July 24.

  Without a day's rest, they flew back to New York. The media impact stunned Billy as he saw the crowd waiting for him at the airport. The madness, the screams, the way everyourheir heads, and how they all seemed destio clear a path for him. A mere wink could melt the girls approag him. He itted Jerry’s unfivable sin: kissing all the women who came near him. This gesture hotographed and earned Jerry’s ire and Ahmet Ertegun’s smile at Billy's audacity.

  -We have to go to the magaziing; they'll take some photos,- Jerry said. Since his mother had passed away, he hadn’t left Billy’s side for any activity. They drove across the highway to a small, remote pce where the studio was likely located.

  -Yes, yes, a quick meeting at that studio oskirts of Manhattan, - Billy replied. The magazine had a secluded but owned pce for photo shoots. Billy searched among the many locations; he wao test his singing skills. It was better to get his songs out as soon as possible. The release was almost as necessary as the money he was earning from ercials and sponsorships of at least 900,000, with tons of clothes at his feet.

  He would wear Vans sneakers, which would now be Billy’s brand. The ercial was about to unch, and the skateboard campaign was live. Even a skateboard brand sponsored Billy, who would participate as a guest in some petitions. Nothing surprising like the professional skaters, who were wizards with the skateboard, but Billy had the talent to perform. He was average but could do some tricks.

  -It’ll be simple. I sidered many questions from produ. You practiced them during the week. Even though I didn’t ask you to memorize them, you’re more than traio answer perfectly. I was very insistent with Jessica Pileman, - Jerry said.

  -Jessica, I see... Where did you find that dy who acts like my governess? - Billy asked about Mrs. Greenwood, a strict, blonde, gray-haired woman with first-css butler skills.

  -Her sary is quite high. Ehmet found her. He’s more skilled in these matters and proposed a quick solution so you could live alone, - Jerry replied, walking through the Seventeen magazine hallways. Along with Vans, they would take a series of quick shots on what looked like a skating rink.

  -Wow, they ied a lot in this campaign, - Billy whistled, seeing the skate park.

  -Not much, just pennies, kid. Be careful with questions about your mother. Stay calm, don’t hide yer at the interviewer, but remain silent. Sometimes a look is better, - Jerry advised, walking ahead, followed by a cameraman named Wally.

  -Is this the young treer in America? - Wally said loudly, one hand on his , a Nikon camera hanging around his neot far off, three people approached, one of whom Billy reized as Steve Caballero and Tony Alva, legendary skaters. Billy could only whistle seeing the legends standing before him.

  People began to arrive, bringing light equipment, makeup artists, stunt doubles, wardrobe coordinators, and even someone cheg the weather while carrying red mats to what looked like an improvised skate ramp with some rails, while hed cheerfully.

  -It’s a pleasure to meet you, - said Tony Alva, a tanned man with a goatee, o Steve Caballero, the pinnacle of skateb with their many rich ventures in the sport.

  -Awesome, man, I’m Billy Carson, - Billy said, shaking hands. He was famous, but as Jerry said, he was twice as famous as most people in America. Very few could achieve that.

  -Oh, I know who you are, the golden boy of America. e, let’s see how well you hahat board and if it’s safe for you to ride or if we need simpler shots, - Tony Alva ented while Steve Caballero talked to Wally about something.

  A rge Vans banner was there, along with other people in circles and groups, while the directan direg everyone. -Pick the one you like, - Tony said.

  Billy grabbed a Blind board with red motifs and a skull in the ter. Tony smiled aured for him to follow as he pced his board on the ground and took a simple p around the circuit. Although it didn’t seem like it, Billy had the skill to follow closely, navigating the cssic S-route around the track.

  Without Billy notig, everyone was in their positions, while Wally watched with bright eyes.

  -Let’s see if you jump, - Tony said, perf an Ollie that took him over a small step. Billy followed, but Tony nded with the back of his board lifted, impressing Billy with his jumping skills.

  They tinued doing jumps and some small grinds oal rails, which were more challenging for Billy, causing him to fall off his board a couple of times. However, he managed a few successful attempts, earning a nod from Tony. After thirty minutes of skating, his body ached. The act had left him out of shape, and his ahrobbed with pain.

  -That was awesome, kid, - Wally ented, camera in hand. Billy saw many from the rec crew aiming their cameras at him, leaving him speechless.

  -I thought we were filming in half an hour, - Billy said.

  -It was Tony's idea. It's better to film without you notig. That way, you won’t get nervous, - Wally expined.

  -I guess that’s fine... as long as we're doh the skateboard filming, - Billy replied, realizing his practice was more fruitful than he expected. His aarted to burn more intensely, still bearable but in need of rest.

  -We have some photos to take for Seventeen magazihen we’ll do the interviews in the dressing rooms, - Jerry directed, leading him to the photo set. There were four outfits prepared for the photoshoot.

  He took pictures with a sweater, oh the board on his p, looking to the side, another with a sleeveless shirt, smiling, serious, close-ups, panoramas, profiles—every kind of shot for both the magazine and Vans. In particur, one photo featured him in ripped jeans, red shoes, a white shirt, and a leather jacket, left open as Billy smiled.

  - you sehe photos to my email? - Billy asked.

  Wally looked at Jerry, who nodded. Jerry sat in a chair, his calm and intense presence filling the room, a mere glimpse of his authority.

  "Sure, kid, I'll send you some photos," Wally said, shifting topics.

  Seventeen magazines would probably use most of the photos, but they could send some after publication. One of Billy's pnned methods was to start getting involved in social media.

  -The old man’s the boss, - Billy said, not paying attention to Wally. Jerry raised a haing on his e, a reassuring presence despite treating him like a child, which didn’t bother Billy at all.

  -We reviewed the video and need some front shots, - said a fat, gray-haired man in a suit, simir to sports journalists but subtly formal.

  Billy grimaced but nodded. -Let’s do it. -

  He received a small script. The ercial involved taking photos from different angles, showing Billy perf tricks on his skateboard, filmed from fasating perspectives.

  -You o say the ercial's slogan, 'Vans, the best choice,' - the director said. Wally seemed to be assisting in the dire and leading the photography.

  They tried.

  They attempted the shot at least ten times until Billy grew tired. He performed an aerial flip with his skateboard, nded on a red mat, looked at the camera, and smiled rebelliously, saying loudly. Jerry broke into a cold sweat at the kid’s recklessness. This boy would be the death of him in a literal sehe doctor was clear: no risky exercise. But what did he do? He pyed like a madman. Jerry noticed the imperceptible limp and how Billy leaned more on his right foot.

  -Dare, because no one else will. Vans, - Billy said, feeling the swelling in his ankle now spread through his entire leg. While the directors tried to quiet the set, they reviewed the sequence, and it erfect. The young man's naturalness trasted with his unusual freshness and roughness.

  Two more hours of filming followed, during which Billy walked and said a few words with the logo, -Dare because no one else will. - The directors loved it.

  ...