Rising Star

by Karen Webb

  Selena made her way through security and found the correct gate, her stomach feeling queasy. She had never been on a plane before and she was feeling a little nervous. She was looking forward to visiting a new city. From what she’d seen on TV, Los Angeles might be like visiting another world. She imagined it as a different planet, as she took a seat at the gate. A different world from another galaxy, filled with strange beings whose language was all beeps and blips. Her stomach knotted even more as she followed other passengers down the boarding ramp.

  She took a window seat on the plane and watched as Albuquerque and the Sandia mountains grew smaller and smaller, until the cars and houses looked like miniatures. As the plane climbed higher, it passed through the fluffy white cumulus clouds. Wow, Selena thought as she watched the fluffy clouds move by her window. Now it’s not just my head in the clouds, but my whole body too. She pressed her face into the glass, until she couldn’t see the plane around her. Just her and the clouds, drifting through them as if she were floating. She put a hand on each side of her face, up against the window to block out the plane and passengers even more. Just her and the clouds. Drifting above them, now floating through one, watching as it broke up around her—

  “What do you see?”

  The voice broke her reverie, bringing her crashing back into her seat. She heard the loud hum of the plane again and the voices of the other passengers, muffled from the noise of the jet engines.

  “There’s someone out there,” Selena said loudly, turning to look at the older gentleman in a business suit. “Out there, on the wing.” She pointed out the window and smiled as the man leaned forward to look. She remembered something like that from an old episode of the Twilight Zone, where a man was seeing someone standing on the wing of the plane. Other passengers had heard her and were leaning out the windows too. “Where? I don’t see anything.” She heard their voices behind her and ahead of her. She smiled as she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Now that’s something like Trish would have done, she thought with amusement.

  She had finished up her latest book in the series before her trip and sent it off to several publishers. She had been writing stories for years, but this was the first time she’d been proud enough of one of them to actually give publishing a try. She thought about her daring escapade as she relaxed in her seat. How neat would it be to have her book become a bestseller? She imagined herself giving an interview on one of the major news channels. She pictured herself sitting on a stool facing the handsome anchor of her favorite morning show in New York City. In her fantasy, she was suave and cool and even funny as she described her book to him. Her fantasies filled her mind throughout the flight. She saw her book becoming a great detective series. She would be able to spend her life doing the two things she loved most…barrel racing and writing. Her stomach knotted with excitement as she fantasized about her adoring fans, all waving her book at her and begging for her signature. Selena, Selena, the crowd chanted her name. She drifted off, the drone of the plane and the chants of the crowd in her mind lulling her into complete relaxation.

  Chapter 11

  Selena wandered through LAX, lost and alone. The airport was enormous and she had no idea which way to go. She certainly didn’t feel like the sophisticated, cool girl from her fantasy. She felt more like a small town girl, lost in an enormous airport. What am I doing here? I must look like a fish out of water. She felt underdressed in her jeans and boots as she watched the crowd surge around her, dressed in a variety of expensive clothes and jewelry. She even saw a teenage boy with bright green, spiked hair and a movie star from several ‘chick flicks,’ as her dad called them. The star had two hefty bodyguards walking one on each side of her. She had huge, dark sunglasses and a bright yellow pantsuit. The boy with the green hair followed along behind the bodyguards, earphones in his ear, his head bobbing to music only he could hear. Yeah, nice disguise, Selena smiled to herself, remembering her fantasy of another world. Yep, L.A. is not just a different time zone, she thought, it’s a different galaxy.

  Finally, she gave up trying to find her way and followed everyone else from her flight as they made their way toward baggage claim. She was moved along with the surge of people, almost against her will. It’s either go with the flow, she thought, or be trampled. She hadn’t checked a bag herself. Instead she carried a gym bag and her backpack that she used for school. Her father had offered to buy her a suitcase, but she had refused. “This will do fine dad,” she’d told him. Now, she was beginning to regret her decision, as she watched perfectly manicured ladies and gentlemen in business attire, rolling neat black suitcases through the airport behind them. She felt almost grungy in her jeans and cowboys boots, carrying a gym bag. Yep, a fish out of water, she thought with a shake of her head.

  When she neared the baggage carousels, Selena saw a group of men, dressed smartly in dark suits, holding up white signs with names on them. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a man dressed all in black, with a small black hat on his head, holding a sign that read, ‘Selena Summers.’

  “I’m Selena,” she told him.

  He was a chubby, round little man with a ruddy face. When he smiled at her, Selena felt her body begin to relax. She had been worried that she would wander this enormous airport for hours; now, she could feel tension easing from her shoulders as she realized she’d overcome one hurdle.

  “Hi Selena, I’m Jeffrie,” the small man said. “I’ll be taking you to Angelique’s office, and anywhere else you need to go while you’re here. Can I get your suitcase for you?” Jeffrie pointed toward the baggage carousels.

  “Um, no…this is all I have.” She could feel her face turning red as he looked at her gym bag.

  “Oh, sure. Let me get that for you.” Jeffrie took her gym bag and put the strap over his shoulder as she followed him outside.

  The bright southern California sun hit her full in the face as she stepped through the doors. She looked up at the tall palm trees, their fronds moving softly in the breeze. The sun warmed her face as the ocean breeze lifted her thick hair off her shoulder. Selena’s heart lifted as she began to look forward to a new adventure. She only wished the adventure was of her own choosing, instead of sitting on a horse while someone took her picture. She had always been a little camera shy and—her fantasies aside—she really didn’t enjoy being the center of attention. Don’t get ahead of yourself, little girl, she could hear her dad’s voice in her head. Who says they’re even going to want you for a model? I guess it’s a free trip to L.A., either way, she sighed. She decided to just relax and enjoy herself. Who cares if they want me or not? She told herself.

  Chapter 12

  Selena sat in a waiting room outside Angelique’s office in West Hollywood. The building was several floors and Angelique’s office was on the third floor. Jeffrie had pulled into a parking garage underneath the building, then led Selena to a group of elevators, instructing her where to find Angelique’s office. “I’ll be right out here waiting for you when you’re finished, Miss Selena,” he said with a smile.

  “Thank you, Jeffrie.” Selena couldn’t help but like Jeffrie, with his reddish complexion and round face, he reminded her of Santa Claus. And he’d put her at ease on the drive, chatting about each area he drove through. Of course, she didn’t remember the names of any area he’d pointed out—the movie studios, the fancy shops—it had been interesting, but she was left with the idea of a huge city. She had seen from the plane that the city seemed to stretch on and on forever. She had seen a bit of ocean and coastline, then what seemed like city all the way to the eastern horizon. It made her feel tiny and alone. She already missed her wide-open desert and green valley, filled with a peace and quietness that, she felt sure she wouldn’t have again until she left L.A. This city was a hustling, bustling metropolis, filled with more traffic than she’d ever seen in her life. Tourists wandered the sidewalks of Hollywood, walking across the street in front of Jeffrie absentmindedly as he braked to avoid hitting them with
the limo.

  Now, her nervousness was returning as she sat in Angelique’s lobby, a secretary giving her furtive glances occasionally. She felt so out of place in her jeans and new cowboy boots, in a rich office building in this huge city. Whatever had she been thinking to come here? She should be at home right now, typing away on her old computer, or riding horses with Beth. It felt almost surreal, as if she had been transported to a different galaxy.

  Just then, Angelique’s door opened and a tall, slim and very attractive platinum blond ushered Selena inside. “I’m Angelique Deveroux.” She took Selena’s hand in a firm grasp.

  “Selena Summers.”

  “Such a pretty name. Is it your own or a stage name?”

  “It’s mine,” Selena said.

  “Well, let me look at you.” Angelique took her hand and led her into the light from the huge glass windows. Turning, she faced Selena and looked her up and down.

  “Hmm…nice long legs, perky breasts, beautiful hair.” She touched Selena’s thick, long auburn hair as she said it. “Not too skinny.” She put her hands around Selena’s waist, running them over her hips. “Firm,” she said. “You’re in good shape.”

  “Yes ma’am, from riding horses my whole life.”

  “Hmm, yes, I think you’ll do. You have a fresh-faced, all American girl look. And your big, dark eyes and all that thick hair should photograph well.” Angelique crossed her arms as she studied Selena. “Your eyes have a mysterious quality about them, as if you’re hiding secrets. We’ll have to capture that look on camera.”

  Selena didn’t really know what she was talking about. She wasn’t hiding anything. Except maybe the fact that she didn’t really want to be here. She felt like a horse at an auction, with a prospective buyer checking her over for soundness, as Angelique studied her and ran her hands down her body. She felt slightly humiliated, but she stood tall and proud in front of the lady, determined not to let her small-town naivety show.

  “We can do the shoot tomorrow,” Angelique said. It shouldn’t take more than six or eight hours. Unless there are any reshoots, in which case you’ll need to come back on Wednesday. Do you have any questions for me?”

  “How much does it pay?”

  Angelique laughed heartily, a deep sultry laugh, causing Selena to blush with embarrassment. “My secretary should have told you that on the phone, dear. It pays four hundred per hour.”

  Selena’s mouth fell open as she stared at Angelique. This couldn’t possibly be for real. If the shoot took all day, she would make over three thousand dollars! Her father didn’t earn that much in a month as a mechanic. Hollywood seemed to throw money around like meaningless scraps of paper. Between her bit part in the movie, and now this modeling gig, she felt rich. Just wish my mom would let me spend some of it, she thought.

  Angelique ushered her out and she found her way back to Jeffrie and the car. It wasn’t a limo exactly, but a shiny black stretched-out Cadillac Escalade with a beautiful, soft leather interior. Selena thought it may have been nicer than the limo she had rode in with Matt. Matt! Her mind was suddenly filled with him again as she studied the tourists from her tinted window. What if he were here in Hollywood? What if she saw him on the street? Although obviously he was not interested in her anyway. She still hadn’t heard a word from him.

  Jeffrie drove her to a hotel, pulling the car into a small, covered garage beside it, where several other black cars were parked in a line, their drivers either sitting in their cars or leaning against the hood. The men smiled at her and nodded their heads as Jeffrie took her bag and she followed him toward the hotel entrance.

  Selena thought the front of the building looked like a huge stone castle from Europe. Like one she’d seen in a picture in her history book. She stared up in awe as she walked. It was five floors of stone and she had to tilt her head back to take in the beautiful castle façade. She followed Jeffrie past a huge stone fountain in the middle of the drive, the water making a musical sound as she went past. A black limo had pulled under the portico in front of the hotel and, as they neared the door, the driver leaped out and held the door for an elegant lady. Selena recognized the actress from movies, but the lady’s name escaped her. Beth would know, Selena thought with a small smile. Beth knew all the actors and actresses and she always knew the current movies and who starred in them.

  “Rodeo drive is only two blocks over if you wish to do any shopping, Miss Selena,” Jeffrie was saying as they entered through the tall glass doors. He handed her a business card. “This has the number to the car phone and my cell phone. You can reach me anytime, day or night,” he said kindly.

  “Thank you, Jeffrie.”

  He left her at the front desk as the concierge took her information. “Ah yes, Miss Summers, we have a suite all prepared for you.” He snapped his fingers and a bellboy hurried over to the desk.

  “Ronnie, please show Miss Summers to her room.”

  “Can I get that for you?” Ronnie asked politely.

  Selena handed over her gym bag and followed the young man to the elevator. Once again, she had to wonder what she was doing here. This rich hotel filled with actors and businessmen was a far cry from her small town and rodeos. She felt so out of place in her jeans and boots. Even the workers are dressed better than me, she thought with embarrassment.

  She followed the bellhop to her suite and sucked in her breath as they entered. The windows were floor to ceiling and looked out over Beverly Hills. She could see huge mansions belonging to the rich and famous across the hills. The suite had a small living room with a fully stocked bar and refrigerator and a huge flat-screen television. The bedroom had a king-size bed with massive ornate wooden posts. The bedroom was light and airy with more floor to ceiling windows. Ronnie showed her how to close the blinds with a remote control. Selena pushed the button and watched as huge blinds began moving from each side, blocking out the brilliant California sun.

  Next she looked in the bathroom and it took her breath away. She was looking at an enormous glass and marble shower that could easily fit three people. A huge bathtub was separated by a short partition and centered in front of more huge windows. It was surrounded by more white marble with brand new candles placed around the marble edge. Selena was amazed at how pampered she felt. I’m being treated like one of these movie stars, she thought, as she stared around in amazement.

  She gave the bellhop a tip; she had no idea how much these movie stars tipped. She gave Ronnie a five dollar bill, hoping she wasn’t making a fool of herself.

  “Thank you, Miss Selena,” he said, tucking the money away quickly.

  She couldn’t decide what to do first after she heard the door close behind Ronnie. She went from room to room again, investigating each piece of rich, handsome furniture. She played with the remote control, watching the blinds open and close at the touch of a button. She pushed a button by accident and her heart almost stopped as she heard a whirring noise and a big-screen, flat-panel TV slowly lowered from its hidden niche in the ceiling. Selena cautiously pushed more buttons until she figured out how to work the TV. She settled back onto the luxurious pillows, on a bed the size of her parent’s living room, as she flipped through channel after channel, watching commercials for Rolls Royce and Porsche and other cars she’d never even heard of.

  Chapter 13

  Jeffrie picked her up at exactly eight a.m. the following morning and drove her to Malibu for the photo shoot. “They rented a house for the next two days on the beach,” Jeffrie explained as he drove. “It’s a private beach, so you won’t be disturbed by tourists.”

  “I see.” Selena watched through the tinted windows as Jeffrie drove toward Malibu. She had a beautiful view of the ocean as he traveled the Pacific Coast Highway. She had never seen an ocean before and it took her breath away. She leaned her head against the glass as she watched the waves rolling in, each one looming larger than the previous. The greenish hue of the surf was in stark contrast to the deep blue of the ocean and the white caps
of the waves added a mesmerizing touch. She couldn’t tear her eyes away as she stared at each wave rolling in and crashing onto the shore.

  Jeffrie pulled into the drive of a large brown house with several cars already parked in front. Selena felt her stomach tighten again as she realized she would be back in front of a camera with people staring at her. At least I’ll be on a horse, she kept reminding herself. She had never been fond of being the center of attention, unless she was running the barrels on Rusty. At every rodeo, she immediately forgot the crowds as soon as she aimed Rusty toward the first barrel. She hoped this would be the same and she could concentrate on the horse and forget the people. It wasn’t that she was shy, exactly. She just wasn’t used to being the center of attention. She had always been more of a blend into the crowd kind of girl.

  She followed Jeffrie alongside the house and out onto the beach. She stopped behind the house and stared, and Jeffrie stopped too, waiting for her patiently. There was a large black rock near the shore and she watched as each wave hit it, sending plumes of spray into the air. It looked wild and beautiful as Selena gazed past the small crowd milling around, to the waves crashing in and then, off to the horizon, where the ocean seemed to fall right off the edge of the world. Then her gaze traveled along the beach, where houses bunched closely together around a gentle curve of land, each with its own ocean view. Then another movement on the beach caught her eye. Dancing in front of the waves was a solid white Arabian mare with a charcoal grey nose and muzzle. She had big dark eyes with a small delicate head and small, dainty feet that never stopped dancing as each wave crashed onshore near her. She acted like a cat, or at least Selena thought so, as each wave came near, she danced away as if afraid to get her feet wet. Her tail was solid white and shone in the California sun from constant brushings and her matching mane was so long, it hung off her neck and down across her shoulder. Her shiny mane glistened in the sun as she tossed her small head, lifting the long white strands into the breeze. A tall, handsome man with a thick mustache was holding the reins of her shiny black bridle and he moved constantly too, as the mare danced closer and closer to his feet. Selena thought she had to be the most beautiful horse she’d ever seen in her life. So small and dainty, yet filled with a fire that Selena could see and feel, even from this distance. No wonder they needed someone who can ride, she thought with a smile.