How to be a Teenage Broadway Starlet

Chapter 1: Miss Porsha

"Miss Porsha dear, it's time to wake up..."

I poked my head out of my satin sheets and stared droopily on as my maid, Bridget, opened the curtains to reveal the New York skyline winking at me in the morning sun.

"Bridget, please tell me that today isn't the first day of school," I yawned out.

She laughed her bell-like laugh and replied, "I'm afraid so Miss Porsha,"

I sighed as I rolled out of bed, and Bridget brought me my slippers and robe.

Bridget has been our maid since I was 10 years old. She's been a friend, mother figure, and anything else I've needed for the past 6 years. Both of her children are grown so she lives on the floor below our penthouse and does the daily chores and duties.

Once I was fully awake, I went to the dining room for breakfast, where my parents were already waiting. I sat down at the huge oak table, while Bridget served me breakfast.

"Blueberry pancakes! Bridge, you made my favorite!"

She smiled, and just as I was about to dig in, the plate slid out from under my fork.

"Now, really, Porsha, you can't go around eating all those carbs! You'll blow up like a balloon!"

She snapped over Bridget,"Will you please remove this horrid pile of carbohydrates, and bring Miss Porsha her usual protein shake."

Bridget tried to protest on my behalf,"But Madam, I thought with it being the first day of school-"

"BRIDGET! We do not pay you to make suggestions. We pay you to follow orders," my mother interrupted in her warning voice.

Bridget knew it wasn't up for discussion. As she leaned over to pick up my pancakes, she mouthed 'sorry' to me. I gave her an appreciative smile as she returned to the kitchen.

"Really, Darcy, don't you think you're being a little to strict with Porsha's diet?" My father interjected, peering over the top of his newspaper.

My mother shot him a look bck at him and replied,"No, James, I don't. When she's 40 and still a size 2, she'll thank me."

Bridget had returned with my protein shake and as she sat it down, she whispered to me, "Don't count on it..."

I giggled quietly as I sipped my breakfast. When I first tasted these horrible protein drinks, i gagged everytime I drank it, but now, I'd gotten used to it.

As soon as I finished my breakfast, and Bridget cleared the table, Mother pulled out her day planner and cleared her throat.

"Now, Porsha, dear, here is you schedule for the day. 9:00am-Dropped off at school by Lionel. 4:00pm-Picked up from school by Lionel. 4:30-Work with Dialect Coach. 5:45-Voice lessions. 7:00-Dance lessons. Ballet at 7:00, Tap at 7:30, Jazz at 8:30. And finally, return home at 9:15 and have a 30 minute Yoga workout."

"Yoga? What do I need Yoga for?" I asked her.

"Well, for relax, dear," She replied as if it was the most obvious answer.

I nodded my understanding and she flipped her day planner closed. That was my cue to go get dressed.

I returned to my bedroom where Bridget had already laid out my outfit for the day. A red Armani a-line skirt, white top, and a denim jacket. The shoes were a pair of tall chocolate brown boots. I had to admit, Bridget had style.

I sat down in front of my vanity and wondered what to do with my hair. I took it down from the messy bun on my head and my thick brown mass fell around my sholders.

Casting directors always said that I was a 'non-tradtional beauty'. Somehow, I'd inherated my father's Mahogany hair and my mother's emerald eyes. I thought it was a weird combination, but directors loved it.

Bridget came in and created loose wavy curls in my locks somehow. She was genius with hair, too.

After I finished getting ready, I grabbed my book bag, told my parents and Bridget goodbye, and went downstairs where Lionel, my driver, was waiting.

"Ready for your first day of school, Miss Porsha?" Lionel asked me as he opened the door for me.

"Not nearly, Lionel," I replied as I climbed in the limo.

I went to James Polk High School in the heart of New York City.

I liked school well enough, it just seemed like a minor annoyance on the way to the top. I had plenty of friends, and I passed all my classes, so by a normal teenage girl standerd, I was doing quite well.

I never participated in extracurricular acticities. Goodness, I didn't have the time!

When Lionel arrived at school, I noticed lots familar faces, and a few awestruck ones as I stepped out of the limo. Lionel wished me luck and drove off in the sea of yellow taxis.

As I walked up the stone stairs into the old building I heard several wolf whistles. I rolled my eyes. Naturally, I was a hightly sought after female to date, but of course, as an actress, I didn't have boyfriends, I had co-stars.

I found the list of 11th grade homerooms and looked for my name. When I found it, instead of seeing a room number next to it, I saw a note that said 'see principal'.

That was odd. Principal Mckee only called me in when she wanted discount tickets to one of my shows. She obviously didn't know that my newest show didn't open for a month.

When I got to her office I was greeted warmly by her secretary, Molly.

"Oh welcome back back Miss Taylor!" She said, jumping up from behind her desk.

I gave her my gracious smile and replied, "Molly, please, it's Porsha! How many times to I have to remind you?"

She giggled, she did that alot, "I know I ask you every year but, I have a neice who saw you in 'Little Women' last year and..."

"Say no more!" I replied, pulling out my always ready signing pen. Molly had more fans of me in her family than I had had in MY family!

"Oh, you're such a dear!" She pulled out a playbill from 'Little Women' and handed it to me. "Could you sign it to Maddie?"

I nodded as I scribbled down what I wrote in everyone's playbill. 'You're a great fan "name", thank you for your support! Love always, Porsha Starr Taylor'
I heard Principal McKee clear her throat, and I saw her standing in her doorway.

"Thank you Molly, that'll be all. Porsha, could you see me in my office?"

I gave her my respectful smile, and followed her in the office.

I sat in the chair across from her and she looked over at me.

"Porsha, I was reviewing you schedule for this year, and I noticed that you havn't signed up for any fine arts classes,"

I hadn't, but I didn't see what that that had to do with anything.

"Well, Principal McKee, my dance, voice, and acting coaches have requested that I don't have any outside training, as it might de-value their work."

She looked confused for a moment and continued,"Well, even that being so, we require at least 4 semesters of a fine arts class of some kind."

"So, what do you recommend I do?" I asked her, keeping my respectful smile plastered on. I had planned my schedule perfectly, selecting classes taught by teachers who I knew already adored me, but this definantely put a damper on my plan.

"Well, if we remove 1st period fashion design..."

No! That was the easiest teacher in school!

"...and replace it with advanced photography, you will only have to take it for one year, since advanced classes count as double credit..."

"ADVANCED!" I shrieked, and i rarely ever shrieked. My faced turned as red as my Armani skirt.

Ms. McKee, however, looked unphased. "Now, Porsha, you must have had your picture taken plenty of times in your lifetime,"

I was still shocked. What did I know about photography? I couldn't possibly pass a class where I had no idea about the subject! And advanced? Every else there will probibly already know how to work a camera and everything!

"Well, sure." I replied, "But I've never been the one taking the pictures!"

She laughed. I found it hard to belive that she was finding this funny. That's it. She's not getting anymore discounted tickets!

The bell rang, signaling students to go to their first class. Ms. McKee stood up and and handed me my new schedule and locker combination.

I stood up on recieving my schedule, and shook my principal's outstretched hand.

"Have a good year, Porsha" She said with a smile.

I gave her a completely fake smile in return, and turned to leave.

After I left the office, I went to my locker. I was glad our locker positions didn't change. Mine was in a prime location near the best girl's bathroom. It was also in a corner and Miles the janitor had installed a shelf for me on the wall so I would have a place to sit my book bag, while I loaded it and unloaded it with books. I'd given him free tickets to one of my shows in freshman year.

I looked at my schedule and saw where my advanced photography class was. I didn't recognize the teacher's name, and that never was a good sign.
I picked up my book bag from it's shelf, closed my locker, and went to the room 112.

When I got there, I peered in the window to the classrooom, hoping to see atleast someone i knew! Unfortunantly, most everyone I saw was wearing black baggy clothing, and some had piercings in places I didn't know could be pierced! I had a feeling none of them were big broadway fans.
I gulped right before walking into the room. Immediantly, all eyes were on me. I could already tell that I wasn't going to be accepted into their group.
The teacher stood up and greeted me, Minus the bald head, he could have been a student! He was wearing a pair of jeans and an untucked concert t-shirt. My schedule said his name was, Mr. Alexander.

"Hello, Miss Taylor. It's so good to have you in our class. Principal McKee explained your situation to me."

I nodded and gave the best smile I could muster at the moment. These kids would tear me apart! Thye were all deep and angsty, what did I know about that?

"Now, Miss Taylor, what should I call you?"

Well, at least he had a sence of propriety.

"Oh, don't be silly! Just Porsha, is absolutly fine!" I leaned in closer for the next part, my traditional beginning of the year, teacher speech, "And please don't even think about trying to treat me any better than all the students, just because of my many broadway successes!" Teachers loved humble starlets.
He look confused and a gave a slow nod right before continuing, "Right. Well, Just Porsha, you can take a seat."

I laughed at his attempt at a joke, and went to sit down. I noticed an empty seat on the front row in between one of the few boys not wearing black baggy pants, and a girl who had on an oversized white stained t-shirt and tapered pants. Immediantly, i felt sorry for her.

I sat down at the desk, and looked around. The bell hadn't rang yet, so I decied to be friendly to my neighboors. I turned to the boy and said, "Hello! I'm Porsha!" Extending my hand for him to shake.

He looked up from whatever he was reading and turned to me. He actually wasn't bad looking. He had shaggy brown hair that went down to his chin. I normally hated that look on guys, but somehow it worked for him. His eyes were an almost black-brown. I'd never seen eyes like that before.

"Calvin," He said, shaking my hand.

"Ohh! As in Klein?"

He gave me a strange look right before saying, "yeah...sure,", and he looked back down at whatever he was reading.

Ok, well I obviously wouldn't be hearing much from him during the year.

I turned to the girl.

"Hi! I'm Porsha!"

The girl looked wide eyed in wonder. Now this was the adorer I was used too!

"I..I.. am...J...J...Josie,"

I gave my sympathetic smile and said,"So, Josie, do you enjoy broadway shows?"

It was worth a shot.

"Oh, yes, I've never seen one, but I've always wanted too!"

Perfect. I had leverage now!

"Well, maybe I could work somthing out..."

She gave an excited squeal that thankfully was drowned out by the bell ringing.

I turned to the front of the classroom where Mr. Alexander began to teach.

From the moment he began to speak I could have sworn he was speaking gibberish. He was talking about aspect ratios, and parallax, and saturation...I was lost!

And the worst part was, I was the only one who didn't know what all of that meant!

When he stopped lecturing, Mr. Alexander told us that we had a partner project coming up. The theme was before and after. We had to use a series of photographs to illustrate the before and after of anything. I glanced over at Josie and I had a brilliant idea.

When he asked us to choose our partners I immediantly turned to Josie and asked her. She was stunned, of course, but accepted my offer.

"So what are we going to do for the project?" she asked me.

"Oh, don't worry about that, i've got it covered. I'll give you a ride to my place tomorrow after school and we'll work on it then,"

I breathed a sigh of relief when the bell rang. The rest of the day would be a breeze after this!

And it was. I had gotten all the teachers I had requested. I could tell that with some easy bribing, this year was going to be cake.

After school, Lionel picked me up and dropped me off at my dialect coach's studio. Currently, I was working on Beauty and the Beast, I was Belle of coarse, and I didn't really require any special dialects. So we pretty much just worked on projecting and that sort of thing. We finished our lesson early, so I recruited her help in my Before and After project with Josie.

Lionel picked me up and from there we went to my Voice lessons. My co-star from Beauty and the Beast was there so we could rehearse our songs together.

After voice lessons came dance. So, for over 2 hours I tapped, plied, and jazz squared away all the remaining energy I had left.

I even fell asleep in the limo on the way home. Lionel woke me up, and I took the elevator up to our penthouse. My mother had already set up my yoga matt in front of my TV in bedroom. But, as soon as I took my shower and put my yoga clothes on I fell into bed, and slept the best I had in weeks.