My Rise to Fame

Chapter 2

So guys here it is. Chapter 2.

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Chapter 2.

"One day you will do things for me that you hate. That is what it means to be family."

― Jonathan Safran Foer

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"Mum", I yelled up the stairs, "I'm home!!" I was back from my disgraceful audition and I was so tired.

I looked at our small house, I always thought it was big, I mean I had my own room and bathroom while most of my friends had to share. I always thought our house was enormous and this made me a bit proud. I know, it's strange to take pride in a house but that's me. Now, in comparison to the huge theatre where the auditions were held, my house felt small; I felt smaller even. Remembering the wideness of the stage, the continuous rows of chairs that never seemed to end and the blinding lights that made it seem like you were looking at a star straight in its face, our house felt minute, like the earth is to the sun. I felt even tinier like the moon is to the earth.

I dumped my bag on the sofa in the living room and went into the kitchen. "Mum!!!" I shouted, "don't you want to know how the auditions went?!" I rummaged the cupboards and fridge for a snack and decided to have corn flakes. I know it's strange to have cold cereal as dinner but I was too lazy to make something. I was clearing the dishes when my mum finally came down the stairs. I looked jealously at her. For someone in her early 40s she sure looked pretty with her dark brown curly hair and a pair of hazel eyes to match. She is tall but not too tall and she is skinny, not anorexic skinny but just gorgeous skinny. She was wearing a black evening dress showing off her neatly shaved legs and emphasizing her tanned skin.

"Oh hi Yvonne, how were the auditions?" Before I could answer she interrupted, "I know you're probably wondering why I am dressed so....formal this evening. Well I have a..." She hesitated " I have a date...with Dave, you remember him don't you?" The truth is I don't remember him. Since I could remember, my mum was always going out on dates. I lost track of guys. Oh yes, first was Luke, then Paul, then Bob or was it Frank oh whatever. I lost track ages ago. My dad died before I was born so I don't remember him. All the pictures on our walls are just pictures of my mum, my elder sister Linda and my dad. If you saw them you would think I was adopted but I'm not. At least I think I'm not. My mum kept on chattering not bothering to check if I was listening. "Sorry to tell you in such short notice but it was kind of a surprise date, Dave just blurted it out," my mum was already blushing, "there's leftover dinner from yesterday in the fridge if you need to eat. I'll be back quite late so your sister will babysit you-" This is where I had to put my foot down.

"Mum, no I'm fine on my own. Linda doesn't have to take care of me. Really I am."

"Oh don't be silly," my mum answered, "Linda lives here. She'll come home anyways."

"But, mum if you tell her she's in charge, she will go crazy. You might as well hire Count Dracula to babysit me" after giving that second thought I said "Dracula would even be better. I heard vampires are hot. Wouldn't hurt to date one of them."

Mum smiled and kissed me on my head. She clearly thought this was a joke. "I'll be back soon, Vonnie. Have fun."

"No you have fun." I said as she closed the door. Wow. My mum has a better love life than me. What happened there?

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It was Saturday and I was the first person to wake up. I immediately went to check our mail. No letter yet. Gosh, I am beginning to think the judges really hated my dancing. Oh well, life goes on like my granny always says. I went through the fridge in search of breakfast. I grabbed the carton of milk and a pack of fruit loops and made myself a bowl of cereal. My older sister, Linda, came down the stairs just as I was checking the mail in case I missed a letter.

"What are you looking for?" My sister asked. She was still in her PJs, she looked pretty. Just like my mum, she had hazel eyes, unlike my dark brown ones. You know I'm beginning to think that maybe I was adopted. Despite her bed hair, you could see the gloss in her curly hair. No wonder I hated my sister so much, she stole all the beauty genes from the gene pool.

"I'm looking for a letter from the dance auditions I went to." I replied, not even looking at her when I replied.

"Oh Vonnie, it's been five days, don't you think that maybe life should go on?" She stopped to look at me.

Now that was just plain mean. " Are you saying I'm a bad dancer? Well you're one to talk."

"Hey, I'm just trying to be a nice older sister."

"Well maybe you should stop trying because you're a sister, you're older, I'm not just sure about the nice part." I could see she was getting mad. Her cheeks were getting bright red. I know I should feel guilty but I was surprisingly happy. For once she looked uglier than me. I could tell she was about to say something really mean or maybe something that made no sense, either way I was ready. I know I sound mean but all my frustration from not getting my letter just channeled to Linda and sorry but it was a lot of frustration. Before I could say anything my mum stormed down the stairs and she didn't look pleased.

"What are you girls going on about? You woke me up?"

"Oh good, because I don't think there is any mum on the planet who wakes up after her children on a Saturday morning. What usually happens is mum wakes up and makes breakfast for two children, maybe pancakes or even buying croissants." My sister said. And I thought I was mean.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault. I was out late with Dave on my date." My mum was already blushing. She was sure in love with Dave like she was in love with guy before and the guy before that and the guy before that.

"Mum you know if you really love Dave and think he is the one, you have to bring him home for the interview." I said. My mum interrupted my arguing session with Linda just because of Dave. How did we even get to talking about Dave. The interview is something Linda and I came up with a few years ago. One of the guys mum dated broke her heart when he dumped her. She was really devastated so Linda and I came up with the idea of an interview. Basically if mum thought she loved the guy she was dating, she would bring him home and Linda and I would interview him, the way normal parents would interview a boyfriend or girlfriend of their child. I know it sounds strange but hey what else is new.

"Yes, yes I know and I'm taking it slowly with Dave."

"Whatever mum," Linda said, "what's for breakfast?"

"Oh yeah Vonnie, I almost forgot. You got a letter yesterday from Galaxy Studios. I think it's about your audition. I kept it with me to protect it from Linda. You know how she thinks all mail that's not for her is trash." Linda was clearly mad but I didn't care. I was too busy dancing and jumping all over the sofas.

Linda clearly saw this as a chance to ruin my happiness. "You know the fact that you got a letter means two things: you got in or ...you weren't accepted." She said matter-of-factly.

For the first time I had no good comeback. I just ran up the stairs before my mum could call me back.

"Wow Linda," I heard mum say, "you certainly don't know when to stop, do you?"

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