Bright Lights

by Linda Chapman

  ‘It would be such an amazing role to get,’ she went on. ‘It's a pity you didn't audition – Georgina was there.’

  I stared. ‘Georgina was having a screen test?’

  Issy nodded. ‘For a different role from me.’

  Jealousy overwhelmed me and my good intentions went out of the window. Georgina had been at the screen test too! How unfair was that?

  Issy checked her reflection in the mirror. ‘I wish Margaret would hurry up. I want to go and explore.’

  There was a knock on the door.

  ‘Ready to go to Make-up?’ Margaret asked, coming in.

  ‘Definitely,’ Issy said, jumping up.

  We'd been given strict instructions that we weren't allowed to go out of the dressing room on our own. The film-studio complex the remaining scenes were going to be filmed at was set in 300 acres of grounds and there were other TV and film companies working there, not just us, so we had to be chaperoned wherever we went.

  We followed Margaret eagerly down the corridor past the other dressing rooms, past the Wardrobe department and on to the set. I stared. It was a huge space, with loads of people hurrying around. It had an enormously high ceiling, concrete floor and white walls. In the centre of the room cameras and lights surrounded a set. I didn't have to ask which set it was supposed to be.

  ‘Sara's attic room,’ I breathed, walking forward.

  It looked exactly like a proper room: it had floor-boards and peeling plaster on the walls, a window and an old iron bed. The only difference between it and a normal room was that it had just three walls and it didn't have a ceiling.

  ‘It looks really good,’ I said.

  Margaret smiled. ‘Come on. Make-up's this way.’

  ‘Not many more days to go now,’ Jules said as she applied a final smudge of blusher to my cheeks. ‘How long till you finish filming?’

  ‘Just a week,’ I replied.

  ‘So, is it back to school, then?’ Sandy asked, spraying hairspray over Issy.

  ‘Hopefully not for me,’ Issy replied. ‘Or at least not for long if I get this part in the TV series.’

  ‘How about you, Sophie?’ Jules asked. ‘What are you doing after this?’

  I wished I could say that I was going to be in some TV series or other. ‘Nothing,’ I admitted.

  ‘I'm sure something will turn up,’ Jules said. She brushed my face with a large brush. ‘There, you're all done.’

  As I stood up, the door opened and Georgina came in.

  Jules smiled. ‘Come and sit down, Georgina. I've just finished Sophie.’

  Georgina came over. ‘Any news on the screen test yet?’ she said to Issy as she sat down.

  Issy shook her head.

  ‘It'll be cool if we both get parts, won't it?’ Georgina said.

  I expected Issy to just shrug, but to my surprise she didn't. ‘Yeah, it'll be great,’ she enthused.

  I looked at her in surprise. She sounded like she meant it.

  ‘All done,’ Sandy said to Issy.

  The door opened and Margaret looked in. ‘Sophie, you'd better come and get changed now.’

  I got up. ‘Are you coming?’ I asked Issy.

  She hesitated. ‘I think I'll stay here.’ She looked at Margaret. ‘I don't need to get changed yet, do I?’

  ‘No,’ Margaret replied. ‘You're not needed for a bit. You can stay if you want.’

  ‘OK, I'll stay here, then.’ Issy sat down again and turned to Georgina. ‘So what was your screen test like?’

  ‘Good,’ Georgina said.

  ‘Mine too,’ Issy said. ‘Which scene did you do?’

  ‘Sophie, come on,’ Margaret said.

  I was kept really busy all day. Sometimes when I was filming Issy came on set to watch me, but at other times she hung round with Georgina. Watching them giggling together at the side of the set in the afternoon, I felt like the odd one out.

  ‘You're quiet,’ Cathy said to me on the way home.

  I shrugged.

  ‘Are you tired?’ she asked sympathetically. ‘It's been a long day, hasn't it?’

  I nodded and Cathy didn't say anything more until we got home.

  ‘Get an early night,’ she said. ‘I'll see you tomorrow at eight.’

  ‘Thanks for the lift,’ I said as I got out.

  Sally trotted over to me when I opened the gate, but there was no sign of Baxter and Wilson. I guessed Mum or Dad had taken them out for a walk. I walked up the yard and pushed open the kitchen door. As I did so I heard the sound of two raised voices.

  ‘I was not flirting!’

  ‘No? It sure looked like flirting to me!’

  I stopped in the doorway. Jessica and Dan were standing either side of the kitchen table glaring at each other. They were so busy arguing they barely noticed me.

  ‘I was just being friendly,’ Jessica said. ‘He was Raj's cousin. He didn't know anyone.’

  ‘So you went out of your way to get to know him,’ Dan said, his eyes angry.

  ‘Dan!’ Jessica said in frustration. ‘What's got into you? I was just being nice.’ She stared at him. ‘This is about Zak, isn't it? You think I'm going to go off with someone else.’

  ‘Well, it wouldn't be the first time, would it?’ Dan said.

  I thought Jessica was going to explode, but she didn't. She took a deep breath and stepped towards him. ‘Dan,’ she said, her voice quieter, ‘if you don't trust me we can't go out together. You've got to start trusting me again.’

  Dan met her gaze. ‘Easier said than done,’ he said, and, turning, he walked past me without even saying hello or goodbye.

  As the gate banged shut Jessica sank down on a chair and put her head in her hands.

  ‘What was all that about?’ I asked.

  ‘I don't want to talk about it,’ Jessica said, and, pushing back her chair, she strode out of the room.

  I stared after her and then went to get a drink. As I shut the fridge, I heard the gate opening. Looking out of the window I saw Mum coming into the yard with Baxter and Wilson.

  ‘Hi,’ I called, opening the back door.

  ‘Hello, love,’ Mum said as the dogs charged up to me, their tails wagging, their tongues hanging out. ‘How are you?’

  ‘OK,’ I said, scratching Wilson's and Baxter's ears.

  ‘Back, dogs,’ she said, pushing past them to get into the house.

  I noticed she looked harassed. ‘What's the matter?’ I asked.

  ‘Oh, it's just been one of those days,’ Mum said, shaking her head. ‘Sally tore up a pile of newspapers in the lounge and then she chewed up one of Jessica's trainers.’

  ‘Oh, no,’ I said.

  ‘Yes,’ Mum said. ‘Jessica wasn't best pleased. Anyway, how was filming?’

  ‘OK,’ I said. ‘Busy.’

  ‘Do you want me to help you go through your lines tonight?’ Mum said.

  ‘Yes, please,’ I said.

  The kitchen door opened and Tom appeared.

  ‘Hi, Soph,’ he said. ‘Mum, can you take me round to Nick's tonight?’

  ‘Again?’ Mum said. ‘But you were there all morning.’

  ‘I know,’ Tom said, ‘but this guy from a new club in town is coming to listen to us next weekend, so we want to get as much practice in as possible. If he likes us we could get to play at some under-eighteen evenings.’

  ‘Oh, Tom, I really don't want to go out again tonight,’ Mum said. ‘I've been running around all day and I've promised Sophie I'll help her with her lines.’

  ‘But I've got to go,’ Tom said. He frowned. ‘I bet if I was Sophie you would take me. You're always running round after her!’

  ‘Tom, that's not true…’ Mum began.

  Just then Jessica came into the kitchen. It was obvious that she was in a bad mood.

  ‘Mum, is it OK if Nicole and Laura sleep over tonight?’

  Mum shook her head. ‘Not tonight, Jess. I'm shattered.’

  ‘We're not going to disturb you,’ Jessica said. ‘We'll be
in my bedroom.’

  ‘I know, but I'd just rather they didn't come round. Sophie's got her lines to learn and she's got an early start tomorrow.’

  Jessica glared at me. ‘Oh, and of course we can't do anything to upset precious little Sophie.’

  ‘Jessica!’ Mum said, looking cross. ‘Be reasonable! Sophie's working hard – she needs to have a quiet evening. Nicole and Laura can stay another time.’

  ‘But I've already said they can come round tonight,’ Jessica said. ‘What am I going to tell them?’

  ‘That I've said no,’ Mum said sharply. ‘And you shouldn't have arranged it without asking first.’

  ‘But I need to see them,’ Jessica said. ‘You don't understand.’

  ‘The answer's no, Jessica,’ Mum said.

  ‘This is so unfair!’ Jessica exploded. ‘I bet if I were Sophie you'd say yes. Sophie gets whatever she wants.’

  ‘Too true,’ Tom muttered, and they marched from the room.

  Mum stared after her. ‘Honestly! Teenagers!’

  I sat down at the table, feeling hurt. Tom and Jessica had been really unkind. They didn't usually gang up on me.

  Mum saw my face. ‘Oh, love, don't get upset. They didn't mean what they said. They're just cross because they can't have what they want.’

  ‘They're both really mad at me,’ I said.

  ‘No, they're not,’ Mum said. ‘They're just taking their bad moods out on you.’ She sighed. ‘Remember, it's not easy for them watching you doing this film and being the centre of attention.’

  ‘But I thought they were pleased I was doing the film,’ I said.

  ‘They are,’ Mum replied. ‘But that doesn't mean they don't feel a little bit jealous. You'e their younger sister. Try and see things from their point of view.’

  ‘They hate me,’ I said miserably.

  Mum smiled. ‘Don't be silly. They might be a bit grumpy at the moment, but deep down they love you and they'll always be there for you.’

  I swallowed. I knew she was right, but it didn't change the fact that right now Jessica and Tom were both in moods with me.

  ‘Don't worry about it,’ Mum said. ‘Take your things upstairs and then we'll go through your lines before dinner.’

  I went upstairs. Jessica and Tom's bedroom doors were shut tight and music was blaring out. Despite Mum's words, I went into my room and sat down on my bed feeling thoroughly miserable. Ally and Harriet weren't my friends any more, Jessica and Tom weren't speaking to me, filming was about to end and I was going to have to start secondary school. Could life get any worse?

  Dimly I heard the phone ringing. It stopped and then Mum called up the stairs, ‘Sophie, it's Issy on the phone for you.’

  I went to get the phone in Mum and Dad's bedroom.

  ‘Sophie, hi!’ Issy said. She sounded really excited. ‘I just had to ring you. I've got the part in the TV series and, guess what, Georgina's going to be in it too!’

  For a moment my head seemed to swim. Issy had got the part! She was going to be in a TV show while I had to go back to school.

  ‘Isn't it brilliant?’ Issy bubbled.

  I could tell she was waiting for me to say something. ‘Yeah, it's great.’ I forced the words out of me. ‘Well done, Is.’

  Issy started going on about how much fun it would be and how glad she was that she wasn't going to just go back to school. Luckily she didn't seem to expect me to say much. As her voice flooded into my ear I tried very hard to be happy for her, but it was really difficult.

  After five minutes I couldn't bear it any more. ‘I'd better go,’ I lied. ‘Mum needs me to help get supper ready.’

  ‘OK,’ Issy said. ‘I've got to go round to Georgie's room. We're going to celebrate. See you tomorrow!’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘see you.’

  I put the phone down. Icy fingers seemed to curl round my heart. Georgie's room! Since when had Georgina been Georgie?

  Life, I realized, had just got much worse.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Over the next two days things didn't improve. Jessica and Tom virtually ignored me and Issy seemed to be getting friendlier with Georgina all the time. She even arranged for Georgina to come and share our dressing room.

  ‘She's not that bad,’ she said to me. ‘And we're going to have to be friends when we do Back in Time together, so I may as well start being friendly now.’

  Fine, but did she have to be quite that friendly?

  On Friday I finally managed to get Issy on her own for once. Georgina was only needed for a short time in the morning and then she was taken back to the hotel. Issy and I had lunch together and, as we gossiped about the fact that Jules and Gary had officially started going out, I felt happier than I had done in days. Issy obviously did still want to be my best friend after all. But I couldn't stop thinking about what Gillian had said when we were away on location.

  ‘Issy,’ I said as we walked back to the green room, ‘when I was in Lincolnshire I was talking to Gillian and she said that people often don't stay friends when a film ends. Don't you think that's an odd thing to say?’

  I looked at Issy hopefully. I was sure she was going to say it was rubbish, but my heart sank as she nodded.

  ‘I guess that is true,’ she said. ‘I mean, it's not like you stop being friends, but it's just that you're not best friends any more. You make new best friends with the people you work with next.’

  I stared at her. ‘But what about us?’ I wanted to say. However, she looked so calm and unbothered that I just couldn't. ‘Do… do you think we'll stay friends?’ I said.

  She grinned. ‘Of course – we're best friends.’

  I wanted to believe her, but part of me had a horrid feeling that it wasn't true.

  ‘Here we are,’ Cathy said as she pulled up outside my house that evening.

  I woke with a start, my head hurting from where I had been resting it against the car window. I tried to focus my sleep-scrambled thoughts.

  ‘Thanks for the lift,’ I mumbled, wondering how long I'd been asleep.

  ‘See you tomorrow,’ Cathy said as I got out of the car.

  I waved her off and then turned to go in through the gate, but then I stopped. Ally and Harriet were coming up the road together with Ally's dog. I hadn't seen them for ages and suddenly I felt an overwhelming desire to talk to them. I went over.

  ‘Hi,’ I said impulsively.

  They stopped dead. A look of relief leapt into Harriet's eyes and a smile started on Ally's lips and for a moment I thought everything was going to be all right. But then Ally's smile turned into a scowl.

  I tried to fill the awkward silence. ‘What have you been doing?’

  Ally ignored me. ‘Come on, Harriet,’ she said, tugging at Harriet,’ arm. ‘Let's go.’ She shot me a withering look.

  Harriet seemed to hesitate for a moment but then, tossing back her ponytail, she nodded and they marched on without saying another word.

  I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. Tears sprang to my eyes as I watched them walk away without a backward glance. It was hopeless. We were never going to be friends again.

  Dashing away my tears with the back of my hand, I went through the gate. My life was horrible. I hated it. The dogs crowded round me, but I felt too miserable to even say hello to them.

  I opened the kitchen door. Mum was standing by the table mopping up a puddle on the floor and Jessica was picking up a pile of clothes that for some reason seemed to be scattered over the floor.

  ‘Sophie, don't let the dogs in!’ Mum cried quickly.

  But it was too late. In his excitement, Baxter bounced straight into the bucket she was using.

  ‘No!’ Mum exclaimed as the bucket went flying and water spilt all over the floor, splashing Jessica and the clothes on the way.

  ‘Sophie, you idiot!’ Jessica exclaimed.

  ‘Sorry!’ I gasped.

  ‘For goodness' sake, Sophie!’ Mum shouted. ‘Get the dogs out!’

  Mum almost
never shouted. Seeing how stressed she looked, I grabbed the dogs and hauled them outside by their collars, shutting the door on their eager faces.

  ‘This is the last straw,’ Mum exclaimed, looking round at the chaos.

  ‘What… what's going on?’ I stammered.

  Mum took a deep breath. ‘It has not been a good day.’ Running a hand over her face, she took another breath as if to calm herself and then started mopping up the water on the floor. ‘First of all, Jessica and I went round to see the three cats I'm looking after only to find that one of them had escaped. We spent two hours searching for it. Eventually we found it under the shed, but it took us another hour to coax it out.’

  ‘Then we came back and found that Sally had done another puddle on the floor,’ Jessica said. ‘And she's pulled all the clean laundry out of the playroom and tried to make a bed.’

  ‘This place is a tip,’ Mum said. ‘Could you put the laundry on again, Jessica, and Sophie, would you mind taking Sally out for a walk?’

  I started to nod, but then I remembered that Ally and Harriet were out walking Ally's dog. I didn't want to risk bumping into them. ‘Do I have to?’ I said. ‘Can –’

  Before I could say, ‘Can I do the washing or mop the floor instead?’ Jessica snapped, ‘Yes, you do have to! Can't you stop being selfish for even one moment?’

  ‘That's enough, Jess,’ Mum said quickly. She looked at me. ‘It would be a really big help, Sophie. I know you must be tired, but –’

  ‘That's not why…’ I broke off. Now wasn't the time to go into my encounter with Ally and Harriet. ‘Yeah, I'll take them,’ I said, reaching for the leads from the door.

  I went outside. Baxter and Wilson came charging over to me, but Sally stayed sitting where she was.

  ‘Come on,’ I said, putting her lead on. ‘Walkies.’

  She got up reluctantly. She walked a few paces and then stopped.

  ‘Come on,’ I said, tugging at the lead.

  She whined and sat down. I went inside again.

  ‘I don't think Sally wants to go for a walk.’

  ‘Just take her, please,’ Mum said.

  I shrugged and went back out to the dogs.

  Leading them out of the gate, I turned the opposite direction from the way Ally and Harriet had gone.