Star Style (4 page)

‘Jackson, she’ll be fine.’ Amy kept looking through the big glass doors. ‘We need to go any second now.’

Just then, the Shaggy Guy from the soda aisle strolled up with two young men in ties following him.

Amy’s face broke into a big smile and she nudged the guy in the blue tie out of the way to approach Shaggy Guy. ‘Helloooooo, Jacob. So lovely to see you!’ They air-kissed.

Why does Amy care about some paparazzi man who is chasing Jessica around?
Ivy wondered.

‘Hey,’ she said, when he glanced her way.

Amy gasped and Jackson’s jaw dropped.

‘Hey?’ Amy said. ‘Mr Harker is the head of the studio. You don’t just “Hey” the person who made this movie!’

Whoops!
Ivy thought.
How can this guy be the head of a studio? He looks like he needs help getting dressed in the morning
. Ivy tried to smile without looking too awkward. ‘Uh . . .’

‘Amy, don’t be so establishment,’ he scoffed, whipping out a smart phone and starting to type on it. The young man that Amy pushed out of the way rolled his eyes.

Uh oh
, Ivy thought.
An anti-establishment man of Hollywood? I’m not even sure if that’s possible
. Everything was just getting weirder and weirder.

‘I’ve already met this young star, and I like her attitude.’ His shaggy hair flopped around as he nodded enthusiastically.

Ivy blinked.
Star?

Amy’s eyes almost popped out of her head.

‘She could be huge, man,’ said Mr Harker.

‘What do you mean?’ Ivy spluttered.

Jackson gave her a nudge, smiling. ‘Ivy and Olivia, taking the world by storm.’

‘Who’s Olivia?’ Harker asked.

‘She’s the goth neighbour in the movie, and Ivy here is her twin,’ Jackson explained. ‘And Ivy was an extra in the diner scene.’

‘Hey, now I see,’ Harker said. ‘You guys are twins.’

Ivy nodded, biting her lip to stop from saying,
Duh
.

‘Dude, your sister was good,’ Harker went on. ‘Really good.’

‘Yes, she is,’ Jackson put in, and Amy shot him a warning look. Ivy guessed that Amy didn’t want Harker getting the hint that Olivia and Jackson were dating.

Harker turned to Ivy. ‘Are you ready?’

‘For what?’ Ivy had no idea what was coming next. This was turning out to be the strangest supermarket experience of her life.

‘For your walk down the red carpet, man?’ He leaned in close. ‘You and your sister are gonna be the next big actresses to hit Hollywood – and I’m going to be the one who discovered you.’

Mr Harker ushered Amy, Jackson and Ivy towards the door. ‘It’s a shame your sister isn’t here,’ he said. ‘But you and Jackson are coming out with me.’

Ivy couldn’t believe that the head of a Hollywood studio wanted her to be an actress. Every cell in her vampire body was telling her to flee. This was the exact opposite of how she’d wanted her evening to go.

Ivy stopped next to the enormous display of brooms that was by the front doors. ‘Look, this really isn’t my scene.’

‘Of course it’s not,’ Mr Harker said. ‘That’s exactly why you’re perfect for it. Now, come on!’

The Blue Tie guy nudged her in the back. ‘You can’t say no to Mr Harker,’ he said.

Ivy gulped and stepped out into the night. From across the parking lot, she could see flashes of light and hear crowds screaming. It was like a horde of demons ready to swallow her up.

Olivia was reading the label on the back of a bottle of detergent for delicates, wondering if it would work on chiffon, when she heard, ‘Darling, what a dress!’

She looked up to see a man in a purple silk suit with an open black shirt underneath. He was clapping his hands together in appreciation at her dress. Olivia remembered him from the set of
The Groves
. He was Spencer, the flamboyant make-up artist.

He leaned in closer. ‘Don’t tell anyone I said this, but your dress beats Jessica’s in the class category any day.’ Olivia blushed. ‘But what are you doing hiding back here, when they’re calling everyone out for the carpet cues?’

Olivia turned to show the full hideous stain, holding out the draped folds of the skirt panels for him to see.

‘Oh, no, no, no!’ he tutted, backing away in shock.

‘Coffee,’ she told him.

‘It’s worse, honey,’ he retorted. ‘
That
is not any coffee. That is a soy latte with . . .’ He sniffed the air. ‘Vanilla syrup.’

Olivia put the bottle of detergent back on the shelf and plopped down on to the cold floor. ‘I can’t go out there looking like this.’

‘You are absolutely right, you can’t!’ He grabbed her hand, pulled her to her feet and
dragged her down the cleaning aisle.

‘What –?’ Olivia started. It felt like her arm was about to pop out of its socket.

‘Trust me,’ Spencer replied as they turned a corner. Olivia had to scoot around a store assistant who was restacking the candy bar section at the end of the aisle.

He finally stopped in the homewares section and selected a pair of big orange scissors. He slapped a 20 dollar note on the shelf and ripped open the packet.

‘Wait, I –’ What was he planning to do with those?

‘Sshh!’ he said abruptly.

‘But –’ Olivia started.

‘Sshh!’ He held up a finger. ‘Your dress is ruined. Nothing will get that stain out. The premiere has started and you are about to miss your red-carpet debut. Let me fix this.’

Olivia bit her lip as Spencer knelt down and began to cut. The store assistant peered down the aisle at them and Olivia hoped that he wouldn’t try to have them arrested for the scissors.

She smiled brightly and waved at him.

The assistant grunted and went back to his CocoLoco bars.

With what seemed like only six snips, Spencer had removed the stained area of the skirt, leaving a C-shaped curve at Olivia’s right leg. The edge of the curve had been cut into jagged sections, just like teeth marks.
It looks like a shark has taken a bite out of my dress!
The white chiffon underneath was on show and . . . and . . .

‘Well?’ he said.

‘I look OK,’ Olivia said, amazed.

‘OK?’ Spencer gasped. ‘Honey, this is divine. Everyone will love it.’

Olivia wasn’t entirely sure but she was so
grateful to Spencer for trying to help. ‘You’re right!’ She put on her bravest face. ‘Divine.’ She flashed a smile and pretended the homewares aisle was the red carpet. She strutted down a few steps, paused, turned and strode back with not a single stumble.

The store assistant was staring again, so she gave him a little wave.

‘Great walking, sweetie, but what’s the pose?’ Spencer asked.

‘The pose?’ Olivia was focusing on getting the walk right. Now she had to do a pose, too?

‘Look,’ Spencer said, grabbing her shoulders and looking her right in the eye. ‘You are going to have to show off this fabulous dress, and you can’t just hope the photographers get a good shot of you – you have to make it happen!’ Spencer did three quick poses in a row: his head over his right shoulder, both hands on his hips with a
pout, and one foot kicked up in the air. ‘Which one did you like best?’

‘Um . . .’ Olivia was a little overwhelmed.

‘You try.’ Spencer commanded.

Olivia put one hand on her hip, turned to the side and smiled wide.

‘Not bad, but turning hides my creation! How about this?’ Spencer put both hands behind his back, in an innocent pose, turned his face to one side and batted his eyelashes.

‘If I don’t have to do the eyelashes,’ Olivia said, ‘that works for me.’ She struck the pose and crossed one leg in front of the other.

‘Oooh, honey,’ Spencer purred. ‘Perfect. Now get out there and be fierce!’

‘Thank you for being wonderful.’ She air-kissed him and then caught herself. The Hollywood way was infectious! Olivia didn’t mind, as long as it didn’t get out of hand.

Now for the red carpet
, Olivia thought. She knew she wouldn’t be there in time to walk down the red carpet with Jackson, but she thought maybe she could find Ivy or Mr Vega lurking around.

As she rushed past the cash registers she heard someone calling her name.

‘Olivia, over here!’ It was her bio-dad, looking every inch the 1940s movie star next to the glamorous Lillian. They had obviously been getting to know each other.

‘Oh no!’ Lillian had noticed her dress.

‘What happened?’ Mr Vega asked.

‘There was a spill.’ Olivia didn’t want to dwell on it. ‘It’s fixed now, and I’m ready to get out there and face the cameras.’ Olivia still thought no one was really going to be paying attention, so as long as she could get inside the cinema and watch the movie, her night would be complete.

‘That cut looks really striking,’ Lillian said. ‘I think it actually works.’

Olivia nodded.

‘Well, then,’ Mr Vega said, offering his arm. ‘As your sister seems to have already gone ahead, would you do me the honour of allowing me to escort you?’

Olivia grinned. ‘I would love to.’

Lillian beamed with approval. ‘You two look gorgeous. Now get out there and dazzle them! I’ll be right behind you.’

Olivia’s heart started to pump as her heels clicked across the parking lot towards the Picturedrome. Over the crowds that were surrounding the entrance, all with their backs to her, she could see bright spotlights and flashes. There was a huge cheer and Olivia guessed that it must be because Jackson or Jessica was making their appearance.

She took a quick glance at her reflection in a window as Mr Vega led her between a van and a sports car. Her diamond choker sparkled under the parking lot lights and her brown curls fluttered gently in the breeze. There wasn’t far to go now until they would be at the end of the carpet, making their appearance.

Now or never
, she thought. The noises got louder and Olivia could hear people shouting out to Jessica to sign autographs.

‘We love you, Jessica!’ screamed a brown-haired girl.

Olivia wasn’t sure whether she was relieved or disappointed to follow Jessica – either way, the crowd wouldn’t be much interested in her. Jessica was in her element, greeting all her fans like they were long-lost friends.

A young man with a goatee hurried over.

‘Olivia Abbott plus one?’ he asked. She
nodded. ‘Just a minute. Lillian, you can go whenever you want to.’

Lillian gave a knowing smile and mock-whispered, ‘That means no one cares when I go!’ She gave a little wave and said, ‘Good luck.’ She headed into the crowd and disappeared.

‘I guess this is it,’ Olivia said, but her father’s gaze was fixed on the retreating silhouette of Lillian.

‘What, honey? Oh, yes,’ he said, giving her arm a squeeze. He was watching the crowd again. ‘This is so exciting for you, Olivia. I’m so proud of you for following your dream and getting this part.’ He pulled her into a hug.

Olivia wished her adoptive parents could have been here, too, but she was only allowed two extra tickets to the red carpet, and they’d gone to Ivy and Mr Vega.

‘Thanks,’ she replied. Even though she
couldn’t walk down the red carpet with Jackson, she was so happy to be able to do it with her biological dad. She couldn’t believe it had only been a few months since she’d found out who he was.

‘Olivia, you’re a go.’ Mr Goatee pushed them towards the red carpet and a team of security guards materialised and stood along the crowd, forming a path.

This was like the biggest pep rally of her life.

There were young girls and parents in the crowd, photographers and journalists. There were little strobe lights chasing up and down the sides of the carpet and music from the movie’s soundtrack played from big speakers. The sight of the red carpet laid out in front of her, leading up the steps into the cinema, gave her such a thrill that she didn’t even have to think about putting on her smile.

This is amazing
, Olivia thought.

‘You look beautiful,’ Mr Vega whispered. He took the first step on to the carpet and Olivia followed. She relaxed her shoulders and lifted her chin. They were approaching the press area where all the photographers were lined up to catch the arrivals.

Everyone was staring and Olivia heard one man with a grey moustache ask, ‘Who is that?’

‘I don’t know,’ said the woman in a trench coat next to him.

Olivia caught sight of Sophia, elbowing her way to the front of the crowd of photographers. Sophia gave a little wave and then said to the woman, ‘That is Olivia Abbott, the next big thing.’ She started snapping away furiously with her camera.

‘Well, whoever she is, I love that skirt.’ The woman nudged the photographer standing next
to her. ‘Get her.’

Suddenly, all the cameras were flashing.

‘Olivia!’ cried the woman. ‘Do a turn!’

Mr Vega stepped back so that Olivia could have her photo alone. She took a step, turned and then struck the pose that Spencer had shown her.

‘
EveryWoman
magazine wants to know who designed that dress?’ called another lady wearing all black.

Olivia wasn’t sure what to say. ‘It’s a one-off design by a friend of mine.’

‘Nice friend,’ came the envious reply.

It was going really well. Thanks to Sophia and Spencer, it turned out that people were interested in her after all. It felt like the most exciting moment of her life . . .