That night Sparrow dreamt she was at the beach on a summer night. Her body was so hot that she hardly felt the freezing temperature of the water. Then there was another body beside her, hot to the touch. She felt her skin retract at first contact and then relax, as her muscles felt his hands against her waist …

She heard Thomas’s voice but it was muffled by the sound of the water. She couldn’t make out what he was saying. She turned around and opened her eyes. Thomas was standing on the shore waving at her. The next minute he was shaking her.

Sparrow opened her eyes and Thomas was standing over her with his famous hangover potion.

“Get up and drink,” he ordered. “We have a long day ahead of us.”

“It was all a dream,” Sparrow moaned. “It was all a marvellous dream.”

“It’s about to get even better,” Thomas said. “Get up, we must get ready, the world awaits.”

The three days of rehearsals were brutal. But Thomas was there all the way, making sure Sparrow had everything she needed. He even got her some new clothes for the show. And when it was time for Sparrow to get on the stage and perform, he was right there by her side.

“Go live your life, little Sparrow. Channel all that hurt and dazzle them!”

Sparrow stood backstage and listened to the roar of the crowd. Thousands of voices vibrated through the floor and this terrified her. Her breathing became shallow and her knees started shaking as if the concrete floor were about to cave in under her feet. She felt her armpits starting to sweat and itch a little, just as bile rose up from the pit of her stomach.

It’s just nerves, she told herself. Breathe. Count. Breathe.

She counted down slowly from ten, drawing in a deep breath on each count. She couldn’t allow these feelings to swallow her. She needed to channel her inner diva and step out there. Thousands of fans expected her to. Her manager expected her to.

*****

“Listen, we have a photoshoot to go to,” Thomas said snapping his fingers.

“Do we have to?” Sparrow complained. “Can’t we cancel it?”

She emerged from the shower and heard Thomas say, “Time waits for no man.”

She really wanted it to stop. Thomas would make time stop for her if she asked. But she couldn’t; he’d gone above and beyond what any manager would put up with.

Thomas asked Steve to help them secure a recording slot at a studio and soon they released Sparrow’s demo single. After weeks of hustling, and relocating to Cape Town to get more exposure, it finally gave them the big break they had been looking for.

*****

Sparrow’s career was moving at the speed of light. She had just dropped a single that was making a big noise on the airwaves. Everybody predicted that “Written in the Stars” would win her the Best Newcomer Award and Sparrow couldn’t be happier.

She was travelling to different places every night and had a big tour coming up. Everything she ever dreamed of was now a reality. She was happy, she just wished for a few seconds of stillness and rest. But every time she felt sad about being single, Thomas reminded her how far they’d come.

With everything going on, Thomas was by her side. He was a great manager. She knew he cared for her and took care of her every whim. She now had a make-up artist and a stylist. Things were looking up.

“OK. Are you ready?” he asked.

“Selfie for the gram?” she responded.

“That’s what you pay me for.” Thomas took out his phone, and like they did a million times, they smiled happily for the camera.

***

Tell us: Do you think fame will change Sparrow?