Diamond in the Rough

by India Lee

  “So…” Zoe eyed Gemma curiously. “What’s the name of the song? When do I get to hear it?”

  Gemma grinned. “Well. It’s for the fans. Kind of for them to understand me a little better, despite, you know…”

  “The disguise.” Zoe gestured towards Gemma’s look for the day, which consisted of a pink wig and bejeweled eyes. She nodded, rubbing her chin. “I get it, I get it. I’m liking it, girl!”

  “I’m just hoping they connect to it the way I do,” Gemma murmured, looking down at the page of sketchbook paper that she had first written the lyrics on. She handed it to Zoe, watching her tensely as she read it. When Zoe finally finished, she looked up at Gemma with a broad smile.

  “I’m so proud of you, Bee,” she gushed, pulling Gemma towards her to kiss her on the forehead. “They will love this. There’s no way they won’t.”

  “Thank you,” Gemma grinned. “I’m excited about the costume too. I designed it and Armand’s supposed to be putting the last touches on it before we – oh! Speak of the devil.” Gemma waved across the room.

  “Hello, loves!” Armand called, striding over with a black garment bag in his arms. After introducing himself to Zoe, he excitedly began to unzip the bag. “I’ve got a surprise for you, Bee,” he gushed.

  “Is that it? My design?” Gemma asked, bouncing on her toes.

  “I can’t wait to see,” Zoe squealed.

  Armand gingerly removed the pieces from the bag, pulling out a clear raincoat and a delicate, nude bodysuit with shimmering red and blue threads woven throughout it. Zoe squinted, stepping closer to examine the garment. She touched the blue threads that ran vertically down both sleeves.

  “It’s gorgeous. But are these supposed to look like…” she looked at both Gemma and Armand. “Veins? And blood?”

  Gemma nodded with a smile. “Yes. It’s me, Zoe. Trying to be as naked for my fans as I can be without being like… actually naked.”

  “But Tyler would’ve loved that.”

  “Zoe!”

  “Sorry, sorry,” Zoe laughed, turning back to the costume. “Bee, I don’t even know what to say. Everything about this video is perfect. The song, the lyrics, this outfit. You’re kind of brilliant.”

  “Aww, isn’t this sweet? It’s very sweet,” Armand said hastily, guiding both girls across the room. “But both of you should have been in hair and makeup ten minutes ago, so move it because we plan to make history here, yes? Okay? Okay. Let’s shoot!”

  QUEEN BEE RELEASES LYRICS TO NEW SONG!

  The Pop Source

  June 19

  Looks like the whispers of a comeback have proven true! TPS has received confirmation that Queen Bee is in fact recording a video this week for a new single to be released this month! From the looks of it, the popstar’s brief sabbatical from the music world was well worth the wait. Enjoy this snippet of lyrics from her new song, ‘Makeup’!

  There is so much of you I've yet to know

  Our time is short, our smiles are fleeting

  Behind a veil, from head to toe

  But I see more each time, each meeting

  And all the things that I keep hidden

  You see behind this smokescreen glass

  You and I, completely smitten

  We fell for one another fast

  Just a girl without your love

  But you’re always there

  Push comes to shove

  You are my makeup, what makes me

  Everything I aim to be

  “I have a feeling that the world is going to go crazier than before once this video comes out,” Zoe said, taking a bite of a chocolate-filled macaron from La Maison Du Chocolat. “I feel the chaos already!” She kicked her feet excitedly on her king-sized bed, which was littered with junk food and Vosges chocolate wrappers.

  Mira had allowed Gemma to sleep over Zoe’s apartment that night after the video shoot. It was clear that Zoe had calmed down a bit, though it may have been the cause of a slight depression. She hadn’t seen Gemma in nearly a year, and earlier that month, Harper had been sent to rehab. Gemma suspected that the loneliness made her all the more aware of her unemployment. She smiled at Zoe.

  “I hope it’s good chaos. I could use some of that.”

  “It will be, you don’t even have to worry about that,” Zoe said. She suddenly cocked her head, gazing at Gemma for a few silent moments.

  “What?” Gemma laughed nervously.

  “I dunno,” Zoe said with a grin. “Something’s different about you.”

  “Well you haven’t seen me in forever. I think I lost weight.”

  “Not that,” Zoe said quickly. “Definitely not… I think it’s… a glow? A…” Zoe’s eyes suddenly widened with delight, her fingers practically crushing her macaron as she realized with excitement, “You had sex with Tyler!”

  Gemma rolled her eyes. “Wrong.”

  “Well you had sex with someone special, because you look… I don’t know. There’s a glow to your face. Are you still with that boyfriend? Did he give you like, the best orgasm of your life or something?”

  Gemma tried to suppress her big fat grin, but it was too late. Zoe had caught her expression to confirm the theory.

  “Omigod, I was right!” she squealed, jabbing a finger at Gemma’s smiling face. “Was it your first orgasm or something?”

  First everything, Gemma thought, still opting to remain silent. She wanted to tell Zoe all about her first time. It was probably a teenaged rite of passage to have that conversation. But aside from the fact that Zoe was unaware of her having even been a virgin, she and Lucas were broken up. No matter how great the story, it would have a sad ending.

  “Are you really not going to give me details? I’m offended!” Zoe gasped, clutching her heart dramatically. “Bee,” she whined. “It’s bad enough that you ditched me for eight months. Now you’re keeping secrets.”

  “Zoe! Please don’t play the ‘you ditched me’ card, you know I feel horrible. I couldn’t do anything about it.”

  “I know, silly,” Zoe giggled. “I told you, I know what it’s like to have your life controlled by other people. I understand.”

  Gemma sighed. It was true. “Fine, I’ll tell you,” she groaned, looking up at Zoe who braced herself excitedly for the story. “But I should start by saying that it was my first time.”

  “Shut your mouth! Really? No way!”

  Gemma covered her face with her hands. “Can you not? I was kind of embarrassed about that.”

  “Oh, Bee, embarrassed? Why?” Zoe cackled. “Do you wanna hear how I lost my virginity? This is like, a sacred, super embarrassing secret that I don’t think even Harper knows every detail of.”

  “Oh my God, tell me.”

  “Okay. I was barely sixteen, which was probably too young. I was dating this friend of Harper’s who was signed to the same agency as her back then, and he was like, the most beautiful person I’d ever laid eyes on. Because he was a model. And he was seventeen. And I was thinking, who better to lose my virginity to than an older guy who’s a model?” Zoe sucked in a deep breath before continuing. She had a habit of forgetting to breathe sometimes. “Anyway, I spent a week planning the most perfect night to lose my virginity on. We went to this romantic dinner and then back to my apartment where I had set up all these candles and like, draped fabric over my lamps. And then…” She pretended to play a drum roll on her pillow. “He stuck it in and it hurt so much that I made him take it out right away, and then I told him to go home because I was embarrassed. And then I didn’t have sex again for a year because I was too scared. The end.”

  “Oh my God.” Gemma kept her hands pressed against her mouth, waiting for permission to laugh.

  “You may laugh now, asshole.”

  Gemma let out a hearty guffaw, burying her face in Zoe’s comforter. “That is so cute and sad, Zoe,” she said. “So who did you end up having sex with a year later?”

  “Marco effin’ Donovan.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Whom, by the w
ay, I have not made any booty calls to for a full year now, because I sensed your judgment about him.”

  “What? I never said anything!”

  “You didn’t have to. Even the first time I told you about him, you were like, ‘um…’”

  “No, I was like, ‘um’ because I was trying to hide the fact that I was a virgin, Zoe,” Gemma laughed. “But fine, there may have been other instances where you brought him up and I was like, ‘um.’”

  “And because of that, I don’t see him anymore. Happy?” Zoe asked, crossing her arms. She spoke before Gemma could. “Well, I’m happy, so yay! Now continue with your V-card story.”

  Gemma did, telling Zoe all the details she was comfortable with sharing, which were actually most of them. Zoe cooed at every description of the treehouse.

  “Too effin’ sweet!” she squealed, bouncing as much as she could on her memory foam mattress. “I can’t wait to meet him now.”

  “Yeah, about that.” Gemma stared down at her fingernails. “We broke up last week.”

  Zoe’s mouth fell agape, twisting with shock and insult. “What? Would’ve been nice to know that before I got all invested in the story, Bee!”

  “Hey, how do you think I feel?” Gemma asked, though she couldn’t help laughing at Zoe. “We were just so different. You were right about that part.”

  “I never said you guys were different. I just said that… you and Tyler are the same.” Zoe paused. She scratched her head as if trying to figure out if the two statements had similar meanings. “I guess I implied it. I didn’t mean to,” she frowned.

  “It’s okay. It’s for the best anyway,” Gemma said quietly. “I’ll always consider him a great friend.”

  Zoe pouted. “But I feel guilty now. Do you want me to make you a drink?”

  Gemma laughed. “No thank you.”

  Zoe sighed. “Yeah, I’ve been drinking less since Harper went in the slammer.”

  “That’s what they call jail, Zoe.”

  Zoe shrugged. She glanced at her cell phone. “Wow, it’s four in the morning. Aren’t you tired from shooting all day?”

  “Aren’t you?” Gemma countered.

  “Now that I know what time it is, kind of,” Zoe said. She hopped off the bed and opened her dresser drawer, pulling out a silk tee shirt and leggings. “Here. You probably shouldn’t sleep wearing Valentino.”

  “Thanks.” Gemma changed into the soft pajama set as Zoe continued rummaging through her drawers.

  “Um. Are you cool sleeping in that wig?” she asked. “I can give you this really comfortable scarf I have to wrap around your head. So you don’t have to worry about it coming off? I don’t know, is that stupid? I don’t know how wigs work,” she said apologetically. “Oh! Or I can fix up the guest room if you want, if you just want to sleep with it off. Or you can sleep in here and I’ll sleep in the guest room. I can fall asleep anywhere.”

  “Yeah, I know that,” Gemma laughed, recalling the nights that Zoe passed out on the beach in Turks and Caicos. “I’m not going to make you sleep in your guest room, Zoe. What kind of shitty friend would do that?”

  “Okay. I’ll find my scarf.”

  Gemma laughed while Zoe searched, digging through her drawers like a little squirrel. She found it interesting that after so long, Zoe hadn’t asked once to know her real name or anything about her other identity. It was a refreshing change.

  “You can stop, Zoe,” Gemma finally said, suppressing her amusement.

  “I found it!” Zoe exclaimed, pulling out a silk twill Hermès scarf from her bottom drawer.

  “Eh, I don’t need it,” Gemma said, unpinning her wig. Before Zoe could question her, she pulled it off of her head with the rest of its accessories. She then unpinned her own hair, letting down the wavy brown tresses.

  Zoe stood frozen in front of her dresser. “Um, Bee. I’m freaking out right now,” she said, eyes wide and unblinking. She seemed like she wanted to smile, but nervous laughter kept bubbling out.

  “It’s just hair, loser,” Gemma laughed, feeling strangely at ease. She felt almost natural wearing pajamas and her real hair in front of Zoe. As her most trusted friend, Gemma decided that Zoe had the right to meet Queen Bee’s other half. It wasn’t a premeditated decision, but it felt right.

  Zoe pouted, her chin wobbling. “You’re about to make me cry, I think.”

  Gemma just laughed as she finished shaking out her hair. She went into Zoe’s bathroom, removing the jewels around her eyes. She stripped off her false lashes and splashed water on her face before jumping out of the door, arms in the air. “Ta-da! My face.”

  Zoe covered her mouth with her hands, inching closer and closer to Gemma until she could touch her hair. “I feel so special right now,” she said, hiccupping.

  “Don’t cry, silly!”

  “I’m not crying,” Zoe sniffled. “I’m just so… moved. And you’re so pretty, Bee.”

  Gemma looked at her friend, unable to stop smiling. “My real name is Gemma Hunter.”

  Zoe burst into tears. “Omigod, I am crying, I’m so sorry!” She wiped at her face furiously. “I’m just… I feel really honored and amazed and your name is Gemma and it’s just, I don’t know, blowing my mind right now!” She suddenly sat on the floor, laughing and crying at the same time.

  “Zoe!” Gemma cooed, sitting on the floor with her. She wiped her tears. “I’m just happy to tell you. I’m happy you’re happy too,” she giggled.

  “But now I’m not gonna be able to sleep,” Zoe wailed. “And it’s all your fault, Bee! Gemma!”

  But contrary to what Zoe thought, they were both able to doze off within the hour – laughing themselves to sleep.

  ~

  Gemma returned to her bedroom in Beauford to find that Mira and her parents had framed all twelve of her acceptance letters. They now hung on the wall by her desk the way doctor’s hung various degrees and certifications. She laughed at the sight of it but knew it was done out of great pride. Her family had been accepting and understanding of her decision to defer her college enrollment. They reasoned that an achievement as great as twelve acceptances warranted a couple years to decide where she wanted to go. Gemma was thankful for handling it the way that they had. She knew it took an incredible amount of trust in her. She never wanted them to lose that trust again.

  Mira had mentioned at Gemma’s graduation dinner that Tyler had left a note at her office saying that he wanted to collaborate with Queen Bee on a charity concert or event of some kind. Mira laughed at his vague note and obvious desire to be close to Gemma in any way possible, but also said it wasn’t the worst idea. Gemma kept her mouth shut about her encounter with Tyler, hoping those at the office who witnessed it would do the same.

  At her desk, she flipped open her laptop. She had left a tab open in her browser with her friend request page still up. Tyler’s alter ego stared back at her. He had changed his picture to something even harder to decipher. It was a dark, blurry image of a crowd. In the middle of the crowd was a flash of lavender. Gemma recognized it as her infamous catsuit from the Los Angeles debacle. It looked like Tyler had taken a picture from his cell phone before he had approached her.

  She smiled at the memory as she clicked “accept” on his request. Before she could stop to have another thought, a notification popped up. She had a new message.

  Gemma opened her inbox to find a message from Tyler.

  Let’s start over. Let me take you out. You don’t have to be Queen Bee for me to treat you like royalty.

  Gemma pressed her hand to her smiling lips. There was no longer a need for darkened rooms and disguises. Everything was finally out in the open between them. They had experienced so much more together since that chaotic day in Los Angeles and they owed it to themselves to try it all again – this time, the right way. She clicked open the reply box. Looks like our day is finally here.

  They had thrown that mantra out for so long. “Some day, some day,” they repeated in the form of songs and excuses.
Gemma didn’t want to utter the phrase ever again – not to Tyler or anyone else. But most importantly, not to herself. It no longer felt worth it to put things on hold, to keep herself from doing what she knew she needed or wanted.

  Life was just too unpredictable.

  ~

  QUEEN BEE: I’M DATING TYLER CHASE!

  The Pop Source

  June 26

  The royal couple of pop is officially here! Megastar Queen Bee – who will soon be releasing the highly anticipated video to her comeback song “Makeup” – has confirmed that she and heartthrob Tyler Chase are in fact together. The 17-year-old starlet was quoted saying the following at a celebrity event in SoHo yesterday:

  “Yes, Tyler and I are dating and we’re very happy. I’m a very lucky girl.” When asked about her thoughts on Chase’s wild fans, Bee said, “I get this question a lot, but I never know what to say. I think it’s great that Tyler has such devoted fans.”

  While Bee seems to be keeping mum on her thoughts as usual, celebrity analyst Monica Kinsey weighed in on the situation. “Being with Tyler represents stability, which is something that Bee needs desperately after the year that she has had. However, she would be foolish to believe that Tyler’s fans will give them the peace that they’re hoping for. They notoriously give all his girlfriends a hard time, and considering Bee is by far the most famous and hated of his romances, she should most definitely watch her back from here on out.”

  Looks like Bee will just have to up the ante on her security – we all know that it has happened before! All we can say now is good luck to the new happy couple!

  GOTCHA.

  6/27 7:34AM

  Posted by Tara C.

  Her Royal Secrecy

  See this picture of a girl that I’ve so kindly shared? I know it’s a bit pixel-y, but work with me here. Look at this picture closely. Do you see the mousy brown hair? The average-as-fuck figure in a crappy T-shirt and jeans? You can’t see her face that clearly, but you can see it enough to know what a plain Jane this bitch is.