Almost Famous

By Ryan Bartlett

Chapter 1

Birthdays were always hard for Wiley Grace; it was when he missed his parents the most. He’d turned twenty-one that day, but instead of going out and celebrating with his friends he stood before his bedroom window in his pajamas, watching the rain fall on Los Angeles. Five years earlier he’d been playing in the Memphis Open, but because of a scheduling conflict he’d flown out alone and met up with his coach. His parents hoped to make it in time for his first match, but their plane went down in a storm, crashing just north of Dallas.

Wiley was devastated; he’d never in a million years considered what life without his parents would be like and was completely unprepared for the loneliness that came with being an orphan. The only living relative he’d had was a great aunt who was so senile she thought he was a particularly large cat. She was constantly scratching him behind the ears and leaving cans of tuna or bowls of milk outside his bedroom door. She was gone now too. The only thing Wiley had left was tennis.

He picked up his first tennis racquet when he was five years old and never looked back. There was a good pro at the country club his parents belonged to, so they signed little Wiley up for lessons. Eleven years later he was one of the youngest players ever to join the Association of Tennis Professionals. Sometimes he blamed tennis for his parents’ death; after all they’d been killed en route to watch him play. The feeling never lasted very long. Some of the strongest memories he had of his parents were of them cheering him on from one tournament to the next. They’d been proud of him, and he couldn’t help thinking they would be disappointed if he gave up.

Wiley stood in front of the window and thought about his mom and dad, about how they’d doted on him, encouraged him, and supported him in everything he did. He missed them so much, missed their love and affection, missed just talking to them. He’d always been an avid reader, it’s how he entertained himself on long trips to tournaments, and his father was constantly giving him books. They’d have a discussion after each book he read; sometimes they argued, other times they laughed about plot points. Wiley missed those talks.

He’d been close to his mother too. She was the first person he ever told he was gay. He’d been so afraid to say it out loud that he’d actually practiced in front of a mirror and struggled to make his mouth form the words. When he finally worked up the courage to tell his mom he’d broken down in body-shaking sobs. She’d taken him in her arms, hugged him and rocked him till he calmed down and then told him that nothing so small as whom he chose to love would ever change the way she felt about him. He missed her hugs.

Because of the time he spent training and traveling, Wiley didn’t have many friends. He thought about calling Benji, his best friend and practice partner, but figured he’d be out with his girlfriend. Instead he took one last look at the rain-soaked city and climbed into bed. He propped himself up against the headboard and pulled his laptop from its resting place on the nightstand. A moment later he was on YouTube pulling up a favorite video.

Cameron Parker was like an old friend. He and Wiley were of an age, and Wiley had been watching his weekly YouTube posts since Cameron began making them in his childhood bedroom. Cameron always made him laugh but really struck an emotional chord with Wiley when he’d done his coming out video. Cameron was goofy, and could be a bit camp, but when he came out, put his feelings and emotions on full display, well, Wiley thought it was one of the most courageous things he’d ever seen. Wiley watched the video over and over, and when he felt depressed it gave him hope.

“Hi, everybody, it’s Cameron, and today…today I want to talk to you about something I’ve been holding back. You watch my videos, and I love you for it, and after a lot of deliberation I’ve decided to share this with you because I can’t hide anymore. I can’t keep pretending to be someone I’m not. I’m just going to come out and say it…wow, this is really hard…I’m gay…”

Wiley watched the video twice that night before his depression subsided. He closed his laptop and went to sleep with a smile on his face, thinking about the best friend he’d never met.

Two Months Later

When Wiley graduated from high school he naturally wanted to go to college; his parents would have expected it. The only problem was playing tennis on the ATP Tour wasn’t like competing in the NCAA. It required year round international travel and Wiley doubted any university worth attending would accommodate his schedule as easily as his high school had. The answer to Wiley’s dilemma came in the form of the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He’d always loved photography, and the university offered a bachelor’s degree online, which allowed him to work and study wherever he happened to be in the world.

Wiley graduated six weeks after his birthday and had begun to look for freelance jobs. Tennis took up the vast majority of his time, but Wiley knew one day it would all come to an end. He would grow old and his body wouldn’t be able to put up with the rigors of his training regime. He was the seventy-third seed, not number one. He didn’t have any big time endorsement deals; he lived comfortably on the money his parents left him, the settlement he’d gotten from the airline after their death, and the money he won on the tour. He’d need a job one day and worked hard to build a solid portfolio.

Wiley was just coming in from a particularly exhausting practice when his phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Wiley, it’s Adam. How’s it going?”

Adam Larson had been Wiley’s mentor in college. Adam was a professional photographer who reviewed Wiley’s work, guided him and offered suggestions when need be. They traded emails, talked on the phone all the time, and Wiley often flew up to San Francisco to meet with Adam and discuss various projects.

“Not much, Adam. How are you?” Wiley smiled, happy to hear his friend and mentor’s voice.

“Great! Listen, you’re not in Kuwait or Australia or anything like that, are you?”

“No.” Wiley laughed. “I’m home in LA. Just got in from practice. What’s up?”

“I have a little assignment for you if you’re interested,” said Adam.

“I’m listening.”

“So, I was supposed to fly into San Diego this weekend to take some shots of the cosplayers at Comic Con for this indie theater mag here in San Francisco. Unfortunately I’ve got this nasty inner ear infection and can’t fly. Think you can handle it?”

“Seriously?” Wiley asked excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to go to Comic Con. That would be a blast!”

“Alright then. You’ll need to head out soon. I’ll email you the details on the shoot, and you can take my reservation at the Hyatt Regency; it’s across the street from the convention center. I’ll overnight your press credentials so they’ll be waiting for you there in the morning. Sorry for the short notice.”

“Thanks, Adam. I can’t tell you how excited I am.”

“Just remember you’re there to work; it’s not all fun and games,” Adam chided.

“Yes, dad.” Wiley rolled his eyes.

“Jesus! I’m old but not that old.” Adam snorted. “Do a good job, call me if you need anything, and don’t forget to take an extra battery.”

“After what happened in Sydney I keep spares in my backpack,” Wiley replied. He’d been in Sydney while doing a unit on architectural photography. After waiting hours for the light to be just right for a shot of the iconic opera house he discovered the battery in his Nikon was dead and almost lost the light while he scrambled for a replacement. Fortunately a friendly Japanese tourist noticed his dilemma and loaned him a battery, as the shot he took became the crowning achievement of his architectural portfolio.

“Alright, I’m emailing you the details now.”

“Thanks, Adam, I’ll call you after the shoot and let you know how it goes,” said Wiley and then he hung up.

Wiley hopped in the shower to wash the sweat and grime of the day’s practice away. When he was finished he dried off, threw on a pair of clean underwear and plopped down on his bed. He grabbed his laptop and quickly read the details of the assignment Adam had given him.

Cosplay is a performance art in which the participants design and wear costumes to represent specific characters. Popular inspiration for these costumes comes from movies, comic books, video games and anime. It would be Wiley’s job to photograph the most intricate costumes at the Con, and the winner of the costume contest, for a small theater magazine.

Once he had all the details, Wiley finished dressing, packed his bag and gathered up his equipment. San Diego is 80 miles from LA, and it was only 3 pm, but if he didn’t leave right away he risked getting caught up in the Friday rush hour traffic. The San Diego Freeway would become a parking lot, and the hour and a half drive could take double or even triple the time. When he had everything he needed he put his equipment in the car and hit the road.

He arrived at the Hyatt Regency just after 5 o’clock, having run into the beginnings of rush hour as he passed through La Jolla. Wiley checked in and was blown away by the view of the bay his 30th floor room provided. The hotel overlooked Coronado Island, and as Wiley watched the sunset he got to see an aircraft carrier coming into port. He pulled out his Nikon and snapped a few frames of the massive ship, but then he remembered the purpose of his trip and headed downstairs.

The convention center was already closed for the day, but the hotel lobby was crawling with vendors and convention goers. Wiley roamed the cavernous lobby and found the costumed participants eager to pose for him. The people were friendly, appreciated his interest in the work they’d put into their costumes, and Wiley took detailed notes so he’d have descriptions to go along with his photos. Eventually he got hungry, so he stepped out for dinner, then returned to his room to process the photos he’d taken before bed.

The next morning Wiley had breakfast, picked up his press credentials at the front desk and went for a workout in the hotel gym. After a shower he dressed comfortably in a t-shirt and cargo pants, sneakers and his lucky baseball cap, which he wore backwards. He liked wearing cargo pants when he was doing a shoot that would require a lot of movement, because the extra pockets meant he wouldn’t have to lug around a heavy backpack full of things he most likely wouldn’t need. He attached a 200mm telephoto lens to his trusty Nikon D810 and hung it around his neck, stuffed his pockets with his notepad, speed light, a 50mm portrait lens, and extra batteries, and then headed out the door.

Wiley stepped onto the elevator and pulled out his iPhone to see if he had any last minute notes from Adam. He was reading an email when the elevator stopped on the 24th floor and another young man stepped on. Wiley put his phone in his pocket as the doors closed and glanced at the young man, his head snapping around as he did a double take. The young man smiled and Wiley’s eyes nearly popped out at the familiar expression.

“You’re Cameron Parker,” Wiley exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Cameron replied and offered Wiley his hand. “What’s your name?”

“Wiley, Wiley Grace,” he replied as they shook hands.

“Ok, that’s about the coolest name ever!” Cameron beamed.

“Thanks.” Wiley blushed. “What are…”

Wiley’s question was interrupted when the elevator jerked to an abrupt halt. The doors remained closed and it didn’t take a genius to realize they were stuck. Wiley pushed the door’s “open” button, and when nothing happened, he and Cameron tried to pry the doors apart, but they wouldn’t budge. Cameron found the emergency phone, which connected him to hotel maintenance. After a brief conversation he hung up with a sigh.

“What did they say?”

“There’s a repairman on the way, but it’ll be at least an hour before they can get us out,” said Cameron.

“That’s just great.” Wiley sighed.

“You’re not going to be late for anything, are you?”

“No, I just wanted to get an early start. I’m shooting cosplayers for a magazine,” said Wiley, then he blushed again. He couldn’t believe he was actually having a conversation with Cameron Parker. “How about you?”

“I was a total comic book geek as a kid.” Cameron grinned. “I just came to hang out with some friends and check out the convention. Speaking of which…”

Cameron pulled out his phone and sent a text to his buddies letting them know where he was and telling them he’d meet them at the convention center later.

“So, where are you from?” asked Cameron as he sat down and leaned against the wall.

“LA. I drove down yesterday.”

“Me too. Well, I’m from Vermont, but I live in LA now.”

“I know, I’ve seen your videos,” said Wiley.

“Awwww, are you a subscriber?”

“I’ve enjoyed a few,” said Wiley. He didn’t want to admit he’d seen them all, didn’t want to come across as some kind of creepy fanboy.

“Well, thanks.” Cameron grinned.

“So what are we supposed to do for an hour?” asked Wiley as he sat down opposite Cameron.

“You’ve seen my videos; you know I’m going to have to talk about this on my channel. I’m going to interview you as a fellow hostage.”

“Oh, this can’t be good,” said Wiley with a shy smile.

“Relax. It’ll be harmless. Besides, what else are we going to do?”

“Fair point. Fire away.”

“Alright,” said Cameron, settling in and getting comfortable. “So Wiley, you said you’re here to photograph cosplayers for a magazine?”

“Yeap, my first assignment.”

“Do you work for the magazine or…”

“Freelance gig. A friend of mine was supposed to fly down from San Francisco but couldn’t make it. I’m filling in,” Wiley explained.

“Cool, and did you study photography or did you just pick up a camera one day and discover you had a knack for it?”

“I’ve always liked taking pictures, but I studied too. I just graduated from the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco.”

“What made you move to LA?”

“I never left. LA is my home; I did the online degree because I travel a lot.”

“Oh my God, I’m always traveling,” Cameron exclaimed. “We just did a bus tour, me, Bobby and Tucker.”

“Your roommates, right?”

“Yeah, we’ve all got our own channels but moved in together a few months ago to do this collaborative channel called Reality Bites, about our lives and experiences in the big city.”

“I’ve seen some of those too,” said Wiley.

“It’s a lot of fun, but sometimes I just want some peace and quiet, you know?”

“Sure.” Wiley nodded his understanding.

“That bus tour was crazy. I feel so fat after that. All we ate was junk food, and we never got any exercise. In high school my soccer team won the state championship; we ran for miles on the field. Now I’d probably pass out if I had to run more than a few blocks,” said Cameron with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I remember that from your videos too.” Wiley liked Cameron’s trim build; he thought Cameron had a cute shape.

“My friends are always giving me shit for it. They think I brag about it too much but…”

“I don’t think you’re bragging. It takes a lot of hard work to accomplish something like that. Trust me, I know. You’re just proud,” said Wiley.

“Thanks.” Cameron grinned. “Anyway…”

As Cameron began to speak the elevator started moving.

“Well that was a quick hour,” said Wiley as he and Cameron stood and dusted themselves off.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” said Cameron. “You’re good company.”

When the elevator reached the lobby the boys stepped out and prepared to go their separate ways.

“So, it was nice meeting you, Wiley.”

“Yeah, you too,” he replied as they shook hands again. “Bye, I guess.”

“Yeah, bye.”

Cameron watched Wiley turn to leave and felt a strange sense of loss take hold of him. He’d enjoyed his time with the handsome blond photographer and couldn’t bring himself to let him just walk away.

“Hey, Wiley?” Cameron called after him.

“Yeah?”

“I hope this isn’t presumptive but, well, would you want to go out when we get back to LA? Maybe grab some dinner or something?” Cameron asked nervously.

“Seriously?” Wiley enjoyed his time with Cameron too. He’d always been entertained by Cameron’s videos but he found the Cameron in the elevator to be more like the one in the coming out video he was so fond of. He was so genuine and endearing.

“If you don’t want to…”

“No, I mean yes, I mean…that would be great,” Wiley spluttered.

“Great,” Cameron chirped. The boys exchanged numbers and Cameron vowed to call Wiley the next week. “So, mind posing for a selfie with me before you run off?”

“Sure.” Wiley beamed.

Cameron had been admiring Wiley’s upper body while they chatted in the elevator. His t-shirt was somewhat form fitting and displayed his pectorals beautifully. When Cameron put his arm around him he was impressed by just how solid Wiley seemed to be.

Once Cameron had his picture the boys parted company. Wiley tried to concentrate on his assignment but struggled. He was going on a date with Cameron Parker!



Cameron walked across the street to the convention center smiling from ear to ear. He met people all the time. Random fans came up to him in the strangest places, but he’d never asked one out before. The truth of the matter was he had very little dating experience, at least relevant dating experience. He’d explained it in the video Wiley liked so much, how he’d been afraid of being gay and thought he could make it go away if he refused to embrace it. He dated plenty of girls, even kissed them and made out with some, but he’d never established an emotional connection.

Since coming out he’d had offers from guys, but Cameron was always wary of strangers asking him out. He had over four million subscribers to his YouTube channel; people followed him on Instagram and Tumblr. WattPad even had a whole section devoted to Cameron Parker fan fiction. The point is he was an internet celebrity and he didn’t want to be a conquest for someone out to make a name for themselves.

Wiley was different; he seemed a little shy and unsure of himself, and Cameron couldn’t figure out why. He was SO cute! Cameron had a soft spot for blonds to begin with, but Wiley had these soulful brown eyes that Cameron felt he could get lost in, not to mention an incredible body. He was built like an athlete, or maybe a gym bunny; Cameron hadn’t thought to ask where the muscles came from.

“You’re free!” Bobby shouted in his distinct voice as he and Tucker ran over to join Cameron.

“Hey, guys,” Cameron greeted his friends.

“Was it terrible? Did you lose your mind? Speak to me, Cameron,” said Bobby as he shook him dramatically by the shoulders.

“Quit it, weirdo.” Cameron laughed and pulled away from his friend. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“What are you grinning about?” asked Tucker. His personality was much more sedate then Bobby’s, and he was a born people watcher. He knew Cameron well and knew the grin on his face had nothing to do with Bobby’s antics.

“I met someone.” Cameron blushed.

“In the elevator?” asked Bobby. “What’s his name?”

“Wiley.”

“Like the coyote?” Bobby exclaimed.

“Yes, Bobby, like the coyote.”

“Did he have ears and a tail? Cameron, did you make an imaginary friend? Oh, oh, we’re at Comic Con, was it a super cute costume? Is he a furry?”

“Calm down, he’s real, and no, he’s not a furry,” said Cameron as he pulled out his phone and showed his friends the selfie he’d taken with Wiley. “See?”

“Looks like a nice, friendly, sort of guy,” Tucker observed.

“Nice and friendly? That boy’s making my loins tingle,” Bobby exclaimed. “Did you get his number? Oh, can I have it?”

“Yes, I got his number, and no, you can’t have it.” Cameron laughed. “As luck would have it he’s from LA, and we’re going out next week.”

“SLUT!” Bobby exclaimed. “You hooked up in an elevator?”

“No!” Cameron’s jaw hung open, a scandalized expression playing across his face.

“Bobby,” said Tucker, putting his arm around Cameron’s shoulders. “You know our little Cam doesn’t have sex.”

“True, that Snow White bitch ain't got nothing on Cameron,” Bobby chuckled.

“You two are the worst friends ever. Seriously, you know that, right?”

“Whatever, bitch. You know you love us,” said Bobby as the three roommates began to check out the exhibits.



Wiley spent Saturday night sorting through the hundreds of pictures he’d taken and emailing Adam the highlights. He still had to run them through Photoshop and process them a bit, but he was satisfied with the work he’d done. He checked out at noon on Sunday and drove home. Now that he didn’t have anything to distract him all he could think about was Cameron.

Part of what drew Wiley to Cameron’s YouTube channel was the fact he was cute. Not just physically with his dark, almost black hair, and blue eyes, but also because of his personality. Cameron was a goofball, his videos were fun and often just silly, but meeting him in person had given Wiley a new perspective. The real Cameron was like the one who touched his heart in the coming out video, and Wiley hoped he’d get to see him again.

Sure, Cameron had asked him out and they’d traded numbers, but Wiley started to feel a little self-conscious. Cameron was a celebrity; he probably met hundreds of people every day. What if he forgets me? The thought was almost heartbreaking.



Cameron couldn’t sleep Sunday night. His mind was occupied by thoughts of Wiley. He felt like they’d left things open-ended. Yes, they’d agreed to go out, but they hadn’t set a date, hadn’t even set a time to talk about setting a date. It nagged at him, and Cameron didn’t think he’d be able to rest until he had confirmation he was going to see Wiley again.

He tossed and turned for hours but finally gave up as dawn approached and started working on a new video. By 7am his video was shot, edited and posted. He started pacing the room. It was too early to call, he didn’t want to freak Wiley out by appearing too eager, but a text couldn’t hurt, could it?



“Fuck, Benji,” Wiley swore when his phone vibrated on his nightstand, waking him from a sound sleep. He was sure it was his best friend and practice partner texting to change their court time. Benji was the only one who ever called or texted him that early.

Wiley rolled over and grabbed the phone. When he saw the text was from Cameron’s number he sat up excitedly and wiped the sleep from his eyes to read the message.

So, are we still on for this week?

A grin spread across Wiley’s face that rivaled the rising sun. He was so happy! He sent his response immediately.

After texting Wiley, Cameron put the phone on his nightstand and stared at it, willing it to vibrate. He grew more anxious with each passing second and started biting his nails. When the phone vibrated he snatched it up and read Wiley’s response at once.

How about Wednesday night?

Cameron squealed in delight and immediately wrote back.

You’re on!

“Yes,” Wiley hooted when he read the note. He was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He pumped his fist as though he’d just won a particularly sweet victory.

Pick you up at 6:00?

Can’t wait! See you then, Cameron responded.

Me either, Wiley wrote back.

Check out my latest video. You make a cameo, Cameron texted.

Should I be worried?

Totally harmless; I swear.

Wiley grabbed his laptop and as a subscriber to Cameron’s channel he found an alert waiting for him when he opened YouTube. The video was called “Trapped!” and the thumbnail showed a shirtless Cameron with a terrified expression on his face, his fists held up as though he were pounding on a wall. Wiley was already smiling before the video loaded.

“Hey everyone, it’s Cameron, and as you can see from my surroundings, it’s fucking early!” He was sitting against his headboard propped up by a few pillows. “I couldn’t sleep so I thought what better use of my time than to tell you guys about my weekend. Bobby, Tucker and me got tickets to Comic Con, so we drove down to San Diego Friday night…”

Wiley watched intently until Cameron got to the part of the story about how they’d met.

“So I get on the elevator, the door closed and a second later I’m stuck! How does that even happen? I don’t know; it seems like something out of a movie. Anyway, the elevator got stuck and the maintenance people at the hotel said it would take at least an hour for them to get us out and I almost freaked. I mean what was I gonna do sitting in a confined space for an hour? Those of you who follow my channel probably know I’m totally claustrophobic.” The screen cut to one of Cameron’s old videos where he told his viewers about his phobia then cut back to Cameron sitting on his bed. “See, I did tell you guys before.”

“Fortunately I wasn’t alone. I met a really nice guy and had the greatest time just talking to him…” Cameron went on to tell his viewers a little about Wiley then the screen cut to the selfie Cameron had taken. “See, that’s him. Pretty cute huh? Check out that smile! Wait a minute; that was taken after we got out of the elevator. Do you think he was smiling because he was happy to get away from me?” Cameron raised an eyebrow and stared into the camera. “Anyway…”

As Cameron went on to tell his subscribers about the rest of his trip, Wiley scrolled down and looked at the comments. The video hadn’t been up for even an hour yet, but there were already close to a hundred of them.

Wiley didn’t know whether to laugh or blush as he read comments like, “Wow, check out the blond.” Or, “I would totally hit that!”

 
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