Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 133034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Fancy a chat? she asks, and I reply with a smiling emoji and an anytime.
Holy shit, she takes me up on it.
I take a deep breath as the blank video call window with the O in the centre starts up. It was bound to happen sooner or later. My proposals must have gained some kind of attention by now.
“Ella! How are you doing?” she asks, and I greet her with a massive smile.
“Very well,” I laugh. “I guess you’ve seen my proposal list.”
As I speak the words, I get a stab of terror, because what if it’s not ok? What if it’s freaking out everyone at The Agency now I’m hitting such big bucks?
“Is that acceptable?” I ask her. “I mean, the clients. I’m accepting the proposals and getting the reviews in just fine, it’s just whether things are weird. For you. Am I allowed to take them?”
She laughs.
“Relax, sweetheart. Every proposal you get in your inbox has already gone through our system. Our clients have been checked out and vetted and the policies put in place before they reach you. You have nothing to be worried about.”
“Phew,” I say.
“How are you finding it, honestly?” she asks me. “There is climbing the ranks and there is climbing the ranks. You’ve shot to the top of the league in quite a dramatic fashion, and that’s an understatement.”
I take another breath at her words.
Climbing the ranks. What a phrase.
I remember when I first saw The Agency’s naughty list and I registered the group of hardcore entertainers at the top, with all the boxes ticked. I was fascinated by the big bucks there for the taking, and the ratings there to be strived for.
I wanted to be the best I could be. And here I am. My second Christmas now approaching since I joined The Agency, and I made it. I really made it.
Late at night sometimes, when my incredible boyfriend is already asleep beside me, I still get a flash of what the fuck that blows my mind.
“It’s been a crazy year,” I reply to Orla. “Understatement of the whole entire century.”
“No shit.” I can hear from her voice that she’s smiling. “This is supposed to be an informal yearly review, but your stats speak for themselves. I don’t think you need any coaching somehow.”
“People can always still learn,” I reply. “Any tips and tricks are always welcome. Throw them my way.”
“My tip is to keep doing what you’re doing. You’re onto a winner, Ella. Ride the wave, and well done. Congratulations. Have a very, very happy Christmas!”
I know I should let her fade away with a happy Christmas, thank you but I can’t play it that cool. Josh would be wiping his brow with a phew, easy peasy, but he’s not here to keep my urges under control. I stop Orla with a one sec before she ends the call.
“I know my working name is Holly at the moment,” I say. “But it’s no real shocker that these new clients know full well who I am, is it? Not really.”
“No. It’s not,” Orla says. “A lot of them come to us very specifically, to track you down. We make sure the confidentiality practices are in place, of course, but yes. It’s very clear who they are looking for. Your reputation as one of the highest-class entertainers in London is bringing the high-rollers in. Your ex did you some good on that front. Every cloud and all that.”
“How about I embrace it?” I ask her. “How about I change my profile name from Holly and put a simple Ella instead? Would that be ok? Would it make any difference to how I’m ranked, or how you consider my account or anything?”
I wait for her answer with bated breath, strangely overcome at the thought of Holly disappearing into the ether.
Except I’m not Holly anymore. I’m Ella.
I’m Ella at home, and Ella with my friends and family, and Ella at almost all of the proposals I’m going to be attending. I was even Ella to Santa at the mall.
“You can do that,” Orla tells me. “Your entertainer name is yours. Update it however you want.”
My heart thumps, and I get weird flutters.
Ella.
My name on the system could be Ella.
The ticks on the Naughty List would be mine to own as me…
That would make it seem like the Naughtiest List of all.
“Just one thing,” Orla says. “Whatever name you choose to go by, and whichever client proposals you choose to take on are entirely your business, so long as it goes through us. But our Agency identity needs to remain respected with the utmost confidentiality. Tell people what you do for a living, and go by Ella however you choose, but under no circumstances ever reveal the network you work for, or how those services work. Our clients need that respect and privacy as much as we do. And so do your fellow entertainers.”