Beads, Boys and Bangles by Sophia Bennett Read Free Book Online

for her to practise acting properly in a low-key venue where she wouldn’t be under the pressure she was under in Hollywood, where her performance was – and even her mother would admit this – painful.
    I notice that someone at a table nearby is pretending not to stare at us. Is it Jenny they recognise, because she was in a blockbuster last year and she’s still wearing her Louis Vuitton scarf ‘disguise’? Or me, because I’ve been in a couple of magazines recently, talking about the Miss Teen collection?
    Then I realise it’s a girl who goes on Edie’s charity fun runs, and who’s seen us both looking sweaty, in tee-shirts and sports bras, jogging in Edie’s wake. This is what it’s like to be not-quite-famous.
    ‘And so I’m doing it next Thursday. I can’t believe I am, but I am.’
    What Jenny’s doing next Thursday, I have no idea. Something to do with this play, obviously. An audition?
    ‘Good luck,’ I say, hoping this is roughly appropriate.
    ‘Thanks,’ she smiles. ‘Anyway, how about you? How was Paris?’
    At last! So I tell her about the funeral and the reception afterwards and the fact that there was this guy who happened to notice me . . .
    ‘AHA! I KNEW IT! Tell me EVERY DETAIL!’
    Hooray! This is what I’ve been hoping for all along. So I tell her about Alexander and the beautiful hands and the fact he calls me Boots and the is-he-isn’t-he-gay thing, and she does a much better job of listening to me than I did of listening to her.
    ‘Well, I think he’s toying with you,’ she says eventually.
    ‘ Toying ?’
    Only Jenny uses expressions like ‘toying’. She not-quite went out with an EXTREMELY FAMOUS MOVIE STAR during the blockbuster thing, so this makes her an expert on men. Expert, and world-weary. Her man abandoned her, so all men are vile. They toy, apparently.
    ‘Don’t you think he’s just using you to get to Crow?’
    ‘Crow? Why?’
    ‘So she can design something for him? I don’t know! He sounds dangerous.’
    This is typical Jenny nowadays. Sad, but true.
    I show her a picture of Alexander from Google Images that I just happen to have in my handbag. It’s a bit dogeared, but it gives the general idea.
    ‘Oh. My. God. He’s gorgeous.’
    I nod.
    ‘ Definitely dangerous. Have nothing to do with him, Nonie.’
    ‘Well, I’m not likely to, am I? He hasn’t called me or anything. He doesn’t even have my number. Plus the whole gay thing.’
    When I get home, my brother Harry’s in the kitchen, smooching with Svetlana. He’s been going out with her since Crow’s first show, which is nearly a year ago now. He’s in the final year of his art degree at Central St Martins, but he spends most of his time DJing at parties and fashion events, so he gets to see more of her than many boyfriends would. This doesn’t stop them beingdisgustingly clingy in public, though.
    ‘Get a room,’ I say, throwing my bag down and making myself a hot chocolate.
    He laughs.
    ‘Oh, by the way. Some guy called while you were out. Alexander? Said you met him in Paris. Says there’s this performance for rising stars on Thursday and did you want to go? He’ll meet up with you afterwards. I’ve written down the details.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    I continue whisking in the chocolate. I’m a top hot chocolate maker and my method is elaborate. Plus, it takes my mind off how shocked I am. And gives my cheeks a chance to go back to their normal colour.
    ‘So, come on,’ Harry says. ‘Who is he?’
    ‘A dancer,’ I tell him. ‘Don’t worry. He’s gay. He just liked my outfit.’
    ‘Alexander Taylor?’ Svetlana asks. ‘The new guy from the Royal Ballet School?’
    ‘Er, yes.’
    For a moment, I’m surprised Svetlana’s heard of him, but then she goes to about ten parties a day and she probably knows everybody interesting in London, New York, Paris and Milan.
    I sit down opposite them. They’re not smooching quite so badly now. Svetlana has unwound most of herself and is