Secrets of My Hollywood Life (11 page)

"I do
not
like being the center of attention," I huff. Okay, I was right. He is obnoxious. Liz raises an eyebrow at me, just like Mom does when she's disappointed with my behavior.

"I meant it as a compliment," Austin explains, oblivious to my tone. He leans a tanned arm on the nearest locker. His Polo shirt swings open to reveal a taut tee that says LAX-- JUST DO IT. "That autograph thing was pretty funny," he says as he waves to someone walking by. "You saved us. I was going to doze off if I had to hear Mr. Klein describe one more thing the Native Americans used buffalo skin for."

Liz laughs.

"Good luck, Austin!" someone passing by shouts out. Clark Hall's number-one-ranked lacrosse team is playing their biggest rival, Santa Clara, today.

I'm still surprised when groups of people walk past me without paying any attention. Being Rachel is like wearing an invisibility cloak. In my usual life, someone would be sure to turn around and stare, or run over and ask for an autograph. I'm half relieved and half miffed at being ignored.

"Well, that wasn't my intention," I say sourly. One minute he's insulting me, the next he's trying to butter me up. This guy is smooth. "Some of us are here to learn."

"Is that why you were busy doing something else yourself?" Austin asks wickedly.

I'm too flustered to answer.

"Don't get crazy," Austin laughs, seeing my angry expression. "I'm just joking with you. My brain is fried today. I was up late last night with one of the kids I tutor. He needed help with a science project."

I look at him skeptically. He really tutors? I thought only Sam does things like that.

"And then I had to proofread my Civil War paper. I did mine on the effect the Civil War had on the Native Americans," he adds.

"Huh, didn't think of that angle," Liz rejoins.

"Yeah, actually a lot of them fought in the war on both sides and ..." Austin trails off when he sees me looking at him curiously. He leans over and whispers in my ear, "Okay, don't tell anyone I'm a nerd." His hair smells like cut grass and shampoo. I can't help breathing it in deeply. I laugh nervously.

"Laughing at me, Rachel Rogers?" Austin teases. Liz looks at me with an amused and knowing expression on her perfect oval face.

"You remembered my name, huh?" I retort, composing myself.

"Not that you'd tell me yourself." Austin runs a hand through his spiky blond hair. "I had to ask around after you ran off that day."

"I wasn't going to stand there and be made fun of," I snap, remembering my anger again over our first ill-fated meeting. Liz's jaw drops.

"Make fun of you?" Austin looks confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you. In class. With Lori," I stutter. "You were both laughing at me."

He kicks his Jansport backpack between his feet. "I was laughing
at
Lori," he says finally, looking up.

"At
Lori?"
I question, ignoring Liz's fingernails in my back.

"Yeah, she always feels threatened when Clark gets a new girl." He shakes his head. "So she starts in on them." He sighs. "It's getting old."

Liz looks at me smugly.

"But... you laughed every time I got an answer wrong!" I persist.

"It was funny!" Austin explains. "You were cute."

"Oh." I feel my cheeks burning. Now I feel stupid. But it's hard to imagine how Rachel could seem cute with her mousy brown hair and dowdy clothing. Quaint maybe. Clueless definitely. But cute? Before I can say anything my Sidekick begins to vibrate. I pull it out of my pocket and look at the message.

FUTUREPREZ: Urgent. Call me immediately!!!!!!!

"I have to go," I tell both of them.

"Um. What are you guys doing Friday night?" Austin blurts.

Liz looks at me. "Not sure yet, why?"

"Are you coming to Lori's party?" he asks, looking directly at me with his wide turquoise eyes. I look away. "I was going to mention it to Beth and Allison in bio."

"We hadn't heard about it yet," Liz comments coolly.

Even if it is at Lori's, I've been dying to go to one of these high school parties Liz always tells me about. I try to picture my Sidekick calendar. Shoot! Friday is the
FA
wrap party at Sky's. Well, I'm sure I could go to Lori's for a little while, then dash over to Sky's. Her parties never start on time anyway. "We'll be there," I say quickly.

"Great." Austin slides his backpack over one shoulder. "Four-twenty-nine Harvard Street." He saunters away down the hallway. "Don't forget," he calls back.

As soon as he's turned the corner, Liz slugs me in the arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?" I ask, rubbing my scratchy green polyester sweater. I have to remember to tell Nadine to buy me only cotton from now on.

"Lori Peters? I hate her parties," Liz groans.

I look at her pleadingly. "I haven't been to a party yet," I protest.

Liz rubs her temples. "Okay, I guess I could go for a short while," she concedes. "I have kickboxing early Saturday morning." I squeal. My Sidekick vibrates again. I look at the screen.

FUTUREPREZ: CALL ME NOW! I MEAN IT!

I wonder what's wrong. I pull my cell out of my black mesh bag and dial Nadine's number.

"Besides, it will be fun to watch you pretend you don't like Austin," Liz snorts.

"What are you talking about?" I demand before hitting Send.

"Austin likes you," Liz groans. "Or should I say, Rachel Rogers. Why, I have no idea." Now it's my turn to punch her. She laughs. "It's only a matter of time before he dumps Lori. They've been on the verge of a breakup for weeks." I keep looking straight ahead. I'm trained at dodging questions. Liz is not going to corner me on this one.

"I know you think he's hot," she points out. "He looks like Chad Michael Murray and you think he's hot."

"I never said that. Besides, Austin's too cocky for me."

"You
like
cocky guys," Liz counters. "Whenever you make me sit through
The Empire Strikes Back
you say how sarcastic and cute Han Solo is."

"That's different," I say, and hit Send on the phone. Na-dine answers on the first ring.

"If you say so," Liz responds in a singsong voice. She can't stop grinning.

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?" Nadine shrieks. I hear Laney and Mom yelling in the background.

"What's wrong?" I ask, clutching my chest. Liz looks at me worriedly.

"You've got to meet Rodney at the quad right now," Nadine shouts over the racket. "Seth just called. Hutch Adams wants to meet with you about his movie."

"Oh my God. Oh my God," I say, trying to catch my breath.

"Rodney is going to rush you over there," Nadine instructs. "Your Mom gave him your favorite Chloe jeans and a Stella McCartney cami for you to wear. It's in the car."

"What? What is it?" Liz pumps my limp arm.

I put my hand over the phone and whisper. "It's Hutch Adams! He wants to meet with me about his movie." I'm so nervous my voice cracks. I never thought that would happen. Now what do I do if I get the movie? Leave school? Yes, a voice in my head replies. You've always wanted to work with him. No, another voice says. You've only been at school a few weeks! I block out both voices. "I'm on my way," I murmur calmly to Nadine. I flip my cell phone shut, then race to the quad, where Rodney is parked. Liz jogs over with me. As soon as we get to the grassy knoll I see the black sedan idling in the circular drive.

"Wish me luck," I say distractedly.

"You're changing, right?" Liz frowns, looking at my cords and Pumas. I nod. "Call me right after!" she yells. Unable to speak, I nod and open the car door.

"Hey, Rach." Rodney grins. For a second, I think I'm in the wrong car. Then I remember.

"Call me Kates, Rodney." I laugh nervously. "Otherwise I may forget my own name when I meet Hutch Adams!"

I change in the back of the car as Rodney cruises over to Wagman Brothers Studio, where Hutch has an office. I finish getting dressed, then slip on my silver Jimmy Choo strappy sandals. Aaah ... I feel better already!

I've never met Hutch Adams before. I've only seen him from afar at his recent AFI Life Achievement Award show (I begged Laney to snag me tickets). Maybe that's why I feel like throwing up right now. I exhale slowly, then step confidently out of the car as Rodney holds the door.

Hutch's office is in a low brick building with large windows. We step reverently into the narrow hallway lined with framed posters from Hutch's movies. There's
High Stakes Part Deux
(his one bomb),
Amnesty Amy,
and
A Call to Action.
Just looking at those posters and imagining my name on one in the future makes me hyperventilate.

I try to calm down by reminding myself that I don't want a movie role anyway. I want to stay at Clark Hall. Clark ... GEEZ! I just remembered that I have a math quiz tomorrow and I forgot my notebook in my locker!

Okay, one problem at a time. First, I have to tackle this Hutch meeting. I'll just walk in there and smile and tell him that I'm flattered that he called me in to audition, but I'm busy right now. I'll thank him for his time and say that I'm sure there'll be other opportunities to work together in the future when both of our schedules are clear....

AARGH, fine! I'm lying to myself. This is the role of a lifetime! This is my idol! My dream job!

This
is
Hutch Adams we're talking about. Who am I kidding? I'm going to beg for the role if I have to.

Ten:
Lori's Turf

"... So then he says that he's a fan
of Family Affair!
His nieces make him watch it all the time!" I recount to Nadine and Liz for the hundredth time. They're both camped out in my room, going through my closet to find something for Rachel to wear to Lori's party tonight.

I twirl around the room and then land with a
thud
on my bed. "Can you believe Hutch Adams is considering me for a role in his next project? ME! He doesn't even need to see me audition. He just watches tapes of your other performances and then if he likes what he sees, he calls you in for a meeting to study your aura," I explain breathlessly. "He wants to make sure our auras match up."

"How many other girls' auras is he studying?" Nadine asks wryly.

"Several," I admit. "But I'm not going to worry yet. That bonsai tree I sent as a thank-you should remind him of my aura whenever he passes his desk."

HOLLYWOOD SECRET NUMBER ELEVEN: Actors don't always have to audition for a part. When you're a big, bankable movie star (like the Toms -- Cruise and Hanks), you can pretty much have your pick of projects without ever memorizing an audition scene. Casting agents, directors, and producers come to you with promises of lucrative paychecks, royalties, and chances at Oscar gold. But when you're like me, a young star trying to prove you've got the chops to handle something other than teen comedies and soapy melodrama, you have to work at it.

"For someone not interested in working this hiatus, you're pretty jazzed up about this meeting." Nadine pushes her glasses up her nose and looks at me thoughtfully.

I sit up and smooth my wrinkled comforter. "Yeah, well, it
is
Hutch Adams. I couldn't turn down the meeting." Nadine and Liz exchange glances. "Okay, I want this," I admit, bouncing on my mattress. "Satisfied?"

"Yes," says Nadine smugly. "I just wanted you to admit it."

"I just feel torn," I add. "I like going to school and having friends my own age and teachers who ask me questions that have nothing to do with lighting and makeup. It makes me feel real." I frown. "But I want this Hutch movie too. The character I'd be playing is running for her life for half the movie so I'd get to hang glide, do karate, and have a big fight scene." I bite my lip. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," Liz yells from my walk-in closet, where she's searching for a skirt for me to wear. "You just want it all. Doesn't everybody?" I shrug. "So what's the movie called?" she asks.

"The Untitled Hutch Adams Project,"
Nadine pronounces. "Quintessential Hollywood. Greenlight a movie with no title."

"The Untitled Hutch Adams Project
sounds great," Liz cheers. "So when will you know if you have the part?"

"A few weeks." I pull a strand of my hair out. "Hutch told me he has to wait for the decision to come to him."

"Well, until then, let's concentrate on the now," Liz orders. "First things first -- what are you wearing tonight? We have to pick up Beth and Allison in a half hour."

Nadine holds up an army green polyester sequin sweater with Discount World tags on it and a denim mini-skirt with a frayed hem. "What about this?" she asks.

I groan and keep sorting through Rachel's clothes. Something here's got to be party-worthy. Maybe I could just borrow one piece from my own closet... . "No more polyester! Can't I wear my Blue Cults?" I beg. "Maybe Rachel babysat a lot and bought a pair."

"Out of character." Liz shakes her head.

"But they look good on me!" I protest. "I can't look my best without my own stuff!" I don't want to admit it, but I'm imagining how "Rachel" will look to Austin.

"Save the Blue Cults for Sky's," Nadine instructs. "You can change in the car on the way over there."

"Fine," I agree grudgingly.

"And don't forget, Cinderella," Nadine teases. "You turn back into a pumpkin at ten when Rodney picks you up to go to the
FA
party."

I tap the cheap black plastic Timex Nadine got me. "Got it," I say.

An hour and a half later, with Beth and Allison in tow, Liz's dad pulls up in front of Lori's house. I have to admit, the place is pretty nice, even from the outside. The turn-of-the-century mock Tudor sits on an acre of perfectly green lawn. Behind the house, I can vaguely make out a maid's cottage and a pool.

"Blimey, what do Lori's parents do for a living?" I pretend to be as impressed as I imagine Rachel would be, even though just about everyone I know lives in mansions at least this big.

"They're both doctors," Beth explains as we walk up the limestone path. Beth pulls her curly black hair back into a low ponytail and smoothes the front of her pink V-neck sweater, which she's paired with jeans that were ruined by her marker-wielding babysitting charges earlier in the day. The red and green splotches across the knees actually give the denim a cool look. "Lori's dad is a plastic surgeon and her mom is a dermatologist," Beth adds. "They have these big Hollywood clients. Lori's mom is the one who removed Sly Stevens's mole."