Page 7 of Ravaged By Lust

“Okay, Karen.”

I put my phone away, but then I just stand there behind the till. In shock. I ignore the next customer until they wander off to the next till.

A million fucking views.

It can’t be real.

But it is. I saw that number with my own eyes. A million people all over the world have watched me sing a song that I wrote in the space of a few hours.

Finally, something has happened with my passion, and now my hands are trembling and I don’t know what to do and… Oh God, this has all come at once and it’s freaking me the freak out.

I feel the vibration of my phone on the counter in front of me. I’m starting to get messages.

I better check these. I better do… something.

And so I head to the restroom. It’s the only excuse where I can sit down and actually be on my phone without Karen glowering over me like she will definitely do if I stayed at the till. I just have to see this all again. I just have to show myself that I have actually gone viral.

985,345…

986,169…

I scroll through my phone in shock. There are messages from strangers. Complete strangers who congratulate me and give me compliments that just fly over my head. People trying to get in touch with me to do paid advertising. Trolls as well, but I ignore them.

So.

Many.

People.

They’re all watching and commentating on something that I’m doing. Something I love.

I just scroll and scroll and scroll and scroll.

It seems like my family hasn’t noticed this at all yet. There are no messages from Axel or my mom.

990,351…

991,194…

I spend ten minutes just sitting there on the toilet with my phone in my hands.

Until there’s a knock on the door.

It’s Karen. Of course it’s freaking Karen.

“Chloe? You’ve been in there for a long time, longer than you’re allotted for under your work conditions. Back on the tills.”

I try to take in a deep breath. And then another. I summon up the will to put my phone down and get back to work.

I’ll just have to deal with all this craziness when I finish my long-ass shift.

And so I make my way back to my position.

And then, as I’m strolling through the store, my phone rings. It just rings in my hands. A number that I don’t recognize.

I feel like this must be connected to all of this.

“Hello?”