Chapter 1
ONE
‘Mia, would you mind bringing that washing in, love, it looks like it might rain.’
My gran is calling me from the lounge, as I have just finished uploading a video in her guest bedroom.
My last recording of my trip to Ibiza has been popular with my followers, having already chalked up almost a million views in the last week. If only I had that many actual followers.
‘Will do,’ I call through to the lounge, before heading outside to the garden of Gran’s ground-floor flat.
I spend my spare time here, which I have quite a bit of lately, having recently been made redundant.
My gran is not too good on her feet, so a couple of carers pop in during the day, along with me and Mum.
Admittedly, I am probably here more than Mum, who works part-time but still calls in regularly.
My gran jokes that she hopes I will still come and see her when I am rich and famous, and I reassure her that I will. And while I hope that it will happen one day, I think I am still quite a way from that. But you never know.
Just lately I have lost count of the number of freebies I have received from small businesses, all eager for me to endorse their brands on my page.
I have been gifted all manner of things, including gym wear that I practically live in, along with skincare products and even the occasional household item.
It isn’t really a job as such, at least not at the moment, as I am not paid an actual salary from it. Or from any other employer right now.
I find budget flights and hotels, sometimes only staying in the sunny locations featured on my videos for little more than a couple of days, but my followers do not need to know that.
Even the budget hotels will have to be given a miss for a while though, as I save every penny I can for the forthcoming wedding.
I really want to inspire my followers to follow their dreams, even though my own haven’t quite come to fruition, but I believe they will do one day.
I have been known to do a bit of singing in the past, and it is something I am keen to pick up in the future.
You never know, I may even release my singing voice to my followers and the rest of the world, but only when I feel the time is right.
I think of the photo of my toned, white bikini-clad body on a long stretch of beach in Ibiza’s San Antonio, my long copper hair cascading down my back that I shared with my followers. That was before I scooped up my towel, and headed back to my apartment, having avoided the hefty sunbed charge.
Fake it until you make it, isn’t that what they say?
Hopefully one day there will be VIP party invitations with real champagne, instead of supermarket own-brand Prosecco that leaves me with a slightly furry tongue.
And okay, maybe I don’t have as many followers as those who have hundreds of thousands – millions even – but I try not to let that get me down.
What is meant for me will appear in the fullness of time.
At least I hope it will. Maybe then I won’t need to rely on Gran’s generosity, or her company quite so much.
‘Oh, and, Mia,’ says Gran as I bring in the washing. ‘Would you mind emptying the kitchen bin and putting it outside? The binmen are due tomorrow.’
‘Of course, Gran,’ I say as her voice pulls me out of my daydream. I snap on some rubber gloves and head towards the pedal bin to remove its contents. If only my followers could see me now!