And the Winner Is...#18

by Melissa J Morgan

  “She’s not exactly fashionable,” Tori answered. “Oooh, look at the pink ones on that choker. I thought chokers were supposed to be out. But anything with pink diamonds is probably in.”

  “Uh-oh. Fashion disaster to the left,” Natalie said softly. “The netting on those sleeves makes it look like she has some weird skin condition.”

  “It so does,” Tori agreed.

  This was so fun. Natalie and her friends always did a fashion critique during the Oscars. But that was in front of the TV. Everything looked so much better—and so much worse—in person.

  “It’s freaky to be so dressed up when it isn’t even dark yet,” Tori commented, smoothing the fringe on the front of her emerald green flapper dress. She looked amazing. She had one of those thin jeweled bands around her forehead, like girls from the Roaring Twenties were always wearing in pictures. And she wore strands and strands of beads. A couple of them almost reached her waist.

  “True,” Natalie said. “But if they started the ceremony at eight thirty West Coast time, people on the East Coast would have to stay up until about three in the morning to see the whole show.”

  Tori moved closer to Natalie as they finally reached the entrance to the theater. “Shia LaBeouf just touched me,” she whispered. “I don’t think he meant to. I don’t think he even knows he did. But I know.”

  “We’re sitting in what they call the golden horseshoe,” Natalie’s father told Nat and Tori. “That’s the semicircle of seats right in front of the stage. I’ll get you girls settled, and then I’m going to get myself a drink from the bar. I didn’t think I’d be this nervous. I’m actually sweating.”

  “You should have gotten botox in your pits, Mr. Maxwell,” Tori told him. “That stops your body from producing sweat for a while.”

  “For some reason injecting cow toxins into my armpits doesn’t seem like an entirely smart idea,” he answered. “Here are our seats. I’ll be back soon. Have fun.”

  “I’m the one who should have botoxed my pits,” Natalie admitted. “I’m so nervous for my dad. This is his chance to prove to everybody he’s a real actor, not just the action movie guy.”

  “He’s going to win. I know it,” Tori promised.

  “I’m so glad Ellen is hosting again this year. I love her,” Natalie said, looking around the theater—without looking like she was looking. She didn’t want people to think she didn’t belong. The place was huge. The plush red seats stretched back forever, and there were boxes rising up on both sides. Nat wondered who sat in them. All the nominees were up front with her.

  Suddenly, there was a flurry of motion, with people moving down every aisle. “What’s going on?” Tori asked.

  “I think they’re seat fillers,” Natalie answered. “My dad told me the producers of the show don’t want any empty seats to show up in front of the television cameras. So they have these people—just regular people—sit in the open seats. Like if someone leaves to go to the bathroom or get a drink.”

  “The show must be about to start, then,” Tori said.

  “I think so,” Natalie answered. She twisted around in her seat, looking for her dad. He appeared just as one of the seat fillers started down their row toward his seat. “Sorry,” her father told the guy in the tux. “This is my first nomination. I don’t want to miss anything.”

  The guy grinned. “I don’t blame you. I guess it’s back to the holding room for me. Good luck!”

  “What’s the holding room?” Natalie asked her dad.

  “Just a big room where the seat fillers wait when they aren’t needed. It’s not a very exciting job,” he answered.

  “I’d do it,” Tori said. “If I didn’t have a friend with a big movie star father.”

  The lights in the theater dimmed, and Natalie felt like her whole body started to hum. She could hardly believe she was actually here. And that her dad had actually been nominated.

  Natalie applauded as hard as she could when Ellen DeGeneres walked out onstage. She looked so small on that big, empty space. She wasn’t alone for long. She’d barely gotten into her opening monologue when the stage was taken over by girls in Victorian dresses fighting alligators. A few moments later, a bunch of men with white canes joined the fight. Natalie figured they were supposed to represent her dad’s movie, since the character he played was blind.

  Her dad cracked up. It was kind of funny seeing all these characters from super-serious, classy movies battling it out over the giant Oscar statue in the middle of the stage. One of the Victorian ladies actually had one of the blind men in a headlock.

  What felt like seconds later, it was already time for the first award to be presented. The night was going too fast. Natalie wanted it to last and last.

  But she also wanted it to hurry up. The Best Actor Oscar was one of the last ones given out. She could hardly wait to see if her father had won.

  She glanced over at him. He’d said he was nervous, but he didn’t look it. Of course, he was an actor!

  Ellen came out, told a few jokes, and then introduced Beyoncé. She was singing one of the Best Original Song nominees.

  “Love her dress,” Tori said in Natalie’s ear.

  Natalie nodded. Beyoncé was definitely on Natalie’s personal Best Dressed list for the night. Her dress was very plain, but the color was anything but low-key. It was a deep orange that drew every eye. No one else had worn that color tonight. Blues and greens were the most popular. And of course, Tori was here in a green dress. She had fashion ESP. Lulu, too. She’d had lots of blues and greens in her collection, including the dress Natalie had gone with.

  The night continued to whip by. More songs. More jokes. More envelopes being ripped open. More “and the Oscar goes to…” And then finally, Christina Ricci, last year’s winner for Best Actress, took the stage. This was it. Last year’s Best Actress always announced this year’s Best Actor. This was the moment of truth.

  “Here are the nominees for Best Actor,” Christina said. Chills went up and down Natalie’s spine. Christina listed the names of the other three actors, and then she said, “Tad Maxwell for Dark Music.” Natalie grabbed her father’s hand. Within three seconds they’d know if he’d won.

  Tori grabbed Natalie’s other hand. Natalie could feel the energy level go up in the room. Out in the rest of the country, Nat imagined every one of her friends holding their breath. Just the way she was holding hers.

  Christina was opening the envelope now. Looking at the winner’s name. Say it, say it! Natalie mentally urged. Tad Maxwell. Tad Maxwell. TAD MAXWELL!!

  “And the Oscar goes to…” Christina paused. “Ty Conroy for That One Night.”

  Natalie’s father did a perfect job of smiling and applauding, even though she knew he had to be so disappointed. Natalie clapped and smiled, too. That’s what you did at the Oscars. Even though her dad had given the best performance, and anyone with a tiny piece of brain should have known that and voted for him.

  Her father leaned close. “It’s an honor just to be nominated,” he said in her ear as Ty Conroy began his acceptance speech.

  Of course he had to say that. It’s what every nominee, including her father, said in pretty much every interview leading up to the Academy Awards.

  But she knew he was disappointed. He had to be. He’d wanted the Oscar so badly. He’d wanted to prove to everyone in Hollywood that he was a real actor.

  “As you from crimes would pardoned be, / Let your indulgence set me free.”

  The actor playing Prospero spoke the last lines of the play. As the stage faded to black and the curtain came down, Brynn felt the character of Miranda slip away from her for the night.

  Her first Brynn-thought was about Priya. Why couldn’t Priya accept her apology when Jordan had? She was angry at Brynn because of what Brynn did to Jordan. If Jordan was okay now, why couldn’t Priya be okay, too? Tori and Natalie had had the huge, horrible fight, and they’d made up. They were out at some fabulous party right about now, having fun together. Why c
ouldn’t Priya hand out a little forgiveness?

  The curtain came back up, and Brynn stepped forward with the other principals to take her bow. Forget about Priya for now. Try and enjoy this moment, she told herself as the applause swept over her. You earned it. You sacrificed a ton to give the best performance you could in this play.

  The applause kept coming, so the cast took another step forward and bowed again. And that’s when Brynn saw her. Priya.

  She was about six rows back, and she was applauding harder than anyone. When she saw Brynn looking at her, Priya grinned. Then she threw a bouquet of roses toward the stage. Priya had a good arm—she was a total jock—so the roses landed right at Brynn’s feet.

  Brynn picked them up and hugged them to her chest, ignoring the little pricks from the thorns. “Thank you,” she mouthed.

  The second the curtain closed for the final time that night, Brynn rushed out to the lobby. Priya was there waiting for her. They stared at each other for a second, neither knowing what to say.

  Then Brynn hugged Priya. “I’m so glad you came. I thought you were never going to speak to me again.”

  “I decided that Grace’s philosophy was right,” Priya said as Brynn released her. “If a friend apologizes, you should accept. I should have done that right away.” She grinned. “I apologize.”

  Brynn grinned back. “I accept.”

  “Sorry you didn’t win, Dad,” Natalie said softly as they walked back down the red carpet together. Tori walked a few steps behind them. She could tell that Natalie and her father needed a little private time to talk. “I know how much you wanted it. But anyone who saw Dark Music knows you can really act.”

  He grinned at her. “You’re right.”

  Natalie blinked in surprise. He sounded so cheerful. Of course, he was an actor. “Are you acting right now? Are you just pretending to be okay?”

  “Martin Scorsese came up to congratulate me when I was at the bar. And P.T. Anderson. They both want to meet with me about projects. To be in movies directed by them, or Reed’s father…Those guys don’t work with you if you’re not a real actor.”

  “And now they know you are. Because of Dark Music.” Natalie smiled up at her father. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “You know what? I’m pretty proud of me, too.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

  Nat’s cell vibrated and she pulled it out of her tiny bag and checked it. “Aw, I just got a text message from Reed,” she said over her shoulder. “He says my dad was robbed and he’s going to write a letter to the Academy demanding an official recount,” Natalie told Tori.

  “He’s a good guy. I approve of the two of you as a couple,” Tori answered, stepping up next to Natalie.

  “I approve of you as a couple, too. He has good taste. In actors and girls,” Natalie’s dad said.

  “We’re not a couple,” Natalie protested. “I’m not ready to try the whole long-distance thing again. But we’re going to try and see each other on one coast or the other sometime.”

  As soon as those words left her mouth, all Nat wanted to do was see Reed. Now—not sometime. True, they weren’t a couple. But there was something between them. Something special.

  “Our limo should be one of the first ones back,” Natalie’s dad said. “One of the perks of being a nominee. Even a losing nominee.”

  “You don’t seem too sad,” Tori commented.

  “I’m an action movie guy who got nominated for an Academy Award,” Natalie’s father answered. “Most people didn’t even realize I could speak a complete sentence until they saw Dark Music.” He winked. “Besides, I won the People’s Choice Award. That’s the one that really means something because it comes from the fans.”

  “So you’re okay? You’re really okay?”

  “I’m really okay,” he told her.

  If he was really okay, then…

  “Dad—and Tori—would it be really horrible if I didn’t want to go to the after-parties?” Natalie asked.

  “The parties are the best part of the night. And we have invites to every single one,” her father protested.

  “But Reed, Natalie’s non-boyfriend, doesn’t,” Tori explained. “And it’s their last night together.” She smiled at Nat. “It’s okay with me if we just go to my place. Michael and Reed can meet us there.” She turned to Natalie’s dad. “If it’s okay with you, too.”

  “Sure. I guess I can find somebody to talk to at the parties. Maybe one of the other losers.” Natalie’s father made an exaggerated sad face. Then he grinned. “And maybe one of the winners will leave their Oscar lying around while they’re dancing or something. I might get one after all.”

  “Try to get one for me, too,” Natalie said. “I could give it to my friend Brynn.”

  “Will do,” he promised. “That’s our limo. You two take it. I can catch a ride.”

  It took about a half an hour to get off Hollywood Boulevard. But the rest of the drive to Tori’s went fast.

  “Did the guys sound like they minded leaving the party they were at?” Natalie asked as they got out of the car.

  “They don’t look too unhappy,” Tori said. She gestured toward the open gate leading to the back patio. Natalie could see Reed and Michael lounging on deck chairs. Bags and bags from Pink’s were on the flagstones between them.

  Natalie ran over to Reed. She sat down next to him and grabbed the closest bag of hot dogs. “The food definitely isn’t going to be anywhere near as good over at the Governor’s Ball.”

  She pulled out a Guadalajara dog and took a big bite. It tasted delicious. Absolutely, completely delicious.

  “We picked up a copy of your dad’s movie from Blockbuster,” Reed told her. “Michael and I thought we could all watch it together. It will totally prove that your father was robbed.”

  “Perfect,” Tori said. “I loved that movie!”

  Perfect, Natalie thought as Reed took her hand. The most perfect moment of the almost perfect night.

  chapter

  FOURTEEN

  Brynn checked her e-mail before school on Monday morning. She hadn’t gotten rid of the feeling that she needed to check it lots of times, even though things were fine with Jordan and Priya now.

  From: imnotmichaelJORDAN

  To: BrynnWins

  Subject: Your play

  Priya told me you were amazing in the play last night. She said it was like seeing a whole other person up there. I probably should have come, too. Sorry. It’s just that the play is sort of why we broke up, and I just wasn’t up for going. But I wanted to say congratulations. I know you worked really hard on your part.

  Jordan

  That was kind of…It kind of hurt to read Jordan’s e-mail. Because it showed that even though he’d accepted her apology and everything, he was still kind of hurt. Hurt enough not to want to come see her in the play.

  But things were already so much better between them than they had been a few days ago. And they’d keep getting better. Pretty soon, they’d be friends again, the way she and Priya were already back to being friends.

  Then this summer…who knew?

  She stared at Jordan’s e-mail for another moment, trying to decide how to answer. She needed something friendly, but not girl-friendly. Something that would make Jordan think of the fun they always had together. Something that would make him think that she’d be someone he’d want to hang with this summer. Something that would make him know that she was still thinking about him…a lot.

  From: BrynnWins

  To: imnotmichaelJORDAN

  Subject: Grotesque

  I found a picture that’s even grosser than the one you sent me two weeks ago. Try not to scream when you open it. Now you have to send me one back.

  I totally get your not coming to the play. It’s going to be running for a while. If you ever want to check it out, call or e-mail and I’ll leave a ticket for you. Otherwise there are always all those dances at Camp Lakeview. Summer’s going to be here faster than it seems.
/>   Till then,

  Brynn

  Brynn nodded as she attached a photo of a turtle with two heads. It was such a Jordan kind of thing. She knew that—because they were friends. They’d always at least be friends.

  “I ate way too many hot dogs last night,” Natalie said. “Try not to hit any bumps, Bingley. I might vomit.”

  “Oh, gross,” Tori told her.

  “Will do,” Bingley promised. He got on the freeway. A green sign with a white plane pointed the way to the airport. Tori was riding with Natalie so they could have another hour or so together.

  “Next time you come out, can we go to the the tar tar pits again?” Tori asked. “No one else will go with me.”

  “Definitely,” Natalie answered. “But what about Michael? I thought you could make him do anything.”

  “Almost. He’ll even go shopping with me. But he draws the line at the pits. He says the smell makes him sick,” Tori said.

  “We have to go see Kevin, the street Elvis, next time I’m here, too. Reed told me about him. We were going to go to the Baja Fresh on Hollywood and Vine where he performs, but then our dads ended up taking us to the Ivy instead.”

  “Oh, poor you,” Tori crooned.

  “I’ll get my dad to take both of us there next time I’m here,” Natalie promised.

  Tori pulled a little notebook with a spangled cover out of her purse. “I’m going to make a list. I don’t want us to forget any of the stuff we want to do.”

  “We should make a New York list, too,” Natalie said. “You have to come visit me there. We would have the most fabulous time. There’s this place where—”

  The ring of her cell interrupted her. Natalie smiled when she saw Reed’s name on the screen. “Hello.”

  “What are your feelings about New Zealand?” Reed asked.

  “I don’t actually think I have any,” Natalie confessed.

  “It’s supposed to be awesome. Let’s go there sometime this summer. When you’re not at camp,” Reed said.