Bright Lights

by Linda Chapman

  Chapter Five

  ‘Hi, Sophie,’ Sheila said as I followed Mum into the audition room. ‘Has your mum told you why we spoke to her?’

  I shook my head. What's going on? I wanted to shout.

  ‘Well, we were all very impressed. We're definitely going to offer you a speaking part…’

  Yes! I had a speaking part! I was going to be in the film and say some lines! How amazing was that? Just wait till…

  ‘And we would also like to screen-test you for the role of Becky.’

  My whirling thoughts stopped in their tracks. I stared at Sheila. What had she just said?

  ‘A screen test is like an audition but it's in costume and it's filmed,’ Sheila went on mega-calmly. ‘It gives us an idea of what you'd actually be like playing the part on film.’

  ‘Becky!’ I squeaked. ‘You… you want me to audition for Becky!’

  Laurence nodded. ‘We've been auditioning lots of young actresses,’ he explained. ‘But we haven't found Becky yet. You understand this isn't a definite offer, it's just that we'd like to see you again.’

  Every single word in my brain seemed to have deserted me. I nodded speechlessly.

  ‘You'll need to do the scene you prepared for today and this scene as well,’ Sheila said, passing it across the desk. ‘The screen test will take place just outside London.’ She smiled at Mum. ‘We'll send you all the details, Mrs Tennison. Thank you very much for bringing Sophie in.’ She turned to me. ‘We'll look forward to seeing you next week, Sophie.’

  A minute later Mum and I were standing in the corridor outside. We stared at each other.

  ‘Well…’ Mum said, totally lost for words.

  ‘I'm going to audition for Becky.’ As it started to sink in, a grin plastered itself across my face. ‘Oh, wow! Wait till everyone hears about this!’

  On the way home, Mum tried to persuade me that it might be a good idea to keep quiet about my screen test. ‘We'll have to tell Dad and Tom and Jessica,’ she said. ‘And I know you'll want to talk to Ally and Harriet about it, but I do think it might be best if you didn't mention it to anyone else.’

  I stared at her. The most amazing thing ever had happened and Mum wanted me to keep quiet!

  ‘Why?’ I said.

  ‘Well, just in case you don't get the part,’ Mum said. ‘After all, it's only another audition. They said they've been looking at lots of people to find someone to play Becky. There's no guarantee you'll be chosen.’

  ‘But I might be,’ I said quickly.

  Mum nodded. ‘Still, until you know for sure, isn't it best not to go about telling everyone?’

  ‘But I want to tell people,’ I protested. I thought of something. ‘Anyway, Justine's bound to ask me how the audition went. You don't want me to lie, do you?’

  I could tell I'd got Mum there. There was no way she would ever say I should lie.

  ‘No, I suppose not,’ Mum said reluctantly. She sighed. ‘Well, OK, tell people if you must, only don't get too excited.’

  Me? Get too excited? Never!

  ‘I'm going to London for a screen test!’ I shouted, running into the kitchen. Seeing Dad and Jessica, I hugged Dad in excitement. ‘The director wants me to audition for Becky! I could have one of the biggest parts in the film!’

  ‘What?’ Dad said in astonishment.

  I repeated my news.

  ‘They want you to audition for a main part?’ Jessica echoed.

  I nodded. ‘Isn't it amazing?’

  ‘Yes.’ Jessica sounded rather stunned. ‘Yes, it is.’

  Just then, Mum came into the kitchen. ‘So you've heard. It's, er… a surprise, isn't it?’ she said to Dad.

  ‘I can't believe it,’ Jessica said, looking at me as if I was an alien. ‘You might be a film star!’

  ‘It's only another audition, Jessica,’ Mum said quickly. ‘They're been seeing lots of people. Sophie is very unlikely to get the part.’

  ‘But I might get it.’ I twirled round. I felt like singing, like dancing, like jumping up and down. ‘I might be a film star!’ I said, hugging Dad again.

  Dad hugged me back, but over my head I could tell he was looking at Mum. ‘What would it mean in practice?’ he asked, his arms tightening round me almost protectively.

  ‘Well, Sophie would be filming for most of the summer,’ Mum answered. ‘It would be a big-time commitment – there'd be lots of travelling, and she'd be away filming on location for a while –’

  ‘Can I ring Ally and Harriet?’ I interrupted, breaking away from Dad. I couldn't wait to tell them my news!

  Mum nodded and I raced to the phone.

  I phoned Harriet first. She was totally astonished. ‘That's so cool' she gasped. ‘Oh, Soph, you're going to be famous!’

  A broad grin split my face. ‘I haven't got the part yet.’

  ‘No, but you will get it,’ Harriet said. ‘I just know you will. This is so amazing! We've got to have a sleep-over to celebrate. I'll go and ask if you and Ally can come over.’

  A few minutes later, she came back on the phone. ‘Dad said yes,’ she told me. ‘I'll ring Ally. Do you want to come over now?

  Harriet, Ally and I hardly talked about anything else but my screen test for the whole of the evening. In fact, I hardly even thought about anything else for the next few days. But all that changed on Wednesday night, when Mum announced some news.

  Jessica, Tom and I were in the kitchen after school. Jessica and Tom were arguing. They argue with each other much more than with me.

  ‘That's my baseball cap,’ Jessica said, reaching out and swiping the grey cord cap off Tom's head.

  ‘You said I could have it,’ Tom said, quickly ruffling his flattened brown hair so it stood up in spikes again.

  ‘Borrow it, not have it,’ Jessica said. She looked inside it. ‘Eee – gross! You've got gel in it, Tom.’

  ‘You've got gel in it, Tom,’ Tom mimicked.

  Jessica shot him a withering look, but before she could say anything Mum and Dad came into the kitchen.

  ‘You're home early, Dad,’ I said.

  ‘That's because your mother and I have got some news,’ Dad said.

  I looked at Mum. ‘What news?’

  Jessica glanced at Mum's excited face and a look of intense alarm entered her eyes. ‘You're not having a baby! Please don't tell me you're having a baby, Mum!’

  ‘Of course I'm not having a baby.’ Mum laughed.

  ‘So what's going on?’ Tom asked.

  ‘Sit down, all of you,’ Dad said in his calm voice.

  We sat down, exchanging glances.

  ‘OK,’ Mum said, taking a deep breath. ‘Well, I think you all know I've not been happy in my job for a while. So I've decided that enough's enough. I'm –’ the words rushed out of her ‘I'm going to start a business.’

  We all stared.

  ‘What sort of business?’ Tom asked.

  Mum's eyes shone. ‘A pet-sitting business.’

  ‘Pet-sitting!’ Jessica exclaimed. ‘That's when you look after other people's animals when they go away on holiday, isn't it?’

  Mum nodded. ‘Some of the pets will come here and sometimes I'll go to their houses to stay.’ She looked round at us. ‘So, what do you all think?’

  ‘It's a brilliant idea!’ I exclaimed. I loved the idea of having animals to stay.

  ‘Yeah!’ Jessica agreed. ‘The more animals the better.’

  Tom nodded.

  ‘I'll try and build up the business so that I can employ someone else to do the staying away,’ Mum said. ‘But at first I'm going to have to do the overnight stays.’

  ‘Mum the businesswoman!’ Tom grinned.

  Mum looked almost dazed. ‘There's going to be so much to do.’

  Dad put his arm round Mum's shoulders. ‘Well, we're all here to help you.’

  We nodded.

  Mum looked almost teary for a moment. ‘Thank you,’ she said. She cleared her throat. ‘Now, how about some coffee and biscuits to celebrate?
’

  ‘So, have you thought of a name for your business, Mum?’ Jessica asked as Dad put the kettle on.

  Mum smiled. ‘Purr-fect for Pets!’ she said.

  Chapter Six

  ‘Keep your eyes closed. That's it. Just a sweep of shadow here… and here…’

  It was the day of the screen test and I was sitting in a small room in front of a mirror, my eyes shut while Jules, a hair and make-up artist, applied eyeshadow with a tickly brush.

  ‘Now open,’ Jules told me. She was very pretty, with long red hair clipped up in a slide.

  I opened my eyes. The room was white and lights seemed to blaze at me from all directions. My eyelashes felt prickly. I blinked several times and looked in the mirror on the wall in front of me. My eyes looked enormous! Jules had applied mascara to my eyelashes and eyeliner round my eyes. She'd also put foundation on my face and a little blusher.

  ‘OK, up you get,’ she said.

  I stood up and Jules removed the gown that had been protecting my costume.

  ‘So, what do you think?’ she said as I looked in the mirror.

  I stared at my reflection. Was it really me? My hair was pinned up under a white maid's cap. I was wearing a dirty white shirt, a long black skirt, thick black tights and boots.

  ‘Do you feel like Becky?’ Jules asked.

  ‘Yes,’ I said slowly. ‘I do.’

  My heart pitter-pattered with excitement. I knew the scenes. I looked like Becky. This was it: my big chance!

  Laurence, Sheila and Steve were all waiting for me.

  ‘Hi,’ Sheila said as Mum and I went in. ‘Mrs Tennison, if you'd like to come and sit over here.’ She showed Mum to a chair at the side of the room where the screen test was taking place.

  I clutched the scenes, feeling suddenly nervous.

  Laurence smiled at me. ‘We'll have a couple of rehearsals and then we'll start filming. Now, if you come over here, Sophie.’

  I followed him over to the set.

  ‘We'll start with the scene that you did last week for us. I'd like you to curl up in that chair and pretend to be asleep. Sheila will read Sara's lines again. She'll be sitting just to the right of that camera.’

  I looked round and saw Sheila now sitting beside one of the cameras.

  ‘Try not to look into the camera,’ Laurence said. ‘Just say your lines directly to Sheila.’

  Taking a deep breath, I went to the chair and sat down. The camera seemed very close to me. I forced myself to ignore it.

  I can do this, I thought, closing my eyes.

  Sheila read Sara's lines and I pretended to wake up.

  ‘Oh, Miss. I'm sorry, really I am,’ I gasped, looking straight at Sheila. ‘I didn't mean to do it.’

  I continued for a few lines and then Laurence asked me to stop.

  ‘I'd like you to start moving now,’ he said. ‘If you just stay in the same place it gets a bit boring.’ He looked round the set, as if trying to think of something for me to do.

  I had an idea. ‘I could pick up the coal brush,’ I suggested. ‘Becky's one to sleep really suddenly, hasn't she? Well, maybe she left the brush on the floor and now she sees it and picks it up, because she's scared she'll get into more trouble.’

  ‘Good idea,’ Laurence said, nodding.

  I felt great as I saw the approval in his eyes. Confidence bubbled up inside me. This was fun!

  We finished the scene and ran through it once more so I was sure of what I was doing, and then I had to make something called a slate. That just meant standing in front of a camera and saying my name, age and height. I smiled into the camera and spoke as clearly as I could.

  ‘Great,’ Laurence said. ‘Now, let's start filming.’

  After finishing the scene, I rehearsed the next scene and then that was filmed.

  ‘Excellent!’ Laurence said.

  ‘That was all really good,’ Sheila said, smiling at me. ‘Now, if you can just give me and Laurence a few minutes together.’

  While they talked, I went over to Mum.

  Steve joined us. ‘Well done,’ he said.

  I smiled at him. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘You really have learned the scenes well,’ he said. ‘You didn't need any prompting – not even in the rehearsal. That's very unusual.’

  ‘I like learning lines,’ I said.

  Mum smiled. ‘I think Sophie knows every single word of those two scenes – both Becky's and Sara's.’

  I nodded. ‘I do.’

  ‘Go on, then,’ Steve said, grinning at me. ‘Do Sara's lines.’

  I could tell he thought I wouldn't really know them. But I did. So I sat down on the floor and started the scene I had just done but saying Sara's lines. The scene began with Sara speaking to her pet rat, Melchisedec, in her attic bedroom before Becky came in.

  ‘It's been hard today, Melchisedec,’ I started, imagining I was holding Melchisedec in my hands. ‘Harder than usual.’

  As I spoke, I felt my voice and body change from how I acted when I was being Becky. Becky was always scared, like a little mouse, hurrying and scurrying. Sara was different, tired and hungry, but very proud. I shivered and drew the pretend rat closer.

  ‘It's been a cold afternoon and it's going to be a cold night. And today Lavinia laughed at me for having mud on my skirt. It's very hard trying to be a princess and I wish, oh, I just wish…’

  I swallowed and dropped my head on to my knees. ‘Oh, Papa,’ I whispered, imagining what it would be like if it was my own dad who'd died. ‘What a long, long time it seems since you hugged me last.’

  Suddenly I became aware that Laurence had stopped talking to Sheila and was staring at me.

  ‘That's Sara.’ The words shot out of him as he walked over, his eyes like dark beetles under his thick grey eyebrows.

  I felt suddenly uncomfortable. ‘I… I just learned the lines for fun,’ I stammered, getting up. I hadn't done anything wrong, had I? Was he cross with me?

  ‘Do it again,’ Laurence said intently.

  I looked around. ‘Here?’

  ‘No,’ Laurence said. ‘On the set. Sheila!’ He glanced round. ‘Watch Sophie do this speech.’

  I walked over to the set. What was going on? Taking a deep breath, I tried to concentrate. Sara, I thought. Don't think about anything else. Just be Sara. Letting my breath out, I started at the first line and only stopped when I reached the end of the speech. I looked up. Now everyone was staring at me.

  ‘Excuse us a minute,’ Laurence said, glancing at Sheila and Steve.

  I nodded and they all hurried through to a little room at the back of the main room and shut the door. I could see them start to talk. Laurence seemed excited.

  I went over to Mum. ‘What's going on?’ I said uncertainly. ‘What are they talking about?’

  ‘I don't know,’ she said. ‘But you did that speech very well.’

  I bit my lip. Well, surely that meant things were OK, then, didn't it?

  At that moment, Laurence came out of the room. ‘Would you mind doing the whole scene for us – as Sara?’ he asked me. ‘We'd like to film it.’

  Film it! This was beyond weird! Still, if that's what they wanted, I'd do it.

  ‘OK,’ I said.

  And so I went through the whole scene again, but this time with Sheila reading in Becky's lines.

  At the end, there was a long pause. I looked at Laurence. He was nodding slowly. He looked deep in thought.

  I got to my feet. ‘Do you want me to do anything else?’

  ‘No, that will be fine,’ Laurence said. He cleared his throat. ‘Now, we should let you get out of costume,’ he said, his voice suddenly brisk. ‘Steve will take you back down to the dressing room.’ He stepped forward and held out his hand. ‘Thank you so much for coming in today, Sophie.’

  I shook his hand. What about the part? Was I Becky or wasn't I?

  Sheila seemed to read my thoughts. ‘We've got other people coming in for screen tests this afternoon,’ she explained. ‘B
ut we'll be in touch in the next few days, once we've made a decision.’

  I couldn't believe it. A few days! I couldn't wait that long to find out. But it looked as if I was going to have to.

  Mum shook hands with Laurence and Sheila and that was it. We left the studio and headed down the long white corridors back to the dressing room. Inside I felt a sinking feeling, as if I were a balloon going down.

  It was over and I didn't know if I'd got the part. How much of an anticlimax was that? After having to read the part of Sara and all the things they'd asked me to do! I hardly said a word as I got changed.

  ‘How are you feeling, sweetheart?’ Mum asked as we left the building and walked to the car.

  I shrugged. ‘Don't know.’ In fact, I felt as flat as a piece of paper.

  Mum squeezed my hand. ‘It's only a few days until you find out.’ She smiled. ‘Tell you what, why don't we get a McDonald's on the way home?’

  *

  By the time I had eaten a quarterpounder with cheese, fries and a strawberry milkshake and Mum had stopped at an out-of-town shopping centre and bought me a really cool black top with the word ANGEL written across it in silver sequins, the dying balloon feeling had gone and I was almost cheerful again.

  ‘It was brilliant going to a real film studio, wasn't it?’ I said to Mum as we drove home.

  ‘It was certainly different,’ she said.

  ‘Do you think I'll get to be Becky?’ I asked.

  ‘I don't know, love, but you did really well. You mustn't be disappointed if you don't get the part.’

  I thought about the screen test. It was strange to think that other girls would be going into the dressing room, putting on the same clothes as me and saying the same lines. How good would they be? Probably really, really good.

  Suddenly I began to wish that I'd followed Mum's advice and kept quiet about the screen test. Everyone at school knew about it. What was it going to be like if I didn't get the part? Justine Wilcox would be the first to gloat. She'd been mega-fed up when she'd heard about the screen test. I groaned inwardly. Oh, no, this could be so embarrassing!

  When Mum and I got home at 5 o'clock, Jessica came downstairs.

  ‘How did the screen test go?’ she asked eagerly.

  ‘Fine,’ Mum said. ‘Really well.’ She sat down with a sigh. ‘My feet.’