In The Shadows

Chapter 21

Jade was having dinner with her mother that evening.

"If Perrie's dad and brother are here and Jesy's friends are coming down for the weekend, maybe it might be a good idea to ask your father to visit. You know, since you're long overdue to see him? He may be a lug but he does miss you when you're not around. Even if he'd never admit it." Naomi said to her daughter.

"Have dad come visit?" Jade ate slowly. She tried to picture her father coming to set with her mom. "He'd look out of place on set for sure. All the other mams are so enthusiastic but he never really reacts to anything does he?" She was laughing.

Naomi giggled. "He doesn't show it but he is proud, Jade. He really is. He said he's waiting for the show to come out to start boasting to his work mates that that's his daughter."

Jade blushed. "I can't imagine him boasting about anything."

"What parent wouldn't be proud? Aside from a horrible one." Naomi continued to eat. "Want me to ask him to come down? Or maybe you can do that yourself next time he calls."

Jade shrugged. "I guess. If he's willing to spend a day away from that old factory. I know he likes repetition."

"Ah he does. He surely does." Naomi sounded far away. "We can all go out for a bite to eat if he comes on down."

"Mmm . . . I guess. Yeah we can do that." Jade got a message on her phone so picked it up to look. "Mam I'm not sure if it's a good idea for Leigh-Anne to-"

The message was from a friend of hers from school. It was a picture of Jade with the other kids behind the scenes today. They were all wrapped in towels. "Did Netflix post this?" She showed it to her mother.

Naomi gasped. "Oh yes I saw it on their Twitter and Instagram. Trying to keep the fans excited. Where did you see it Jade? Have you got social media behind my back?" She narrowed her eyes.

"No, no." Jade shook her head quickly. "Olivia sent it to me." She smiled when she saw the blushing face emoji with the wide eyes that came after. Olivia also wrote 'Jade you're famous!'. "Maybe she saw it on Netflix's social media?"

"I doubt it. Did you just get the message?" Naomi scooped up some of her soup.

"Hold on." Jade was typing.

Me: *sweaty smiley face emoji*

Me: Where did you see that Olivia?

Olivia: Me mam showed it to me. She said people on facebook made the picture go viral and she asked me if that was you. The show you're doing is for Netflix? And it's big? It has a lot of fans? *emoji with wide eyes and blush on its face*

Olivia: And you're working with Leigh-Anne Pinnock????

Jade got a bit of a boost to her self-esteem. She's so impressed. She also felt a tiny bit superior. But I won't rub it in.

Me: Yes.

Olivia: Jade you didn't say all of that. You're going to be the most famous person. I didn't know so many people wanted to see that show. Me mam said lots of generations read the books that your show is based on. You'll be like Jennifer Lawrence! Is it the hunger games? Is it like the hunger games Jade? My friend is famous!

Me: It's not like the hunger games. It's a lot different. It's a dark mystery sci-fi series

Olivia: Wow. Like the umbrella academy? My brother watches that

Me: Kind of but not exactly

Olivia: Jade I didn't realize it was so major! Other people were asking me if you were going to be super famous from now on. Jade don't change your number. And talk about me in interviews