Every Pearl Has Its Oyster Page 5

  She pressed play and despite herself, was instantly captivated. There she was – Madison, whose waist-length mane blew like strands of gold in the wind, her lithe ballerina frame balancing on the tiniest sliver of ledge on a city rooftop. Not just balancing on it though – dancing on it, completing three hundred-sixty degree pirouettes as cars and trucks honked from what looked like five or six stories below. Through it all, her face was peaceful and serene. Nicki was right – she was breathtaking. So much so that it was hard to believe she was the same Madison who had made it her mission to paint Gemma as a “desperate slut” to all of Beauford High School, who had jovially arranged for a boy to molest Gemma while she videotaped it all. The memories made Gemma’s face heat up. She could hear Leah and Kate’s voices asking if she was okay. They tried to take the phone from her, but she backed away from them, watching in stunned silence as Madison’s left foot went en pointe and pumped up and down on the mere six inches of surface that she stood on, sending her into three straight turns without having to come down for balance. The people on the roof with her burst into clamorous cheers while the cars below honked in raucous appreciation. She’d caused total pandemonium.

  It took several seconds for Gemma to realize that some of the noise she was hearing was actually coming from around her. She blinked herself out of her trance, looking up to see Gavin and Tyler suddenly behind her, jostling with a cameraman whose lens was still pointed over her shoulder. Standing next to the dogged cameraman was that goateed reporter from the red carpet.

  “Hey, looks like you couldn’t help it, huh, big guy?” he squawked at Tyler. “I got something on your girlfriend after all!” Only then did he turn to Gemma. “Why the red face? Jealous of the blondie?” he chortled even as Damian began pushing him back with a strong forearm to the chest.

  As Andro swiftly removed the guy, Gemma touched her cheeks. They were burning hot, probably red as a beet. Damn it.

  The media had gotten their story, and of all things, it had to be about Madison.

  ROOFTOP DANCER HAS QUEEN BEE SEEING RED

  Pop Dinner

  June 8th

  Uh-oh. New talent is in town, and even “The Queen” is taking notice!

  Haven’t seen the viral video of the sexy rooftop dancer yet? Well get on it, because even Queen Bee has watched the performance of the blonde beauty twirling on the ledge of a six-story building, titillating masses of honking cars on the West Village streets below her.

  Oh, and not only did Queen Bee watch it – she devoured it like the Evil Queen with the heart of Snow White. Video footage shows Bee looking stunned and possibly threatened by the anonymous bombshell in the video, actually turning red as she watches! Perhaps the 19-year-old diva is finally realizing that her throne is up for the taking – after all, singer/rapper Romy is on the fast track to becoming the next queen of pop.

  So with all that in mind, we don’t blame Bee for taking the video so personally – it’s not easy seeing the talent that will one day replace you! Speaking of which, someone watch that video and identify the Sexy Ballerina for us, because we simply gotta see more of this gorgeous girl!

  Chapter 4

  ROOFTOP DANCER IDENTIFIED!

  Celeb-o-Matic

  June 10th

  This week, Queen Bee was caught checking out the rooftop ballerina and within days, the viral video tripled in views! Since then, the jaw-dropping star of the popular video has been identified as 20-year-old Madison Lennox. Lennox, a ballet student at New York University, hails from Beauford, New Jersey – that’s right, the hometown of Queen Bee herself! Not only that, Lennox attended the same high school just a class above Bee.

  So could these two talented ladies know each other? No confirmation yet, but we’re sure we’ll hear about it soon if the rest of the world is as curious as we are about the absolutely stunning Miss Lennox!

  “So, how many girls are they making you kiss today?” Gemma trailer her finger along Tyler’s shirtless torso as he downed his protein shake against the kitchen counter. He grinned, wrapping his arms around her.

  “I’m not kissing any of them, it’s just a screen test for the girls who got a callback. I only kiss the girl who gets casted.”

  “Boo,” Gemma pouted exaggeratedly as she glanced up at him from beneath her lashes. “I’m not sure I like that either.”

  “You jealous?” Tyler furrowed his brows at her as he pulled her into his body. “It’s all just pretend, you know?”

  “I know,” Gemma giggled into his chest. She breathed in the scent of his freshly showered skin. “But your lips will still be touching someone else’s lips. And that lip to lip contact is real even if the kiss is pretend.”

  Tyler laughed. “I can’t believe you’re jealous.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I think I kind of like it.” He pulled her closer to press his lips into hers and his palms against the small of her back, sliding them down to her backside. Gemma smiled against his lips, enjoying the good mood she’d just put him in.

  She wasn’t jealous. But she knew Tyler would delight in the thought of it, especially after the mood he’d been in since the red carpet debacle at Zoe’s premiere. She was glad he bought the act despite the fact that she’d never before been jealous of the girls in his romantic music videos or the legions of “Tyler Chasers” who still did everything from tweet sexy messages to offer their bras for him to sign – while they were still in them.

  Gemma pulled away from the kiss, exhaling in pleasure. Tyler grinned, smoothing back her hair and letting his hands run down her shoulders and waist, eventually resting his palms on her hips.

  “As long as I’m the only one you kiss like that,” Gemma said, coquettishly.

  “That kiss isn’t something I can recreate with just anyone,” Tyler replied. “Don’t tell my acting coach I said that, though.”

  “I won’t,” Gemma smiled. “When do you get back?”

  “Before midnight.”

  “I can’t wait that long to see you again.”

  “Then come with me,” Tyler suggested. Gemma paused. She hadn’t planned on it – hours of watching acting hopefuls recite the same line wasn’t her ideal afternoon – but Tyler looked so excited to have her company that she couldn’t refuse.

  “Good idea,” she purred as she leaned into his body and slipped her hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “So I can keep an eye on those girls.”

  ~

  Gemma could see a different sparkle in Tyler’s eyes as she walked into the studio with him hand in hand. He kept a firm grip on her, letting go only to greet the starstruck, prospective actresses that came in one by one for their screen tests. As if to tease her and make a point, Tyler began each screen test by giving Gemma a kiss before settling down in front of the camera with the actress. The director, Sidney Willis, seemed to find the behavior amusing. He’d mutter something about “young love” and exchange a glance with one of the producers. Gemma glanced back at the producer, stereotypically suited and serious-looking. He seemed less than pleased by Tyler’s little gesture, sighing and rolling his eyes each time Tyler kissed Gemma. Though the peeved expression went unseen by Tyler, Gemma managed to catch it each time, causing her to shorten the kiss to a peck and hurrying him back in front of the camera. She knew he was concerned about how he was perceived by the Carbine team but she didn’t want to worry him by alerting him to the producer’s displeasure.

  When Tyler glanced back at her after each screen test, Gemma would continue with her jealous girlfriend act and give him a slight pout. He’d laugh quietly as she crossed her arms and huffed in an exaggerated manner. Though her eyes were locked on Tyler’s, she would always be able to spot the next actress coming in through her peripheral vision and step back into the shadows so not to cause too much of a disruption. It felt nice to be a part of his work day, especially when it was such a pivotal point in exploring his new career. The long hours and various actresses seemed to blur and the day crept by faster than she would have expected. Gemma
was excited to know that it was a matter of time before she and Tyler could return home together, talking about his workday in a way that they hadn’t been able to do before.

  As she watched each screen test, Gemma couldn’t help but feel proud and confident in Tyler’s potential as a screen star. He had always shone as a singer and performer and there was no arguing just how much talent he had in that department. She knew that breaking into mainstream Hollywood films was no easy task for someone who had such a strong reputation in the music industry and pop world, but to her, Tyler looked like he was having no trouble blending right in. She couldn’t see why he was so worried about what the Carbine crew thought of him despite the cranky producer. In fact, more than anything, she was worried that he’d outshine the unknowns that had been auditioning all day. It was surprising to learn that they had cut it down to these girls when all had seemed rather unremarkable but Gemma had heard that a director like Sidney Willis was known to draw the best performances out of anyone.

  But just as she was about to complete her thought, the next girl stepped in. Gemma turned to see a familiar blonde curtain of hair draped down a perfectly toned figure. Before the girl even brushed her mane back to reveal her signature megawatt smile, Gemma knew exactly who had stepped into the room.

  “Madison Lennox?” the producer asked, stepping forward to shake her hand. A big smile spread across his face, a sight that had yet to be seen in the past hours of screen testing. Gemma stared in awe. Of all the girls who had stepped in earlier, the producer had never greeted them by name, let alone greet them at all. “So happy you’ve made it this far.”

  “As am I,” Madison said. Gemma watched as her eyes flitted to Tyler. To her dismay, his eyes were fixed on Madison.

  “This is the actor playing Colby Hawkins – Tyler Chase, as I’m sure you know,” the producer walked Madison in front of the camera. Tyler held his hand out to shake Madison’s. She lowered her lashes, blushing as she took his hand.

  “I’m familiar,” she said, sweetly. Gemma could barely keep from scoffing. She swallowed as she crossed her arms, staying hidden in the shadows of the studio. Madison looked as stunning, if not more so, than she had in high school. In a ribbed white tank top and a pair of ripped, faded jeans, she looked exactly as Dakota was described in the script. Gemma recalled Madison’s celebrity crush on Tyler and her lofty claims that she could make him fall in love with her if they could ever be in the same room. She could feel her face grow hot as she watched Tyler hold Madison’s gaze for longer than he had with the other girls. She wished that she hadn’t been vague when Tyler had asked who the girl in her Kick Bullying speech was. Gemma had given him the shortened version, saying simply that a Beauford girl once had the power to make her utterly miserable. Once, Gemma tried to tell herself. Had once had the power. Not anymore.

  “We actually found Madison on YouTube, would you believe that?” the producer asked, patting Sidney on the shoulder.

  “That’s how people are doing it these days, so I hear.” Sidney shrugged.

  “Well, let’s get started!” the producer said, clapping his hands happily. It was clear he had chosen a favorite from the start.

  “Don’t you want to do your thing?” Sidney asked, pointing at Tyler before gesturing behind him. Gemma had originally planned to skip the cutesy kisses between actresses in order to keep from further annoying the producer – but she couldn’t pass this opportunity up. Gemma marched right into the light, giving a breezy smile as she watched Madison’s face drop.

  “This is Gemma… uhh… I don’t remember your last name, sorry,” the producer said. “She’s known as Queen Bee, anyway. What a treat for you today, huh? Two major celebrity sightings and you haven’t even gotten the part yet.” Gemma batted her eyelashes to keep from rolling her eyes. He’d gone from sour to suddenly delightful. It was the Madison Effect.

  “Hi,” Gemma said, displaying no emotion that indicated she knew Madison. Madison nodded in response, opening her mouth to say something but stopping herself. There was an unfamiliar fear in her eyes as she studied Gemma. Her unwavering confidence seemed to have momentarily failed her.

  “Starstruck,” the producer chuckled, completely clueless to the tension that had suddenly filled the room. “You’ll get used to it.” Tyler stepped forward quickly and grabbed Gemma to give her the usual kiss. She let her eyes linger for a moment on Madison before turning her full attention to him. Gemma slipped her hands from his back down to his waist, knowing full well Madison was the only one who could see the gesture. But Tyler had noticed it as well. She could feel him smile as she held his kiss for a little longer than she had before.

  “You just can’t keep your hands off her,” Sidney laughed as Tyler returned to his mark, eyes glittering. “My wife any I were like that. Decades ago.” Gemma smiled, skipping back to her spot innocently. Though it wasn’t her intention, Madison was sufficiently distracted now. A small bead of sweat formed at her temple as a production assistant asked her to slate.

  Gemma tried to absorb what she was seeing as Madison stuttered through her screen test, brushing at the beads of sweat on her temples as she tried to focus. She bit her lip, shooting apologetic looks behind the camera, continuing only when Sidney and the producer nodded for her to do so. For once in her life, she looked vulnerable. Gemma could feel a stir of discomfort in her stomach. She scolded herself for being too empathetic. This girl tortured you. Don’t need to feel bad for her. At all. She forced herself to wear a smile as Madison embarrassed herself in front of the room, unnerving her all the more. She was finally getting her payback, finally turning the tables on Madison. But for some reason, she could hardly enjoy it.

  It wasn’t until Madison had officially bombed the read-through and exited the room that she’d felt herself properly reacting. Not wanting to distract Tyler from the rest of his screen tests, she excused herself to the bathroom where she slammed the door shut and collapsed against it. Her hands were trembling too much for her to text anyone and calling someone to talk was out of the question considering she could barely breathe. All she did was sit, too shocked to care that her clothes were touching a dirty bathroom floor. She had just seen Madison. Madison could very well be a part of her life again. A part of Tyler’s too.

  But she bombed, Gemma repeated to herself. She bombed, so don’t worry. She’ll never get the part.

  ~

  “Holy shit,” Tyler finally said as he struggled to stay focused on the dark roads. He had driven in silence for blocks once Gemma was finished telling him her history with Madison. It had taken her nearly the entire ride home to get through it and once she was done, it seemed as if it would take just as much time for Tyler to absorb it. They pulled past their gate and into the driveway but even after Tyler put the car in park and took off his seatbelt, he sat unmoving. “Gem, I don’t get why you never told me this before.”

  “It’s not exactly something I enjoy revisiting. And it’s hard to explain.” Gemma leaned back in her seat, covering her eyes and taking deep breaths. “I actually feel kind of sick when I think about it. Like that… weak and pathetic person I used to be around her.”

  “You were never weak and pathetic,” Tyler said, reaching over to pull her arm from her face. He kissed her gently on the tip of the nose.

  “You weren’t even there, Tyler,” Gemma said. She then watched as his brows furrowed above her.

  “I wanted to be.” He retorted, falling back into his seat. “We knew each other then. You could’ve told me everything. And if not then, you could’ve done it two years later when I asked you who you were talking about in your speech.” Tyler sat up straight again, gripping the steering wheel as if he were about to drive off once again. She could see his knuckles turning white. “Why don’t I know something as important as this about you? Does Zoe know about her?”

  “No,” Gemma answered, hoping it’d make him feel better.

  “So just Damian then.” Tyler’s face twisted with disgust as he dropped his
hands from the wheel. “If I had known, Gemma, I would’ve made sure she knew right there that what goes around comes around.”

  “Come on, Tyler,” Gemma snorted. “She’s not a guy. You can’t just punch her in the face or something.”

  “I would’ve done something to show her.”

  Gemma brushed his hair back. “No you wouldn’t. You’re too nice to do something like that.”

  Tyler looked nauseated by her response. “No, Gemma. I’m not.”

  Back in the house, she sat alone on the bed, listening to the sound of running water in the bathroom. Tyler had ripped his shirt off and gone straight for a shower, leaving her to groan quietly in the bedroom about what had just happened. She was still shaken from seeing Madison at the auditions, but now there was Tyler to tend to. It seemed lately that they couldn’t go a day without running into some sort of topic to fight about.

  Her feet walked her to the bathroom and to the running shower. She pulled open the door to see Tyler leaning forward beneath the showerhead as the water ran down his back. Gemma stood watching him, leaning against the doorframe as she studied his body. There was no arguing that he was at his fittest. But as the water streamed down through the lines of his new muscular frame, Gemma noticed something else she hadn’t noticed before. Tyler’s once boyish, carefree shoulders looked tense. His forearms were tight as they leaned against the tiles. He turned to look at her, flashing his eyebrows with slight surprise.

  “Careful,” Tyler said as he lowered his arms and stepped back. “The water splashes out, you’ll get your shirt wet.”

  “Oh well,” Gemma shrugged. She kicked off her shoes and stepped into the shower, fully clothed, closing the door behind her. She could feel her silk t-shirt begin to stick to her skin as the water came down on her.