Chapter 2

That incessant beeping! Just shut up! Shut the hell up!

But I, being the good little actress that I was, sat up in bed coolly, a pretty smile on my face. I’d been told that I should always look good. It wasn’t good for my publicist or my handler if the paparazzi somehow got a picture of me looking at my worst. Of course, the paparazzi haven’t been bad since when I first became famous. Or since the incident with Sol…

I jumped into the freezing shower—the one in the bathroom attached to my room, it was like a little suite just for me—to keep my thoughts on target, the thoughts of being ready in time. My shower was quick and short. I didn’t like taking showers really. Actually, I really loved baths, but I never had any time for baths what with my busy schedule. Even today I had a busy schedule! Despite the fact that we didn’t have any filming to do today, my handler had me doing promotional things. Signing autographs, a bit of shopping, lunch with Sol (kill me now), a photo shoot. Plus, Cherry liked to add things as we went along and conveniently ‘forget’ that she had planned some event, but don’t worry, she always remembered enough to have me in an acceptable outfit with a small collection of approved press following close behind us. Coincidence, or what?

I dried my hair, pulled it back into a ponytail, and pulled on a pair of jeans and a tight, black t-shirt that hugged my hips before running down to breakfast. It was a pretty long run. I had a hall between my room and the upstairs living room—pretty much my own personal living room, since I was the only one to ever use it—then through the living room was another hall, more bedrooms, and the stairs. Now the stairs were covered in this very fluffy, white carpet which absorbed my footsteps. Instead of making me bounce, thus making me go faster as would be expected, it actually pulled me in and slowed me down. Not to mention that there was one flight of stairs, a large landing, and then another flight of stairs leading to the entry way which was attached to the downstairs living room which was, finally, attached to the dining room. A long way for breakfast. The run back upstairs was enough to burn all the calories that I had eaten during breakfast!

Dr. and Mrs. Lenicki waited for me at the breakfast table, though not in an angry haze at how late I was this morning as one would expect. Mom had her curly, brown hair that matched mine in a messy bun, her glasses falling off the tip of her dainty nose as she sketched like mad. Dad was equally as engrossed in his work as Mom was, but instead of paper and a pencil, he had an open laptop in front of him, his own thick rimmed glasses hanging from his teeth by an arm. He was, no doubt, working on a paper which would revolutionize and shock the medical world.

You see, we don’t have this huge house because of my soaring acting career. No, all that money was in the bank to limit use and save up for college and “After Acting” funds. My mother was a well-known architect. She designed a lot of big, important buildings around the world—including our current home! My father was a doctor, though he spent more time writing than working in a doctor’s office. I’m not quite sure what he did, really, but to me he always seemed more like a scientist than a doctor.

Despite my parents’ well-paying jobs and fame, they were so odd! Mom always had her hair up messily and wore overalls and t-shirts. Dad dressed like a guy going to golf. Polo shirt and khakis. A very odd combination when you saw them together. They were definitely the oddest rich people I had ever met.

The breakfast, untouched by my inspired parents, was delicious as always. Gloria was a marvelous cook. Her breakfast crepes were so sweet that you’d think they were candy.

More beeping!

Oh, just my cell phone.

‘Be ready LLL, almost there, long day ahead’ read the test message.

I grumbled and pushed away from the table, eyeing my parents for a response. I received none.

I ran to my room and grabbed my purse and shoes. Before I made the long journey to the front door, I noticed the wall of movie posters. My movie posters. All three of them were close-ups of me with other pictures blended into the bottom and background so that no one was distracted from the main idea. Me. I tried to imagine the new poster—Sol right beside me, bleh—but I couldn’t. It was just too weird. I sighed. At least I didn’t have to go back to the studio today. It would be too embarrassing to go back there so soon after my little outburst. I had been keeping all those emotions—about how much it had hurt when the press started talking about Sol and me—locked up and I hadn’t been expecting to suddenly confess them to everyone. Surely Sol thought I was mad, and surely Doc was considering recasting me. I’d have to apologize.

As soon as I reached the dining room again with my black purse and black, strappy heels, the low, long doorbell rang.

“Bye Mom, Dad, I’ll have my cell phone on me.”

“Have fun, honey,” Dad said, looking up from his work and giving me a warm smile that was contagious.

“Don’t let Cherry pick on you. Kick her ass if she gets too excited with all of this publicity. Publicity is nice, but too much is just terrible,” Mom told me with a happy grin, setting down her pencil and leaning on her elbows on the table. I giggled. Most girls didn’t get the advice ‘kick her ass’ from their mothers. Mom was too amazing, “But don’t be rude!”

“I won’t Mom! Bye Dad,” I kissed him on the forehead, “Bye Mom,” I kissed her on the cheek, “Love you guys!” I called, running out the door, past the chauffer waiting for me, and into the back of the limo.

“Luna,” Cherry scoffed, “You do not open the door for yourself; that is what the chauffer is for!”

I rolled my eyes before turning to the woman with a big, cheesy smile, “Well hi Cherry!” I said in an overly enthusiastic tone. She smiled back at me, then turned forward again, nodding to the chauffer—whom had gotten back into the car—that we could leave. If you every heard someone describe a woman named Cherry, you’d expect it to be a peppy teenaged girl, probably with red or pink in her hair to explain the odd nickname. This Cherry, however, was the complete opposite. She was a sort of drab woman, stylish though she was. Cherry had jet black hair cut short and choppy. Her skin was pale, but a pasty pale, not milky like mine. Her eyes were so brown that they looked black and she had these really super high cheek bones, even more evident because of her skinniness all over. All in all, she was kind of creepy and depressing. Her personality was strict and boring, though I have known her to have fun every once in a rare while.

“Where’re we off to, Cherry?” I asked, pulling my knees to my chest and sticking a sucker in my mouth.

Cherry gave me a disgusted look, as if hoping that by just doing that I’d realize the errors of my ways. Wrong. I loved bothering Cherry when I would get away with it, “Luna… must you sit like that with that stick hanging from your mouth… really now, what will the people at the hospital think?”

I perked up, though that might be strange from someone on their way to a hospital, “You want me to get out all of my bad behavior before we get there, don’t you? Anyway, we’re going to a hospital!? Awww,” I said, putting on a look of compassion, “Who knew you had a heart? Taking me to visit sick people. And I thought you were all about the publicity.”

“This is for publicity,” I gave her a confused look so she added, “This is a charity thing or whatever. You show up, attracting more people, raising more money for the hospital, pat a few kids, suddenly you’re the kindest star around. These days people like the giving, kind ones.”

I hmphed and rolled my eyes. I should have known that she wouldn’t be doing this out of kindness. Well, whatever her motives were, I’d go there and do what I wanted. I wasn’t going to just be an icon for charity. I really wanted to help.

When we arrived at the hospital, there were photographers all around the barred off front door. Behind the tinted windows of the car, I was free to give a look of disgust. None of these people really cared about the hospital, they only cared about the celebrities. With all these people blocking the entrance, how could a sick person get in inconspicuously?

Instead of voicing my opinions, I smiled as the car door was opened and flashes went off. Waving and smiling, I made my way to the door. Once inside, I was free to enjoy the quiet. Nope, never mind. Reporters.

I never got to slip away like I wanted to. I was forced to endure interview after interview, and in between? Mingling. My least favorite thing. As I made my way back to the car, I couldn’t help looking up at the windows. Someone was looking back. A little girl with a sunken face and sad eyes watched me leave. I smiled and waved at her, only to see her hide behind the curtain in fear. Obviously she hadn’t thought that I would see her… Why was a little girl in the hospital? Why did she look so… sad?

“Come Luna,” Cherry said as if I was a dog, tugging on my arm. I reluctantly turned away and slipped into the backseat of the car.

“Give me your hand, Luna,” Cherry said when we were safely locked away in the car. Absentmindedly I handed her my left hand—my dominant hand—and didn’t realize that that request was strange until she had slipped a ring onto my left ring finger. I inspected it and saw a thin, gold band with one tiny diamond embedded in the gold.

“Um… Cherry? You’re pretty, but I think we’re moving too fast,” I joked, wondering what this could be about.

“The producer and I have decided that you should wear the wedding ring from the movie for awhile. So that you can get used to it,” she explained. I lifted an eyebrow at her, but she had turned to the front already.

Right… of course they thought I should get used to it. Whatever. I had proven to them that I could act in pretty much any type of costume, even with a ring on. What, did they think I was going to start playing with it because it was unfamiliar to me in the middle of a scene? No… something else was up… I’d find out what it was, but until then I’d play along.

A/N: I know that she seems like a major jerk in this chapter “The main point is me!” but that will be important later, so I had to do it. Don’t hate her please! Hehe.

I was hoping that this showed that despite the fact that her parents are rich and successful hard-workers, they are still very level-headed and caring people. Did I capture that? I sure hope so… Plus you meet Cherry, scary woman. Next chapter, Sol! My favorite character!

Don’t forget to review. If you take the time to read it (which makes me very happy) could you review it too? Even if it is one sentence! Even if it is a negative review! Thankies!

Nicki