Be My Juliet [on hold]

Chapter 23

Buzz buzz.  My phone vibrates from the nightstand, illuminating the entire room with its blinding white screen.  I groan, flipping onto my stomach and placing my pillow over my head.  Buzz buzz.  It goes off again a few minutes later.  I peer out from my hiding spot, checking the time quickly- 8:15 AM.   Who would text me this early?  My arm snakes out from under the covers, grabbing my phone and bringing it closer to me: two texts, from Dan.

Good morning babe!  This is your 8 AM wake up call.  I’ll see you tonight, yeah? –Dan

geT YOUR ASS OUT OF BED YOU HAVE REHEARSAL.  How did you sleep? –Dan

I giggle at his last message, typing out a quick reply before forcing myself from out of the warm comfort of my blankets to the too-cool room temperature.  My feet freeze on the hardwood floor, so I pull on some fuzzy socks and head into the kitchen.  Dan was right about me having rehearsal.  I tell him everything as I hear it, saying when I have rehearsals, how often, what we’ll be working on, etc.  He is so happy for me, and sharing something so momentous with someone like him has just made everything that much better.  Today is the day where they are going to ‘change my look,’ because, to them, Juliet most definitely does not have blond hair.  They’ve decided a dark brown would be better, and have already chosen the exact shade.

I pour a bowl of cereal and grab an orange before silently going into the lounge.  I put on Adventure Time, my favorite thing to watch in the mornings when I still need to wake up, and lower the volume.  However, Jess erupts from her room, already exuding happiness and liveliness not usually present until around 10.  “Good mornin’, good mornin’ to you!” she sings, quoting that song from Singing In the Rain, and starts attempting to tap dance.

“Someone had a great night’s sleep.” I comment, smiling slightly.  She laughs, shuffling into the kitchen and telling me about talking with Phil for a while on Skype before slowly drifting off to sleep.

“You’re having your makeover day today,” she notes, eating a spoonful of cereal.  “I’m very excited.”

“Well, I’ll be there most of the day, so you can see at dinner time.”

“Great!  I’ll grab takeout or something.”

“Sounds good.  I’ve got to go put on real clothes.  See you later!” I grin, getting up to place the dirty dishes in the sink, and then walking into my room.  I don’t bother with makeup, knowing they’ll just take it all off as soon as I get there, and slip into my favorite: white long sleeve scoop neck and black leggings.  I top it off with a green army jacket and brown boots, grab my bag already filled with everything I may need, and head out the door. 

I walk to the studio quickly, our flat being only about a 5-minute trip.  I run into James, who greets me and starts mindlessly chatting about some party he wants me to go to.  “Please Penny Lane?” he smiles, using the nickname he’s already given me whenever we even see each other.

“Maybe James Dean.” I laugh.  I thought James was going to be a total sleaze when I first met him at the callback, but it turns out that he’s actually not that bad.  His personality changes very rapidly though; often from the sweetest guy to the jerk I first knew. 

“Hi Penelope, are you ready?” Sally, a girl probably around 25 who was new to showbiz, walks up to me, a smile spreading across her face like always.  I nod, shooting her a similar grin and saying goodbye to James.  “You’re going to look fantastic, I promise.”

“I’m really looking forward to it.  Almost everyone I know is actually…”

“Hello, please sit right there,” a thin, gray-haired women tells me.  I obey, pushing my loose hair over my shoulders.  I look around and focus in on two girls on the other side of the small room mixing the dyes.  “They’ll be ready in a minute.”