by Anna Adams
“You know we can’t be friends, right?”
Maude couldn’t see why not, but she wasn’t going to admit to Lindsey this afternoon had been the most fun she’d had in Soulville in a long time.
“I guess not. We’re too different.”
Lindsey nodded but didn’t tell her she couldn’t be friends with someone she knew could threaten her place as number one someday.
“And you’ll hate me again when you know what I dare you to do.”
The elevator arrived, and she stepped in.
“Hate is strong word. One I don’t use lightly.”
“I want you to kiss your fake boyfriend, Thomas Bradfield, on national TV,” Lindsey announced right before the doors closed over her smug face.
Chapter 8
“Girls, I’m sooooo fat,” Jazmine moaned, her hand sprawled against her tilted forehead. She slid a glance in Maude’s direction to check she was paying attention. No use mocking someone if they weren’t aware of it.
Maude, Jazmine and Cynthia were in Times Square eager to view Truth or Dare, a romantic comedy Jason Taylor had filmed between Vampire Love 1 and 2. It involved no supernatural creature of any kind but recounted a love story between a cowgirl and a movie star.
Maude buried her hands in her face. Ever since Jazmine had watched her guest appearance on Living with Livingstons, she never lost an opportunity to remind her how bad her script was.
“Seriously, how could you let your bestie look beastie?” Jazmine continued, misquoting one of Lila Livingston’s lines.
“The correct phrase would be: ‘no way were we letting our bestie look beastie,’” Maude corrected and realized with embarrassment she knew the dialogue all too well.
Jazmine improvised an imitation of Maude walking in stilettos, quacking like a duck, but couldn’t take over three steps without breaking into hysterical peals of laughter. Cynthia, though sympathetic to Maude’s plight, couldn’t suppress her own laughter, and Maude fought the hardest without lasting results.
“Sorry, Maude, it was just too funny,” Cynthia giggled, patting her cousin on the back.
“I know,” Maude agreed. Never again would she set foot on a reality TV show. She understood now why Matt squirmed when she mentioned his hit song “Love Doctor.” As an artist there were things best left hidden in a box of bad memories buried deep under the sands of time.
“I do hope you’ve polished your acting skills for your cameo in Vampire Love 2?” Cynthia asked.
Filming would begin in New York in a couple of days, and Maude was to play a damsel in distress rescued by the benevolent vampire Leonardo. Maude had attended an actor’s workshop and learned to cry on demand, which could prove quite useful if ever she needed to get out of speeding ticket.
“I have, but I’m still nowhere near an Oscar-worthy performance,” Maude mumbled.
“Being rescued by Jason Taylor’s strong arms isn’t good enough for you?” Jazmine asked.
Acting opposite Jason Taylor was unsettling. Not only did Maude find him attractive (he’d sworn his undying love on his girlfriend’s deathbed in Vampire Love!), he was also a professional actor who took his work with the seriousness of a monk.
“Apparently it wasn’t good enough for you since you’ve refused to come with me on the set of Vampire Love.” Maude had hoped Jazmine would come and meet Jason Taylor again, even agree to go on a date with him if it came to that. Jazmine revealed nothing about her relationship with Jonathan, but Maude gathered it wasn’t going too well from the bits of conversation she’d overheard.
“I’d rather witness your notorious acting skills when the movie is out,” Jazmine said. “We’ll see how well you fit the damsel in distress stereotype.”
Maude cringed. Damsel in distress was not a role she enjoyed portraying. Why couldn’t she be a kick-ass vampire slaying every monster daring to cross her path? Victoria had shown her amazing self-defense moves she could use to behead a few bloodthirsty vampires.
They advanced in line and Maude wondered if she could use her celebrity status to skip the entire line.
“Hey, it’s Maude Laurent!” a girl about Maude’s age called out.
Autograph requests fused around Maude, requests she satisfied as best as she could while she waited for her turn to purchase her movie ticket. The wait wasn’t too long as the girls were propelled to the front of the line in no time and bought their tickets for Truth or Dare.
“I’m glad someone recognized you, I thought you’d never play your celebrity card to get us ahead,” Jazmine complained.
“I was thinking about it,” Maude admitted.
“Matt wouldn’t have hesitated,” Jazmine pointed out.
After they bought popcorn and swore they’d tell Adrianna Maude had eaten carrot sticks instead, the girls took their seats in front of the screen, in the upper half of the room.
In front of Maude a couple of seats to her right, a couple kissed as if they would fall apart were they to let go each other. The boy and girl each wore huge glasses locking with noisy clangs as their lips latched in passionate smooching.
“Great,” Maude whispered. She nudged Jazmine, pointed to the noisy couple, and giggled until she realized Jazmine wasn’t joining in her amusement.
She peered closer at the couple and gasped as she recognized Jonathan.
“He’s with his girlfriend,” Cynthia observed, unaware of Jazmine’s situation with Jonathan. As far as she was concerned, Jazmine had moved on.
Jazmine remained immobile, but her brow twitched with anger. Maude didn’t know what to say and remained silent as the room darkened and the screen came to life.
The next half-hour was the most painful she’d encountered, more painful than the Pilates Adrianna had forced on her that morning. Ignoring Jonathan and Laura was hard enough, but ignoring Jazmine’s eye glued to them proved impossible. Oblivious of the crowd surrounding them, they kissed without restraint, their arms wrapped around each other or grasping their seats.
The film was well advanced when Jazmine stood and squeezed out of her row, tripping over bags and legs as she did so. Maude and Cynthia caught up with her in the nearest bathroom, leaving a trail of whispered cursory words behind them.
“Jaz, what’s going on?” Cynthia asked concerned. “Is this about Jonathan?”
“Of course it is Cynth! What do you think?” Jazmine cried out, bringing her hand to her forehead. Guilt treaded all over her as she realized she’d made her sister the object of her misplaced anger.
“I don’t understand why you’re yelling at me,” Cynthia remained calm but puzzled over the whole ordeal. “I thought you were over Jonathan.”
Cynthia glanced at an uncomfortable Maude and understood she’d been kept out of Jazmine’s confidences. It could only mean her sister had done something she wasn’t proud of.
“I wasn’t,” Jazmine said. “How could I be so stupid? ‘He’s different,’ ‘He would never do such a thing, ‘He’s just a nerd!’” Jazmine turned on the water from the nearest sink and proceeded to energetically scrub her hands clean while repeating the sentences she’d once felt convinced described Jonathan accurately. “And I said, ‘He would never hurt me.’ But I am so over him now. The lying little—”
“—Jazmine Rachel Baldwin, were you going out with Jonathan while he was still with Laura?” Cynthia asked in shocked tones.
Jazmine dried her hands with a paper towel and paced back and forth between her sister and her cousin.
“Nothing happened, Cynth.”
Maude harrumphed, and Jazmine’s face painted a guilty expression.
“Okay, okay there might have been a few make-out sessions,” she admitted.
“Jaz!” cried a shocked Cynthia. “ Don’t you remember Mom’s first rule about female solidarity?”
“Do you really think I was thinking about Mom in those times?” Jazmine asked glaring at her sister.
“Well, no, I guess not. You weren’t thinking at all!”
“Thank
s, Cynth, you’re so helpful and compassionate.”
“Maybe if I hadn’t found out like this! Maude, you knew didn’t you?”
Maude nodded, hating being stuck in the middle of her cousins’ argument.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Cynthia asked, hurt pouring out with her pained expression.
Before Maude could argue it wasn’t her place to tell, Jazmine answered, “I told her not to, Cynth. I knew how you’d react. This is beside the point! I’m pissed and you’re making this about you!”
Cynthia remained silent in her hurt and turned away from her sister.
“I’m over him,” Jazmine shook her head with rage. “You were right, Maude. I guess I assumed as a nerd, he’d never break my heart. I was wrong.”
“I’m sorry, Jaz. I wish I’d been wrong,” Maude avoided Cynthia’s accusing glare and hugged Jazmine.
“Don’t be sorry!” Jazmine brushed off her hug. “This was an eye-opener. I’ll go with you to the set of Vampire Love. After all, isn’t the best way to get over someone finding someone new?”
Maude nodded with pleased energy. “You should both come!”
“No thanks, I’ll pass,” Cynthia said, as she opened the door and let herself out. The door slammed behind Cynthia with a loud, angry bang.
“Don’t worry, she’ll get over it,” Jazmine assured Maude.
Maude followed Jazmine out, a block of uneasy guilt building in her chest. She told Jazmine and Cynthia to wait for her outside and ran back in the lobby. She found an usher and greeted him with a warm smile. By his eager stance, she guessed he knew who she was, which was perfect in her time of need.
“Hi, I was in the room viewing Truth or Dare, and there was this couple, ew, they were awful and people were complaining.” She mimicked lip-locking and loud kissing noises.
“I’ll throw them out right away Ms. Laurent,” the usher replied. It was all he could do but salute her. He turned with swift agility and stormed inside the room.
Maude grinned. Being a celebrity definitely had its perks.
*****
Matt, Jazmine, and Maude had arrived on the set of Vampire Love 2 to film Maude’s cameo that evening. The air was chilly, and the trio ran to the snack table to drink a warm cup of tea. It was a dark alley scene through which Maude had to walk and be rescued by Jason Taylor’s character. Maude’s gaze swept the premises, searched behind cameras, lights, and crewmembers, but Jason Taylor was nowhere in sight. The door to the main trailer was closed so she assumed he was getting his makeup done. It was probably best he didn’t come out right away and was thus unable to hear Matt’s grumbling about what a diva Jason was. She hesitated between laughter and indignation but chose the latter when Matt related a rumor about Jason having no ear hygiene.
“My ears are perfectly clean,” a voice said behind them interrupting Maude’s passionate defense of her favorite vampire’s hygiene.
Matt laughed, wholly unembarrassed by the situation, while Maude gasped with horror. How long had he been standing there? Had he heard her say what she thought about his perfectly shaped ears?
“They do appear clean,” Matt owned, stretching his hand out to Jason. “But I’ll have to take a closer look in daylight.”
Jason laughed with good-natured humor and shook Matt’s hand. “The one and only Matt. I’ve heard quite some things about you myself. None of them are true, I’m sure.”
Matt shrugged while Jazmine said, “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“And Maude Laurent. We finally meet.”
“S-so p-pleased to meet you!” Maude stuttered, peering into Jason Taylor’s brown eyes with wonder. She cursed the heavens for giving her a shaky voice, but the heavens above couldn’t help her. It wasn’t everyday she met gorgeous Jason Taylor in vampire attire no less. He wore heavy eye makeup, and a new set of fangs gleamed under the moonlight.
Luckily he was kind enough to ignore her embarrassment, enthralled as he was with Jazmine’s presence. Desirous of satisfying a craving for chocolate brownies, Maude dragged a reluctant Matt away to the farthest end of the table.
“So, we meet again,” Jason, said while Maude and Matt argued over whether or not he’d tell Adrianna if she ate a brownie.
Jazmine nodded. “I guess vampires don’t frighten me as much as I thought.”
“This one’s very nice. He’d never hurt a girl.”
“It’s a strange world we live in where vampires are less toxic than boys are.”
“I take it you’re still emotionally unavailable? I don’t think I’ve ever heard a girl use that excuse to turn me down,” he declared with a bemused shake of the head.
“That girl was a more foolish version of myself,” Jazmine said. “She wouldn’t give the same answer today.”
“What changed?”
Jazmine paused and remembered the evening at the movie theater. She shook her head as if wanting to erase the picture from her screen of memories.
“What changed? You’re standing in vampire makeup without feeling the slightest hint of self-consciousness. Can a girl turn down a guy she can swap eyeliner with twice?”
“You haven’t turned me down twice. I haven’t asked you out a second time,” he pointed out.
“I’m the one asking you out,” Jazmine said. “And I never ask twice.”
Jason Taylor laughed, revealing his fangs further.
The director called him with a sharp voice, and Jason Taylor sighed.
“I’ve got to go. But I’m attending a movie premiere soon. Would you be my plus one?”
“Sure,” she agreed, nodding her head slowly. “I’d love that. Now go, your director is about to bite my head off.”
He left with reluctance when the director called him loudly again, with irritation. Maude hopped towards Jazmine with excitement.
“Did Leonardo ask you out?” she asked, grabbing Jazmine’s hand in her own.
“His name’s Jason Taylor, Maude,” Jazmine sighed shaking her head dismally. “And I asked him out. Or we asked each other out. Whatever. We’re going to a movie premiere next week.”
“I’m so happy! You two will make a beautiful couple. Just look at him, he’s tall and lean and his arms are strong and muscular.”
“Really Maude, I’d consider closing that gaping jaw,” Jazmine whispered. Her eyes sizzled with amusement over Maude’s infatuation, and she nodded towards Matt a couple of feet away in deep conversation with a cameraman.
“I think Matt is sorry he didn’t take on the lead after all,” Jazmine noted. “What is going on between the two of you anyway?”
Maude tore her eyes from Jason Taylor and answered Jazmine with a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“We’re good . . . friends,” she hesitated as the memory of the NAM Awards floated back to her. Their looks, their fight, their near-kiss.
“You’re not going to stay on this pseudofriendship boat forever, are you? It’s obvious you’re more than that. Why else would he be here at 10 p.m. for what he called the lamest vampire movie ever?”
“You forget I’m supposed to be madly in love with Thomas Bradfield,” Maude pointed out.
“Did you tell Matt about Lindsey’s dare? About the kiss?”
Maude shook her head. She didn’t know if she should tell him and how to if she did. Ever since the NAM Awards, they’d avoided mentioning Thomas, and she didn’t want to be the one to bring him up again.
“Matt’s one of my closest friends, and he is clearly infatuated with you. Don’t be like Jonathan, don’t be a coward.”
“I’m nothing like Jonathan! I broke things off with Matt months ago before going on tour, even though it killed me!”
“Have you really?” Jazmine crossed her arms and dared Maude to hold her gaze.
Was she no better than Jonathan? If she were in Matt’s shoes, could she bear seeing him with someone else, even as a masquerade? Her heart drummed guilty beats against her chest at the thought.
“All right, listen up, everybody, we’re g
oing ahead with scene one!” the director cried. “Maude, are you ready? Action!”
Mary walked in the dark alley, her shoulder brushing against the wall, her leather boots leaving tracks in the fainting snow. A random tune twirled out of her lips like a lullaby. The night was young and the sun had disappeared behind the full moon. Mary had always loved the full moon because it held the promise of perfection, of fulfillment, and those were the sorts of romantic settings a damsel in distress cherished. But these days, strange things happened during the full moon. The news of violent animal attacks in New York’s darkest alleys had reached her ears. Yet she presently walked in one of those alleys as if she had no idea she’d encounter a supernatural creature. She could hear strange, eerie music in the background of this film.
Mary stopped in her tracks. Was that a growling noise she heard? She laughed at her foolishness because that’s what innocent heroines did and resumed her walk. After all, what else were dark alleys for but to get a) mugged, b) bitten by a werewolf, c) rescued in extremis by a dark brooding hero, or d) all of the above. She couldn’t wait to get home, pour herself some hot cocoa with cinnamon, and chat with her ailing mother.
Suddenly, she was pinned to the wall by what appeared to be a large, overgrown dog with long, rough hairs, a deafening growl, and fangs like ivory blades. Mary couldn’t run because it wasn’t a part of her script, and froze as she realized it wasn’t a dog but an animal she’d never seen before except in vampire/werewolf movies. Its yellow eyes gleamed and just as it was about to tear her neck apart, Mary opened her eyes wide, fear reflecting in her pretty eyes, praying her knight in shining armor wouldn’t be delayed in traffic and . . .
Mary giggled. Or rather, Maude giggled.
“Cut!” the director bellowed. “What’s wrong with you, Laurent?” Frank Forrester always called actors by their last names when unhappy or giggling actresses pricked his anger.
“Sorry.” Maude pushed back the cuddly werewolf played by a young actor with yellow eye lenses and walked out of the alley, bumping into a camera and losing step in one of the cords.