Behind The Bright Lights

Chapter 14

Rocki opened the door to the dressing room the next day and found Kimmy and Lau bending over a magazine which lay open on one of the dressing tables. They didn't even hear her coming in so she stood there for a while studying them. She knew something was going on between Kimmy and Nate...but she wasn't sure what it was but she was going to find out. Asking Nate to help Kimmy out had been a good idea but no matter how much Kimmy seemed to warm up to Nate, Rocki knew it wasn't in Kimmy's nature to trust easily and open up that fast to someone she'd just met. But something was going on and she was determined to find out what it was.
She took a deep breath and started walking towards them, the sound of her heels on the carpeted floor causing them to turn but they immediately turned back to their magazine.

'I hope whatever is in there is more important than the news I have...' Rocki said giving them a mysterious look.

'What news?' Lau asked his head whipping up so fast a muscle in his neck clicked.

'I have no more interest in sharing it with you.' Rocki said dramatically stifling laughter.

'Oh come on. You know you want to.' Lau tried to persuade her his interest clearly increasing.

Kimmy looked up at them with a raised eyebrow. 'Doubt there is a story.' She mumbled.

'Umm...no I really don't want to tell anymore.' Rocki smiled sweetly at him.

'Rocki!' Lau whined looking deprived.

'There is no story, Lau.' Kimmy told him with a smile for Rocki.

'You don't know that for sure, sweetie.' Rocki winked.

'See?' Lau nearly shouted moving towards Rocki with one of his arms stretched out. 'There has to be a story!' he stopped right in front of her and squinted his eyes at her trying to look fierce. 'Tell me.'

Rocki laughed pushing him away. 'Kimmy right, Lau, there is nothing to tell and even if there was,' she gave him a small smile 'I wouldn't tell you.'

'You're mean.' Lau grumbled.

Rocki walked over to Kimmy and put an arm around her. 'Sorry but you have to be a girl to know some stuff, right Kimmy?'

'Right.' She echoed.

'But I'm almost a girl.' He argued putting one leg over the other and patting his golden hair with a girlish pout which caused both girls to laugh. 'And I made you laugh, that should count for something.'

'No, honey, it doesn't.' Kimmy told him with a mock sympathetic look.

'Dammit.' Lau swore then he turned around quickly to grab a chair and set it in the middle of the room. 'Rocki, set your pretty tushy in this chair so that I can make you so beautiful you will want to adopt me and tell me all your secrets.'

Again, the girls laughed.

'Okay.' Rocki conceded after catching her breath.

'Er no, clothes first.' Kimmy said dragging Rocki towards the changing room.

There were only a few days left to Kimmy's on stage appearance and she could barely stand still because of the jitters. She had a constant headache caused by anxiety and she had no idea what to do about it. She tried to focus as she handed Rocki a bunch of clothes but they were mismatched and they had to try again several times before she finally got it right

'Are you okay, honey?' Rocki had to ask after Kimmy had handed her mismatched shoes.

'Yeah I'm okay ' Kimmy replied correcting her mistake.

'Fine....if you say so...' Rocki said but Kimmy knew the subject wasn't over.

Perfectly made up, Rocki went on stage and did her job with the perfect amount of charm and humor. And Kimmy observed that she was careful to smile at the right moment and even her gestures seemed calculated, Kimmy could have started crying just then were it not for Lau who was standing beside her giving her occasional side glances.