Chasing Blue Roses

11. Always Read the Fine Print.

11. Always Read the Fine Print.

   “Rise and shine, sweetheart!”

   Paula’s voice echoed through the room. I heard the shuffle of blinds being drawn open and light streamed onto my face.   

   Oh god. Had I mentioned that I wasn’t a morning person? I groaned and covered my head with a pillow. I felt like I’d only just collapsed into bed a few seconds ago.  

   “No way, hun. None of that!” I felt a tugging on my pillow. “We start the day bright and early from now on, sleep on your own time!”

   Fantastic. I suppose that now a contract was involved, my time was no longer classified ‘mine’.  I clenched my eyes shut, hoping that she’d take the hint and leave. Everything was blissfully silent for a few minutes. Too silent.

   “You’re still there, aren’t you?” I murmured.

   “Of course I am, gorgeous. Where am I going to go?”

   I opened my eyes and found Paula’s face an inch from mine – hands on her hips and wearing a striped dress that was way too colourful for this early in the morning. I rolled over to look at the clock on my bedside table.

   “It’s five a.m!” I gasped. My voice was hoarse. Then I realised something even more bizarre and straightened up in bed. “How did you get inside?”

   Paula’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ of surprise. “Five already?” She huffed. “Well, then, we’re already behind schedule!” She slapped the covers twice. “Get changed! We’re going straight to your apartment to pack before we leave and then we’ll meet the boys later.”

   I rubbed my eyes with both fists. “My apartment?”

   Ellie had left our room yesterday afternoon and spent the night with her parents, who were understandably, catatonically confused at what was going on. They’d seen our apartment on the news. She would probably be back at our place sometime this morning, and the thought of seeing her made me feel slightly better.

   “Your roommate will be there in a bit.” Paula added, reading my thoughts. “And as for how I got inside, she mentioned that you were... let’s just say, not a morning person. She gave me her key and strict instructions that I couldn’t leave the room until I’d seen you out from under the covers.”

   I frowned. Great, so I had two babysitters on standby. I rolled out of bed and padded towards my suitcase with a flourish. “There... Wide awake and fully functional.” I grumbled.

   Paula chuckled just as her phone beeped. “That already puts you one step ahead of the boys. Now, remember...” She glanced at her phone distractedly. “Dress like you’re meeting your worst enemy. You’re in the public eye from now on!”

   I shot her a withering stare. She wasn’t going to stay behind and watch me change, was she? Thankfully, Paula got the hint and left the room, chatting animatedly to someone in her ear.

   Who is she talking to at five in the morning?

   I assumed that by ‘leave’ she’d meant that we were travelling to an interview. Everything was happening so abruptly, and I’d only just signed the contracts last night. In the space of a few hours, I found myself legally shackled to teams of management, PR, stylists, publicists, bodyguards and a stream of television shows and photo ops. A horde of people were already relying on me to look right, act right and say the right things, and that was never something I’d been good at.  

   It was absolutely terrifying.

   I couldn’t get ahead of myself. We were only on our wayto an interview, which meant that I wanted to be comfortable. My hands searched through my suitcase and hovered over my favourite pair of jeans. I’d worn them so much that the knees were worn through. Paula’s reminder buzzed around my head like an annoying gnat. If she thought I was going to wear a pantsuit or something just because I was in ‘the public eye’, then she had another thought coming.