s also hoping she is about to bring the guitar back to him so he can perform the song that he created for her.

Billy is taken a little bit back by her silliness. She isn’t very impressive and looks like she’s trying too hard to be funny. Billy is starting to wonder why she is doing this. But everyone seems to start laughing at her. Not sure whether they are laughing as they are scared of her, or laughing as they find her increasingly funny, she then stops and clambers, “Look at me everyone! I’m a Rockstar! Just like Billy thinks he is!” He thinks, ha-ha, that he, ha-ha, can write a song too

ha-ha...about me, ha-ha” She stutters over laughing. Billy feels a cut into his stomach with these words. Billy hasn’t been mocked before.

The other teenagers are now pointing at Billy like he’s silly. Billy is astounded that this sort of behavior is taking place at his manor and especially on the day after his birthday. Before Billy can gather all these feelings into a words to stand up for himself, which doesn’t seem like something that he should have to do, she stands up and moves over to the group of girls.

Billy is really out of his depth here, this is nothing like he assumed his day would be. He stumbles out some words, “Okay, okay, we’ve had our fun… P, P, please give me back the guitar Elissa!” He cried. Ellisa then passes to one of the girls and she starts strumming it. It seems to be some type of game to them. Pass the guitar around, and watch Billy squirm. Billy certain is taken back by all of this and starts to panic that his guitar will get scratched. Monty tries to grab it off another girl and boy, but they grab it and keep moving it around themselves. Monty says with a big voice, “That’s enough! Give him his guitar. He is actually a great talent!” Monty’s assistance falls on deaf ears. The others are having too much fun now.

Elissa throws his guitar to Edgar and he places it on the floor. He has an idea that will involve his little brother Thomas. It’s to jump on the back of the guitar. Being a large boy, his size twelve foot easily breaks the guitars back and after two kicks his little brother Thomas jumps with both feet on it, snapping through the back of the guitar and the strings. Billy is shocked. He can’t believe that not only Elisa made fun of him in his moment of venerability but that the kids had broken his cherished fifteenth birthday present. It starts to eat away at him that girls could be so cold and heartless. That any movement towards trying to impress girls can be met with a level of neglect of feelings. It also dawns on him that things that he cherishes will become the breakable toys for other people.

This experience truly will shape the way that Billy interacts with girls, and people for the rest of his life. He can’t rely on his friends to save him either. He feels more alone than ever and angry that he wanted to play Elissa a song.

Billy falls to the floor where his brother guitar is. He is surveying the damage. Billy just doesn’t understand how this happened. All he wanted to do was show Elisa a song that he put together with her as the muse. And now he’s literally picking up the pieces of his left guitar. His mind is piecing it together. What does write songs for girls mean? That you will get hurt? That all girls will consider you silly for trying something clever?

Interrupting his though is Elisas heavily yelling, “You'll always be silly Billy!” She adds, “As if he could write a song let alone one about me!” Sorry, umm not sorry about the guitar. You’re rich enough silly Billy, just buy another one. Come on guys I’m bored here, let’s go!” Billy is not able to respond. He’s just too shocked and taking all of this in. He can’t process it all. He has never been exposed to this level of interaction where something so valuable, not just in price but what it meant to Billy is just disregarded.

All the teenagers, bar Monty follow her out, no one cares about Billy’s broken guitar or him. He feels isolated. Monty can see that Billy is hurt, but as a seventeen-year-old who’s focus was on one of the girls who has just left, doesn’t really know how to handle the situation. All he can mutter is “Sorry Billy, c’mon the party’s

moving to hers.” He tried to sympathize with Billy, but hopes that as Billy has another ten guitars in the same room, that this is just a bit of fun that Billy can look beyond, and hopefully quickly. Being of this age, he hasn’t developed a significant amount of empathy, and has a privileged background in himself therefore, doesn’t want to harp on this event and move on to Elissa’s house where Elanor is so that he can continue talking to her.

Chapter 4

Opening his eyes, his consciousness now clearer on that significant day dismantling everything he knew before the age of fifteen, he sees Christopher moving towards him. He really doesn’t want to deal with anything other than the taste of scotch and whiskey today. His formation of life and interactions with women, music and leaving his family have been made easier with the inclusion of scotch and whiskey becoming his indulgence. He is conscious of how much he has started relying on it to mask his frustration with Vanessa and how this significant event at fifteen is clouding his ability to navigate their future.

With Billy’s face still telling the story of the old pain, Christopher careful interrupts, “Mr. Jones your mother’s in the foyer. Is today the day she can come in, she asks? This really isn’t something Billy needs right now. He certainly doesn’t want to entertain his mother after having Monique remind him of her the night before, and he’s a little hung over from overdulging in Scotch and cigars the night before. His mother has been trying to see him several times, and it’s always about coming home back to Bedfordshire. A lingerie groupie walks by Billy, kissing his cheek rubbing Billy’s shoulders. Billy feels if he doesn’t deal with her now, it’s only going to keep happening.

“Today Christopher, seems a day of my doom, therefore, allow her in and make sure the whiskey is filled and my glass is never empty.”

Christopher smirks, “Yes Mr. Jones.” He obliges Billy and takes Billy’s glass off the piano and heads to the decanter, whilst moving towards the foyer to encourage Beatrice inside. Billy is starting to relax a little with the model rubbing his shoulders harder. This dysfunctional relationship has been pushed to the brink now with Beatrice having enough of Billy’s public scraps. Especially seeing Billy at the awards night on the television in the private flight to Los Angeles.

Billy can hear her coming up the few stairs into the living room from the foyer entrance. “Having me wait in the foyer again as scantily dressed woman walk around this place as if it’s a Playboy mansion?”

Billy’s eyes connect with Beatrice’s. He’s enjoying his arms being massaged by the lingerie model as she is getting more involved with his torso. She continues abruptly, “I have to wait as if I’m some crazy fan of yours. Honestly Bedford, this life you’ve chosen is nothing short of a complete abomination!

Billy is starting to feel some exhaustion on the topic of leaving Bedfordshire and his Mothers incessant requests to come back. His manners that forged him into the aristocrat are leaving him quickly as anger towards his mother is taking over his composure. The respect he may have had for her back in Brittan is not felt anywhere on his body anymore.

Dear mother, it’s only a precaution for my own sanity to have you in

the foyer She takes a seat on the sofa awkwardly near a lingerie model

looking through a magazine oblivious to Beatrice. Christopher enters and freshens his glass of whiskey for Billy. Billy receives the glass from Christopher and takes the glass and mockingly cheers to his mother as he says, “Just what the doctor prescribed, would you like one mother?

“You have left your duties to our family legacy for too long and this

folly of being a musician it has to stop! It must end now, otherwise

son, our family name is going to be dragged through the mud with me dragging behind it! She takes a seat next to several waking up models on Billy’s couch. She is not amused but needs a seat to look Billy straight in the eye. “Billy honestly, after centuries of holding us

family titles I won’t stand for it, do you understand Bedford William

Ethan Jones I just won’t stand for it!”

He calmly takes another sip as we tighten the wide shot. For bloody sake mother! Your drama is why I have you standing in the foyer. How many times must you be told I don’t give a shit about the legacy as this is my life, this is what I want, accept it

At this time, every girl and boy on the couch is awake and talking about what a night it was at the awards ceremony. A second lingerie model stands behind him giving him a neck and shoulder massage.

Billy acknowledges her,” Thank you Darling.” She giggles. Billy can’t help but love this attention. Beatrice snaps, “Where is that sweet boy of mine? You’re always angry, don’t you see how important this is for me? Don’t you see that this is my world and you’re trampling all over it with me dragging along with you! I’m embarrassed! I’m humiliated! I have not been invited to all the events due to your shortcomings, we’ve had this discussion many a time and it ends now, it’s time to say you’ve retired, you’ve done your folly and now come back to the family name and its duties.

Billy gestures to the girls to leave the room as he gets off the piano stool. He sculls the rest of his whiskey and paces around the room agitated. “Why do I have to care about everyone else except for what I want? I’ve got a big show coming up, the biggest of my career! I can’t let that go, I have to do that show, damn it. I’m sick of this game! Give me a bloody lawyer and you can have the name of the legacy and the money! I’m done and I was done a very long time ago and you know that!” Billy yells. Everyone stares at Billy for a brief moment and then goes back to their conversations.

Beatrice is feeling a little unsettled by having an audience inside Billy’s house at their family feud. “Calm down son... don’t you realize so many people would want your life? A life with a rich

traditional background and wealth? Why are you so keen on ruining it?

for this lifestyle that is, is…. Billy interrupts what she’s trying to say.

“This lifestyle that is unacceptable to your liking? I love my life! It’s my money, I get to be creative, I have fans and I have these beautiful women here that adore me. Also, I didn’t say I was looking for true love mother or to have enjoy the legacy, I’ll sign everything over to you if you just leave me alone Why am I cursed with such a stupid

child?

Lucky, I guess! Christopher comes back in to top up his glass but instead, I’ve organized a press conference, that’s why I’ve come here. Tomorrow you will announce to the world that you’re retiring from the music industry and you’re taking back your legacy and telling the people who you truly are Entering the room is Monique who interrupts this conversation and takes the bottle out of Billy’s hands after he sculls some of it.

Damn it mother! Billy erupts and slams down the bottle of Scotch.

Monique storms into the house and yells, “Okay that’s enough for you Billy! You’re cut off for the rest of the day! Christopher,” Monique hands the glass to Christopher. Billy’s upset and looks down as he gestures to the models to leave him. The move upstairs to Billy’s room. “Always a pleasure Beatrice. Beatrice and Monique’s eyes connect and fake smiles follow. Christopher walks in and takes the whiskey off her hands.

“Listen, you may be his mother but you have no legal grounding to

force or request Billy to attend any type of press conference. He’s

bound by the label and he cannot do any form of promotion unless it’s

approved by me and the executives. So, Billy you don’t have to do

anything.” She states with a calming tone. Beatrice does not take to this lightly. “I’ve never been so disgusted in this place nor so disgruntled with your manners Monique. This is my son I am losing and my legacy and status, for what? A few records that sell? A few live concerts? What is this? I gave him some time to achieve it and live out his fantasy and as far as I’m concerned, it’s done.”

Beatrice is content with standing up to Monique. She has a long history of fighting for things she wants with her father. Although she was the favorite daughter, she still felt that she had to work hard for attention.