Famous by Todd Strasser Page A

guess she means that if I get a shot of her picking her nose or checking to make sure her pits don’t smell, that I won’t try to sell it on the side just to make a few extra bucks. I agreed, of course. It’s not like selling a shot like that would further my career as a celebrity photographer, and it’s not going to further her career as an actress, right? In the long term, neither of us would benefit.
    After breakfast, Willow had all kinds of appointments, including costume fittings for The Pretenders and a script reading at the studio (I got to meet her co-star, Cody Patrick! He’s gorgeous! Be very, very jealous, N!). So I took lots of shots for the exclusive.
    Then guess where we had dinner? A cookout at Cody Patrick’s beach house! Right on the Pacific Ocean! There were about fifty aspiring actresses and models there, and a bunch of Cody’s guy friends.(The female to male ratio was at least 3:1. The guys were loving it.)
    But we didn’t stay that long. Willow was tired. We came back, and she went to bed. In the guesthouse I stayed up and watched Once . Did you ever see it, N? OMG! It’s the most romantic movie ever! We have to watch it together when I get back.
    So here’s the top secret. This morning I went into the kitchen, and the unfamiliar scent of cigarette smoke was in the air. Someone was sitting at the kitchen counter, a thin plume of smoke rising and spreading above him. He was bare-chested and had disheveled black hair, and on his back was a tattoo of a huge green dragon with a bright red tongue. On the other side of the kitchen, Maria wrinkled her nose disapprovingly. The smoke was pretty gross.
    Can you guess who it was? Rex Dobro! In Willow’s kitchen!!!! Bent over a coffee and cigarette. I froze until he turned, smiled soulfully at me, and said, “Hey.” N, I’ve never heard anyone stretch out a one-syllable word the way he can.The word poured out of his throat so slowly, most people could have completed an entire sentence in the same time. He rubbed a puffy eye. “You’re the kid photographer?”
    Ouch! I felt a little like I’d just been dissed. I mean, maybe I am a kid photographer, but did he have to say it? Anyway, I came back with, “So I’ve been told.”
    â€œWhere’s your camera?” he asked.
    â€œIt was amputated last night. You know those surgeons. They just love to cut.” (N, wasn’t I, like, just sooooo clever? Kid photographer, my foot!)
    â€œHmm.” Rex took a drag and snorted on the exhale. “Funny,” he said without a smile.
    Maria brought me a cup of coffee. She shot her eyes at Rex, then gave me a quick sour look. I had a feeling it was more than just the cigarette smoke that she disapproved of.
    So guess who trudged in next? Willow! Wrapped in a black silk robe, her hair as disheveled as Rex’s. She draped her arm over his shoulder and pressed her faceinto his for a long kiss. Morning breath, cigarettes, and coffee didn’t seem to bother her one bit.
    She slid onto the stool between Rex and me. “No photos?”
    â€œNo camera.” I raised my hands to show that they were empty.
    â€œYou’re the best.” Willow put her arm around my shoulder and gave me a hug, then turned back to Rex and gently nudged him with her elbow. “How you doin’?”
    â€œNot bad, you?” Rex drawled.
    â€œHappy, I think.”
    Rex raised an eyebrow. “You think ?”
    â€œNo, I know,” Willow corrected herself, and kissed him on the cheek.
    It was definitely time to leave the love puppies alone, so I left. But N, you realize how amazing this is? Rexlow is back together! It’s HUGE!
    But don’t forget. This is TOP SECRET!
    XOXOXO!!! Hit me back!

MARCH OF TENTH GRADE, SEVENTH DAY OF SPRING VACATION IN LA

    I’M SITTING IN THE PINK POWDER ROOM IN WILLOW’S MANSION —a digital gold mine in my hands—hearing voices in my