Drinks 'n Dares

Cantankerousness and Cocktails

Chapter Twenty – Cantankerousness and Cocktails

Claire's POV

"So? What do you think?" Carla asked.

"That depends," Kira said. "Are you actually going to listen to our advice?"

Carla didn't pretend to be offended. "Possibly."

Kira rolled her eyes and stuck another pin in the mannequin she was currently attacking. It was Friday and we had all gathered at Kira's apartment after a long day of work. I for one was particularly exhausted; I hadn't thought it possible but Evelyn had gotten even crueller and had decided that she needed the Picerelli article back two days early. Ugh. But lying sprawled on Kira's bed as I munched down on carrot sticks (per Carla's request) was a good way to relax. Carla was sitting beside me, eying a lacy, burgundy coloured top that was hanging on a rack near her. Kira was still in deep concentration regarding her fabric-draped mannequin. She tilted her head to the side and pulled and twisted at the material, then stuck it with pins to keep it in place. I took the moment of silence between us to once-again survey Kira's room.

I loved Kira's place. It was tiny, with only a kitchen/laundrette, a bathroom and another room that served as her bedroom/sewing area. Nevertheless it was tidier than both Carla's and my flat combined. The queen size bed stood flush against one wall while several mannequins, a sewing table and large boxes of material filled the rest of the room. Every wall was covered with A3 sketches of clothing designs of this, that, and the other, most of them gorgeous, some of them fabulous. And I had to say that the odd one was rather magnificent. All of them original. Kira was so brilliant, and completely under-recognised.

Carla fingered the halter top. "It's just that that last audition I went to sucked majorly and the one on Saturday is for an even smaller part. I'd basically get like, less than a minute of screen time and I'd only have two lines. Do you guys really think it's worth it?"

"You've got to start somewhere." Kira commented. She caught Carla fingering the lacy halter top and shot her a stern look. "Put that back. It's not finished yet."

Carla huffed but did as she said, and then choose to wander over to Kira's sound setup.

"Don't you have anything other than Bon Jovi?" she asked.

Kira shot her a droll look. "Yes, if you look in the music cabinet. You'll find that's where my CDs live."

"Whatever." She shrugged and started up some Bon Jovi music. I decided it was time to get back to the point.

"It may not be exactly what you're looking for." I said. "But that is a really well-known soap opera; loads of people watch it. If you do the part, even if it isn't much, you might get spotted by someone who can offer you something better."

"You not in a position to turn your nose up at it either." Kira said. "There are other girls who would be perfectly willing to go for that role. It's not assured that you will get it. Though you're a great actress of course."

Carla flipped her hair theatrically. "That's what comes from being a natural drama queen."

I shoved her playfully. "Remember what your horoscope said. It's a month of risks and chances, or whatever it was. You're supposed to keep an open mind."

She nibbled at her lip. "I guess."

"Well, in the end it's up to you Carla." Kira smiled sympathetically. "You can go to it or you can, well, not."

She shrugged and chose to check out her chipped nail polish instead of look at either of us. "I'll think about it then. By the way," her gaze fixed on me. "What the hell did you say to Harvey?"