“Thanks,” Sean said as I unlatched the door and quickly reset the alarm.
“That’s OK,” I whispered. “Night then.”
“Ruby, stay a while…?” Sean asked.
“Stay? Why?”
“Come through to the kitchen,” Sean said. “We can have a midnight snack.”
“I’m not hungry,” I lied. But the cheese toasties hadn’t filled me up and the sound of my tummy rumbling was almost louder than the burglar alarm would have been.
“Come on, I can hear that from here,” Sean joked. Furiously I followed him. Anyway I really fancied some cereal.
“So how was it?” I asked him as he passed me the milk and I sloshed it on to my Cheerios.
“It was great, really great!” Sean was bright eyed and happy. “We had a burger and then we went bowling. And Dad said he was so proud of me and how much he missed me.”
“Really,” I said. “And did you tell him that you were ready to pull out of the film? You know, before they start shooting it and wasting hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“He said that I hadn’t signed a contract yet, and that as long as I hadn’t I can do what I like. He even said he’d read the contract for me if I wanted.”
“Did he mention your reputation?” I asked him. “Sean, maybe you don’t want to be a film star now, but one day you might change your mind – and then everyone’s going to wonder if you’ll pull out at the last minute again.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Sean said, looking worried.
“No, and I don’t think your dad has either,” I said. “I think he thinks you won’t pull out of the film at all.”
“Well, maybe I won’t,” Sean said defiantly.
“Great!” I exclaimed. “But why? Because it’s what you want, or because it’s what your dad wants?”
“I’ve really enjoyed the last few days,” Sean told me. “And I really enjoyed acting with you today. We don’t get to do that enough.”
“Yes, well,” I said, suddenly finding my Cheerios extremely interesting.
“Look,” Sean slid a little closer to me on the counter. “I know now is not a good time for you and me. I know we have a million other things we have to deal with, but hopefully one day that will change. I hope you will still like me then, because I know I’ll still like you.”
I made myself look into his blue eyes and for just a second it seemed like a terribly good idea to kiss him. Then Anne-Marie turned up at the kitchen door.
“How sweet,” she said, crossing her arms. “Is this where you have your secret meetings? No wonder you’re looking so rough, Ruby; you’re not getting enough sleep.”
“Anne-Marie – there is nothing going on between me and Sean,” I tried explaining.
“Yes, it looks like it,” she replied sharply. “Apart from the whole having your lips two millimetres apart thing.”
“That was…” I struggled. “That did look bad, but please, Annie, I would never, ever go behind your back with your boyfriend. I wouldn’t do that!”
Anne-Marie shook her head. “Don’t call me Annie,” she said. She went to the fridge and poured herself a glass of juice. “I’ll be out of your hair soon. I finally got through to Dad this evening. It turns out that he’s going to be in LA tomorrow and then he’s flying to London for two days. I’m going back with him. There’s no point in me being here any more.”
“Can’t your dad talk to the studio, get them to give you another chance?” I asked Anne-Marie. After all her dad was a famous movie producer.
Anne-Marie took a swig of her juice. “He could, but like I told you earlier today, back when I thought you actually cared about what I felt, I don’t want any special favours. And besides this is the last place I want to be.”
“Annie,” Sean began. “Let’s talk about this.”
“I said, don’t call me Annie!” Anne-Marie snapped, with tears brimming in her eyes, and she ran off back upstairs.
“We suck,” I said, miserably pushing the bowl of Cheerios away from me.
“You don’t,” Sean said. “I do. All of this is my fault.”
“I wish it was,” I said, looking at him. “But it’s a bit me too. Sean, I can’t go out with you now or probably ever. Not if I want to get my friends back, and I do. I need my friends.”
“OK,” Sean said sadly. “But we’re still friends too, aren’t we?”
“Of course,” I said. “Although not for much longer if you keep making me get up in the middle of the night to let you in.”
Chapter Eleven
We found out there were only about ten kids left auditioning when we arrived at the studio. I didn’t recognise any of the others except for Henry Dufault. Nydia smiled and nodded at a couple and so did Kirsty. They must have been in the other groups yesterday with them.
Christina Darcy and Ralph Fearson had appeared along with Sean to speak to us all.
“Well, you are our final choices for the lead roles. As you know there are four leads. Sean is already cast as Sebastian so it’s the other three we need to finalise. We’ve decided who is suited to which role and you will only be able to audition for that role now. Today it’s all about your screen presence, your chemistry with Sean and your acting ability. So just enjoy it, immerse yourself in the characters and don’t mess up.”
“So no pressure then,” Henry whispered in my ear. I found myself nodding in agreement, but then caught Christina Darcy watching me, so I came to my senses and remembered that I found Henry really quite annoying.
“Ruby, Nydia and Kirsty – we want you to audition for the part of Arial. Follow me, please.” I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me from the other girls who realised their chance to play Arial was over for good.
As we followed Christina Darcy I smiled at Nydia. “We’ve made it this far – it’s amazing, isn’t it?” I said, forgetting she hated me.
“It is amazing,” Nydia growled at me. “But I imagine Sean’s secret girlfriend has a better chance than Kirsty or me.”
“You’re Sean’s secret girlfriend?” Kirsty exclaimed, wide-eyed. “Cool!”
“No, I am not,” I whispered, hoping Christina hadn’t heard. “For the last time, I like Sean, Sean likes me, but we are not and never will be going out together!”
“I’d totally go out with Sean Rivers,” Kirsty said. “Secretly or otherwise.”
“I thought you were going out with Danny?” I asked her, diverted for a second.
“Well, kinda – only he hasn’t actually asked me. We just hang out a lot.”
“That’s Danny for you, eh, Nydia?” I said. But Nydia blanked me.
“OK, if you don’t believe me, your best friend of a hundred years, then that’s fine,” I said. “Good luck with your audition and may the best girl win.”
“I intend to,” Nydia said.
As she flounced off after Christina, followed closely by Kirsty, I stood stock still and stared. That wasn’t Nydia, my all-for-one-and-one-for-all best friend. Even if I had secretly been going out with Sean behind Anne-Marie’s back I wasn’t sure I deserved that. And then I realised, maybe it wasn’t just the thing that hadn’t happened between me and Sean that had made Nydia suddenly so cross with me. Maybe it was this. Her and me battling for a part that we both really wanted. We’d never been in this situation before. Even when we all auditioned for the part of Polly Harris in The Lost Treasure of King Arthur, Nydia didn’t get past the first round of auditions so we were never really in direct competition. Come to think of it, she had been a bit annoyed with me back then too, thinking that I’d got all stuck up just because I was making a movie. And when she’d gone on the TV talent show to find the lead for the UK version of Spotlight!, I’d given up show business and was really only in the chorus by mistake. I wasn’t her competition then. And now here she was going for the same part as me (and Kirsty) and, as far as she was concerned, I was the leading man’s secret girlfriend. No wonder she was furious with me.
I followed Nydi
a into the room where Sean, Ralph Fearson, Christina and Kirsty were waiting. I had a choice to make. Should I try and throw this audition and hope that they chose Nydia? Because if I did I was fairly sure I’d have my old friend back much more quickly, and pretty soon we’d be back home in London and all of this would be water under the bridge. Or should I do my best to try and win this part because I was good enough and I deserved it, and because I wanted it?
And then I realised there wasn’t really a choice. I wasn’t choosing between my best and oldest friend and my career. I was choosing to try my best or to not try at all – and that wasn’t a choice I could make. I wanted to be Ruby Parker Superstar.
I had to give this audition everything. And let whatever was going to happen next happen.
At lunch time we were allowed to take our sandwiches outside to have at picnic tables that were arranged in a courtyard at the centre of the studio complex. Nydia went to sit with the girls she knew from her group and I went to sit on my own. It wasn’t long before Kirsty joined me and I was glad to see her.
“Hey,” she said, sliding along the bench next to me. “How do you think you’re doing?”
I’d done quite a few scenes with Sean during the morning and I’d been relieved to find that it wasn’t weird at all, even in the soppy romantic ones. Sean was such a good actor I knew that when he looked at me, he was seeing Arial, which helped to look at him and see Sebastian. Arial was allowed to stare dreamily into his electric blue eyes and hold his hand and feel romantic, and it wasn’t confusing at all. OK, it was very confusing, but if I concentrated very hard I could just about get my head around the whole situation. I’d sat and watched as Kirsty and Nydia acted the same scenes with Sean and I had to admit I thought both of them were excellent. Later we were going to be screen-tested individually again and sing once more. After that, they’d make their decision.
“I think I’m doing my best. What about you?”
“Same,” Kirsty said. “I’d like the role. It’s going to be such a huge film.”
“Yes, I know,” I said. “Does that worry you? The pressure of fame at such a young age?”
Kirsty shook her head. “ Truly? No. The Young Robin Hood is going to change my career for good and, besides, I have cool parents who won’t let me get carried away or work too much. No, there’s really only one thing that worries me right now…”
“What’s that?” I asked her.
“How can I get Danny to ask me out on a date?” Kirsty said.
I laughed so hard I nearly fell off the bench and all the people on Nydia’s table looked over at us, except Nydia who scowled at her food.
“Don’t ask me,” I laughed. “Me and Danny never did things in the conventional way. We were always falling out or breaking up over something, and not telling each other when we didn’t like each other and not telling each other when we did. But my advice is, if you like him then ask him out – because he’s quite shy really plus very bad at saying what he’s feeling.”
“Me ask a guy out?” Kirsty looked shocked for a moment, but then she smiled. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Ladies,” Henry appeared from nowhere and grinned at us as he sat down. Then he winked at me which made me feel instantly cross, but I couldn’t say anything because I had a mouth full of food.
“So I could ask you how your audition is going and all that,” Henry said, “but I am a man of few words and I’d like to cut right to the chase. Ruby Parker, I dig you. Can I take you on a date?”
I looked at Kirsty, who was sitting open mouthed. “See Danny would never do that,” she said.
“Well, can I?” Henry persisted.
I couldn’t answer him straightaway because I was chewing wholemeal bread and it was really quite seedy. Also I was slightly worried I might have some bits stuck in my teeth so I kept chewing for a bit longer than I needed to and tried to look as if I was just being thoughtful. Why on earth would I want to go on a date with a boy who I found irritating, annoying and seemed to bring out the worst in me whenever I was around him? No, there was no way I was going on a date with Henry Dufault.
But the words that came out of my mouth were, “OK then.”
That was the other thing that happened whenever I was around Henry. I said things I absolutely never usually would. It was most inconvenient.
“Great, I’ll call you later and arrange it.” Henry winked at me again and I seethed.
“You don’t have my number,” I said.
“Ruby, I’ve so got your number,” Henry said, and then he was gone.
“You are going on a date with Henry Dufault,” Kirsty said.
“I know! How did that happen?” I dropped my head in my hands.
“Millions of girls across America would love to date Henry Dufault,” Kirsty told me. “He’s mad, bad and dangerous to know!”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” I said. “Why did I say yes? I didn’t mean to say yes!”
Kirsty tipped her head on one side so that her blonde hair fell over one shoulder. “Maybe because you don’t hate him at all,” she suggested. “And maybe because whenever you are around him, you light up like a Christmas tree.”
“Don’t be so ridiculous,” I said. “I have a doomed crush on Sean Rivers. I can’t possibly like Henry Dufault.”
“Are you sure you have a crush on Sean?” Kirsty asked me. “Or is it just easier to like someone you know you’ll never be with?”
From: Danny ([email protected])
To: ([email protected])
Subject: Hold are you?
Hi Rubes
Kirsty told me what happened with Nydia and Anne-Marie. I hope you don’t mind. She wasn’t doing it to be gossipy. She really likes you and she thought maybe you could do with a friend. I know you and me haven’t been that close since the whole Auto-tune Miracle Microphone incident, but I hope you know that I will always be your friend. And I know that you and Sean wouldn’t do anything behind Anne-Marie’s back. I’m not surprised he likes you though. I’ve always thought he did.
Kirsty also said you’re going on a date with Henry Dufault. Good luck with that!
Anyway, I know you find out tonight who’s going to get the part of Arial. I can’t say who I choose because all three of you are great – but good luck from me.
We’re off to Romania to film in a couple of days, but if you can meet up for a milkshake or something before then let me know.
Your friend
Danny
Chapter Twelve
To say that the atmosphere in the house was a bit strained that evening was like saying that Jade Caruso was a BIT irritating. In other words, it was an understatement. So I was really pleased to see Danny’s e-mail ping into my inbox. It was good to know that we were friends and that I didn’t feel odd about him any more, not even though he knew about the thing that hadn’t happened between me and Sean, and Henry asking me out on a date. I didn’t mind that he didn’t mind, and I didn’t mind that he and Kirsty liked each other. It was official. I was over Danny Harvey. At last.
If only everything else was as simple. When we pulled up outside Jeremy’s house, there was a big black limo parked on the drive and I guessed it was Anne-Marie’s dad come to take her home. Nydia got out of the car first and went in before me and Mum, slamming the door behind her so it nearly took the tips of my fingers off.
“Still not made up yet?” Mum asked me. I shook my head. “I expect it’s the nerves.” She patted me on the arm. “I’m sure that once we’ve had that phone call tonight and we know what’s what, then everything will be all right between you.” She glanced at the limo and pressed her lips together. “Right, I have a few things to say to Mr Chance.”
But when we got indoors, it was pretty clear that Anne-Marie had said most of them already.
“I have a job, Anne-Marie,” Mr Chance was saying as she stood with her hands on her hips in front of him. “An important job that keeps a roof over your head and pays your sc
hool fees. I let you have whatever you want; you have more freedom then any other child of your age that I know of. I am sorry I couldn’t be there to sign this form in time, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. You need luck on your side; it’s all about breaks.”
“Really? Funny that, because for a lot of fourteenyear-old girls all they need are their parents on their side. If I had just one parent who put me before work then none of this would have happened. I wasn’t asking you to be with me, Dad. I gave up hoping for that when I was about five. All I needed was one signature.”
There was a silence as Mr Chance and Anne-Marie glared at each other. I was proud of Anne-Marie, telling her dad how she really felt. It must have been hard when she hardly ever sees him. And he looked all shifty and stupid like the boys at school do when Mr Petrelli catches them mucking about with maracas.
“Listen, Anne-Marie, you are not being reasonable,” Mr Chance said. He was wearing a white shirt and sunglasses pushed up on to his grey hair, a look that was far too young for him.
“Of course I’m not being reasonable!” Anne-Marie shouted back. “I’ve just lost out on the best audition ever, not because I wasn’t good enough but because my parents couldn’t be bothered to answer the phone!”
“If you’d found out exactly what was required beforehand…”
And then Anne-Marie flew at her dad, pummelling her fists into him. She was crying and he was just standing there, looking sort of bewildered and as if he’d rather be anywhere else in the entire world. What he should have done was to put his arms around her and hug her, but he didn’t. Which is probably why, after the initial shock, my mum raced over. Mum wrapped her arms around Anne-Marie and hugged her tight, as she sobbed into Mum’s hair. I wanted to go and hug her too, but I didn’t think she’d want me to. So I just stood there, not wanting to leave, not wanting to look.
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