Hiding Out in Hollywood (Celebrity Love)

Chapter Nine

C-Samp and Flameboy record together... but what does the Em-Girl think?

Is it getting hot in here, or is that just the mega-burn from the anger we hear in Cory Sampson and Jesse Cinder's new song?

Looks like C-Samp and Flameboy have been up to a lot more than having dinner. We don't know when it happened, but according to a post on Cory's Facebook page from the wee hours of this morning, they co-wrote and recorded a song called "Shady Kind of Love" together and have released it exclusively on Cory's website.

We'll admit it: we ponied up the $1.29 to download and listen. The tune is catchy, but the real draw is the lyrics. Picture a new-millennium, scorned-male breakup anthem that rivals Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know," and you'll be getting warm. It's one of those songs that makes you stop what you're doing the first time you listen to it, wonder if you could possibly be hearing the words right, then listen all over again to be sure.

Who's "Shady Kind of Love" about? While it doesn't name anyone specifically, we do know a real-life ex of Cory's who fits the blond-haired and hazel-eyed description of the woman in the song.

We thought the C-Samp and Em-Girl breakup was nasty before. Grab your popcorn, folks—looks like the show has just begun.

Have any of you Hood-lums heard Cory Sampson and Jesse Cinder's new song? Should they keep making music together?

Emily had spent the first hour she was awake on Sunday morning curled up in bed, fighting with herself about what she would say to Wally when she met with him at his house later on in the day. Sure, they were supposed to have a planning session for her column, but some things took priority. The article she'd seen posted on the front page of Wally Hood Goes Hollywood about Cory and Jesse's new song, with Wally alluding to it being about her, was right up there on that list.

Mostly she wanted to know what Wally had been thinking when he had written and published the article this morning. She'd texted him to ask why he hadn't spoken with her first as soon as she had read the post. That had been hours ago. Now, as she stood on the front stoop of Wally's Tuscan-style house, about to ring the doorbell, a quick glimpse at her phone told her he still hadn't replied.

Time's up, Emily thought, jabbing the doorbell with her finger. If she was going to work with him, they had to set some ground rules about what was off-limits.

"Hey, you must be Emily. Come in—I'm on my way out."

If Emily hadn't been addressed by name, she would have thought she was at the wrong house. She let her doorbell-ringing hand fall to her side as she took in the model-thin woman with lavender hair in front of her and swallowed the question she'd been ready to greet Wally with.

"Is Wally here?" Emily asked. Her voice gave away her surprise and confusion.

The lavender-haired woman nodded and offered her a friendly smile, still holding open the door. Emily stepped inside.

"See you tomorrow!" the woman called out, presumably to Wally. She left the house, shutting the door behind her.

"Who was that?" Emily asked when Wally materialized in the hallway, momentarily forgetting that less than a minute ago, her plan had been to confront him about the unanswered text message, since he couldn't escape. The woman looked like someone Emily had seen before, but she was having a hard time placing her.

"And you call yourself a fashion columnist," Wally scoffed, raking a hand through his shaggy chestnut hair. His sea-blue eyes were filled with amusement. "I can't believe you don't recognize Simone Albany."