How to be a Teenage Broadway Starlet

Chapter 6: The REAL New York

Bridget woke Josie, Calvin, and I up the next morning at 10:00. I decided it was better we eat on the go, as I didn't want another conflict with my mother, at the breakfast table.

We through on some clothes and Lionel took us to my favorite deli. We ran in, got three bagels, and ate them on the way to Calvin and Josie's apartment.

It seemed like Josie never ran out of energy, though. She still talked about last night as if it was the happiest day of her life. I might have been, now that I thought about it.

Calvin and I glanced at each other a couple times. I was trying not to read to much into the night before. I mean, I certainly felt some sort of connection with him, but I wasn't sure if he felt the same. And was this outing today a date?

This is why I avoided relationships with boys! Too many complications! Still, neither of us felt the need to tell Josie about our conversation last night, or our 'date' today. It was like we had a special secret or somthing.

When Lionel arrived at their apartment I realized why Josie had been so embarrassed when she told me where she lived. It was a tall brick building obviously in dire need of refurbishing. Some windows were broken, had boards over them, or were gone all together. I heard shouting from one of the open windows followed by a open suitcase full of clothes, flying out the window.

Calvin noticed my shocked expression and told me, "The Andersons. Every Saturday she accuses him of cheating, packs up his suitcase, and as soon as he gets home from work, she throws it out the window and tells him to leave. Then by Monday she realizes she was wrong, calls him up, and he moves back in,"

Wow. He knew THAT much about his neighboors? I didn't know if we even had neighboors. I mean, I'm sure we had some around someplace, I'd just never seen them.

As Josie open the door and slid out, Calvin followed, but before he closed the door he leaned down and whispered to me, "Today. 12. Rockefeller Center."

I nodded. That was only 30 minutes from now. And I still hadn't figured out how to get out of dress rehearsal that night. I told Lionel to floor it too get home.
Thankfully, there wasn't much traffic.

As soon as opened the door, I glanced at the clock. 11:45.

What was I going to do? There was no way I could get out of dress rehearsal without a good reason.

While I was frantically pondering, Bridget came running in from the kitchen.

"What took you so long? Quick, your mother will be asking what's wrong any minute!"

Before I could ask what she was talking about, she grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to my room, shoving me under the covers. Thereapon, she pulled out a wet hot washcloth and slapped it on my forehead.

"Bridget? What are you doing?!" I asked right before she jabbed a thermometer that had been wrapped in the washcloth, under my tongue.

"I'm making sure you keep your date with Young Mister Calvin!"

Before I could hug her with gratitide, I heard my mother bellow my name.

"Now, ACT SICK!" Bridget instructed in an urgent whisper.

"In here, Madam!" She yelled back to my mom.

Mother appeared in my doorway and looked mortified at my appearance. I had tried to look as frail as possible. I had played the sickly Beth in exactly 96 peformances of 'Little Women'. I had the 'sick look' down pat.

"Porsha! What are you doing in BED!" She bellowed some more, I could the Anger Vein was pulsing to twice it's normal size.

I feigned trying to speak but being too sick, to do so. Bridget patted my hand sympatheticly. "I'm sorry, Madam, she seems to have contracted Food Poisoning from the bagel she ate this morning,"
I moaned for emphasis.

"Let me see that!" She uttered while making her way over to my bed and pulling the thermometer out of my mouth.

"101..." She turned to Bridget,"Fine. Bridget, call Porsha's director and tell him that she won't be there today...and You," She said her eyes narrowing as the glared at me, "You'd better get well soon or I'll have your head for not performing in this show! Now, I have appointments all day, so do everything Bridget tells you, and GET BETTER!"

Well there were some words of comfort for you!
I nodded weakly, trying to surpress the smile that wanted to curl up on my lips when I heard her say that she had appointments all day.

She turned and flounced out of the room. As soon as I heard the front door slam shut, I hopped out of bed, and frantically put on a pair of jeans and a shirt. I threw on my tennis shoes while Bridget haphazardly ran a brush through my hair.

As I was about to bolt out of the door, I turned around to Bridget and asked her, "Wait a minute, How did you know about my date with Calvin?"

That trademark mischievous grin crossed her face and she replied, "When you want to have secret conversations in front of the Guest Bedroom you'd better make sure that your not in front of the turned on intercom that connects to the maid's bedroom!"

I smacked my head mentally. How could I have forgotten that?

I grinned at her right before giving her a hug and running to catch the elevator.

I expected to take a taxi to Rockefeller Center, but when I got downstairs, I noticed Lionel was waiting for me. How did he know?

Bridget. Of course.

"Rockefeller Center, Miss Porsha?" He asked when I slid into the back seat.

"Right Lionel, and step on it!"

He nodded and took off. In the shortest time I'd ever been in the Limo at one time, we were there.

When we arrived, I saw Calvin leaning against park bench. Even without his tux on I blushed profusely when I saw him.

When he saw the limo, he immediantly smiled and ran up to it. Not waiting for Lionel to come around and open the door for me, I hopped out and greeted Calvin. Just before I closed the door, Calvin popped in the car and said to Lionel, "Hey man, we won't be needing the limo today. I'll get her home safe and sound."

Lionel nodded and tipped his hat, and Calvin shut the door.

As Lionel drove off, I turned to Calvin.

"So, does the real New York consist of food? I'm starving!"

He laughed and replied with, "Of course! That's our first stop! It's just around the corner,"

Smiling, I followed him across the street and we walked to our first destination.

"So did you really have today completly off?" He asked as we walked down the street.

I chuckled lightly to myself and replied, "Nope. I had a dress rehearsal, costume fitting, voice lessons, not to mention homework, and redoing this project!"

He grinned and ran his hand through his long hair, "Geez, you didn't have to cancel all that for me,"

Trying to gain back the breath that I lost with that last grin, I replied, "Well, you're worth it..."

I gasped afterI said it. I had been thinking that but never intended to say it!
"So did you really have today completly off?" He asked as we walked down the street.

I chuckled lightly to myself and replied, "Nope. I had a dress rehearsal, costume fitting, voice lessons, not to mention homework, and redoing this project!"

He grinned and ran his hand through his long hair, "Geez, you didn't have to cancel all that for me,"

Trying to gain back the breath that I lost with that last grin, I replied, "Well, you're worth it..."

I gasped after I said it. I had been thinking that but never intended to say it!

But instead of being creeped out, like i thought he would, he simply tunred to me and smiled.

"Thanks,"
"You're Welcome,"

I found myself locked within his darkeyes, and it would've been been a charming moment, if only I had been watching where I was going. Because at that moment, a pizza delivery boy, pedaling down the street on a bicycle rather quickly, barreled right into me!

Then it all went dark.