Chapter 8: "The Weight of Fame"

Ethan woke up that morning with a mix of feelings weighing on him since the previous night. He still felt the sting of the argument with his mother. It was hard to admit, but he wasn't exactly mad at her; he was upset about the situation. The punishment seemed unfair. In his 12-year-old mind, music was everything, and having his guitar taken away felt like a part of him was being ripped out. He knew deep down that his mother was only trying to teach him something, but that didn't change how he felt.

He got out of bed with the feeling that everything was against him. He dragged himself to the bathroom, recalling the argument. —You're grounded until further notice, no music,— his mother had said with that firm tone that left no room for debate. He wasn't furious with her, but part of his childish brain thought that if he acted distant or unhappy enough, she might realize how much it affected him and maybe, just maybe, change her mind.

When he came down to the kitchen, the discomfort was still there, settled in his chest. Clara greeted him with a smile, as always, but Ethan barely looked at her. —Good morning, honey,— his mother said as she placed a breakfast plate in front of him. Ethan sat down at the table in silence, responding only with a slight nod. He knew she didn't deserve that treatment. Clara had always been loving and understanding, always by his side, but now, with the punishment looming over him, everything felt unjust.

He didn't want to hurt his mother, but his childish mind told him that if she saw how much he was suffering without music, she might regret it. So instead of thanking her for breakfast or chatting as he usually did, he just picked at the food on his plate without much appetite, hoping she would notice his attitude. Clara glanced at him from the corner of her eye but didn't say anything. She seemed to understand that he was going through something, but she wasn't going to give in so easily.

The silence in the kitchen grew heavy, almost stifling. Ethan focused on finishing his breakfast, but his thoughts kept drifting, torn between his frustration and the aching need to return to his music. Each bite felt tasteless, like he was just going through the motions. As soon as he finished, he pushed the plate away and stood up. Without exchanging many words, they both quietly prepared to leave, heading off to their respective places

His mother drove him to school in silence. It was strange. Normally, as soon as she started the car, she'd turn on the radio, and their voices would fill the space, singing along to whatever song was playing. It was a little ritual they shared every morning, a connection between them. But this time, Ethan couldn't join her. The lyrics that usually flowed so easily now felt like an impossible wall to climb.

The drive, which usually brought him peace and helped him get ready for the day, now seemed endless. Every turn, every traffic light was a reminder that his guitar wasn't hanging on his back, and that absence weighed more heavily than he could bear. His mother hummed softly, as if trying to keep their routine alive, but Ethan couldn't follow. He simply couldn't. The pain of not having music in his hands was too great, like someone had taken a vital part of him.

He stared out the window, watching the passing scenery without really seeing it. He wondered how his mother couldn't notice how much he was hurting, how empty life felt without music. Wasn't she punishing him too harshly? At twelve years old, the world could seem horribly unfair, like they had taken away the only thing that truly mattered to him. She hummed with the same soft tone as always, but for him, that melody brought no comfort. It only highlighted the void he felt inside.

It was a selfish thought, and he knew it. His mother was only trying to do what was best for him, but he couldn't help feeling misunderstood. Every second of silence felt like an eternity, and the music he used to enjoy now only reminded him how far away he was from what truly mattered to him. He wanted everything to go back to normal, to get his guitar back, and with it, the peace that his musical world used to bring.

At school, as he walked down the halls, something felt off. People were looking at him more than usual, but at that moment, Ethan was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't pay much attention. He was too focused on his own discomfort to notice the stifled laughter or strange looks he was getting. All he could think about was last night's argument and how much he wished his mother would reconsider and give him back his guitar.

But as he made his way to his classroom, those furtive glances and whispers became more noticeable. He saw some students watching him and whispering, even a couple of boys laughing while pointing at him. Something wasn't right. His frustration with his mother began to fade as a new unease settled in his stomach.

When he got to the classroom, Jason was waiting for him with a serious expression, different from his usual playful self. He quickly approached Ethan, and before he could even sit down, Jason grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the classroom.

—Ethan, we need to talk. You're not going to believe this, but you've gone viral,— Jason said urgently.

Ethan could barely focus on what Jason was saying as they walked together to a more secluded corner of the schoolyard. The words "you've gone viral" echoed in his mind, bouncing around. His heart started to race, a mix of nerves and excitement shaking him from the inside. Viral? Really? Had it been his song, his performance that had caught so many people's attention? The idea that his music —something that meant so much to him— was being seen by thousands, maybe millions of people, made him feel like his dreams of becoming a star were one step closer.

As they walked, Ethan could hardly hide the excitement bubbling up inside him. His head spun, imagining a future where that video could open doors for him. Maybe, just maybe, this was his chance to be recognized, to prove to everyone —even his mother— that his music was something special, something big. But there was something about Jason's expression that made him uneasy. He didn't seem as excited as Ethan. Jason looked too serious.

They reached a quieter spot, where the murmurs and laughter of the other students barely reached them. Ethan, still unsure of what to say, kept walking until Jason stopped and faced him.

— What... what exactly happened? — Ethan asked, still excited, but now with a hint of doubt.

Jason looked down for a second before meeting his eyes again. — Ethan… it's not what you think.— 

Ethan's heart, which had been racing a mile a minute, stopped for a moment. — What do you mean?— 

Jason sighed, as if searching for the right words. —The video that went viral… it's not just your song. It's… the way they edited it, how they made you look uncoordinated, how they mocked you. They used the part where the pigeon messed on you... And turned it into something funny.—

The excitement that had been filling Ethan like a wave of positive energy began to fade. He felt the warmth in his chest turn into a cold emptiness. —What? What do you mean they mocked me?—

Jason nodded, with a look of pity. —They used your video, put an edited, off-tune audio over it. And they overlaid a video of people dancing as if they were doing it to your song, but in a ridiculous way. Everyone's sharing it, laughing, making memes. They're not laughing with you, Ethan… they're laughing at you.—

Ethan felt like he'd been punched in the gut. The images of his success shattered like glass in his mind. What just seconds ago he had imagined as the beginning of his musical career had turned into something dark and humiliating. The laughter he had heard, the looks he hadn't understood… it all started to make sense. It wasn't admiration. It was mockery.

The lump in his throat grew stronger, but he didn't want to say anything. He didn't want Jason, or worse, himself, to see him fall apart.

Jason, who had been watching him closely, finally broke the silence.

—Ethan…— he said softly, —I'm telling you this because I've seen something like this before. I don't want the same thing to happen to you.—

Ethan looked up, his eyes searching for some sign of what Jason really wanted to tell him. It was the first time he'd seen Jason so serious, as if he was reliving something painful.

—What are you talking about?— Ethan asked in a low voice, as if afraid of the answer.

Jason took a deep breath before starting. —About three years ago, I had a friend, Trey. We knew each other since we were kids, he was like a brother to me. He always loved the idea of being a YouTuber. You know, making videos, vlogs, sharing his life. Trey liked making people happy with his videos, helping them forget their problems for a while.—

Ethan nodded slightly, though he felt there was more to what Jason was saying.

—At first, it was fun. I helped him with everything, from recording to editing. We'd spend hours trying different takes, finding the best light, making sure the videos were the best they could be. We weren't popular or anything, but he didn't care. He did it for the passion, for the joy of creating. We were a good team—

Jason's eyes darkened a bit as he remembered. —But that changed. One day, someone at school took one of his videos and edited it, something similar to what they did to you. They turned it into a meme, a joke. Trey didn't take it too seriously at first. He thought people were just joking around, that they'd forget about it soon.

Jason clenched his fists, as if reliving the frustration he'd felt back then. —But they didn't stop. It got worse. The video went viral, and not in the way he wanted. Everyone started mocking him, ridiculing him. They called him the YouTube clown, laughed at his gestures, his way of speaking. It was brutal. Even the teachers seemed amused by what was happening.

Ethan felt a knot form in his stomach. Jason's words were hitting harder than he had anticipated. He could feel the desperation and pain of what his friend had gone through.

—Trey tried to hold on. He said he didn't care, that he kept doing what he loved, but you could see he was hurting. It got to the point where he could barely step into the schoolyard without hearing laughter or seeing someone point at him. And finally, he couldn't take it anymore. Last year, his parents decided to move. Not by choice, but because he couldn't stay here any longer. They broke him.—

Ethan swallowed, feeling the weight of his friend's words. Trey's story hit him harder than he had imagined. He had always seen the world of social media as something distant, a place to showcase his music, but he hadn't anticipated how it could turn against him.

—The problem,— Jason continued, with a sympathetic look, — is that when you go viral because of a joke, no matter how small, people don't let you forget it. They laugh at your expense, and the more upset you get or try to defend yourself, the more fun they have. It's like a game for them.—

Jason placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder, looking at him seriously. —What I'm trying to say is that this could get worse, Ethan. I don't want you to end up like Trey. I know it seems like a joke right now, but trust me, the teasing can get worse. And if you're not prepared, it can destroy you.—

Ethan looked down at the ground, trying to process everything he had just heard. Jason's words weighed heavily on him, and even though he wanted to say something, he didn't know how to respond. Everything he had felt up until that moment—the confusion, the anger—was now mixing with a growing sense of fear. He didn't want to become the next Trey.

Jason sighed and gave him a small pat on the back. —You have to learn to laugh at yourself, Ethan. I know it sounds hard, but if you show them you don't care, they'll eventually get bored. What you can't do is let it affect you too much. If you do, they win—.

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"Fame is a fickle friend; it giveth and taketh away in the blink of an eye." — Anonymous