Reality Check by Jen Calonita & Jen Calonita

Author:Jen Calonita & Jen Calonita [Calonita, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-316-08839-8
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2010-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

ten

Star Power

It's Thursday morning at school and a cute senior I've never spoken to before is smiling at me. “Hey, Charlie! What's up?”

A guy from our chemistry class winks at Hallie. “Looking good, Hallie.”

“Keiran, that is the most fab shirt ever,” Pat Neiman tells her, which is funny because Pat has never said a single word to any of us before. As school royalty, she only speaks with those in her inner circle.

I look at Hallie, confused, and she bursts out laughing. “Did we just enter an alternate universe?” I ask as the three of us walk down the hall to our lockers.

“I think word about our show is officially out,” Keiran says just as a group of freshman girls walks by us, whispering.

“Do you think the after-party was the tip-off?” I deadpan. I stop for a second to tie my belt again. It's a high-waisted one that ties over my blue wrap shirt.

“The after-party or Brooke's seemingly new alliance with Marleyna,” Hallie quips.

“Brooke or no Brooke, word travels fast in Cliffside,” Keiran marvels as she puts books back into her locker and tucks new ones against her red short-sleeved sweater.

Hallie opens her locker and checks her salon-perfect brown hair in the tiny locker mirror. “The Crab Shack was packed last night and everyone was asking if we were coming in to do another taping or party. The place is never that crowded on a Wednesday night in the spring.”

“Even Mr. Sparks asked me about the show after class today,” I tell them. “You should have seen how excited he was about getting Cliffside on the map.”

“I'm glad Cliffside is getting props too, but being recognized is a little weird, isn't it?” Keiran says as she looks over her shoulder at a girl standing, mouth open, a few feet away. “The attention feels fake. It's not like these people suddenly realized how amazing we were and decided we should be friends. They're talking to us because we're on a TV show.”

Keiran's right and the thought makes me feel a little queasy.

“Imagine how odd it's going to feel when our faces and actions are all over TV,” Hallie says, sounding nervous. She swipes her lips with pink gloss and then checks her reflection, bending carefully to look at her locker mirror so her jean mini doesn't ride up too far. Putting her gloss away, she straightens her black ballet top.

The class bell blares above our heads and I wince. I will never understand why it has to be that loud.

“Weren't we supposed to meet Brooke here before lunch?” I frown.

Things are definitely strained after Saturday's pier blowout, but I called Brooke yesterday to make a peace offering and she said we could talk things out at lunch. “Addison left me a message last night saying she needed our schedule for next week by the end of the day.”

Hallie looks around. “I don't see her. Maybe she thinks we're meeting at the cafeteria.”

We head down the hall, making it barely two feet before we're stopped by yet another person asking about the show.

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