Lisa Clark - Time to Shine

“Lo-Lo, don’t be silly,” Sadie says, gripping my arm tighter in hers. “Bella’s just super-sensitive where the ‘school’ thing is concerned. Let’s make a vow, here and now, to include Bella in all things school production. She’ll try to resist, but we won’t let her, ‘k? For sure, she’s older, pretends she doesn’t know what Time to Shine is and has that whole rock-girl ‘tude thing going on, but she’ll want to be involved, I know it. Maybe I could ask Miss Elliot if she could come in and help with the music?”

“Yeah!” I agree. “Except, we’d better make it seem like Miss Elliot is looking for help - that way Bella won’t think we’re treating her like a charity case or something!”

“Good idea, Lo-Lo!” Sadie says, and we give a barely visible high five to each other so as not to raise any unnecessary Bella attention. Although we needn’t have worried: Bella’s way ahead of us now, and though Sadie and I try desperately to catch up with Bella’s speedy new pace, we ultimately fail, what with Bella having legs that go all the way up to her armpits and all. So instead we watch her do her speed-walk-of-stomp all the way to Sadie’s basement and trail behind singing the lyrics to ‘Adorability’ from Time to Shine at the top of our voices.

“Shut up!” exclaims Angel so loud that I have to hold my mobile, pink-natch, - away from my ear.

I was so upset by Bella’s reaction to my audition news, that as soon as band practise was over - which was when Bella had finished making a noisy, aggro guitar screech along to some shouty lyrics about the ‘90s - I came straight home to seek the opinion of Pink Lady and my all time BFF Angel, just to make sure I was doing the right thing.

“That’s amazing, Lo! You’ll be a totally kick-ass Lilly!”

Now this is the kind of reaction I’ve been looking for. Bella would do well to take a few lessons from the ‘how to react when your gal pal is about to do something super-exciting’ book of Angel, instead of pretending that Sadie and I had never, ever mentioned a school production and playing her guitar really, really loudly anytime it looked like someone might want to speak.

Now, all the Pink Ladies have something in their Think Pink vanity case that will help deal with a messy, stressy head, and making hurty-ear noises on a guitar is Bella’s.

FYI: mine is writing in my journal, Sadie’s is bashing on her drums and Angel’s is flicking through fashion magazines - all are Pink Lady tried and tested methods that can help to cure an attack of the Gloomy Grumps.

I’m totally okay with Bella screeching out to chase away the GGs, but I’m still a teeny, tiny bit miffed that she didn’t talk to me about how she was feeling or at least say ‘sorry’ or ‘good luck’ or ‘way to go, girlfriend!’ She could have even offered up a high five if words were too much of a problem, and they sometimes are for someone who is susceptible to moments of stubbornness like Miss B, but she didn’t, and I know she’s upset, but now I’m a bit upset too. I really want to tell Angel, but I don’t want her to make a drama where there isn’t one, because between you and me, Angel, as adorable as she is, LOVES a drama. So, instead of entering into a goss-fest about beautiful Bella, I pull on my metaphorical pink wellies and paddle in the love my BFF is sharing via phone link.

“Just like America Ferrara is the only person that could ever play Ugly Betty , you, Lola Love, are the only person that can play Lilly!” Angel informs me as if it is cold hard fact.

I love her for that.

“Well, besides Farah Grant obviously,” I remind her, “what with her playing Lilly in the movie and all.”

“Deetails, schmeetails, Lola!” Angel tuts. “This is awesome! I’ll be there on your opening night, I’ll throw roses at the stage and whoop until you come back for an encore!”

See what I mean about her being a drama queen? While my life is the pink-tinted blockbuster movie Livin’ La Vida Lola , Angel’s is nothing short of a full-blown Broadway production, with belt-out, show-stopping numbers and over-the-top theatrics.

“I haven’t got the part yet, Angel!” I tell her, knowing that in Angel’s world, this is a mere technicality. A minor smudge on the bigger picture. In Angel’s world I’ve already got the part. I like Angel’s world. A lot.

“I’ll coach you through the audition, Lo,” Angel informs me. “There’s no way you won’t get that part!”

After Bella’s reaction to the school production, I was worried about mentioning anything to Angel in case she got an attack of the Gloomy Grumps about it too, but I really needn’t have worried. Angel is a cheerleader of fantastic fabulousness. Not only is she totally ruling out any possible doubt or fear-like wobbles that she knows I’m prone to with her über-confidence in me, she’s going to be my audition coach too! I feel like I’m starring in my very own episode of MTV’s Made or something.

I should have known Angel, queen of all things dramarama, would be excited for me, not just because I’m her BFF, and both of us have over-active imaginations, but Angel and I, well, we we are no strangers to a production.

When we were younger, there was nothing we loved more than to put together our very own Lola and Angel show. Don’t worry, what we lacked in original name choices we more than made up for in dedication and enthusiasm. Our audience, consisting of a somewhat varied assortment of teddies and cuddly toys, never failed to be impressed, and why wouldn’t they be with such sparkling performances as ‘Davina’s Day of Dreadful Disasters’? Granted, they weren’t the most animated of audiences two would-be starlets could hope for, but they never criticised either, and well, that was just fine with us.

But Time to Shine is the real deal. Livin’ La Vida Lola the movie starring me, Lola Love, rocks, there’s no doubt about that, but getting to perform on a real stage with lights and everything is too exciting for wordage. This is my chance to step into the pink-tinted spotlight and rock a role that could have been written all about me - except for the bit about Lilly kissing her boy crush, because my boy crush is Jake Farrell and he is kissing Eva Satine. Boo. Nope, if I’m ever going to score me the role as leading lady in this production, there is seriously no one more qualified to coach me than the Queen of Dramarama, Miss Angel Trueman. And with her on Team Lola, what could possibly go wrong?

“Lola Love, what do you think you’re doing?” Sadie shouts in her best teacher-like tone while grabbing the pen from my hand.

“I, I…” I stutter, but it’s no use. I’ve been caught. She knows exactly what I’m doing, that’s why she’s pulling a pout and has her hand on her hip.

“Lo, I thought you were cool with auditioning,” she says, frowning. “Is it because of Bella? Because if it is, I’ll talk to her, I promise…”

But I’m not about to cross out my name on the audition poster because of Bella. In fact, after speaking to Angel last night, I’ve been super excited x 1000 about the whole auditioning thing. But today, when I arrived at school having been listening to the Time to Shine soundtrack on my mp3 player, full blast, on repeat, I saw that Evil Eva Satine had signed up for the role of Lilly too.

I don’t know why I was so surprised. The school production is Eva’s territory after all, and no one has ever dared challenge her for leading lady status. Well, until now, that is, but when I saw her name in her distinct loopy handwriting, I became an instant Doubtful Doris.